26 Comments
User's avatar
Caro B's avatar

Here’s another place to volunteer as a transcriber of old script: https://www.archives.gov/citizen-archivist/missions/revolutionary-war-pension-files. Thanks, Ann!

Expand full comment
Ann Hood's avatar

Thank you!

Expand full comment
Nicole's avatar

Having lived in Southern California and now Central California, my kids have learned cursive in public school. My 12 year old is learning it now. It's not taught as a daily penmanship lesson but as a unit and she has a practice notebook. This is how she's learned it since 4th grade. Same with my now high school sophomore.

Expand full comment
Ann Hood's avatar

That’s wonderful! My daughter went to a French-American school and learned cursive.

Expand full comment
Claude A.R.'s avatar

I am French and there was no other way to learn how to write.

Expand full comment
Joan's avatar

Hi Ann: I am so glad that you wrote about cursive writing. I am so with you on that subject. I can't write any other way and to my sadness, my grandchildren can't read my writing on birthday cards and Christmas notes. Where's the signature of those who only were taught to print? And I also notice that they hold the pencil in an awkward way. It's so sad that those who have the power to reinstate cursive writing into the curriculum will not do it. Keep fighting for it and please post how those of us who read your substack can help. I am practicing the letter Q which I wasn't taught that way in school.

Expand full comment
Erin Henderson's avatar

Cursive and old recipes. I was saying to someone the other day that I love the old cook books with someone’s notes written in the margins. My recipes are now kept neat and tidy on my computer, but I’m seriously considering getting one of those old fashioned cue card boxes and hand writing my favourites (in cursive!) just for future traces that I have, indeed, been here.

Expand full comment
Ann Hood's avatar

One of my favorite recipes that I have is for Mac and cheese in my dad’s handwriting!

Expand full comment
Erin Henderson's avatar

Love that! ❤️❤️❤️

Expand full comment
Claude A.R.'s avatar

Erin, you make me think of all the books I read and dare annotate. I hope my son will keep them when I’ll be gone. But who will read the annotations, they are all written in cursives?

Expand full comment
Erin Henderson's avatar

But what a lovely keepsake! I love old books with notes in the margins - even if I can’t read the scrawl. 💝

Expand full comment
Heather Harriss's avatar

Thank you for this beautiful post full of love and light!

Expand full comment
Elizabeth Aquino's avatar

Such a wonderful post with so many good things curated! Thank you. I've ordered some knitting stuff from Purl Soho -- I think first I'll knit the Pirouette and then maybe that shawl that you're working on. Also, I'm about 50% southern Italian (Calabrian) and the other 50% English-Scotch -- maybe we're related? Ha!

Expand full comment
Ann Hood's avatar

Wow! The Pirouette shawl is something! I can’t believe it’s knit all in one piece with no seaming. Which colorway are you doing?

Expand full comment
Claude A.R.'s avatar

I am a forced right hand writer, it was painful, then. But I love hand writing everything. I do not know how to write differently than in cursive. Forced and in tears in the past, today my best writing is by hand. It’s called free writing.

Expand full comment
Leslie Mikkelson's avatar

I need to practice up my cursive! I mourn it’s passing but haven’t been good about using it. Thanks for the prompt.

Expand full comment
Laurie Blackwell's avatar

A hearty YES to cursive reading and writing! The 2010 decision will become a fatal flaw for all school kid’s who will have to admit they can’t read historical documents!🤔

Expand full comment
Ann Hood's avatar

I agree!

Expand full comment
Mary V. McKinnis's avatar

1) I enjoyed your gallery photos, most especially the first one with the heart. 2) Congrats on teaching two classes this month, you certainly stay busy. 3) Thank you for the Swiss Steak Recipe. It sounds just like the kind my mom used to make, which I have tried to replicate, without success. Can't wait to try this one. 4) I really enjoyed your Kitchen Yarns and think it would be fun to read a Kitchen Yarns book two, (or whatever inventive title your team comes up with). I especially enjoyed the tomato pie recipe in your book Kitchen Yarns, yum. I even bought Laurie Cowlin's book, Home Cooking, that you wrote of so now I have her recipe. 5) I went on to read and enjoy your other books from Somewhere off the Coast of Maine to The Stolen Child. That must have been fun to see your Fly Girl display in the airport! p.s. I agree that children should be taught to at least read cursive, if not to write it so they can read historical documents. Afterall, "History is the Light which illuminates the present". p.s.s. I see Kitchen Yarns, book two in your future, ha. Think about it!!

Expand full comment
Ann Hood's avatar

Haha! There might be something in the works with my husband and me…

Expand full comment
Mary V. McKinnis's avatar

F.Y.I., if you and your hub write a second cookbook, this Swiss steak recipe is a must. It turned out so delicious, we all had second helpings. My husband said, "your mom would be proud". I finally nailed it! Thanks.

Expand full comment
mary grimm's avatar

I'll have to try the Swiss Steak - I loved my mother's, and I don't have her recipe.

Expand full comment
Ann Hood's avatar

Please let me know if you try it. In my memory, there was not tomatoes or vegetables and the gravy was thick and rich and oniony.

Expand full comment
Cheryl Kloscak's avatar

I love cursive and I too have been toying with the idea of volunteering for the National Archives. I certainly as each year passes, feel those memories a little deeper when they come up as well. Love reading your memories and I hope you’re feeling better!

Expand full comment
Ann Hood's avatar

Thank you, Cheryl! I am better but it took three rounds of antibiotics!

Expand full comment
Ed Iannuccilli's avatar

Ah, Yes. Pen to Paper. Something I wrote last year. Take Pen to Paper and Write - Dr. Ed Iannuccilli https://search.app/Ma2UFMLuGLjHn7RMA

Expand full comment