Reconstruction

 

"The Capitol at Williamsburg, Virginia housed both Houses of the Virginia General Assembly, the Council of State and the House of Burgesses of the Colony of Virginia from 1705, when the capital was relocated there from Jamestown, until 1780, when the capital was relocated to Richmond. Two capitol buildings served the colony on the same site: the first from 1705 until its destruction by fire in 1747; the second from 1753 to 1780.

The earlier capitol was reconstructed in the early 1930s as part of the restoration of Colonial Williamsburg. The reconstruction has thus lasted longer than the combined total of both original capitol buildings" -- Wikipedia

Chaste Tree

The chaste tree  "is a plant native of the Mediterranean region. It is one of the few temperate-zone species of Vitex, which is on the whole a genus of tropical and subtropical flowering plants.Theophrastus mentioned the shrub several times, as agnos (άγνος) in Enquiry into Plants. It has been long believed to be an anaphrodisiac – leading to its name as 'chaste tree' – but its effectiveness for such action remains unproven." - Wikipedia

Ice and Stone

 

I can't believe I missed posting this one, by far and away the most gripping book I've read over these past few months. It reminds me very much of Ernest Shackleton's epic journey in the Antarctic, only this saga took place on the opposite end of the earth. I wouldn't even dream of spoiling your reading by saying any more; so I'll just share this: 

"Winds were whipping up and it was getting very cold by early afternoon. Bartlett told everyone to hurry with the shelters. They should warm themselves by the big fire, try to dry their wet boots and clothing and otherwise keep moving. Bartlett surveyed the island and the surroundings, an empire of ice and stone."