What Does Anglo-Saxon Really Mean?

I believe it was in the 1960s when I started hearing the term “Anglo-Saxon.” I was never sure what it meant but I assumed that I was one of “them.” Now that I know my extensive family history, I know that I am not, nor is anyone, just one “group.”

In order to distinguish between different groups, we tend to give names to them. Though we may be proud of our heritage, I suspect there are times when most of us don’t care to be referred to as an Anglo, Asian, Jew, Arab, etc. It brings us into the “us and them” realm. I have a great-grandmother from the Morris Clan. The surname could have Arabic roots stemming from Spanish Moors during the Middle Ages because the Latin word for Moor is “Maurus” from the Greek “Mauros” and in French you may find it as “More”.  I have also found Jewish ancestry. If I could see into the past, I would find Asian and African roots and connections to all people of the world with prominent enough populations to have been given a “name.”

So it was with interest that while I was reading an English history book, WROUGHTON THROUGH THE MISTS OF TIME and they ask the question, “WHO’S WHO?” I took note.

“Anglo-Saxon became the overall term for the ruling classes and eventually English became both the name for the people of most of Britain and for the language spoken by them.”

It is still confusing. Confuse: “to mix or blend so that things cannot be distinguished; jumble together.”

That about sums it up.

Suellen Ocean is the author of Secret Genealogy – A How-to for Tracing Ancient Jewish Ancestry: http://www.amazon.com/Secret-Genealogy-Volume-Suellen-Ocean/dp/0965114082

and Secret Genealogy II – Uncovering the Jewish Roots of Our Christian Ancestors: http://www.amazon.com/Secret-Genealogy-II-Christian-Ancestors/dp/1484053222

and Secret Genealogy III – From Jewish Anglo-Saxon Tribes to New France Acadians: https://www.amazon.com/Secret-Genealogy-III-Jewish-Anglo-Saxon-Acadians/dp/148407579X

What Does Feudalism Mean?

Feudalism was practiced throughout medieval Europe. The word derives from a German word “fihu” which means property. It was usually land that was referred to when practicing feudalism. This exchange of land for favors or services was the central premise behind feudalism. Two titles associated with feudalism: lord and vassal. The vassal was the guy accepting the lands and he was expected to be faithful to the lord. The lord would often have many vassals protecting his property from invaders. In exchange, the vassals, as a part of a large group of men serving the same lord, were protected by the lord’s power as a land baron. Some feudal lords held estates that were the envy of kings.

Suellen Ocean is the author of Secret Genealogy III – From Jewish Anglo-Saxon Tribes to New France Acadians: 

https://www.amazon.com/Secret-Genealogy-III-Jewish-Anglo-Saxon-Acadians/dp/148407579X

The Druids and Their Little People… think Fairies

The Druids believed in little people and that these little people lived inside oak trees. I’m not sure they didn’t, I don’t know, I wasn’t there, but recently a tiny human was found, so maybe at one time there were little people. The Druids were convinced and probably all of ancient Ireland believed in them. It’s a great legend. Let’s say it’s true, there were little tiny people at one time. If I was a little person, say six inches, I think I’d find a lot to love about a big oak tree. One acorn would be a whole meal. Little people could spend their entire life in the environment of that one oak tree. There would be branches to climb, oak galls to push and play with and there are always little nooks and crannies where a little person could find shelter from the elements. I never believed in fairies, I always knew it was made up, but after I read about the discovery of a six-inch humanoid, I’ve had to rethink it. The next time you see an oak, think of the little people (fairies and elves) who may inhabit that tree. Why not? People have grown taller over the years… you just never know.

Suellen Ocean is the author of Acorns and Eat’em, a how-to vegetarian cookbook and field guide for eating acorns: http://www.amazon.com/Acorns-Eatem-How–Vegetarian-Cookbook/dp/1491288973

The King’s Singing Led to His Whereabouts

During the 1100s, it was very fashionable for nobles to write poetry, strum a musical instrument and sing love songs. These singing minstrels were called troubadours. Quite often the nobles hired professional musicians to sing their songs for them. These professional musicians were called jongleurs. One of history’s well-known kings, Richard I of England, also known as Richard the Lion-Hearted, was one of these noble troubadours who hired a jongleur and together they created songs. When the Duke of Austria captured King Richard and hid him in a castle, the king’s former musical collaboration helped England find him. The jongleur searched high and low for the king, going to castles and standing outside, singing the songs that he and the king had composed together. One day outside a German castle, the jongleur sang the words to one of their songs. It was with great joy when he heard the voice of his captive king sing the next verse.

Suellen Ocean is the author of Secret Genealogy III – From Jewish Anglo-Saxon Tribes to New France Acadians. Available here: https://www.amazon.com/Secret-Genealogy-III-Jewish-Anglo-Saxon-Acadians/dp/148407579X

You’re Never Too Old… Saint Patrick Was Sixty When He Set Out On His Mission

Some folks think they’re over the hill at thirty while some believe their best years are ahead at fifty. Our lives give us many hills to climb. Take note of the spunk of Saint Patrick. After studying for years to convert the Irish, he was sixty years old when he left to return to Ireland. Whether or not you appreciate Christianity or lament the demise of Paganism, there’s no denying this older fellow had an important role to play later in life. Saint Patrick was not Irish, his mother was French, but of all the Irish historical figures, he is the most beloved.

Suellen Ocean is the author of Secret Genealogy II – Uncovering the Jewish Roots of Our Christian Ancestors, and Secret Genealogy III – From Jewish Anglo-Saxon Tribes to New France Acadians. Available here:

Secret Genealogy II:  http://www.amazon.com/Secret-Genealogy-II-Christian-Ancestors/dp/1484053222

Secret Genealogy III:  https://www.amazon.com/Secret-Genealogy-III-Jewish-Anglo-Saxon-Acadians/dp/148407579X

Jealousy… the Ancient Irish Had it Right

Ancient Irish Pagans had a belief in the other world. In this beautiful, pleasure-filled world, no one grew old. Tir-na-nog was the name given this Promised Land and being that the ancient Irish men were chivalrous, women were quite welcome to join them in paradise. They also seem to have been quite understanding toward the opposite sex, so much so that the ancients had a law protecting a woman, who if overcome with jealousy and flew into a jealous rage, was not responsible for her actions for four days afterwards. Four days? Wow, that could give a woman plenty of time to stir things up. Perhaps this is why the law is now ancient. But for those of us who have a bit of the Irish in us… in the spirit of old customs… maybe cut us just a little slack?

Suellen Ocean is the author of Secret Genealogy – A How-to for Tracing Ancient Jewish Ancestry: http://www.amazon.com/Secret-Genealogy-Volume-Suellen-Ocean/dp/0965114082

and Secret Genealogy II – Uncovering the Jewish Roots of Our Christian Ancestors: http://www.amazon.com/Secret-Genealogy-II-Christian-Ancestors/dp/1484053222

A Watch, A Gun, A Fifth of Whiskey and a Stephen King Novel

My husband came home the other night and relayed a story that as a writer, I found emotional and quite vivid. One of my husband’s friends and his ornithologist wife do some serious bird watching every summer. They were deep into the rugged outback when the wife saw a skull that she thought, “looked human.” They looked around the scene. It had been there at least a year. They found a watch (still ticking), a gun, a fifth of whiskey and a Stephen King novel. I would like to think that nature would have revitalized this man and made him change his mind. But at the very least, I hope he found peace and enjoyed nature until the very end.

Suellen Ocean is the author of Chimney Fire. Available here: https://www.amazon.com/Chimney-Fire-Steinberg-Conspiracy-1/dp/1502816067

Why Does Spotting a White Deer Bring Good Luck?

If you’ve ever driven along Northern California’s highway 101 north into Mendocino County, you may have noticed White Deer Ranch, or been lucky enough to spot a white deer, or really lucky and spotted a whole herd. To spot one is said to bring good luck.

I’ve always found the white deer magical and wondered where that belief originated. It may be due to Saint Patrick and the legend that he took the shape of a white deer to hide from Pagan Druids. Patrick was after all, on a mission to convert Pagan Ireland to Christianity, and he angered the Druids when he lit a fire on a hill, when the Druids were having a sacred fire. (Other fires during this festival were forbidden.}

Saint Patrick succeeded in converting the Irish to Christianity and avoided the wrath of the Druids. Perhaps the legend is meant to convey that the white deer brought him good luck. As much as I love seeing the white deer, I’d love it even more if I saw Druids worshipping under the sacred oaks. That would be rare… but in California not only could it happen… it does, especially on the full moon.

Suellen Ocean is the author of Acorns and Eat’em, a how-to vegetarian cookbook and field guide for eating acorns. Find it here: http://www.amazon.com/Acorns-Eatem-How–Vegetarian-Cookbook/dp/1491288973

What’s the Best Way to Deal with a Problem?

I often tell myself that the answers to life’s problems can be found in a garden. Problems… there are no shortages. Everyone has them. It’s not unusual for friends and family to come to us with problems that need to be solved. Usually, adults find ways to solve their own problems, they just want someone to listen to them while they talk it through. It makes them feel that we care. Some of us have open arms and lend an ear, others find it rude that anyone would think of dumping their problems onto them. Don’t we have enough of our own? The former may adore her friend, the latter may find her friend “toxic.” Whichever personality type you are; venter, dumper, compassionate listener, irritated unable enabler, the reality remains the same. We all have problems.

What are problems? Webster’s dictionary defines a problem as a perplexing question, situation, or person. It’s an ancient Latin word, problema meaning to “throw forward.” So true. Problems present themselves, over and over again. Over time, we should become pros at solving them and in a sense, we do. But growing older oftentimes means our patience grows thinner, hence a double quandary.

Sometimes problems get so out of hand, spinning our life out of control, that we become frozen and petrified, which only makes things worse. And when multiple persons are involved (as is often the case in family matters) one feels that their once pleasant life may never return. This is the time that we turn to the garden (or nature in the form of a park, the local strip of woods, the backyard or if none of these are available, the local nursery). For it is in nature that we find peace and rejuvenation that give us the best chance of answering the questions that life’s problems present.

Suellen Ocean is the author of the Civil War Era romance, Blue Violet:

https://www.amazon.com/Blue-Violet-Civil-War-Romances/dp/1516876733

Who Were the Nordic Giants that Went to Ireland? Our Ancestors?

Legend has it that during the days of Viking marauding, some very large people went to Ireland. They are known as the Fomorian which means “giants.” Who were these early giants? Some call them “Gaelic sea spirits of darkness.” Their history seems to engulf Ireland, Scotland, Scandinavia and the Mediterranean. Archaeologists see them as giants of Nordic origin from the Hebrides (islands off the northwest coast of Scotland) who originally came from the Mediterranean on ships.

Who were the Fomorian that arrived early to Ireland? They are for many, the ancient ancestors. What did they believe? Were they Pagan? They arrived from the Mediterranean, were they Muslims or Jews? Or were they Vikings who went from Scandinavia to the Mediterranean and then sailed to Ireland? It was a very long time ago. And since humans have always been known to conquer, assimilate and conquer again, they were no doubt a composite of many ancient civilizations. Today, as genealogists, we want to pick their history apart and analyze the separate pieces. Because in the pieces, we find the stories or our ancestors. Those whose flesh and blood we are made of. In many respects, they must have been very different than we are today. But surely, we have physical attributes and personality traits that we would recognize… if only we could see them – touch them. This is as close as we can get.

Suellen Ocean is the author of Secret Genealogy VII – DNA, Jumping Into the Gene Pool. A High Tech Gathering of the Tribes. Available here:

https://www.amazon.com/Secret-Genealogy-VII-High-Tech-Gathering/dp/1983754226/