What’s the Difference Between Apple Cider and Apple Juice?

This hot weather makes me thirsty. There’s nothing more refreshing on a hot day then an ice-cold glass of apple… cider? Juice? What’s the difference? The word cider means “strong drink.” The definition of cider is, “the expressed juice of apples, used for drinking and for making vinegar.” That sounds like juice to me. When I look at the calorie count, they both have 100 for an eight-ounce glass. The only difference I see is that the cider is darker. I know it must be in the process. Maybe the cider is made from the peels too, or something of that nature and the juice is made from just the juice. On both bottles it states that they are made from the juice of apples. The state of Massachusetts has a web page devoted to explaining their definition between cider and juice. Their definition of cider is what Californian’s call “unfiltered,” which is my preference. At any rate, the Massachusetts website says that apple cider is high in potassium. That’s a good thing. Also a plus… a high pectin content, good for lowering cholesterol. In California, look for “raw” or “unfiltered.” In Massachusetts, look for the word “cider.”

Suellen Ocean is the author of the Civil War Era Historic Romance, Black Pansy.

Available Here:

http://www.amazon.com/Black-Pansy-Suellen-Ocean/dp/1484900278

France, America, Germany… Throughout History, Persecutors Share Ideas

France wasn’t the first to persecute Jews, but she certainly had laws for dealing with Blacks and Jews, and those laws came to America with the Colonial era. In 1685, France created a how-to set of laws for treating slaves in French Caribbean colonies. Later, in 1724 based on those laws, the Louisiana Code Noir was created. Of the fifty-four articles in the Louisiana code, the first one was, “the expulsion of Jews from the colony.”

In medieval Europe, Jewish persecution was widespread. Switzerland, Spain, Russia, England and Germany, were just some of the countries that gave momentum to the Jewish Diaspora. In the slave code, we find that slaves were forbidden to “gather in crowds either by day or by night, under the pretext of a wedding, or for any other cause.” In medieval Holland, Jews were so severely restricted from gathering, it was an enormous undertaking to bury their dead and hold funerals. In Colonial America, unruly slaves were branded with the fleur de lis and in Nazi Germany, Jews were tattooed with numbers on their arms or forced to wear the Star of David on their clothes. The idiosyncrasies between persecuting governments are so similar, it’s obvious that ideas were passed around and shared.

Suellen Ocean is the author of the Civil War Era Historic Romance, Black Pansy.

Available Here:

http://www.amazon.com/Black-Pansy-Suellen-Ocean/dp/1484900278

English History… the Nobles Spoke French… Illiterate Peasants Spoke English

I just finished reading an article about the Magna Carta. (The Rule of History by Jill Lepore, The New Yorker, April 20, 2015.) Lepore writes about England’s King John and how in 1215 he signed the Magna Carta. She writes:

“The King and the barons spoke French. ‘Par les denz Dieu!’ the King liked to swear, invoking the teeth of God. The peasants, who were illiterate, spoke English.”

I shouldn’t have been surprised that the King and barons spoke French. Being a fan of early European history, I know that in 1066, William the Conqueror claimed his right to the English throne. William was from Normandy and spoke French. But, because English has been perfected and many take great pride in their mastery of it, it’s strange to think of those who spoke English as being “illiterate.”

Suellen Ocean is the author of the Civil War Era Historic Romance, Black Pansy.

Available Here:

http://www.amazon.com/Black-Pansy-Suellen-Ocean/dp/1484900278

First We’ll Set Up the Holy Brotherhood… Then We’ll Persecute Everyone Who’s Not Christian

Ever wonder how the Spanish Inquisition came to be? King Ferdinand married his cousin Isabella and the two of them went about reuniting their kingdom. Problem is… they had a cruel way of going about it. I guess they thought things would be better if everyone in the kingdom was one religion. They eventually succeeded, but at great cost to non-Christians.

Spain had a large Muslim population because for centuries, the country had been ruled by the Moors and there were plenty of Jews because the Moors let them be. But the Christians finally won back the Spanish provinces and the king and queen were dead set on straightening things out… they wanted unity. There were also too many different languages and too much lawlessness. Some districts were ruled by religious leaders, while other regions had developed governments. Ancient Spain was in disarray.

So, they brought out the mounted police, the Holy Brotherhood (Santa Hermandad), a police force on horseback who let feudal war lords know who was boss. Then the monarch set up their famous system of inquiry, The Inquisition. They brought people into court and interrogated them. Basically, it was… you’re going to be a Christian. You are not going to pretend you are a Christian; you are really going to be a Christian. And if you’re not, you’ll be expelled from the kingdom. And by the way, on your way out… leave everything here, including your gold. You wealthy Moors and Jews, leave your land to the kingdom, your cattle also stays. And all those agricultural fields and trees you planted? We’ll take that too. Next!

What really made the monarch angry were the Moors and Jews who converted to Catholicism but who weren’t really Christian. They hated that. Imagine the nerve of them, going to church on Sunday but when at home practicing Islam or Judaism. And Christians who didn’t accept the monarch’s idea of what it meant to be a Catholic… they were punished too. Ferdinand and Isabella burned people to death. They tied them to crosses and started fires at their feet. No kidding. That’s one of the reasons why the New World became populated. People were running from serious oppression. Trouble is… the Inquisition followed them. That’s when we see The Mexican Inquisition in the history books. And that’s why there are Catholics who take DNA tests and find out they are Jewish. Well what do you know? Nobody said anything. Would you?

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

Native American Genealogy… The Unbroken Chain… Might Start With a Tooth

Last week I read in the newspaper that a tooth was found during the construction phase of a large highway overpass. That single tooth stopped all construction. Native Americans came from south and west to analyze the situation. If the tooth were human, it could signify that the construction company was digging in sacred ground.

To non-Indians, holding up a multi-million-dollar construction site might seem ridiculous. To Indians… it is everything. An ancient burial site is the unbroken chain of ancestry… the mothers and fathers who came before them. Some might argue, “Well, you didn’t even know it was there, so what does it matter?” The reason the Indians didn’t know it was there was because they were run off during the 1800s when Europeans claimed the New World was theirs. If the Native Americans hadn’t been “removed,” they would be protecting their ancient burial sites to this day. Imagine what a sacred spot that would be.

Suellen Ocean is the author of Secret Genealogy IV – Native Americans Hidden in Our Family Trees: http://www.amazon.com/Secret-Genealogy-IV-Native-Americans/dp/1500756105

Coerced Confessions… The Heretic History Behind Our Christian Ancestors

Imagine being arrested for not going to church. In 1480, when the Inquisition was only twelve years away, the Spanish crown decreed that heretics had about thirty days to confess their sins and convert to Christianity. Heretics were those who didn’t believe the way the church wanted them to. In those days being a heretic meant big trouble. Part of a new law called the “Edict of Grace,” encouraged friends and family to report those who refused to go with the program. If someone gave your name, you were arrested and expected to confess. As you can imagine, a medieval prison is not a pretty place, so wanting to return to their homes and families, many confessed to being heretics. It’s ghastly to think that our ancestors may have become Christians because they were tortured into it, but alas, this is one of history’s unpleasant truths.

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

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King, Pope, Castle, Knights, Girl, Freemasons and the American Army of Occupation

In 1312, after King Philip and the Pope set out to obliterate the Knights Templar, the last remaining twelve knights escaped to the Rhine hoping a castle would protect them. History tells of their heroic fight against the armies of the Archbishop. So renowned is this legend, American soldiers serving in the Army of Occupation petitioned the Masonic Grand Master to relax the rules and allow them to charter a lodge near ancient Castle Lahneck.

Five-hundred-thirty-nine-years later, a young girl was drawn to Castle Lahneek too. Idilia Dubb was only seventeen in the summer of 1851 when under the spell of the castle and the joy of vacation, she decided to explore. She climbed the wooden stairs that led to the castle’s high tower. As she did, the ancient stairs fell away behind her. Stranded in the tower, the wall too tall for her to climb, Idilia called for help. Again and again, she called out but no one heard her cries. It was nine years before her body was found. When they found her diary, she had drawn two hearts at the bottom, below a prayer and her belief that death would surely come.

Suellen Ocean is the author of the Civil War Era Historic Romance, Black Pansy: http://www.amazon.com/Black-Pansy-Suellen-Ocean/dp/1484900278

What is Peyote?

Peyote is the fruit of a cactus found in Northern Mexico and the American Southwest. It looks a little bit like a mushroom. There is a fuzzy substance in it that is removed before it’s eaten. After feelings of nausea, it gives the partaker a high euphoric feeling and visions. In other words, it’s a hallucinogen. Peyote was used and is still used today by Native Americans in spiritual ceremonies. It was also eaten during war and for times of hard work because of the stimulating nature of its properties and its ability to subdue hunger and thirst. Unless you belong to one of the Native American religious groups granted legal permission to consume peyote, you will find yourself in trouble with the law if you have it in your possession.

Suellen Ocean is the author of Secret Genealogy IV – Native Americans Hidden in Our Family Trees:

http://www.amazon.com/Secret-Genealogy-IV-Native-Americans/dp/1500756105

To Muslims, Christians and Jews… Who Was Gabriel?

Through the eyes of religion and history, Gabriel reminds us of the association between Christians, Jews and Muslims. In Christianity and Judaism, Gabriel is one of the seven archangels. He is an angel of comfort and a herald declaring the coming of the Messiah. For Islam, Gabriel is believed to have dictated the Koran to their prophet, Mohammed. Christians believe that Gabriel appeared to Mary before she became the mother of Jesus.

Suellen Ocean is the author ofSecret Genealogy II – The Jewish Roots of Our Christian Ancestors: http://www.amazon.com/Secret-Genealogy-II-Christian-Ancestors/dp/1484053222

Native American Genealogy… Seeking Our Ancestors

Chief Red Cloud of the Sioux Indian tribe is remembered by these words:

“The White Man made us many promises, more than I can remember. But they only kept one. They promised to take our land, and they took it.”

Humans always strike out for new lands, invading the current inhabitants. Calling it Manifest Destiny, the Europeans swept across North America, from the east to the west coast. In the earliest days of contact, as those of the Lewis and Clark expedition, the Indians were friendly. As the new settlers began staking claims on Indian lands, threatening their way of life and their survival, wars ensued. It’s a complex situation, those of us who are descendants of European settlers and have some Native American ancestry. Because of past prejudices toward being “Indian,” our Native ancestors are hidden in our family trees.

Suellen Ocean is the author of Secret Genealogy IV – Native Americans Hidden in Our Family Trees:

http://www.amazon.com/Secret-Genealogy-IV-Native-Americans/dp/1500756105