The Snake, The Crocodile, and The Dog – Elizabeth Peters

When we last saw Amelia Peabody at the end of “The Last Camel Died at Noon” by Elizabeth Peters, she was escaping imprisonment with her husband Emerson and their son Ramses. They had been held against their will in the fabled Lost Oasis, not quite so fabled any more, now that they had found it. They brought back with them a peculiar souvenir in the form of a beautiful thirteen-year-old girl named Nefret, who had been raised to believe that she was the High Priestess of Isis, when in actuality she was English and the daughter of the persons Amelia … Continue reading

The Last Camel Died at Noon – Elizabeth Peters

Our next installment in the Amelia Peabody series by Elizabeth Peters takes us to the home in England where Emerson and Amelia live during the summer months. A stranger named Forthright shows up unannounced, proceeds to faint dead away on the hearth, and revives to tell a strange tale of his aunt and uncle who have disappeared in the Egyptian desert while searching for a lost civilization. He asks Emerson to undertake a search, which Emerson flatly refuses to do, until the grandfather shows up, equally unannounced, and presents Emerson with a strange object: a page from Emerson’s own notebook, … Continue reading

Aromatherapy in Ancient Egypt

If you think aromatherapy is a new practice, think again! Many ancient civilizations — including the Greeks, Persians, Romans, and Chinese — used various forms of aromatherapy. The Egyptians are generally credited with founding the use and study of aromatherapy. Ancient Egyptians used a few basic methods for extracting plant essences: infusion, squeezing, and eventually distillation. To infuse oil with a plant essence, simply place the aromatic plant material in the liquid and let the mixture sit in the sun for several weeks. I’ve tried this method for myself, hoping to make lily scented oil… but it ended up getting … Continue reading

Activities for “Escape to Egypt”

In my previous entry over the story of Jesus’ family fleeing to Egypt and eventually settling in Nazareth, I expressed how surprised I was when the students I teach in Bible school class thoroughly enjoyed the lesson (which I thought would be somewhat boring to them). I was also surprised by how much my kids enjoyed the very, very simply craft and corresponding class activity I did with them relating to the story. I thought I would share these ideas with you. The first thing I did in class is what I would call an activity. To prepare the activity, … Continue reading

Bible Stories: Escape to Egypt

I have been teaching stories from the book of Matthew to my Bible class children on Sunday mornings. When I came to the lesson from Matthew 2:12-23, I thought that it was a lesson the children should know, but that they probably would not find the lesson very interesting. I was so wrong! I am not sure what intrigued them so much, but they really enjoyed the lesson. The short lesson over Jesus’ family’s escape to Egypt and then eventual settling in Nazareth really grabbed the children’s attention. So I encourage you to teach your children this story, and do … Continue reading

The Deeds of the Disturber – Elizabeth Peters

Emerson, Amelia, and Ramses have just returned from their dig at the pyramids of Dashoor. The press had a field day with their adventures while they were gone, and they come home to find that their old “friend,” Kevin O’Connell, has been concocting all manner of sensationalized stories about them and their future mystery-solving activities. It seems that a night guard at the museum has been found dead on the floor near an ancient mummy case, a look of fear on his face, and Kevin has assured his readers that Emerson and Amelia will solve the case. Emerson strongly feels … Continue reading

Lion in the Valley — Elizabeth Peters

In this fourth book of the Amelia Peabody series, the year is 1895 and we go to Egypt with Emerson, Amelia, and now eight-year-old Ramses to Dashoor, where the Black Pyramid burial chamber awaits them. This site has been coveted by archaeologists from round about, but the Emersons are the lucky folk who will unearth the treasures that lie within. With a bit of confusion caused by Ronald and Donald, a girl named Enid, and the kidnapping of Ramses, the mystery promises to baffle the most eager adventure seeker, but not Amelia Peabody! It would appear that the Master Criminal … Continue reading

The Mummy Case — Elizabeth Peters

In “The Mummy Case,” Ramses, the only child of Emerson and Amelia, is now old enough to accompany them on an archaeological dig in Egypt. While still very young, his grasp of all things Egyptian is astounding, as is his vocabulary, and he can’t wait to get out in the sand and begin a dig of his very own. Emerson is also itching to return. The pyramids at Dashoor are calling to him, their riches just waiting to be discovered, catalogued, and turned over to the museum with Emerson’s name proudly displayed as the finder. But when they arrive in … Continue reading

Bible Stories to Share with Your Children: Joseph’s Life

This is my final entry (of a total of six) over the life of Joseph. Joseph is the key figure in the final portion of the book of Genesis, and the Bible explains a lot about many details of his life. I have chosen to split Joseph’s life story into several blog entries because there is so much detail about Joseph’s life. Each portion of Joseph’s life is exciting and intriguing, and thus can hold the attention of children well. I think it is a good idea to share each portion of Joseph’s story separately with your children, but then … Continue reading

Egypt– Where Old Meets New

Although Egypt is probably not at the top of your “must see” list, the country is actually quite breathtaking. I admit it, I was nervous about leaving the security of America for the uncertainty of the Middle East. In reality, though, I had no need for concern. The people were warm and friendly, the beaches were clean and lovely, and the historical sites were awe-inspiring. Egypt is a timeless oasis where yesterday and tomorrow converge under the desert sun. As one of the world’s oldest civilizations, Egypt boasts a historical richness few countries can claim. [h]The Pyramids[/h] A favorite tourist … Continue reading