Hello everyone!
It’s still hot where I live, but instead of posting a quote about the heat from my favorite curmudgeon John Adams like I’ve done the last two posts, today I’m just going to put all my energy into hoping that it finally cools down and that fall is just around the corner: soup … sweaters … hot apple cider … I’m manifesting it - let’s go!
This is so exciting!
Earbuds (
) is an amazing newsletter that gives a specially curated list of podcasts each week. Each week is a different list about a different topic.This week's list was curated by me! The list has five awesome podcasts that are each hosted by women, and each episode is about women in history! This was so much fun to do, and I’m so grateful to
who runs the newsletter for letting me do it!Here's a link to the newsletter! Earbuds newsletter
Some dorky Door Key updates
I mentioned in my last post that Door Key was almost at five thousand downloads, and that once that milestone was hit, that I would be releasing a bonus episode with clips from previous episodes. Well, that milestone was hit, and the bonus episode was released! Thank you all so much for listening to Door Key! Here’s a link to the bonus episode:
Also: the watching and discussing of the show The Tudors continues for paid subscribers of this Substack!
Will Henry VIII align with France or Spain?
Who will Henry accuse of treason next?
Exactly how many characters on this show are named Thomas anyway?
Find the answers to all these hard-hitting questions on The Tudors! (Ok, so you probably won’t find an actual answer to any of those questions on this show, but I promise that it’s a lot of fun trying to! )
Well done, Sister Suffragette!
Something important that happened between the last post and this one is the 104th Anniversary of the 19th Amendment being ratified in the US! (August 18, 1920)
I had to mention this anniversary, because I’m incredibly grateful to the brave, strong women who fought for this right Well done, sister suffragettes! Your daughters, granddaughters, and great-granddaughters live in a world that’s better because of you!
Really great podcast
I’m always grateful for any feedback I get about Door Key. A listener recently left a comment about the current episode that really made my day, and I just had to share it:
Really great podcast. I knew some about Helen Keller and now know some additional facts. Highly recommend.
I can’t tell you how happy this wonderful comment made me! It gives me so much joy to know that not only are people enjoying Door Key, but they’re learning tidbits about history along the way! This comment really makes me feel like I’m on the right track!
xoxo, April
Helen Keller
I hope you’ve had a chance to listen to the episode about Helen Keller by now! Born in 1880, Helen was left blind and deaf from an illness at 19 months old. She overcame great challenges with the help of her devoted teacher, Anne Sullivan. From groundbreaking achievements like becoming the first blind-deaf person to earn a BA degree to her impactful advocacy work, Helen's legacy is both inspiring and enduring. Helen Keller was a remarkable person who made significant contributions to society, and her story is truly inspiring!
You can listen to the episode about Helen Keller here:
Helen Keller loved dogs
I knew going into this episode that Helen Keller liked dogs, but something that I learned while researching Helen Keller’s episode was just how much Helen Keller liked dogs. As someone who loves animals of all kinds, I really enjoyed this fact. In an essay Helen wrote for The Atlantic in 1933, Helen wrote about one of the first things she would do if she suddenly had vision:
I should like to look into the loyal, trusting eyes of my dogs … whose warm, tender, and playful friendships are so comforting to me.
I thought I’d share some pictures that I found of Helen with some dogs that she had throughout her life:
Dogs have travelled all over the world with me. They have always been my companions. A dog has never failed me.
Helen Keller
(I got all of the pictures of Helen with her dogs from perkins.org, the website for Perkins School for the Blind, which Helen attended.)
I would absolutely love to see a picture of your pet! Please comment with a picture of your dog … or your cat, or your bird … your fish … you get the idea! I’ll go first by posting a picture of our cat Harrison:
Editing and marketing assistance for this episode was provided by
. You can also find her here: Coffeelike Media.