Yellow Rose: The Musical

Yellow Rose is in the Zeitgeist! Award-winning perfumer Boyd's of Texas has released the stunning new Yellow Rose unisex fragrance. I ordered a sample and wow! I don't like fruity or floral--but love this. Their description: "Our very first, dedicated floral fragrance. We set out to create a rose scent for people who hate rose scents. Yellow Rose is spicy, dark, and dusty. A mystery story, told through a noir aesthetic." It sold out immediately, but I hope it will be back in stock soon. https://boydsoftexas.com/collections/yellow-rose

When I first started researching Emily West, the Yellow Rose, history books said no one knew where she came from--perhaps a plantation in the Caribbean, one popular guess. I found her indenture papers in the Texas State Archives. It was signed in a beautiful cursive handwriting, demonstrating she was well educated. Her witness was famous Abolitionist Rev. Simeon Jocelyn, who headed the first Black church in New England, the Dixwell Church in New Haven, CT. This establishes she must have come from Connecticut. The Dixwell UCC Church is still active! https://dixwellucc.org/

Yes, Santa Anna was a megalomaniac. Today he would be labeled with narcissistic personality disorder. He lost a leg in a battle with French troops in the Battle of Vera Cruz in 1838. He was fond of that leg! Four years later, he had the shriveled leg dug up and sent it to Mexico City in an elaborate coach to be reburied with full military honors. The funeral included cannon salvos, flowery speeches, reverent prayers, and poetry recited in the general’s honor. His prosthetic leg remains on display in the Illinois State Military Museum in Springfield if you'd like to make a pilgrimage...