February 11 Block

Today is the anniversary of Thomas Edison's birth.  After reading the section on illumination in Bill Bryson's book, At Home, my appreciation for the invention of Edison and Joseph Swan grew immensely.  Lighting prior to the electric light bulb was dirty, labor intensive, expensive, and, well, dim.  The amazing thing is that for centuries women created the most phenomenal handwork and quilts by this faint, pale light.  How lucky we are to have incredible compact fluorescent, daylight bulbs to work by in the evenings!  Mary