Tag: Drums of Autumn

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Fun Fact: Tragus

Anatomy def: Tragus is a small lump of cartilage on the external ear; it projects downward partially covering the opening of the ear canal. 

Outlander def: Ian’s tragus is definitely perked when he is captured during the night raid to save Roger-Dodger. He is mighty scart! 

Learn about the tragus in Anatomy Lesson #24, Hear, Here – The Ear.  

The outer ear, or auricle, is the visible, bendable flap situated at each side of the head. Like fingerprints or the venous pattern on the back of our hands, each auricle is unique.  Under its skin is a core of elastic cartilage. The anatomy is detailed, the tragus being one of several bumps, whorls or troughs acting to preferentially filter sounds in the frequency range of human speech.

The tragus projects downward over the opening of the external ear canal. Directly opposite the tragus is the antitragus which projects upward over the opening of the ear canal. Together, they help protect the entrance to the ear canal.

One may wonder why this bump was named tragus, a Greek word meaning “goat.” This references the tuft of hair resembling a goat’s beard that often adorns the tragi (pl.) of older men. Think Murtagh, not Ian! <G>

Try This: Place your L thumb in L ear canal, then pinch with L forefinger; this is your tragus. Now insert L index finger into same ear canal and pinch with thumb; this is your antitragus. Did you find both? Good job!

Fun Fact: Pinching the tragus, an action known as the fistula test, may induce vertigo or eye deviation in patients with the presence of an inner ear abnormality (fistula). If the pinch causes the response, the test is positive; if it doesn’t, the test is negative.

Read about ears in Drums of Autumn. Herself describes tidbits about Claire’s ears, Jamie’s ears, Haye’s ears, Byrnes ears, Ian’s ears and Rollo’s ears, and more, much more.  Best read the books! 

“Can ye speak Mohawk yourself, Mr. Myers?” 

Ian’s ears had been flapping all through the explanation. Fascinated by every rock, tree, and bird on our journey, Ian was still more fascinated by any mention of Indians. 

“Oh, a good bit.” Myers shrugged modestly. “Any trader picks up a few words here and there. Shoo, dawg.” 

Rollo, who had inched his nose within sniffing distance of Myers’s last trout, twitched his ears at the admonition but didn’t withdraw the nose.

See Ian’s tragus and its auricle turn bright pink in Starz, ep 413, A Man of Worth. Trapped like a rat! Ian doesna like gettin’ nabbed in the dark.  

A deeply grateful,

Outlander Anatomist

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Fun Fact: Sternocleidomastoid Musculus

Anatomy def: Paired neck muscles, each connecting sternum and clavicle to mastoid process of same side. Abbreviated SCM, these muscles rotate and nod the head and flex the neck. 

Outlander def: Murtagh’s right SCM is taut (see #3 muscle movement below) as he implores Auntie Jo: “please, come back to bed.”  He nails Burt Reynold’s pose from 1972 Cosmopolitan centerfold. Alrighty, then!  

Learn about the sternocleidomastoid muscle in Anatomy Lesson #12, “Claire’s Neck” or “The Ivory Tower.” 

SCM is so named because it takes origin from sternum and clavicle and inserts into mastoid process, a rounded knob of bone behind the ear, hence the word root meaning “breast.”

SCM muscles are hard-working, resulting in many useful head and neck movements:

  1. Working alone, look over shoulder of same side
  2. Working together, equally, tilt chin toward chest 
  3. Working together, unequally, L SCM turns head to L as R SCM tilts ear to chest and visa versa

In anatomy, the SCM divides neck into anterior and posterior triangles where it serves as an important landmark in locating structures such as the common carotid artery and cervical (neck) lymph nodes. 

Try This: Locate your R mastoid process, the bony knob behind R ear. Look over L shoulder and tilt R ear towards sternum. Now, palpate the taut muscular ridge from sternum to back of R ear. This is the R SCM and your head mimics sexy Murtagh’s head position. Yay!

The muscle is also involved in SCM Syndrome, a constellation of symptoms including:  

  • decreased range of motion of the neck 
  • dull aches and pains in neck
  • sharp pains in neck
  • neck stiffness

Fortunately, it can be successfully treated with passive and active therapies.

Read about neck muscles in Drums of Autumn, wherein Herself describes Jamie’s therapeutic massage of Claire’s neck muscles: 

“Neither one at the moment,” Jamie replied, automatically gripping the back of my neck and massaging it with one hand. “He’s dead, aye?” 

“That’s wonderful,” I said, groaning with ecstasy as his thumb sank into a particularly tender spot. “What you’re doing, I mean, not that your uncle’s dead. Ooh, don’t stop. How did he get to North Carolina?”

Jamie snorted with amusement, and moved behind me so he could use both hands on my neck and shoulders.

I nestled my bottom against him and sighed in bliss. “You’re a verra noisy woman, Sassenach,” he said, leaning forward to whisper in my ear.

See Murtagh’s right SCM in Starz ep 413, A Man of Worth. Oh, aye, we ken it just fine! <G>

A deeply grateful,

Outlander Anatomist

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2019 An Evening With Diana and Arizona!

The title of this post is a bit misleading as my 3 1/2 day trip was too brief to see much of Arizona, but the part about an evening with Diana Gabaldon is true enough.

I was invited to this private event, benefitting Diana’s favorite charity, which was organized by this tireless, fearless and faithful fan, Dorianne Panich, and her crew. Psst….she is also very nice!

Photo courtesy of Dorianne Panich

Arrived Friday (March 22) evening to meet  two lovely roomies, Auntie Toni and her niece, Laura. We bonded instantly, sharing wonderful experiences, stories, wisdom, and interests.  Couldn’t have asked for more splendid roommates. Outlander creates community!

Photo by Laura Acuto

Toni greeted and gifted me with a wonderful T from one of her three Outlander groups, Sisters of the Blades, and a beautiful hand-made pocket book with key fob! Check out its lovely Outlander fabric festooned with for-get-me-nots, Scottish thistles, and Stuart roses.  

Saturday found us at The Poisoned Pen, a local bookstore specializing in Diana’s tomes.

Surprise! Many of those attending the main event were also browsing this fabulous Scottsdale bookstore;  small, but packed with a terrific selection of books and assorted paraphernalia conducive to curling up with the written word. 

Photo courtesy of Dorianne Panich

Not far away was Hole in the Rock, an attraction just outside Scottsdale – not to be confused with Hole in the Rock  at Lake Powell.  Lots of folks enjoying this stunning sandstone rock. 

Excited to join the crowd, I scampered up the rock and gasped at the wonderful view. Easy to see what so many were eager to see!

Turns out there are two “holes in this rock!” Looking up, a second one pierces the ceiling!

Then, we went next door to the splendid Scottsdale Botanical Gardens!  Some cacti were in bloom!

Some were not. But, a wonderful, well-designed desert garden. Plants are thriving!

Then back home to change for the big night: “An Evening With Diana Gabaldon!”  A local restaurant hosted our group with festive tables, good food and an assortment of refreshing libations.

Photo courtesy of Dorianne Panich

The organizing committee offered thoughtful swag including honey, a photo of Diana from Outlander episode 104, The Gathering, and a beautiful teal scarf printed with lines from Love Songs by Catullus. 

Diana soon arrived, wrapped in a splendid shawl of brilliant red – perfect color for her! We enjoyed a four course meal, followed by short chats, autographs and gift-giving. 

 

Photo by Lori Sterns

My gift to Herself was a beaded necklace created with Peyote and Ndebele stitches.  The piece was made to honor the presence of Native Americans in Drums of Autumn. Clearly, I was inspired by Native American beadwork, but, the design is my own. 

Needless to say, I was delighted when she opened the box and put it on. I had no idea the necklace colors would complimented her beautifully embroidered top!

Our evening then came to a closed. A splendid time was had by all.

Next day, we headed north to Sedona with a stop at Montezuma’s Castle, a 20-room cliff dwelling build some 800 years ago by the Sinagua people. I wonder: will our homes still be standing after eight centuries?

Dedicated as a National Monument by President Theodore Roosevelt, the site is beautiful, serene and inspiring. 

Then, on to Sedona where we stood on a magnetic mesa outside town. Purported to be a vortex because iron deposits in the ground form a giant magnet, I pondered Ley Lines and I tried my luck at “finding Jamie!”

It worked!

Well, sort of. I hastened back to the mesa because Angus was waiting on the other side! 

A very competent driver, Laura was our patient and lovely chauffeur for all these expeditions.

That evening I dined with Kirsten Carpenter Norling, who lives in Phoenix. Kirsten is an administrator for the Outlander Online FaceBook group.  Again, I had never met her, but we bonded like old friends. 

Kirsten became the second admin of this group because its originator is Australian and needed someone in another time zone to help. A few hundred friends at that time, Outlander Online now boasts six admins and 15,000 followers!

Like many of us, Kirsten was a late comer to Outlander books and didn’t begin reading them until 2016. She read Outlander in four days. Then, over the next two months, she binged seasons one and two and read ALL big books, novellas and LJG series!  Today, her favorite method of “reading” is listening to the divine voice of Davina Porter on audio books.  

Her favorite book is Written in My Own Heart’s Blood; fav character is Jamie (naturally), and fav Outlander season is the first!  Her favorite episode is Castle Leoch with The Reckoning and The Gathering close seconds!

Kirsten is a supportive and positive fan of both book and TV Outlander. Her group also maintains a thoughtful, civil and kind fan group, without sacrificing interesting and thought-provoking discussions and fun posts. If you are looking for an inclusive FB group to join, you might try this one. 

Thank you, Kirsten, for letting me pick your “outfander” brain! 

Next day was time to return to the Pacific Northwest. Farewell to a beautiful state, lovely friends, old and new, and our fav author! 

A deeply grateful, 

Outlander Anatomist