SUCH A RELAXING SUNDAY – (enjoy a scare)
Happy Halloween!
Laugh, learn and liven up your taste buds!
Spend Halloween with a fuzzy in mind! October 30, 2010
SO MUCH FUN SATURDAY – (the greatest day of the week!)
Who doesn't need a buddy?
There are three fundraisers for Save-A-Pet animal shelter on Saturday, October 30, 2010. In Libertyville, the gundraisers include a customer appreciation day and Halloween pet parade at North Shore Harley Davidson and a recital at St. Lawrence Episcopal Church. There is also a bake sale at Save-A-Pet in Grayslake, Illinois. Save-A-Pet is a no-kill animal shelter in the northwest suburbs of Chicago.The shelter has announced that their financial situation is dire and they may be forced to close their doors if they cannot raise the necessary funds. The following fundraisers allow you to attend a community event and enjoy yoursef, while supporting a good cause.
Someone to help with the chores.
Pictures of dogs residing at Save-A-Pet Animal Shelter
Harl-O-Ween at North Shore Harley Davidson
North Shore Harley Davidson in Libertyville is hosting a family-friendly and pet-friendly customer appreciation event on Saturday. The customer appreciation event will include merchandise sales, treats of kids, free food and a pet costume contest. The Pet costume contest starts at 1:00 p.m.
Save-A-Pet will be there for an aduption fundraising drive. 15% of T-shirt sales will be donated to Save-A-Pet, so this is a great day to purchase t-shirts for yourself and for gifts, while benefitting a good cause.
Harl-O-Ween hours are 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, October 30, 2010. North Shore Harley Davidson is at 14000 Rockland Road, Libertyille, Illinois.
Music Recital at St. Lawrence Episcopal Church
The afternoon recital at St. Lawrence Episocpal Church will benefit Save-A-Pet. The recital runs from 2:00 – 3:00 p.m. on Saturday, October 30, 2010. St. Lawrence Episcipal Church is located at 125 Church Street in Libertyville, Illinois.
Bake Sale at Save-A-Pet
Stop in at the shelter on Fairfield Road to pick up some baked goods. The employees of BHFX Digital Imaging in Vernon Hills are holding the benefit for the shelter. The bake sale hours are 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Save-A-Pet is located at
Save-A-Pet at Grayslake Farmers’ Market
Save-A-Pet is at the Grayslake Farmers’ Market every Saturday through December 18.
Ever hear of a 3 dog night?
IF YOU WANT TO MAKE DONATIONS:
Boo!
Happy Halloween everyone. Hope it’s safe, fun, and potentially saves a pet!
Laugh, learn and liven up your taste buds!
Sweet delicious crunchy balls October 29, 2010
FOODIE FRIDAY – (enjoy a new recipe to try this weekend!)
POPCORN BALLS
Okay when is the last time you’ve made balls? Got out your the butter, lathered up your hands and squished together some sweet delicious balls?
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup light corn syrup
- 1/4 cup margarine
- 2 teaspoons cold water
- 2 5/8 cups confectioners’ sugar
- 1 cup marshmallows
- 5 quarts plain popped popcorn
Directions
- In a saucepan over medium heat, combine the corn syrup, margarine, cold water, confectioners’ sugar and marshmallows. Heat and stir until the mixture comes to a boil. Carefully combine the hot mixture with the popcorn, coating each kernel.
- Grease hands with vegetable shortening and quickly shape the coated popcorn into balls before it cools. Wrap with cellophane or plastic wrap and store at room temperature.
According to legend, popcorn balls were originated when an unusually heavy rain in Nebraska washed the sugar out of sugar cane, high heat cooked it into syrup and popped the corn right off the ears in a huge field. The two combined and the popcorn ball was born. Somehow, I find this tale to be less than believable. It is much easier for me to believe that someone, having combined a salty-sweet syrup and/or caramel with popcorn, realized that it would be much easier to sell and package when shaped into balls. Though they started selling them at fairs, the popcorn balls make popular holiday treats,
World Largest Popcorn Ball
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Laugh, learn and liven up your taste buds!
History of Halloween October 28, 2010
THINKING THURSDAY – (enjoy learning something new!)
Here is a tiny bit of history.
About 2,000 years ago in the area of the world that is now Ireland, the United Kingdom, and northern France, lived a group of people called the Celts. The Celts’ lives revolved around growing their food, and considered the end of the year to be the end of the harvest season. So, they celebrated new year’s eve each year on October 31st with a festival called “Samhain,” named after their Lord of the Dead (also known as the Lord of Darkness). Samhain (pronounced ‘sow-in’) was presided over by Celtic priests called Druids.
Back then, winter was the time of year associated with human death. The Celts believed that on the night that marked the end of summer and the beginning of winter, the boundary between the worlds of the living and the dead blurred allowing ghosts of the dead to return to earth. Celts thought that the presence of the ghosts made it easier for the Druids, their priests, to predict the future. These predictions were an important source of comfort and direction for the Celts during their long, dark, frightening winters.
To celebrate Samhain, the Druids built huge sacred bonfires around which the Celts gathered to burn crops and animals as sacrifices to their ancient gods. During the celebration, the Celts dressed up in costumes consisting of animal heads and skins and tried to tell each other’s fortunes.
The Celts eventually were conquered by the Romans, and by about the year 43 AD two Roman festivals were combined with the Celtic Samhain festival. The first Roman festival was Feralia, a day in late October when the Romans traditionally commemorated the passing of the dead. The second was a day to honor Pomona, the Roman goddess of fruit and trees. The symbol of Pomona is the apple and the incorporation of this celebration into Samhain probably explains the tradition of “bobbing” for apples practiced today on Halloween.
By 800 AD, the influence of Christianity spread into Celtic lands. In the seventh century, replace the Celtic festival of the dead with a related, but church-sanctioned holiday, Pope Boniface IV designated November 1st as All Saints’ Day, a time to honor saints and martyrs. The combined and updated celebration was also called All-hallows or All-hallowmas (from Middle English Alholowmesse meaning All Saints’ Day) and the night before it, the night of Samhain, began to be called All-hallows Eve and, eventually, Halloween.
I watched a whole program on the history channel that was quite interesting. It spoke of medieval times and the fact that people went house to house asking for soul cakes. In return they prayed for people in purgatory.
Also there was the practice of going house to house and begging for food in masks. That way if you didn’t give food, the mask wearer’s may do damage to your property. And the masks protected them from people knowing who they were.
In the 1600’s they started the practice of carving turnips.
Stingy Jack, perhaps also known as Jack the Smith and Jack of the Lantern, is a mythical character apparently associated with All Hallows Eve. It is common lore that the “jack-o’-lantern” is derived from the character.
As the story goes, several centuries ago amongst the myriad of towns and villages in Ireland, there lived a drunkard known as “Jack the Smith”. Jack was known throughout the land as a deceiver, manipulator and otherwise dreg of society. On a fateful night, the devil overheard the tale of Jack’s evil deeds and silver tongue. Unconvinced (and envious) of the rumors, the devil went to find out for himself whether or not Jack lived up to his vile reputation.
Typical of Jack, he was drunk and wandering through the countryside at night when he came upon a body on his cobblestone path. The body with an eerie grimace on its face turned out to be the Devil. Jack realized somberly this was his end; the devil had finally come to collect his malevolent soul. Jack made a last request: he asked the devil to let him drink ale before he departed to hell. Finding no reason not to acquiesce the request, the devil took Jack to the local pub and supplied him with many alcoholic beverages. Upon quenching his thirst, Jack asked the devil to pay the tab on the ale, to the devil’s surprise. Jack convinced the devil to metamorphose into a silver coin with which to pay the bartender (impressed upon by Jack’s unyielding nefarious tactics). Shrewdly, Jack stuck the now transmogrified devil (coin) into his pocket, which also contained a crucifix. The crucifix’s presence prevented the devil from escaping his form. This coerced the devil to agree to Jack’s demand: in exchange for the devil’s freedom, the devil had to spare Jack’s soul for 10 years.
Ten years later to the date when Jack originally struck his deal, he found himself once again in the devil’s presence. Same as the setting before, Jack happened upon the devil and seemingly accepted it was his time to go to hell for good. As the devil prepared to take him to the underworld, Jack asked if he could have one apple to feed his starving belly. Foolishly the devil once again agreed to this request. As the devil climbed up the branches of a nearby apple tree, Jack surrounded its base with crucifixes. The devil, frustrated at the fact that he been entrapped again, demanded his release. As Jack did before, he demanded that his soul never be taken by the devil into hell. The devil agreed and was set free.
Eventually the drinking and unstable lifestyle took its toll on Jack; he died the way he lived. As Jack’s soul prepared to enter heaven through the gates of St. Peter he was stopped. Jack was told that because of his sinful lifestyle of deceitfulness and drinking, he was not allowed into heaven. The dreary Jack went before the Gates of Hell and begged for commission into underworld. The devil, fulfilling his obligation to Jack, could not take his soul. To warn others, he gave Jack an ember, marking him a denizen of the netherworld. From that day on until eternity’s end, Jack is doomed to roam the world between the planes of good and evil, with only an ember inside a hollowed turnip to light his way.
There used to be a lot of drunkenness and things would get out of hand back in the olden times and then in the 50′ and 60’s kids used to like to do tricks on their neighbors. So in an attempt to solve the problems then and in the 60’s, people starting giving parties to contain the “fun” so to speak. There was games and treats. Why go egg someone, when you could eat delicious treats? Along came “The Great Pumpkin” with Charlie Brown and the rest is history. We have a fun holiday. With spookiness, treats, drinking, and costumes.
Happy Halloween! It’s one of my favorite times of the year. I love dressing up. Come on–I’m a goddess!
Laugh, learn and liven up your taste buds!
Witchie Woman October 27, 2010
WOW WHAT A GODDESS WEDNESDAY – (enjoy learning about a goddess!)
“Double, double toil and trouble;
Fire burn, and cauldron bubble.”
MacBeth William Shakespeare
A this time of year, I have to offer an article about witches.
lkeipp on HubPages
A freelance writer,professional milliner, historical interpreter and crafter, living in the mountains of Colorado. Examiner at http://www.examiner.com/x-9778-Colorado-History-Examiner
Looking past the fairy tale at the real people
Over the years, I’ve gotten to know a lot of people who classify themselves as witches, some for lack of a better term. Some are religious folk, holding with the tenents of Wicca, Strega, Asatru, or other religions. Some are atheists, believing that witchcraft is totally dissassociated from religion, because it is a practice. These witches come from every walk of life; doctors, postal employees, IT specialists, oil rig engineers, college professors, historical interpreters, auto mechanics, florists, librarians, teachers, moms, dads, aunts, uncles, grandparents. You name a career, there is likely a witch who has chosen that career.
The stereotypes are hard to die though – too many people subscribe to the old witch hunt days view that all witches are evil, ugly,hermits that hate people. they live in baked good houses and eat small children. they worship the devil. Modern stereotypes have come about surrounding Wicca – that Wiccans are losers, fat, can’t get dates, live in their parents basements and play video games and D&D. Also untrue. Reality is, you wouldn’t know a witch if you tripped over one lying on your livingroom floor. And realistically, whether they were a witch or not would be one of your last concerns.
What all witches have in common is a belief in the practice of magic. And that’s about it. Get ten witches in a room and ask them about what magic means, and you will get at least 10 different answers. the most common answer you will get is the use of ambient energies in a focused manner to achieve goals. Sounds pretty vague, doesn’t it? It is.
How to get to the use of the energies is a different thing for everyone. For some, witchcraft is intertwined with religious practice, heavily imbued with ceremony and ritual. For others, magic is a daily part of every day life, something instilled in every movement, thought, action of the day.
The only common factors I have found in people who have dedicated themselves to witchcraft is that they are highly educated, not only in religion, but in history, archeology, sciences, crafts – any number of things. They have a drive to learn, because all of life is about learning, and they find joy in process of learning. The other common factor is trying to get rid of the stereotypes, and sometimes those are awfully hard to defeat. Those who speak against witches only know the misinformation spread on the internet, and sadly, the scads of books that take advantage of the young and impressionable.
All the witch community of the world can say to this is for every mall witch who buys every book and tool and faddish thing involved with Wicca, for every teenager who dresses as a goth and claims to “curse” people, for every faddish Wiccan who spouts “Harm none” and espouses a back to the earth lifestyle while wearing their IPod, there are three serious, quiet practitioners whose intent is not evil, is to be the best person they can be, and for whom magic is an intregal part of the world; a science that has yet to be proven in a labratory.
So, take the time to get to know a witch – you’ll find that they are remarkably similar to you.
Falling in Love
A spell for a person yearning to fall in love is to immerse a bag of rosebuds in the water each time they take a bath.
Money Making
This spell was used literally to make money. What needed to be done was to cut twelve bits of banknote-sized paper and place them in a box, with thyme sprinkled between each piece. The box is then tied with green string in 31 knots and buried seven inches deep. It was believed that if the box is dug up exactly one year later, it would contain real money.
Looking forward to a “girls night out” on Friday! I plan to be a witchie woman!!!
Laugh, learn and liven up your taste buds!
MONSTER MASH – dig it October 26, 2010
TUNES TUESDAY – (enjoy grooving on a Tuesday with some music, especially an old favorite or something totally new!!)
What ever happened to the Translvania Twist?
| What’s the difference between Frankenstein and boiled potatoes? You can’t mash Frankenstein. |
| Did you hear what happened to Frankenstein’s monster? He was stopped for speeding, fined £150 and dismantled for six months. |
| IGOR: Why is Baron Frankenstein such good fun? MONSTER: Because he soon has you in stitches. |
| Why was Baron Frankenstein never lonely? Because he was good at making friends. |
| Who brings the monsters their babies? Frankenstork. |
| Why did Frankenstein’s monster give up boxing? Because he didn’t want to spoil his looks. |
| What did Frankenstein’s monster say when he was struck by lightning? ‘Great! That was just what I needed.’ |
| What should you do if you find yourself in the same room as Frankenstein, Dracula, a werewolf, a vampire and a coven of witches? Keep your fingers crossed that it’s a fancy dress party. |
| FIRST MONSTER: The bride of Frankenstein has a lovely face. SECOND MONSTER: If you can read between the lines. |
| What kind of book did Frankenstein’s monster like to read? One with a cemetery plot. |
BOO!
Laugh, learn and liven up your taste buds!
Devil’s Advocate October 25, 2010
MARTINI MONDAY – (enjoy the first evening of the week with a cool cocktail and a easy snack!)
The worst vice is advice. – John Milton (Devil’s Advocate)
Devil’s Advocate
4 oz 
Cranberry juice
1 tbsp Grenadine
1 shot Limon Rum
0.75 oz Sweet and Sour mix
1 shot Triple Sec
Mix together with crushed ice in a glass
Eye of Newt
Gotta have some eye of newt with your devilish drinkie poo.
Ingredients
- 12 eggs
- 2 drops green food coloring, or as needed
- 1 tablespoon sweet pickle relish
- 1 tablespoon mayonnaise
- 1 pinch celery salt
- 1 (6 ounce) can sliced black olives, drained
- 1 tablespoon prepared yellow mustard
Directions
- Place all of the eggs into a large pot so they can rest on the bottom in a single layer. Fill with just enough cold water to cover the eggs. Bring to a boil, then cover, remove from the heat and let stand for about 15 minutes. Rinse under cold water or add some ice to the water and let the eggs cool completely. Peel and slice in half lengthwise.
- Remove the yolks from the eggs and place them in a bowl. Mix in the relish, mayonnaise, celery salt and food coloring. Spoon this filling into the egg whites and place them on a serving tray. Round the top of the filling using the spoon. Place an olive slice on each yolk to create the center of the eye. Dab a tiny bit of mayonnaise in the center of the olive as a finishing touch.
MAKE SURE YOU GET A LITTLE DEVILISH THIS WEEK PEOPLE.
Laugh, learn and liven up your taste buds!
Buying bras and Murphy’s law October 24, 2010
SUCH A RELAXING SUNDAY – (enjoy a laugh at my dilema.)
Okay there comes a time when all good women have to go out and purchase new bras. I bent over the other day and my wire snapped. The straps are starting to keep falling down. (hmmm maybe I should go strapless?)
So I’m at the store, I meander over to the “sale” section. Oh good I get a black one. Side note: Been needing that cause the wires completely fell out of the black one. Moving on, hey look there are really cute, sexy, pretty, lacy whatever ones over there.
Rack number one with some pretties, no Bethsheba size.
Rack number two with some pretties, no Bethsheba size.
Rack number three with some pretties, no Bethsheba size.
Rack number four with some pretties, no Bethsheba size.
Rack number five with some pretties, no Bethsheba size.
I mean come on even a guy can find a cute bra? What the…
Are we getting the picture that either every women in this town has the same rack size as Bethsheba? I’m thinking so. I could find 38 DD, 34 A and everything but my size in between. But I finally successfully found my size in a pretty lacy fuschia and wow I defeated Murphy cause there were matching panties. Neener neener neener!
Now hoist those stinkers in and carry on with the day.
Perky ones? hahahahahaha What the heck will the come up with next? I’m cold enough most of the time thank you very much.
Laugh, learn and liven up your taste buds!
Some Scary Sh*t!!!
SO MUCH FUN SATURDAY – (the greatest day of the week!)
Look at the amazing front yard of 1204 Circle Court in Johnsburg, IL
They encourage and invite people to stop their car, get out and look at everything. You walk by and things pop out, there is dry ice, thunder (or maybe it was really thundering tonight when I went), and lots of tiki torch faces. TOTALLLY COOOOL Booooooo!!!
This was from a bubble machine that had smoke inside the bubbles. When they popped, there were puffs of smoke.
If you can get a chance to drive up to the area, I assure you, it will be worth it.
Laugh, learn and liven up your taste buds!
32,000 carved pumpkins? Well I’m going! October 23, 2010
SO MUCH FUN SATURDAY – (the greatest day of the week!)
Highwood is trying for the world’s record on lit pumpkins tonight. It’s sounds so exciting!
http://www.highwoodpumpkinfest.com/
- Evening Gourmet Farmer’s Market at City Hall Park and Antique Vendors at Everts Park from 12pm to 8pm
- Noon to 8pm a day full of pumpkin carving and counting, food, vendors, children’s entertainment, live music on four different stages (City Park Main Stage: noon-4 pm Dr. Mudd, 4-8 pm TBA, Sheridan and Webster Stage: Phase Recording Studios will provide live music from noon-8, School of Rock will provide live music from 5:30-8 pm at School Of Rock (Everts) Park gazebo, Scout (WestOver) Park Stage: 2:00 noon – Midwest Young Artists’ brass ensemble), shopping, haunted fun house, hay rides, etc.
- 11am is the Giant Pumpkin Land Regatta, featuring huge pumpkins propelled by human power in a 100-yard race from the corner of Sheridan Road and Highwood Avenue, due north. First 20 contestants receive free 200 lb pumpkins. Contact Rob Sabo at: rsabo@cityofhighwood.org to register.
- Noon Pumpkin Pie contest winner announced at City Hall Park, entrance fee $1. Registration and rules contact Catherine Lambrecht at: cal60035@sbcglobal.net or 847/432-8255.
- 1pm to 3pm Pumpkin Chuckin’ Catapult Contest at Scout (WestOver) Park. Visit www.celebratehighwood.com or email rsabo@cityofhighwood.org to register.
- 2pm to 4pm Dress Your Pet Halloween Costume Contest at School of Rock (Everts) Park.
- 4-5:30 pm The Great Costume Parade starting from the School of Rock (Everts) Park winding through Highwood.
- 5:30pm Artist Pumpkin Carving Competition winner announced in front of City Hall (17 Highwood Avenue). 1st place $500, 2nd place $100, 3rd place $50. Submission fee is $25. Contestants can register at: highwoodpumpkincompetition@msn.com.
The festivities culminate at 6:30pm with the lighting and grand display to break the Guinness Book of World’s Record for the most jack-o-lanterns.
Laugh, learn and liven up your taste buds!
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