DECK THE HOLIDAY'S

   Instead of fighting crowds at Wal-Mart, whip up your own batch of Twinkies, Ding Dongs and artificially colored Sno Balls. Then if the doors of the Hostess factory closes for good and the shelves that held Twinkies fill with dust, you can still enjoy your favorite treats without having to pay top dollar for them on eBay. Another benefit to making your own homemade Hostess treats is the ability to swap out certain ingredients to make them healthier, if you so wish. Whether you are a Twinkie fan or a Sno Ball addict, these do it yourself dessert recipes will hit the spot Hostess once held in your heart. Homemade Twinkies recipe Ingredients: For the cake: 1/2 cup sugar 1/2 cup brown sugar 2 eggs 1-1/4 cups all-purpose flour 1/2 cup milk 1/3 cup canola oil 1 teaspoon baking powder 1 teaspoon vanilla For the filling: 1/3 cup shortening 1/4 cup sugar 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract 1/4 cup light cream 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar Directions: Preheat the oven t

    The French have a phrase --ide'e fixe -- meaning to be obsessed with an idea to the exclusion of everything else. There is probably no better explanation for the growing of giant---approximately one thousand pound--pumpkins. In fact, in some sense, growing giant pumpkins has become a "big business". Although growing giant vegetables isn't restricted to pumpkins, the pumpkin is iconic for what would be called "Paul Bunyan" gardening. At the peak time of growth, a giant pumpkin can grow thirty to forty pounds a day, which is more than a pound per hour! The Ultimate Experience-the Giant Pumpkin     One quote says, " To err is human, a pumpkin is Da' Vine". The most carefully chosen pumpkin seeds, though, won't grow a world-class pumpkin without considerable planing and investment. Seeds may now be bought online. An internet search reveals many willing providers and forums dedicated to doing just that. The correct

    The understanding and excitement of Juneteenth is growing at a phenomenal rate. Cities and States all across the U.S. and beyond are realizing the wonderful opportunity we have to come together in appreciation, reconciliation and commemoration. During Juneteenth we acknowledge the African American spirit and pay tribute to the roles and contributions which have enriched our society. The JUNETEENTH.com website provides a channel in which to connect and unite all whom share the vision of this celebration.     Through the efforts of those at the grassroots level, to those on the state and national levels, Juneteenth celebrations are now held in most, if not all, 50 states. Over half have passed some form of legislation establishing Juneteenth as a Special Day of Recognition. Several other states have similar legislation pending. The recognition and honor of Juneteenth extends even beyond our borders. Expatriates, teachers, servicemen and others have continued their celebrations

   A recent trend in media is the idea that children are scary or creepy. Girls seem to be particularly popular – from pale-faced, stringy-haired ghosts to demonically possessed victims, creepy girls are becoming a common feature in horror films and other genres. This list covers ten creepy girls who have appeared in films, TV and video games in the past thirty or so years, to frighten or fascinate audiences. Most can be terrifying but have a sense of sympathy to them, or some are just unstoppable creatures of evil wanting to rip the world apart. 10 . Eli and Abby/ Let the Right One In/Let Me In    Swedish film Let the Right One In and its American remake Let Me In are a pair of delightful horror/romance films featuring a twelve-year old boy befriending and eventually loving a vampire girl, respectfully named Eli and Abby in the two films. While appearing young due to their immortality and are seemingly innocent, both girls need human blood to live, forcing their guardians t

   This recipe comes from www.sophistimom.com .  Vanilla ice cream, brownies and chocolate, what a combination.  Make sure you have a glass of milk to go with it. Last year, while developing a recipe for homemade Ho-Ho’s, I accidentally made something more like a thin brownie than a cake. Rather than just eat the mistake plain, the kids and I spread it with vanilla ice cream, and made ice cream sandwiches. They were chewy, even when the ice cream set. When Katie invited me to write this post for today, it was still cold and rainy here in the Rocky Mountains. But I knew by the time I would I post it, the weather would be warm enough for something cold and sweet . Unfortunately, I couldn’t get my imagination past the gloomy weather. It still had me daydreaming about macaroni and cheese and apple crisp rather than something you’d eat in the summer. So I turned to my food magazines for a little help, as I often do. I found my inspiration while perusing an an old issue of M

History    There are a number of hypotheses on the origin of the word kupała . One of them derives the name from the Vistula Venetis who were most probably absorbed by the neighbouring Slavs. Their language was said to exhibit a certain similarity to Latin (compare the word Kupała and the Roman word Cupido ). Another theory refers to the Indo-European kump , which denoted a community or group (that is where contemporary Polish words like kupa (heap) or skupić (to converge) come from). It was to stress the community or social nature of these rituals. Another hypothesis is connected with the alleged Slavonic deity of love and fertility — Kupała. Finally, the last refers to the Russian word form of kąpać (to bathe). The association of Midsummer Night rituals with bathing is most probably quite late; in the Middle Ages church officials decided to assimilate immoral pagan customs, having failed to suppress them. That was when John the Baptist was announced the patron of Midsumm