DECK THE HOLIDAY'S

    Since Halloween is just a few months away, and ghoulies and ghosties are on everyone's mind. It might be a good time to explore how various cultures handle paranormal beliefs. I will write about the basic beliefs of the Japanese, Jewish and Native Americans.     We Americans are quite open minded about the paranormal, especially lately with the many different shows about ghosts and other paranormal activity. More than 30 percent of all Americans believe in ghosts. I have never seen one personally, but the town I live in, in California has 2 expected places that are known for being haunted. One I have stayed the night in (one of them is a hotel and the other used to be a boys prison). Let's put our beliefs aside for a moment and take a look into the basic beliefs of three other cultures regarding ghosts and spirits. JAPAN     The Japanese culture, which is rich in superstition and the paranormal, is also very open to the beli...

   This recipe was found at www.inkatrinaskitchen.com .  Go ahead and make it!   I dare you!! My method was a little bit different from the original which calls for 16oz of candy corn and 16 oz of peanut butter. Since making these I found that Kristan from Confessions of a Cookbook Queen made them too. And yeah hers are adorbs so check them out. Here's what I did: Homemade Butterfingers Printable Recipe Ingredients : 3 cups candy corn 1 cup peanut butter Chocolate for dipping Directions : 1. Melt candy corn in the microwave for about 60 seconds. Check and stir returning to microwave for 15 second intervals until completely melted. 2. Add peanut butter and combine. Return to microwave if necessary to incorporate until creamy. 3. Pour into a greased 8x8 pan (or whatever pan you like to get the thickness you desire) and let cool about an hour. 4. Cut candy into desired shape and cover in melted chocolate. **I used a circle cutter and b...

    The commentator - the Voice of the Castle - brings the audience together, cheering individually for their countries but united in an international fraternity. The tunes are echoes of a glorious and often tragic past, of freedom and glory and of suffering and loss ... 'The Garb of Old Gaul' and The Skye Boat Song' and the rousing quick marches, 'Dumbarton's Drums' and 'All the Blue Bonnets are over the Border'.    The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo is the most spectacular show in the world, enjoyed by an international television audience of 100 million. There is, however, no substitute for being there in person as part of the 217,000-strong audience over its three-week season on the Esplanade of Edinburgh Castle who don't simply watch the show but become a part of it.     In the glowering twilight, Edinburgh Castle slumbers, resting, waiting for nightfall and for the footlights that will transform it into a dazzling stage set for ...

    Whether you believe in ghosts and ghouls, or wave them aside as the fictional fables of bygone centuries, some places on this planet still strike a spooky chord. They are the places that inspire nightmares, panic attacks and revisits. And, with any luck, you may just find something otherworldly. Enjoy the list! 10. Shelbourne Hotel/Dublin, Ireland     The year is 1824, and a row of showers has been converted into a majestic hotel, known as the Shelbourne. The Shelbourne has featured prominently in Ireland’s history, in that the country’s constitution was drafted there in 1922, and, throughout the years, it was favorite of many celebrities passing through Dublin. Room 526 was where a medium supposedly made contact with the hotel’s permanent resident, Mary. Mary was a little girl who lived in the houses that were converted into the hotel, until her death in 1791 from cholera. 9. Highgate Cemetery/London, England     In ...

    Pizza is one of my favorite foods, it's probably alot of other peoples favorites too. Especially here in the U.S. I thought this story of one of America's favorite foods just to break away from the stuff that happens each and every day. It's not just a Italian favorite, but also probably one of most Americans top foods to eat.     The history of pizza is cloudy at best, with a variety of theories and speculation. Some claim it is based on the pita bread found in the Mid-East. There is also a theory that pizza came from the unleavened bread "matzo" brought to Rome by Italian legionnaires. Others insist, pizza evolved from the famous "foccacia" served in Rome about 1,000 years ago, as a snack. Another theory is that pizza was brought to Italy by Greeks, during the first century.     There may be as many theories about the origins of pizza as there are different types of pizza!     There is agreement that pizza ma...

    La Tomatina is a festival that is held in the Valencian town of Buñol , in which participants throw tomatoes at each other. It is held the last Wednesday in August, during the week of festivities of Buñol . History Changes Throughout Its History     The tomato fight has been a strong tradition in Buñol since 1944 or 1945. No one is completely certain how this event originated. Possible theories on how the Tomatina began include a local food fight among friends, a juvenile class war, a volley of tomatoes from bystanders at a carnival parade, a practical joke on a bad musician, the anarchic aftermath of an accidental lorry spillage. One of the most popular theories is that disgruntled townspeople attacked city councilmen with tomatoes during a town celebration.     In 1950, the council allowed the party to happen. The next year however it was not approved, thanks to pressure from town residents and other participants. When the...

   This diy comes from www.bonapppetit.com .  One truely amazing bakings and cooking site for any and everyone. The key to a good pie is a good crust. There is no other factor more important. And the truth is, it's relatively easy to make homemade pie crust--especially with our very thorough (yes, that's 42 slides you see below) step-by-step guide. All it takes is the right ingredients and a little practice. And once you've got the crust mastered, making any filling is easy as, well, pie. The most important thing to remember is to start with chilled ingredients--you can even keep your flour in the freezer--and to not overwork your dough as it's coming together. You want to handle the butter and shortening as little as possible, cutting them into the flour with something sharp (here we use a food processor) so they are broken into tiny hard flakes mixed in uniformly, rather than melted and mushed into the flour. When the crust bakes, the melting of the...