DECK THE HOLIDAY'S

     Halloween has ancient origins that are embedded in tradition and the Halloween  parade is one of the many celebrations associated with this holiday. Halloween parades today represent an opportunity for people to show off their Halloween costumes  and even compete for prizes. However, this fun part of modern-day Halloween tradition actually began thousands of years ago, with the intent of warding away malevolent spirits.    The tradition of having a Halloween parade can be traced back to the earliest origins of Halloween. Halloween actually began as the pagan festival Samhain, which was observed thousands of years ago with the ancient Celts who occupied what was is now Ireland , the United Kingdom, and northern France. Samhain represented a time when human spirits were supposed to come to earth to wreak havoc on human souls.     Each year on Samhain, the Celts dressed up in gruesome animal-like costumes...

    Myths and legends are a part of virtually every culture. One of the most interesting legends of Russian culture is that of Baba Yaga. She is, however, not unique to Russia. There are similar stories about her, under other names, in Poland as well as in the Czech Republic.     The figure of Baba Yaga is most often pictured as that of an old hag on a broomstick, reminiscent of the kitchen witches we often see today. Some believe that she might have been the precursor for the ugly, old crones that most often represent witches at Halloween.     In truth, however, Baba Yaga is a complicated creature associated as much with fertility and fate as she is with death. Some believed that she also had the gift of prophecy and great wisdom. However, for reasons never understood, she seldom chose to use those skills without exacting a gruesome payment. Anyone wishing to partake of Baba Yaga's wisdom had to take on a challenge, which began wi...

Pumpkin Gingerbread This has to be the weirdest fall ever. High seventies on the first day of November. Beautiful and sunny, though the wind has picked up a bit. The gusts come and go, stirring up leaves from the trees, so it’s beginning to at least feel like autumn. Trick-or-treaters paraded through the neighborhood last night, leaving a trail of candy wrappers and smiles. Mr. Jack-o-lantern is still sitting on his perch (maybe we’ll light him up again tonight!). We almost always have extra pumpkin sitting around this time of year, either puréed and in cans, or fresh. Two of my favorite sweet quick breads are  pumpkin bread  and  gingerbread . This recipe (an experiment really) I’m delighted to report, happily combines the two—pumpkin and gingerbread. Spicy, molasses-y, pumpkin-y. Easy too. Happy fall. Print  Pumpkin Gingerbread Recipe Prep time:   15 minutes Cook time:   1 hour By the way, w...

 This diy comes from  www.thevintagedresser.blogspot.com  .   When ordinary leaves just won't do. Musical Leaves Tutorial When we were in one of our favorite shops in Snohomish a couple of weeks ago,  Joyworks,  I spotted some leaves they had hanging above their check-out area. They had been cut from music sheets from a song book. For some reason they struck me as a fun project to do, so here we go: On a trip to town a few days ago, I cruised some streets, looking for trees with pretty leaves. I was in a residential area and felt a LITTLE conspicuous parking in the street, jumping out and ripping leaves off of trees, but sometimes one has to sacrifice dignity in the name of "art"! LOL! Now, FYI, It would have been easier to use these leaves if I'd come right home and jumped on this project! But no---I waited a couple of days before I got to it, and the leaves were curling and getting kind of crispy! So, I smoothed them...

  There has always been a lot of debate in both the scientific and the supernatural realm with regard to what actually constitutes a ghost. Some believe that they are souls that haven't, for some reason, crossed over to the other side. Those believing in this theory suspect that there is something that the dead left unfinished in life. Therefore, they can't cross over until they finish whatever their task.     Others believe that someone holds them back, not allowing them to cross over. It could be a loved one who can't let go of them, or it might be an enemy who seeks to block them from paradise.     Some believe that ghosts are nothing more than residual energy left behind at a place where something tragic occurred. They call it a "loop" in time and space that replays the incident over and over again.     Both theories have some credibility. It wouldn't be unnatural for any one to want to complete their purpose in life. It...

Spiced Pumpkin Mousse With the arrival of fall and Thanksgiving around the corner, pumpkin dishes are back on our menus. Say “pumpkin” and most people say “pie”. But pumpkin is not just for pie. Some of my favorite pumpkin recipes include pumpkin breakfast muffins, pumpkin and black bean soup, and the sublime pumpkin mousse. Having planned pumpkin mousse for dessert for a catered party I set out to pick up some canned pumpkin. I had to go to four grocery stores to find it! Then just this past week the newspaper announced that there was a shortage of canned pumpkin. Hard to imagine. We are so spoiled being able to walk into a market and buy just about anything we need without thinking about it. I’ve made this pumpkin mousse many times to the delight of family, guests and clients alike. The best thing is it can be made a day ahead (or first thing in the morning) of the party. Being able to get something done and “off your checklist” in advance is always welcome. Pumpki...

     The World Stone Skimming Championships 2012 will take place on  Sunday 23 September 2012  on Easdale Island, near Oban in Argyll, Scotland.     Easdale Islan is the smallest permanently inhabited island of the Inner Hebrides. It was once the centre of a thriving Scottish slate mining industry, and one of the disused quarries forms a perfect arena for the World Stone Skimming Championships.     The championships are held every year on the last Sunday in September. Anyone of any age and any level of skill can enter. Each competitor is allowed 3 skims using specially selected Easdale slate skimming stones. For a skim to qualify the stone must bounce at least three times - it is then judged on the distance achieved before it sinks. About  The World Stone Skimming Championships     The  World Stone Skimming Championships  were started in 1983 by  Albert Baker , and then lay ...