DECK THE HOLIDAY'S

Over 40 Years of Guts & Glory     The Angola Rodeo , the longest running prison rodeo in the nation, got its start in 1965.  The first arena was small, built by a handful of dedicated inmates and personnel.  It wasn't much in those days, and the rodeo was stages just for the entertainment of prisoners and employees.  But it was fun.    The 1967 rodeo was opened to the general public on a limited basis.  There were no stands.  Spectators had to sit on apple crates and the hoods of their cars to watch the performance.    The success on the 1967 and 1968 rodeos prompted constructions of a 4,500 seat arena for the 1969 rodeo.  A near disaster occurred when the bleachers collapsed during one of the shows.  Spectators weren't alarmed, most didn't even get up.  They sat on the collapsed structure and continued to watch.  The 1971 rodeo was the wettest in history, but the show went on...

   This  diy comes from  www.dollarstorecrafts.com  .  These look quite cool.  They can be used all year round.  Enjoy! Dollar Barn DIY: Robin’s Egg Vase Morning, everyone! Your very own crazy crafter, Jess from Mad in Crafts, here. Are you cheap? I am. I have a little panic attack anytime I see a price tag in the triple digits. Do you like pretty things? I do. When my house is clean and decorated, sometime I just sit and look around at it all. Partly because I know it will be many moons until it's actually clean again. Anyway, because of my remarkable cheapness and love of pretties, you can imagine the internal torment that overtakes me when I visit the Pottery Barn website. ((shudder)) A few months back I wrote a  couple of posts  called  A Dollar Barn Christmas  where I took items I found at my local Dollar Tree and turned them into home decor that was inspired by all the goodies at Pottery Barn. I was brows...

   April Fool's Day is rapidly approaching, and April Fool's celebrations will be occurring all around the world.  But not all April Fool's Day celebrations will be the same; April Fool's Day in one country is often quite different than in another. April Fool's Day in the U.S. is usually a day of trickery, pranks and outrageous stunts.  The media becomes involved, running bogus news stories or promoting false products.  The April Fool's Day celebrations can occur any time of the day and can be as simple or complex as the trickster wishes.  The victim of the prank is supposed to maintain good humor about it, and traditionally he or she will attract bad luck by getting upset about he prank. April Fool's Day in France is traditionally call  Poisson d'Avril , which translates to  "April Fish".   The term refers to the fish that are recently hatches and therefore naive and easy to catch.  The traditional April Fish prank in...

Oxford and Cambridge Crews     The event generally known as  " The Boat Race"  is a rowing race in England between the  Oxford University Boat Club  and the  Cambridge University Boat Club , rowed between competing eights each spring on the Thames in London. It takes place generally on the last Saturday of March or the first Saturday of April. The formal title of the event is the  Xchanging Boat Race , and it is also known as the  University Boat Race and the Oxford and Cambridge Boat Race.     In 2010 an estimated quarter of a million people watched the race live from the banks of the river and millions on television.     Members of both teams are traditionally known as blues and each boat as a " Blue Boat",  with Cambridge in  light blue  and Oxford  dark blue . The race was in 1829 and it has been held annually since 1856, with the exception of the two world wa...

    In the middle of the Mediterranean coast, Valencia city, celebrates each year the final days of the winter and the arrival of spring with spectacular fires of pyrotechnics. From March 15th to the 19th ( the feast of   Saint Joseph , day of the father in the whole country), Valencia is given over to a carnival of bonfires, fiesta, fireworks and a healthy dose of satire known as  Las Fallas ,  "the fires".     Displayed on every corner all over the city are colorful  ninots , giant paper-mache' figures often 20 feet tall or even more that have been paraded through the streets and then place in fantasy groups to tower over excited spectators. Each one in some way satires a political figure, or a soap star, or more exotic creatures from the movies, TV, sports idols, or simply imagination. Some of them are grotesque...others playful and charming...all are larger than life and up for public scrutiny. ...

    Food,  food,  food!   We love it so much it features regularly on the List Universe. And the one thing we love more than food? Bizarre lists. Fortunately this one combines both passions. So sit back and enjoy a fun filled list. Of course, if you can think of other exciting bizarre food festivals, be sure to let me know in the comments. 10.  Noche de Rábanos (Night of the Radishes) Where : Oaxaca, Mexico When : December 23-24 annually     This is a food festival where eating is discouraged! This festival originated in the 16th century when Spanish monks brought this edible root to the new colonies. To gain attention in the food markets, sellers would carve some radishes into eye-catching sculptures. This tradition continued throughout the centuries and became an official festival in 1987. Radishes as big as two feet long and weighing upwards of ten pounds are carved into intricate religious or cultural scenes. T...

   Tall and beautiful, sweet and tart, this cake has lots of lemon flavor and plenty of style, too. It's the perfect finale for a St. Patrick's Day dinner or other special occasion. Ingredients For lemon curd 2 1/3 cups sugar 2 teaspoons cornstarch 1 cup fresh lemon juice 4 large eggs 4 large egg yolks 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces For frosting 3/4 cup powdered sugar 2 cups chilled whipping cream For cake 1 1/2 cups cake flour 1 1/2 cups sugar 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder 3/4 teaspoon salt 4 large egg yolks 1/4 cup vegetable oil 1/4 cup orange juice 1 1/2 teaspoons grated lemon peel 8 large egg whites 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar Lemon slices, halved, patted dry Preparation Make lemon curd: Combine 2 1/3 cups sugar and 2 teaspoons cornstarch in heavy medium saucepan. Gradually whisk in fresh lemon juice. Whisk in eggs and yolks; add butter. Whisk over medium heat until curd thi...