Happy All Hallow's Eve

Leaves a twirl,Winds that whirl
Candles glowing bright.
A witch’s giggle and black cats' stare,
The smell of pumpkin in the air.
Creaking doors, footsteps in flight.
This must be; Samhain Night.

By the Bee 2008

Bee's Halloween decor

Hi to all, Here are a couple photo's of the front windows her at Ravenswood and my Capt. Jack hung nicely from the gutter.. Only thing missing up here is my Jack o Lantern which I carve tomorrow.. I have purple spider web lights in the other windows and a lovely purple spider to match..

Happy Haunting

Bee

Colorful Halloween

I could not resist posting some pictures of these creative Halloween house decorations.. As many of you Know I love the lights!! When was a child ( and still am) This was my favorite part.. The houses that went over board and spent time to make this night special for us.. I remember those homes still to this day.. It always made the night very fun and special!! I am sure there are some fantastic homes this year all over the great country of ours!!

Happy Halloween

Bee

The Many Faces of Halloween

I am the big Pumpkin fan.. I love pumpkins, I grow my own every year. I love the carving part too.. Each year I try something different, and when I have more than one I love variety in the faces I choose to carve. So here is a collage of faces may these help us all get ideas, and to just see how variety is the spice of life!!

Enjoy these and have fun carving your own!!

B.

Halloween Quotes & Poems

I would not be the "BEE" if I did not post some Halloween verse. Here is a short sampling just for fun!!

Sparkling
Bee

It's Halloween! It's Halloween! The moon is full and bright, And we shall see what can't be seen On any other night. Skeletons and ghosts and ghouls, Grinning goblins fighting duels, Werewolves rising from their tombs, Witches on their magic brooms, In masks and gown we haunt the street ,And knock on doors for trick or treat, Tonight we are the king and queen, For oh tonight it's Halloween!

-Jack Prelutsky

'Tis now the very witching time of night, When churchyards yawn and hell itself breathes out Contagion to this world.

-William Shakespeare

Eye of newt, and toe of frog, Wool of bat, and tongue of dog, Adder's fork, and blind-worm's sting, Lizard's leg, and owlet's wing, For a charm of powerful trouble, Like a hell-broth boil and bubble.

-William Shakespeare

From ghoulies and ghosties And long-leggedy beasties,and things that go bump in the night,Good Lord, deliver us!

~Scottish Saying

"Where there is no imagination there is no horror".

~Arthur Conan Doyle, Sr.

When black cats prowl and pumpkins gleam,May luck be yours on Halloween.

~Author Unknown

Special Celebration Treats

Dracula Dip

2 cups sour cream

1 packet of dry tomato-vegetable soup mix
1. Put dry soup mix and sour cream into a bowl. Stir until soup mix is moist. Put mixture into refrigerator for at least 2 hours. Serve with chips or vegetables.

Halloween Cheeseballs

2 cups Shredded mozzarella cheese

1/4 cup Solid pack pumpkin

1/4 cup Pineapple preserves

1/4 teaspoon Ground allspice

1/4 teaspoon Ground nutmeg

1 large Pretzel rod -- broken in half

1/2 pkg cream cheese

Dark rye bread

Red pepper

Black olive slices

Parsley sprigs

1. Beat cheeses, pumpkin, preserves and spices in a medium bowl until smooth.
2. Cover refrigerate 2-3 hours until cheese is firm enough to shape.
3. Shape mixture into round pumpkin, place on serving plate.
4. Using a knife, score vertical lines down pumpkin. Place pretzel rod in top for stem.
5. Cut bread into triangles for eyes, cut red pepper into triangle for nose, and cut olives in half to make the mouth.
6. Surround with parsley.

Halloween Cup Cakes

1 pk Yellow cake mix1 1/2 teaspoons Pumpkin pie spice1 cup Buttermilk1 cup Pumpkin2 Eggs
Frosting3 tablespoons Margarine or butter softened3 tablespoons Pumpkin2 cups sugar1/2 teaspoon Milk1/2 teaspoon Vanilla Black licorice twists Small green gumdrops
1. Using 24 muffin cups with paper baking cups.
2. In a large bowl, combine all cupcake ingredients at until moistened
3. Beat 2 minutes scraping down sides of bowl.
4. Pour batter into prepared muffin cups.
5. Bake at 200 degrees Celsius for 20 to 25 minutes or until toothpick inserted is removed clean.
6. Cool completely.
7. In a small bowl, beat margarine or butter and 3 tablespoons of pumpkin until well blended. Gradually add 1 cup of the sugar, beat until smooth.
8. Add milk and vanilla. Gradually add remaining cup of sugar, beat for another 2 minutes.
9. Spread on tops of cupcakes.
10. Cut down 1 side to open licorice twist into triangular pieces for eyes and noses. Cut jagged curved pieces for mouths.
11. Arrange on top of cupcakes for faces. Slice gumdrops in half attach to head for stems.

Witches Brew Cider

4 Cups Apple Cider

2 Cans Frozen Lemonade Concentrate, Thawed

2 Cups Water

8 Cinnamon Sticks

Lemon Slices

1. Into a large saucepan, pour cider, lemonade concentrate, and water; stir.
2. Over medium heat, bring cider to a simmer.
3. Pour into cups.
4. Place a cinnamon stick and a lemon slice in each cup.

Halloween Cake - Barmbrack, Bairin breac
from Ireland

Traditionally baked with a gold ring inside; whoever gets the ring will be married within the year. The cake is made in two stages.

First stage

Mix together:1 cup of sultanas ( dried seedless white grapes)1 cup of raisins3/4 cup brown sugar1 cup cold tea
Cover these ingredients and leave to soak overnight.

Stage Two

Prepare these ingredients:

1 1/2 cups of flour

1 level teaspoon of baking powder

1 egg beaten

1 teaspoon mixed spice

1. Add the four, baking powder and spice to soaked fruit mixture.
2. Mix in the beaten egg.
3. Spoon into a well greased loaf tin and bake for 1 1/2 hours at 150 degrees Celsius (300 degrees Fahrenheit).
4. When cool brush the top with warmed honey for a glazed surface.

MOST HAUNTED

1. "Bachelor’s Grove Cemetery, Chicago, Illinois", Over one hundred documented reports of ghost sightings make Bachelor’s Grove Cemetery one of the most haunted cemeteries in the country. The forested area near the suburb of Midlothian, outside of Chicago, contains a small cemetery where many people witness glowing balls of light hovering over the area.





2. "Mount Misery Road, West Hills, New York Bucolic", well-heeled Long Island seems distant from the paranormal world, but for over a century, the area known as West Hills has boasted amazing paranormal activity. Mount Misery Road, so-named by settlers cursing its difficult passage, and the area near Sweet Hollow Road have a rich history of paranormal activity. Ghostly faces seen in the trunks of trees, strange lights playing over the woods and misty apparitions appear to drivers near the Northern State Parkway.





3. "Saint Augustine Lighthouse, St. Augustine, Florida", The St. Augustine Lighthouse and Museum provides a great tourist destination and a haunted place to visit all in one package! For decades, ghost stories about the lighthouse intrigued visitors. Three little girls died on site during construction. Legend says they were playing with a rail car used to bring supplies up the hillside when the car spun out of control, drowning the three children in the water below. Visitors report hearing a female crying, “Help me!” inside the tower, as well as mysterious lights and footsteps. View a virtual tour on the website, and read the truths and myths about this amazing lighthouse.





4. "Eastern State Penitentiary, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania", Volumes could be written about Eastern State Penitentiary. Investigated by many paranormal groups and included in numerous television documentaries, Eastern State is often called the “haunted house within a prison.” An online, virtual reality tour is available for those who can’t get there in person.





5. "Waverly Hills Sanatorium, Louisville, Kentucky", Prepare for shadow people, ghostly nurses and disembodied voices singing in the attic at this former tuberculosis hospital in Kentucky. Be sure to bring your camera, since most visitors catch orb photos when touring the Waverly Hills Sanatorium.





6. "The Stanley Hotel, Estes Park, Colorado", Stephen King wrote The Shining while staying at the Stanley, The Atlantic Paranormal Society caught amazing evidence during two episodes of Ghost Hunters, and dozens of staff and guests report everything from apparitions of children to objects moving by themselves. The Stanley Hotel belongs at the top of every ghost hunter’s list of places to visit





7. "The Bell Witch Cave, Adams, Tennessee", The historical Bell Witch Cave and former Bell Farm offers tours for those interested in researching the amazing story of the Bell Witch.





8. Gettysburg Battlefield, Gettysburg, Pennsylvania Over ten thousand men died in the battle of Gettysburg. Located in Pennsylvania, the battlefield is now a national historical site. Tourists report astonishing ghostly encounters. Many believe they meet Civil War re-enactors, only to find out later that no such groups are at the park. For more visitor information, the Gettysburg website includes general park information. The West Virgini Ghost Hunters snapped several pictures of an apparent apparition at the park during an investigation





9. "The Campground Haunted Massacre Attraction, Fort Mill, South Carolina",
   There's no obscene history to the campground attraction, but the owners have done everything they can think of -- and that includes witchcraft and the occult -- just to scare the hell out of you. Proud members of The International Association Of Haunted Attractions and devoted attendees of the Annual National Halloween, Costume & Party Show in Chicago know a thing or two about the joy of fear.
   Besides the fact that camping in the woods is a naturally ghoulish pastime, when you're told about werewolf sightings and, in all seriousness, about the mental hospital just down the road, things can become a little spine tingling.





10. "Hacker House, Winston-Salem, North Carolina",
    The legend of the Hacker House goes back centuries, and it is continually evolving, as terrible events continue to plague this ill-omened house. It rests upon a Native American mass grave, where several dozen bodies lay, aged 20-25 and deposed execution-style, but in such a way that has baffled archaeologists because there was no evidence of weapons or struggle. And indeed Cherokee lore says that the place is cursed, a place, "where the brave may not walk, as his prayers would not be answered."
    Further evidence of evil play came in 1821, from signed affidavits given by Continental Army soldiers claiming to have had a gun battle with dozens of undead. A century later, the Hacker House was a hospital and laboratory. Though reports are unclear, several bodies were excavated after a great fire in 1930, and they were found to be curiously hollow.
    Experimental documentation by a Dr. Johnas Hacker seemed to indicate that the hollowing was a result of the experimental medicines ingested by his patients. Rebuilt, the house was turned into a funeral parlor where things went predictably unwell. Now people seem to have smartened up. It is possible to take tours of Hacker House, but don't nobody live there.






11. "The Fox Sisters Cabin",
    Though less well-known than the other haunted places, the Fox Sisters cottage is perhaps the most important haunted house of all, since the phenomena here in many ways set the standard for later hauntings and even launched a religion. In 1848 Hydesville, western New York, two young sisters named Maggie and Katie Fox began supposedly communicating with the ghost of a murdered peddler. The sisters, in a sort of crude seance, would ask questions of the spirit, who would answer back with mysterious knocks or raps. Many people, including their mother, were amazed at what seemed to be genuine contact with the dead. Both sisters eventually admitted that they had actually faked the sounds--there had been no murdered peddler, it had all been a prank. The women even demonstrated how they had done it. But by then the belief had taken on a life of its own as a religion called Spiritualism, which is still practiced today.





12. "Pollepel Island, Hudson River, New York",
    The island has a morbid history, having been strategically important during the American War of Independence. Later, in the early 1900s, the island was bought by a Scotsman, Francis Bannerman, who decided to turn it into an homage to Scotland. A firearms maker, he built a warehouse in the style of a Scottish castle, complete with crenellated towers.
    But after his death in 1918, the smooth-running Scottish enclave experienced a series of disasters. Two hundred pounds of powder and shells exploded, blowing half a building onto New York City. Lightning bolts seemed to torment the flagpoles to the point of disintegration. And in a coup de grâce, a massive storm on the Hudson caused a freighter and passenger barge, the Pollepel, to explode and crash into the island. Now all that's left are the remains, and what the Dutch refer to as the Heer of Dunderberg, a fiend (and his goblins) who inhabits the Highlands and doesn't like visitors.
    

Lovely Samhain spreads

Trefoil, Johnswort, vervain, dill

Hinders witches of their will.

William Shakespeare

Happy Samhain, and Halloween everyone! I have some great fall recipes to share with you. I’ve also included a list below of the magickal and healing properties of some of the seasoning that are called for in these recipes!

Magical sparkling moon beams

Bee

Savory Samhaim Butters

Autumn Butter

1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar

1 tsp pumpkin pie spice

1/4 cup whipping cream

1cup butter, softened

Mix all ingredients until well blended. Spread onto your favorite muffins, quick bread, sweet crackers, or drop a dollop onto morning pancakes.

Cinnamon Butter

2 sticks butter

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 tsp cinnamon

Combine all ingredients and mix well. Serve over sweet bread, muffins, or morning waffles. Store tightly covered in the refrigerator.

Pumpkin Pie Spice Butter

4 tbsp (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, softened

4 tbsp canned pumpkin puree

1 tsp brown sugar

1 tsp cinnamon

1/8 tsp ground cloves

1/8 tsp ground ginger

1/8 tsp freshly grated or dried nutmeg

1/8 tsp salt

Combine all ingredients and mix well. Keep tightly covered in the refrigerator up to three weeks.
* 1/2 teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice can be substituted for cloves, ginger and nutmeg.

Raspberry Butter

1 cup raspberries

2 tablespoons water

1 tablespoon sugar

1/2 cup butter, at room temperature

2 tablespoons powdered sugar

1 teaspoon blackberry liqueur

1/4 teaspoon lemon juice

Boil raspberries, water and sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat until syrupy, stirring frequently, about 5 minutes. Strain through sieve to remove seeds. Cool. Process with remaining ingredients until smooth and well mixed. Can be prepared one day ahead. Cover and chill. Bring to room temperature and stir before serving.

Vegan Samhain Recipes

PUMPKIN GINGER SOUP
Ingredients:
1 small cooking pumpkin
1/2 cup cashews
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger (or to taste)
salt to taste
Directions:
Soak cashews in water to cover for several hours. This step is optional, but helps them blend better. Cut pumpkin in half, remove seeds, and bake cut side down at 350 degrees F until very tender (45 minutes to one hour). Scrape pumpkin from the peel and puree in a blender, with any juices, in batches. Put pureed pumpkin into your soup pot. Blend cashews in blender until smooth and add to the pumpkin puree. Rinse the blender with a little water and add to the pot. Add a little more water if it’s too thick. Add ginger and salt to taste and heat gently for a few minutes to blend the flavors.

PUMPKIN-CIDER BREAD

Ingredients:
2 cups of canned pumpkin
2 cups of flour, and then enough to keep the consistency just right
2 tblspns dry yeast in 1/2 cup of 110 degree water
1 tblspn salt
2 tblspns vegetable oil
1/3 to 1/2 cup molasses
2 cups of fresh cider
Directions:
Start with two cups of flour, then slowly sift in more after wet ingredients are added. After the flour and salt are combined, mix in the rest of the ingredients from wettest to most solid (cider, then yeast mix, and so on). Once mixed, pour the dough to a lightly greased bowl, cover it with a cloth or plastic wrap, and let it in rise until it’s doubled in size in a warm place. (Generally, this takes from half an hour to an hour). Punch down the doubled dough. Roll the dough out into a long, thin, relatively narrow strip and roll from one end. Place in a greased pan (probably circular in this case), and let rise until doubled again. Baking bread is not for the impatient! Finally, put it in a preheated oven at about 400 degrees F for about 50-60 minutes. If it looks like it’s browning too quickly turn the temp down a notch or two. You’ll know it’s done when tyou can poke it with a fork and then fork comes out clean. If the fork has some dough on it, let it bake a little longer.

VEGAN PUMPKIN PIE

Ingredients:Filling –
1 1/2 packages silken tofu
1 15 oz. canned pumpkin
2/3 cup barley malt syrup
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tbsp. pumpkin pie spicePie Crust –
1 1/2 cups sifted unbleached flour
about 6-7 tbsp. non-hydrogenated margarine
about 2 tbsp. cold water
pinch of sea salt
Directions:
Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F. Blend tofu in a food processor or blender until smooth. Add remaining ingredients and blend well. Pour into a 9" unbaked deep dish pie shell. Bake for about one hour. Filling will be soft, but will firm up as it chills. Chill overnight and serve.

PUMPKIN TREATS

Ingredients:Filling –
1 cup canned pumpkin
1 cup sugar
1 1/4 cup. flaked coconut, lightly packed
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
walnuts or pecans, finely chopped
Directions:
Mix the first five ingredients well in a large saucepan. Cook over medium high, stirring constantly for 15-20 minutes. It is done when it is very thick and leaves side of pan, forming a ball in the center as you stir. Turn onto a greased baking sheet. Cover loosely with foil or plastic wrap. Let cool completely. Lightly grease your hands and shape candy into balls. Roll the balls in nuts. Cover, store in refrigerator.
This recipe makes about 2 1/2 dozen. Vary by stirring 1 cup crushed granola into cooked candy before cooling and shaping.


Cinnamon : Attracts Prosperity, Love, Lust and Protection. It also helps to reduce stomach acid and relieve menstrual cramps, and helps heal from colds and flu.
Nutmeg : Attracts Prosperity, Luck and Psychic Awareness.
Ginger : Attracts Prosperity, Love, Lust & Heightens Magickal Powers. Also relieved Headaches and is an anti-inflammatory.
Vanilla : Invokes Memory, Heightens Magickal Powers, and Attracts Love & Lust.

All Hallows Eve's pudding

Ingredients

1.4kg / 3 pounds cooking apples, peeled and de-seeded

120g/ 3/4cup soft brown sugar

3 Eggs, fresh

200g/1 cup caster sugar

1 tbsp fresh rosemary, finely chopped

200g /1 cup salted Butter, softened

220g/ 1 ¼ cups ground almonds
To decorate
2 tbsp icing sugar, for dusting

3 fresh rosemary sprigs

Method
1. Put the apple and brown sugar in a saucepan and cook over a low heat until soft.

2. In a large bowl, beat the eggs with the caster sugar and rosemary. Mix in the softened butter and ground almonds until you create a smooth paste.

3. Set the oven to 160C/gas 5/( 375 degrees.) Fill six ramekins (small oval 7 oz ceramic bowls) half way up with the softened apple and then spread the rosemary mixture over the top of each one. Bake for about 40-50 minutes until golden brown.
Check regularly so it will not burn.. Oven temps vary!!

4. Once ready, dust with the icing sugar and decorate with fresh rosemary sprigs.

Traditional Halloween Foods

It’s no surprise that the foods served in the harvest season should draw wealth into your life. You may wish to empower the food with your intent to draw prosperity in the coming months while you are preparing any of these recipes.

Enjoy Bee


Colcannon used to be --and still is-- eaten in Ireland on Halloween night, and is one of the most traditional Halloween recipes there is. Colcannon is wonderfully flavorful, incredibly filling, and oh-so warming on a cool Autumn night. To make it even more traditional, make a well in the center and fill it with real butter. Dip each bite of colcannon in the butter before eating. As far as traditional Halloween recipes go, this one isn't great for your heart, perhaps, but it's to tasty to resist.
If you want to really have a traditional Samhain party, put a plate of buttered colcannon out on the stoop for the fairies and ghosts that hang around on All Hallows Eve. Recipe serves 6 to 8.

Ingredients:

1 lb. of cabbage or kale, cooked

1 lb. potatoes, cubed and boiled until tender

2 leeks, cleaned well and chopped, or green onions

1 C. whole milk or light cream

1/2 C. butter, melted

salt and pepper, to taste

pinch of ground mace (optional)

Instructions:

1. Boil kale or cabbage in lightly salted water until tender. Chop.
2. Bring milk or cream to a simmer in a medium saucepan. Add leeks and cook until soft.
3. Drain potatoes, add salt and pepper to taste (and optional mace). Beat until fluffy.
4. Return potatoes to pot over a low flame.
5. Add milk with leeks.
6. Beat in cooked kale or cabbage until green and fluffy.
7. Remove from heat and serve. Make a well in the middle of each portion and divide butter evenly among servings, filling each well.
8. Dip each bite of colcannon in butter before eating.

The word "Boxty" makes me think of some magical creature you might come across in the Harry Potter books-- which, of course, makes them a perfect addition to any Halloween menu! And though they eat these today in Ireland all the time, boxty potato pancakes have been one of the most traditional Halloween recipes made during centuries.
These pancakes are creamy, rich, and just wonderful. I think they're best when cooked with onion and served savory, but you can also serve them plain with sugar or powdered sugar. Makes 8-10 pancakes.

Ingredients:

1 C. raw, grated potato

1 C. cooked mashed potato's (leftover is fine)

1 onion, minced fine (optional -- for savory boxty pancakes)

1 C. all-purpose flour

1 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. salt

1 egg, beaten

1 C. buttermilk

2 tbsp. butter

Instructions:

1. In a med. mixing bowl, combine the grated potato, onion (if using), and buttermilk (this keeps the potato from discoloring).
2. In a large mixing bowl, sift together flour, salt, and baking powder.
3. Add grated potato mixture, egg, and mashed potato.
4. Mix well. Batter should be about the texture of thick pancake batter. Add additional flour or buttermilk if necessary.
5. Melt butter in a heavy skillet or on a griddle.
6. Over medium heat, drop large spoonfuls of boxty batter into skillet, making approximately 6" pancakes.
7. Brown well on both sides.

Mulled Wine might not be one of the most traditional Halloween recipes you'll ever come across, but it's one of the most fun to make and drink. It's autumn-y, it's warming, it's spicy, and it's, well, intoxicating. A great addition to your Halloween potato feast.
Want to get your traditional Halloween menu prepared ahead of time? Make your mulled wine in a crock pot and keep it on low until the guests arrive. Serves 4.

Ingredients:

1/2 C. water

1/2 C. granulated sugar

2 cloves

2 cinnamon sticks

1 orange, peel and juice

1 bottle (750 mL) dry red wine

Instructions:

1. in a pot (or crock pot) combine the water, sugar, cinnamon, cloves, and orange juice.
2. Simmer 2-3 minutes.
3. Add the orange peel and wine.
4. Let sit warming over low heat at least 30 minutes before serving.
5. Don't allow it to boil or you'll cook the alcohol away.
6. Serve in warm mugs, garnished with a cinnamon stick and orange slice, if desired.

Barmbrack is one of those traditional Halloween recipes that's both a dessert and a Halloween game. Traditionally, a ring is baked into the cake, and the person who finds the ring in their slice of barmbrack is guaranteed to be married before the year is out. A pretty funny concept if some of the people eating it are, say, five years old. To make a more modern, kid-friendly version of the barmbrack Halloween game, bake several food friendly (and difficult-to-choke-on) items into your barmbrack. Those who find the items in the barmbrack get a prize. Be sure to warn your guest to eat with care to avoid a Halloween trip to the hospital!
This fluffy fruit bread is generally baked in a round cake pan. An 8 or 9 inch pan works well, but you can also use a loaf pan for a bread-shaped barmbrack.
This turns out best if you leave time to soak the fruit overnight, but don't worry if you can't-- a few hours is fine.

Ingredients:

2 C. strong, hot black tea

3 1/2 C. mixed dried fruits (raisins, cranberries, dry dates, candied orange peel, etc.)

1 C. milk

2 tsp. active dry yeast

1 tsp. granulated sugar

3 C. bread flour

1 tsp. salt

1/4 C. brown sugar, packed

1/3 C. butter

1 lg. egg, beaten

1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp. ground cloves

1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg

1/4 tsp. allspice

Instructions:

1. Soak dried fruits in tea overnight, or a few hours.
2. Heat milk until warm. Sprinkle yeast and teaspoon granulated sugar over top and stir. Let sit in a warm place about 15 minutes, until foamy.
3. Stir together the flour, salt, spices, and brown sugar in a large bowl.
4. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture, and add egg, yeast mixture, and butter. Mix well with a wooden spoon.
5. Drain fruit well, then add to dough. This should produce a smooth dough. If it's too gooey, add more flour.
6. Knead dough on a floured board about 5-10 minutes. Dough should be smooth, but just a little sticky.
7. Place dough in your greased cake or loaf pan, cover with a cloth, and let rise in a warm place for 45-60 minutes, until doubled.
8. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Bake barmbrack 30 minutes.
8. Remove bread from the pan, flip it upside down, return it to the pan, and bake 20 minutes more.
9. Bread is done cooking it sounds hollow when tapped on the sides.
10. Cool on a rack before serving.
11. Sprinkle with powdered sugar or serve with butter and jam.
12. Enjoy once of the tastiest and most traditional Halloween recipes around!

STUFFED CABBAGE

1 Large head of cabbage

1 Tablespoon Margarine

2 Medium onions, sliced

1 Pound Lean ground beef

4 Tablespoons Grated onions

3 Tablespoons Uncooked rice

1 teaspoon Salt

1/8 Teaspoon Pepper

8 Ounces Can tomato sauce

1 Cup Water

1/4 Cup Seedless raisins

3 Tablespoons Honey (or brown sugar)

1 Tablespoon Lemon juice
( you can take the beef out if you are vegan)

Trim off thick parts of 18 cabbage leaves. Blanch in boiling Water. Melt margarine in deep heavy saucepan, Add onions and lightly brown, mix together beef, grated onions, uncooked rice, 3 Tablespoons water, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and pepper. Place some meat on each cabbage leaf, tuck in sides and roll cabbage. Add tomato sauce, 1 cup water and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt to sliced onions. Place cabbage rolls in saucepan, cover and cook slowly for 1 1/2 hours. Add raisins, honey or brown sugar and lemon juice. Cook uncovered 30 minutes. Serve in soup bowl.

Pumpkin Marble Cheesecake

Servings: 10

1 1/2 c Gingersnap Crumbs

1/2 c Finely Chopped Pecans

1/3 c Margarine, Melted

16 oz Cream Cheese, Softened

3/4 c Sugar

1 t Vanilla

3 Eggs

1 c Canned Pumpkin

3/4 t Cinnamon

1/4 t Ground Nutmeg

Combine crumbs, pecans and margarine; press onto bottom and 1 1/2-inches up sides of 9-inch spring form pan. Bake at 350 degrees F., 10 minutes. Combine cream cheese, 1/2 c sugar and vanilla, mixing at medium speed on electric mixer until well blended. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Reserve 1 c batter, chill. Add remaining sugar, pumpkin and spices to remaining batter; mix well. Alternately layer pumpkin and cream cheese batters over crust. Cut through batters with knife several times for marble effect. Bake at 350 degrees F., 55 minutes. Loosen cake from rim of pan; cool before removing rim of pan. Chill.

Remembrance Cookies

These cookies can be made on Hallows Eve. They can be shaped like people and the herb rosemary is added to the dough as a symbol of remembrance. Some of the cookies are eaten while telling stories or attributes of special ancestors, reminding us that we still have access to their strengths--or perhaps a predisposition to their weaknesses. The rest of the cookies are left outside by a bonfire as an offering. This can be a solemn ritual, but it need not be.

Ingredients for the cookies:

1 1/2 c. powdered sugar

1 c. butter or margarine (softened)

1 egg

2 t. vanilla

1 t. almond extract

2 1/2 c. all purpose flour

1 t. baking soda

1 t. cream of tartar

1 1/2 T. chopped rosemary

Heat oven 375 degrees. In a large bowl, beat sugar, butter, egg, vanilla, almond extract, and rosemary until creamy. In a separate bowl, sift flour, baking soda, and cream of tartar. Fold flour mixture into sugar mixture. Beat until dough forms and refrigerate for three hours. Divide dough into halves. Roll out one portion to 3/16 of an inch on a floured surface. Cut out with gingerbread women or men cutters and place on an ungreased cookie sheet. Repeat rolling and cutting with second portion. Bake for 5-7 minutes.

Legendary Oven Hash

1 cup coarsely ground beef

1 cup coarsely ground potatoes

1/4 cup coarsely ground onion

1/4 cup snipped fresh parsley

2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

1- 6oz can evaporated milk

1/4 cup fine dry bread crumbs

1 tbs. butter/margarine melted

In frying pan, combine and cook beef, potatoes, onion, parsley, and Worcestershire sauce, and evaporated milk. Remove from heat and turn out into a 1 qt casserole dish. Mix bread crumbs with melted butter/margarine and sprinkle on top. Bake in oven at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Makes 4 servings.

Spirited Cheese Stuffed Apples

1- 3oz package softened cream cheese

4 medium apples

1 1/3oz Cheddar Cheese

1 tablespoon dry white wine

Beat together both cheeses and the wine, with an electric or rotary mixer, until smooth. Core the apples and hollow out, leaving apple shells about 1/2 inch thick. Fill the apples with the cheese mixture and refrigerate for 2-3 hours. Cut apples into 8 wedges.

Bewitching Apple Pancakes
2 cups sifted all-purpose flour

2 tbs. sugar4 tsp. baking powder

1tsp. salt

2 well beaten egg yolks

2 cups milk

2 tbs. butter/margarine, melted

1 cup finely chopped apple, peeled and cored

2 stiffly beaten egg whites.

In a large non-metal bowl, sift together all the dry ingredients. In a smaller bowl, combine the milk and egg yolks. Pour mixture into the dry ingredients and stir well. Stir in the butter/margarine and apple. Fold in the egg whites. Let the batter set up for a few minutes. Cook on a hot griddle or in a large frying pan, using 1/3 cup of batter per pancake. Use a spatula or spoon to spread batter evenly. Remove from heat, dot with butter, sprinkle with powdered sugar, and roll up into log. Top with slightly heated applesauce and a dash of cinnamon. Makes 12 pancakes.

Apple Spread

1 8 oz. pkg. cream cheese, softened

1 c. grated cheddar cheese

1/4 c. mayonnaise

dash of sugar

1 c. chopped apple with peel

1/2 c. chopped celery

1/2 c. chopped pecans

Mix together the cream cheese and cheddar cheese until well blended. Add remaining ingredients and mix well. Serve with crackers or fresh vegetables

Golden Herb Rolls

2/3 cup milk

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine

1/4 cup water

4 cups all-purpose flour, divided

1/3 cup granulated sugar

1 package quick-rising yeast

2 teaspoons dried savory leaves, crushed

1 teaspoon salt

3/4 teaspoon dried thyme leaves, crushed

1/2 teaspoon dried dill weed, crushed

1 cup canned pumpkin

4 eggs, divided

2 tablespoons sesame seeds

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease 20 to 24 muffin cups. Combine milk, butter and water in small saucepan; heat until butter is melted. If necessary, cool to 120º F. to 130º F. Combine 3 cups flour, sugar, yeast, savory, salt, thyme and dill in large mixer bowl. Add milk mixture and pumpkin; beat for 2 minutes. Stir in 3 eggs and remaining flour. Cover; let rise in warm, draft-free place for 10 minutes or until doubled. Spoon into prepared muffin cups, filling 1/2 to 3/4 full. Cover; let rise in warm, draft-free place for 30 to 40 minutes or until doubled. Beat remaining egg and brush on top of rolls; sprinkle with sesame seeds. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes or until rolls are golden and sound hollow when tapped. Remove from pans; serve warm or cool on wire rack.

Morning Glory Muffins

1 1/4 cup sugar

2 1/4 cup flour

1 tablespoon cinnamon

2 teaspoons baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup shredded coconut

3/4 cup raisins

4 large grated carrots (2 cups)

1 apple, shredded

8 ounces crushed pineapple, drained

1/2 cup pecans or walnuts

3 eggs

1 cup vegetable oil

1 teaspoon vanilla

Sift together the sugars, flours, cinnamon, baking soda and salt into a large bowl. Add the fruit, carrots, nuts, and stir to combine. In a separate bowl whisk the eggs, oil, and vanilla. Pour this mixture into the bowl with the dry ingredients and stir to blend well. Spoon mixture into cupcake tins lined with muffin papers. Fill to brim of each cup. Bake in preheated 350 degree oven for 35 minutes. Toothpick inserted into the middle of muffin will come out clean when muffins are done. Cool muffins in pan for 10 minutes then turn out on rack to cool. Yield is 16 muffins. Muffins improve even more after 24 hours. Freezes well.

Jack-o-Lantern Cheese Ball

2 c. shredded cheddar cheese

4 oz. package cream cheese, softened

1/4 c. solid pack pumpkin

1/2 c. pineapple preserves

1/4 tsp. ground allspice

1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg

1 pretzel rod, broken in half

Decorations: Dark rye bread, red pepper, black olive slices, parsley sprigs
Assorted crackers
Beat cheeses, pumpkin, preserves and spices in a medium bowl until smooth. Cover; refrigerate 2 to 3 hours or until cheese is firm enough to shape. Shape mixture into a round pumpkin; place on serving plate. Using knife, score vertical lines down pumpkin. Place pretzel rod in top for stem. Cut 2 small triangles for the eyes. Small triangle of red pepper for nose. Slice olives slices in half for the mouth. Cover loosely; refrigerate until serving time. Serve with crackers.

Ultimate Caramel Apples

1 cup water

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup heavy cream

10-inch square piece of Styrofoam

6 Popsicle sticks or small wooden dowels

6 Red Delicious or Golden Delicious apples

3 ounces white chocolate

3 ounces semi-sweet chocolate,

1/4 cup finely chopped chopped nuts

In heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine water and sugar. Over low heat, stir mixture gently until sugar is completely dissolved. Increase heat to medium low and cook, without stirring, until mixture is a dark amber color. Remove from heat and carefully stir in heavy cream (mixture will bubble up and spatter a bit, then subside.) Set aside to cool and thicken. Cover Styrofoam with waxed paper to catch caramel drippings (this will be a stand for caramel apples). Insert Popsicle sticks into bottom center of apples. Dip top half of each apple into thickened caramel. Insert bottom of Popsicle sticks into Styrofoam, allowing apples to stand upright so caramel runs down sides of each apple. Refrigerate to harden. Meanwhile, melt white chocolate in top of double boiler above gently simmering water; stir until smooth. Transfer melted chocolate to pastry bag fitted with small writing tip. Drizzle thin, random strips of white chocolate over each caramel apple. Repeat melting and drizzling with semi-sweet chocolate. Sprinkle with chopped nuts.

Halloween Delights!!

What is Halloween with out color, and sweet tasting treats?

Well it would not be Halloween now would it?

So wrap your eyes around these delightful cakes .. I hope I can be this creative.... :)

Anyone got a fork??

Bee

COOKIES, Cookies, COOKIES!!

I am SOoo tempted this year to make up a bunch of these cookies!! Am I dreaming?? But one never knows? I may add this to my list of tasks for the week of Halloween!!

These cookies just make me smile!!! I do cup cakes most years and cake.. But I am really liking the looks of these Halloween sweets!!

Halloween Cookie cutter links;

http://www.sugarcraft.com/catalog/holiday/hal-thanks/hal-cookies.htm

These are really COOL!!
http://www.hearthsong.com/hearthsong/product.do?section_id=0&bc=1005&pgc=2481&sv=2400&cmvalue=HS%7C0

http://www.cookware.com/asp/show_detail.asp?sku=NWR1326&refid=FR280-NWR1326

Bee --> dreaming of a sweet snack

Bee's Halloween decor

Hi to all, Well I am already for "All Hallows Eve. I love it !! The great lights, the beautiful colors of nature.. Of course growing my own pumpkin makes it great too!! (which was a chore this year).. Lucky Me I got one a big one too!! I will not carve him till "All Hallows Eve day. The lovely Scarecrow dry flower arrangement is placed in a vintage antique carnival glass vase.. The pattern on the glass is called "tree trunk" (Made by the Northwood glass company) I thought it was a perfect fit!! Of course my favorite Halloween boot on my table surrounded by Kirks Folly sparkling home decor items..

My two new goblets "Witchy Poo" and "Dragon" with a Kirks Folly lovely grey, and silver shawl as my table runner..

Sparkling Jack-O-Lantern's

Bee

Corn Maze's

Mazes date back at least 4000 years to the time of Greek myths.

In Roman times, mazes and labyrinths were found in artwork, in the design of floors in homes, public buildings and in the pavement of streets. It is believed that mazes were not considered puzzles, but were used for rituals and processions.

In the centuries that followed, mazes continued to appear in artwork and architecture such as inlays in the floors of the French cathedrals. In Scandinavia, over 600 stone labyrinths lined the shores of the Baltic Sea, with over half of them in Sweden.
Later formal gardens were developed throughout Europe and included puzzle hedges. The garden mazes were developed at the wealthiest castles and palaces to amuse kings and princes. The task was to find the center and then return to the beginning point.
The maze in the gardens at Hampton Court Palace, one of the finest examples in England, was planted by William III (1650-1702).
In the nineteenth century mazes became a popular entertainment in parks and other public places.
Since the 1970's, navigating through an intricate maze has become a popular form of recreation.
The dinosaur maze was produced by Don Frantz and the American Maze Company for Lebanon Valley College in 1993. The first 'modern' corn maze named the "Amazing Maize Maze" was a collaboration between Don Frantz and Adrian Fisher and was then the world's largest maze and subsequently sparked a worldwide fad of corn mazes.
The Country Heritage Maize Maze began when LaVerne Swenson, a farmer from Clermont, Iowa, and some of his friends and neighbors around the area dreamed of telling the story of Iowa's agricultural heritage and increasing tourism in Northeast Iowa.

Corn mazes appear in many different designs. Most have a path, which goes all around the whole pattern, either to end in the middle or to come back out again.

So try one out.. they are very fun. Perfect for a Halloween adventure. They can be found all over the country.. So check your local papers or the Internet..

Mysterious Black Cat

'There are chests of gold within all the burial mounds, but mind the cats that guard them.'

~ Old Celtic Proverb

The black cat has been regarded as mysterious creatures with supernatural powers for ever it seems through history. These beliefs increased during the European witch-trials.
The witch trials started in the 13th century. the belief was that witches had the ability to turn into an animals, usually a hare or a cat, in order to transport themselves to a Sabbath. The idea of familiar spirits soon developed. These were imps or minor demons who took the form of any small animal, from a hedgehog to a toad. A familiar( a witch's pet) acted as an intermediary for the witch, carrying out her orders so that she wouldn't have to be at the scene of the crime when the evil deed was done.
A witch's cat came to be called a ?grimalkin?. The Scottish goddess of witches was called ?Mither o' the Mawkins?, a mawkin or malkin being either a cat or a hare. Originally a grimalkin was a gray cat. Later the term came to refer to the "pussies" or "catkins" on a pussy willow, as well as to the witch's cat. ( I did a blog entry on catkins a while back)

There are many superstitions associated with cats, partly because the cat has lived alongside humans for many millennia. The cat was worshipped in Egypt and to kill one was considered a capital crime. When an Egyptian family's cat died, the cat was mummified and the family went into mourning. Romans, also, considered the cat sacred and introduced it into Europe. By the 17th Century, however, the cat began to be associated with witchcraft and it's luck turned from good to bad in many areas. A practice that became popular for a time was to burn cats and other animals on Shrove Tuesday (before the start of Lent), in order to protect one's home from fire and other calamities.
Superstitions centering around the black cat are some of the most well-known and popular superstitions today. It is interesting, though, because the good or bad luck they possess is dependent on where you live in the world. In Britain and Japan, having a black cat cross your path, is considered good luck, whereas if you live in the USA or several European countries, it is bad luck to have a black cat walk by.

Good luck associated with black cats include:
· Possessing a black cat.
· Having a black cat greet you at a door.
· Having a black cat enter your home.
· Meeting three black cats in succession.
· Touching a black cat.

Bad luck associated with black cats include:
· Meeting a black cat early in the morning.
· Having a black cat turn its back on you.
· Scaring or driving away a black cat from your property.
· Walking under a ladder after a black cat has walked underneath it.


MORE BLACK CATS FOLKLORE
In India it is thought that a reincarnated soul may be "liberated" by throwing a black cat into a fire.
In Bengali folklore women could change their soul into a black cat and that any harm brought to the cat would be suffered by the women.
The Celts thought black cats were reincarnated beings able to divine the future.
German folklore believed that if a black cat jumped on the bed of a sick person it meant death was near. In Finland it was thought that black cats were thought to carry the souls of the dead to the other world.

The Story of Candy Corn

A Halloween staple... I just had to Know!!! Sorry, but it is my favorite!!

Hugs Bee

For those of us over the age of 25, when you think of Halloween candy you think of candy corn, those sugary little spikes of Halloween cheer. They've been around for as long as I remember and even as long as my grandparents remember but did you know that they were invented in the 1880's? Who the first person to make these tasty treats was is unknown but the Wunderle Candy Company of Philadelphia was the first to go into commercial production. However, the company most closely associated with this wonderful confection is the Goelitz Confectionery Company. Founder Gustav Goelitz, a German immigrant, began commercial production of the treat in 1898 in Cincinnati and is today the oldest manufacturer of the Halloween icon.
Making candy at the turn of the last century wasn't the highly mechanized, year-round activity it is today. Candy was manufactured seasonally from March through November. Large kettles were used to cook the basic ingredients of candy corn, sugar, water, and corn syrup into a slurry. Fondant for smooth texture and marshmallow for a soft bite would be whipped in. When the right consistency was reached the hot candy would be poured into hand-held buckets called runners. Each runner holding 45 pounds of the hot mixture
Next, men called stringers would walk backward pouring the steaming candy into trays of cornstarch imprinted with kernel-shaped molds. Three passes were made, one for each white, orange, and yellow color. A strenuous job at best before the days of air-conditioning and electric fans.
All this strenuous labor wasn't lost on the tiny candy. It's tricolor design was considered revolutionary for its time and people flocked to buy them. Their shape was also a big selling point for the mostly agrarian population of the early 1900's. So popular was candy corn that companies tried other vegetable shapes including turnips. The Goelitz Candy Company even had to turn orders down for lack of production capacity.
Candy corn was originally sold in bulk containers like most foods products of the time. They were packed in wooden buckets, tubs, and cartons to be delivered by wagon and train over relatively short distances. Perishability prevented widespread distribution.
During WWI, Herman Goelitz, son of Gustav, moved to Fairfield, California to start his own company, the Herman Goelitz Candy Company. Their product? Candy Corn! The fortune of the Halloween treat would rise and fall many times as recession and boom, war and peace, affected the humble confection. Throughout the hard times it was the sale of candy corn that kept the companies afloat. In the sugar crisis of the mid 1970's when the price of raw sugar skyrocketed the company had to borrow heavily to buy sugar to keep production up. After the crisis the market plummeted. Many companies went out of business. It was demand for the candy corn that kept Goelitz from bankruptcy.
Today you won't have to look very hard to find candy corn. Computer and machine aided production have made them a plentiful staple no matter what time of year. So plentiful in fact that according to the National Confectioners Association, in 2001 candy manufacturers sold more than 20 million pounds of candy corn. Roughly 8.3 billion kernels! Very impressive for a product that has remained virtually unchanged for well over 100 years.
Perhaps best of all, everyone can feel comfortable about enjoying tasty kernel or two. According to the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, candy is no different than a slice of bread, bowl of cereal or a cracker when it comes to causing tooth decay. Any food that contains sugar or starch can cause tooth decay – especially if one doesn’t brush and floss daily. So grab a bag of candy corn and enjoy. Just remember to brush your teeth after
candy corn facts

· Candy corn has 3.57 calories per kernel
· Halloween accounts for 75% of the annual candy corn production
· Candy corn isn't just for Halloween there is also:
· Reindeer corn for Christmas (red, green, and white)
· Indian corn (it's chocolate and vanilla flavored)
· Cupid corn for Valentine's Day (red, pink, and white)
· Bunny corn for Easter (pastel-colored)

Halloween is going to stink this year !!

Hi to all, Well did anyone watch our Presidents news conference about the financial state here in the USA on October 7th..

Well to sum it up. He insulted a man asking or basically pleading for him to fix this current financial situation so he could help his wife continue her business.
Well we got the expected answer.. Quote George W. Bush Jr.... "Oh that was smart"( Insinuating about his wife's business & that when it fails it was not his business but his wife's..
Then quote: "It has just occurred to me how important credit is to the consumers of the country!"

This man George W. Bush Jr. ignorance just astounds me. He was rude , unkind and had a hint of prejudice in the way he spoke to this citizen. This mans wife would not even speak I think she wanted to kick him in the balls!! I am scared to death as to what is going to happen when this man, and his thugs leave the office. Most of his entourage have separated themselves from him by resignation beginning three years ago..

We now know some of the financial fleecing this country has taken from this administration. Stealing every thing that they could, or had access to. But I fear the worst will be revealed when they all bail out of DC very soon!!

So let he be known for these famous last words with 28 days left in office:

"It has JUST occurred to me how important credit is to the consumers of this country"

Sweets, Sweets, Glorious Sweets

It's the sweet and sugary part of an otherwise dark and scary holiday - candy, the delicious treat sure to give you a sugary-high and leave you wanting more.

Candy has become synonymous with Halloween, much like images of ghosts, ghouls, goblins and pumpkins. Each year, millions of American children hit the streets with one goal in mind: to collect as much candy as possible. The U.S. Census Bureau has reported in the past that there are approximately 41 million potential trick-or-treaters between the ages of 5 and 14 years old. According to the National Confectioners' Association (NCA), 93 percent of these children will go trick-or-treating this year.When people go trick-or-treating, they automatically assume that they expect to be given candy, but what many don't realize is how "treats" became associated with this holiday.

The origins of distributing sweets to trick-or-treaters began back in the early days of the annual All Souls Day parade in England. Originally on Halloween, families would leave food at their doorsteps to stop spirits from entering their homes. Eventually the church encouraged people to distribute pastries called "soul cakes" to beggars rather than leaving food for the spirits. When Europeans immigrated to the United States, they brought the traditions of Halloween with them. Early Puritan societies in New England didn't celebrate Halloween because of strict religious beliefs, but 19th-century immigrants continued the traditions. In the mid-1850s, Americans began dressing up and going door-to-door asking for money and treats. According to history.com, around the turn of the century, Halloween lost its religious overtones and became a community-based holiday focusing on games, treats and costumes. It wasn't until the 1920s when the modern incarnation of trick-or-treating was celebrated in Wellesley, Mass., according to the book, "Halloween: An American Holiday, an American Tradition."
The book explains that the act of trick-or-treating gradually spread across America, reaching North Carolina and Florida in the 1940s and the rest of the country by the 1950s. Halloween, as we know it, thrived in the post-war era. Last year, Americans spent $3.29 billion on all Halloween items, according to the National Retail Federation's 2005 Halloween Consumer Intentions and Actions Survey. Of that $3.29 billion, approximately 64 percent of the money was spent on Halloween candy, according to the NCA. The Gourmet Retailer reported that this year, 75 percent of American homes are planning on passing out candy this Halloween season. Of those participants, the NCA projected that 76 percent of the candy passed out will be bite-sized chocolate while 30 percent will be non-chocolate bite-sized candy. Approximately 26 percent of homes will give out full-sized candy bars, both chocolate and non-chocolate.The NCA surveyed children between the ages of 6 and 11 and found that they prefer chocolate candy two to one over non-chocolate candy.To figure out what kind of candy children prefer, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution surveyed 350 kids in order to find out their favorite candy. They found that children's favorite candies included Hershey bars, Snickers bars, Crunch bars, candy corn, Reese's Peanut Butter Cups, lollipops and gum. Likewise, children ranked candy corn as one of their least favorite candies, followed by Tootsie Rolls, black licorice, caramels and mints. Parents also indulge their sweet tooth on Halloween. The NCA reported that 90 percent of parents admitted to sneaking goodies from their kids' candy stash - 70 percent took chocolate bars, 40 percent favored candy-coated chocolate, 37 percent gobbled-up caramels and 26 percent choose gum.

So while passing out candy to young ghosts and goblins is nice, remember this when shopping for Halloween candy for yourself; on Nov. 1, everything will be marked half off. <--- And yes ---> I will be at the WalMart.

:-) Trivia

Snickers : Snickers was named after a horse owned by the Mars family—inventors of this perennial favorite.

Peeps: Enough Peeps are made each year that they could circle the Earth twice.

3 Musketeers Bar: Originally the three layers were chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry nougat. Later the layers were changed to all chocolate.

Tootsie Roll: Tootsie Rolls debuted in 1896, introduced by Leo Hirshfield of New York, who named them after his daughter’s nickname, "Tootsie."

M&Ms: M&M’s were created in response to a dip in summer chocolate sales, and named after their inventors Forrest Mars and Bruce Murray.

Necco Waferst: Necco stands for the New England Confectionery Company.

Milky Way Bar: Frank Mars gave the "Milky Way" formula and $50,000 to his son in 1932, to start his own business—Mars Bars were the result. When Mars bars were exported in 1991 to Russia for the first time they were so popular that they needed to be rationed to 4 bars per person.

Junior Mints: Junior Mints were named after the developer’s favorite Broadway play, "Junior Miss." Both "Junior Miss" and the movie "Meet Me in St. Louis" were based upon the stories of Sally Benson

Posers

Posers

Well the month is October, and Halloween is soon to be here-> Night of Masks. So what better month then this to write a blog entry on “Posers” (one who projects themselves, and their life as something it is not).

The way I see it being a Poser’s can be used in a selfless way, or it can be used to harm others.
I wonder sometimes who all the bloggers in the world really are? The politicians, Religious leaders? Are they really whom they project out to the world to see? I know for myself my blog, and poetry writing is a vessel for me. Through writing I portray a life that I would love to have but in reality it’s just is not true. I truly wish that happiness, and security was a reality for me but it is not.
So why do Posers do what they do? Maybe to make others feel good. So they do not worry about their friend or family member? Or maybe the black side of Posing->Many Politicians tell us what they think we want to hear. Maybe some of them actually believe it could someday be true? Or maybe they just use their "Pose" as a control? That’s a power that Religious leaders, and Politicians have over large groups of people.
Posers are in all parts of our lives; relationships, teachers, & family. So with an election year upon us its time we all here in the USA stop, and take a real look at those who represents US, and makes OUR choices for US. These choices affect everything around us, and the world view of the USA. (Take note of the state of the world view currently)

Our Schools, Church groups...The question one really needs to be asking is who are the people who are the founders of these groups. Are schools really providing an equal education? Are all students given all the information about educational options?? Who in our schools decides, and police’s the social situation in our schools..? Who are these people in public office that work, and decide for us what is right and best. Are the ministers, pastors, rabbi’s, and priests really the upstanding humans’ beings they represent to the world every day? Do they really use our good faith and financial gain to provide for the helpless, needy, and lost souls like they proclaim. In other words do they practice what they preach, and if so where is the documentation? Do they share with the congregations how, and whom benefited from our good faith, and money!!

I have many more questions about Poser’s but I hope at the end of my journey I do not find that all those whom the good people have put their faith in were not all from one collective organization using the goodness and trust of our people for personal gain.

So think about what I have said here or mostly implied.. Something is very wrong in our society very wrong.. I believe the results of this are just now starting to rear its ugly head.