WAY BACK WEDNESDAY

"you make me smile with my heart"

FLASHBACK (probably) mid~february 270 AD
version one: emperor claudius II decides that single men make better soldiers than men with wives and families. he outlaws marriage for young men. a priest, named valentine, defies the emperor and performs secret marriages. when he is discovered, claudius orders that valentine be put to death.
version two: valentine is imprisoned for helping christians escape roman prisons, where they are beaten and tortured.
either way, legend says, valentine falls in love with a young girl, while in prison, and sends her the first "valentine" greeting. before his death, he writes the girl a letter and signs it "from your valentine".

FLASH FORWARD: 5th century
pope gelasius outlaws the pagan celebration of lupercalia. lupercalia is a fertility festival dedicated to the roman god of agriculture, faunus, that occurs in the middle of february. the pope declares february 14th st. valentine's day, in an effort to take the focus off lupercalia.

FLASH FORWARD: the middle ages
valentine's reputation as a sympathetic, heroic, and romantic man makes him one of the most popular saints in france and england. valentine's greetings become popular (the oldest greeting, still in existence, is written in 1415, by charles, duke of orleans).

FLASH FORWARD today:
today, americans send, approximately, 1 billion valentine's cards making it the second biggest card sending holiday of the year. 

the more you know ;)

FLASHBACK february 2, 1887

UPDATE: 2/2/2014~PUNXSATAWNEY PHIL SAW HIS SHADOW...GEN. BEAUREGARD LEE DID NOT. HMMMMMM....

"they say it's gone say winter's done...that don't mean a thing...'cause i'm the one that moves the sun...for you i'd turn it into spring"
german settlers to pennsylvania bring the tradition of candlemas to america (the legend of candlemas says "for as the sun shines on candlemas day, so far will the snow swirl in may") and discover that groundhogs are very intelligent and perfect to carry on the legend...so they find phil. every year, on candlemas, they pull phil out of his home and watch. will he see his shadow and run back to his lair? if he does, we have 6 more weeks of winter. or will he hang out for a bit? a sure sign of an early spring. but phil only has been right 39% of the time. hmmmmm.....

FLASH FORWARD february 2, 1990

general beauregard lee starts predicting spring in lilburn, georgia. he claims an accuracy of 94%. yeah. i said 94%.

FLASH FORWARD february 2, 2013

punxsutawney phil hangs out at gobbler's knob for a bit and everyone i know rejoices for an early spring. seems they've had enough winter. me? i didn't see enough snow. didn't have enough cuddling by a cozy fire while old man winter blows outside my window. i am super excited by general beauregard lee's prediction. he sees his shadow and goes into hiding! yay!

FLASH FORWARD march 5, 2013

and so it begins...up to the minute forecasts from every. single. person. on facebook. there's a winter storm a brewin'!! schools close in anticipation of a foot of "the white death". rain turns to snow, just as all the meteorologists predicted, around 9pm. and we all wake up to a beautiful marshmallow world.

                        

and so, it appears, the groundhog to listen to is general lee. and, as he predicted, spring will arrive, as scheduled, on march 21. 

FLASHBACK 2737 bc

BECAUSE IT'S TOTALLY WORTH REPEATING...
"you get tea when it's raining, tea when it's snowing. tea when the weather's fine..."
rumor has it that tea is discovered by chinese emperor, shan nong. supposedly, this emperor likes to boil his drinking water...which, if you watch survivorman at all, you know this is a good idea...and, one day, while strolling thru the gardens, a few tea leaves fall in his mug. KABOOM!! tea inventor! (all of this MUST be true...i read it on the internet. here and also here. )
FLASH FORWARD today
today is a brrrrrr chilly rabbit sort of day. a day where you get hypothermia just looking out the window. it's the perfect day for snuggling in with a great read...or a horrible lifetime movie...and sipping on a nice...hot...cup of tea. and what a perfect month to do that...it just happens to be national hot tea month!

             

^i'm telling you...brrrr chilly rabbit!^

so, you don't know the first thing about hot tea? or how to enjoy it? the following is a list of the different types and their health benefits. yes. i said HEALTH benefits!

• GREEN TEA: this is made with steamed tea leaves. it contains the most ECGC, an antioxidant known as as a flavanoid. green tea's antioxidants are thought to interfere with the growth of some cancers. specifically: bladder, breast, lung, colorectal, and stomach cancers. it is, also, thought to help burn fat. BONUS!!! plus, it's delicious. 
• BLACK TEA: this is made with fermented tea leaves. it contains the most caffeine. studies show that black tea may protect lungs from the damage caused by cigarette smoke. don't ask me how...i'm not gonna do that much research. also. it's delicious.
• WHITE TEA: this is uncured and unfermented. again, it's antioxidants have been credited with preventing cancers. it is, also, thought to lower blood pressure and cholesterol. ummmm...i have never ever tried white tea, so it might suck. but i imagine it's delicious!
• OOLONG TEA: this is a semi~fermented tea. it has been credited to lower bad cholesterol levels. and, it has been marketed as a weight loss supplement but no studies have substantiated this claim. again...delicious!

the best way to enjoy hot tea? well...some people add sugar. some people add cream. some people float a nice slice of lemon. there is NO wrong way. i, personally, enjoy a flavored tea, with a bit of splenda , while snuggled on the couch, covered in my nightmare before christmas blanket. 

                                   

BECAUSE IT'S THURSDAY?

"puff the magic dragon lived by the sea...."

dragon: a mythical monster like a giant reptile. in european tradition the dragon is typically fire-breathing and tends to symbolize chaos or evil, whereas in east asia it is usually a beneficent symbol of fertility, associated with water and the heavens.










just a quick list of my favorite dragons in honor of "appreciate a dragon" day:

1. puff the magic dragon

2. falkor (the never ending story)

3. elliot (pete's dragon)

4. smaug (j.r.r. tolkien's the hobbit)

5. the hungarian horntail (j.k. rowling's harry potter)

6. maleficent (sleeping beauty)

7. (and my all time favorite) h.r. pufnstuf

have you appreciated a dragon today? 

                                        

FLASHBACK long ago and far away

"i dream of jack o'lanterns...driving by these bat night skies...haunted by their lighted grins...i close my eyes, somethings reaching in"

a little history lesson:  ever look at your freshly carved pumpkin and say "i wonder where this tradition started?". well, i did the research so you don't have to...

first came the story of "stingy jack" (please listen to my tale with a thick irish brogue...k?).  stingy jack was an irishman who was very, shall we say, cheap. so one day, jack's strolling down the road and bumps into the devil. jack says "devil! have a pint with me!!" and the devil says sure. but jack has no money. he convinces the devil to turn himself into a coin to pay for the pints. remember how his name is STINGY jack? he decides to pocket the coin and skip out on the bill. the coin is next to a cross, so the devil is trapped, until jack says "devil. i'll let ya go if ya let me be for 1 year and spare me soul if i die" and the devil agreed. so, the next year, the devil's back. jack says "devil, i sure would love a taste of fruit before me punishment." so the devil agreed to climb a tree and get him the fruit. jack quickly carved the sign of the cross into the tree, trapping the devil. "devil. i'll let ya down but ya must agree to let me be for 10 more years and spare me soul if i die" and the devil agreed. jack soon died. god refused to let him into heaven...i mean, would you let a trickster like that into heaven?...and the devil, still mad about the tricks jack pulled (cuz old lucifer can dish it out but he can't take it) and true to his word (cuz what does a man have if he doesn't have his word?), refused to let jack into hell. the devil sent jack into the deep, dark night with only a burning coal to light his way. jack put the coal into a carved~out turnip and used it to light the way. and so began the legend of jack of the lantern.

people in ireland and scotland started making "jack's lantern" out of turnips and potatoes, carving scary faces into them and placing them in their windows to ward off evil spirits, including stingy jack. immigrants to america brought this tradition with them and found that pumpkins (which are native to america, by the way) were perfect.

FLASH FORWARD today
we americans love our jack o'lanterns. from carving, or painting, to purchasing pre-lit pumpkins, jack of the lantern is a halloween favorite.  and now you know why... (^^)

                    

 

                                            

not so MANIC MONDAY

repeat :)
"a little less conversation a little more action baby..."
FLASHBACK july 2009
one of the first things i notice about jamie, he has an amazing tattoo of elvis on his right ankle. yep. he's an elvis fan. i am a closet elvis fan. i watch his movies when no one is looking. i have a cd with all of his greats. i only listen to it when no one is in the car with me.
FLASH FORWARD today
i am no longer a closet fan. i love elvis. i sing along with jamie every time he comes on the radio (which can happen a lot with sirius xm). not too long ago we watched "clambake"...an elvis great as long as he wasn't singing about "goop". okay. i admit it. sometimes his movies made him look like a dork. but we all know he was the coolest person in the history of ever. even my beloved beatles thought so.
saturday marked the beginning of elvis week. so from today thru the 17th, take some time to unleash your inner hound dog. HAIL TO THE KING BABY!!

                   

WHAT UP WEDNESDAY

FLASHBACK 1978/79
kat and i are in 7th grade...and we love make~up. we. L~O~V~E make~up. we spend all of our free time listening to blondie and experimenting with mascara and eyeliner. we apply...and, then, we wash it all off with noxzema...drench our skin in seabreeze (we love the way our skin tingles)...and we start all over again. we get it wrong. we wear so much eye make~up you can't even see our eyeballs. 
FLASH FORWARD today
i still love make~up. and sometimes i like to experiment with a smokey eye...or a bombshell eye...or pin~up girl red lips. but, most of the time, i like to look like i'm not wearing any makeup. a natural look just fits my hippy freak personality. how do i get that look? cheaply.  with the exception of my clinique different lipstick (a free gift when i picked up my mama's moisturizer), all my face care and make~up comes from the drug store. look inside my make~up bag and you'll find products that i have used for **cough cough** 35 years **cough cough**. do you have any favorites that you will never ever out~grow?

inside my bag:

• rimmel lasting finish foundation in sand
• maybelline cover stick in medium
• covergirl professional loose powder in translucent medium
• covergirl classic color blush in soft mink
• maybelline expert eyes liner in blond
• maybelline great lash in dark brown
• clinique different lipstick in shy
• love's baby soft cologne spray (i am not even kidding)
• olay complete daily moisturizer

don't forget: it's important to remove your make~up every night to prevent clogged pores and break~outs. i still prefer noxzema, followed by a gentle astringent (i've used witch hazel since high school...thanks kat!). 

not so MANIC MONDAY

"yeah, fairies wear boots and you gotta believe me..."
according to my grandma blair, "keep a pixie in your house and you'll always have good luck". and that tradition continues in her family. i, in fact, have pixies AND fairies. wait? there's a difference? yep. fairies have human~like skin and hair, are kind and love a celebration, and like to spend their time among the flowers. pixies have colorful skin and hair, are usually mischievous and rude, and love to pull pranks. however, both are quite magical. and that's important because today is international fairy day!! a day to embrace the possibilities of the unknown and believe in fairies...and pixies!! invite one in and enjoy the good luck (s)he brings!!

a gallery of my favorite fairies:

looking for a few good fairies? might i suggest checking out mineralistic in philadelphia...my personal favorite shop on south street!!

^ps...you really should watch this movie today^

FLASHBACK 1956

"i'm a barbie girl, in a barbie world...life in plastic, it's fantastic!" 
ruth handler takes a trip to europe with her children. she discovers a german doll named bild lilli, a blond bombshell that knows what she wants and will do whatever it takes to get it. lilli is marketed to adults, but little girls love her. so ruth takes lilli to her husband who, by an act of SHEER coincidence, just happens to be the cofounder of mattel! KABOOM!! barbie's born. 
FLASH FORWARD march 9, 1959
barbie (named after ruth's daughter) makes her debut at the american international toy fair. she wears a  black and white striped swimsuit and signature top knot. she is available as a blond or a brunette. AND she has a backstory. she is the daughter of george and margaret roberts of willows, wisconsin. because, you know, everybody needs a backstory. everybody. needs. a backstory.
FLASH FORWARD 1961
barbie meets ken. they have off and on relationships in the minds of little girls everywhere. for eternity. i don't believe they can ever truly be happy.
FLASH FORWARD march 9, 2009
barbie turns 50. AND she still looks fabulous. boo. 
FLASH FORWARD today
barbie turns 54 today. and she remains the leading fashion doll with, roughly, 946 million dolls sold every year. how will you celebrate barbie's birthday? i'm thinking pink cupcakes, dressing like a starlet, and going out and conquering my little corner of the world. won't you join me?

                  
 

FLASHBACK january 8, 1935

 "it's down at the end of lonely street at heartbreak hotel"

elvis aaron presley is born. in tupelo, mississippi. to vernon and gladys. his identical twin brother, jesse, was delivered 35 minutes before...stillborn...he was considered "average" while growing up in tupelo. he received his first guitar at 10 years old. in august of 1953, he walked into sun records to pay for studio time. sam phillips liked what he heard. after that meeting, elvis would release18 number one hits (the first being "heartbreak hotel")...would be declared "unfit for family viewing" by the ed sullivan show...would star in 31 movies...would serve his country for 2 years...would influence other artists, such as the beatles...would marry and divorce only once...and would produce one child. elvis passed on august 16, 1977 at 42 years old...in a statement, president jimmy carter credited elvis with "permanently changing the face of american pop culture"...since his death he has been inducted into FOUR music hall of fames (rock and roll hall of fame, country music hall of fame, gospel music hall of fame, and rockabilly hall of fame)...graceland was opened to the public and welcomes over 600,000 people a year...had countless reissues and remixes top the charts...
HAIL TO THE KING BABY!!

                

NO FLASHBACK just a great cold weather recipe

"beans beans...the musical fruit...the more you eat the more you..."
i look at all the amazing things that happen(ed) today...elvis week begins (in honor of the king's upcoming birthday on january 8), but i've already told you what big fans the bk and i are...it's national bird day, and we all know the importance of birds, but i just talked about the christmas bird count...marilyn manson turns 43 today but, somehow, i feel like i'm the only person that isn't scared by that...the sex pistols performed in the states for the first time, ditto what i said about marilyn manson...and, in 1956, snoopy walked on 2 legs for the first time (what?)...but, why would we want to celebrate ALL these things when we could celebrate one of the oldest forms of protein known to man. the bean. 
BONUS!!! it's such an easy, AND inexpensive, day to celebrate. how DO you celebrate national bean day, pray tell? you simply eat a bean dish! lima beans. baked beans. bean dips. fava beans. refried beans. kidney beans. green beans. garbanzo beans. navy beans. pinto beans. three bean salads. bean soups. green bean casserole. seriously? do i need to go on...and on...and on...and on? here are a couple recipes to get you started:

WHITE BEAN CHILI

ingredients:
2~15 oz cans great northern beans, drained 
4 c chicken broth
1 tbs olive oil
3 lb chicken breast (bone in)
1 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1 onion chopped
2~4oz cans roasted green chiles, drained
1 c water
1tbs ground cumin

warm oil in skillet...season chicken with salt and pepper...place chicken, skin side down, in skillet and brown (4 minutes on one side, 2 minutes on other)...transfer chicken to plate and remove skin...in remaining chicken fat, cook onions and garlic until softened. in slow~cooker, combine beans, broth, garlic/onion mixture, chiles, water, and cumin...add chicken. cook on low about 4 hours. remove chicken, shred and add shredded chicken back to slow~cooker. serve.

BLACK BEAN AND CORN SALSA

ingredients:
1/4 c. sour cream
1~15 oz can black beans, drained and rinsed
1~15 1/4 oz whole kernel corn, drained
1 packet hidden valley fiesta ranch dip mix
2 c. fresh diced tomato (3 med)

prepare dip mix according to package directions. combine with sour cream, black beans, corn, and tomato. refrigerate 1 hour. serve with tortilla chips.

DOUBLE BONUS!! eating beans may reduce your risk of certain cancers...AND they are good for your heart...
and, if you have a certain little tune playing in your head and are concerned about that last line(?)...no worries...tomorrow is national pass gas day!
HAPPY EATING!!

                                            

^happy birthday elvis^

^happy birthday marilyn manson?^

^dance snoopy dance!^