Do you sometimes feel like the cookie monster? I want a plate of cookies...now! Well, today is the day to indulge in all the cookies you want, the kind you love the most. Maybe even create your own combination like...
Not time to leave the apple without taking a peak at America's applejack season for...Just when you thought the apple celebrations were over you are about to learn September was only the beginning. With October being National Apple Month, that means the apples are a daily celebration all month long, instead of just a few special days thrown in for good measure. For a unique history lesson, visit the Legend of the Apple, which was featured on September 25 along with a plethora of 'apple links'. Apples are one of the most popular fruits in the United States (US). Thirty-six states grow apples commercially. National Apple Month is the only national, generic apple promotion in the US. Originally founded in 1904 as National Apple Week, it has been expanded to the entire month of October. Some sources designate September through November as months to celebrate the apple, all shades of red, green and yellow, even bi-color.
Cookies an all-time favorite? Then, have a different cookie every day for...October has us rethinking fall cocktails. Tiny umbrellas and slices of watermelon are no longer in the picture. Autumn brings in beverages that evoke the changing of the seasons...an apple brandy fireside eagerly awaiting that first sip to warm chilled bones. National Applejack Month honors Applejack, which is brandy distilled from apples once recognized as our nation's most popular booze, especially during Colonial times. How the apple orchards spread was featured on Johnny Appleseed Day. What was not mentioned on that day is that Johnny Appleseed sewed his apple seeds throughout colonial Ohio and Indiana primarily for the purpose of providing rural farmers with hard cider and applejack, the most popular intoxicating beverages for country folk back then! Along with the October season and abundant apple harvest is the traditional ushering in of apple cider and applejack, the latter being a concentrated and higher proof version of hard cider.
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| Colossal Cookies |
Pizza! Pizza! Pizza! Try a different kind all month long for...This is not the first celebration at Awakenings for the cookie with many more possibly not having been mentioned. A Bit of Cookie History took us all the way back to 7th century Persia. Massachusetts boasted the Birth of a Cookie, not just any cookie, but THE ultimate cookie! Callin' All Cookie Lovers begged the attention of all who crave that ultimate cookie...in case you are unsure, that is the chocolate chip cookie. Cookies, anyone? enticed lovers of not only the cookie but a nutty one...the Pecan Cookie. Of course, one cannot go without being asked What is your favorite cookie?, especially when referring to Girl Scout cookies. Then, there was that one cookie which always takes us back to the kitchen bringing on the childhood memories of Sugar! Sugar! Coming up December 4th will be National Cookie Day, which is a great celebration all its own but October is even better since it is National Cookie MONTH!
The love of pizza! It is a wonder it has not been designated as its own food group since this food has become an all-American favorite. Did you know there is even a Pizza Party Day? Pizza parties are awesome but certainly occur more times than once a year. Cheese pizza is a first choice for many who get to celebrate Pizza! Pizza!...Cheese Pizza Pizza! Here again, it is for certain this is not the only day to indulge in a pizza loaded with cheese. Would you believe Bacon Me Crazy! even featured Pizza with Crispy Kale, Butternut Squash, Bacon & Smoked Mozzarella and Apple Time! hosted BBQ Chicken Apple Flatbread Pizza? People don't really need a special month for pizza in a country where there are an estimated 63,000 pizzerias and 94% of Americans eat pizza at least once a month. The figures equal the consumption of about 45 slices of pizza per person in the U.S. each year and show that Americans definitely love their pizza as evidenced by devouring 100 acres of pizza per day, or 350 slices per second.
Ah-h-h-h! Indulge in those outrageously delicious ocean delights for...National Popcorn Poppin’ Month, a time to honor one of America’s favorite treats. You seldom need an excuse to grab a handful of these simple kernels of goodness. Plain or pumped up, you’ll join your fellow Americans in consuming some 16 billion quarts this year. October is chosen because it marks the triumphant end to the labor of the spring and summer months. As farmers head into the fields to gather the crops, families and friends gather to celebrate this beloved snack food. Popcorn also is a whole grain, which makes it a good-for-you food. As a whole grain, popcorn provides carbohydrates and fiber to the diet and is naturally low in fat and calories. That’s good news for your waistline. It’s an ideal in-between meals snack because it satisfies, but doesn’t spoil your appetite. Have you ever wondered Did Pilgrims Eat Popcorn?
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| Image Source: Catch a Piece of Maine |
With so many food celebrations, one might think that is all being celebrated this month. Not at all! Most importantly keep in mind, October is also...Seafood...delicacies of the ocean, highlights of Water! Water! Water! Where would we be without water? Void. Nill. Nada. What a shame it would be to not be able to enjoy the food from the sea! Take time this month to highlight smart seafood choices, sustainable fisheries, and the health benefits of maintaining a diet rich in seafood. Make October a 'shrimptacular' month of celebration and don't forget the Maine lobster! The United States continues to be the third-ranked country for seafood and shellfish consumption, behind China and Japan. Last year's seafood consumption per capita in the U.S. declined slightly to 15.8 pounds from 16 pounds in 2008 and 2009. So, all you seafood lovers, why not take advantage of this nationally coined month and enjoy eating seafood! This is also a great time to enjoy a Friday night fish fry with the family.
October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, which is an annual campaign to increase awareness of the disease. While most people are aware of breast cancer, many forget to take the steps to have a plan to detect the disease in its early stages and encourage others to do the same. We have made a lot of progress but still have a long way to go and need your help!
Source: about BREAST CANCER
Breast Cancer Awareness Month (BCAM) is also referred to in America as National Breast Cancer Awareness Month (NBCAM). It is an annual international health campaign organized by major breast cancer charities every October to increase awareness of the disease and to raise funds for research into its cause, prevention, diagnosis, treatment and cure. The campaign also offers information and support to those affected by breast cancer.
It's fall. Cooler temperatures are on the way if not having already arrived at your doorstep. That, of course, depends on the area of the country in which you live. Either way hot beverages are on their way in! Click the image above for the first recipe of the day.
Mulled cider is a hot or warm drink, typically made from apple juice or cider, and is most popular during autumn and winter. It is sometimes called wassail, or wassail punch. However, typically wassail would be made with ale or beer. Modern, child-friendly versions are more likely to be made with either apple or cranberry juice, or a combination of juices. Click the image above for the source of this information and a lot more celebration that is happenin' on this day in September.
Having reached its way to America in the seventeenth century, it was not until the eighteenth century, when the French introduced infusion brewing, did one enjoy a cup without the coffee grounds.
“Ah! How sweet coffee tastes! Lovelier than a thousand kisses, sweeter than muscatel wine! I must have my coffee…”
—JohannSebastian Bach (1685–1750)
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7 Enticing Coffee Recipes for National Coffee Day |
Even in the 21st century many music lovers find themselves Stuck in the 70s. These were some Groovy Times! Remembering the 70s brings on memories of the mads, glads and the fads. This was also the era of enjoyable bands of the Sound of Soul world. So, if you find yourself in the groove, then, the spotlight today will be at the top of your music list.
Andy Kim, legendary rock indie pop singer/songwriter: Andy Kim was inspired by the Beatles,
Hank Williams, Frank Sinatra, Elvis Presley, Buddy Holly, and Bob Dylan. At just 16 years old, he found fame when he wrote 'How Did We Ever Get This Way?' Andy Kim is a true Canadian son winning numerous awards with the JUNO Award (the country's top industry honor) for outstanding achievements in the record industry being at the top of his list not once, but twice. 
1974 Canadian singer Andy Kim went to No.1 on the US singles chart with 'Rock Me Gently', it made No.2 in the UK. Kim was the co-writer of The Archies 'Sugar Sugar'.
Here again It is awesome when a successful artist of eras past is still performing in the 21st century.
In early 2010 at the supportive urging of friends and fans including American rock/pop legends and today's hottest indie artists, Andy Kim will release 'HAPPEN AGAIN'. This is an album of 10 brand new songs, each true to his passionate belief that "those who chase their dreams succeed only through sheer determination and a steadfast belief in the power of the individual to influence a multitude by speaking from the heart." Throughout his career, Andy has always maintained an unwavering and unconditional love for his music, believing that "art is more important than the artist." His new music possesses the timeless, transcendent and transforming qualities of his songs before, while giving us a very personal look into the artist's take on love and change. Songs such as "3 Days in Heaven," "Someday", "Without You," and "Happen Again" express the faith in love, life and the importance of personal strength to enduring change. (Source: About Andy Kim)
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| Meeker, Colorado Saloon, 1899. |
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| Visit Dr. House Cleaning |
. . .The art of brewing is as old as civilization. Read MORE. . . |
| Is beer popular? Ask the owner of this gasoline, OOPS! beer pump!
Location: Somewhere along the highway
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| Wild Bill Hickok, Legends of America |
... Wild Bill had his faults, grievous ones, perhaps ... He would get drunk, gamble, and indulge in the general licentiousness characteristic of the border in the early days, yet even when full of the vile libel of the name of whiskey which was dealt over the bars at exorbitant prices, he was gentle as a child, unless aroused to anger by intended insults. ... He was loyal in his friendship, generous to a fault, and invariably espoused the cause of the weaker against the stronger one in a quarrel.
-- Captain Jack Crawford, who scouted with Wild Bill before they both followed the gold rush to Deadwood. (Source: Old West Legends)
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| Wild Bill, Texas Jack Omohundro, and Buffalo Bill Cody in 1873 |
"Wild Bill was a strange character, add to this figure a costume blending the immaculate neatness of the dandy with the extravagant taste and style of a frontiersman, you have Wild Bill, the most famous scout on the Plains." - General George Custer, writing about Wild Bill Hickok.This Day in (Old West) History: September 27, 1869
Just after midnight on this day in 1869, Ellis County (Interim) Sheriff Wild Bill Hickok and his deputy respond to a report that a local ruffian named Samuel Strawhun and several drunken buddies were tearing up John Bitter's Beer Saloon in Hays City, Kansas. When Hickok arrived and ordered the men to stop, Strawhun turned to attack him, and Hickok shot him in the head. Strawhun died instantly, as did the riot. Read the rest of the story...
for MORE celebration!
for foodie fun!September 27 is...
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| Can you fill in the missing blanks of your ancestry? Each person should complete the picture of relatives and their history, which will promote a greater appreciation for life, thereby forming a better understanding of the individual journey a family has endured. |
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| What is your bloodline? |
Did someone in your ancestry sail across the ocean on the Mayflower or move overland during times of Western expansion? Anyone in your ancestry a gunslinger? Perhaps the other end of the spectrum, an Indian chief? Are you a relative of Jesse James? Do letters or diaries of the Civil War bear family connections with stories of pain and suffering? Did a family member serve his/her country in WWI or WWII? Gulf War? Vietnam? Is there record somewhere of a relative traveling as a passenger on the Titanic? Are you of French, Italian, Irish descent? The questions are endless but the results are the same: They define you.
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| Just one of many online sources to start your family research! |
