Stand up for America!

Will resume posting after Election Day. Concentration right now should be on the upcoming elections, especially voting for the next President/Vice-President of the United States of America! This is a pivotal point in American history!

At some point in time, you have had or perhaps will have your heart pierced sorrowfully by the loss of a loved one. While you may not bleed outwardly as those inflicted by daggers of war, the pain and sorrow weigh heavily on your heart and mind as you pass through this mortal life on Earth. The comfort of those around you see you through the troublesome times.

At the heart of Awakenings lies strong ties to those who give of their all for My America, YOUR America, Our America! Freedom is not free, it comes at a price, a very high price of sacrifice. Those who set personal gain aside, endure separation from family and friends, put themselves in harm's way do it all for you. For me. For America.

 

We have come far; suffered much; gained, lost, regained;

let it not all be in vain. 

Set aside a few moments now, tomorrow and every day thereafter in recognition and appreciation of those who sacrifice every day ensuring the rights and freedoms in America will be protected for generations to come. The fight to maintain freedom is not just for today, it is for America's future.

Support our Troops! They support America!

Among America's freedoms is the right to vote. The issue of voting rights in the United States has been contentious throughout United States history.

We're very fortunate to live in the United States where every vote counts! Whether a municipal election or a national election, we the people decide. Decisions are up to you. Up to me. If you don't vote, then what right do you have to express dissatisfaction with government, either locally or nationally?

It's up to you! Stand up for America!
Remember, America fought! America won!
Be sure you proudly wear the button. . .

Interested in early voting? 
Check out the Early Voting Calendar for your area.

Does your vote matter?  
Every vote COUNTS!
Think about it. . .



 

In some countries, you don't have ANY rights:

Billions of people live without freedom!

God Bless America!

That’s “baloney!” Or is it “bologna?”

More than likely at some point in time you have heard the expression 'Now that's just a bunch of baloney!' Question becomes, is it baloney or bologna? Even though both words are spelled differently, their pronunciation is quite the same. The majority of the time the saying is expressed orally, rather than written, so you may not have ever thought about the difference. Well, let's see what all this has to do with a celebration of the day.

October 24 is...

National Bologna Day

Bologna has been found in the lunchboxes of American youth for decades. Thinly sliced, it is slapped between two slices of white bread, but never served naked, instead dressed out with yellow mustard.

Of course, if you are from the South, the bologna must be fried...

But what does the cold cut, bologna, have to do with baloney, a slang word that implies nonsense?

The bologna sausage is traditionally made from the “odds and ends” of chicken, turkey, beef, or pork. It is the American version of Italian mortadella, which originated in the Italian city of Bologna. The inexpensive deli meat is often pronounced and spelled “baloney.” Check out how this bologna is made if you dare...

   

Making Bologna in Memphis

Variations on the bologna sandwich...

  

Grandma's Pittsburgh Fried Bologna Sandwich & MORE Recipes

Ways with bologna other than a sandwich...

 

 Fried Bologna Casserole Recipe

Ring Bologna & Beans Recipe

Ready to try something new with bologna?

yum, yum, yum . . . yummy!

Bring out the bologna...bring out the kid in you!

♫From Dream to Reality...♫

Out of numerous pop stars who emerged in the 60s, most will contribute their inspiration on becoming acclaimed musicians to seeing Elvis Presley perform on TV in the 50s. After all, Elvis had become the 'King' of rock 'n' roll! The group in today's spotlight had quite a different perspective basing their dream on the music of Benny Goodman, the 'King' of Swing. The vision of the leader of this group shone brightly on having a rock band with a horn section.

Today in Music History: October 23, 1976

Vintage Picture of Chicago

Chicago: One of the most successful rock bands in America 

Formed in 1967 in Chicago, Illinois, Chicago is among the Top Ten best-selling US musical groups of all time. The band's name capitalizes on the city of Chicago, which has served as the nurturer of numerous talented musicians, as well as becoming a magnet that continues to draw upon the best musical talent from across the nation. It all started with a dream.

From Dream to Reality...

In 1967, Chicago musicians Walter Parazaider, Terry Kath, Danny Seraphine, Lee Loughnane, James Pankow, Robert Lamm, and Peter Cetera formed a group with one dream, to integrate all the musical diversity from their beloved city and weave a new sound, a rock ‘n’ roll band with horns. Their dream turned into record sales topping the 100,000,000 mark, including 21 Top 10 singles, 5 consecutive Number One albums, 11 Number One singles and 5 Gold singles. An incredible 25 of their 34 albums have been certified platinum, and the band has a total of 47 gold and platinum awards.  Source: A Chicago Story

1976 Chicago started a two week run at No.1 on the US singles chart with 'If You Leave Me Now'. It was the group's 18th Top 40 and first US No.1, also a No.1 in the UK. It went on to win a Grammy Award for Best Pop Vocal Performance. 

Everything you would like to know about the band Chicago...

 The History of One of the Most Popular Rock Bands of All Time

And the music goes on beating to the rhythm of the changing times...

 

Pie or Cake???

The first question for today's celebration happens to be, "Are we celebrating a pie or a cake?" It's name indicates the foodie of choice is a pie. Yet, its consistency leans more toward a cake. It does have cake layers but also a creamy custard filling most indicative of a pie. One thing for sure...it is scrumptious and what does it really matter, pie or cake?

October 23 is...

National Boston Cream Pie Day 

More a cake than a pie, this Boston creation has become a favorite dessert item in restaurants and households nationwide. With layers of sponge cake and custard topped with chocolate ganache and a sprinkle of powdered sugar, it was good enough to be named the official dessert of Massachusetts. [Source: CDKitchen]

~Recipe Time~

It was too difficult a decision just to include one recipe of the day. So, here are a few different spins: (Click each image for source & recipes.)

The Original Boston Cream Pie Cake

Boston Ice Cream Pie Cake

 Easy Layered Boston Cream Pie Cake

 

Boston Cream Pie Cupcakes

 Mini Boston Cream Pies & MORE

Can't leave without a cheesecake...

 Boston Cream Pie Cheesecake 

If you live in the Boston area, here are some of the Boston Cream Pie delights known around town...

There is even a cocktail...

 

For those who need to watch & learn...

Surely your mouth is watering by now!

  yum, yum, yum . . . yummy!

♫Reality of Music♫

Every song competes with the music of the past, present and future. Within the world of song is competition that extends itself worldwide. Each country sports its own special events tapping into raw, new talent. Winning entrants, as well as many runner-ups, go on to special contracts, further competitions and/or entertainment positions around the globe. Not all recording artists begin with a competition. Some talented musicians just happen to be at the right place at the right time while others continue to struggle in hopes of reaching the top of the Billboard charts. Or, there just comes along the right song, maybe a new song or one recorded decades earlier to once again soar to the top.

Today in Music History: October 22

1964 Sandie Shaw had her first UK No.1 single with the Burt Bacharach song '(There's) Always Something There To Remind Me'. Shaw is an English pop singer, who was one of the most successful British female singers of the 1960s. In 1967, she was the first British act to win the Eurovision Song Contest. She has been described as "the barefoot pop princess of the 1960s". Sandi Shaw announced her retirement from music in April 2013.

1966 The Supremes became the first female group to have a No.1 album on the US chart with 'The Supremes a Go Go', knocking The Beatles 'Revolver', from the top of the charts. The album was the first album by an all-female group to reach number-one on the Billboard 200 album charts in the United States. Remaining on the Billboard album chart for 60 weeks, it sold over 1 million copies in the United States and about 3.5 million copies world-wide, making it their 2nd best selling album behind their chart busting Greatest Hits which sold over 3 million copies in the states and over 6 million copies world-wide and held onto the #1 spot for 5 weeks on Billboard Magazine.

1966 The Beach Boys ‘Good Vibrations’ made its debut on the US singles chart. Written by Brian Wilson and Mike Love, the track was recorded over 6 weeks in four different Los Angeles studios, at a cost of over $16,000. The recording engineer would later say that the last take sounded exactly like the first, six months earlier. The record would reach No.1 on the US charts in December 1966.

1969 Led Zeppelin II was released on Atlantic Records in the UK. The Jimmy Page-produced album which was recorded over six months between four European and three American tours, peaked at No.1 in both the UK and US, going on to sell over 12 million copies in the US alone, (and spending 138 weeks on the UK chart). The album is now recognized by writers and music critics as one of the greatest and most influential rock albums ever recorded.

1988 Phil Collins started a two week run at No.1 on the US singles chart with 'Groovy Kind Of Love', his 6th US No.1. In 1966, this was also recorded by Patti LaBelle And The Bluebelles, but the version recorded by The Mindbenders, who released it as their first single without lead singer Wayne Fontana, became the hit. Collins' version was used in the movie Buster, where Collins plays the title role of Buster Edwards. Collins put together the soundtrack using various '60s songs. A child actor, Collins was wary about taking a movie role after becoming famous as a musician, and he made sure the song didn't appear until the end of the film so musical perceptions wouldn't taint his performance.

1996 It was announced that, "The Beatles were now bigger than The Beatles". The statement was based on sales so far this year, having sold 6,000,000 albums from their back catalog and a combined total of 13,000,000 copies of ‘The Beatles Anthology 1’ and ‘The Beatles Anthology 2’. With the release of ‘The Beatles Anthology 3’ a week away, it was anticipated that total Beatles album sales for 1996 would exceed 20 million. A poll showed 41 percent of sales were to teenagers who were not born when The Beatles officially called it quits in 1970. 

2005 Waterloo by ABBA was voted the best song in the history of the Eurovision Song Contest. ABBA won the contest for Sweden in 1974. Viewers in 31 countries across Europe voted during a special show in Copenhagen to celebrate the annual event's 50th anniversary.

 

2008 A homeless man claimed a £2,000 reward by returning a waxwork head of ex-Beatle Sir Paul McCartney which had been left on a train. Anthony Silva found the item in a bin at Reading station after auctioneer Joby Carter left it under a seat at Maidenhead station. The homeless man thought it was a Halloween mask and had been using it as a pillow before realizing what it was. The wax model sold the following week for £5,500 at auction.

And the music goes on beating to the rhythm of the changing times...

 

How high is high? Jump!

When someone says, "Jump!", the usual response is, "How high?" That is, unless you are jumping off a building or out of an airplane. For both the building and the plane, the height is usually predetermined. In both of these cases, the focus is on base jumpers leaping from the top of famous landmarks or skydiving fully equipped with a parachute. This leads to a question of the day, "Who was the first parachutist?" while another is when/who was responsible for such a phenomenal design?

This Day in History: October 22, 1797

Notice the date in the image at left: 1485! Hard to imagine the first vision goes back six centuries. Notice the name—Leonardo—none other than Leonardo da Vinci. The visionary who conceived the idea of the parachute in his writings but whether he tested a model is unknown. 

Almost three hundred years later, the Frenchman Louis-Sebastien Lenormand fashioned a kind of parachute out of two umbrellas. He is credited with the first witnessed decent with a parachute when he jumped from a tree in 1783. Fourteen years later on October 22, 1797, André-Jacques Garnerin made the first parachute descent from high altitude (in a gondola, type of basket, detached from a balloon) with the help of a non-rigid parachute. His wife Jeanne Geneviève Labrosse made a similar descent two years later.

So, how high is high? 3,000 to 13,000 feet if jumping from a plane...hopefully with a parachute!

It's never too late if you have the desire!

"When once you have tasted flight, you will forever walk the earth with your eyes turned skyward, for there you have been, and there you will always long to return." ~Leonardo da Vinci

"Go Nuts" for NUTS!

Did you know there is a day when you can 'go nuts' (Complete Madness) and it is acceptable? Ask yourself, "Are you nuts or have you been nuts at some point in time?" Like the old saying, sometimes you feel like a nut, sometimes you don't. Of course, the meaning of this statement envelops more than one context. Is it being crazy or experiencing a craving? One thing for sure setting the temporary insanity aside, when are nuts not an appiteaser? No time!

October 22 is...

National Nut Day

On this day, you can "go nuts" for NUTS! Great way to stack up on proteins and gobble down those crunchy peanuts, almonds, walnuts, macadamias, chestnuts, hazelnuts, hickory, pistachios, cashews and pecans. Whew! That is just the tip of the iceberg since nuts have been part of the human diet dating as far back as 7000 B.C. with more than 50 varieties having been discovered and, for the most part, consumed ever since.

As with the APPle, AppLE, APPLE-licious apple, not only are the nuts  yum, yum, yum ... yummy! but they also have tremendous health benefits among having been noted to reduce the risk of certain types of cancer, as well as heart disease making them one of the healthiest, most nutritious, and absolutely delicious snacks. Medical studies have shown that eating nuts also reduces hypertension and the risks associated with heart disease. Nuts are also full of protein, fiber, and unsaturated fat.

A Bit of 'NUT" Trivia...

By the 1940s the  Goober Pea Meets the Vendor. The fresh aroma and availability of a quick snack takes to the street thereby leaving quite a legacy. While most enjoy this nutty snack in the context of being a 'nut', did you know that the goober peas (peanuts, folks) are not really nuts? They are legumes and belong to the bean family. Check out The Peanut Institute...

Celebrate National Nut Day by eating lots of nuts as a snack, topping for a delicious casserole, sprinkling on top of your favorite ice cream, adding to the icing on the cake, even dipping some in chocolate! Resist the urge to devour all the nuts or concoctions yourself. This is a great day for sharing with your family and friends.

ALERT: Some people are allergic to nuts so be mindful and on the lookout for medical alert bracelets or simply ask if anyone has a nut allergy.

Not only enjoy 'going nuts for nuts' but also be thankful for the farmers here and abroad who grow and harvest all that delicious nuttiness!

Make some scrumptious trail mix to snack on all through the day...

...while you baking the dessert...

 Almond Bundt Cake (Recipe)

READY IN

1 hr30 mins

"A delicious Bundt cake using ground almonds, sliced almonds, and almond extract."
 

...and preparing the main course for dinner...

 Baked Honey Nut Chicken (Recipe)

READY IN

55 mins

"A savory, buttery, nutty, baked chicken dish with a little sweetness of honey. Excellent for dinner parties. Everyone raves about it. Substitute any nut you prefer with equally good results."

...OR Go Fishin'! Straight to your local market for some tilapia fillets. This recipe has already been featured on Go Fishing Day. Up to 325 reviews and still averaging 4.5 out of 5 stars! Got to be some kind of g-o-o-o-o-od eating!

Is your mouth watering yet?

  yum, yum, yum . . . yummy!