With tonight being the eve of Halloween, it's time to finish gearing up and get ready for the witching hours. Each year Awakenings features the writings of Micki Peluso, author of ...And the Whippoorwill Sang. Read more on Micki at the end of the article.
This is a story of the origins of Halloween from olden times up to the present.
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Strange shadows dart stealthily across sparely lit streets, as dusk settles heavily on quiet neighborhoods of tree-lined sidewalks and cheerful well-kept homes. The eerie scream of a screechowl, more likely the brakes of a passing car, echoes deep into the night. Looming ominously from nearly every window is the menacing glare of smirking Jack-o-lanterns, while the often nervous refrain of "Trick or Treat" rings out in repetitious peals. Halloween is here, and with it the shivery remembrance of things that go bump in the night.
Halloween, a holiday once favored second to Christmas, is not as much fun as it used to be. The last few Halloweens have brought tampering scares, such as finding razors in apples and poisoned candy. A sick segment of society has forced many parents to hold neighborhood parties, instead of allowing their children to trick or treat. The tricks have been turned on the children, ruining an a once magical evening.
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Gone are the days when children, dressed up hideously, or gaudily beautiful, could enter the home of a stranger, and be offered chilled apple cider with cinnamon stick straws, and homemade gingerbread, or cupcakes with orange icing and candy corn faces. No longer can mischievous children creep up on neighborhood porches to toss corn kernels against the front door, or generously soap window panes, without triggering house alarms and angering guard dogs kept behind locked fences. The mystical lure of Halloween is becoming a commercial enterprise for the sale of candy, costumes and decorations.
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Halloween is a Christian name meaning All Hallows, or All Saint's Day, but the custom of Halloween dates back to the Celtic cult in Northern Europe. As the Roman conquest pushed north, the Latin festival of the harvest god, Pomona, mingled with the Druid god, Samhain. Eventually, the Christians adopted the Celtic rites into their own observances. Halloween signified the return of the herds from the pasture, renewal of laws and land tenures, and the practice of divinations with the dead, presumed to visit their homes on this day. For both the Celts and the Anglo-Saxons, Halloween marked the eve of a new year. The Britains were convinced that divinations concerning health, death and luck, were most auspicious on Halloween. The devil, himself, was evoked for such purposes. The Druid year began on November first, and on the eve of that day, the lord of death gathered the souls of the dead who had been condemned to enter the body of animals to decide what form they should take for the upcoming year; the souls of the good entered the body of another human at death. The Druids considered cats to be sacred, believing these animals had once been human, changed into cats as punishment for evil deeds.
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The Druid cults were outlawed by the Romans during their reign in Great Britain, but the Celtic rites have survived, in part, to the present day. By the time these ancient rites migrated to America, the mystic significance was lost, and all that has remained is an evening when children can dress in outrageous costumes, and collect candy from obliging neighbors; yet a tiny part of every child still believes in witches, ghosts, and the nameless entities that creep about on Halloween, relatives, to their young minds, of the monster that lives under every child's bed.
In the ancient days, it was believed that Halloween was the night chosen by witches and ghosts to freely roam, causing mischief and harm. Witchcraft existed before biblical times, believed in by ancient Egyptians, Romans and American Indians. The Christian Church held varying opinions on witchcraft, at one time accrediting it to be an illusion, later accepting it as a form of alliance with the devil. As late as 1768, disbelief in witchcraft was regarded as proof of atheism.
Halloween customs varied from country to country, but all were related to the Celtic rites. Immigrants to this country, particularly the Scotch and Irish, introduced some of the customs remaining today, but there were many more that are unfamiliar. On Halloween in Scotland, women sowed hemp seed into plowed land at midnight, repeating the formula: "Hemp seed I sow, who will my husband be, let him come and mow." Looking over her left shoulder, a woman might see her future mate.
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Apples and a six-pence were put into a tub of water, and whoever succeeded in extracting either of them with his mouth, but without using his teeth, was guaranteed a lucky year. In the highlands of Scotland in the 18th century, families would march about their fields on Halloweem, walking from right to left, with lighted torches, believing this would assure good crops. In other parts of Scotland, witches were accused of stealing milk and harming cattle. Boys took peat torches and carried them across the fields, from left to right(widdershins), in an effort to scare the witches away. The Scots strongly believed in fairies. If a man took a three-legged stool to an intersection of three roads, and sat on it at midnight, he might hear the names of the people destined to die in the coming year. However, if he tossed a garment to the fairies, they would happily revoke the death sentence. Scotland's witches held a party on Halloween. Seemingly ordinary women, who had sold their souls to the devil, put sticks, supposedly smeared with the fat of murdered babies, into their beds. These sticks were said to change into the likenesses of the women, and fly up the chimney on broomsticks, attended by black cats, the witchs' familiars.
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In Ireland, a meal of callcannon, consisting of mashed potatoes, onions and parsnips, was solemnly served on Halloween. Stirred into this concoction, was a ring, a thimble, a coin, and a doll. The finder of the ring would marry soon, the finder of the doll would have many children, the thimble finder would never marry, and the one fortunate enough to find the coin would be rich. Jack-o-lanterns originated from Ireland, where according to newspaper editor and writer, George William Douglas, "a stingy man named Jack was barred from Heaven because of his penuriousness, and forbidden to enter Hell because of his practical jokes on the devil, thus condemned to walk the earth with his lantern until Judgement Day."
A more serious custom was the holding of the General Assembly (Freig) at Tara, in Celtic Ireland, celebrated every three years and lasting two weeks. Human sacrifices to the gods opened the ceremonies, the victims going up in flames. England borrowed many of the Scotch and Irish customs, adding them to their own. Young people bobbed for apples, tied a lighted candle to one end of a stick and an apple to the other. The stick was suspended and set spinning, the object of the game being to bite the apple without getting burned by the candle. This custom was a relic of the fires lighted on the eve of Samhain in the ancient days of the Celts.
The only customs bearing no relation to the ancient rites is the masquerade costumes of today, and Halloween parades. But the custom of masked children asking for treats comes from the seventeenth century, when Irish peasants begged for money to buy luxuries for the feast of St. Columba,a sixth century priest, who founded a monastery off the coast of Scotland.
From the north of England comes the activity known as "mischief night", marked by shenanigans with no particular purpose, or background. Boys and young men overturned sheds, broke windows, and damaged property. Mischief night prevails today, but is mostly limited to throwing eggs, smashing pumpkins, and lathering carswith shaving cream. The custom of trick or treat is observed mainly by small children, going from house to house. The treat is almost always given, and the trick rarely played, except by teenagers, who view Halloween as an excuse to deviate from acceptable behavior.
Children today, knowing little or nothing of the history and myths behind Halloween, still get exited over the prospect of acting out their fantasies of becoming a witch, ghost, devil, or pirate. It is still pleasurable for an adult, remembering Halloweens past, to see the glow on a child's face as he removes his mask and assures you that he's not really a skeleton. Watching the wide-eyed stares of young children warily observing flickering candle-lit pumpkins, is an assurance that even today, thousands of years beyond the witch and ghost-ridden days of the Druids, a little of the magic of Halloween remains. Children need a little magic to become creative adults; adults need a little magic to keep the child in them alive. So if, on this Halloween, you notice a black cat slink past your door, trailing behind a horde of make-believe goblins, it probably belongs to a neighbor. And the dark shadow whisking across the face of a nearly full moon is only the wisp of a cloud, not a witch riding a broom... probably.
By the pricking of my thumbs, Something wicked this way comes. Open, locks, Whoever knocks!
-Shakespeare
Happy Halloween, my pretties!
Written by Micki Peluso, author of "...And the Whippoorwill Sang" Happy times, a sunny day, a driving drunk, eight lives forever changed. A mother’s account of actual events of her family, filled with laughter, love, loss, and survival. It is a day like any other, except the intense heat wave has broken and signs of early fall are in the air. Around the dining room table of her 100 year old farmhouse Micki Peluso's six children along with three of their friends eagerly gulp down a chicken dinner. As soon as the last morsel is ravished, the lot of them is off in different directions. Except for the one whose turn it is to do the dishes. After offering her mother a buck if she’ll do them, with an impish grin, the child rushes out the front door, too excited for a hug, calling out, "Bye Mom," as the door slams shut. For the Peluso’s the nightmare begins.
What is Halloween without a good horror story or movie!Stories of ghosts, goblins and ghouls monopolize the setting as the movie makers try to outdo one another with scenes of blood and gore. I often wonder how many bottles of ketchup (or similar fake blood) are wasted as Dracula feeds upon his victims, the Werewolf mauls his prey beyond recognition or Freddy Krueger uses a glove armed with razors to kill his victims in their dreams. We scream at the sight of bizarre transformations and close our eyes as flesh melts away like candle wax exposing the skeleton underneath. Then, as if that's not enough, the Zombies right out of the grave thrash about uncontrollably with gutteral breaths and rattling groans. All in the name of entertainment!
This may be carrying it a bit far with a selfie!
Of course, all horror movies do not necessarily feed upon blood and some actually bring about laughter, rather than shrills and chills. Among the best is the good old-fashioned black and white classic Young Frankenstein staring Gene Wilder and directed by comic genius Mel Brooks. Peter Boyle portrays The Monster whose heart is soft while his appearance is grotesque. Then, there is comedy legend Marty Feldman playing Igor, or is it Egor (?), who embraces movie lines that become as natural as speech itself.
"As the cowboys throw loops over two stallions, the friction between equine energy and human calm crackles."~Beatrice Hodgkin at the Financial Times
Horses on the plains at Mustang Monument (Kristi Johnson)
What does Nevada mean?
The name Nevada comes from the Spanish Sierra Nevada (which is also a mountain range in Spain), or snow-covered mountain range. "Nevada" is the Spanish feminine form of "covered in snow."
Nevada boasts several nicknames with The Battle Born State being the official state slogan. It recalls that Nevada was admitted to the union in 1864, during the Civil War. This slogan also appears on the Nevada State Flag. The Silver Statedates from the Nevada silver rush days of the mid 1800s. At that time, silver was literally shoveled off the Nevada ground. Heavy gray crusts of silver had formed on the surface of the desert over millions of years and were polished by dust and wind to the dull luster of a cow horn (called "horn silver"). Since silver is one of the state's most important industries, Nevada is also referred to as The Mining State. Wild sagebrush is abundant in Nevada, thus, the nickname The Sagebrush State or "Sage State". Because of its abundance, sagebrush is Nevada's official state flower and is found on the Nevada state flag. Being a true bird of the West, the sage hen or sage grouse, once very plentiful in Nevada, gives us the nickname, The Sage-hen State.
Nevada is known as a Wild West state that's still a little wild, but there's more to this ancient desert land than the City of Sin. This aerial tour highlights Nevada's vital role in the shaping of America, from the mines and ghost towns of its gold and silver rush, to its icon of American ingenuity: the Hoover Dam. Discover the highs and lows of Nevada's history, and the booms and busts that have defined it as the land of big builders and bigger dreamers.
Nevada's harsh but rich environment shaped its history and culture. In the 1820s, trappers and traders entered the Nevada territory. In 1843–1845, John C. Frémont and Kit Carson explored the Great Basin and Sierra Nevada. The U.S. obtained the region in 1848 following the Mexican War, and the first permanent settlement was a Mormon trading post near present-day Genoa. In 1859, Nevada was made famous by the discovery of the Comstock Lode, the richest known U.S. silver deposit. Nevada became the 36th state on October 31, 1864, after telegraphing the Constitution of Nevada to the Congress days before the November 8 presidential election (the largest and costliest transmission ever by telegraph).
Nevada designated the mountain bluebird as the official state bird in 1967 (also the state bird of Idaho). A small thrush found on ranchland and other open areas of the American West, the mountain bluebird lives in Nevada's high country. It prefers more open habitats than other bluebirds and can be found in colder habitats in winter.
The Mountain Bluebird sings with a clear, short warble.
Desert bighorn sheep in Hellhole Canyon Image Source: en.wikipedia.com
Carvings of a monumental nature reached their final stages on this day in history 1941. These were no ordinary carvings, not of wood using Wayne Barton, Flexcut Tools or Swedish Frost Carving Knives as one might use for basic chipping and carving. These carvings occurred on the side of a mountain—Mount Rushmore, which is mainly composed of granite, that is, in simple terms, rock! The tools instead of knives consisted of dynamite and drills.
Before watching the videos or reading further, do you know whose faces are carved into the mountain and why these specific historical figures were chosen for the monument?
Mount Rushmore is a project of colossal proportion, colossal ambition and colossal achievement. It involved the efforts of nearly 400 men and women. The duties involved varied greatly from the call boy to drillers to the blacksmith to the housekeepers. Some of the workers at Mount Rushmore were interviewed, and were asked, "What is it you do here?" One of the workers responded and said, "I run a jackhammer." Another worker responded to the same question, " I earn $8.00 a day." However, a third worker said, "I am helping to create a memorial." The third worker had an idea of what they were trying to accomplish. Continue HERE...
Mount Rushmore before construction, circa 1905. Image Source: en.wikipedia.org
Construction of Mount Rushmore Monument Image Source: en.wikipedia.org
Mount Rushmore, showing the full size of the mountain and the scree of rocks from the sculpting and construction. Image Source: en.wikipedia.org
From 1927 to 1941 the 400 workers at Mount Rushmore were doing more than operating a jackhammer, they were doing more than earning $8.00 a day, they were building a Memorial that people from across the nation and around the world would come to see for generations. Source: Mount Rushmore
How was your memory? Did you have the right names with the right faces from the beginning?
An album titled The Weirdness and a single "Free & Freaky" might make it unsurprising for a band to have had its debut on Halloween. Of course, there is the possibility that was totally coincidental. The music is American Proto-punk, which came out of the mid-60s and mid-70s influencing punk rock. Proto-punk in itself is not a distinct musical genre.
Iggy and the Stooges:the creators of punk-rock well before the genre even had a name
The leader of the Stooges, Iggy Pop (bornJames Newell Osterberg), has been hailed as the "Godfather of Punk". Under the leadership of Iggy, the punk-rock sound was devised and defined by the Stooges for all time. This high-energy quartet has been reviled and revered, but there’s no denying the contributions they’ve made as prototypical punk-rockers. A sound that began in the 60s remained active through the mid-70s being reformed in 2003 and still going strong today. While theirs may be a wild, weird style of music to some, The Stooges were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2010. In 2004, Rolling Stone ranked them 78th on their list of the 100 greatest artists of all time.
Pop as a high school senior, 1965.
Iggy Pop, October 25, 1977 at the State Theatre in Minneapolis
The Stooges soon gained a reputation for their wild, primitive live performances. Pop, especially, won fame for his outrageous onstage behaviour—smearing his bare chest with hamburger meat and peanut butter, cutting himself with shards of glass, and flashing his genitalia to the audience. Pop is also sometimes credited with the invention or popularization of stage diving. Source: en.wikipedia.com
1967Iggy and the Stooges made their live debut when they played at a Halloween party in Michigan.
...family time, patriotic remembrances and thankfulness!
November is a time for change...not only mid-term elections but also a change in time! Mark your calendars now to 'fall back' since Daylight Savings Time ends at 2am Sunday, November 2nd. The month of November is packed with historical accounts, challenges and memorable moments for giving thanks. November has more, so much more, than just the Thanksgiving holiday.
From the flying of the first kite, man has been on a quest of flight...the longest, the highest, the fastest, the most luxurious. Lighter-than-air balloons led to gliders to powered heavier-than-air craft to supersonic jets to space shuttle flights to the solar airplane. November is the month to get to know and celebrate the Famous Firsts in Aviation.
The railroad is an icon of American history. Scale modeled railroads have become a means to preserve the evolution of the train and relive some of the most treasured memories. A lot of us grew up with the railroad during some of its most meaningful times. A scaled-down version of the iron horse can instill the beauty and power of the railroads of days gone by.
Want to write a novel? Then, get started on November 1st and make a pledge to write 50,000 words in 30 days. Join the challenge of many writers during "NaNoWriMo".
"To achieve great things, two things are needed: a plan, and not quite enough time." ~Leonard Bernstein
Celebrate and explore the cultural contributions of the American Indians. Seek and research the history and heritage of the American Indian, learn about firsts by American Indians, read biographies of famous American Indians, find statistics and facts about different tribes and reservations, locate the best American Indian novels and insightful proverbs.
Celebrate one of our nation's favorite foods - peanut butter! Those of you who can hardly go a day without peanut butter will be in 'peanut butter heaven' this month! There will be more than 60,000,000 (60 million) pounds of peanut butter consumed during the month of November. Eat up! Great source of daily protein.
National Sleep Comfort Month
Sleep is essential to good health and well-being. In this day and age, we are all constantly busy making a good night's sleep even more important than ever. Getting the right amount of sleep helps you do your best in whatever you may do. Keep the mindset of sleep being just as important as proper diet and exercise.
Keep foremost in mind, November is...
American Diabetes Month
Learn about diabetes and how it relates to your family history. America Gets Cooking℠ to Stop Diabetes® is an initiative designed to inspire people to live a more active and healthier lifestyle, empowering all Americans to cook nutritious and delicious food, and be more active. Staying healthy throughout the holiday season is definitely something of high value!
Pumpkins, winter squash, purple cabbage, carrots, brussels sprouts, red or Irish potatoes, sweet potatoes and yams, cauliflower, kohlrabi, turnips, kale are just some of the more interesting and complex vegetables of fall. You do not have to be a vegetarian to enjoy the deliciousness of vegetables!
Many famous lawmen came out of the Old West, aka Wild West, which was untamed territory. Outlaws, gambling, cattle rustling, bootlegging, saloons, Indians, trappers and traders exaggerated the romance and violence of the period. Such were the times of gunfighters, as the Earp Brothers, Doc Holliday, "Wild Bill" Hickok, Bat Masterson, "Bud" Ballew and more. This day in history reflects on the murder of one such legendary gunfighter, William Tilghman who was one of the most famous lawmen of the Old West. He was appointed City Marshall of Dodge City in 1884 and wore a badge of two twenty dollar gold pieces.
Both friends and enemies referred to William Tilghman as "Uncle Billy". His reputation preceded him everywhere he traveled as one of the most honest and effective lawmen of his day. This was established after a not-so-perfect life beginning at the age of 16 when he moved west from Fort Dodge, Iowa. His flirtatiousness with crime included alleged train robbery and rustling for which he was arrested but never charged.
Despite this shaky start, Tilghman gradually built a reputation as an honest and respectable young man in Dodge City. He became the deputy sheriff of Ford County, Kansas, and later, the marshal of Dodge City. Tilghman was one of the first men into the territory when Oklahoma opened to settlement in 1889, and he became a deputy U.S. marshal for the region in 1891. In the late 19th century, lawlessness still plagued Oklahoma, and Tilghman helped restore order by capturing some of the most notorious bandits of the day.
Tilghman was unable to hang up his gun when expected to quietly retire. He had already been elected to the Oklahoma State Senate,co-wrote, directed, and starred in the movie, The Passing of the Oklahoma Outlaws, and served as the police chief of Oklahoma City. He accepted one last position as city marshal in Cromwell, Oklahoma. Tilghman was murdered by a corrupt prohibition agent who resented his refusal to ignore local bootlegging operations.
North Dakota and South Dakota are known as "twin states" because they were admitted to the Union on the same day, November 2, 1889. No one knows which state was admitted first because President Benjamin Harrison purposely shuffled and then blindly signed the papers. Alphabetically, North Dakota is recognized as the 39th state and South Dakota the 40th State. However, the states aren't identical twins. They have similar shapes, sizes, and climates, but differ in many other ways.
"Liberty and Union Now and Forever, One and Inseparable"
What does the name North Dakota mean?
"Dakota" is the Sioux Indian word for friend. President James Buchanan signed the bill creating the Dakota Territory in 1861.
As with many states, several nicknames have accompanied North Dakota throughout its history. Formally adopted in 1957, the nickname Peace Garden State appears on North Dakota license plates. The International Peace Garden straddles the international boundary between North Dakota and the Canadian province of Manitoba. In 1953, a Senate bill was defeated for the adoption of Flickertail as the official emblem of the state.The North American ground squirrels, Richardson's ground squirrels (Flickertail), are abundant in North Dakota. A tourism program of the 60s and 70s promoted the name Roughrider State. In both 1971 and 1973, the Legislative Assembly defeated bills intended to change the words Peace Garden State on state license plates to Roughrider Country. There was an attempt to drop 'North' from the state name with intentions of the state becoming Dakota. This was also defeated by Legislature in 1947 and again in 1989.
Take in the soaring views above a state that inspired a future president, launched the country's first millionaire, and kept a dark, rich secret under its expansive prairies for centuries. This lofty journey over North Dakota highlights the Roughrider State's grand beauty, which healed a grieving Teddy Roosevelt and transformed him into a defender of America's wild land. Explore the state's booms and busts, from fur trade explosions to frontier battles to the thousands of oil wells that dot the land and house flaming vents that are visible from space.
Another of North Dakota's nicknames is the "Sioux State," which comes from the name of the original Native American settlers of the state's land. Today, about 20,000 Native Americans live in North Dakota and make up the largest minority group in the state. The Dakota Territory originally included the area covered today by North and South Dakota as well as Montana and Wyoming. This year (2014) both states are celebrating their 125th anniversary since on November 2, 1889, North and South Dakota were admitted to the Union. North Dakota became the 39th state and is officially known as The Peace Garden State. A ride by land or in the air captures an iconic view of amber waves of grain. Only Kansas harvests more wheat than North Dakota. The Capital of North Dakota is Bismarck.
North Dakota is located in the Upper Midwestern region of the United States.
The western meadowlark was designated official state bird of North Dakota in 1947 (see list of all state birds). The western meadowlark is a familiar songbird of open country across the western two-thirds of the continent. (from Wisconsin to Texas and west to the Pacific). Kansas, Montana, Nebraska, Oregon, and Wyoming also recognize the western meadowlark as state bird.
The Western Meadowlark's song is a buoyant, flute-like melody.
North Dakota designated the wild prairie rose as the official state flower in 1907. Found growing along North Dakota roadsides, in pastures, and in native meadows, the wild prairie rose has five bright pink petals with a cluster of yellow stamens in the center. Iowa also recognizes the wild prairie rose as state flower.
The Mandan Railroad Museum was designated the official state railroad museum of North Dakota in 1989. Large and small railroad artifacts fill all corners of the museum, demonstrating the uniqueness of items designed and made specifically for the operations of the railroads.
North Dakota and South Dakota are known as "twin states" because they were admitted to the Union on the same day, November 2, 1889. No one knows which state was admitted first because President Benjamin Harrison purposely shuffled and then blindly signed the papers. Alphabetically, North Dakota is recognized as the 39th state and South Dakota the 40th State. However, the states aren't identical twins. They have similar shapes, sizes, and climates, but differ in many other ways.
"We need the tonic of wildness -- to wade sometimes in marshes where the bittern and the meadow-hen lurk. We need to witness our own limits transgressed, and some life pasturing freely where we never wander.~Henry David Thoreau
Welcome to the gentle and thundering South Dakota!
What does the name South Dakota mean?
"Dakota" is the Sioux Indian word for friend. President James Buchanan signed the bill creating the Dakota Territory in 1861.
Before acquiring the nickname, The Mount Rushmore State, South Dakota took pride in sunshine becoming known as America's Sunshine State, even to the point of including it on the state flag. Prior to this nickname, South Dakota was referred to as the Coyote State. Sunshine brings on smiles but is really not the best descriptor for such a 'cold' state (weatherwise, that is) and coyotes are wild beasts, which is not the best of images to attract visitors. Then, only a few years ago, a movement was made to change the state's nickname to The Monument State. This effort failed leaving South Dakota with reference to Mount Rushmore.
Aerial America: South Dakota
In addition to all the information you are about to learn about South Dakota...
South Dakota is the home of the Dakota, Lakota and Nakota tribes, which make up the Sioux Nation. Custer State Park is home to a herd of 1,500 free-roaming bison. Bison can weigh as much as 2,000 pounds. Historically, the bison played an essential role in the lives of the Lakota (Sioux), who relied on the "tatanka" for food, clothing and shelter. The Dakota Territory originally included the area covered today by North and South Dakota as well as Montana and Wyoming. This year (2014) both states are celebrating their 125th anniversary since on November 2, 1889, North and South Dakota were admitted to the Union. South Dakota became the 40th state and is officially known as The Mount Rushmore State. The Capital of South Dakota is Pierre.
Ring-necked pheasant; photo by Richard Bicknell on Flickr
South Dakota designated the Chinese ring-necked pheasant as state bird in 1943. Its voice is a loud crowing caw-cawk! followed by a resonant beating of the wings. When alarmed flies off with a loud cackle.
The howl of the coyote is known as the song of the west (one of the few wild animals whose vocalizations are commonly heard). The coyote has a range of distinctive sounds it uses to communicate with pups and other adults including barks, yips, howls, yelps and huffs. As with all canines, they also use body language (ears, tail, facial expressions) to get their point across.
South Dakota, a leader in honey production, designated the honeybee as official state insect in 1978. The honeybee is recognized as an official state symbol in seventeen states (see State Insects), primarily because honeybees play such an important role in agriculture.
Kuchen was designated the official state dessert of South Dakota in 2000. Kuchen is the German word for "cake" and is used to describe a variety of different types of sweet desserts and pastries. Kuchen desserts are of German heritage, popular in many areas of German settlement in the United States, particularly North Dakota, South Dakota, Indiana, and Minnesota.
Television programs, such as American Bandstand and Ed Sullivan Show, provided not only entertainment for the masses but also gave exposure to a multitude of recording artists. The venue of the television remarkably aided the success of many music legends. With television also came program after program readily identifiable by a specific musical theme, some becoming legitimate pop hits—songs like "The Peter Gunn Theme,""Welcome Back" and "Theme from S.W.A.T."
But prior to 1985, no television program had ever launched a smash-hit, movie-style soundtrack album. The first one to do so was NBC's Miami Vice, a show that not only altered the landscapes of television and fashion, but also sent the soundtrack album of the same name to the top of the Billboard 200 on this day in 1985—a spot it would hold for the next 11 weeks.
The future of American television was greatly impacted by the crime drama series Miami Vice. The series ran for five seasons on NBC from 1984–1989. Reruns were aired the following year in 1990. Michael Mann directed a film adaptation of the television series, which was released on July 28, 2006.
The single 400,000-pound H-4 Hercules flying boat, built by the Hughes Aircraft Co., was the largest flying boat ever built with the widest wingspan. It was built after a U.S. government request in 1942 for a cargo and troop carrier that would not be susceptible to Axis submarines and not use critical wartime materials by substituting wood for metal in its construction. Source: History
A maiden flight ended as its only flight with none other than Howard Hughes at the controls. The largest aircraft ever built was a massive wooden hulk of laminated birch and spruce to be later nicknamed the "Spruce Goose" but also known as the Hercules. It's wingspan was longer than a football field designed to carry more than 700 men to battle and powered by eight giant propeller engines. You may be wondering why the mention of the word battle?
Howard Hughes was personally instrumental in the testing of cutting-edge aircraft of his own design. In 1932, he founded Hughes Aircraft Company. The U.S. government commissioned Hughes Aircraft to build a large 'flying boat' capable of carrying men and materials across the ocean as a way to avoid threats from enemy submarines. The year was 1941 following the U.S. entrance into World War II. The aircraft never saw war, never transported soldiers to or from battle. Unfortunately, its production took so long the war had ended by the time of its completion in 1946.
However, there was a maiden flight...
On November 2, 1947, Hughes obliged, taking the H-4 prototype out into Long Beach Harbor, CA for an unannounced flight test. Thousands of onlookers had come to watch the aircraft taxi on the water and were surprised when Hughes lifted his wooden behemoth 70 feet above the water and flew for a mile before landing. Source: History.com
Interior designed to carry 700 passengers
Although the actual footage is of the November 2, 1947, Hughes-piloted, one time only flight of the "Spruce Goose," this newsreel is from 1962. It seems to me it's about how the government hoped to recoup the $18 million it sunk into the project. Source: Hughes H-4 "Hercules"
"The Hercules was a monumental undertaking. It is the largest aircraft ever built...I put the sweat of my life into this thing." ~Howard Hughes
There is always someone trying to beat the system, receive credit when credit is not due, make gains through dishonesty. The music industry is not immune to any of these happenings. Reaching for the dream often finds a recording artist(s) going for, often perhaps receiving, unjustified accolades. Scandals emerge and the legitimacy of such actions is questionable.
It was the late 80s when the real voices behind Milli Vanilli were exposed as not being those belonging to leading faces of the pop group. The discovery that Rob Pilatus and Fab Morvan hadn't sung a single note of their hit songs became the biggest scandal in Grammy history. The duo had earned a #1 hit with "Baby Don' Forget My Number" (1989). This led to their nomination and win of a Grammy Award for Best New Artist on February 21, 1990. Suddenly exposed as illegitimate, the duo was stripped of the award.
By the summer of 1989, some people wondered why Rob and Fab's speaking voices in interviews sounded nothing like their songs, and in July, they were caught lip-synching when their recording skipped during a concert in Connecticut. It wasn't until November, 1990 that the truth came out about the group when Farian admitted that Rob and Fab were not the real singers. Source: Songacts.com
This was not the first time of a chart-topping act with a scandalous secret nor will it be the last. Pop music hypocrisy doesn't lend itself to finite definitions as to what constitutes legitimate vs. illegitimate. The industry itself is just too flexible.
Another such act scored a #1 hit on this day two decades earlier...or did they?
1962The Crystals started a two week run at No.1 on the US singles chart with 'He's A Rebel', it made No.19 on the UK chart.
Legitimate or Illegitimate?
Their name appeared at the top of the Billboard Hot 100 alongside the song 'He's A Rebel'—a record on which the credited artists, the Crystals, had not sung a single note.
While at Liberty Records as the company's West Coast A&R head (in 1962), Phil Spector heard Gene Pitney's demo of "He's a Rebel." He promptly resigned his position as his boss, Snuff Garrett, produced a version by Vikki Carr to be released as her first single. Spector assembled his musicians to do HIS version, but the Crystals were 3000 miles away in New York City; so he recruited the Blossoms (Darlene Love, Famita James, and Gracia Nitzschke) to sing "He's a Rebel."
The Crystals were credited with six Top 40 hits produced by Phil Spector, even though their voices are heard on only four of them.
Phil Spector used the royalties of "He's a Rebel" to buy out his partners, with the stipulation that his ex-partners would share in the profits of the next two Crystals singles. For those singles, he used The Blossoms to pose as the Crystals (again) for the #11 hit "He's Sure the Boy I Love"; but the Crystals actually sang on the next single credited to them, entitled "(Let's Do) The Screw" -- a five-minute song punctuated with the voice of Phil Spector's lawyer saying "Do the Screw." Only one copy of the 45 was pressed and distributed - to ex-partner Lester Sill. It garnered zero airplay and earned zero royalties. Spector was now sole owner of Philles Records.
In 1956, pelvic gyrations scandalized the public! Youngsters were titillated while adults were horrified at the sexual movements on stage of none other than Elvis Presley, King of Rock 'n' Roll, or simply, "the King". This was the 50s! This was rock 'n' roll! Elvis, however, was not the only one who set the audience on fire. In fact, a different fiery piano-playing rock 'n' roll pioneer is in the spotlight today.
Jerry Lee Lewis19-year-old Jerry Lee Lewis arrived at Sun Records hoping for an audition, only to find that owner Sam Phillips was on vacation in Florida. Jerry Lee recorded some demos that Phillips would hear when he returned. That was in 1956. Jerry Lee Lewis became a star with his 1957 hit 'Whole Lot of Shakin' Going On', which topped the pop, country and R&B charts. Then, came the real firecracker!
1957Sun Records released 'Great Balls Of Fire', by Jerry Lee Lewis. The single went on to sell over five million copies worldwide, and was a No.1 hit in the UK and No.2 in the US. The song became Lewis' signature tune, a perfect fit for his incendiary style. "A person tells at least a little bit about himself in any song he cuts," Lewis said years later.
By the time his first recording hit the charts, Lewis had already developed some of his famous stage antics, such as playing standing up and even lighting the occasional piano on fire. He had such energy and enthusiasm in his performances that he earned the nickname "The Killer" for the way he knocked out his audiences.
This nearly lifelong musician and singer continues to record new music and perform. He has released two well-received albums in recent years. For 2006's Last Man Standing, Lewis sang a number of rock, blues and country classics with some help from such famous admirers as Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Kris Kristofferson, Willie Nelson and Buddy Guy. Collaborator Kristofferson described Lewis as "one of the few who can do rock 'n' roll, country or soul, and every song is authentic." He told USA Today that Lewis is "one of the best American voices ever." Source: Jerry Lee Lewis Biography
OOPS! Any time is a good time for a sandwich and the day is not over yet! There is suppertime and midnight snack so get to it. There are an abundance of different types of sandwiches. With just a little imagination, the possibilities are endless. Thank you Earl of Sandwich!
For this next celebration, we must all be careful to avoid sugar shock! Too much of such a good thing in any one single day is not the best idea. So true but definitely difficult advice to follow. There are simple candies and gourmet candy, old-fashioned candy made by hand, and specialty candies crafted by experts who design each piece with TLC.
Tidbit of Candy Trivia...
Did you know the average American eats twenty-five pounds of candy each year? That may seem like a lot, but the average person in Denmark eats thirty-six pounds each year!
November 4 is...
National Candy Day
All I really need is love, but a little candy now and then doesn't hurt! - Charles Schulz
Johnny Nash honed his vocal skills singing in the choir of his Baptist church. At the age of 13, he was a regular on a local television series. In 1956, he was discovered by Arthur Godfrey, appearing on his radio & TV broadcasts for the next 7 years.
For a period of time, Nash concentrated on a career in films returning to prominence in the music industry in 1965 when the ballad "Let's Move and Groove Together" reached the R&B Top Five and more importantly became a major hit in Jamaica. After additional hits and trials that were not as successful, Nash returned to recording in Jamaica where he met Bob Marley in 1972. Marley, who wrote Nash's next hit, "Stir It Up", revived his career by peaking at number 13 on the UK chart. Johnny Nash continued to enjoy popularity with "I Can See Clearly Now", a Top 5 hit that was successfully covered by Jimmy Cliff in 1994 for the film Cool Runnings.
1972 Johnny Nash started a three week run at No.1 on the US singles chart with 'I Can See Clearly Now', his only US chart topper, it made No.5 in the UK.
More on this day, November 4, through the years... Enjoy the music of the times!
1957Jackie Wilson made his US chart debut with 'Reet Petite', (it made No.1 in the UK in 1986, 29 years after its first release).
1961Cliff Richard scored his first UK No.1 album with his 5th release '21 Today'. The album was released on October 14, 1961, the exact date of Cliff Richard's 21st birthday. Side 1 of the album contained rock tunes while side 2 consisted of ballads.
1966The Beach Boys'Good Vibrations', entered the UK chart, it went on to be a UK & US No.1 hit single. As a child, Brian Wilson's mother told him that dogs could pick up "vibrations" from people, so that the dog would bark at "bad vibrations" Wilson turned this into the general idea for the song.
1989Elton John scored his 50th UK chart hit when 'Sacrifice', entered the charts. Only Cliff Richard and Elvis Presley had also achieved this feat. Sacrifice was initially released as a single in 1989, but stalled at No.55 in the UK and at No.18 in the US. English DJ, Steve Wright, began playing the song on BBC Radio 1, and the song was then re-released as a double A-side single, along with 'Healing Hands'.
1989 Roxette scored their second US No.1 single with 'Listen To Your Heart', a No.6 hit in the UK the following year.
2007 The Eagles went to No.1 on the UK album chart for the first time ever - 33 years after their debut album On the Border. This was the group's first full studio album since The Long Run in 1979.
2013Rihanna joined The Beatles and Elvis Presley as one of just three acts to top the UK singles chart seven times over seven years. The singer made the No.1 spot, as the featured artist on Eminem's new track 'The Monster'.
Not bad for a day's work so to speak when an unexpected movie's success goes on to earn 12 Academy Award Nominations bringing home 7 wins. Dances with Wolves is a film of epic proportion. In addition to its Academy Award nominations and wins, it is the first Western film to win an Academy Award for Best Picture since 1931's Cimarron, thereby establishing it as one of the most honored films of 1990.
Within the film are memorable moments and scenes that capture the heart, mind and soul to be relived over and over again as visions appear when something or someone brings it back into the forefront.
Based on a novel by Michael Blake, the film was shot on location, primarily in South Dakota, and contained Lakota dialogue with English-language subtitles. Because of the film's popular and lasting impact on the image of Native Americans, the Sioux Nation adopted Costner as an honorary member.
During the scene where the buffalo is charging at the young Indian, the buffalo is actually charging at a pile of its favorite treat: Oreo cookies.
Kevin did all his own riding, including bare back and shooting his gun without holding the reins, during the buffalo hunt.
Kevin Costner's spreading out of his arms while doing his suicide run at the start of the film was a completely spontaneous gesture that took his stunt coordinator by surprise.
To add realism to the movie, a language coach was brought in to teach Lakota to cast members who did not know how to speak it. Because of the difficulty in learning the language, the "gendered speech" aspects of the language were omitted from the lessons. When native speakers of Lakota saw the finished film, they found it amusing to hear Lakota warriors talking like women.
The man seen initially telling the wolf to go home when Dunbar is riding out to visit his friends is actually the trainer. He was bitten in the leg when the wolf chased him, so Costner had to run himself during the next shot. He kept throwing pieces of raw meat to keep the wolf from biting him.
A Bit of Dances with Wolves Music Trivia...
Composer John Barry did not use any cymbals in the entire score. Although tom-toms are used extensively, and military drums are playing during some of the army scenes, there are no cymbals.
What is your favorite scene that you cannot get out of your head?
Time for the ladies to be pampered and their men to don the aprons! For sure, being served dinner is a welcomed change from all the regular preparation and cooking. No one deserves a break more than the girlfriends, wives and mothers (that includes mother-in-laws)!
Is your man, or are you the man, who doesn't cook at all but have possibly had thoughts of pulling off a terrific surprise? Perhaps the man of the house is the grill master but not necessarily the master of the kitchen. Now is his chance. This is really a national holiday putting all kidding aside. There is even a website that features reasons for definitely participating in this celebration including simple recipes to get everything started. Basic rules...
interference policy for the women of the household, feeding the resulting meal to the dog, nor barbecuing.
OK, guys, get to work and get it made! Serve it up manly style!
What shall I cook? What shall it be? Something tasty Made from the sea
England borrowed many of the Scotch and Irish customs, adding them to their own. Young people bobbed for apples, tied a lighted candle to one end of a stick and an apple to the other. The stick was suspended and set spinning, the object of the game being to bite the apple without getting burned by the candle. This custom was a relic of the fires lighted on the eve of Samhain in the ancient days of the Celts.
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