Humanities & Culture
EducationBy adva
3 weeks ago
Happy birthday, Wilhelm Grimm! Is he celebrating, along with fellow ghosts, in some dark, somber forest, or maybe in the graveyard? Seems rather fitting... Wilhelm Carl Grimm was born on February 24, 1786. He had not just his famous brother - Jacob Ludwig Carl, but 7 more siblings (only one of them a girl). All 9 were born within a period of 11 years. But the house wasn't really so crowded: three of the brothers (including the first-born) died before they reached their first birthday. This left Jacob the eldest living brother, and Wilhelm - the second. |
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Home & LivingParentingBy Zeemaid
4 months ago
It's amazing how each Halloween gets easier. Of course the first Halloween's were pretty easy. We dressed E up and took her to a half dozen houses, had all the old folks ooh and aww over her cuteness then home to happily divide up the candy between K and me. ;) Who says we don't live through our children. *L*
Last year was a bit of a trial though. I actually had to push and prod my oldest to continue on to each house. She had focused on one house in particular that she wanted to go to... on the other side of the street. Now in my grown up orientated and organized mind I wanted to go down one side of the road and back up the other. By the time we got to that house we were both frustrated and it turned out the people who dropped the big spider had moved. Arg. I realized that it would have been better to be flexible saving us all frustration.
This year; however, notwithstanding the fact that J told me that I would surely have to say trick or treat for her because she was too shy to say it, by the third house she was gayly running ahead with her big sister to each house and answering promptly inquiries about her costume. Amazing. Is this the same child that has to Dora the size of her to preschool just so she won't cry when I leave?
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World AffairsPolitics & OpinionsBy mattwion
4 months ago
For those of you who follow the liturgy, today is All Souls Day. Yesterday was All Saints Day, and the day before, of course, was Halloween.
I don't make it to church all that often. I attend a little more than the Easter & Christmas type, but not much; maybe 6-8 times a year. But I usually make it on All Saints day. I have find it interesting to contrast the two folk (as opposed to religious) holidays that fall on the last day of October and the first day of November respectively.
Halloween is largely about death and our fear of it. Halloween treats death as something terrifying, evil, and often coming to get us. Images of ghosts, zombies, skeletons, and other undead creatures abound. They are always vile, horrific, and ready to make us like them. Halloween reminds me that we fear death and run from it, but that we are ultimately doomed to be overtaken by it. Death is scary.
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Humanities & CultureArtBy FantasyArt
4 months ago
Hi Everyone!
As you know, my website presently showcases the fantasy art of computer games, so there's a lot of art out there that doesn't fit there at the moment. I can, however, introduce it to you on this blog.
Today, I'd like to introduce the art of Nikki Burnette, whose artwork includes a number of Halloween-themed witches-with-pumpkin portraits in addition to witches-without-pumpkins, mermaids, and a few angels. Her artwork is also available as cross stitch designs on the somewhat macabre-named site for cross stitch and hand-dyed fabrics, Stab and Stash.
There's a long interview with the artist on sodapopculture, originally done November 2007; since then, it appears that the artist's website has expired.
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Humanities & CultureArtBy FantasyArt
4 months ago
Happy Halloween everybody!
In 2010, I will try to showcase more Second Life artwork. Here's a broad sample of Second Life work that was collected for Halloween 2009.
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Home & LivingFood & DrinkBy Selena Ze Arteest
4 months ago
 I've been asked to give a pumpkin carving class on a local TV channel today. I went on with KingTiger, Butterfly, Moon Cat Pumpkin lights and Pumpkin Vases. I am giving them away today and tomorrow.
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Humanities & CulturePeopleBy TheJackB
4 months ago
The story of the Jack o'Lantern comes from Irish folklore. Jack was a crafty farmer who tricked the Devil into climbing a tall tree.
When the Devil reached the highest branch, Jack carved a large cross in the trunk, making it impossible for the Devil to climb down. In exchange for help getting out of the tree, the Devil promised never to tempt Jack with evil again.
When Jack died, he was turned away from Heaven for his sins and turned away from Hell because of his trickery. Condemned to wander the Earth without rest, Jack carved out one of his turnips, took an ember from the devil, and used it for a lantern to light his way. He became known as "Jack of the Lantern."
I found the story here, including a recipe for roasting pumpkin seeds.
Another interesting fact to share, "Today, pumpkins mean big business at Halloween: U.S. farmers grow over a billion pounds a year, worth about $106 million."
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