Bowie & Elvis Share The Same Birthday

Bowie and Elvis share January 8 as a birthday, both Capricorn according to western astrology. They, also, are both born in the Year of the Pig in Chinese Astrology.

Chinese Astrology Years of the Pig
1935, 1947, 1959, 1971, 1983, 1995, 2007

David Bowie (born David Robert Jones January 8, 1947)



Elvis Presley (January 8, 1935 - August 16, 1977)

According to the popular Chinese myth the animal ruling the year in which a person is born tremendously influences his or her behavior and traits.

Pig people are said to possess considerable determination and if they set their minds on something will pursue it and attain it. Good careers for people born in the year of the pig are in music, food, writing, and looking after others.

They are often imbued with the energy of wealth and the support of others. The person born in the Year of the Pig accepts the existing richness of life.

They are said to be tolerant, generous, and peaceful. They are well liked for their honesty and warm nature, which was true of Elvis and I think it is true of Bowie.

Are you a fan of one or both of these men? Do you think these attributes fit them?

Want to read more about Elvis? Check out Elvis The Martial Artist

Today is Toss Your Fruitcake Day

One of my favorite holiday traditions as a kid was enjoying my grandmother's fruitcake. Have you ever tasted a really good fruitcake? My grandmother made the most awesome fruitcake in the world! Assumption Abbey Bakery in Southwest Missouri makes an awesome fruitcake almost as good as my grandmother's! The Abby is located near Ava, Mo., nestled in the foothills of the Missouri Ozarks.

Jasper Mirabile, Jr. recently interviewed Assumption Abbey’s Father Cyprian on his ‘Live! From Jasper’s Kitchen’ radio show and wrote an article about the interview on kansascity.com.

He writes that "only eight monks, tirelessly and lovingly work at producing these cakes each day" and that "the task begins early each morning when one of the monks begins cracking 265 eggs."

What makes the cakes so good? Mirabile writes that the fruit is first soaked in burgundy wine, added to the batter then baked. Then the monks inject each cake "with over 1 ounce of rum and then soak them in corn syrup." After each cake if finished, the monks gather and pray over each cake.

This is a quote from the Abby's website:

"O GOD, CREATOR OF ALL THINGS
BLESS NOW THESE CREATIONS OF OUR HANDS.
THAT THESE CAKES MAY BE RECEIVED
AS TOKENS OF YOUR LOVE
AND SHARED WITH FRIENDS AS HINTS
OF YOUR EUCHARISTIC FEAST...."

If you're not a fruitcake lover, this dark, rich, traditional style fruitcake will make you one! Each cake is made with raisins, pineapple, currants, citron, walnuts, and wine and laced with rum.

The monks of Assumption Abbey produce 125 fruitcakes a day! That's almost 25,000 cakes per year. You can order you cake here:  Assumption Abbey Bakery  It comes in a decorative, re-useable tin and weighs about 2 lbs.

A good fruitcake is aged. If it contains alcohol and is wrapped in alcohol-soaked linen before storing, it could remain edible for many years. 

Tell me about your fruitcake experience in the comments!

Evaluate Your Life Day

Today is Evaluate Your Life Day. This is a good time to read The Optimist's Creed.

Read The Optimist's Creed daily. Use it as a powerful tool to become the most brilliant magnet for magnificence and joy in your life.

Inspirational writer CHRISTIAN DAA LARSON (b. 1874) is the author of the well-known Optimist Creed. He wrote "Our destiny is not mapped out for us by some exterior power; we map it out for ourselves. What we think and do in the present determines what shall happen to us in the future."

To Read The Optimist's Creed Click Here

Come Little Children - Hocus Pocus

In the fall some people start thinking of celebrating the traditions of Hallowe'en or "All Hollows Eve". 

There are a few movies that come to mind. Hocus Pocus is one of them. 

Here is a video to celebrate the season. 



Fantasies Ghost "The song 'Come Little Children' from Hocus Pocus was created using the first verse of the Poem 'Come Little Children' by Edgar Allen Poe."
 

~*Lyrics*~

Come little children,
I'll take thee away,
into a land of Enchantment.

Come little children,
The time's come to play,
Here in my garden of Shadows.

Song/Poem: Come Little Children
Poet: Edgar Allen Poe
Cover Artist: Kate Covington (katethegreat19)

Happy National Sugar Cookie Day!

Tea Cup Sugar Cookies

Today we honor a food that is simple, versatile, and delicious.

The recipes for sugar cookies are simple with 6 ingredients and they can be dropped for an everyday treat or cut out with themed cookie cutters and decorated with frosting or sprinkles for a special celebration.


Love this photo of Tea Cup Sugar Cookies used with permission
from Oh Sugar Events




How To Make Sugar Cookies with Icing

Do you have a recipe for sugar cookies? 
Share it in the comments.

More Cookie Photos
Cookies: Teacups

Check out this 101-Piece Cookie Cutter Set
Looking for cookie cutters for that special occasion cookie? Try this cookie cutter collection. Click the image to see what shapes are included and get the current price.

These can also be used for playdough!