Holiday Traditions

[Collar_N_Cuffs]

I tried the soft granola-ish bars. They are pretty tasty!

Pumpkin salsa (don't think sweet) could actually be pretty good. I can imagine it prepared like a peach salsa, which I like very much. Pumpkin can be delightful in savory dishes. One of my family's favorites is a pumpkin/sweet potato puree I make. Equal amounts of roasted pumpkin and baked sweets, pureed with a little cream, butter, salt, and nutmeg. It borders on sweet, but it's not like that horrid stuff with marshmallows.

Well I actually like the horrid stuff with the marshmallows Once a year, that is... and I haven't made it in years now, so I guess I don't like it all that much.

I didn't give good examples, either. Believe me, TJs had stuff that just shouldn't be!

 

[midwestyankee]

Trader Joe's went positively crazy with it this year! Hundreds of things in pumpkin flavour, some of them just wrong wrong wrong Pumpkin pop tarts and salsa? Ummm... no thanks!

Exactly. I nearly gave up on shopping at TJ's altogether when I saw the pumpkin-spice-flavored laundry detergent.

 

[La damnee elle la licorne]

 

[desertslave]

Thinks. I do not choose personal scents that smell of sweet food, but vanilla on a woman is supposed to appeal to men. Maybe pumpkin spice also smells good? I'm reasonably traditional about laundry. Fresh air smells good, lavender or good drawer liners, and I keep my soap in with clothes and linens too. But lots of people hate lavender.

I like real lavender...I put stems of lavender and southernwood in with my fleeces...natural mothproofing.

 

[La damnee elle la licorne]

 

[midwestyankee]

Thinks. I do not choose personal scents that smell of sweet food, but vanilla on a woman is supposed to appeal to men. Maybe pumpkin spice also smells good? I'm reasonably traditional about laundry. Fresh air smells good, lavender or good drawer liners, and I keep my soap in with clothes and linens too. But lots of people hate lavender.

Actually, I was joking about the laundry detergent.

However, a scientist based in Chicago has done extensive research into aromas and sexual arousal:

In research at the Chicago-based Smell & Taste Treatment and Research Foundation, where Hirsch is neurological director, he discovered that certain food scents trigger sexual arousal in men and women.

In 1995, Hirsch conducted a study of 31 Chicago men ages 18 to 64 asking them to smell 46 odors and combination scents, including perfumes and foods.

The pumpkin pie-lavender mixture increased male arousal -- as measured by penile blood flow -- an average of 40 percent. The black licorice-doughnuts mixture increased male arousal an average of 32 percent. The pumpkin pie-doughnuts combination increased male arousal an average of 20 percent. The smell of buttered popcorn increased male arousal an average of 9 percent; cheese pizza, an average of 5 percent; baked cinnamon buns, an average of 4 percent; and women's perfume an average of 3 percent.

Hirsch also learned that:

• The licorice-cola combination increased arousal more than either odor alone.
• Older men responded more strongly to vanilla than did younger men.
• Men who said they were satisfied with their sex lives showed a greater response to the strawberry scent.
• Men who had the most active sex lives responded most strongly to the lavender scent as well as Oriental spice and cola.
• No odor diminished male arousal.

Source

 

[La damnee elle la licorne]

 

[midwestyankee]

I didn't click the link.

An interesting link is women and the scent of truffles.

No problem - the link was to a newspaper article from which i took the quote. By "truffles" do you mean the mushroom or the candy?

 

[La damnee elle la licorne]

 

[Collar_N_Cuffs]

Ok, so if we want to influence men, we are better off rolling around in food than wearing perfume. Got it!

 

[midwestyankee]

Ok, so if we want to influence men, we are better off rolling around in food than wearing perfume. Got it!

Probably cheaper, too.

 

[IrisAlthea]

Yes, this is why I use lavender too, not for the scent itself, but as fight against moths ....which we still lose. . We have so many moths that I just try and keep going. This year i have three scarves a little damaged, but I was needing to thin out my winter wear a little anyway. With these I would quite like to see if I can make something for girl dog to wear on cooler but dry days, when she does not need her waterproof coats. I am not sure she will like the seems though.

Love lavender too.
Cedar wood smells nice too and is also supposed to help against the moths.
We buy pieces of them and keep with the clothes.

Try putting the seams on the outside perhaps? You can always pronounce it cool and start a trend in the world of dog fashion or just cover them with ribbons.

 

[La damnee elle la licorne]

 

[La damnee elle la licorne]

 

[Collar_N_Cuffs]

Tonight is guy Fawkes night, which is more commonly called Bonfire night or fireworks night now. Most celebrations will be at the weekend. Communities have great big bonfires which waste wood, or garden clippings go on, and fire works are released traditionally, but also, people release their own fireworks and have fireworks etc.

Its a bad time for people who have fireworks scared companion animals, but also for hedgehogs, as they often seek to hibernate in the bonfires being formed this week. My animals all like or don't mind fireworks thankfully.

Guy Fawkes was a catholic who was involved in a plot to burn down Palace of Westminster / house of parliament. Traditionally people make a 'guy' effigy and burn this on the fire, but I have never seen this. I understand that in some areas, and more areas historically, children drag their guy house to house or through the streets and ask for 'a penny for the guy' ( not so dissimilar to trick or treat ?) .

Thanks Elle!! Sounds fun!

Is there any particular food associated with the holiday, or any activities that take place around the bonfire besides burning Guy in effigy?

 

[IrisAlthea]

Tonight is guy Fawkes night, which is more commonly called Bonfire night or fireworks night now. Most celebrations will be at the weekend. Communities have great big bonfires which waste wood, or garden clippings go on, and fire works are released traditionally, but also, people release their own fireworks and have fireworks etc.

Its a bad time for people who have fireworks scared companion animals, but also for hedgehogs, as they often seek to hibernate in the bonfires being formed this week. My animals all like or don't mind fireworks thankfully.

Guy Fawkes was a catholic who was involved in a plot to burn down Palace of Westminster / house of parliament. Traditionally people make a 'guy' effigy and burn this on the fire, but I have never seen this. I understand that in some areas, and more areas historically, children drag their guy house to house or through the streets and ask for 'a penny for the guy' ( not so dissimilar to trick or treat ?) .

When we were out in the evening last weekend we met 6 guys dressed up for a Halloween party, wearing black suits and Guy Fawkes masks as in V for Vendetta.
It was in a dark street an actually kind of scary-cool. =)

 

[La damnee elle la licorne]

 

[pensivepoet]

Went to convent?
*cold sweat*
My first six yrs of school was at a full bore catholic encampment.
Nuns in full habit, mass twice a day.
I consider those the dark years.
The only good memory I have is of Sister Carrol who was hot as hell! (yeah, I was only 11~what's yer point?)
Anyway, one day a dirty rough biker came to town. Sis Carrol tossed off the habit, jumped on the back, and rode off into the sunset never to be seen again.
She was my role model. Still is

 

[desertslave]

Remember, remember!
The fifth of November,
The Gunpowder treason and plot;
I know of no reason
Why the Gunpowder treason
Should ever be forgot!
Guy Fawkes and his companions
Did the scheme contrive,
To blow the King and Parliament
All up alive.
Threescore barrels, laid below,
To prove old England's overthrow.
But, by God's providence, him they catch,
With a dark lantern, lighting a match!
A stick and a stake
For King James's sake!
If you won't give me one,
I'll take two,
The better for me,
And the worse for you.
A rope, a rope, to hang the Pope,
A penn'orth of cheese to choke him,
A pint of beer to wash it down,
And a jolly good fire to burn him.
Holloa, boys! holloa, boys! make the bells ring!
Holloa, boys! holloa boys! God save the King!
Hip, hip, hooor-r-r-ray!

 

[Cumference]

There is nothing like an act of religious political violence as the basis of a good celebration!


I've heard Guy described as "the only man to ever enter parliament with honest intentions".
I also remember being very impressed when I heard (in a young age), that part of the State Opening of Parliament rituals still are "the searching of the cellars" by the Yomen, Just to see if there should be a keg or two of powder down there.

 

[Collar_N_Cuffs]

There is nothing like an act of religious political violence as the basis of a good celebration!


I've heard Guy described as "the only man to ever enter parliament with honest intentions".
I also remember being very impressed when I heard (in a young age), that part of the State Opening of Parliament rituals still are "the searching of the cellars" by the Yomen, Just to see if there should be a keg or two of powder down there.

Oh I love it!!

 

[La damnee elle la licorne]

 

[Collar_N_Cuffs]

Actually, in my time I have been to three.

Three points in your life where you threw it all to the wind, and rode off with a dirty, rough biker?

 

[La damnee elle la licorne]

 

[pensivepoet]

Oh I wish. I did walk out of one of the convents though. I have never been on a bike. I did run away with a South American on horseback though. (Briefly....I found out he was married and rode straight back).

I'm sorry, Elle
But that's hilarious!