Wedding 2

Scandinavian Wedding
In Denmark, it is traditional for an arch of pine branches be built in front of the bride's home. This arch is known as the Gates of Honor.

In Norway, when a couple is married, their families and neighbors plant two small pine trees on either side of their young couple's front door as a symbol of fertility.

In Sweden mother of the bride traditionally present her daughter with a gold coin to be placed in her right show and her father gives her a silver coin for her left shoe. In this way whey hope to endure that their daughter will never be poor.

When a girl in Sweden is engaged it is customary for her to receive an engagement right. Then during the wedding ceremony the bride's husband slips the wedding rig onto hi new bride's finger ply he slips a ring of motherhood onto her finer as well - meaning that Swedish wife will wear three golden rings.


In Russia, it is a common tradition for the maid of honor and the best man to wear sashes over their clothing.


In Brazil it is common for the groomsmen to carry or be pinned with a small Brazilian flag instead of a flower.

These are cookies call "Casadinhos" and are traditionally made as a wedding favor. They are two cookies put together with Marmalade, honey, jam, boston cream fudge, or anything that is sweet, wrapped in cellophane and then in crepe paper.

African wedding
African weddings are a family affair and involve the combining of two lives, two families, and sometimes even two communities! There are many different wedding traditions in the African continent and no two are exactly alike but in all communities the bride plays a very special role and is treated with respect because she is a link between the unborn and the ancestors.
The jumping of the broom is a common tradition but contrary to the belief that it has to do with slavery......it signifies their entrance into a new life and their creation of a new family by symbolically "sweeping away" their former single lives, problems and concerns and jumping over the groom to enter upon a new adventure as wife and husband.

American wedding lore
The bridal veil has long been a symbol of youth, modest, and virginity.
Tossing the wedding bouquet evolved from England where women used to try to rip pieces of the bride's dress and flowers in order to obtain some of her good luck so to escape form the crowd the bride would toss her bouquet and run away. Today the bouquet is tossed to a single woman with the belief that whoever catches it will be the next to marry.

The giving away the Bride has its roots in the days of arranged marriages. Today it is a symbol of the fathers blessing on the marriage.

The wedding rings have been worn on the third finger of the left hand since Roman times. The Romans believed that the vein in that finger runs directly to the heart. The wedding ring is a never-ending circle, which symbolized everlasting love.


The best man
In ancient times, men sometimes captured women to make them their brides. A man would take along his strongest and most trusted friend to help him fight resistance from the woman's family. This friend, therefore, was considered the best man among his friends and the best man accompanied the groom up the aisle to help defend the bride.

Bride on the Groom's left.......Because grooms in Anglo-Saxon England often had to defend their brides, the bride would stand to the left of her groom so that his sword arm was free.

There were so many different traditions with different meanings but the one I found the most fascinating were the covenant symbols in Christian wedding traditions and customs. They are all Bible based with exact scriptures and can be found here
Here is just one example:
The white runner symbolizes holy ground where two lives are joined as one by God. (Exodus 3:5, Matthew 19:6)

Wedding cont.1

Jewish wedding
The procession of a Jewish wedding has both the bride and groom walk down the aisle accompanied by both sets of parents.

The wedding ceremony takes place under the chupah, which is a canopy on four poles that is sometimes decorated. The chupah symbolized that the bride and groom are creating a home together and that it will always be open to guests. This tradition originates from the Biblical wedding of Abraham and Sarah.

Traditionally the wedding ceremony has two parts. During the first part the bride and groom become betrothed and a blessing is recited over a cup of wine that the bride and groom drink. The second part is the rabbi reading the ketubah (a Jewish wedding contract). Some couples frame their keubah and display it in their home.

Then comes the part most of us think of when we think of a Jewish wedding....the breaking of the glass. The meaning of this tradition has different meanings....one that the marriage will last as long as the glass is broken, the other is a call to remember those who are suffering even in their greatest moment of joy. After the glass is broken all the guests yell, "Mazel Tov!" which means...good luck.

Greek wedding

Before the wedding, an engagement ceremony is held. During this time the bride and groom exchange rings and they are blessed and placed on their left hands. Before the wedding, the bride and groom invite their friends to their new house. It is a common tradition that the bride's single friends decorate the couples bed, with candied almonds spread on it. The relatives and guest present money and gifts for the bride and groom to bring luck and fortune.

During the wedding ceremony, the bride and groom are adorned with crowns. While doing so, the crowns are exchanged three times as part of the Greek tradition. The wedding crowns represent glory and honor. These crowns are joined with a silver ribbon and symbolized the union of the couple. The couple wear these crowns till the end of the marriage ceremony. The rings that they were wearing on the left hands are now blessed again and worn on their right hands.

Next comes the ceremonial walk in which the bride and groom walk around the church alter three times..this symbolized the first steps of life as a married couple.

Some traditional beliefs are still followed, like the bride carrying a lump of sugar, so that her married life will remain sweet. The bride may also wear a yellow or red veil that signifies fire, so as to protect her from evil spirits.

Immediately after the ceremony the candied almonds are distributed in odd numbers among the guests. The odd number signifies that the couple are united henceforth as one and cannot be separated.

The wedding dance and reception follow and are a lively event.

Algonquin (Indian) wedding

The bridal couple has four sponsors. Sponsors are older, well respected persons chosen by the bride and groom. The sponsors are to give spiritual and marital guidance to the couple throughout their lifetime. At the ceremony, the sponsors make a commitment to help the couple.

Ceremonies are preferably outside or in a ceremonial lodge or under an arbor. Their commitment is to the Creator, to God. There is no breaking that commitment and no divorce. The Pipe Carrier, the official, makes sure they are well aware of this commitment. If the couple separates and goes their separate way, in the eyes of the Creator, they are still husband and wife.

The bride will wash herself in a body of water (lake, river, ocean, pond) the morning of her union in order to be blessed the the spirit of the Earth.

The wedding is a time of celebration. Everyone is invited by word of mouth. There is no formal invitation. There is feasting , visiting and a giveaway.

Food items for the feast include fry bread, venison, squash, beans, corn, corn soup, potato soup and many desserts. There may also be a wedding cake. The food is placed on a blanket, served buffet style. The food is blessed and the Elders and the official will beat first, then the bride , groom sponsors and other guests. None of the food is wasted. All of the food is either eaten or given away to the Elders.

Algonquin Giveaway....In preparation for the Giveaway, the future bride and groom make (or buy) hundreds of gifts. A gift will be given to each person attending the celebration.

(to be continued)

Weddings

Here in the USA, June is well known for a perfect wedding. An outdoor one would be divine with maybe an arch to stand under while taking your vows. No matter your age, in your heart there is that special fairy tale wedding


but not all the dreams are the same.............................
This is Korean wedding picture. Bright colors are important in Korean wedding attire to inspire the brightness of spirit that is required at such a special event. A strange tradition is that after the wedding, friends of the groom take off his socks, tie a rope around the ankles and start beating soles of his feet with dried yellow corvina. Yellow corvina is a kind of fish! It is done so to make the groom stronger before the first wedding night and they do not throw rice at the newlyweds....they throw dried red dates to symbolize diligence.

A Japanese bride-to-be is painted pure white from head to toe, visibly declaring her maiden status to the gods. While the bride and groom exchange their wedding vows, their families face each other, instead of the couple getting married. A traditional Japaneses marriage ceremony will include the drinking from nine cups of sake. The sake drank during the ceremony is not always delicious. It is the same with life. All kind of troubles will appear. But the bride and groom will have to overcome them with spirit of unity present in the ceremony.

The color of red means good luck in

Chinese culture so everything from the dress to the lanterns is red. Traditionally, the parents of the groom will provide the happy couple with a new bed complete with all the necessary components. Comforters, pillow cases, sheets and anything else that goes with making the bed warm and comfortable are part of this gift. On the day of the wedding the couple will serve tea to both of their parents and other esteemed wedding guests, in order of seniority. In return, the guests will present the couple with gold jewelry and money in red envelopes.


Their wedding cake is in many layers and the Bride and Groom will feed each other the first piece cut, with their arms entwined.

(to be continued)

Mellow

Mellow: Made gentle by age or experience
This best describes our weekend reunion.....

From being able to appreciate the view of the sun coming up over the VA hospital where my Dad died to seeing old classmates that I didn't really like very much at the time.
Now, it seems I see things through different eyes and the pains and discomforts have melted into the ability of pleasant and easy social intercourse. I should not have worried so about the added wrinkles, extra weight and etc. because I had lots of company. The town folks did a great job....it is not easy to have an event with hardly anything to work with but they made it very special and had a great turn out. There were three out of ten in my graduating class there and five out of twelve for my hubby's class.
Glad we went but it was sad that hubby didn't recognize his old girlfriend and I wanted to cry at the sight of my old boyfriend....it was probably the same experince for them.

Reunion

In northern Arizona many years ago, my hubby and I went to this school (it has since been torn down) and the the town is so small that when they have a reunion it is (an all school reunion), meaning that if you went to school here, you can come. This weekend is one of those reunions.

I think hubby and I are real brave...it is his 50th and my 44th since graduating! I think it is one of those typical things of.....I hope I see (whoever) and they have aged as much as I have..... Well, anyhow....we're off. Here is a sweet little video about us woman and aging

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kBgXN_Jwr3Q bring on 90........

National Anthem

By Congressional resolution in 1931 and signed by President Herbert Hoover, the Star-Spangled Banner was deemed our National Anthem.
We have heard it many, many times and are always moved but hear this rarely heard verse from this man and see if you aren't shocked! A side note....this is the fourth verse, not the second verse.....and in my humble opinion should always accompany the first verse.
http://rightbias.com/news/video114.aspx

Majority rule

Majority rule


According to Wikipedia "majority rule is a decision rule that selects one of two alternatives, based on which has 50%+1 of the votes. It is the binary decision rule used most often in influential decision-making bodies, including the legislatures of democratic nations. Some scholars [who] have recommended against the use of majority rule, at least under certain circumstances, due to an ostensible trade-off between the benefits of majority rule and other values important to a democratic society. Most famously, it has been argued that majority rule might lead to a "tyranny of the majority", and the use of supermajoritarian rules and constitutional limits on government power have been recommended to mitigate these effects."
Thomas Jefferson 1743 - 1826
The third President of the United States, the principal author of the Declaration of Independence (1776) and for his promotion of the ideals of republicanism in the United States _ one behind a great "Empire of Liberty" that would promote republicanism and counter the imperialism of the British Empire.

Here are a few statements made by Thomas Jefferson regarding Majority Rule

"The measures of the fair majority...ought always be respected." 1792 ME 8:397

"All...being equally free, no one has a right to say what shall be law for others. Our way is to put these questions to vote, and to consider that as law for which the majority votes" Address to the Cherokee Nation 1809

"This..[is] a country where the will of the majority is the law, and ought to be the law." Answers to de Meusnier Questions 1786

"So long as we have enough people in this country willing to fight for their rights, we'll be called a democracy." Aclu founder Roger Baldwin

Case in point......The American Civil Liberties Union sued the National Park Service in 2001 on behalf of (a) retired park employee. (A) federal judge sided with the ACLU and ordered the cross, in the Mohave National Preserve near the California-Nevada border, be taken down.

The majority of citizens of the US had no issues with this cross and in fact were appalled that it would be threaten by the complaint of just one person.

Update.....On May 12, 2010...Less than two weeks after the US Supreme Court ruled that the controversial, 7-foot high Mojave Desert cross could stay put, thieves tore it down.

Of the last four major laws passed by the majority of Democrats in our Congress...all have been against majority citizen opinion, some as much as 65%. Many of these decision have and will have a vital impact on our lives,"this is a F------ big deal" to quote our vice-president".

Do you know why majority rule is no longer popular today?
Because it is decisive....it selects a winner and today the greatest concern is to give everyone what they want (or think they deserve) and be politically correct.........so we are going around in circles.
Personally....I want off this merry go round.
I dream of a day, with all of our technology, that we, the legal citizens of the US, would rule with a majority vote by a click of a button and no longer be strapped with congressional opinions.

Dog fun

You said what?

It was just hanging there...

Life is tough....grab all the chuckles you can

Six years and counting

Hubby and I have come to understand that we have saved records for a lot longer than the recommended six years....in fact I don't think we have gotten rid of a thing! So I started one of my new projects............shredding Shredder doesn't like staples


Little shredder....big project




In desperation.....but too much smoke.


Well, it has taken several weeks but I am proud to report the job is done. I have even created a little file system to remind myself that when we store our next years records we need to shred the last years.

In rememberance

On May 14th I posted "It's a test" and put up pictures from peoples early blogs. I shared that there were two not claimed and I was concerned ......... This was Granny J's from Walking Prescott It is a picture of an angel her Mom made and hung on her door at the care center and it was from 2006. Today, Granny J's daughter Omega Mom, posted a special tribute to her mom as a last post for Granny J who has passed away. She shared this very special picture. You will be greatly missed Granny J.

Parrot saves the day

I am a stay at home wife but last Thursday I met my daughter for lunch....while eating my hubby called and said the alarm company had called and said our burglar alarm was going off and the the location was the master bedroom door...he told them to send the police and he was on his way and that I should stay put.
It was not a false alarm. I had this standing jewelry box in a little alcove in the bedroom and I guess they could see it and thought it was worth the risk. After busting the door frame with a crow bar.....they grabbed my hubby's pillow case and just started dumping, even took two of the drawers...... (I did not have the heart to take the picture with everything on the floor as we found it). Well, there is good news and bad news....the good news is that the top was a lid that lifted up and they must have not realized it.........there was some good stuff in there and the sides opened out and had necklaces hanging in them and they too were left untouched. The bad news is that even though for the most part it was costume type jewelry, a lot of it was my mom's.


I left our house at 12:20 p.m. and the alarm went off at 12:45 p.m. The police surmised that they may have watched me leave....they came over the block wall back fence off the street because none of the gates had been disturbed as I have little lock type things on them and they were intact.

Here is what we surmised.....our bedroom door had been shut (we leave it open) so they knew we had the two dogs......
they shut the door to keep them out and began dumping BUT what they didn't know is that we have a parrot and when the dogs get upset and bark he starts hollering his favorite thing.......HELLO!!!!
He sounds just like me so it seems they panicked and left the bottom drawer open but everything there (with the exception of a beautiful bracelet that went with this set)

So Toby bird saved the day from being any worse......

I am trying to make a little light of this but if you have ever been broken into...it sets you on edge....I have come up with all kinds of ideas like barbwire strung on top of the fence:)


Think the neighbors would mind..........




Hubby says "we have lived here 18 years and never been broken into before..I am not changing anything"........ Does sleeping with the gun on the floor next to his side of the bed count?

Well, there have been a few changes.........
this is the new resident of the alcove and I have started leaving the radio on if I leave (we have an outside speaker). Hubby and I have spent some time discussing different situations and what to we might do. I have reminded myself...."put the good stuff in the safe" and I have decided to get rid of a lot of the jewelry I don't wear.

Where was I for my birthday?

Did you guess the Bass Pro Shop? Actually this was just a stop to kill time, but if you have never been in one of these, it is worth the stop. I planned the day myself and it pretty much all backfired....after church we were to go to a place called "The Farm".........If you go to their web site you will easily see how I had these visions of the beautiful gardens and a lovely lunch etc. Well, they were having some kind of an event and it was so packed we had to park across the street, it was nearing 90 degrees and the lunch restuaurant was a self serve......not quite what I had in mind but hubby came to the rescue and took me to Aunt Chilada's mexican food restaurant instead. We planned to spend the night at the newly opened Talking Stick casino but got a phone call the day before with lots of apologies because they didn't pass their fire inspection and could not honor our reservation BUT they had made reservations at the Scottsdale Resort

all paid for including taxes and would be sending a voucher for a free night at the casino at a later date....how is that for too cool:):) Still stopped at the casino and lost my normal amount. The resort had a beautiful room and we had a wonderful dinner at their restaurant as well as a great breakfast buffet......ah, it was a good birthday after all.

Hmmmmm I am seeing a pattern.............most everything includes food:)