The Story of the Candy Cane

   I love everything about the Christmas season.  I love putting up the tree, baking and frosting cookies, making gingerbread houses, putting up the lights, and yes even the Christmas snow.  I also enjoy the vibrant colors of red and green that you see wherever you go and the symbols of Christmas that you see everywhere that can include: the gingerbread man, the snowman, the manger, the star, pine trees, candy canes, and much much more.  The other day though, I started thinking, "When did these Christmas traditions start?" Well, I decided to find out.  Let's start with the candy cane, a red and white striped candy that can be licked for hours or used to decorate a tree. How did this candy originate and what does it mean? Keep reading to find out.
    The original candy canes started to appear in the seventeenth century around the same time that it became popular to decorate Christmas trees in Europe.  Back then, people often made their own decorations and they often consisted of things like cookies and candies.  These candy canes looked a little different though, as they were straight and solid white.
    It wasn't until 1670 that the candy cane got its hook like shape.  A choirmaster at the Cologne Cathedral bent the candies into the shape of a hook to represent the shepherd's staff.  He then passed them out to the Children to keep them from fidgeting during the Living Nativity ceremonies.  After this it became popular to hand these staff shaped candy canes out during church ceremonies.
  In the 1800's using candy canes as Christmas tree decorations became popular in America and it wasn't until the 1920's that the red stripes appeared.
   The candy cane has also become a symbol for the Christian faith.  The hardness of the candy represents God's church being founded on a rock.  The shape of the candy can either represent a "J" for Jesus or a shepherd's staff, showing how Jesus watches over his children, or flock.  The red stripes represent Jesus' blood, and the three small stripes represent either the Holy Trinity or they can represent our small sacrifices in comparison with Jesus' one big sacrifice represented by the big stripe.
  Candy Canes are a great way to celebrate the holiday season.  They taste good, can be used for decoration, and even remind us what Christmas is all about, the birth of our Savior, Jesus.

Info from:
http://www.candycanefacts.com/candy-cane-history/
http://www.christianitytoday.com/ch/news/2004/cane.html

Picture from:
http://idesigniphone.com/candy-canes

Cat of the week: The Munchkin

    The Munchkin cat was named after the characters in The Wizard of Oz due to having similar characteristics to those characters.  These cats are medium sized, weighing between eight and ten pounds.  They are round with well developed muscles, but are not bulky.  They have thick tails that they proudly hold up while walking and big, wide spaced, round eyes.  Their heads are triangular in shape with rounded features. What these cats are most notable for and named for though are there legs.  A munchkin has very short legs and are often compared to a dashund.  This was caused by a spontaneous mutation in a dominant gene.  These cats also have strong and round paws. There average life span is 9+ years.  The Munchkin can have either short or long hair and come in a wide variety of colors and patterns including black, white, gray, and orange.

    The munchkin was only recently discovered, but sightings of a short legged cat have gone back all the way before World War 2. in 1983 this breed was discovered in Louisiana by a woman named Sandra Hochenedel who was looking for a family pet.
    The munchkin would make a great family pet.  They are playful and cuddly and often keep a "kitten-like" personality.  They do great with kids and other pets.  They are friendly and adventurous and are fun to have around.  They are very gentle and affectionate and love to be their owners friend.  These cats love to play and some even learn to play fetch!  Others can even be trained to walk on a leash.  Although they have short legs, this trait sure doesn't hold them back.  They can run at high speeds, climb, and some can even jump onto counters, although some can't jump as high.  These cats do not require a lot of grooming, just the occasional brushing to keep their fur from forming mats and to get out loose hair.  The Munchkin has a very easygoing personality and would be a great addition to any household.

Info from:
http://www.catsinfo.com/munchkin.html
http://www.catbreedsjunction.com/munchkin-cat.html
http://www.marshu.com/marsh-munchkin-hemingway-cat-breed.php

Picture from:
http://animaldiscovery-chanel.blogspot.com/2011/03/munchkin-cat-beutiful-cats-and-breeds.html

Breed of the Week: The Basenji

    The Basenji is a smaller dog that weighs about 20 to 26 pounds and stands about 15 to 17 inches off of the ground.  They are usually square in shape and have an elegant, athletic look to them.  They have ears that stick straight up in the air and a tail that tightly curls.  Some other characteristics of the basenji are their almond shaped eyes and their wrinkled foreheads.  This dog is often compared to a deer and has a sort of "gallop" for a run.  These dog have a short and silky fur that comes in a variety of different colors and patterns including: red black, brindle, white or a mixture of these colors.

    The Basenji is one of the oldest breeds of dogs and originated in central Africa. Dogs similar to the Basenji, sharing the characteristics of pointed ears and curly tails, have been seen as statues in the tombs of Egyptian pharaohs and date back thousands of years.  These dogs were originally used to hunt for small game.  They would chase the animal into a net for their masters.  it wasn't until the 1930's that this breed was brought to first Europe and then to America due to disease preventing them from coming over at earlier times. The basenji was first recognized by the AKC in 1943.

    The Basenji is a wonderful breed of dog.  They are a proud and playful dog. They are also very intelligent and may try to outsmart you while playing.  This would be a good breed of dog if you have a good amount of time for them because they like to have their owners attention. They tend to be more independent than a lot of other breeds though.  These dogs can be stubborn but can also be trained with a little patience.  The Basenji is known to have a lot of energy so it is very important to exercise them daily by playing with them and taking them for walks.  These dogs are very athletic and would do well in a family with an active lifestyle.  Being that they are athletic they do well in things like agility courses and tracking.  They do need to be either on a leash or in a fenced in area when outside because they do have the instinct to chase.  The Basenji tends to be a quieter breed, but they can be loud when they want to be. They are also an affectionate breed and love their families and can be protective of them.  They can be wary of strangers though, so it is important to socialize them at a young age.  Most Basenji's do well with children as long as they are gentle with them.  They also do well with most other pets and would probably enjoy a companion. This breed sheds and average amount and an occasional brushing can help to cut down on loose hair.  Basenji's can be a little tricky to train, but overall they are great companions and would make a great friend!
   
Info from:
http://www.justdogbreeds.com/basenji.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Basenji#History
http://www.trainpetdog.com/Basenji/about-basenji.html

Picture from:
http://dog.blog.abc101.com/dog-breeds/a-basenji/e

Peanut Butter Jelly Time!!

  When you think of America you get the visuals of apple pie, hot dogs, and hamburgers; but what about the peanut butter and jelly sandwich?  Every American has shared the experience of this yummy treat that is good for breakfast, lunch, dinner, or even just a snack.  It's delicious nutritious, and quick, making it great for the busy family.  They've bitten into that gooey mix of bread, peanut butter, and either grape or strawberry jelly.  They have all experienced the jelly squirting out the other side of that first delicious bite, and they have all had the experience of a glob of gooey and delicious peanut butter sticking to the roof of their mouth.  These sandwiches are staple for people of all ages, but how did this treat become so popular?   

    Let's start with peanut butter.  The history of crushing peanuts goes far back, but in 1880 a physician by the name of Dr. Ambrose W. Staub crushed peanuts into a paste for his geriatric patients that had poor teeth and could not chew on tough meat. 

In 1893 Dr. Staub brought his new creation to the Chicago World fair, where it started to gain some popularity.  In 1903 Dr. Staub received a patent for a mill to crush peanuts and he urged a food company by the name of Bayle Food Products in St. Louis, Missouri to process this paste, and he claimed it would be a healthy protein alternative for people who could not eat meat due to bad teeth.  Bayle Food Products took Dr. Staub up on his idea and purchased the rights to his product.  This was the first vendor of what we now call peanut butter.  After the company took peanut butter to the Saint Louis world fair in 1904 it became a huge success, made a lot of money and grocers everywhere began to sell this product.  By the 1920's commercial peanut butter brands were starting to be seen as peanut butter became more and more popular.

    The next step for this delicious treat came during World War 2.  Peanut butter and jelly were both on the ration list during the war.  Peanut butter was a great alternative for protein for the soldiers and they would add jelly to make it more tasty.  This became very popular and the profit from both peanut butter and jelly increased greatly when the soldiers returned home. This was what became the peanut butter and jelly sandwich  Also, during this time peanut butter was cheap for families to buy and was not rationed, making it a popular staple among families.    

Info from:
http://whatscookingamerica.net/History/Sandwiches/PeanutButterJellySandwich.htmm:

Picture from:
http://theobservedblog.blogspot.com/2009/08/frozen-peanut-butter-and-jelly.html