Month: April 2015

Living & Breathing “The Aloha Spirit”

Katharine Rose Armour of Light , , , , , , , , , , 1 Comment
The Aloha Spirit“Language is the road map of a culture. It tells you where its people come from and where they are going.” –Rita Mae Brown

Never before have I given so much thought and consideration to the symbolic nature of language as I did during a weeklong stay in O’ahu, one of the four main islands of a state that became the 50th in the nation in 1959.

Having faced various, and at times comical, communication barriers during travels in foreign countries, it seems rather odd thatHawai’i – an English speaking state – would end up having such a powerful impact. But, as was quickly made evident by the hospitality and generosity of a very friendly people, the Hawaiian language is more than just a fun sounding addition for vacationers in a paradisiacal setting: it’s a true representation of the spirit, philosophy and culture of the Hawaiian people. Read more

Serving Up The Old With The New

Jennifer Rose Around The Table 1 Comment

Strawberry Chiffon Pie RecipeThis Easter season, we reflect on why traditions are important, feature ATG’s pick of some of the most famous Easter traditions and serve up some “old” and new Spring recipes, below (including Strawberry Chiffon Pie, Avocado and Crab Salad, and Lemon-Scented Risotto with Seared Scallops):

Cast off winter’s heavy garb with a slice of Strawberry Chiffon Pie. Light and airy and sweet as a breath of Spring air, it is a “traditional” dish from the ancient days of Betty Crocker – America’s fictional home cook, created for a promotional gimmick by Gold Medal Flour in 1921 to personalize responses to consumer inquiries. Betty Crocker became a cultural icon and part of American families’ food “traditions” for more than 90 years! Read more

The World’s Most Interesting Easter Traditions

Katharine Rose Armour of Light 0 Comment

Origin of Easter BunnyThis Easter season, we reflect on why traditions matter, offer both “old” and new delicious Spring recipes, and feature ATG’s pick of some of the most famous and unique Easter traditions from around the world, below:

“Tradition, symbolism and religion lie at the heart of Easter. It is the most important festival in the Christian year, marking the death of Christ on Good Friday and celebrating his resurrection three days later on Easter Sunday.  As a movable feast, Easter follows the lunar calendar – it falls on the first Sunday after the first full moon of the Spring Equinox. It is believed to derive from the Anglo-Saxon festival Eostre, which honored Eastre, the goddess of spring and dawn…” –Pippa Middleton, from her book, Celebrate: A Year of Festivities for Family and Friends (see below)
1. GERMANY: Frohe Ostern!

Most interesting Easter tradition: Sommertagszug or “the summer day parade”

This parade takes place three weeks before Easter on Laetare Sunday (also known as mid-Lent) in the southwest provinces of Germany. It is intended to welcome the summer season and bid winter adieu.

The parade includes a Zug (train parade) full of kids dressed as little ducklings, with yellow rain jackets and ducks’ heads as hats, holding pretzels placed at the tip of sticks, which are decorated with ribbons and have an egg in the middle. Read more

Why Tradition Matters

Katharine Rose Rose's Ridge , , , , , , 2 Comments

Please note: this piece was also published in The Huffington Post.

Beautiful yellow daffodilsMuch like any other holiday or religious observance, Easter brings with it a variety of cultural and familial traditions. Whether it be participating in a neighborhood Easter egg hunt, painting Easter eggs with your family (and deliberately sabotaging them so yours turn out better), attending a sunrise service or decorating trees with Easter eggs, it is often these small traditions that create happy and lasting memories, holding a special place in our life as we grow older.

Yet, while we tend to welcome and value such traditions, the word “tradition”* or “traditional” – removed from a seasonal or celebratory context – tends not to be the most lauded term, particularly in a world that continues to “progress” at an unprecedented speed, with an abundant number of changes, upgrades and “improvements” impressed upon us daily.

It seems only natural, then, for questions to arise as to the point of or value of tradition:

  • What does “tradition” have to offer us if, by its very definition – “a way of thinking, behaving, or doing something that has been used by the people in a particular group, family, society, etc., for a long time” – it is rooted in the past?

Read more

Happy April Fool’s Day!

Jennifer and Katharine Rose Armour of Light 1 Comment
CONGRATULATIONS!!! You are the 100th person to have viewed our website today. Click below on “All Things Foolish” to receive our April Fool’s giveaway.

April Fool's DayWhether you like April Fool’s Day or not, certainly we’ve all been “fooled” at times, acted “foolish” toward others or have caused others to think: “what a fool.”

The definition of the word “fool”*, however, is wide ranging and can be used in a light-hearted, jokingly way – “you blockhead”, says Charlie Brown or, as Buddy the Elf put it, “I’m a cotton headed ninny muggins” – or in a more serious tone, it can indicate someone who is deceiving or impious.

So, be careful on this April Fool’s Day not to be such a dolt or dunderhead as to think that All Things Good is foolish enough to give anything away! (…just kidding…except we really aren’t giving anything away!) Read more