catnipoflife

Not everyone will be home during the holiday season. Places at the dinner table, seats in a favorite chair, wine or water glasses will remain empty, especially on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day. Distance, obligation, estrangement, illness, money, various reasons will prevent family members from gathering together. Among those not home are our military men and women serving our country on foreign shores or a veteran without a home which should never be.

Source: awakenings2012.blogspot.com

While celebrating during the Christmas seasonAlways remember those away from home

Keep them in your hearts, cherish them in your soul
A day may come when you find yourself alone

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Amid all the festiveness of the holiday season come times of remembrance… Christmas past, family and friends gone but not forgotten. There is an overwhelming sense of sadness that at the same time brings on smiles of the heart. The joy, the laughter, the silliness within the seriousness of the time. With Christmas, there is always music, special music. Some of the melodies have been passed down from generation to generation while new ones hit the scene with the changing times.

Welcome into the Spotlight: Mud, an English glam rock band with their 1974 hit on this day, “Lonely This Christmas.”

Source: awakenings2012.blogspot.com

Loving memories of those who have passed on are rekindled everyday in music that lives on and on and on…

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This Day in History: December 18, 1787

New Jersey, The Garden State, The Clam State, The Jersey Blue State

The Garden State boast a history of agriculture and fertile soil with awe-inspiring sights of sunny shores and city views. New Jersey is the leading producer of cranberries, blueberries and tomatoes. Summertime invites each child (or the child in all of us) from New Jersey and beyond to stroll Wildwood’s boardwalk – “a two mile long human circus of noise, honky-tonk, and amusement rides.” 

The first board walk in the world was built in 1870 at Atlantic city. From the Jersey Shore to the City of Hoboken, from Camden to Cape May, from the Miss America pageant to hit the jackpot at the slot machines in Atlantic City, there is never a dull moment.

Source: www.awakenings2012.blogspot.com

One of the original 13 colonies, New Jersey was an important battleground during the American Revolution. On December 18, 1787, New Jersey became the third state to ratify the United States Constitution, which was overwhelmingly popular throughout the state, as it prevented New York and Pennsylvania from charging and keeping tariffs on goods imported from Europe. On November 20, 1789, the state became the first in the newly formed Union to ratify the Bill of Rights. The capital of New Jerseyis Trenton.

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This Day in History: December 14, 1819

Alabama, The Yellowhammer State; The Heart of Dixie; The Cotton State

Alabama State Motto: “We dare maintain our rights” (Audemus jura nostra defendere)

Buckle up and “Roll Tide” as we journey over vast cotton fields, endless waters, storied football stadiums, and historical landmarks that collectively tell the tale of Sweet Home Alabama. Discover its rich history as we reveal the astronomical discoveries that helped us reach the moon and the civil rights victories that forged a path to equality for millions. The story of the Cotton State has as many dramatic turns as the tracks of the Talladega Superspeedway.

Source: awakenings2012.blogspot.com

Alabama joined the union as the 22nd state on December 14, 1819. During the first half of the 19th century, cotton and slave labor were central to Alabama’s economy. In the mid-20th century, Alabama was at the center of the American Civil Rights Movement. The capital of Alabama is Montgomery, which was the capital of the Confederacy during the civil war.

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This Day in History: December 12, 1787

Pennsylvania, The Keystone State, The Quaker State 

Pennsylvania is one of the thirteen original colonies. The Dutch and the English claimed both sides of the Delaware River as part of their colonial lands in America. The Dutch were the first to take possession, which had an impact on the history of Pennsylvania. The Founding Fathers of the United States convened in Philadelphia, were responsible for drawing up the Declaration of Independence and later the Articles of Confederation that formed 13 independent colonies into a new nation. Pennsylvania became the 2nd state to ratify the U.S. Constitution on December 12, 1787, five days after Delaware became the first. Philadelphia served as the nation’s capitol for ten years while Federal City (now Washington, D.C.) was under construction. The state capital is Harrisburg

Source: awakenings2012.blogspot.com

The Keystone State embodies large cities and small towns, where tradition thrives, Nittany Lions roar, and freedom rings. It’s where the first football game was played and the bloodiest Civil War battle was fought. Where American Independence began and America’s westward expansion commenced. Whether you prefer cheese steak or chocolate, Andy Warhol or Rocky Balboa, Pennsylvania has something for everyone!

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This Day in History: December 11, 1816

Indiana, The Hoosier State

Christened in 1800, “Indiana” means Land of the Indians or Land of Indians, named so for the Indian tribes that lived there when white settlers arrived. Various American Indian tribes are a significant part of Indiana history, including the Miamis, Chippewa, Delawares, Erie, Shawnee, Iroquois, Kickapoo, Potawatomies, Mahican, Nanticoke, Huron, and Mohegan. To honor the people to whom the land originally belonged and from whom it had been obtained, it was Indiana, land of the Indians. Indiana was admitted to the United States as the 19th U.S. state on December 11, 1816.

Source: awakenings2012.blogspot.com

The Hoosier State may boast a rich basketball and motorsports tradition, but it also offers the non-sports fan a surprising number of sightseeing opportunities. From the Indiana World War Memorial to the Madison Historic District, to the Angel Mounts scattered throughout the southwestern corner of the state, there are many sites you don’t want to miss.

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Mississippi: Where History Runs Deep

This Day in History: December 10, 1817

Mississippi, The Magnolia State, The Bayou State, The Eagle State

In Mississippi, culture and history run as deep as its mighty river. Soar over landmarks where Civil Rights movements were waged, Civil War battles were lost and the Blues were born. The Magnolia State is also a land of seductive landscapes and endless creativity, giving us literary geniuses such as William Faulkner and Tennessee Williams, plus musical legends Muddy Waters and Elvis. Take flight on this journey over a land of hospitality, beauty and complexity.

On December 10, 1817, Mississippi was the 20th state admitted to the Union.

Source: awakenings2012.blogspot.com

Mississippi is the Birthplace of American Music – whether it is Charley Patton and Son House’s interpretations of the Delta Blues, Elvis Presley and Rock ‘n’ Roll from Tupelo or Jimmie Rodgers the Father of Country Music from Meridian – America’s musical tradition was born and refined in the culture and struggles of Mississippi.

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When Awakenings was first conceived, the word ‘blog’ seemed like a word from a foreign language since I had no clue of its meaning. Thus, it began with an incorrect description. Check out my first post … you will get the gist of the confusion. The blog is the stage, the blogger is the person behind the scenes.

Source: awakenings2012.blogspot.com

Today, yet another milestone has been reached! To all followers and friends of Awakenings from around the world…Thank you for your support of Awakenings!

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This Day in History: December 7, 1787

Delaware,The First State; The Diamond State; Blue Hen State; Small Wonder

State Motto: “Liberty and Independence”

Delaware was the 1st of the 13 original states to ratify the United States Constitution on December 7, 1787. Prior to that date, it was the only colony to be claimed by Sweden, Holland and England. There is some even earlier evidence that Egyptian explorers found their way to the state. Today, Delaware has become a farming and industrial state. At one time the center of this country’s flour industry, it is today the leading producer of chemicals in the United States and, because of its corporate laws, more corporations are headquartered in Delaware than in any other state. The capital of Delaware is Dover.

Source: awakenings2012.blogspot.com

A Bit of Trivia…Delaware was the home of the first American beauty pageant. The first bathing beauty pageant in which contestants competed for the title of “Miss United States”, a predecessor of the Miss America pageant, took place in Rehoboth Beach in 1880 as a way to attract business during its summer festival. Inventor Thomas Edison was one of the three judges of the beauty contest. It was not until the 20th century when beauty pageants began to become a regular occurrence.

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This Day in History: December 7, 1941

The numbers of those who remember the sights, sounds, smells of world war, our veterans of WWII, are dwindling. Those who did survive returned home never to be the same, never to lose the memory of the horrors of war. Today, thoughts reflect back upon one of the defining moments in American history…a day that will live in infamy!

Source: awakenings2012.blogspot.com

Relive the day through the words of someone who was there. One of the few remaining survivors…Jim Carter, Navy airplane mechanic on Ford Island in 1941.

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