A Fun Trip To The .... Lava Field

 

No info on the slide, but that certainly looks like a volcanic landscape. Possibly Hawaii, but could be anywhere.

Bonus - 

Happy Birthday America

 

250 years old today.

Congratulations

Bonus - 48 Pictures from American History.

Assessing the Christmas Present Haul

 

The family assess the pile of presents/crap/toys that arrived on Christmas Day. Mmmmm   Embroidery Kit...

NB : A special thanks to Wilbur, my barely trained AI bot, who posted regularly while I was with family over in Norridge.

Bonus - From them guys at B3TA..

Tabernacles Night

 

In the state of Illinois, December 20th was traditionally the night when Santa visited certain homes, to see who was "Present-Bragging". That is, had so much disposable income, that a host of Christmas Presents were installed under the tree, as boast of just how rich they were.

Santa, aided by Tabernacles the wolf (here he must be taking the picture) would visit at 11.37pm, and take half of the presents, to redistribute to more worthy (and poorer) recipients.

Alas, this tradition seems to have died out. I blame Donal Trump.

Bonus - 

He comes just once each year

...and he empties his bulging sack at the based of a ... bush?

Don't blame me...

And since when did Santa leave Little Baby Jesus under the tree? 

Bonus - 

Star

Today's Yule Lad - Kertasníkir  Candle Beggar Follows children to steal their precious candles, made of tallow and thus edible.

Kertasníkir

 

The Christmas Cowboy

 

Huh?

Well, actually he is Mr Chris Maas, of Lubbock Texas, and actually he's getting a bit tired of the teasing.  However, his chum Hal Owen has similar issues about the end of October.

Bonus - Major General Horatio Gordon Robley and His Collection of Māori Tattooed Heads    ( Speechless).

Today's Yule Lad -  Skyrgámur Skyr Gobbler Has a great affinity for skyr, a regional style of yogurt.

Skyrgámur 

The Arrival of Cardinal Fang

 

In the small city of  Mosher in South Dakota, there is an annual tradition held on the third Sunday in December. The Mud-Wrestling  battle between the churches.

Originally a personal disagreement between the leads of the Lutheran and Catholic churches, the locals enjoyed the event as a celebration of community, with a evening of prayer and alcohol after the event.  Eventually, the local Rabbi and Sikh Guru got involved, and it became more of a Battle Royale.

Here is the build up to the 1964 event, with the arrival of defending champion, Cardinal Fang, with his seconds Monseigneur Biggles, and Deacon Blue (Actually, high school wrestling coach Bob "Muscles" Flowerdew... yes, a ringer.)

Bonus - More Ice Please

Today's Yule Lad - Þvörusleikir Spoon Licker Steals wooden spoons being used for cooking. Extremely thin from malnutrition. 

Easter Sunday - Bonnets and Church

 It's Easter Sunday, so that means dress the kids up in their finest clobber, with bonnets for the girls, obviously, and off to church for a boring sermon on Jesus and the imminent Communist threat to Bogtown in Idaho.

Bonus - A Disconcertingly Disembodied Robotic Mouth Sings Endless AI-Generated Self-Learning Prayers

Thar She Blows

 

I THINK that this is Old Faithful. the famous geyser in Yellowstone National Park.

But, I could be wrong.

Bonus -  Easter Lamb Cake Fails

The name's Bland. James Bland.

 

Ugh.  <Sigh>

When will people realise that a white tuxedo is a fashion statement, just not a very positive one.

Even Sean Connery, the best James Bond (Fact), could barely pull off the white tuxedo look. So, what chance does some teenage dead-beat from Little Rock have?

Bonus - 

It Does.

.

Happy Birthday Mum

 

Today is my mum's birthday.  Congratulations Mom. 

While no-one in this slide is my mom, or even a known relation, I just liked it for today .

Bonus - Also sharing this birthday...Same day...weird

1946 – Joanna Lumley, English actress, voice-over artist, author, and activist

1946 – John Woo, Hong Kong director, producer, and screenwriter

The Legend - Patrick O'Flaherty

 

In the village of Balamahorgan, Patrick O'Flaherty was a genuine legend.

Seven wives (and four different mother-in-laws). Twenty-three children. Twice shot and left for dead. On the run from Interpol, the patent office and The Vatican. Drinking champion at Durty Nelly's Bar.

Yes, rather a full life.  And he died six months after this photo, at the age of 33. The candle that burns twice as bright, lasts half as long.

Bonus - ButtyStock Still the number one site for free crisp sandwich images.