Time to sail the world

A wedding is a ceremony where two people are united in marriage. Wedding traditions and customs vary greatly between cultures, ethnic groups, religions, countries, and social classes. Most wedding ceremonies involve an exchange of wedding vows by the couple, presentation of a gift (offering, ring(s), symbolic item, flowers, money), and a public proclamation of marriage by an authority figure. Special wedding garments are often worn, and the ceremony is sometimes followed by a wedding reception. Music, poetry, prayers or readings from religious texts or literature are also commonly incorporated into the ceremony.

A number of cultures have adopted the traditional Western custom of the white wedding, in which a bride wears a white wedding dress and veil. This tradition was popularized through the wedding of Queen Victoria.

Weddings are fun! And, a wedding of hikers while hiking is more much fun. If you are attending a wedding of a hiker, what gift should you give to the bride – a nice pair of best hiking boots for women!

Some say Victoria’s choice of a white gown may have simply been a sign of extravagance, but may have also been influenced by the values she held which emphasized sexual purity. Within the modern ‘white wedding’ tradition, a white dress and veil are unusual choices for a woman’s second or subsequent wedding.

The wedding ceremony is often followed by wedding reception or a wedding breakfast, in which the rituals may include speeches from the groom, best man, father of the bride and possibly the bride, the newlyweds’ first dance as a couple, and the cutting of an elegant wedding cake.

Art of Cooking

This is our favorite recipe for poblano and onion hash browns. This is a dish you can easily improvise with and add your own flare to make it your own. Everyone we’ve made this for absolutely loves it!

What You’ll Need

  • 2 medium baking potatoes, peeled and shredded
  • 1/2 medium onion, diced
  • 1 poblano pepper, diced
  • 2 Tbsp. oil
  • 1 Tbsp. chili powder, or to taste
  • Salt and pepper, to taste

Preparation and Cooking

  1. Soak the shredded potatoes in cold water for about 30 minutes. Drain and pat dry with paper towels, removing as much moisture as possible.
  2. In a large bowl, combine the shredded potatoes, onion, and poblano pepper and stir.
  3. Place a large, heavy skillet over medium-high heat and add the oil. Once hot, add the potato mixture, sprinkle with half the chili powder and cook until the bottom begins to brown (about 5 to 7 minutes).
  4. Flip over, or stir, the hash browns. Add the remaining chili powder and cook for an additional 5 to 7 minutes. Once desired crispiness is achieved, season with salt and pepper, if desired, and serve.

Glazing at the Sky

An emission nebula is a nebula formed of ionized gases that emit light of various colors.

An emission nebula is a nebula formed of ionized gases that emit light of various colors. The most common source of ionization is high energy photons emitted from a nearby hot star. Among the several different types of emission nebulae are H II regions, in which star formation is taking place and young, massive stars are the source of the ionizing photons; and planetary nebulae, in which a dying star has thrown off its outer layers, with the exposed hot core then ionizing them.

Usually, a young star will ionize part of the same cloud from which it was born although only massive, hot stars can release sufficient energy to ionize a significant part of a cloud. In many emission nebulae, an entire cluster of young stars is doing the work.The nebula’s color depends on its chemical composition and degree of ionization. Due to the prevalence of hydrogen in interstellar gas, and its relatively low energy of ionization, many emission nebulae appear red due to the strong emissions of the Balmer series.