The Ruthwell Cross is an 18-foot-tall, free-standing stone carving that depicts scenes from the bible, decorative vine work, and 18 verses from the Old English poem in Anglo-Saxon runes and Latin lettering. It is a "preaching cross," most likely designed to either convert pagans to Christianity or to instruct Christians from a pagan background.The Ruthwell Cross is a powerful religious symbol, a marvelous work of Anglo-Saxon art, and a significant source of literary and historical evidence.Origins of the Ruthwell Cross:

The date of the cross’s construction has been much debated and remains uncertain to this day. Taking into account the linguistic features, artistic design, and the fact that it is clearly an Anglian product in what was once a Celtic region, historians generally concur that it was produced sometime after about 650, and probably later.Some scholars believe the Ruthwell Cross was produced after the Synod of Whitby in the 660s. One theory maintains it was constructed half a century later as a direct result of Bede and Ceolfrith’s mission to King Nechtan in 710 (see Hilda and Caedmon: The Dream of the Rood by Julia Bolton Holloway).History of the Ruthwell Cross:

The cross stood in Ruthwell, in the county of Dumfriesshire, Dumfries and Galloway council area, Scotland, for centuries. A community grew up around it, a church was established, and the cross was incorporated into the church grounds. Then, in 1640, after Scotland had become a Protestant nation, the Church of Scotland General Assembly passed an Act to demolish "Idolatrous Monuments," like crosses and images of Jesus and the saints. The Ruthwell Cross suffered as a result of this act.The General Assembly ordered the destruction of the Ruthwell Cross. It was cast down, broken into pieces and scattered throughout the churchyard. It remained in this sad state until 1799, when Rev. Dr. Henry Duncan realized its historical significance and decided to piece it together again. This took 24 years, and when he was finished, much of the cross had worn down from weather and neglect, and some of it seemed deliberately defaced. The crossbeam was missing and had to be fabricated.The reconstructed cross stood in the garden until 1887, when it was declared an ancient monument and protected under the Ancient Monuments Protection Act of 1882. It was brought into the church, where a special apse was constructed to store it. The Ruthwell Cross can be seen there to this day.The Inscriptions:

The purpose of the cross as a teaching and preaching tool is finely served by the excellent carving of biblical scenes. More extraordinary still is in Anglo-Saxon runes, which may have been added a century or so after the initial construction of the cross. The runes have been the subject of intense study, and are particularly interesting because they contain six symbols indicating guttural sounds, whereas the Scandinavians employed only one or two.Sites of Interest: The Ruthwell Cross
A breakdown of the runes by Tony Jebson

The Ruthwell Cross: Dumfriesshire, Scotland
Photos of the cross and church, past and present, by Lister Matheson

From: historymedren.about.com

On her latest album, singer-songwriter Ferron is joined by some of modern music’s greatest female contributors: Indigo Girls, Ani DiFranco, Bitch, Samantha Parton, and JD Samson. Produced by Bitch, the album alternates between straight-up singer-songwriter tunes and more experimental story-songs.The Influence of Bitch kicks off with an attention-getter of a tune called "In the Meantime" (purchase/download) which comes across like a celebratory ladyfest, with various of the album’s collaborators caterwauling in the background, and driven early by a haunting piano and snapping track. It’s more than likely not the way you’d imagine a record by Ferron opening up, but that’s fine contribution of producer Bitch (Bitch and the Exciting Conclusion, Bitch & Animal).

From there, it moves on to a similarly themed poem and a lovely life story composition that keeps it simple with voice and guitar. "Highway" (purchase/download)—written by Bitch—is one of the album’s finest moments, combining Ferron’s exquisite poetic delivery, trotting fingerpicking guitar, and Bitch’s haunting, moaning violin.

Perhaps Bitch’s strongest contribution, however, is in the strong building of string looping halfway through "The Cart" (purchase/download). Here, the strings fulfill their entire purpose—as both melody and accompaniment, adding both depth and percussion.Stories and HighlightsFerroncourtesy the Karpel Group Ferron has long been lauded as one of the most eloquent singer/sognwriters, and her influence has been felt far and wide. is a fitting addition to her extraordinary catalogue. Although these are clearly Ferron’s songs, and the album is clearly driven by her innate gifts, it comes off as more of a community effort. The talents and skills of these seven women are combined wholly to build upon Ferron’s already strong songwriting foundation.

"Our Purpose Here" (purchase/download) is a lovely, sad song about the trials of holding together a relationship through life on the road. Featuring backup harmonies by none other than the Indigo Girls, the song is beautifully arranged to break your heart all over again.

"Already Gone" (purchase/download) is one of the heart-breakingest tunes on the disc, singing an ode to the kind of relationship that ends when love just isn’t enough. "Is it me that you’re running from?" she sings, "Or did our love shine a little more than you were counting on?"

Overall, is a pretty heartbreaking record, but in the best possible way. The addition of her six gifted collaborators adds impressive dimension to her already moving compositions.

From: folkmusic.about.com

Slime is easy to make. It only takes a few ingredients and a few minutes to make a batch. To get started, gather the following materials: water white glue (like Elmer’s™) borax food coloring (unless you want uncolored white slime)

From: chemistry.about.com

PrevNextGallery IndexImage 4 of 6Dean Hendler / Copyright 2007 NBC UniversalTrevor Donovan (ex-Jeremy) and Shelley Hennig (Stephanie)Stephanie poses with Jeremy, who was her not so nice boyfriend at the time.PrevNext

From: daysofourlives.about.com

For a Flaky Crust:
Make you pie crust with ice water.

To Prevent a Soggy Bottom Crust:
Never Bake a Pie on a Rainy Day. Pre-bake the crust. Prick the bottom of the crust with a fork. Place in a 425 degree oven on the lowest rack for 5 or so minutes. Move the crust up to the middle rack and bake for another 6 to 7 minutes. Pust the center down with a fork if necessary or use pie weights*. If the edges of the crust become brown, cover edges with foil. After cooking the whole pie, cool on a wire rack.

To Prevent a Tough Crust:
Don’t over handle the dough.

For a Nice Glaze on Your Crust:
Brust with either egg whites, yolks or milk.

To Patch Tears in Unbaked Crust:
Brush pie shell with water and then gently apply scraps of rolled dough.

To Stop Pies from Leaking Through the Bottom Crust:
Sprinkle sugar on bottom of pie or brush with slightly beaten raw egg. Pie Recipes Apple Pie a la Zing
Blueberry Pie
Cherry Pie
Lemon Chess Pie
Pecan Pie
Even More Pie Recipes

From: baking.about.com