A giant white lizard and a Sasquatch battle each other while the witness observes the confrontation while hiking in the Washington forest near Kirkland.The following account was forwarded to me:"The witness was out hiking in the woods around Kirkland, Washington. He soon came upon a creature climbing a tree. Initially, he thought it was a giant white lizard. As he examined it, he made out that it was a translucent creature with a tail. Its body almost looked like an exoskeleton with stubby little legs or appendages. It turned its head around backward and was looking directly at him, making a snapping noise with its mouth. Its face had jagged bumps on the top and bottom and the witness could not tell where the teeth were or if the bumps were teeth.Suddenly, he began to hear a whooping noise. Just then, a creature came crashing through the brush. The white creature turned its head to listen and then began to scale further up the tree. A large blackish-brown bipedal creature (he recognized that it was a Sasquatch, though it was not similar to the one he had observed in 2003) suddenly came around the tree and grabbed it. The white creature whipped its tail, hitting its arm. Seemingly surprised, the white creature shrieked out, turned, and leaped onto the Sasquatch. Despite it being four times its size, the white creature fought wildly, crawling all over it and “burning it” with some type of substance that the witness assumed was some type of venom (“something was coming off of it”) which caused the Sasquatch to shriek in pain. Smoke was visible anytime the white creature would lean in to bite (though no spit was ever seen coming out of its mouth).After some time, the Sasquatch grabbed the white creature by its head and pulled it off. The white creature flipped forward and then its head spun 360° around. It bit the Sasquatch’s arm. The Sasquatch threw it against the tree and punched it, causing it to splat, similar to a fried egg. The white creature seemed to do this on purpose, elongating itself around the tree to absorb the blow. The white creature then hopped to another tree and the Sasquatch followed, attempting to hit it with a stick. Eventually, the white thing fell out of the tree and ran into the woods. The Sasquatch followed it.The witness had no idea why, but the Sasquatch appeared to want to kill the white creature." D**********DISTURBING 'MIMICS!' - NATURAL, CRYPTIDS, or SOMETHING ELSE? | LIVE CHAT | Q & A (WITNESS REPORTS!)PHANTOMS & MONSTERS VIDEO LIBRARYPOLL: WHAT DO YOU THINK? Vote & comment on paranormal, cryptid & unexplained mysteries!LISTEN TO NARRATIONS OF PHANTOMS & MONSTERS REPORTS & CASES - PLEASE SUBSCRIBE, LIKE & SHAREPHANTOMS & MONSTERS RADIO Podcasts on SpotifyPHANTOMS & MONSTERS READING LISTCHICAGO MOTHMAN / O'HARE BATMAN YouTube PlaylistHave you had a sighting or encounter?Contact me by email or call the hotline at 410-241-5974Thanks. LonOUR SOCIAL MEDIA LINKSBigfoot and Other Cryptid Videos on YouTubeLYCANS! - PENNSYLVANIA'S CRYPTID CANINES UPDATE'KILLER BIGFOOT' HUNTED BY U.S. SPECIAL FORCES / GLIMMER MAN / MANTIS HUMANOIDSCRAWLER HUMANOIDS - GRUESOME INVADERS! (REAL EYEWITNESS ENCOUNTERS!)WEREWOLVES: DO THEY EXIST?'DOGMAN IN OUR YARD!' - AN OHIO FAMILY'S 12-YEAR SAGA WITH CRYPTID CANINESHey, folks. Thanks for the congrats on 'The Mothman Revisited' episode on Unsolved Mysteries. As a result, we are receiving more sighting reports and are very excited and grateful for the new information!I sincerely thank the Unsolved Mysteries team and Netflix for allowing us to tell the world about this phenomenon.If you have information about this or any other cryptid or unexplained sighting or encounter, please feel free to contact me by email or at 410-241-5974. Thanks again! LonCHICAGO MOTHMAN / O'HARE BATMAN YouTube PlaylistChicago / Lake Michigan Winged Humanoid Regional Interactive MapHey, folks. Please feel free to share your thoughts & comments on the recently uploaded video of the CHICAGO MOTHMAN. I'm interested in what you have to say. Thanks. LonEXCLUSIVE VIDEO of CHICAGO MOTHMAN RECORDED----------Become a Phantoms & Monsters Radio Insider - just $2.99 monthly, and receive these perks. Thanks for your support!-Members-only live chats-Exclusive members-only videos-Priority reply to members' commentsHave perks suggestions? LMK-----YOUR SUPPORT IS APPRECIATED! THANKS-----Have you had a sighting or encounter?Contact us by email or call the hotline at 410-241-5974Thanks. Lon Noted UFOlogist Dr. Raymond Keller believes the idea of extraterrestrials and even ultra-dimensional beings from many different planets and alternate realms living and working among us clandestinely is more than just another conspiracy theory.Available on Amazon.comSan Francisco Book Festival Honorable MentionNew York Book Festival Honorable MentionAlso available with audiobooknarration by Terry Springs,CBS-TV Las Vegas affiliate.This blog and newsletter are licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Work 3.0 United States License.Registered trademark PHANTOMS AND MONSTERS ® / PHANTOMS & MONSTERS ® - USPTO #90902480 - Lon D. Strickler© 2005-2024 Phantoms & Monsters - All Rights Reserved

A farmer in a small village in Macedonia is digging up a new part of his field when the plow hits an object. It's a box that's chained shut. Being brave and curious (and probably hoping it contained gold or something that might get him his own reality show), he opened the box and found a strange skull that looked to him to be from a werewolf or 'Vrkolak' in the local language. Is it?That is the story a farmer named Trayche from Novo Selo Stipsko in Macedonia told Filip Ganov, a Bulgarian student who was in the village doing research on the Balkan Wars. The inside lid of the box contains lettering in Cyrillic script which is common in Bulgarian and Macedonian languages. No translation was given of the lettering, which would have been helpful.Trayche would not part with his werewolf skull but he did let Ganov take pictures, which were presented to a wildlife expert in Bulgaria who speculated that it was indeed from a wolf but not necessarily a werewolf. Instead, he surmised the wolf was suffering from Paget's disease, a genetic disorder (also common in humans) that can cause misshapen bones and enlarged skulls. Paget's disease can be caused by canine distemper virus, a common virus in wolves and dogs.The skull definitely looks both canine and human and a little baboonish, which would probably cause some consternation among Bulgarians and Macedonians raised on Eastern European folklore. The chain around the box is a good indication whoever buried it believed it was a creature they did not want roaming around again.So, is Trayche's skull-in-a-box from a werewolf? It's definitely a creature that's out of the norm. Only a DNA test will tell. Until then, Trayche probably keeps digging and hoping for a reality show. - IOKHThe Vrkolak From BulgariaWerewolves have become one of the seminal spooks of monster culture, second in popularity only to the vampires. Werewolf lore can be found all around the world. Let's take a look at the Vrkolak, Bulgaria's favorite fullmoonophile.Bulgaria is a country rich with superstition, and its folklore includes tales of vampires, fountain spirits, treasure guardians, and more.These photos come to us from one of our readers, Filip, who gave us the inside scoop on werewolves in Bulgarian folklore. He stumbled upon this quite by accident: Filip is actually a historian. "While I was doing research for my book on the Balkan Wars I spent time in a small village, Novo Selo, close to Stip in Macedonia. I met a farmer named Trayche, who claimed to have found a box, chained shut, containing a werewolf while plowing a new section of the field," explained Filip.Depending on where you find yourself in Europe, werewolves may be linked to vampires. Sabine Baring-Gould explains the many variations of lycanthrope folklore in "The Book of Werewolves," noting the term "vrkolak" resembles the Greek term "bourkolakas.""The Greek werewolf is closely related to the vampire. The lycanthropist falls into a cataleptic trance, during which his soul leaves his body, enters that of a wolf, and ravens for blood. On the return of the soul, the body is exhausted and aches as though it had been put through violent exercise. After death lycanthropists become vampires. They are believed to frequent battlefields in wolf or hyena shapes, and to suck the breath from dying soldiers, or to enter houses and steal the infants from their cradles," Baring-Gould writes.Where did this concept of a werewolf come from? In some ways, it could be a misunderstanding of a disease or an interpretation of older myths and beliefs. "I took some pictures and shared them with a government wildlife official. He said that it was most likely a wolf that suffered from Paget disease, which caused the skull to increase in size and appear more human-like. It wasn't long ago people or animals with malformations were thought to be demon-possessed. So, it is not unusual that a wolf with bone disease would be labeled as a werewolf," Filip said. - IBTimesWerewolves: The Occult TruthVampires, Burial, and Death: Folklore and RealityThe Vampire In Russia, Romania And BulgariaMonsters: An Investigator's Guide to Magical Beings**********DISTURBING 'MIMICS!' - NATURAL, CRYPTIDS, or SOMETHING ELSE? | LIVE CHAT | Q & A (WITNESS REPORTS!)PHANTOMS & MONSTERS VIDEO LIBRARYPOLL: WHAT DO YOU THINK? Vote & comment on paranormal, cryptid & unexplained mysteries!LISTEN TO NARRATIONS OF PHANTOMS & MONSTERS REPORTS & CASES - PLEASE SUBSCRIBE, LIKE & SHAREPHANTOMS & MONSTERS RADIO Podcasts on SpotifyPHANTOMS & MONSTERS READING LISTCHICAGO MOTHMAN / O'HARE BATMAN YouTube PlaylistHave you had a sighting or encounter?Contact me by email or call the hotline at 410-241-5974Thanks. LonOUR SOCIAL MEDIA LINKSBigfoot and Other Cryptid Videos on YouTubeLYCANS! - PENNSYLVANIA'S CRYPTID CANINES UPDATE'KILLER BIGFOOT' HUNTED BY U.S. SPECIAL FORCES / GLIMMER MAN / MANTIS HUMANOIDSCRAWLER HUMANOIDS - GRUESOME INVADERS! (REAL EYEWITNESS ENCOUNTERS!)WEREWOLVES: DO THEY EXIST?'DOGMAN IN OUR YARD!' - AN OHIO FAMILY'S 12-YEAR SAGA WITH CRYPTID CANINESHey, folks. Thanks for the congrats on 'The Mothman Revisited' episode on Unsolved Mysteries. As a result, we are receiving more sighting reports and are very excited and grateful for the new information!I sincerely thank the Unsolved Mysteries team and Netflix for allowing us to tell the world about this phenomenon.If you have information about this or any other cryptid or unexplained sighting or encounter, please feel free to contact me by email or at 410-241-5974. Thanks again! LonCHICAGO MOTHMAN / O'HARE BATMAN YouTube PlaylistChicago / Lake Michigan Winged Humanoid Regional Interactive MapHey, folks. Please feel free to share your thoughts & comments on the recently uploaded video of the CHICAGO MOTHMAN. I'm interested in what you have to say. Thanks. LonEXCLUSIVE VIDEO of CHICAGO MOTHMAN RECORDED----------Become a Phantoms & Monsters Radio Insider - just $2.99 monthly, and receive these perks. Thanks for your support!-Members-only live chats-Exclusive members-only videos-Priority reply to members' commentsHave perks suggestions? LMK-----YOUR SUPPORT IS APPRECIATED! THANKS-----Have you had a sighting or encounter?Contact us by email or call the hotline at 410-241-5974Thanks. Lon Noted UFOlogist Dr. Raymond Keller believes the idea of extraterrestrials and even ultra-dimensional beings from many different planets and alternate realms living and working among us clandestinely is more than just another conspiracy theory.Available on Amazon.comSan Francisco Book Festival Honorable MentionNew York Book Festival Honorable MentionAlso available with audiobooknarration by Terry Springs,CBS-TV Las Vegas affiliate.This blog and newsletter are licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Work 3.0 United States License.Registered trademark PHANTOMS AND MONSTERS ® / PHANTOMS & MONSTERS ® - USPTO #90902480 - Lon D. Strickler© 2005-2024 Phantoms & Monsters - All Rights Reserved

I received the following narrative from a reader in 2014. I was aware of a similar account but the witness assures me that this encounter actually happened to her:"When I was 10 years old, my grandmother started to recall stories about a special friend, by the name of Percy, who she had when she was a girl. My grandmother lived in the same house since she was born, a huge old Antebellum-era house just outside of Elba, Alabama.Apparently, Percy was a young adult and she was 10 years old when she met him. She would sometimes see him on the edge of the woods not far from the house and when she would tell her family to look they would see nothing. After a while people started to think she was crazy, saying ‘It’s just your imagination’. So she eventually gave up saying she was just playing a joke, though she still continued to see him. She would say that he was very nice and kind, as well as very handsome.When I was 12, I was staying at my grandmother's house during my summer vacation. I was unpacking my suitcase in one of the bedrooms. As I tried to pull open one of the dresser drawers, it wouldn’t budge at all. I yanked, groaned, and moaned but to no avail. After about 5 minutes of desperation, I heard a low-pitched chuckle. I turned around, but nothing was there. I was completely puzzled because I knew what I heard, but decided to brush it off.Several years later my grandmother passed away. My family and I decided to stay at my grandmother's house during the time of her viewing and funeral since we lived about 5 hours away.The funeral was conducted at her house in the large front living room. After the ceremony, the pallbearers carried her casket to the hearse parked in the front when I noticed out of the corner of my eye someone quickly running into the bushes at the edge of the woods. I thought it may have been one of the neighbors though the nearest farm was about a mile or so away.That night I was in the same room where I usually slept at my grandmother's house, which was her old bedroom when she was a child. As I lay in the bed, I heard soft moans and whimpering. The sound was coming from the direction of the window and balcony. The evening was very dark and moonlight peaking through the trees, the only source of illumination. As my eyes adjusted I could make out the figure of a man, but more of a shadow instead of a solid body. The specter was sitting down on the balcony floor, its elbows resting on its knees and its head hung down in its hands.After a few moments, the figure became somewhat clearer and I realized that this was Percy. I called out 'Percy?' The spirit raised its head and slowly looked in my direction. He was exactly as my grandmother had described though I only saw his face for a second as he quickly vanished. I didn’t know whether it had been a dream or what, so I decided to keep my mouth shut, not wanting people to think I was delusional.The next night while I slept, I felt a cold brush-by on my cheek. My eyes snapped open and the young man I had seen the night before was looking at me. He appeared blurry but still recognizable with light brown hair and bright blue eyes. He stared at me and smiled, then quickly dissipated.The next morning we prepared to leave for home. I sat on the edge of the bed and thought about what had transpired the previous days. A few minutes later, we were in the car ready to pull away when I decided to look out the side window towards the woods. There he stood, arms by his side but staring directly at me. He quickly turned and vanished into the bushes. I just knew I would never see him again.I later found out that Percy was the son of a wealthy landowner who built and lived in my grandmother's house in the 1850s. One day, at the age of 20, Percy simply disappeared and was never heard from again. There had been a rumor that he was killed by a slave who worked on a nearby plantation but a body was never recovered.That was 25 years ago, but I still see Percy in my mind's eye. I was able to talk to the current owner of the house recently who says they occasionally hear someone talking softly on moonlit nights. I have little doubt that Percy is still at home." M - Asheville, NC13 Alabama Ghosts and Jeffrey (Jeffrey Books)Paranormal Investigations: The Proper Procedures and Protocols of Investigation for the Beginner to the ProDemon Hunting In The Deep SouthHaunted Alabama Battlefields (Haunted America)**********DISTURBING 'MIMICS!' - NATURAL, CRYPTIDS, or SOMETHING ELSE? | LIVE CHAT | Q & A (WITNESS REPORTS!)PHANTOMS & MONSTERS VIDEO LIBRARYPOLL: WHAT DO YOU THINK? Vote & comment on paranormal, cryptid & unexplained mysteries!LISTEN TO NARRATIONS OF PHANTOMS & MONSTERS REPORTS & CASES - PLEASE SUBSCRIBE, LIKE & SHAREPHANTOMS & MONSTERS RADIO Podcasts on SpotifyPHANTOMS & MONSTERS READING LISTCHICAGO MOTHMAN / O'HARE BATMAN YouTube PlaylistHave you had a sighting or encounter?Contact me by email or call the hotline at 410-241-5974Thanks. LonOUR SOCIAL MEDIA LINKSBigfoot and Other Cryptid Videos on YouTubeLYCANS! - PENNSYLVANIA'S CRYPTID CANINES UPDATE'KILLER BIGFOOT' HUNTED BY U.S. SPECIAL FORCES / GLIMMER MAN / MANTIS HUMANOIDSCRAWLER HUMANOIDS - GRUESOME INVADERS! (REAL EYEWITNESS ENCOUNTERS!)WEREWOLVES: DO THEY EXIST?'DOGMAN IN OUR YARD!' - AN OHIO FAMILY'S 12-YEAR SAGA WITH CRYPTID CANINESHey, folks. Thanks for the congrats on 'The Mothman Revisited' episode on Unsolved Mysteries. As a result, we are receiving more sighting reports and are very excited and grateful for the new information!I sincerely thank the Unsolved Mysteries team and Netflix for allowing us to tell the world about this phenomenon.If you have information about this or any other cryptid or unexplained sighting or encounter, please feel free to contact me by email or at 410-241-5974. Thanks again! LonCHICAGO MOTHMAN / O'HARE BATMAN YouTube PlaylistChicago / Lake Michigan Winged Humanoid Regional Interactive MapHey, folks. Please feel free to share your thoughts & comments on the recently uploaded video of the CHICAGO MOTHMAN. I'm interested in what you have to say. Thanks. LonEXCLUSIVE VIDEO of CHICAGO MOTHMAN RECORDED----------Become a Phantoms & Monsters Radio Insider - just $2.99 monthly, and receive these perks. Thanks for your support!-Members-only live chats-Exclusive members-only videos-Priority reply to members' commentsHave perks suggestions? LMK-----YOUR SUPPORT IS APPRECIATED! THANKS-----Have you had a sighting or encounter?Contact us by email or call the hotline at 410-241-5974Thanks. Lon Noted UFOlogist Dr. Raymond Keller believes the idea of extraterrestrials and even ultra-dimensional beings from many different planets and alternate realms living and working among us clandestinely is more than just another conspiracy theory.Available on Amazon.comSan Francisco Book Festival Honorable MentionNew York Book Festival Honorable MentionAlso available with audiobooknarration by Terry Springs,CBS-TV Las Vegas affiliate.This blog and newsletter are licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Work 3.0 United States License.Registered trademark PHANTOMS AND MONSTERS ® / PHANTOMS & MONSTERS ® - USPTO #90902480 - Lon D. Strickler© 2005-2024 Phantoms & Monsters - All Rights Reserved

The ride-sharing industry works because it provides two crucial things: on-demand rides for customers, and flexible employment for drivers. Unfortunately, a ballot measure just approved by Massachusetts voters may mean the end of the road for this successful operation—at least as we know it—because it will take away drivers’ independence and turn union leaders and government officials into backseat drivers. The newly approved ballot measure “provide(s) transportation network drivers the option to form unions to collectively bargain with transportation network companies regarding wages, benefits, and terms and conditions of work.” The plain text would appear to give drivers the right to vote in a union election, with the assumption that at least 50% of drivers would have to vote in favor of the union for one to form. But according to the law, no election is necessary to unionize, nor would a majority of drivers have to support it. Rather, if a driver organization (a union) obtains the signed authorizations of as few as one out of every eight drivers, the state Employment Relations Board can “designate a driver organization as the exclusive bargaining representative for all drivers.” Thus, 100% of ride-sharing drivers in Massachusetts could be forced into exclusive union representation without a single vote being cast, and with a mere 12.5% of ride-sharing drivers authorizing a particular union to represent them. (Authorization is required by 25% of “active drivers,” who are defined as the top 50% of drivers; thus authorization can come from 12.5% of all drivers.) The law also provides a pathway whereby a driver organization can petition the Employment Relations Board to hold an election among drivers if a mere 2.5% of drivers (5% of active ones) have authorized it. So why would this matter? Consider why ridesharing platforms work so well: They’re built on real-time market demand. They match drivers with riders instantaneously and respond to surges in demand through dynamic pricing that incentivizes more drivers to enter the platform by raising ride prices. Unions, by contrast, lock workers and employers into minimum three-year contracts. And while drivers can freely enter and exit ride-sharing platforms at any time, unions impose strict schedules that can lead to forced overtime. Most people desire some flexibility in their work schedule. Others prioritize flexibility over everything else and wouldn’t be able to work at all if they couldn’t control their schedule. According to the Freelancing in America report, more than half of the roughly 64 million Americans who performed independent work in 2023 said that they can’t work for a traditional employer because of their own health condition or their family caregiving needs. As an economist and working mother, I’ve been fascinated with the concept of flexibility as a previously “immeasurable” component of work and compensation. And then came an economic analysis of more than 200,000 active Uber drivers that pegged the value of Uber’s fully flexible platform at about 40% of workers earnings, or more than $150 per week for the average Uber driver. The study compared Uber’s platform to a taxicab structure in which workers must commit to a set schedule on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis. It found that while the average Uber driver works just over 16 hours a week with fully flexible hours, they would work only 2.9 hours if they had to commit to a weekly schedule and wouldn’t work at all if they had to commit to a monthly schedule. Unions insert rigidity and one-size-fits-all contract rules that negate the value of ride-sharing platforms for drivers and riders. Unions’ cartel-like control over labor would prevent ride-sharing platforms from responding to customers’ needs, likely leaving some people without rides. That could be particularly harmful considering that ridesharing has been shown to reduce alcohol-related traffic accidents and deaths. And unions’ compensation demands would almost certainly drive up the cost of rides for customers, and their “worker protections” could limit access to ride-sharing in some communities. Higher prices and limited access could particularly harm low-income individuals and families who don’t own cars. A study of New York City ride-sharing services found that Uber picks up riders in low-income, minority communities at a rate of more than three times that of taxicabs. That was before the NYC taxicab union and city lawmakers meddled with ride-sharing platforms’ market-based structure, imposing driver limits, minimum wages, and increased fees—all of which backfired for drivers and riders alike. Instead of eliminating a style of work that appeals to many people and that expands access and affordability of goods and services to others, the focus for expanding good jobs should be on removing government-imposed barriers to their creation. Like trying to fit a square peg into a round hole, the problem with trying to turn flexible, gig-economy, ride-sharing jobs into structured employment is that some workers simply don’t fit the mold. Throwing out the jobs of current ride-sharing drivers who don’t fit a union-imposed mold will almost certainly make transportation less accessible and less affordable. Originally published by msn.com The post Ride-Sharing Roadblocks Could Destroy Successful Platforms Such as Uber, Lyft appeared first on The Daily Signal.

If you’re looking for a natural, non-toxic way to make your home smell amazing, try homemade stovetop potpourri! Please enjoy my five favorite easy and delicious-smelling simmer pot recipes. This post also includes a list of the best simmer pot ingredients to use, tips on exactly how to make and use it, and frequently asked questions like how long they last, pet safety, and more.Simmer pots, also known as stovetop potpourri, can be used to create inviting and delicious aromas any time of year – not just the holidays. Yet the cozy combinations of citrus, apples, cinnamon, and pumpkin spices are absolutely perfect for fall, Christmas, and the winter holiday season. I especially love to make stovetop potpourri before having guests over!Note: This post was originally published in December 2019.Image courtesy of Terre BleuWhat are Simmer Pots?Simmer pots are made by combining water and natural aromatic ingredients (such as fresh or dried fruit, herbs, and spices) and heating them together on the stove, hence the name stovetop potpourri. Often simmering for many hours, simmer pots release scented steam that fills the air with delicious smells – like natural air freshener!Stovetop potpourri is a great non-toxic alternative to burning scented candles or using other forms of artificial fragrance, especially for folks with asthma or allergies. Making simmer pots is very inexpensive and sustainable, especially if you use ingredients you already have available in your home or garden! Homemade stovetop potpourri kits are also wonderful DIY gifts.RELATED: See how to make holiday stovetop potpourri gift kits – including five DRY simmer pot recipes suitable for mason jars, and free printable gift tags!Dry stovetop potpourri in a jar makes an awesome DIY holiday gift. Learn more here and also get a free printable jar gift tag label!Popular Simmer Pot IngredientsBefore I share my top simmer pot recipes below, here is a list of aromatic ingredients you can use to make homemade stovetop potpourri. Feel free to mix and match things you have readily available at home. Have fun and get creative! FruitOranges, fresh or dried orange slices. Fresh fruit offers the most scent! Fresh apples or dehydrated apples Lemon slices Fresh cranberries Other citrus, peels, or zest – including limes, grapefruit, mandarin, blood oranges and more PearsSpicesCinnamon sticks, or ground cinnamon powder Nutmeg Fresh ginger, or ginger powder  Cloves, whole or ground Cardamom pods Whole star anise Pumpkin spice seasoning Herbs and GreeneryFresh or dried rosemary Mint, thyme, lemon balm, lemon verbena, oregano, or other aromatic herbs Sprigs of pine or cedar, or fresh sappy pine cones Bay leaves Lavender buds Chamomile flowers Rose petalsOtherEssential oils. We like these certified organic essential oils. Loose-leaf chai tea Maple syrup Candy canes Vanilla beans or vanilla extract. If you’re going to get fancy and use whole vanilla beans, scoop out the inside to use for baking and only simmer the outer pod/skin. There is no sense in wasting all the good stuff, since the skin alone provides a rich sweet aroma!5 Simmer Pot RecipesEach of the simmer pot recipes below is based on an average 3 to 4 quart saucepan (scale up or down as needed). Fill the pot about halfway full of water, and then add the following ingredients. I’ve provided amounts as a general guide, but exact measurements are not important! See more tips on exactly how to use simmer pots in the following section. Simplified versions of these stovetop potpourri recipes smell wonderful as well – such as rosemary and lemon, or orange and cinnamon sticks, so feel free to skip some ingredients if you don’t have them.1) Apple Pumpkin Pie 1 or 2 whole fresh apples, cut into slices 1 lemon or orange, sliced 2 or 3 cinnamon sticks or 2 tsp ground cinnamon 2 Tbsp maple syrup 1 Tbsp Pumpkin spice seasoning OR 1 Tbsp of whole cloves + 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg Optional: 2 Tbsp of pumpkin puree2) Warm Citrus Ginger2 fresh oranges, cut into slices Ginger. Use about a thumb-size piece of fresh ginger (cut into slices or grated), or 1 teaspoon of ginger powder 2 or 3 whole cinnamon stocks, or 2 tsp ground cinnamon powder 2 or 3 whole star anise 1 Tbsp whole cloves Vanilla. 2 tsp of vanilla extract or 1 whole vanilla bean Optional: 1/2 cup of fresh cranberriesI hate to play favorites, but this orange simmer pot recipe is at the top of my list!3) Oh Christmas Tree1 cup of fresh cranberries 1 fresh orange, grapefruit, or lemon – sliced A few sprigs of fresh cedar or pine (small Christmas tree cuttings) or rosemary 1 or 2 cinnamon sticks, or 1 tsp ground cinnamon 1 Tbsp whole cloves and/or a few whole star anise 1/2 tsp nutmeg 1 or 2 small candy canes, or 10-15 drops of peppermint essential oil4) Refreshing RosemarySeveral pieces of fresh rosemary, or 2 Tbsp dried rosemary 1 whole lemon or 2 limes (sliced) Ginger. Use about a thumb-size piece of fresh ginger (cut into slices or grated) or 1 teaspoon of dry ground ginger 1 tsp vanilla extract Optional: 2 bay leaves, fresh or driedThis refreshing rosemary simmer pot recipe is great for any season. To me, it smells like a clean home… minus the chemical cleaning products! Learn how to make natural homemade lemon and vinegar cleaning spray here.6) Lavender Mellow Mood1/2 cup dried lavender buds or 1 cup fresh (see tips on how to harvest fresh lavender) 2 or 3 Tbsp of dried chamomile flowers, or 1 to 2 teabags of chamomile tea 1 lemon, orange, or grapefruit – sliced 2 tsp vanilla extract or 1 whole vanilla bean 4 or 5 whole star anise or cardamom pods 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg Recommended: 10 to 15 drops of lavender essential oil (pet safe)How to Make and Use Stovetop PotpourriOnce you have your chosen simmer pot recipe, combine the ingredients in a pot about halfway full of water. Again, exact measurements don’t matter. On the stovetop, turn up the heat to bring everything to a light boil, then reduce to a low simmer. The lower the heat, the longer the simmer pot will last. Leave the lid off to release the aromatic steam. Now, sit back and enjoy the smell that will soon infuse your home! Alternatively, you could make stovetop potpourri in a slow cooker crock pot or your trusty Instant Pot, though you may want to keep the lid halfway on so it doesn’t evaporate too fast. Or, heat your simmer pot on top of a warm wood stove. Add more water as needed to keep stovetop potpourri going for many hours. I often use the same simmer pot and ingredients off and on for several days! When not in use, I simply store it on the stove with a lid.CAUTION: Keep an eye on your simmer pot and set a timer if you’re forgetful. If left unattended for too long, the water will evaporate and could burn the pan and simmer pot contents! Frequently Asked Questions How long do simmer pots last? Simmer pots can last for several days or up to a week, especially when simmered on low heat and for only a few hours at at time. Simply add more water to the pot as it evaporates. You can also add more spices, herbs, or fruit to reinvigorate the scent. Discard if mold develops. Are simmer pots safe for cats and dogs? Most popular ingredients used in simmer pots are safe to use around cats and dogs, especially the steam from small amounts of whole fruit, fresh herbs, and natural spices simmering in a well-ventilated space. Keep the pot out of reach, and covered while not in use, so pets cannot eat any of the contents. On the other hand, many concentrated essential oils are toxic to cats and dogs, so use those with caution. What to do with simmer pots when they’re done? Once you’re finished with the simmer pot, simply drain the liquid and toss the solids in your compost bin. Don’t miss our DIY holiday stovetop potpourri mason jar gift guideI wish you could smell it in here!Now go have fun making some festive simmer pots of your own. Once you do, please come back to let us know what you think and leave a review. Also feel free to ask questions in the comments below. Happy holidays!You may also like these related posts:How to Dry Orange Slices for Holiday Decor, Two Ways DIY Bath Salts Recipe: Beautiful Natural Herbal Bath Salts Natural Lip Balm Recipe: How to Make Homemade Lip Balm How to Make a Fall Beeswax Leaf Garland  DIY Grapevine Wreath (or Other Vines) + Wreath Decorating Ideas How to Make Pressed Flower Pumpkins (Decorate Botanical Leaf Pumpkins) Print 5 Easy Simmer Pot Recipes (Homemade Stovetop Potpourri) Make your home smell amazing with these 5 easy simmer pot recipes for any season. Use natural ingredients like citrus, apples, herbs and spices to make homemade stovetop potpourri. Keyword simmer pots, simmering spices, stovetop potpourri Prep Time 5 minutes minutes Equipment3-4 quart sauce pan or pot for the stove, ORCrock pot or Instant Pot IngredientsUse any of the following ingredients to create whatever combinations sound appealing to you, or use what you have available on hand!1) Apple Pumpkin Pie1 or 2 whole apples, sliced1 whole lemon or orange, sliced2 or 3 whole cinnamon sticks (or 2 tsp ground cinnamon)2 Tbsp maple syrup1 Tbsp pumpkin pie spice seasonings (or 1 Tbsp whole cloves and 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg)2 Tbsp pumpkin puree (optional)2) Warm Citrus Ginger2 whole oranges, slicedFresh ginger (a thumb-size chunk, cut into thin slices or grated). Sub with 1 teaspoon ginger powder2 or 3 whole cinnamon sticks (or 2 tsp ground cinnamon)2 or 3 whole star anise1 Tbsp cloves (whole)2 tsp vanilla extract (or 1 whole vanilla bean)1/2 cup fresh cranberries (optional)3) Oh Christmas Tree1 cup fresh cranberries1 whole orange, grapefruit, or lemon – sliced pinecones a few sprigs of fresh cedar or pine (small Christmas tree cuttings) or rosemary1 or 2 whole cinnamon sticks (or 1 tsp ground cinnamon)1 Tbsp whole cloves and/or a few whole star anise1/2 tsp nutmegOptional: 1 or 2 small candy canes, or 10-15 drops of peppermint essential oil4) Refreshing RosemarySeveral pieces of fresh rosemary, or 2 Tbsp dried rosemary1 whole lemon or 2 limes (sliced)Fresh ginger (a thumb-size chunk, cut into thin slices or grated). Sub with 1 teaspoon ginger powder1 tsp vanilla extract (or 1 whole vanilla bean)Optional: 2 bay leaves, fresh or dried5) Lavender Mellow Mood1/2 cup dried lavender buds or 1 cup fresh 2 or 3 Tbsp dried chamomile flowers, or 1 to 2 teabags of chamomile tea1 whole lemon, orange, or grapefruit – sliced2 tsp vanilla extract (or 1 whole vanilla bean)4 or 5 whole star anise or cardamom pods1/2 tsp ground nutmegRecommended: 10 to 15 drops of lavender essential oil (pet safe) InstructionsOnce you have your chosen simmer pot recipe, combine the ingredients in a pot about halfway full of water. (Exact measurements don't matter.)On the stovetop, turn up the heat to bring everything to a light boil, then reduce to a low simmer. The lower the heat, the longer the simmer pot will last.Leave the lid off to release the aromatic steam. Now, sit back and enjoy the smell that will soon infuse in your home! Alternatively, you could make stovetop potpourri in a slow cooker crock pot or your trusty Instant Pot, left to simmer with the lid off. Or, heat your simmer pot on top of a warm wood stove.CAUTION: Keep an eye on your pot, and set a timer if you’re forgetful! Don't let all of the water evaporate – the pan and ingredients can burn.Add more water as needed to keep stovetop potpourri going for many hours. I often use the same simmer pot and ingredients off and on for several days! Notes*Any simplified version of these combos is wonderful as well – such as rosemary and lemon, or orange and cloves. Did you enjoy this article? Want to hear more? Stay in touch! Sign up below to receive weekly updates on new posts from Homestead and Chill. The post 5 Easy Simmer Pot Recipes: How to Make Stovetop Potpourri appeared first on Homestead and Chill.

Oprah Winfrey is one of the richest people in Hollywood, and she earned every penny. She created a landmark TV talk show in the ’80s, segued to movie stardom and later built a media empire. She’s the American dream in bold, bright technicolor. Bottom of Form And, when Vice President Kamala Harris asked her to support her presidential campaign, Winfrey didn’t hesitate. Yes, she said, adding, “pay up.” The Harris campaign paid $1 million to Winfrey’s company on October 15, according to a report in the Washington Examiner [by Gabe Kaminsky], coming after a star-studded town hall that Winfrey hosted for the vice president in September. That fee apparently covered two Winfrey appearances. One is the aforementioned town hall.     The second? A very late campaign appearance alongside the candidate. Not bad work if you can get it. Winfrey denied the claim to a TMZ reporter, but the receipts speak for themselves. It’s a story conservative media outlets are covering for very good reasons. It’s news It’s illuminating It casts the failed Harris campaign in a new, unflattering light It suggests Winfrey wasn’t a Harris devotee and needed to be convinced to throw her clout the campaign’s way You won’t find this story at Variety, Deadline, The Wrap or The Hollywood Reporter. Those outlets routinely bury news that hurts Democrats. Like this one. The story is still reaching the masses, the latest example of the corporate media’s implosion and rise of new media. The item suggests something else. Did other celebrities get paid to endorse Harris? We now know a planned appearance by ’90s mainstay Alanis Morissette got scrapped due to insufficient funds. What about the pride of the MCU? The cinematic Avengers assembled for Team Harris late in the election cycle. Stars Scarlett Johansson, Chris Evans, Don Cheadle, Robert Downey, Jr, Mark Ruffalo, Danai Gurira and Paul Bettany starred in a cheeky video supporting Harris’ campaign.     Many of the stars did the same in 2016 to prevent Donald Trump from defeating Hillary Clinton. This time, the messaging proved more comic, less angry. Neither worked. Did the stars get a payday from their collective endorsements? It’s a fair question to ask given Harris’ donation to Winfrey’s Harpo Productions. It’s hardly out of the norm for a campaign to pick up the travel/hotel expenses for a celebrity endorsement. Five for Fighting’s John Ondrasik, whose activism includes supporting Israel and American patriots, said as much on his X account.   One of the sickest things about this campaign cycle is celebs getting paid multi million dollar fees to appear in "support" of their preferred candidates. In the few political events I have done, no performers have been paid beyond expenses. It's an insult to voters. Oprah!? https://t.co/1gnt5XDMiW — John Ondrasik (@johnondrasik) November 9, 2024   Will more receipts flow from the failed Harris campaign? The assembled Avengers appeared to record their segments from wherever they were at the time. Lo-fi barely describes the effort involved, not to mention the yuk-free lines. In comparison, Winfrey had to assemble an interview set and crew to record her fawning town hall appearance. Big difference. Still, the fiscal revelations cast doubt on the role stars play in national elections and how much their hearts are truly in it.

It had a billion-dollar budget, lavish sets, and some of the biggest names in entertainment — so why did the Democrats' latest presidential campaign tank at the voting booth? Yes, there was that desperate, last-minute casting change. But new lead Kamala Harris seemed to get the notoriously troubled production back on track despite a predecessor unwilling to give up his former role and co-star Tim Walz's troublingly erratic public behavior. Megan Thee Stallion, Lady Gaga, and Charli XCX just weren’t up to the task of rescuing Harris from herself. The sheer star power on hand seemed to guarantee a runaway hit: Gen Z favorite Alex Cooper ("Call Me Daddy"), as well as proven draws like Will Ferrell, Rihanna, George Clooney, Jennifer Lopez, and even Oprah Winfrey. Pay to play Winfrey's glorified cameo was said to cost a cool million. Also rumored to have gotten a seven-figure payday was Beyoncé — who perversely enough appeared in a non-singing role — and any number of other artists ranging from Taylor Swift to Eminem. Whatever the exact line items were, one thing is certain: A campaign that still had more than $100 million in the bank in October now finds itself $20 million in the hole. In retrospect, maybe that GloRilla performance wasn't such a good idea after all. Or maybe the era of the big-budget, mass-marketed, four-quadrant blockbuster is over. Joy division Where was the big-name actor or actress who would come along and save Harris from her floundering campaign? The tear-streaked viral post recorded on the spur of the moment by Lady Gaga that would finally convince regular people in Pennsylvania and North Carolina that Harris really was the answer to their prayers — and not just a Polly POC-et puppet who couldn’t string two sentences together without cackling like a banshee and waxing poetic about the joy of abortion rights? Indeed, what happened to the days of influential celebrity videos with warnings about “fascism” and “democracy"? Did they stop uploading them, or did everybody just stop watching? Falling stars The answer seems to be a bit of both. A recent YouGov poll found that only 10% of Americans say a celebrity’s opinion has caused them to cast a vote or rethink their vote. Another poll by USA Today and Suffolk University found that political endorsements had a much larger effect on swaying the Democratic vote than celebrity endorsements. The study also found that conservatives were rarely swayed by either, including from within the conservative movement’s leadership. (The influence of Hulk Hogan’s bodice-ripping howl of support for Trump remains a subject for future historians.) Perhaps this is why the standard-issue Democratic endorsements Harris got from Obama and the Clintons didn’t do much: They weren’t delivered with much conviction. It probably didn't help that the DNC brand was tainted by the still-fresh memory of Joe Biden's public stab in the back. Megan Thee Stallion, Lady Gaga, and Charli XCX just weren’t up to the task of rescuing Harris from herself. Even those who somehow enjoy their music apparently found it hard to get very excited about their political opinions. Box office poison? The celebrities who did endorse Harris did so with smug certitude that didn’t do much to reach independents. Their urgent pleas to “get out and vote” (with the obvious insinuation that meant voting for Harris) also clearly backfired, since Trump won men under 30 by 14 points and Harris won young women under 30 by only 18 points. Gen Z voters just weren't pulling the lever for the Democrats the way their celebrities and pop culture puppets told them to. As Jimmy Vielkind and Aaron Zitner point out, Harris’ result for young women was “down from the 32-point margin for Biden among that group in 2020.” Trump’s mastery of social media and popular podcasts like Joe Rogan's show also clearly bolstered his already well-known brand and put him front and center in the mind of many undecideds. Triple threat But the fact remains that Trump didn't really need anybody's endorsement — at least not the way Harris did. Our former and future president is a consummate entertainer. He sings, he tells jokes, he does his own stunts. He even dances. Who needs celebrities when you can groove out with the candidate himself? Expensive disasters tend to end with a lot of finger-pointing, and the Harris campaign is no exception. The Democrats might as well take the opportunity to clean house — starting with those among them who insist on blaming the voters. If the incredible comeback of Donald Trump can teach us anything, it's that fewer and fewer people are waiting for the media to tell them what's worth their time and attention. After years of having their taste underestimated and dismissed, Americans are finally confident enough to call out real, once-in-a-generation talent when they see it. Anyone who wants to win the people over better start with that.

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