Cherry Pie

Not a piece of cake to make.  Two separate 2-crust pie doughs. Top crust with white sugar mixed in. Bottom crust without sugar.  Cherries are halved, pitted, and marinated in a mix of cornstarch, brown sugar, salt, lemon juice and almond flavoring.  Bake the bottom crust 350°/180° for 30 minutes with parchment and beans. Drain cherries, add another round of cornstarch, sugar and salt, mix and fill pie form, add dabs of butter.  Apply top crust with cut outs so pie can bubble. Bake 350°/180° about 1 hour.  Pie today with 5-1/2 cups of pitted cherries.  Second Round: 2 tablespoons cornstarch and 1/4 cup of brown sugar, plus salt. Add dabs of butter. Pie had just the right amount of jelling, no juice, and just a hint of tart (from lemon juice marinade) and a hint of almond flavor. 

Mandy

Photo Credit: Westlife/www.greatsong.net

Westlife
Westlife were an Irish boy band, formed in Sligo in July 1998 and disbanded in June 2012. Originally signed by Simon Cowell and managed by Louis Walsh, the group's second and final line-up consisted of Nicky Byrne, Kian Egan, Mark Feehily, and Shane Filan. Brian McFadden was a member from July 1998 until his departure in March 2004.
Westlife sold over 50 million records worldwide, a total that included studio albums, singles, video releases, and compilation albums. The group accumulated 14 number-one singles in the United Kingdom. They achieved a total of 26 UK top ten singles over their 14-year career. In 2012, the Official Charts Company listed Westlife 34th amongst the biggest-selling singles artists in British music history. Despite their success worldwide, Westlife never managed to break into the U.S. market, achieving only one hit single in 2000, "Swear It Again". Based on BPI certifications, the group have sold 11.1 million albums and 6.8 million singles in the UK. Wikipedia

Evgeny Tsurkin claims second medal in Barcelona

Photo Credit: Belarus News

MINSK, 15 June (BelTA) – Belarusian swimmer Evgeny Tsurkin won the second medal at the 2017 Mare Nostrum meeting in Barcelona, Spain, BelTA learned from the Belarusian Swimming Federation. The Belarusian won the 100m butterfly heat in 52.46 seconds. Second was Hungary's Cseh Laszlo (52.51 seconds), with bronze going to Matteo Rivolta of Italy (52.86 seconds). Evgeny Tsurkin claimed the 50m butterfly bronze in Barcelona. The winners of the international tournament Mare Nostrum will be announced after points scored at each of its stages (two have already taken place in Monaco and Barcelona) are calculated. The final is scheduled to take place in Canet-en-Roussillon, France on 17-18 June. Belarus News

Reasons to love Irish rain

Photo Credit: Irish Central/Getty

Anyone who’s spent any time in Ireland knows exactly how useful it is! On average in the west of Ireland it rains up to 225 days per year. Of course, Ireland has a lot to thank its mild temperate maritime climate for! It’s lush green fields, the countryside’s famous 40 shades of green and of course it’s wonderful crops, meat, and dairy! Who did rain ever hurt? Sure we won't rust! Here’s why:
1. Good for your skin:
Soft rain helps complexion, say the experts, and you are bound to get lots of it if you live there.
2. Forty shades of green:
How do you think the place got so green looking? It’s the water stupid, falling and endlessly falling.
3. Cozy nights in:
What can be nicer than snuggled up at a fire with the rain falling and wind howling outside. Many a child was created because of the stormy night.
4. The official explanation:
From Ask About Ireland: “Geography places Ireland at mid-latitude, not too close to the heat of the equator or to the cold arctic and its position on the north-western edge of the continent ensures a constant supply of clean unpolluted air and plenty of cleansing rain from the Atlantic Ocean.”
5. Year-round rain:
Not just a rainy season, no monsoons, more a steady diet of showers and not too extreme.
6. Great climate to grow crops:
Lots of rain means lots of growth and Ireland has some of the healthiest food in Europe.
7. The jokes:
For example, “I went to Ireland for a week and it rained twice, once for three days and once for four days.” Har, Har!
8. The chat:
As in “Nice soft day” (meaning “It’s lashing out of the heavens!”).
Makes the weather a great topic of conversation.
9. Irish mist:
That gorgeous light rain that cleanses the landscape and is fabled in song and story – they even named one of Ireland’s most famous drinks after it!
10. Uisce Beatha literally the “water of life” is Irish for whiskey:
Irish whiskey is made from the greatest water in the world. Thank you, rain. Irish Central

Jelena Ostapenko stuns Simona Halep to win the French Open By Charlie Eccleshare

Jelena Ostapenko overpowered title favourite Simona Halep to become one of the most surprising grand slam champions of all time. The 20-year-old, ranked 47, had never been beyond the third round at a grand slam before nor won a senior title. But she was unfazed, hitting 54 winners in a 4-6, 6-4, 6-3 victory to become the first Latvian ever to win a grand slam singles crown. The Telegraph

Angela Merkel seeks to manage expectations in Argentina, Mexico By Michaela Küfner

Photo Credit: Chancellor Merkel and President Macri
DW/Reuters/M. Brindicci

German Chancellor Angela Merkel began her visit to Argentina with a speech at a synagogue in Buenos Aires. DW's Michaela Küfner described the background to the Latin American trip. Before meeting Argentine President Mauricio Macri, Merkel visited Buenos Aires' Templo Libertad synagogue (pictured above) in recognition of Argentina's role in offering refuge to Jews fleeing from the Nazis. The Chancellor acknowledged Latin America's largest Jewish community, which today comprises roughly 250,000 people. She recalled the "terrible attacks" on the Israeli embassy and a Jewish community center in Argentina in the 1990s, noting that a newly restored synagogue organ symbolized a bridge with Germany. Merkel's itinerary is also set to include a stop at which she will pay tribute to the victims of the country's 1976-1983 dictatorship, during which between 7,000 and 30,000 people were killed.
No anti-Trump alliance
Berlin insists that this trip is not about forming any kind of alliance against US President Donald Trump's protectionist economic rhetoric. Officially, Merkel's stops in Argentina and then Mexico were simply the last countries left on the list to visit prior to the G20 summit in Hamburg. The former chief of government of Argentina's capital, Macri has earned some respect with the German chancellor for beginning to pull his country out of the all-out economic mess that had its origins in Argentina's 2001 state bankruptcy. He secured a settlement with hedge funds where both the previous presidencies failed, regaining Argentina's access to financial markets. Yet this "success story" came at a high price for ordinary Argentinians. Merkel noted Thursday her first visit to Argentina came after Macri helped open Argentina to international credit markets following a long absence. "My first visit as Chancellor is taking place as President Macri has managed the re-opening of the country to the financial markets," Merkel said. "We believe that beyond political discussions we can support economic development. Argentina needs infrastructure, Argentina has to modernize and for that Germany can be a good partner." DW-Deutsche Welle

Before Maya Angelou Was a Poet, She Was a Dancer By Lauren Wingenroth

Photo Credit: anastasiaruth.wordpress.com

This week marks three years since brilliant and beloved poet Maya Angelou passed at the age of 86. And of course, we're taking the time to remember timeless works like I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings. But we also discovered something that makes us love Angelou even more—and gives us a new perspective on her writing. Before she became renowned for her poetry and memoirs, Angelou was a bonafide professional dancer, touring Europe in a production of Porgy & Bess, studying with Martha Graham and performing with Alvin Ailey (she was even one of Ailey's first partners!). She was also a professional singer and recorded an album called "Calypso Lady," according to NPR. "I was known as Miss Calypso, and when I'd forget the lyric, I would tell the audience, 'I seem to have forgotten the lyric. Now I will dance.' And I would move around a bit," she said in a 2008 interview. Of course, later in her career Angelou acted in various movies and television shows, including the mini-series Roots. Dance Magazine