In New England, particularly New Hampshire, there seems to be an outbreak of people who get drunk and drive recklessly at high speeds on the highways. Some of which drive the wrong way on the highways, killing innocent people. New Hampshire police have been cracking down on these idiots lately, and today's blog is about one of the latest people who did just that, AND drove the wrong way on the highway.
Wrong-way driver from Bow charged with driving while intoxicated and reckless behavior
A Bow man was arrested on charges of reckless conduct with a deadly weapon and driving while intoxicated after driving the wrong way on Interstates 293 and 93, State Police said.
At 12:37 a.m. on Sunday, New Hampshire State Police received reports of a wrong-way driver traveling northbound in the southbound lanes on I-293 in Manchester near mile marker 7.4, according to a news release. More reports came in as the wrong-way driver continued northbound in the southbound lanes on I-93 in Hooksett, the release states.
A single-vehicle crash with non-life-threatening injuries south of the Hooksett tolls was also reported after another driver attempted to avoid a head-on collision with the wrong-way driver and went off the road, State Police said.
The wrong-way driver, Brian Kunst, 49, of Bow, continued in the opposite direction until he was successfully stopped by a state trooper on I-93 in Concord. After a roadside investigation, Kunst was arrested on multiple charges.
Kunst was held at the Merrimack County Department of Corrections and was ordered to appear in Concord District Court on Monday.
The will to survive can be amazing, and thanks to a kitten, and Romanian mountain rescuers from the Salvamont Maramures Rescue a man survived bitter cold. The rescuers saved a 28-year-old and his kitten who fled from their war-torn country. Here's the story.
(Image : In this image provided by Salvamont Maramures, a Romanian mountain rescue service, 28 year-old Vladislav Duda from Ukraine poses with his cat Peach in Baia Mare, Romania, Monday, Dec. 9, 2024 after being rescued three days ago from a deep mountain ravine in where he was stuck in a state of severe hypothermia. (Salvamont Maramures via AP)
Ukrainian man fleeing war rescued with his kitten on a perilous journey through Romanian mountains
BUCHAREST, Romania (AP) — A Ukrainian man who embarked on a perilous journey fleeing his war-torn country into Romania was rescued from a deep mountain ravine in subzero temperatures with an unlikely companion: his months-old kitten named Peach.
More than a dozen rescuers worked in a harsh blizzard to save Vladislav Duda, 28, who was found “soaked and frozen” and severely hypothermic in a 400-meter (437-yard) deep ravine in the northern Maramures region last week, according to the region’s mountain rescue service. Duda had fled Ukraine to avoid being drafted into his country’s armed forces fighting Russia.
“The cat was warm and was warming him … so he saved his life,” Dan Benga, the director of the Maramures mountain rescue service, told The Associated Press. “The only thing we saw he is caring about is the cat. He doesn’t care about himself.”
(Image: The heroes: In this image provided by Salvamont Maramures, a Romanian mountain rescue service, a rescuer holds Peach the cat as its owner, 28 year-old Vladislav Duda from Ukraine, is secured on a stretcher in the Carpathian Mountains , northern Romania, Friday, Dec. 6, 2024 after they were rescued from a deep mountain ravine in a state of severe hypothermia. (Salvamont Maramures via AP)
When the rescue team located and found the Ukrainian, they unzipped his jacket and discovered Peach snuggled up inside. Benga recalls asking Duda if he was OK, to which he replied: “I’m happy because my cat is alive. I got a chance from God for a new life. The happiest moment is because the cat is here with me,” Benga recalled Duda saying.
The auburn-colored kitten, a tomcat named “Peach” in Ukrainian, was experiencing the effects of malnutrition after they ran out of food four days earlier and melted snow helped to keep him alive.
“It’s like a dream, after all I have been through, I only hoped to be found and to survive,” Duda, who worked as a journalist in Ukraine, told the AP. “Peach kept my heart warm and he kept my faith alive.”
A helicopter retrieval was initially launched but was aborted due to dangerous weather that hampered visibility. Ground rescuers then embarked on a grueling mission through deep snow and temperatures as low as minus 10 degrees Celsius (14 degrees Fahrenheit) until they reached the pair.
During the complex ascent out of the ravine which took more than five hours, the Ukrainian would not let go of his kitten. He kept Peach clutched to his chest “from the bottom to the top ... until we put him in the ambulance,” Benga said. “He said only ‘Please take care of the cat.’”
Close to getting frostbite, Duda is now receiving anti-inflammatory medication and blood circulation treatment, said Izabella Kiskasza, who runs a community center for Ukrainian refugees in Maramures and is assisting the duo. Peach received veterinary treatment in Baia Mare on Monday and is expected to fully recover.
Duda left his home in Ukraine’s war-ravaged Kharkiv region more than a week before getting stranded with his feline companion in the arching Carpathian Mountain range, which straddles northern Romania and southwest Ukraine.
While Peach is the first feline rescued from the mountainous Romanian region, Duda is just one of many Ukrainian men who have risked their lives traversing the harsh conditions of the mountains to avoid being drafted into their country’s grinding war with Russia.
"Case Files of Inspired Ghost Tracking" by Rob Gutro
I'm proud to announce there's an Official Book Trailer for my book about TRUE Paranormal Investigations: "Case Files of Inspired Ghost Tracking" by Rob Gutro. I worked with Md Shams of CrazyCreations India, who worked the script, and created this amazing trailer with some images and footage I provided. You'll agree this is amazing!
ABOUT THE BOOK: Want to experience a #Paranormal Investigation with a seasoned #Ghost Tracking Team?
This book puts YOU on the investigations as mediums and tech folks try to figure out what is happening in homes, businesses and historic places!
When earth-bound #ghosts have traumatized families in their own homes, the professionals of Inspired Ghost Tracking (IGT) of Maryland have been called in to cross them over. In Case Files of Inspired Ghost Tracking, you’ll read about a very haunted Maryland mansion, many ghosts of Baltimore’s Federal Hill, the Burned Ghost, ghosts of two different time periods in one building, the dark things Ouija boards brought into homes, a ghostly attachment, a Steelworker’s ghost, #poltergeist activity, the famous IGT “Double Murder Ghost Investigation” and many more.IGT Medium and Author Rob Gutro takes you on cases that he experienced. You'll get a good understanding of many aspects of ghosts in this book. You’ll also learn the differences and similarities between ghosts vs. spirits, how energy plays into them, and lots of #Paranormal Questions and Answers!
So, come along with us on these IGT investigations and learn that the paranormal is quite active!
This is one of the books in Rob Gutro's "Ghosts and Spirits" series. His other series include "Ghosts on a Medium's Vacation" and "Pets and the Afterlife." All have achieved best-seller status on Amazon! Get the book
Since it's Christmastime, I wanted to read something to get in the "spirit" of the season. I recently read "The Dogs of Christmas" by W. Bruce Cameron, the same guy who wrote "A Dog's Way Home." The story was not what I expected for a Christmas story, but it wound up in a good way.
The main character, a 30-something guy named Josh lives in the mountains of Colorado, and he became the unwilling recipient of a dog, dumped on him by an immature neighbor. The story takes the reader through Josh's trials as he tries to figure out raising a dog with a health issue (I don't want to spoil it) and then there are puppies thrown in the mix, an ex-girlfriend who needs to go away, and an animal shelter worker who tries to help with Josh. It wasn't what I would have expected for a holiday story, but it was centered around the holidays, thus the title, "The dogs of Christmas."
Because I need a good ending in books I read, this one worked and was worth reading (Although I would have told the ex to get lost very early on).
ABOUT THE BOOK FROM AMAZON -
A delightful Christmas gift from W. Bruce Cameron, the author of the New York Times and USA Today bestselling novel A Dog's Purpose, which is now a major motion picture!
While nursing a broken heart, Josh Michaels is outraged when a neighbor abandons his very pregnant dog, Lucy, at Josh's Colorado home. But Josh can't resist Lucy's soulful brown eyes, and though he's never had a dog before, he's determined to do the best he can for Lucy―and her soon-to-arrive, bound-to-be-adorable puppies.
Soon in over his head, Josh calls the local animal shelter for help, and meets Kerri, a beautiful woman with a quick wit and a fierce love for animals. As Kerri teaches Josh how to care for Lucy's tiny puppies and gets them ready to be adopted through the shelter's "Dogs of Christmas" program, Josh surprises himself by falling for her.
But he's fallen even harder for his new furry family, which has brought incredible joy into Josh's life. He barely has time to sit down, between chasing after adventurous Sophie and brave Oliver, but when he does, his lap is quickly filled by the affectionate Lola. And Rufus and Cody's strong bond makes Josh wonder about his own relationships with his family.
With Christmas and the adoption date looming, Josh finds himself wondering if he can separate himself from his beloved puppies. At odds with Kerri, Josh isn't willing to lose her, but doesn't know how to set things right. Can a surprise litter of Christmas puppies really change one man's life?
W. Bruce Cameron's The Dogs of Christmas is a charming and heartwarming holiday tale that explores the power of love, trust, and a basket full of puppies.
Several years ago, I made "Pizza Dough Cinnamon Rolls" using a recipe from the back of one of my favorite series of mysteries. Since I loved them and forgot about them until recently, I thought I would share with the holidays coming up!
I made Pizza-dough Cinnamon rolls. I got the recipe from a book I read in the Witch City Mystery series by Carol Perry. These cinnamon rolls are delicious and you can easily make them. Here's how.
TIP: Prepare it on parchment paper to save a mess!
For the rolls you need:
*Frozen Pizza Dough (we used the Wegmans brand)
*Sugar, cinnamon, butter
For the glaze you need:
*Butter, vanilla extract, powdered sugar and hot water.
Here are the photos of the stages of making them, and the recipe. Enjoy! Rob
INSTRUCTIONS:
*Preheat oven to 375 Fahrenheit (190.5 Celsius for the rest of the world)
* DISH- It says 8x11" baking dish but I used 2 small 8" round cake or pie pans. Works better!
* Mix sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl.
* Lay out Parchment paper or use a counter top- then sprinkle flour on it.
* Roll out dough (w/rolling pin) to a 16x10" rectangle
* Melt butter slightly in a microwave then brush it on the dough (you can pour it on and use a paper towel to spread it).
* Sprinkle Cinnamon/Sugar mixture evenly on it (it looks like a pizza).
*ROLL IT length wise (so it forms a thick 10" roll).
*Cut , w/sharp knife into 14 rolls about 1" thick- (you may have to mold it a bit as the dough is squishy).
*In Pan - put 1 roll in the middle, and surround it by 6 others.
*BAKE for 20-25 minutes!!
MAKE THE GLAZE-
*Melt butter or margarine in microwave, mix with powdered sugar, vanilla extract and HOT water. Whisk it!
*Drizzle the glaze over the slightly warm cinnamon buns!
*STORAGE NOTE - put the pan of rolls in an airtight freezer bag (to keep them fresher).
* SERVING - If you still have a few later in the week, they may get harder, but just pop them in the microwave for 20 seconds!
This has been an amazing thing to see... a book that was almost canceled has now topped Two charts on Amazon in its first week of Pre-order release. "Haunting of Emery Estate," my latest book with Monique Toosoon - an amazing seasoned paranormal drag queen investigator, reached #1 in the "Ghosts and Hauntings" and the "Parapsychology" categories on Amazon! Preorder both the Kindle and Paperback now and it will be delivered after January 1, 2025.
On November 29th, our Dachshund, Tyler celebrated his 14th birthday. So, as is our tradition, Tyler got to walk through a pet store and pick out treats. His brother Dash insisted accompanying Tyler, because they never go anywhere with each other.
(Picture: Dash (left) had to join his brother Tyler (right) during Tyler's birthday pet store treat adventure)
Dash and Tyler were well-behaved during their visit to Pet Supplies Plus as we walked up and down 5 aisles. The boys insisted we stick to the dog-related aisles because they think cats and fish are "yucky." :)
Tyler picked out chicken jerky and a couple of other treats that smelled good to him. He did stop at those giant beef bones on display, but we wouldn't be able to lift them... and Daddy Rob doesn't like giving him those bones in case they splinter.
(Photo: Dash and Tyler's first picture at the "Spot" when Daddy Rob said "look at the camera.")
It was only at the checkout that Tyler decided to let everyone know he was there barking at a man and his black labrador retriever who came in. (Tom and Cody stayed in the warm truck outside).Tyler is very protective and doesn't want other dogs near Daddy Rob, so he barks!
There's also a short video of Dash and Tyler exploring the aisles for the best treats .
VIDEO LINK: https://youtu.be/mIUz7RwmtEc?si=_VjnMQzM1ueO9ztz Caption: Tyler the Dachshund and his brother Dash the Chiweenie go to the pet store so Tyler can pick out his 14th birthday treats! His birthday is November 29, 2010.
This week's idiot is another participant in the insurrection from January 6th. The FBI is still finding these people and putting them behind bars.
(Photo: Christopher Maurer, 45, formerly of Biddeford, received a 50-month prison sentence and 24 months of supervised release. U.S. District Chief Judge James E. Boasberg also ordered Maurer to pay $2,000 in restitution. Credit: FBI)
Maine man gets 50 months in prison for assaulting officers with weapon during Capitol riot
WASHINGTON — A Maine man was sentenced to more than four years in prison Monday after he previously pleaded guilty to assaulting law enforcement with a weapon during the Jan. 6, 2021, breach of the U.S. Capitol.
Christopher Maurer, 45, formerly of Biddeford, received a 50-month prison sentence and 24 months of supervised release. U.S. District Chief Judge James E. Boasberg also ordered Maurer to pay $2,000 in restitution.
On July 23, Maurer pleaded guilty to a felony charge of assaulting, resisting or impeding certain officers with a deadly or dangerous weapon. He originally faced three counts of assaulting an officer with a dangerous weapon and one count each of civil disorder, entering a restricted building, disorderly conduct in a restricted building, violence in a restricted building, impeding passage through Capitol grounds and engaging in physical violence on Capitol grounds.
Court documents state that on Jan. 6, 2021, Maurer was among a crowd of rioters who amassed on the Lower West Terrace of the U.S. Capitol building near an area known as the Tunnel — which federal prosecutors said was the site of some of the most violent attacks against law enforcement officers that day.
According to court documents, Maurer entered the Tunnel and made his way to the front of the police line. He then confronted a group of police officers who were preventing further access to the Capitol. Prosecutors said Maurer grabbed onto a police riot shield being used by an officer and attempted to rip it away, and he also attempted to use his body to push against officers in the Tunnel and left after about eight minutes.
Court documents state Maurer later returned to the Tunnel entrance and added his body weight, force and momentum to a coordinated "heave-ho" push against the police line and grabbed onto a canister of chemical irritant held by another rioter. Maurer also helped another rioter deploy chemical irritant from a stolen police-issued canister of pepper spray, prosecutors said.
A short while later, Maurer returned and threw two stick-like objects at the line of police officers while repeatedly extending his middle finger to the police and yelling obscenities, according to court documents. One of the stick-like objects ricocheted off the Tunnel wall and struck a police officer in the helmet.
Prosecutors said Maurer also used a cellphone cord that he then whipped at officers inside the Tunnel.
Maurer was arrested in Maine by the FBI on Feb. 22, 2023.
The U.S. Attorney's Office said in the 46 months since the Capitol riot, more than 1,560 people have been charged in nearly all 50 states for crimes related to the breach. That number includes more than 590 people who were charged with assaulting or impeding law enforcement.
This week's hero is a little boy who knew enough to try and help a family in need after the tragic loss of their father. Here's the story.
(Photo: Charlie Allsup, 9, wanted to help the family of Deputy Ignacio “Dan” Diaz. Credit: WPTV-TV)
Boy, 9, driven to help fallen deputy’s family raises money with lemonade stand
PALM BEACH COUNTY, Fla. (WPTV) - After a devastating crash that killed three Florida deputies, a 9-year-old boy is offering his support by raising money with a lemonade and cookie stand.
Charlie Allsup, 9, wanted to help the family of Deputy Ignacio “Dan” Diaz, who was one of three motorcycle deputies with the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office killed Nov. 21 when they were struck by a Jeep SUV while stopped on the road’s shoulder.
Diaz, who died of his injuries last Monday, joined the sheriff’s office in 2004 and had been with the agency’s motor unit for more than 10 years. A friend described him as a loving, joyful person who was passionate about helping others.
“He put up a hell of a fight, but the injuries were so catastrophic that there was no way he was going to make it,” Sheriff Ric Bradshaw said.
Charlie says Diaz’s son goes to the same daycare as his little sister, so he set up a lemonade and cookie stand to raise tuition money for the family.
“He asked me if there was a way we could raise money to try to help the family, and we came up with the idea to have a lemonade and cookie stand,” said Charlie’s mother, Christina Allsup. “We’re trying to pay off as much of their tuition as possible so that they have one less thing to worry about during this difficult time.”
So far, Charlie has raised enough for at least four or five months of tuitionalong with electronics they plan to donate to Diaz’s family.
A memorial service will be held Tuesday for Diaz and the other two deputies – Deputy Sheriff Ralph “Butch” Waller and Cpl. Luis Paez – killed in the crash. Thousands are expected to attend.
Waller served with distinction for over 18 years in the sheriff’s office’s motor unit, having started his law enforcement career with the Royal Palm Beach Police Department.
Paez was a law enforcement officer for over 36 years, starting his career with the sheriff’s office in 1988 as a corrections deputy before serving as a motor deputy for more than 20 years.
The sheriff’s office says that, in lieu of flowers, the public is asked to consider making a donation to the Palm Beach County Police Benevolent Association Fund to support the families of fallen deputies.
Copyright 2024 WPTV via CNN Newsource. All rights reserved.
This week brought forth the finale of my favorite current TV show, and marks the end of all superhero shows on broadcast television. Superman and Lois, which aired on the CW Network, came to a finale on Monday, Dec. 2. The finale was amazing, and it required a lot of kleenex. It was very, very emotional for me, not only because I love the characters, the cast and the show, but the way the writers and producers brought it to a finale. Superman and Lois truly is the best show television has seen in years, and personally, I'm furious with the CW, DC Comics and James Gunn (who is producing the new Superman film for 2025) - who all had a hand in the end of this amazing show. Regardless, if you haven't seen Superman and Lois, FIND IT. WATCH IT. It's not just a superhero show- Clark Kent and Lois Lane are married with 2 twin teenage sons, and the family is the focus. You won't regret it. Below is an article about the show's finale from the EW. Even reading this made me tear up. Any show that can bring out emotions, is a great show.
Superman & Lois showrunners and stars break down the series finale ending and answer burning questions
Tyler Hoechlin, Elizabeth Tulloch, and executive producers Todd Helbing and Brent Fletcher unpack that bittersweet happy ending.
Warning: This article contains spoilers for the Superman & Lois series finale, "It Went By So Fast."
The Superman & Lois team warned us that the final season would be the Death of Superman. But no one realized they were actually spoiling the series finale from the beginning.
"That's what we were going for — happy, sad, but something that stays with you for a while," executive producer Todd Helbing tells Entertainment Weekly.
Below, showrunners Helbing and Brent Fletcher and series stars Hoechlin and Tulloch break down that emotional series finale ending.
Cast of Superman and Lois
Superman and Lois -- "It Went by So Fast"
ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: How are you feeling about Superman & Lois coming to an end?
TYLER HOECHLIN: We're very, very fortunate to get to [end the show]. I know how it's ending now compared to how it could have ended had we not come back [after season 3] is pretty night and day. So I'm happy for the fans. They get a little bit of closure.
ELIZABETH TULLOCH: It's a bummer. Not that we were technically [still] part of the Arrowverse, but it's also the end of the Arrowverse era, and also Smallville, I mean, if you really go back to the WB shows. But the CW is not really a thing anymore, so bookending it with Smallville [when the network began] and ending with Superman & Lois, it's sad, especially for genre fans who are so loyal and dedicated and smart. But I'm grateful that we had four seasons and I'm grateful that we had the final season at least to close it out, and I hope that people like the ending. I think it'll probably be a little bit controversial. I was ugly crying. And it's so embarrassing when you're crying at your own performance.
Was this always how you planned to end the show?
BRENT FLETCHER: Pretty much. We talked at the end of season 3, it was a version of this. It maybe had more bells and whistles after seven seasons, and there was some changing due to production measures. But to see his life wind down and what it meant to him was always what we were hoping to do when we finished.
TODD HELBING: In season 3, with Bruno telling him that he hadn't really made a change or as big a change as he could have, [that] was something that we were definitely going to explore. The way it worked out was probably a little bit different, but that was the theme that we wanted to hit, for sure.
(Tyler Hoechlin as Superman and Bitsie Tulloch as Lois Lane)
How did that ending change when you found out you were only getting this 10-episode final season?
HELBING: There were so many [ways]. 10 episodes instead of 13 or 15 made it a little tricky, and the cast reductions, obviously. But once we knew what their availability was and we started to plot it all out, it lined up with what Brent and I had plotted out in a lot of ways, oddly.
FLETCHER: We had story that we fast-forwarded a little bit because we knew it was the last season. Sarah [Inde Navarrette] going off and studying in another country, we would've probably waited on that a little bit but something like that would've been our goal. The same with Jonathan having powers, I think we would've waited — we never wanted it to be just the superpowers show. But because we knew it was the last season, we took some swings that we wouldn't have taken if it was going to continue, all in service of the grand ending.
(Photo: Jonathan (Michael Bishop) and Jordan (Alex Garfin) Kent)
Why did you want to show both Lois and Clark's deaths?
FLETCHER: It was a choice that we made because we felt like we're the only [Superman] show that's ever been able to end on our own terms. We were like, "Why don't we show the totality of their lives?" We had to fast-forward through stuff, but we tried to give you a glimpse of the feel of what the decades looked like and the things were that were important to them and the theme of the show, which is family and hope — they had so much of that in their later years. Those were the things that meant the most to them at the end, not stopping a Doomsday or stopping a Brainiac. That's not what he remembers when he shuffles off the mortal coil. He remembers his grandkids, and moments of forgiveness, and his friends, and all the things that are good and right in the world.
HELBING: At the beginning of the season, there was a lot of press about Death of Superman, and we knew we were doing that. But we were doing the death of Superman, the whole thing. We were talking more about the ending than the beginning of the season. One of our mantras was how can we twist some of these stories on their head and do a different version of it, so this was sort of the same thing.
When did you learn how the show was going to end?
HOECHLIN: [Laughs] When I read it. I mean, I had an idea. They had given us a clue as to how they were going to do it, but the details of it I really didn't know until I read the final script. Part of it was the last thing we ever shot, and it was really evolving [throughout the whole process]. And now that it's done and I've seen at least a rough version of it, I'm really happy with how they decided to wrap everything up. It feels very fitting for this version of the characters and the circumstances being what they were and knowing that we were ending the show, to really have this finality to it.
TULLOCH: We had been told by higher-ups to anticipate going seven or eight seasons, and so all of a sudden having it cut down to one final, shortened season where they have to wrap everything up, they did what they could. But I know that the ending specifically was probably the plan for a couple seasons down the road, whenever it was going to end. The challenge was fitting in as much of their grand plans as possible when you're dealing with budget cuts and fewer episodes.
(Photo: Bitsie Tulloch as Lois Lane and Tyler Hoechlin as Clark Kent)
What did you think of how the rest of Clark and Lois' lives played out over the next 32 years together, and how they never spent a day apart until the day Lois died?
TULLOCH: Well, my initial thought was, "Wait a minute. What if Max wants to pick us up?" [Laughs] Anything could happen — it's been No. 2 or 3 after The Penguin in South America, Brazil, Mexico Argentina, and it's doing so well that I was kind of having pipe dreams about maybe it's not over. But I also thought it was beautiful. We shot that scene absolutely last, and so it was emotional for everyone who was there. There were actors who weren't in the scene who wanted to be there for the last scene that we shot on the show, and the crew was emotional. When I read the script, I was tearing up, and then I was tearing up even more when I was filming it and watching Tyler's stuff. I think the fans love this iteration of Lois and Clark because there's no worry or hesitation or concern about whether or not they're madly in love with each other. The foundation of their relationship was incredibly strong and remains so throughout all kinds of obstacles that they had to overcome, both as far as fighting monsters like Doomsday and Lex Luthor, and also fighting with their hormonal teenagers. There's never been a question about their love for each other and their dedication to one another.
HOECHLIN: It's fitting because when we first specifically started doing this Superman and Lois, they really were the focus. Also, I was at a point in my life where I was coming to that realization — family had always been very, very important, but it got emphasized with COVID where everything in the world stopped except for the relationships that we had with people. To wrap the show up on that note was very fitting. I'm really happy that that was what we leaned into.
How did you feel about Lois' breast cancer coming back, which ultimately led to her death?
TULLOCH: The reality is the kind of breast cancer that the writers had given Lois is incredibly aggressive — I believe it's the most aggressive form of breast cancer because it's not detectable before stage three, at which point it has metastasized. It rings true that it might come back, and they chose to write a storyline where they both end up being human and succumbing to human diseases, whether it's aging or a heart attack or cancer. And the red dress — because that episode was pretty important in season 3 — for him to be seeing her back in that red dress that had been sort of a concurrent theme throughout the series, I think was really touching.
HOECHLIN: It was definitely a heavy day on set. Bitsie and I have gotten really close over the years. I couldn't have asked for a better Lois Lane, and I hope she'd say the same [about me] — I feel like she would not say the same and then say that she was lying, because we just have that relationship. [Laughs] But in that moment, you're living out these moments for these characters, and so you have to let it hurt and you have to be in that space to get a truthful performance and do right by them and do right by the people that are watching. It was worthy of the story that we're telling to completion.
TULLOCH: The one thing I did miss in Lois' final moments was Dylan [Walsh], not having her father there in some capacity, even if he was sort of a hologram or a ghost or something. I remember when I was shooting it thinking, "Oh man, I really wish Dylan was here." Because it would make sense — she says, "Daddy." Can't we fly him in just to be on the other end saying, "Pumpkin," because that's always what he called Lois? That was my one regret, but we were dealing with crappy budget cuts and I'm really proud of what the writers and the producers and the cast and the crew were able to put together given those restraints.
Was that Elizabeth's real husband David Giuntoli playing the adult version of Jonathan? How did that casting happen?
HELBING: It is David. We all got to know him in the last four years, he directed this season, and he's such a great guy.
TULLOCH: That was sort of a, "Will you do this for us as a favor?" He's not credited. He directed episode 3 of this season, and so Todd and Brent went to him and they're like, "You don't have to do this, but we think it'd be really cool if the Grimm shows up as a little cameo." David has a really great relationship with Todd and Brent, and he was like, "I'll do it," and it was funny, the boys were fighting over who David would get to play. Ultimately they decided that Michael Bishop looked a bit more like him, and Michael Bishop has a very distinct walk. David, also having directed Bishop, kind of picked up on his walk, and it was hilarious. Though there was one scene where he whispered in my ear, "I love you, Mommy." And I was like, "Ew, no, do not do that again. I will break character." I was so grossed out. And then the family was standing together as a foursome and David was to my left, and I was like, "No, no, no. I don't want to stand next to him. Put him on the other side." But I think he had everybody in stitches when he was like, "Love you, Mommy." I can't!
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(IMAGE: END OF AN AMAZING SUPERHERO TV SHOW ERA - With the end of Superman and Lois, My TV Watching days are few. **A collage of every DC Comics Superhero show that aired on the CW Network (formerly WB, where Smallville and Birds of Prey aired). This is missing Swamp Thing and IZombie. I enjoyed ALL of these (except Smallville and Gotham Knights). It's a sad day for me.
***************************
FLETCHER: And then we cast the actor [who plays adult Jordan]. We had David, so we were just trying to look for somebody that matched in a lot of ways. The stuff bedside, they both brought it, which was what we needed in that moment. They were wonderful.
HELBING: One of the things that we tried to do this season in particular, which is one of the benefits of knowing it's the last season, is give our crew a bonus in ways that we hadn't been able to before. In episode 7, that crew during the interview is our real crew, and the kids at the end are our crew members' kids. We became a family, and so why not have them on camera as part of the family.
TULLOCH: A lot of those scenes as they're getting older were sweet — the blond woman who played Jonathan's wife is actually [executive producer/director] Gregory Smith's wife in real life, Taylor. One of our CW execs, Liz Wise, her son is in it. All of those kids, for the most part, were actual crew member's kids — not our child, we do not show her face on social media. They asked and we said no. And I absolutely adore my stand-in Amanda May, she's fantastic, and I asked and she played the wife of the older Jordan. It was great to be able to honor the crew. Greg Smith's kids were a part of it, and some of the wardrobe girls, and some of the executives and Brent Fletcher's kids were in it, and so it was sweet. It was really a familial moment.
In the midst of Clark grieving Lois' death, at least we got to see him adopt Krypto. That joy was a nice balance to the sadness, so thank you for that.
FLETCHER: [Laughs] Exactly! That's why we did it. Dogs always make you happy.
HELBING: That's so funny that you word it that way because that's exactly what it was. There's something about seeing Clark Kent walk in with Krypto on the country road that is so satisfying.
What was it like bringing those Krypto scenes to life?
HOECHLIN: It was so fun. We had a cat for the Bizarro episode, but it was one of the very few times we had an animal on set. It is really weird when life and the project that you're working on mirror each other so closely — we're closing this chapter of not just the show, but of our lives being up there in Vancouver and working together, so to have the puppy there on set those couple of days was nice.
The moments in the final montage showing Clark working alongside adult Jonathan and Jordan as well as John Henry and Natalie as a five-person super team would make a great spinoff. Is that something you're interested in exploring in a new show?
HELBING: Yeah, that would be fun. I mean, if James Gunn called us up, I would say yes. However, we're really satisfied and proud of what we did the last four seasons.
FLETCHER: It was meant just to show the arc of their lives. Love the characters and would certainly be open to it, but it was never the intent [to debut a spinoff]. We're just trying to give a window into where each of these characters lands and how their lives unfolded.
Would you ever be interested in doing another comic book role in the future?
Was there any character or actor you wanted to bring back for the final season or series finale that didn't work out for any reason?
FLETCHER: Yeah, Tal-Rho [played by Adam Rayner] would be one. We would've maybe had Dylan [Walsh return] and see him when Lois says, "Dad," in that moment. Matteo [played by Spence Moore II], just seeing him with Natalie. But it's budget, time, all that. We were down to our last penny in the finale and felt like it still worked without.
HELBING: Same. It would've been nice to have Jenna [Dewan] a couple of times as Lucy. But that's the same reason, just schedule and money.
Did you take anything from set after you wrapped?
HOECHLIN: Officially? Nothing. But I may have a little bit of sand from the Fortress of Solitude in a bag that I might put into a little hourglass or something at some point. I thought that was cool. I'll use it on game nights.
Recently, a Facebook page called the Swish Squad (basketball-oriented) posted this fascinating behind-the-scenes story about actress Margaret Hamilton, who played the memorable role of the Wicked Witch of the West in the Wizard of Oz film. Today's blog shares that post, and it's timely since the movie often appears on television during the holidays. Enjoy!
Interesting Backstory: Margaret Hamilton, Actress and "The Wicked Witch"
Margaret Hamilton was in need of money when her agent called with an unexpected offer. Having already done several films with MGM, she picked up the phone and asked, “Yes?” Her agent replied, “Maggie, they want you for a part in The Wizard.” Excited, she thought, “The Wizard of Oz! My favorite book since I was four!” But when she asked which role, her agent replied, “The Witch.” Shocked, she exclaimed, “The Witch?!” And he simply said, “What else?”
Ironically, Hamilton’s portrayal of the Wicked Witch of the West in The Wizard of Oz (1939) terrified generations of children—even though her first career had been as a kindergarten teacher, and she adored children her entire life. “Almost always, they want me to laugh like the Witch,” she shared. “Sometimes, when I visit schools, I’ll do it in the auditorium. And every time, there’s this moment where they’re genuinely scared, even older kids. It’s like they feel a flash of the fear they had watching the movie. They want to hear it, but they don’t want to hear it. Then they say, ‘Oh...’ The movie left an impression on them—sometimes a terrifying one. But eventually, they get over it… I think.” She added, “When I do the laugh, they hesitate, but then they clap. They’re clapping for that sound.”
Throughout her life, Hamilton was approached by children who asked why she’d been so mean to Dorothy. Concerned about the effect her role had on them, she eventually appeared on Mister Rogers' Neighborhood to reassure kids that the Witch was just a character, and not who she really was.
Filming the movie had its dangers too. During one special effects scene, Hamilton was supposed to disappear through a trap door hidden by smoke, followed by a flash of real fire. But on one take, the fire flared up too soon, igniting her costume. She suffered burns and was off set for more than a month. Upon returning, she told the studio, “I won’t sue—I know how this business works, and I’d never work again. I’ll come back, but on one condition—no more fire effects!”
Hamilton’s iconic portrayal of the Wicked Witch remains one of cinema’s most memorable performances, and despite the fear she instilled, she was beloved for her warmth and humor off-screen.
The history of Christmas is long and complicated, but by the 16th century, when Henry VIII ruled England, it was beginning to resemble the holiday we know today in some important ways. It may surprise you to learn that some of our favorite traditions of the Christmas season date back to Tudor times, including singing carols, giving gifts, eating turkey—and even kissing under the mistletoe. Today's blog, takes a look at 8 holiday customs from the Tudor period.
(Photo: Food was a big part of a Tudor Christmas. Turkey as a Christmas tradition was introduced in the 1520s andKing Henry VIIIwas among the first to enjoy it as part of a festive meal. ‘Mince pyes’ were also enjoyed as part of a Tudor Christmas and had a religious significance, containing 13 ingredients to mark Christ and his disciples including dried fruits and spices as well as chopped mutton. Credit: Hever Castle)
8 Ways the Tudors Shaped Modern Christmas
Many of today's Christmas traditions date back to Tudor England.
The history of Christmas is long and complicated, but by the 16th century, when Henry VIII ruled England, it was beginning to resemble the holiday we know today in some important ways. It may surprise you to learn that some of our favorite traditions of the Christmas season date back to Tudor times, including singing carols, giving gifts, eating turkey—and even kissing under the mistletoe. Take a look back at eight holiday customs from the Tudor period.
12 Days of Christmas
During the four weeks leading up to Christmas Day (known as Advent), most people observed a period of fasting up to and including Christmas Eve. Then the celebrations began, and continued for 12 days, from December 25 to January 6. The three biggest celebrations fell on Christmas Day, New Year’s and Epiphany, or Twelfth Night, on January 6, which honors the arrival of the three kings or three wise men (Magi) to see the baby Jesus.
(Photo: A photo of our dogs Franklin (left) and Dolly (right) back in 2009 with Santa. Now they're with us in spirit during the holidays).
Though people in Tudor times marked the beginning of the year on March 25 (when they held the Feast of the Annunciation), celebrating and exchanging gifts on January 1 was a holdover from Roman times, when that date was considered the beginning of the year. All work (except taking care of animals) would stop during the 12-day stretch, as everyone from laborers to noblemen devoted themselves to the enjoyment of the Christmas season. Work began again on the first Monday after Twelfth Night, known as Plough Monday.
Wassailing
Today we may recognize the word from classic Christmas carols like “The Wassail Song” and “Here We Come A-Wassailing,” but what did it mean to go wassailing in Tudor times? During the Christmas season, and particularly on Twelfth Night, groups of people traveled from house to house singing to their neighbors and wishing them good health. As they did, they passed around the communal wassail bowl, a vessel filled with warm ale, wine or cider mixed with spices and honey. The word “wassail” is believed to come from the old Anglo-Saxon toast waes hael, meaning “be well” or “be in good health.”
Another type of wassailing took place mostly in the country, and involved the blessing of orchards and fruit trees, rather than people, though it also prioritized communal drinking. A holdover from pagan times, this version of wassailing is still around today in cider-producing areas of England and Woodstock, Vermont, among other places.
Christmas Carols
Over time, the custom of wassailing would become tied up with another Christmas tradition of the Tudor period: caroling. Christmas carols at the time were mostly religious in nature, based around the Nativity story, though some covered themes like hunting or feasting. Some Christmas carols popular during the Tudor period have endured to this day (in different forms): “We Wish You a Merry Christmas,” “Good King Wenceslas” and “The First Noel.” In the 17th century, Puritans in both England and America would ban all Christmas festivities, and caroling didn’t become customary again until Victorian times.
(Photo: Rob opening a gift for Dolly (left) in 2009)
Giving Gifts
Though ordinary citizens of Tudor England may have simply given gifts on New Year’s Day in the spirit of Christmas, royal gifts took on a wider political significance: On the first day of 1532, for example, King Henry VIII accepted a gift from Anne Boleyn (a set of “Pyrenean boar spears”), but rejected the gold cup given him by his then-wife, Catherine of Aragon, whom he was trying to divorce at the time. In 1572, Henry and Anne’s daughter, Queen Elizabeth I, was forced to refuse an impressive jewel given to her by the Duke of Norfolk. At the time, Norfolk was imprisoned in the Tower of London for allegedly conspiring to replace Elizabeth on the English throne with Mary, Queen of Scots; he was executed later that year.
(Photo: Us at Homestead Gardens back in 2012. Credit:R.G.)
The “Kissing Bough”
The Christmas tree tradition as we know it likely began in Germany during the 16th century, but it didn’t become widespread in England until some 300 years later. Before then, the most popular decoration in people’s houses during the Yuletide season was the kissing bough, write the authors of A Tudor Christmas (2018). Kissing boughs were woven wooden hoops hung with evergreens like holly and bay leaves and suspended from the ceiling. Of course, a sprig of mistletoe was a must for any kissing bough. The tradition of kissing under that parasitic plant goes back as far as ancient Greece, due to mistletoe’s association with fertility.
Mince Pies
After fasting for four weeks, and abstaining from all meat, eggs and cheese, Tudor-era Britons would have been ravenous come Christmas Day. Mince pies (or “pyes”) were such common fare during the 12 days of celebrations that they were known as Christmas pies. Stuffed with meat—particularly mutton, which signified the shepherds who visited the infant Jesus—the pies were also made with suet, sugar, spices and dried fruit. Ideally, they were supposed to contain 13 different ingredients, to symbolize Christ and his 12 apostles.
(Photo: Our Holiday card from 2022)
Tudor Christmas Pie (the Original “Turducken”)
According to Weir and Clarke, the historical record shows the first turkeys arriving in England from the New World in 1526, or right in the middle of Henry VIII’s reign. Though the most common celebratory fare for Christmas during Tudor times remained the boar’s head, usually displayed on a platter with an apple stuffed into its mouth, wealthier diners could enjoy a particular delicacy of the time: the Tudor Christmas Pie. This creation, which was not for the faint of heart, consisted of a turkey stuffed with a goose, which was stuffed with a chicken, which was stuffed with a partridge, which was stuffed with a pigeon—all baked inside a pastry “coffin.”
(Photo: Yule Log cake. Credit: the Gypsy Chef)
The Yule Log
The tradition of burning the Yule Log, which would spawn a tasty cake and thousands of YouTube videos, is thought to have originated with Viking invaders, who made bonfires to celebrate the winter solstice. The word “Yule,” which actually comes from the Old Norse jól, a heathen midwinter festival lasting twelve days, has long been used in English as a synonym for Christmas.
In the Tudor period, many families would head to the woods on Christmas Eve and select a log, which they would decorate with ribbons and set ablaze. After keeping it burning during the 12 days of Christmas, they would keep a charred remnant of the log. This was considered good luck for the year to come, and could be used to help kindle the next year’s Christmas fire.
I'm a simple guy who enjoys the simple things in life, especially our dogs. I volunteer for dog rescues, enjoy exercising, blogging, politics, helping friends and neighbors, participating in ghost investigations, coffee, weather, superheroes, comic books, mystery novels, traveling, 70s and 80s music, classic country music,writing books on ghosts and spirits, cooking simply and keeping in shape. You'll find tidbits of all of these things on this blog and more. EMAIL me at Rgutro@gmail.com - Rob
