Prep time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: N/A
Serving size: 24 servings
This Ground Cherry Upside Down Cake recipe was originally published in the Fall 2019 edition of the “Weekend Gardner” Magazine.
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 35 minutes
Serving size: 8 servings
Elvis Presley, the “King of Rock and Roll,” is one of the most influential and notable cultural figures of the 20th century. He began his music career in 1954 with Sun Records in Memphis, Tennessee. Beyond his successful music career, Elvis married Priscilla Beaulieu, and they had a daughter, Lisa Marie Presley. Elvis and Priscilla split in 1973 after six years of marriage, following multiple alleged affairs. This failed marriage left Presley disheveled, and he never seemed to fully recover. In 1977, his fiancée Ginger Alden found him unresponsive, and he was pronounced dead at 42 years old. If alive today, Elvis would be 89 years old.
Jimi Hendrix, born Johnny Allen Hendrix in November 1942, is one of the most influential eclectic guitarists. His girlfriend, Monika Dannemann, a German figure skater, was with him in London on the day he passed away. Disputes surround his last day and death, but on September 18th, 1970, at the age of 27, he died from asphyxia. In 1992, The Jimi Hendrix Experience entered the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Although his mainstream career only lasted four years, he became a widely influential musician. If alive today, Hendrix would be 81 years old.
“Prince Rogers Nelson was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota, in June 1958. At 19, Prince signed a record deal with Warner Brothers and soon released the albums For You (1978) and Prince (1979). However, in April 2016, Prince died at the age of 57 due to an accidental fentanyl overdose in his Paisley Park home. If Prince were alive today, he would be 66 years old.”
Michael Jackson is known as one of the most significant cultural figures of the 20th century, the “King of Pop.” Furthermore, he made substantial contributions to music, dance, and fashion. In 2009, however, Jackson died of an overdose which his physician, Conrad Murray, administered. Consequently, Murray was convicted of involuntary manslaughter in 2011. Despite his passing, Michael Jackson is still among the best-selling music artists of all time and would be 65 years old if he were still alive.
Singer and actress, Whitney Houston’s single “I Will Always Love You” won the Grammy Award for Record of the Year and she became the best-selling female single in history. On March 22, 2012, Houston’s death was ruled “accidental” by drowning and a combination of heart disease and drug use. If Whitney Houston were alive today, she would be 60 years old.
Lead vocalist, guitarist, songwriter, and founding member of Nirvana, Kurt Cobain, passed away at only 27 years old. In March 1994, Cobain overdosed and was subsequently sent to a detox program. However, less than a month later, Cobain died of a self-inflicted injury. If he were still alive today, Cobain would be 57 years old.
Amy Winehouse, an English singer and songwriter, was born in September 1983. Winehouse was a National Youth Jazz Orchestra member in her youth and eventually signed with Simon Fuller’s 19 Management in 2002. Jazz music heavily influenced her 2003 album, Frank. Winehouse battled with mental health, substance abuse, and addiction, subsequently passing away from alcohol poisoning in July 2011 at 27. If Amy Winehouse were alive today, she would be 40 years old.
A public university in Cullowhee, NC, Western Carolina University lands at number 10 on our list with 11,635 students.
Greensboro’s North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University has 13,487 students.
With 17,843 students, UNC Wilmington ranks 8th in enrollment.
UNC Greensboro has a student enrollment of 17,978.
The first private university to appear on our list, Duke University is ranked sixth in enrollment with 18,023 students.
A public university in Boone, NC, Appalachian State University is fifth on our list with 20,436 students.
Greenville’s East Carolina University has 27,151 students.
At number three on our list of universities in North Carolina with the largest enrollment is UNC Charlotte.
North Carolina’s flagship university, UNC-CH has 31,705 students.
NC State University tops our list with 36,700 students.
Every four years, an extra day appears on our calendars… February 29. While this might seem like a simple correction to keep our time in sync with the Earth’s orbit, many cultures believe it’s much more than that. From marriage myths to supernatural fears, leap years have long been surrounded by strange superstitions.
We all know that a typical year has 365 days, but the Earth takes approximately 365.2422 days to complete one full orbit around the sun. Without the extra day every four years, the calendar would gradually fall out of sync with the seasons. But why was February chosen for this leap day? The Julian Calendar designated February 29th as the extra day when it was modified to better align with the solar year. While the leap year’s purpose is purely practical, many cultures have attached superstitions and traditions to it.
In several cultures, leap years are associated with bad luck. The old Italian saying “Anno bisesto, anno funesto” translates to “Leap year, doom year,” suggesting that misfortune and death are more common during these years. Similarly, in Greece, many couples avoid getting married in a leap year, fearing their union will be cursed with bad luck or an early divorce.
One of the most famous leap year traditions comes from Ireland and Scotland, where February 29 is considered “Bachelor’s Day.” According to legend, St. Bridget complained to St. Patrick that women had to wait too long for men to propose. As a solution, he allowed women to propose marriage on leap day. However, if a man refused the proposal, he was expected to compensate the woman, sometimes with a silk dress, gloves, or money.
People born on February 29, known as “Leaplings” or “Leap Year Babies,” are sometimes believed to be special… or cursed. Some old European traditions claimed leap day births were unlucky, while in other cultures, being born on this rare date was seen as a sign of uniqueness and good fortune. Many leaplings only get to “officially” celebrate their birthdays every four years, often choosing February 28 or March 1 in non-leap years.
Many agricultural superstitions warn farmers to be extra cautious during leap years. In some rural traditions, it’s believed that crops won’t grow properly or that livestock will be more prone to disease. There’s even an old Scottish saying: “A leap year is never a good seed year,” suggesting that the harvest will be poor and unpredictable.
Another widespread superstition is that leap years bring an increase in deaths. Some believe that people are more likely to pass away during a leap year due to the imbalance caused by the extra day. In certain cultures, people are especially wary of making big life decisions, such as moving, starting a business, or making major financial investments during a leap year.
Because leap day is so rare, there have been legal debates over when leaplings reach adulthood. In some places, if you’re born on February 29, the law recognizes your birthday as February 28 in non-leap years, while other places use March 1. This odd technicality has even led to legal loopholes in contracts and inheritance cases!
An old English law reportedly stated that any man who refused a woman’s leap-day marriage proposal had to buy her 12 pairs of gloves. The idea was that she could wear them to hide her shame of not having an engagement ring!
Some folklore claims that ghosts and spirits are more active on February 29 because the day exists outside the usual rhythm of time. In parts of Europe, people once believed that witches and supernatural beings gained extra powers during leap years!
There’s a long-standing belief that leap years bring global instability—whether political, economic, or environmental. Some point to major historical events that have occurred during leap years, such as wars, economic crashes, and natural disasters, to support the idea that these years are more unpredictable than others.
Whether leap years truly bring misfortune or just an extra day on the calendar, they have fascinated people for centuries. From eerie folklore to legal loopholes, this rare occurrence continues to spark myths, traditions, and a bit of mystery. Do you believe in any leap-year superstitions?
KIX 102 FM’s Big Jim caught up with legendary writer/producer/performer David Foster and his wife Katharine McPhee to talk about their upcoming show at DPAC.
“An Intimate Evening with David Foster and Katharine McPhee” is coming to DPAC on February 24th. The 16-time Grammy award-winning writer/producer performs songs that he wrote or produced from his four decades of hits and includes fascinating storytelling about the songs, artists, and moments of his life. Some of the songs David and Katharine perform include Celine Dion’s “The Power Of Love,” Whitney Houston’s “The Bodyguard”, Earth Wind and Fire’s “After The Love Is Gone,” Chicago’s ”You’re The Inspiration”, Josh Groban’s “You Raised Me Up,” Natalie Cole’s “Unforgettable” and many, many more. They also perform a selection of hit songs that are beloved by Katharine’s fans. Tickets on sale now at dpacnc.com.
North Carolina Theatre presents “Beautiful: The Carole King Musical” at Raleigh Memorial Auditorium in the Martin Marietta Center October 10-15. Tickets are on sale now at nctheatre.com. KIX 102FM’s Shack and The New Pulse FM’s Matt Murphy sat down with the stars of the show, Elena Ricardo and Tim Rogan, to talk about the production and how they are approaching their roles as Carole King and Gerry Goffin.
KIX 102FM’s Shack caught up with comedy legend John Cleese, coming to DPAC October 29th with his show “An Evening with the Late John Cleese.” Tickets are on sale now at dpacnc.com or ticketmaster.com.
KIX 102 FM’s Shack and The New Pulse FM’s Matt Murphy sat down for a conversation with the star of Mary Poppins, Kara Lindsay. This is the second time Kara has played the iconic role with NC Theatre. In addition to Mary Poppins, Kara has starred on Broadway and in films, including roles as Glinda in Wicked and Katherine in Newsies.
Listen in as Kitty Kinnin interviews legendary saxophonist Boney James, who discusses his musical influences as well as his professional journey through the world of music.