Haunted houses started back in 1915. The first ever haunted house was built by Patrick Collins. The Orton and Spooner Ghost House was the first haunted house. It was made in Liphook England. It’s a tiny building about as big as two sheds pushed together. The haunted house was a success so people came up with haunted trails and some made them in their basements. Now we have places like Shattered Nightmares, Netherworld,  and the scariest haunted house, the McKamey Manor.

During the fall season, there are so many different types of great food, especially sweets! There’s one thing I love to cook during this time. Here’s how to make a pumpkin roll!

Ingredients 

¼ a cup of powdered sugar

¾ a cup of all-purpose flour 

½ teaspoon of baking powder

½ teaspoon of baking soda 

½ teaspoon of ground cinnamon

½ teaspoon of ground cloves 

¼ teaspoon salt

3 eggs

1 cup granulated sugar

⅔ cup pure pumpkin 

1 cup walnuts chopped (optional )

1 package of 8 ounces of cream cheese at room temperature 

1 cup powdered sugar, sifted 

6 tablespoons butter or margarine, softened

1 teaspoon vanilla extract 

Powdered sugar (optional for decoration)

Preheat oven to 375 F. grease your jellyroll pan ( 15 x 10 inch) and line it with wax paper. Grease and flour paper. Sprinkle a thin cotton kitchen towel with ¼ cup of powdered sugar. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, and salt in a small bowl. Beat the eggs in granulated sugar in a large mixing bowl until it’s thick. Beat in the pumpkin. Stir in the flour mixture and spread evenly onto a pan. Sprinkle with nuts (if you’re not allergic). Bake for 13 to 15 minutes or until the top of the cake springs up after being touched. Immediately loosen and turn the cake onto the prepared towel. Beat cream cheese, 1 cup powdered sugar, butter, and vanilla extract in the smaller mixing bowl until smooth. Carefully unroll the cake and spread the cream cheese mixture over the cake. Re-roll the cake and wrap it in plastic wrap to refrigerate for at least an hour. Sprinkle with powdered sugar if wanted. 

I hope you enjoy making these recipes with friends or family! Pumpkin rolls are great for the fall season and an enjoyable treat for everyone!

       The daylight savings time change for fall starts on Sunday, November 6th, but what is the reason for it? It happened because Benjamin Franklin realized he was wasting his time lying in bed when he could be doing more important things during the 18th century.

        What is daylight savings time? Daylight savings time is a period during which the time is adjusted in order to gain an extra hour of daylight in the evening during part of the year. Places that you might not know use daylight saving time are Iran, most of Mexico, Argentina, Paraguay, Cuba, and New Zealand. 

       How can you participate in daylight savings? Well, you start out by waiting for 12:00 AM to come around, then you set your clock back 1 hour. You’ll then be ready for daylight savings! If you are prepared, you’ll get an extra hour of sleep! Make sure you remember to set your clocks back on November 6th!

 Flu Season is back and it might be more severe than ever.

 Get ready for this season because the flu might be even worse than you expected. Want to stop getting the flu? You can take precautions from getting it and strengthen your immune system from influenza.

  Common Questions Answered:

     When does flu season start and end? 

This answer is easy to explain because it starts in early fall and ends in late spring because we are inside more during fall and winter. When we are inside more and outside less, we are more prone to being exposed to viruses and being infected by family members.

  Is the flu contagious or spread to others?

 Yes, influenza is very contagious through person-to-person contact. When you or someone close sneezes or coughs without covering their mouth or nose, airborne droplets can travel through the air and can get into your eyes, mouth, or nose. When the virus enters your body, it can start to multiply inside quickly and infect your respiratory system within 1-3 days after being exposed to the virus. Less commonly, it can be transferred by contaminated surfaces or objects that have the influenza virus. 

Advice for flu season:

•      Don’t go to school or work when you are sick. If you have symptoms of the flu, stay home from work, and school. This will stop you from spreading the virus to other people around you.
•      Cover your mouth and nose when sneezing or coughing. When you sneeze, use a tissue to stop spreading germs. When you cough, cover your mouth with your elbow. This will stop the spread of germs around people. Influenza is mostly spread when you sneeze, cough, or talk.
•   Get treatment for influenza. Antiviral drugs can help kill viruses in the early stages after 1-2 days of symptoms. These drugs can speed up recovery and help attack the virus quickly. They also help lessen symptoms of the flu and prevent further complications.

 Miss McConnaughey is a student teacher with Mrs. Ball and Mrs. Corbett.   She will begin teaching her own class in the spring after she graduates from college. She likes to watch movies and spend time with her friends and family. She graduated from South Vermillion High School in Clinton, Indiana. Her favorite place to eat is Rocky`s.  During football season she loves to root for the Philadelphia Eagles.  Miss McConnaughey played tennis and soccer in high school, and she still likes to play on the weekends. She likes teaching at West Vigo High School and said her host teachers have been amazing. Miss McConnaughey decided she wanted to be a teacher during her junior year of high school.  Enjoy your time with us at West Vigo High School, Miss McConnaughey!    

Miss McConnaughey