July 15, 2014

Today is a fun day that involves hiking up mountains. I hope you love hiking:

National Tapioca Pudding Day – Tapioca is a starch from Manioc, which is a plant that is from Brazil but spread throughout South America, the West Indies, Africa and Asia by the Portuguese and Spanish explorers. It's gluten free and is used in cooking to thicken foods as well as to make delicious tapioca pudding.

National Be A Dork Day – There are many things that you can do that would be considered dorky by teeneagers, so if you need help figuring out how to celebrate today, ask one. I'm sure they would be only too happy to help you as long as they don't need to have anything else to do with you today.

Gummi Worm Day – A small,worm shaped, rubbery candy. It is one of my favorite candies to eat, in any shape, which my children know so they do not find it difficult to talk me into buying them when we see them in the store. I am trying to be strong, but since today is Gummi Worm Day, I think I am doomed before I even begin.

National Pet Fire Safety Day – Every family should have a fire safety plan. Installing smoke detectors and making sure they are working is a big part of that. But you should also have a plan for your pets. There are many good ideas here: http://www.petmeds.org/petmeds-spotlight/national-pet-fire-safety-day/#.UcZtouzD-Uk

Saint Swithin's Day – Swithin was the Bishop of Winchester from somewhere around 853 A.D. Until his death sometime between 862 and 865. He is now the patron saint of Winchester Cathedral. He is known for great posthumous miracles. Today is his feast day and a well known tradition in England is that whatever the weather is today, it will continue for the next 40 days. So if it's raining today, break out the life jackets because you know what happened the last time it rained for 40 days.

Take-no-Nobori - In the, what is now known as, the Nagano Prefecture of Japan, there was a terrible drought in the year 1504.  Absolutely no rain all summer long.  Finally, the people prayed to their god who apparently granted them 3 days of rain.  Jubilantly, the people gave their god an offering of enough high quality cloth for two kimonos.  Who knew gods wore kimonos? Well, this one seems to.  Anyway, the people turned this into a yearly festival and continue to hike up Mount Ogamidake to offer homemade cloth to the god.

National Respect Canada Day - Canada is an amazing place to visit.  They have a wide variety of things to do and see to make any tourist happy.  From train tours of the mountains to polar bear spotting, to hiking trails, to skiing, to whale spotting, to biking, to kayaking and much, much more.

To celebrate today, head to Japan to hike up the mountain with the Japanese people.  Make sure you bring cloth to leave for the god.  While you are there, leave a good impression on the by acting very dorky.  For lunch have a feast of gummi worms and tapioca pudding.  Head to Canada next and while you’re on the plane, make a fire safety plan for your pets.

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