May 31, 2018

Today we celebrate:

National Meditation Day - Meditation is a tool that can be used to bring harmony back to your life. It can help you de-stress, maintain your composure, reduce your anger, and increase your peacefulness, awareness and relaxation. Give it a try today, it only takes a few minutes a day to give you lasting benefits.

Save Your Hearing Day – This is a day to focus on a very important sense, our ability to hear. For as long as I can remember, young people have been determined to destroy this sense as quickly as possible. Probably something to do with knowing that they will one day have very loud children and so they know already that there will come a day when they will be glad that the noise is somewhat muffled. Or, maybe it is simply because they like loud music. Who doesn't? I like to crank up my radio when I'm alone in the house too, but I also have to endure the many complaints of my family members that I should get my ears checked because I can't hear diddlysquat. Which is nonsense. Who wants to hear diddlysquat anyway? What kind of sound is that anyway? What?

World Otter Day - Let’s just start by agreeing that otters are adorable. If you disagree with that statement, then you are a monster and you’ll just need to accept that right now. Today is all about recognizing that otters are important to the environment but are in danger like so much of our wildlife today because everyone thinks they are adorable and wants to own one. This is called the illegal wildlife trade and it must be stopped. Frankly, while I love to look at otters swimming around, and I love to see pictures of them doing absolutely anything, I would love them a little bit less if I were the one who had to feed them and take them out to do their business just because my children are too lazy to get out of bed and away from their phones. These are animals who are fully capable of fending for themselves in the wild….so let’s let them do that and enjoy their antics from afar.

World No Tobacco Day – This is a day for absolutely everyone to spread the word any way they can that tobacco can cause many health problems. Some ideas include: working on banning tobacco advertising, holding anti-smoking meetings, going into schools and telling kids how bad tobacco is, stopping people in public places and encouraging them to stop smoking, holding public marches and demonstrations. Because you never know, some people who have lived under a rock for the last twenty or so years, just might emerge today and be receptive to your information. You could save a life today. The theme for this year is, “Tobacco and Heart Disease”.

National Macaroon Day – Macaroons are cookies made with egg whites, sugar, ground almonds, coconut and maybe some chocolate. They do not use flour. They are also not to be confused with macarons, which are sandwich like treats filled with butter or jam. Have some macaroons today. These won't even mess up your gluten-free diet if you are on one.

What You Think Upon Grows Day – This is a day that is all about the power of positive thinking. Whatever you allow your mind to dwell on, will come to pass. If you persist in thinking about negative things, negative things will happen in your life. So anytime you start thinking negatively, push those thoughts right out of your head and replace them with positive thoughts. The more positive thoughts you have, the more positive things will happen in your life.

Speak In Complete Sentences Day - This is a day that requires us to focus on how we speak. Far too many of us speak in slang, texting shorthand, and just plain poor grammar. I have tried to teach my children that in the business world, no one is going to take you seriously if you don’t speak like a mature adult is supposed to speak. Saying “like” every other word or juvenile forms of speech like, “Me and Dave” instead of “Dave and I” are going to lead to problems when you are trying to impress your boss or a client.

Corpus Christi - This is not about the city in Texas, although I have been there and enjoyed it thoroughly and feel they deserve to have a day. But alas, this is not it. No, this is a day that is celebrated on the Thursday after Trinity Sunday in Christian churches and is actually called The Feast of Corpus Christi which is Latin for “Body of Christ”. The super simplification of the day is that it celebrates the belief in the body and blood of Jesus Christ. If you talk to a clergyperson, you will get a much better explanation that I can provide to you.

Goodbye

I'm sorry to announce that I have decided that tomorrow I will be sharing my last Crazy Days to Celebrate post with you. I apologize to my faithful readers and hope that you understand that life has just gotten too busy. For a while now I haven't had the time to do what I really want to do with this blog and I have decided that I don't want to take shortcuts and risk making lots of mistakes. I would rather just set it aside for now and perhaps there will come a day when I will be able to pick it back up and start fresh.

I want to thank you all for your generous support, helpful tips, constructive criticism, and willingness to share with your friends. I especially want to thank Edward for teaching me how to improve my graphics from simple internet pictures, to something approaching artwork. This page would not have been nearly as good without all of his expert and supremely patient help.

I am not deleting this blog anytime soon and will happily check in periodically and answer any questions about holidays that you may have. Thank you again for all of your support and I wish each and every one of you a blessed life.

May 30, 2018

Today we celebrate:

My Bucket’s Got A Hole In It Day - I couldn’t find a source that could tell me exactly what this day is about or who created it. But I did find numerous references to it so I can only assume that it is real. It might be an homage to Hank Williams’ song by the same name, or it might be about appreciating buckets with or without holes, or it might be a metaphor for our lives and how none of us are perfect. Take your pick.

National Mint Julep Day - This is a cocktail made with bourbon whiskey, mint, water and sugar. Many people feel this is a summer drink and wouldn’t think of having it in the winter. It is most popular in the south and is the official drink of the Kentucky Derby.

Water A Flower Day – Wow, I'm getting it from all sides today. My husband is always on my case because I remember to water my vegetable garden but I never think about the poor flowers. Usually because I'm in a hurry to get to work or get away from the mosquitoes so I only water the “important” things. I know, I know, flowers are important too. Sheesh, I'll water them already.

Loomis Day – This is a day dedicated to people who think outside the box like Mahlon Loomis, a dentist and the inventor of artificial teeth in 1854, was also the earliest inventor of a wireless telegraph, which he patented on this day in 1872. His idea worked, but not for the reasons he thought. He was using kites with metal wires, instead of string, as antennas and thought that if the kites were flown at the same level in the atmosphere, the messages could be transmitted between them. It worked, but it worked because of the length of the wire, not the height of the kite. I don't understand it all, but I do know that Congress wasn't buying the whole concept so even though he got a patent for his idea, it didn't end up going anywhere. He may not have been totally successful, but his ideas sparked a trend that led to the technology we have today.

World MS Day – This day is celebrated on the last Wednesday of May every year. Multiple Sclerosis is a neurological disorder that affects approximately 2 million people worldwide. It usually shows up in young adults so most people are diagnosed between the ages of 25 and 31. More women than men are affected. There is no cure and no one knows what causes it. The type and severity of the symptoms vary widely from person to person but can include weakness of limbs, dizziness, fatigue, tingling sensations, and vision disruptions among many other things. Sometimes patients can be in remission and be symptom free for days to even years and then it will relapse. Others never get a period of remission. Some can live a reasonably healthy life for many years and others become severely debilitated very quickly and do not live long at all. There is no predicting the course of the disease in anyone. Find out more here, and here.

National Senior Health & Fitness Day – This day has been celebrated every year since 1993 with a goal of keeping older Americans healthy and fit. It is always celebrated on the last Wednesday in May and you will find events happening all over the world. The theme for this year is: “With Movement...There’s Improvement!”

May 29, 2018

Today we celebrate:

Paper Clip Day - Ok, I’m not a fan of this day. Yeah, paper clips are useful. I use them every day at work. You could even say I’m a fan of paper clips because they work so great. But really, does that mean that they deserve a holiday? I think not. But as I’ve said before, I don’t make the days, I just tell you about them. It may be that paper clips were invented by Johan Vaaler from Norway in 1899, but I’m not 100 percent sure of that.

National Biscuit Day - This is a day to celebrate biscuits. I love biscuits, they taste great warmed up with melted butter and maybe a little dab of jelly. Yum. Now, ‘biscuit’ means different things depending on what country you come from, for example, in the United Kingdom, what we call ‘cookies’, they call ‘biscuits’. But since I don’t know what country this holiday comes from, eat some biscuits today, no matter what that means to you.

World Digestive Health Day - Created by the World Gastroenterology Organization, this is a day to increase public awareness of what we eat and how it affects us gastrointestinally. For example, coeliac disease can be devastating for the intestinal health of sufferers when they eat even small amounts of gluten. So the theme this year is, “Your Diet and Gut Health.” Every year they focus on a different digestive disorder. Last year was about “Heartburn: A Global Perspective.”

Put A Pillow On Your Fridge Day – Back in the day before there were refrigerators, it was fairly common practice, or so I understand not being old enough to have experienced it, to put cloth in your larder as it was believed to bring good luck and prosperity to the family. Well, no one has a larder any more and not too many of us have piles of cloth lying around so we are encouraged to put a pillow on or in (if you have room) your refrigerator. If you do this, let me know if it works and if you end up having good luck and great wealth. And make sure you have a camera handy to capture the looks on the faces of your loved ones as they attempt to raid the fridge and find a pillow among the food.

Ascension Of Baha'u'Llah – On this day in 1892, Baha'u'llah, the founder of the Baha'i faith, died and ascended into Heaven. He left his followers teachings which he believed would lead all of humanity to a “true and abiding peace.”

Learn About Composting Day – This is a day to learn about composting. The basic idea is to reuse our food scraps by collecting them in a compost bin and, over time, turning them into compost which would make good, natural fertilizer.

International Day Of United Nations Peacekeepers - Keeping the peace is a difficult and dangerous job. This is a day, declared by the United Nations, to remember and honor the United Nations Peacekeepers who have lost their lives to this cause. The first UN peacekeeping mission was performed in 1948 and more than 3,200 Peacekeepers have died in the years since then as a result of their pursuit of world peace.

End of Middle Ages Day – According to historians, this day in 1453 was the last day of the Middle Ages. I don't know about you but my first question was: How do they know that? Well, I'll tell you. May 29, 1453 was the day that Constantinople fell, marking the end of the Byzantine Empire. Goodbye, Middle Ages: Hello, Renaissance.

National Coq Au Vin Day – Chicken and wine. Really, that is all this is. Have some chicken and wine for dinner tonight. Oh, you can follow a traditional recipe and make it all fancy if you want and have time. If not, any old chicken and wine will do.

May 28, 2018

Today we celebrate:

National Brisket Day - Brisket is a specific cut of meat that comes from the lower chest of the animal. It is generally cooked low and slow, as my husband says, a phrase that you may not recognize if you are not an experienced cook or if my husband made it up. He means that you cook it for a long time over a low, or indirect, heat (if you are cooking it on a grill). All I know is that it is delicious!

National Hamburger Day - Hamburgers apparently originated in Hamburg, Germany but the Americans added their own spin to it by putting it on a bun. Seymour, Wisconsin lays claim to that addition and hosts a hamburger festival called Burger Fest every year. I haven’t yet heard about anyone disputing that claim, although maybe no one cares enough to do so.

Amnesty International Day – Amnesty International was founded in 1961 after an article was published on this day in 1961 by the The Observer entitled “The Forgotten Prisoners” by Peter Benenson. Amnesty's goal is to bring attention to the many cases of human rights abuse in the world and to bring pressure to governments whenever and wherever they can to try to get those abuses to end. The organization was awarded a Nobel Peace Prize in 1977 for its “campaign against torture,” as well as the United Nations Prize in the Field of Human Rights in 1978.

Sierra Club Day – Founded on this day in 1892, with John Muir as its' first President and a membership of 182 charter members, this club has worked tirelessly to, as John Muir said, “do something for wildness and make the mountains glad.” This club now has more than a million members and is the oldest environmental organization in the U.S.

Memorial Day – Celebrated on the last Monday in May, this is a United States Federal Holiday and is a day for remembering the men and women who died while serving in the United States Armed Forces. It was originally known as Decoration Day, as I mentioned yesterday, and celebrations began shortly after the Civil War to commemorate both Union and Confederate soldiers who died in that war. It has since been extended to honor all Americans who died in all of the wars we have been involved in. Veteran's grave stones or crosses are typically decorated for this day with an American flag and sometimes with wreaths and flowers as well.

Fiji Ratu Sir Lala Sukuna Day - On the last Monday in May, the people of Fiji celebrate the life of one of their most important leaders, Ratu Sir Lala Sukuna. He was a hero in WWI and then became a politician who helped Fiji gain independence from Great Britain. He didn’t see that goal reached because he died on May 30, 1958, twelve years before independence was achieved. In 2010, Prime Minister Commodore Voreqe Bainimarama declared this to be no longer a public holiday.

May 27, 2018

Today we celebrate:

Trinity Sunday - This day falls on the first Sunday after Pentecost and is celebrated by Christians who believe in the Trinity, which is the three Persons of God in the form of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.

National Grape Popsicle Day - Apparently popsicles were invented in 1905 when a child, Frank Epperson (age 11) did what all children do and didn’t clean up after himself. He left his beverage with a stirring stick outside on a cold night. But it turned out to be a great thing, so parents you should think about that the next time you tell your kids to clean up something. You could be ruining your child’s future accidental invention that could make millions of dollars. But this is not a day for all popsicles...only the grape ones...which everyone knows are the best flavor anyway.

Nothing To Fear Day - What are you afraid of? I don’t like to think about my fears very often, but every now and then we need to do that and figure out if our fears are stopping us from accomplishing our goals in life. Some fears are seriously debilitating and if you have any of those, you might need professional help to overcome them. If you have a fear of mental health professionals like Psychologists, Psychiatrists or Therapists, then you’re just toast and you’ll have to talk to your Great Aunt Bessie for some practical, down to earth advice on how to fix that little problem. But this is also a day to figure out where your fears are coming from.  Are they real? Or are you reacting to what you are hearing on the news? Because let me tell you right now, if you are paying too much attention to the news, you need to do some real research into those news stories, which all too often sensationalize things and make them seem like much bigger problems than they really are. They do that so people will watch the news because they need the ratings just like any other television show. “The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.” Thank you, President Franklin D. Roosevelt, for the appropriate comment.

Indianapolis 500 - The famous car race that takes place on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway located in Speedway, Indiana. This race is always held over the Memorial Day weekend and is one of the three most important races in the world. It began in 1911 and has happened every year since then.

Old-Time Player Piano Day - While I was able to find out more than I ever wanted to know about player pianos, I was not able to find out why today is a significant day for them. They were developed gradually by various people inventing improvements that built on the ideas of those who came before. It looks like a Frenchman by the name of Fourneaux created the original player piano in 1863 but it was improved upon by many until the 1920s when it had its’ peak. Sales dropped off after that, and then the Great Depression really put the kabosh on the whole industry. The only ones still interested after WWII were a few collectors who just loved them and put in the time and money to restore any that they found.

Sunscreen Day – This is a day to raise awareness of the importance of wearing sunscreen to protect your skin. It's also important to remember that you don't have to see the sun in order to be burned by the sun. I've gotten the worst sunburns of my life on cloudy days because those are the days you don't even think about needing sunscreen. Protect your skin and you will be less likely to get a melanoma.

Cellophane Tape Day – On this day in 1930, Richard Drew of the 3M company, received a patent for his invention of cellophane tape, also known as Scotch Tape or Invisible Tape or just Tape. I used to have a whole bunch of the stuff in my house after a trip to Costco four years ago.  I figured I would never have to buy more in my lifetime, but I didn’t factor my children into that equation. Now I’m constantly searching the house for whatever scraps remain. I don’t want to buy more because I know I must have more somewhere here. The kids couldn’t possibly have used all of it….could they? Assuming you don’t have my problem, see if you can find a new way of using it today besides the tried and true old present wrapping standby. Last year I amazed my teenager by using cellophane tape to remove lint from her black shirt. I don't know what shocked her more; that it worked, or that I knew something she didn't know.

May 26, 2018

Today we celebrate:

World Dracula Day - On this day in 1897, Bram Stoker’s famous novel, Dracula, was published. Aficionados of the genre are already in the midst of the World Dracula Day Symposium at the North Central Texas College. They are listening to Dacre Stoker, Bram Stoker’s grand-nephew, and many other vampire-fiction authors.

National Cherry Dessert Day - Truthfully, I’m not a huge fan of cherries, but I recognize that I am in the minority here. And I do understand that cherries are really very good for you. They are full of vitamins and minerals and even have some fiber to top it all off. This is a win/win situation. So, maybe I’ll make a cherry pie for my family who will think they have died and gone to heaven, but I’ll still choose to eat something different for myself.

National Grey Day - OK, this is another fairly odd day. Apparently grey is an underappreciated color. I wasn’t aware of that. Mostly because I wear a lot of black and grey because it is easy to match those colors with others. But many people avoid grey because it is too plain. So today you need to purposefully choose grey whenever you have an option. Grey clothes, grey crayons, pencils write in grey, and if you dim the lights at night you will see more grey.

National Paper Airplane Day - Paper airplanes are a simple and fun way of making your own toy. The purpose is to try to get people of any age to stop using their high tech gadgets that are killing us and isolating us from life, and get together with friends and family, get out some plane old paper, make some paper airplanes and  take them outside to fly them around. Experiment with how folding them differently affects how they fly, there are lots of different designs you can try.

World Redhead Day - This is a day that was created by Jace Shoemaker-Galloway. She feels that redheads are negatively stereotyped as having hot tempers. The combination of red hair and the freckles that commonly go with it are viewed as imperfections. My own son, who is a redhead, hated his hair years ago because the girls loved it. Now he doesn’t mind so much that the girls love it. I love red hair myself and when I was young I would have given anything to have it instead of my boring brown hair. But the fact is that many redheads are discriminated against and even bullied because of their hair color. It is pretty rare to have natural red hair, and even if you do, it doesn’t always stay red into adulthood. My son is a teenager and his hair is already darkening and will eventually turn brown. I look at his baby pictures and compare that bright and vivid red to what he has now and I feel a little sad. So if you have red hair, whether it is natural or colored, revel in sporting that beautiful color on your head, you are beautiful and I hope you feel that way.

Sally Ride Day – On this day in 1951, Sally Ride was born. Sally, of course, became an astronaut when women just didn't do that, and in 1983, at 32 years old, became the first American woman to enter space and orbit the earth. She had another space flight in 1984 and between the two flights, spent more than 343 hours in space. She was the only person to serve on the investigation board for both the Challenger and the Columbia disasters and she formed her own company, Sally Ride Science that creates entertaining science programs for students, with an emphasis on girls. She died of pancreatic cancer in 2012.

National Blueberry Cheesecake Day – Any kind of cheesecake is delicious but if you're a fan of blueberries, which I am, then delicious becomes heavenly.

World Lindy Hop Day - This is a special African American dance that originated in Harlem, New York in the 1920’s and 30’s. It requires jazz music from the big band era. The goal today is to spread this dance all over the world because apparently not everyone knows about it. However, if I use it’s other names, I bet I’ll have a few more people who recognize it. It is also known as Swing Dancing or the Jitterbug. See? There you go.

Julia Pierpont Day – Julia Pierpont is known for having the original idea for Memorial Day, which was first called Decoration Day, back in May of 1866. You can pay tribute today to Julia as well as our veterans by decorating veterans graves in order to prepare them for Memorial Day coming up in just two days.

International Jazz Day - On Saturday of Memorial Day weekend we are all about Jazz. Jazz music has been around for something like two hundred years. Its’ appeal has spread from sea to shining sea and beyond all the way around the world. Even people who say they don’t like Jazz, actually like Jazz. The best place to listen to it is, of course, New Orleans, Louisiana. This day is different from the one in April, which I believe is bigger but I can’t be sure of that.

Amateur Radio Military Appreciation Day – On this day Amateur Radio Operators from around the world are asked to team up to allow people from their local communities to gather in public areas and use the two way radio to verbally express their support and appreciation for members of the all branches of the military, and First Responders. This day is observed 9 days before the first Monday in June.

May 25, 2018

Today we celebrate:

National Missing Children's Day – Begun in 1983, this day was created in the memory of Etan Patz, a six year old boy who disappeared on this day in 1979. He has not yet been found. Today we honor law enforcement officers who have performed above and beyond their call of duty in order to safely recover a missing child, or have helped a child who has been sexually exploited over the course of the year.

National Tap Dance Day – This is a day to celebrate tap dancing. It was created by Carol Vaughn, Nicola Daval and Linda Christensen, and signed into law by President George H.W. Bush in 1989. It is also celebrated in a few other countries like Japan, Australia, India & Iceland. This day was chosen for celebrating tap dancing because it is the birthday of Bill “Bojangles” Robinson.

Towel Day – This day is a tribute to late author Douglas Adams. We are to celebrate by carrying a towel everywhere we go today. Fans of Adams' book, The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, need no further explanation. For the rest of you, I will explain only that if you are an interstellar hitchhiker, or you want to be prepared in case you unexpectedly become one, you absolutely MUST have a towel with you at all times. If you want to know more, read this marvelous, inventive and entertaining novel.

National Wine Day - Back in February we celebrated National Drink Wine Day. Today is a little different. You don’t have to drink wine if you don’t want to...although why wouldn’t you want to? I’m joking, I know wine isn’t for everyone. But if you do enjoy wine, celebrate today by going to a local vineyard for a wine tasting. While you are there, learn a little bit about how wine is made and see if your vineyard knows anything about the history of wine.

National Brown-Bag-It Day – This is a day to celebrate the simple brown bag that we all used to use to carry our lunches to school. These days we have fancier bags that keep things cold or warm, but bringing your lunch to school or work is still called brown-bagging-it. I bring my lunch nearly every day. If you don't, you might want to consider doing so at least now and then. It's healthier, depending on what you pack, and it's definitely cheaper than eating out every day.

Cookie Monster's Birthday – There’s a little confusion here with this day. Cookie Monster's birthday is really November 2nd, but the voice of Cookie Monster, Frank Oz, celebrates his birthday today. So have a cookie today in honor of the Cookie Monster's voice.

Nerd Pride Day or Geek Pride Day – This day was chosen for this particular celebration because on this day in 1977, the first Star Wars film, A New Hope, was released. The idea for today is to play up your unique geekiness or nerdiness in any way you choose.

Red Nose Day - This is a day to pick up a red clown nose from Walgreens and wear it to make people laugh. It’s all about raising money to help kids suffering from poverty. There’s a two hour comedy special this evening on NBC that will be all about fun and laughter and helping kids.

European Neighbours’ Day - Created in Paris, France in 2000, this is a festival that has spread to more than 36 countries and more than 30 million people. It’s a day to fight the European trend toward isolationism by making a simple, nice gesture to your neighbours. Invite them to a meal, and build some social bonds and friendships that will eventually stand the test of time. Any city or neighborhood who wants to participate and spread the word is welcome. The date of this day changes from year to year. This is celebrated on the last Friday in May.

Don't Fry Day – Celebrated on the Friday before Memorial Day, this is a day to think about saving your skin from the sun. Having fair skin, I have to be extra cautious about this and have turned into a sunscreen nazi, I have to admit. I time how long the kids have been in the pool and pull them out to dry off and reapply the sunscreen far more often than they like. But there are other things you should do besides applying sunscreen. See this website for more skin saving tips.

National Wig Out Day – Also celebrated on the Friday before Memorial Day, this is a day to have fun. Put on a wig and try out a new hairstyle without risking your actual hair, or put on a wig and an alter ego and pretend to be someone else today.

Heat Awareness Day – While we all have at least a few days in the summer when we find the heat unbearable, sometimes we forget that heat actually kills hundreds of people every year. It's hard to believe it, but heat kills more people than tornadoes, floods, lightning, and hurricanes combined. There are things you can do to keep yourself safe when the temperature runs too high, make sure you know what those things are and do them. The website I have referenced will help with that. Also try to keep an eye on your elderly relatives or neighbors this summer. This day is celebrated on the fourth Friday in May.

National Death Busters Day - Celebrated on the Friday before Memorial Day, this is apparently one of the most dangerous days to be on the road in a motor vehicle. So please be careful in your travels people, I don’t have very many readers of this blog and I would hate to lose a single one of you. I’m just kidding about that, but I am serious about asking you to be careful. Let’s make a goal of having everyone on the roads follow all the rules and have zero accidents in America today.

National Title Track Day - It looks like this day is celebrated on the fourth Friday of May, if that is incorrect please set me straight in the comments. Now my musical vocabulary is very limited so I am not really certain what a title track is, but from my research (which consists of web sites that assume that people know what a title track is) it seems to me that it is the song on the album (do they still call them albums?) that shares the same name as the album. So this is a day to listen to all the title tracks on all of your albums. That would be easy for me because I only have about 10, but if they mean my husband’s albums as well, that could take all day.

May 24, 2018

Today we celebrate:

Aviation Maintenance Technician Day - You hear all about the Wright Brothers, but you never hear about Charles Edward Taylor. Without Mr. Taylor, the Wright Brothers wouldn’t have gotten too far. Mr. Taylor built the engine that was used to power the Wright Brother’s airplane that made them so famous. So today, in honor of his birthday, we honor the hard work of all aviation maintenance professionals.

Asparagus Day - This is a vegetable that I didn’t have much of when I was growing up. I probably wouldn’t have known what to do with it. I was an obedient child and I ate whatever my mother made. That didn’t mean I always enjoyed it, but I learned at a young age that you don’t have to like it in order to eat it. But I think that my parents didn’t have much experience with asparagus either. They grew up on family farms and grew their own food, so they probably didn’t grow asparagus. The first time I remember eating it was after I was married to my husband. He had a much more refined palate than I did and assured me that this would be a tasty vegetable. It turns out that he was right. I can’t say it’s my favorite vegetable, but it definitely tastes better than I expected it to...enough so that even if he isn’t around, I would still be willing to buy it, prepare it and eat it.

Scavenger Hunt Day - Scavenger hunts can be lots of fun. The idea is that someone hides something and then individuals or teams try to find that item (or list of items). Sometimes the hider leaves clues for the finders and sometimes those clues can be in the form of a puzzle or riddle.

International Tiara Day – This day was first celebrated in 2005. The day was created by Barbara Bellissimo and seems to be related to bridal attire. Lynanne White received permission from Barbara to take over the day with the idea of making every woman feel like a princess. This particular day was chosen for the celebration because it is Queen Victoria's birthday.  

Brother’s Day - This is a day to celebrate the unique bond between brothers. We have celebrated brothers and sisters in the past, but this day is just for the boys. If you are male and you have one or more brothers, give them a call today and tell them, in a manly way, that you care.

National Escargot Day – This dish is a French delicacy that I have never been tempted to try since I know that the English translation is “snails”. Now before you run out back to find that snail you just saw the other day (they’re slow, he might still be there), be warned….these are not just any old snails that you might find in your garden because not all snails are edible. In my opinion, no snails are edible, but the French did not ask my opinion.