The sun is shining, the day is warm and I can hear the birds going bonkers with happiness outside our windows. At last, a truly wonderful weather weekend! We were awake early with the intention of going on a little road trip, but after the plans fell through I think we are both just happy to be here to putter around the house, yard and garage doing home stuff. My plans aren’t exciting, but the pantry and refrigerators won’t clean themselves. At least the blinds are open, the sun is streaming in, along with the fresh air.
Verse of the Day
May 20, 2017
For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.
Thoughts on the Verse of the Day
The ultimate question in each of our lives is simply this: do we have something to live for that is also worth dying for? Paul’s answer is “Yes!” Christ is the answer, the reason, and the hope. Now if we can get our will and our heart to line up with our commitment, we can make that same statement, too!
May 21, 2017
Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.
Thoughts on the Verse of the Day
So often our worries are so heavy because we refuse to put them down. Let’s cast our burdens on the Lord. Let’s consciously put our future in his hands. Let’s trust our worrisome fears to his care. We know he loves us and longs to sustain and comfort us because of what he has done to save us.
www.verseoftheday.com
May 20 –
Be a Millionaire Day – (This sounds like a great one!) – This is definitely a day I could celebrate with enthusiasm . . . and I’m sure everyone else could too. Even though a million bucks isn’t what it used to be, it would still go a long way to making a few dreams come true. It’s funny since I was thinking about this today . . . wouldn’t it be nice to win a lottery, or come into an unexpected windfall, and be able to do all of the projects around the house you want, without worrying about the money? Or do an amazing backyard makeover, without breaking the bank? Yep, it would. But the likelihood of winning a lottery is slim, very slim, but still SOMEONE wins once in awhile. . . it’s a thought, right? If you are already a millionaire, just sit back and bask in it. If you aren’t, dream big about what you would do if you were. Most millionaires get there through hard work, using their brains, making sound investments and spending wisely. That’s probably the best, and most reliable way to do it, so we’d better get busy! Thought for today: “All I ask is for a chance to prove that money doesn’t buy happiness”. Author unknown.
Eliza Doolittle Day – The movie My Fair Lady was based on a play called Pygmalion, written by George Bernard Shaw. In the movie, Audrey Hepburn plays the part of a Cockney flower girl, Eliza Doolittle, who learns to speak like a lady and fantasizes about meeting the king. Of course it’s a musical, so she sings . . .
“One evening the king will say, ‘Oh, Liza, old thing — I want all of England your praises to sing. Next week on the twentieth of May, I proclaim Liza Doolittle Day.”
The point of both Pygmalion and My Fair Lady, was exploring the benefits of learning how to speak properly in a time when proper speech was valued as a symbol of education and social status. Do you see the word WAS? Yes, it just does not seem to be important to many people any longer. We are in an age when people do not care about sounding educated, and if you use proper English you are looked at like you’re strange. This country was built by people trying to move up in their worlds, and dumbing down speech was not a part of that. The perfect way to celebrate this day would be to watch My Fair Lady if you have the chance, and take a moment before you speak. Is what you are about to say proper, or do you sound like an uneducated imbecile? Perhaps if a few of us started out with proper enunciation and pronunciation, others would follow? It’s a pipedream, but still a dream.
Everybody Draw Mohammed Day – I know that not everyone watches South Park. It can be a bit on the raw side, which isn’t everyone’s taste. And it can be pretty offensive – but what I do like about it is that it is always up to date on current events, and there isn’t any group of individuals that are safe from the razor wit of the writers, be they political, religious, or just individual groups of people – such as those who are overweight, ride Harley’s, or whatever the group may be. In 2010 South Park was preparing to air an episode that pictured a cartoon image of what they imagined Mohammed would look like, and Comedy Central cut a portion of that episode after receiving a death threat from a radical Muslim group. To counter the fear, Molly Norris, a Seattle cartoonist, declared May 20th to be “Everybody Drawn Mohammed Day”. She contends that a cartoonist’s job is to be non-PC, to challenge the lines of political correctness. The producers of South Park said that Comedy Central removed a speech that was about intimidation and fear from their show after a radical Muslim group warned that they could be killed for insulting their Prophet Mohammad. The group was contending that it was not threatening the South Park producers Trey Parker and Matt Stone, but their threat included a grim and gruesome picture of Theo Van Gogh, a Dutch filmmaker that was killed by a Muslim extremist in 2004 – and said that the producers could meet the same fate. Sounds pretty much like a threat to me! The website that held the threat posted the addresses of Comedy Central’s New York office and the California production studio where South Park is made. Norris says that as a cartoonist she felt such passion about what had happened that she wanted to counter Comedy Central’s message that they sent about feeling afraid. Her solution was to ask other artists to submit drawings of any religious figure to be submitted and posted as a part of “Citizens Against Citizens Against Humor” on May 20th. She did not do it to be disrespectful towards any religion, but to protect the right to freedom of speech. It didn’t go well for her and the backlash was nearly deafening. I give her kudos for her bravery and her desire to stand up for her own rights, and the rights of everyone else. Good job!
National Learn to Swim Day – I cannot even begin to stress enough how important this one is. With summer right around the corner teaching children to swim should be a top priority of parents, or grandparents, with little ones to thing about. It isn’t just fun and good exercise; their lives could depend on it at some point! According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, drowning is the 2nd leading cause of unintentional injury-related death for children from one to 14. That’s big! Teaching the kiddos to swim could reduce that by a significant amount – so let’s think about that for a bit and enroll the children in swimming classes.
Pick Strawberries Day – My parents tell me stories about going to pick berries – all sorts of berries – in the fields for extra money. They did this later in the season than this, since in our neck of the woods we are barely getting started on planting, much less getting to the harvesting. Still . . . some of you may live somewhere that you can pick berries. Is there anything sweeter than a sun warm, ripe strawberry right off the vine? I’m wondering how many people make less money picking since they eat so many berries along the way? I suppose since it’s such back breaking work, the reward of those sweet and juicy treats would be payment enough for some people. Yum.
Weights and Measures Day – Today is the anniversary of an international treaty, signed on 20 May 1875, providing for the establishment of an International Bureau of Weights and Measures. The Office of Weights and Measures is intended to promote uniformity in U.S. weights and measures laws, regulations, and standards to achieve equity between buyers and sellers in the marketplace. This was supposed to enhance consumer confidence, which in turn should enable U.S. businesses to compete fairly at home and abroad, and which should strengthen the U.S. economy. It would be nice if SOMETHING would . . . but that’s another blog. I have absolutely NO ideas for how to celebrate this one . . . weigh something?
May 21 –
Happy Birthday to Baby R’s Daddy!
I Need a Patch for That Day – Do you ever stop to appreciate something as simple as a patch? What kind of patch? Well, that depends on you – it can be a patch to repair clothing, to patches that release medication or supplements into our systems through our skin, patches for software or even patchwork quilts! We celebrate so many things in this life that sometimes we overlook something simple that does us so much good. Also, by celebrating something as simple as a patch, we remember to appreciate the little things.
National Memo Day – Why? Nobody knows! I couldn’t find who created it, why they created it, or when they created it! But apparently Memo’s were important enough to someone to put this one on the calendar. So I suppose in honor of this day grab a pen and paper, or even a post-it note, and scratch out a memo! I’m someone who lives by list – I list everything, so I suppose in a way, I celebrate Memo Day . . . well, EVERY day!
National Waiters and Waitresses Day – How many of us have eaten out and had horrible service by our waitress or waiter? And how many of us have gone out to eat and have AMAZING service, the kind that makes you want to go back to eat there again very soon? We’ve all experienced both. I hope that no matter which type of service you received that you tipped accordingly. We tip to show appreciation for the service we receive, but sometimes I wonder if anyone realizes how little some servers make hourly. I say some because in our state they make the usual minimum wage, versus a drastically reduced minimum wage, plus whatever tips they make, and in Seattle they are working their way towards a ridiculous $15 an hour minimum wage – which sadly will result in many people NOT tipping their server. I digress though – but it is a valid observation. In most states the U.S. Department of Labor allows for wait staff to be paid FAR less than the minimum wage because tips are received. Some states mandate a minimum wage that is different and higher, but some are allowed to pay so little that it’s insulting. The wait staff depends on their tips for survival! My daughter is a waitress/bartender and she is incredible at her job. Anyone who dismisses wait staff for what they do have obviously never been in this type of service position. This job requires strength, stamina, good mental math skills, an amazing memory, a sense of humor, an ability to deal well with rude people and an unending amount of patience. So, what is an acceptable amount to leave? Between 13% and 20% is about right. One easy way to do it in my state is to just double the sales tax! That leaves a fair 16.2% tip, and is always one I feel good about leaving. Thank your waitress or waiter today and every day, in addition to the cash you leave. They need to hear appreciation, just like all of us do.
Neighbor Day – Sunday before Memorial Day Weekend) – In spite of searching for quite some time, I have found references to different communities getting together today for Neighbor Day, but nothing about when it started, the meaning behind it, or any other details. So, we should just take it as it is! This is a day to get together as communities, have a good time together and be neighborly! Nothing wrong with that all by itself – if you like being friends with the neighbors, of course. As for us, well, we’ll wave and go about our business.
Sister Maria Hummel Day – Berta Hummel was born in Massing, in Bavaria, Germany. She was one of the seven children of Adolf and Victoria Hummel, raised in a warm, loving and strongly devout household. They lived above her father’s dry goods store. When she was a child Berta showed creative artistic talent and developed quite a local reputation for her art. When she was 12 her father encouraged her artistic talents and enrolled her in boarding school at Sisters of Loreto about 20 miles away. She continued her studies through the Academy of Applied Arts in Munich, and eventually chose to follow a religious calling that she had felt for some time. After she became a nun, in her spare time she spent her time painting pictures of children, which were sent to a publishing house by the Sisters. Long story short, her art began to sell and soon afterward the owner of a porcelain company looking for a new line of work started basing figurines on her art. Interest in the figurines exploded and now, all these years later, these figurines are collector’s items and loved all over the world. (That was the severely condensed version)
This Day in History –
May 20, 1990 – Hubble Space Telescope transmits photographs from space.
May 21, 1881 – The American Red Cross was formed.
Food Celebration of the Day –
May 20 – National Quiche Lorraine Day – The very first quiche to be introduced to American was Quiche Lorraine. It is simple to make, and since it’s key ingredient is bacon, it’s the most popular! I haven’t made Quiche in awhile, I may have to make some!
- Quiche Lorraine
- Pizza Quiche
- Cheesy Sausage Quiche
- Greek Spinach Quiche
- Classic Quiche
- Crustless Quiche
- Mozzarella, Tomato & Basil Quiche
May 21 – National Strawberries and Cream Day – This classic combo is a must when fresh strawberries are in season. Looking for something different? Try the delicious duo in one of these creative sweets.
- Strawberry Cream Cake
- Strawberry-Cream Cheese Sandwich Cookies
- Strawberry Cream Torte
- Strawberry Cream Pie
- Strawberry Cream Cheese Tart
- Strawberry Cream Shortcake
- Strawberry Creamy-Dreamy Cake
I need to get busy, and I’m sure all of you do too. Have a wonderful weekend, enjoy the weather and some relaxation. I’m going to get busy and hope that cleaning out the fridge takes away my craving for anything sweet. I’m telling you – I want CAKE! *sigh* God bless you and I’ll see you on Monday.