The first National Mississippi Day took place on November 30, 2017. It is a special holiday that is used to bring awareness to the state, its history, and current affairs. It is an opportunity to bring to light all the things that make the state of Mississippi so unique. It is also an opportunity to promote environmental conservation of the state land and river Mississippi. During the early 20th century, the state made huge contributions to Southern literature. It produced a series of novels on the mythical county of Yoknapatawpha and its generations. It was created by William Faulkner who went on to receive the Nobel Prize in 1949.
Mississippi Delta can take credit for the genesis of Delta blues, country music, rock and roll, jazz, and gospel music. The people living in the state have had a great impact on the evolution of American music. Music is popular among people from all walks of life. It was often the common thing that brought people together and fostered unity. Around the early 21st century, the state of Mississippi was already experiencing considerable progress in its economic, social, and political development. It can be considered to be one of America’s most progressive states.
National Mississippi Day is a holiday that helps to keep the history of the state alive. The spirit of the holiday helps to inspire the citizens. They feel a special love and appreciation for the state and feel motivated to accomplish more for themselves and their homeland.
Christmas 2003 was bittersweet. It was Katelynn’s first Christmas, but at the same time, it was our last Christmas in Germany.
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2004
In December 2004, we had a Dallas Holiday Wish Celebration. The Beach Boys had a concert, and even Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Goofy, and Pluto came for a visit to sing and dance in front of the Dallas City Hall. I have it all on videotape footage and didn’t capture too many event photos.
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2005
In 2005 we bought our house in Texas. The same year, we celebrated Christmas/Yuletide in our new home.
Chewbacca’s outlook over his territory is our porch. He loves to rest on the railing, and either watch the wildlife or take a nap. When he rests there, I say: “Chewie’s probably meditating, again.” He’s my fur Zen Buddha; very peaceful and knows the art of cat martial arts.
American Coot at Josey Ranch Lake in Carrollton, Texas
The American coot (Fulica americana), also known as a mud hen, is a bird of the family Rallidae. Though commonly mistaken for ducks, American coots are only distantly related to ducks, belonging to a separate order. Unlike the webbed feet of ducks, coots have broad, lobed scales on their lower legs and toes that fold back with each step which facilitates walking on dry land. Coots live near water, typically inhabiting wetlands and open water bodies in North America. Groups of coots are calledcovers or rafts. The oldest known coot lived to be 22 years old.
Novembrrr brings a colorful leafy medley and on those cool mornings evokes the senses with comforting earthy aromatic notes, frozen and frosty blue lavender, and white amber dusted with cool mint and chilled, sparkling citrus.
Top: Chilled Citrus Mid: Blue Lavender, Spearmint, Peppermint Base: White Amber, White Birch
Red Planet Day, November 28, recognizes the planet that has captivated human observers for countless years, Mars. Right now, we know that Mars is red thanks to photographs beamed back to Earth from American rovers. For centuries, the naked human eye has been able to detect the reddish tinge of the solar system’s fourth planet, glimmering in the night sky. Little did scientists know, the red on Mars’ surface came from a preponderance of iron oxide, common rust. On Red Planet Day we celebrate our fascination with Mars, along with all the scientific advancements in understanding the dusty planet.
In the Summer of 1990, I went to Spieka-Neufeld with my Dad. Spieka-Neufeld is nestled between Cuxhaven and Bremerhaven in Lower Saxony. We rented a whole house as a vacation home for three weeks Some days, we just walked on the dam and watched the Fischkutter (fishing boats) coming in with their fresh catch in tow. It is a small, quiet place where we can see the tides change, and walk around the waddensea when the tides are low. Yeah, it can be a bit boring for a 16-year-old teenager.
However, we also spent time in Cuxhaven to eat fresh fish dinners. We also went to the pool there. And one time, we went on a boat ride to see seals on the sand bank along the coast of the North Sea. These seals were so adorable. I fell in love with their pups. Dad went to the store and got me a plush seal. I don’t know if tourist boat companies have the seal attraction. But it is so worth it.
In Bremerhaven is the Deutsches Schifffahrtsmuseum (German Maritime Museum) where the German submarine U-2540 “Wilhelm Bauer” is moored in the Old Port. The submarine was originally designed for the Kriegsmarine (Nazi German Navy) and was completed shortly before the end of WWII. Since the submarine was never on patrol, it was scuttled at the end of the war. In 1957 it was raised from the seabed near the Flensburg Fjord and recommisioned for the West-German Bundesmarine in 1960. On August 28, 1968 “Wilhelm Bauer” was decommissioned. In April 1984 it became a museum ship for tourists to go and take a look inside the submarine. It can get a little bit claustrophobic in the ship, especially, when a lot of people are in there and it is warm.
We had a lot of fun by the North Sea. But as every vacation did, it had to come to an end.
The trees stand dormant and naked. The Summer birds have flown south. The frost settles in or snow begins to fall. The beavers are Busy making last-minute preparations for the Winter ahead. The November Full Moon is all about the final Winter preparations. It’s a time to bundle up and relax. A time to surround ourselves with things that will comfort and sustain us during the dark and cold that has recently arrived at our doorstep.
This evening, I went on my porch to see if I could get shots of the Full Beaver Moon. This was a dud. No visibility due to the overcast. And I could have sworn, that some snowflakes came down with it While I was still outside, I heard leaves crunching and footsteps from an animal coming out of our forest. And suddenly he was standing on all four right down at the treeline and staring at me. I yelled: “Holy sh*t!. Bruno is here.” After that, I ran into the house and screamed for Kevin to look at that large bear. When Kevin came down to see, what was all the commotion about, Bruno strolled slowly along the forest line and was minding his own business. When we went back into the house, Kevin said: “That is so cool. We finally got to meet Bruno.” Of course, it is dark. And I couldn’t get a photo of the huge black bear.
Bruno is either A: looking for some food, or B: a den he can make his home for the Winter. He won’t be roaming around very soon anymore. Winter is coming. And this boy needs to go into hibernation. Either way, I finally had my first black bear encounter on our property. I was waiting for two-and-a-half years to meet Bruno. Bruno, what the heck took you so long?
Named after the iconic Charlie Brown catchphrase, Good Grief Day celebrates the life and work of the immovable Charles M. Schulz. Schulz was born on November 26, 1922, in Minneapolis, Minnesota. His interest in the arts was evident during his upbringing, as he would spend his days taking in the works of Pablo Picasso, Edward Hopper, and Andrew Wyeth, while also developing a penchant for cartoons. As a child, he would draw dozens upon dozens of cartoons, inspired by either the cartoons he admired or the world around him.
Growing up, he aspired to be a cartoonist, and at the age of 15, he sent one of his drawings to the “Ripley’s Believe it or Not!” weekly column, which became his first published cartoon — he knew from then on that this was his life.
After returning from military service in Europe in 1945, he would further develop his career as a cartoonist, scoring his weekly series in 1947. That cartoon was “Li’l Folks,” which would be the predecessor of his magnum opus. “Li’l Folks” would later draw the attention of mega publishers United Features Syndicate in 1950, who asked him to develop a new weekly comic strip. Thus, on October 2, 1950, “Peanuts” was born. The iconic series would later become the longest-running comic strip in history — running until Schulz died in 2000.
“Peanuts” is considered to be one of the greatest cartoon series in history, lauded for its simple yet complex humor, and its philosophical and psychological social commentary. Multiple “Peanuts” television and film iterations were made, the most notable being the 1965 T.V. special “A Charlie Brown Christmas,” which continues to be run in syndication today.
From the eccentric beagle, Snoopy, and his worrywart owner Charlie Brown to the colorful range of supporting characters such as the logical Woodstock, the antagonistic Lucy van Pelt, and the spunky Peppermint Patty, Schulz’s creations have brought laughter and joy to millions around the world.
The City of Watertown held its annual Holiday Light Parade with the tree lighting at the Town Green Gazebo. Kevin, Sara, and I went to the parade for the first time since we resided here in Connecticut. It’s a short parade, which includes the Recreation Center, Police Department, Fire Department, and Waste & Recycling Company, to mention some city departments. Cub Scouts & Girl Scouts were also present. And we can’t forget the big guy, Santa Claus. His sleigh was on a trailer and got pulled by a tractor. I guess, the reindeer were out shopping on Black Friday. Overall it took the parade less than thirty minutes to get from point A to point B.
The McIntosh (Malus domestica) is an apple cultivar, the national apple of Canada. The fruit has red and green skin, a tart flavor, and tender white flesh, which ripens in late September. In the 20th century, it was the most popular cultivar in Eastern Canada and New England and is considered an all-purpose apple, suitable both for cooking and eating raw.
John McIntosh discovered the original McIntosh sapling on his Dundela farm in Upper Canada 1811. He and his wife cultivated it, and the family started grafting the tree and selling the fruit in 1835. In 1870 it entered commercial production and became common in northeastern North America after 1900. While still important in production, the fruit’s popularity fell in the early 21st century due to competition from varieties such as the Gala. According to the US Apple Association website, it is one of the fifteen most popular apple cultivars in the United States.
May your stuffing be tasty, May your Turkey be plump. May your potatoes and gravy have nary a lump. May your yams be delicious, and your pies take the prize, and may your Thanksgiving dinner stay of your thighs.
Katelynn, Sara, and I went to the DFW Founder’s Plaza in Grapevine. The girls are out of school for this week. And the day is too beautiful to sit in the house all day. We watched several airplanes launch and land at the DFW International Airport. When Sara got “ants in her pants”, we had to walk around for a little bit before we drove back home for lunch.
“Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos into order, and confusion into clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend. Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow.” ~ Melody Beattle
The big, black-necked Canada Goose with its signature white chinstrap mark is a familiar and widespread bird of fields and parks. Thousands of “honkers” migrate north and south each year, filling the sky with long V-formations. But as lawns have proliferated, more and more of these grassland-adapted birds are staying put in urban and suburban areas year-round, where some people regard them as pests.
Aloe Vera, Jade, Lety’s Sedeveria, Portylacaria Afra, and Wax Agave
I remember when I was little, my paternal grandmother used to love cacti. And she also had them for years. Every year, she re-potted some of them. And therefore, she had her fingers bricked by a gazillion of the stingers. But she didn’t care, because she loved these plants so much. I like them too, but not that much. I love the beauty and sight of cacti. And I love that these plants can live without water for months. Their blossoms look so beautiful.
So, to make this story short: I went to the local nursery to get a small Juniper and a Pine tree for the Christmas season. While I made my choices on these trees, I stumbled across a shelf with succulents. The ones with the ceramic pile of books caught my interest. And I decided to take one home. It contains an Aloe Vera, a Jade, a Lety’s Sedeveria, a Portylacaria Afra, and a Wax Agave. The girls are fascinated, and keep asking: “Are these real plants?” After I explained a few facts about succulents to the girls, they just kept looking at these small plants. Let’s see, how we will do in a few months. 😉
“Be thankful for what you have; you’ll end up having more. If you concentrate on what you don’t have, you will never, ever have enough.” ~ Oprah Winfrey
In November 2015, Kevin, Katelynn, Sara, and I visited my in-laws in North Carolina before we traveled to Washington, D.C. While in Valdese, we visited McGalliard Falls.
The first princess to come to our TV screens was Snow White in 1937’s Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. Based on the fairy tale by the Brothers Grimm, this movie was also the first full-length traditional animation film as well as the earliest Disney animated feature film. When Xena: Warrior Princess came out in 1995 and Mulan was released in 1998, they showed everyone that a princess can do more than wear a pretty dress. These two iconic women let children everywhere know that a princess can also be a strong and adventurous warrior. New wave princesses like Moana and Frozen’s Elsa show us that you can still be a princess while maintaining your independence.
We all grew up with animated, and live-action, princesses guiding us through life. When thinking of our favorite princesses, our minds instantly go to Disney. However, when it comes to National Princess Day, Disney had very little involvement in its inception. Nest Family Entertainment, a Texas-based entertainment company, teamed up with Rich Animation in 1994 to create the animated film The Swan Princess, a musical adaptation of Swan Lake. The studio wanted people of every age to have a day to celebrate like royalty, embodying the kindness and grace that we all associated with princesses at the time — and thus, National Princess Day was created.
The definition of a princess is constantly changing. From the 1930s until the 1990s, princesses were meant to be saved by a prince and live happily ever after. Nowadays, princesses create their own happily ever after, save the prince, and then put the prince squarely in the friend zone. So basically, embodying a princess on National Princess Day is to embody, what the kids call, the G.O.A.T (greatest of all time).
Mickey Mouse is more than just a character, he’s an iconic figure for the Disney brand. But he almost didn’t exist. Mickey Mouse was only created to replace Walt Disney’s original successful creation, Oswald the Rabbit. Oswald was made by the Disney studio for Charles Mintz, a film producer and distributor through Universal Studios. With so much success from Oswald, Disney asked Mintz to increase the studio’s budget, but instead, Mintz demanded Walt take a 20 percent cut. He then reminded Disney that Universal owned Oswald and that he had already signed most of Disney’s current employees to his new contract. Disney refused to sign the new contract, finished the final Oswald comic of his contract, and ended his work with Universal.
With just himself and two loyal animators, Ub Iwerks and Les Clark, Disney had to start from scratch. From this experience, he learned to ensure he owned all the rights to characters produced by his company. His inspiration for Mickey came from a tame mouse at his desk at Laugh-O-Gram Studio in Kansas City, Missouri. The original name for the character was Mortimer Mouse until his wife, Lillian, convinced him to change it, ultimately creating Mickey Mouse.
On May 14, 1928, Mickey appeared in a test screening of the cartoon short “Plane Crazy”, but failed to impress audiences and attract distributors. Walt then produced a second Mickey short called “The Gallopin’ Gaucho”, which also suffered from a lack of distributor interest. “Steamboat Willy”, first released on November 18, 1928, in New York, was co-directed by Walt Disney and Ub Iwerks. Intended as a parody of Buster Keaton’s “Steamboat Bill, Jr.”, it was the third Mickey film produced and the first to find a distributor, serving as Mickey’s debut.
Yeast bread calls for us to slow down. We need to spend time with each other as we work the dough and let it rest and rise before baking. Quick breads allow a special treat to share and enjoy with coffee or tea. Other homemade breads, such as donuts, pretzels, muffins, and biscuits, add variety to our everyday meals. Making them with friends and family brings joy and an opportunity to exchange recipes.
Those, who make homemade bread commit to using good ingredients and investing in the time. They make it not only because they love the flavor, but also because they know the people they love to do. Homemade bread enriches the flavors of our meals and the flavors of our conversations, too.
Bread is full of symbolism around the world, across cultures and religions. In our lives, bread is valuable. We consider our livelihood to be our daily bread. We are making it, breaking it, consuming it as part of our faith. Bread can be exciting if it’s sliced or boring if it’s white. There’s a bonus bread, too. However, it seems a bit messy if it’s buttered on both sides. Then again, when we roll in the dough, it’s messy, too. Bake it, and it becomes heavy bread, but it means the same thing.
Viola tricolor is a common European wild flower, growing as an annual or short-lived perennial. The species is also known as wild pansy, Johnny Jump up (though this name is also applied to similar species such as the yellow pansy), heartsease, heart’s ease, heart’s delight, tickle-my-fancy, Jack-jump-up-and-kiss-me, come-and-cuddle-me, three faces in a hood, love-in-idleness, and pink of my john.
It has been introduced into North America, where it has spread. It is the progenitor of the cultivated pansy, and is therefore sometimes called wild pansy; before the cultivated pansies were developed, “pansy” was an alternative name for the wild form. It can produce up to 50 seeds at a time. The flowers can be purple, blue, yellow or white.
National Clarinet Day is celebrated on November 16 every year, and if you’re an aficionado of music, this day is for you. Do you know that it has been 3,000 years since the first hornpipes were created in Ancient Greece? A clarinet is similar to a single-reed instrument and is a blowing-type musical instrument with a cylindrical body and a flared bell at the bottom. It is a musical instrument widely used in bands and orchestras, especially in the military. It comes from the family of woodwind instruments. Clarinet Day was created to give credit to this amazing instrument that is a favorite among most musicians around the world.
It is said that the first people to settle in Indiana were the Paleo-Indians who moved to Indiana in 8000 B.C. at the end stages of the Ice Age when the glaciers started to melt. Many tools and weapons discovered during the Archaic Age in 5000 B.C. are said to have been made by the ancient civilization of Indiana. By the Medieval period, when the Europeans arrived in the 1500s, large settlements were established. The French explorers arrived in the 1600s, and by the 1700s, trading ports were established. In the 1760s the French-Indian war broke out. The native tribes of Indiana sided with the French Canadians. The British won the war in 1763. After the American Revolution in 1783, the United States defined the Northwest Territory, which later became known as Indiana.
During the Civil War, Indiana played a major role with over 7,000 men enlisted in the Union Army. After the war, many new industries developed in Indiana. Industries like heavy machinery, farming, and mining rose to prominence. After World War II, steel and pharmaceutical companies spread throughout Indiana.
Today Indiana is considered a cultural hub. Books such as “The Hoosier Schoolmaster” and “The Gentleman from Indiana” reflect the socio-cultural factors of the State of Indiana. Indiana is also known for sports such as basketball, NASCAR, and football. The State has a well-built network of roadways, rail tracks, and seaports. Indiana is home to many well-known politicians, singers, and poets, and is famous for its “Hoosier hospitality.” National Indiana Day was created to give recognition to Indiana and its people.
This morning, we experienced our first frost in Connecticut. But this didn’t stop Kevin and me from driving to the Kent Falls State Park and doing a little mid-morning hike along the falls. We made sure, we had an extra layer of clothes on. And up the trail, we went. The part of the Kent Falls, seen at the bottom of the trail, is only a small portion. The falls have a drop of 250 feet in total. Since they wind around the corner, they can’t be seen simultaneously. Kevin and I had to hike up a steep trail to get an idea, of how big and how long the falls were running through the hill. Unfortunately, we still didn’t make it to the top. However, the part of the trail we’ve hiked was so worth it.
The exotic Mute Swan is the elegant bird of Russian ballets and European fairy tales. This swan swims with its long neck curved into an S and often holds its wings raised slightly above its back. Although they’re numerous and familiar in city parks and in bays and lakes in the Pacific Northwest, Great Lakes, Northeast, and Midatlantic, Mute Swans are not native to North America. Their aggressive behavior and voracious appetites often disturb local ecosystems, displace native species, and even pose a hazard to humans.
Mute Swans were first brought to North America to decorate ponds and lakes in towns and cities, and that’s still the best place to find these familiar waterfowl. You may also find them on shallow wetlands, lakes, rivers, and estuaries within the scattered range where they’ve become established in the wild.
Cheers to all teddy bear lovers and owners! Let’s celebrate one of the best toys we’ve ever owned on National American Teddy Bear Day, on November 14. Teddy bears have been our comfort bed pals since our childhood. We give them names, hug them while we sleep, and take them everywhere with us. These soft furry friends are a reminder of childhood. Teddy bears come in different sizes, colors, and materials and have been a popular toy choice since their creation in the early 20th century.
In the Summer of 1986, my Dad, his then-girlfriend, and I went on a vacation at the Baltic Sea (Ostsee). We spent two weeks in a vacation home in Niendorf. From there, we went to Timmendorf Beach and did a boat ride on the Trave River by Travemünde. One day, we drove to Lübeck. I wanted to see the famous Holsten Gate, but we didn’t make it there. When we spent some time in Travemünde, we saw the TT-Line of Peter Pan. In 1986, the TT-LIne Pty. Lfd. had only Peter Pan. The Nils Holgersson was renamed to Abel Tasman at that time. The line expanded with more ships. When we set outside the restaurant, we noticed how big the Peter Pan ferry was, when it anchored right next to us. If we had our passports with us, we could have taken a day trip to Sweden and Finland while traveling in the Gulf of Bothnia. Oh well! We went to Puttgarden on Fehmarn and watched Ferries on their journey to Denmark instead.
Today I cleaned out our greenhouse. It was time to get rid of the wilted tomato plants. The basil and peas were ready to get pulled up as well. When the cool wind blows outside, I’m still protected from it inside the greenhouse. It’s not too warm or too cold. Therefore, it is fun to work in there. The sun was ready to set when I was done for the day. I captured several photos before I went back into our warm house.
Tongue twisters, the popular nonsensical sayings that are ridiculously hard to say (or deceptively easy, whichever way you want to look at it) might seem to be simply alliterative strings of words meant to trip up, well, your tongue but, as it turns out, tongue twisters are not random, which is why the popular ones — like Peter Piper and the woodchuck — have been around for a hot minute.
Tongue twisters have technically been around since as early as the 19th century when John Harris published “Peter Piper’s Practical Principles of Plain and Perfect Pronunciation,” which included a twisty tongue tango for every letter of the alphabet. While the book was meant to help children learn the fundamentals of speech mechanics, its titular twister garnered quite the attention and inspired a lot of lore about its namesake.
Speculation aside, Peter Piper was based on French horticulturalist Pierre Poivre, whose last name actually means ‘pepper’ in French. Pierre was said to be exploring the viability of growing American spices in the French Mediterranean.
American Heroes is a FREE weekend celebration honoring America’s heroes with live music, remembrance ceremonies, carnival, fair food, car/truck/bike show, and the best patriotic fireworks display in North Texas!
We salute you and thank you for your service to our country!
The photos are from the festival in 2015. In Connecticut, I miss having a Veteran’s Festival close by. Watertown still celebrates our Veterans in the Veteran’s Memorial Park. Oakville has a ceremony at the Oakville Town Green. However, we don’t have 5K Runs, carnival, live music from famous artists, and fireworks.
I decided to make a Woodland sign since I still had another unused pumpkin wood sign. Recently, I ordered some rub-on transfers from Amazon. And they are perfect for making signs and ornaments with them, after coloring the pumpkin wood sign completely in white chalk paint. Once, the paint was dried I rubbed on the transfer sticker. As a finish, I used antique wax to stain the sign. Now, the wax is dry. And the sign hangs on our living room wall.
The seed of the idea that would become Sesame Street was first planted in talks between the television producer Joan Ganz Cooney and Lloyd Morrisett, the vice president of the Carnegie Foundation. During these conversations, Cooney spoke about her desire to leverage the ability of television shows to capture and keep children’s attention with the promotion of positive social values.
Following a period of extensive creative and scientific development, the show we all now know and love would begin to take shape. It was decided that Sesame Street would rely greatly on research processes to better inform various aspects of the program, spanning across the introduction of new characters, plotlines, and production design. This strategy would prove to be not only innovative but wildly successful as well; Sesame Street would premiere on November 10th, 1969 as an immediate sensation.
The show would dominate the cultural terrain of children’s television in the ensuing decades. As its audience grew, so did its capacity and willingness to address increasingly complicated social, emotional, and ethical issues. Though not without some instances of controversy, Sesame Street has remained a pillar of constructive, educational programming with a unique ability to appeal to children and adults alike. However, as the general media landscape has experienced exponential growth in the 21st century, the show has in turn found itself faced with stiffer competition from other children’s television productions.
As a result, Sesame Street no longer commands the same authority as in past decades, and it has even faced its fair share of financial troubles. Still, it is hard to imagine a world where children (and grown-ups) everywhere don’t carry fond memories of days spent learning and laughing with the whole gang on Sesame Street.
Forget-me-not at the White Memorial Conservation Center
Forget-me-nots are the tiny blue meadow flowers that are incredibly symbolic. From the loss of loved ones to simply missing a childhood friend, the flowers have become synonymous with feelings of missing and longing. In New Zealand, Forget Me Not Day is dedicated to those afflicted with, or who have lost loved ones due to cognitive degenerative Alzheimer’s disease. And while there are some versions of Forget Me Not Day that celebrate this sort of loss or reconnecting with long-lost loved ones, this Forget Me Not Day, we focus on something different, but also important.
Forget Me Not Day as we know it was established following World War I, when Judge Robert S. Marx, himself a WWI veteran, declared the holiday in honor of veterans who had suffered physical losses in the line of battle — those who had lost limbs, blood, and other integral body parts. Along with the holiday, Marx inaugurated the tradition of selling the popular forget-me-not flowers, repurposing them to raise money for wounded veterans.
Pieces of the Berlin Wall, I got from a former co-worker in Germany years ago.
The Fall of the Berlin Wall on November 9th, 1989, during the Peaceful Revolution, was a pivotal event in world history that marked the destruction of the Berlin Wall and the figurative Iron Curtain. It was one of the series of events that started the fall of communism in Central and Eastern Europe, preceded by the Solidarity Movement in Poland. The fall of the inner German border took place shortly afterward. An end to the Cold War was declared at the Malta Summit three weeks later and the German reunification took place in October the following year.
“… Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!” – President Ronald Reagan
National Louisiana Day is an occasion to celebrate this historical state and its culture, which is one of a kind. Louisiana is a state in the southern half of the United States, bordered by Texas, Arkansas, and Mississippi. Large parts of the state are made up of swamp and marshland which has a rich and vibrant diversity of plants, animals, and other fauna.
But the primary contribution of Louisiana is its culture. The state of Louisiana is known primarily for its Louisiana Creole culture, which is a mix of Haitian, French, Spanish, Native American, and African cultures. It is also unique because of the influence of Cajun culture on the state, which is primarily limited to Louisiana. This is a result of the immigration of French-speaking settlers to the state.
New Orleans is the largest and one of the most important cities in Louisiana. The city is known as the birthplace of jazz, but that isn’t the only kind of music that has developed in the city. The city is known for the sheer amount of music that has come out of there, including musicians who sang the blues, Zydeco, country, gospel, and much of the early rock and roll.
The state is also known for its food, and its variety of influences including Cajun cuisine, Creole cuisine, and African cuisine. Louisiana is also known for its many festivals, of which the best-known festival is Mardi Gras. However, the state hosts many music and food festivals, fairs, and cook-offs.
Kevin told me two deer were in the forest when I returned home from picking up Sara at school. So, we went down to the upper tree line to check if they were still there. And sure enough, the two young ladies hung out on our property. Deer #1 kept her distance at the other end of the tree line while Deer #2 hid behind a tree. It took us a moment to see her. She was well camouflaged in the forest. Smart girl! After we watched them for a while, we guessed Deer# 2 got spooked and made a leap onto the neighbor’s property, where she was waiting for her sister to come along with her. Soon, they were gone in the underbrushes of the forest. Kevin mentioned getting a deer blind. We can watch all kinds of wildlife visiting our property. We still haven’t seen Bruno the Bear yet.
The white-tailed deer, also known commonly as the whitetail and the Virginia deer, is a medium-sized species of deer native to North America, Central America, and South America as far south as Peru and Bolivia, where it predominately inhabits high mountain terrains of the Andes. It has also been introduced to New Zealand, all the Greater Antilles in the Caribbean (Cuba, Jamaica, Hispaniola, and Puerto Rico), and some countries in Europe, such as the Czech Republic, Finland, France, Germany, Romania, and Serbia. In the Americas, it is the most widely distributed wild ungulate.
In North America, the species is widely distributed east of the Rocky Mountains as well as in southwestern Arizona and most of Mexico, except Lower California. It is mostly displaced by the black-tailed or mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) from that point west except for mixed deciduous riparian corridors, river valley bottomlands, and lower foothills of the northern Rocky Mountain region from Wyoming west to eastern Washington and eastern Oregon and north to northeastern British Columbia and southern Yukon, including in the Montana valley and foothill grasslands. The westernmost population of the species, known as the Columbian white-tailed deer, was once widespread in the mixed forests along the Willamette and Cowlitz River valleys of western Oregon and southwestern Washington, but current numbers are considerably reduced, and it is classified as near-threatened. This population is separated from other white-tailed deer populations.
Texas is home to the most white-tailed deer of any U.S. state or Canadian province, with an estimated population of 5.3 million. High populations of white-tailed deer exist in the Edwards Plateau of central Texas. Michigan, Minnesota, Iowa, Mississippi, Missouri, New Jersey, Illinois, Wisconsin, Maryland, New York, North Dakota, Ohio, and Indiana also boast high deer densities. The conversion of land adjacent to the Canadian Rockies to agriculture use and partial clear-cutting of coniferous trees, resulting in widespread deciduous vegetation, has been favorable to the white-tailed deer and has pushed its distribution to as far north as the Yukon. Populations of deer around the Great Lakes have expanded their range northwards, also due to conversion of land to agricultural use, with local caribou, elk, and moose populations declining. White-tailed deer are crepuscular, meaning they are most active during the dawn and dusk hours.
This afternoon, I watched Momma Squirrel having an adventure with her two pups. The weather was sunny and warm enough to hop around in the trees. Since most of the leaves dropped to the ground, Momma Squirrel had a better eye on her offspring. She made sure, they were all safe on their playground.
Later on, I went over to my neighbors’ for a little chat, while my dinner was simmering on the stove. Now, that it gets colder, he provides the birds and critters some sunflower seeds. I haven’t put mine out, yet. It is still too warm. And Bruno, the Bear, might roam around in our neighborhood. Probably in another week or two, I’ll be more comfortable to add a bird feeder to my yard. For right now, I do some birdwatching in my neighbor’s yard.
The Nuremberg Castle is a group of medieval fortified buildings on a sandstone ridge dominating the historical center of Nuremberg in Bavaria, Germany. The castle, together with the city walls, is considered to be one of Europe’s most formidable medieval fortifications. It represented the power and importance of the Holy Roman Empire and the outstanding role of the Imperial City of Nuremberg.
Nuremberg Zoo is a zoo located in the Imperial Forest, southeast of Nuremberg. With an area of 67 hectares (170 acres), approximately 300 animal species are kept by the zoo.
Joshua is not happy that Daylight Saving ends tonight.
Joshua was not happy when I told the pack that they had breakfast and dinner one hour later, from now on until March: “WHAAAT? Do we have to wait until dawn? What is this sorcery? I don’t understand it. But if you say so, I guess it is what it is. Only humans get this crazy idea, of changing their clocks back and forth. And they are supposed to be the most intelligent species on this planet. … ” … As we can tell, Joshua is on a rant about the end of daylight saving. In the USA, Canada, Greenland, Mexico, and some Caribbean Islands, we will change our clocks one hour BACK.
The official National Mammal of the United States, the iconic North American Bison, has played a cultural, economic, and environmental role in the history of the country. Central to the livelihood of Native Americans, they are also a healthy food source and vital to religious ceremonies. The bison is the largest land mammal in North America, with males weighing up to 2,000 pounds and standing up to 6 feet tall. While cows may be smaller at 1,000 pounds and up to 5 feet tall, they’re still mighty powerful. However, Bison only live up to 20 years. The dark brown to black, thick shaggy coat of the full-grown bison keeps them warm during long, cold winters on the plains. When they’re born, the calves sport a reddish coat. While giant herds once covered the plains, hunters nearly decimated them by the 1800s. Now, bison populate all 50 states living in national parks, refuges, and on tribal and private lands.
Arbor Day celebrates planting and nurturing trees, and all the ways trees enrich our lives and stabilize the environment. Historians trace Arbor Day’s origins back to the fifth century when Swiss villagers gathered to plant groves of oak trees. Adults turned the event into a festival and children were given treats as a reward for their help planting trees.
Arbor Day first appeared in the United States in 1872. J. Sterling Morton is credited with guiding this country’s first Arbor Day resolution through the Nebraska Legislature that year. Residents of the Great Plains recognized how much trees could do for them, and they enthusiastically embraced Morton’s vision.
President Theodore Roosevelt was a strong supporter of Arbor Day. Early in the 20th century, it was becoming clear that the nation’s forests were being exhausted by cut-out-and-get-out timber harvesting. The science of forest management was emerging, and the government was moving to suppress wildfires and plant trees. Roosevelt sent a letter to the children of the United States in which he wrote, “A people without children would face a hopeless future; a country without trees is almost as hopeless.”
In Texas, Arbor Day first appeared in Temple on Feb. 22, 1889. W. Goodrich Jones led the citizens of Temple in a mass meeting to call for a tree-planting campaign along the streets of the city. One year later, the first statewide observance of Arbor Day was held in Austin. Through the efforts of Sen. George Tyler of Belton, Feb. 22 was set aside by law as Arbor Day to encourage planting trees in the state.
After the original Texas Arbor Day law expired, the state continued to observe Arbor Day by proclamation of the governor, usually on George Washington’s birthday. In 1949, the Texas Legislature adopted a resolution designating the third Friday in January as Texas Arbor Day.
In 1989 the Legislature passed a resolution moving Texas Arbor Day to the last Friday in April to align with the traditionally observed national Arbor Day. Today, the official Texas Arbor Day is held on the first Friday in November. Still, thanks to the diversity of this state, Arbor Day can be celebrated in Texas communities anytime throughout the fall and winter planting season.
International Jellyfish Day is on November 3. It is a day to celebrate that beautiful and mysterious invertebrate the world calls a ‘jellyfish.’ Along with enjoying all this lovely not-really-a-fish sea creature has to offer, the day also encourages people to learn more about this marine animal and then share it with the world.
Designated as the State Flower by the General Assembly in 1907, the Mountain Laurel is perhaps the most beautiful of native American shrubs. Its fragrance and the massed richness of its white and pink blossoms so vividly contrast with the darker colors of the forests and the fields that they have continually attracted the attention of travelers since the earliest days of our colonization. First mentioned in John Smith’s “General History,” in 1624 specimens were sent to Linnaeus, the famous botanist, by the Swedish explorer Peter Kalm in 1750. Linnaeus gave it the name of Kalmia latifolia, honoring the name of his correspondent and at the same time describing the “wide-leafed” characteristic of the plant. In addition to being called the “Mountain Laurel,” the plant has also been spoken of as “Calico Bush” and “Spoonwood.”
Day of the Dead, or Día de los Muertos, is a traditional Mexican holiday celebrated on November 2. On this day, it is believed that the souls of the dead return to visit their living family members. Many people celebrate this day by visiting the graves of deceased loved ones and setting up altars with their favorite foods, drinks, and photos.
World Ballet Day is a floating holiday and its date is set by several ballet companies annually. This year, it takes place on November 2. Ballet, which can be traced back to the 15th century, is an intricate and artistic dance form that involves precise, light, and graceful movements and gestures, performed to music. World Ballet Day is a special occasion for people around to celebrate this well-loved art.
National Ohio Day is marked on November 2 every year to celebrate the anniversary of Ohio joining the United States Union. It was on this day in 1803 that President Thomas Jefferson signed a decree approving the boundaries and constitution of Ohio. However, it wasn’t until 1953 that the official admission was administered when the Buckeye state was adopted retroactively. Ohioans celebrate the day by uncovering the hidden treasures of the state and recognizing its incredible history.
This afternoon, I took another peek at the leaves in Echo Lake Park. And with sadness I have to say, the “Leaf Peeping Peak Season” is over. Here and there are trees still dressed in Autumn leaves. A lot of them are bare, now. I can tell, that November has arrived in New England. Well, I will enjoy what is left for the rest of the season, before I experience my first real Winter in almost two decades.
The European mantis is a large insect in the family of the Mantidae (‘mantids’), which is the largest family of the order Mantodea (mantises). Their common name praying mantis is derived from the distinctive posture of the first pair of legs that can be observed in animals in repose. It resembles a praying attitude. Both males and females have elongated bodies with two pairs of wings. The most striking features that all Mantodea share are a very mobile, triangular head with large compound eyes and their first pair of legs (the ‘raptorial legs’), which are highly modified for the efficient capture and restraint of fast-moving or flying prey. In Germany, the European Mantis is listed as Gefährdet [endangered] on the German Red List based on an assessment from 1998. It is not supposed to be caught or held as a pet. At a global level, it is assessed by the IUCN as least concern.
Tanja's Little Corner of The World 