Modern trains have developed rapidly since their invention some 200 years ago. Trains can be classified as one of the most important inventions of modern history. Train transport has drastically changed business, exploration, and how we travel daily.
In the 1800s, the steam train made its way to the railways of industrial England. Today, we have bullet trains that carry passengers at incredible speeds, with a distance of thousands of miles in no time. There are also freight trains that are used to transport goods, including food, post, and fuel. Distant lands have become almost instantly reachable. Long distances can be covered in a matter of hours. The industrial revolution was hastened by the arrival of trains, which made the transport of raw materials and the outgoing transport of finished goods an easy task. Even with the arrival of airplanes, trains still continue to do a fair haul of public and commercial transport around the world. Trains are used in a variety of ways – from trams, subway electric trains, distance trains, and specialized tourist trains to freight trains and high-speed bullet trains that can go up to 275 miles an hour.
National Train Day marks the anniversary of the establishment of the Golden Spike in Promontory, Utah, at the Promontory Summit. The day also observes the first anniversary of the rail route system in the United States. Events such as exhibitions of railroad layouts are organized on the day to celebrate the event.
The rest of the raised beds were built and filled with soil. and ready for some planting. Joshua was my greenhouse inspector. He would make sure, the beds were built to standard. The vegetable seedlings grew nicely and were ready to be planted into the beds.
The word ‘garden’ refers to a small enclosed area of land, usually adjoining a building, commonly referred to as a yard in the U.S. It is usually a planned space set aside for the cultivation, display, and enjoyment of plants and other forms of nature and often incorporates both natural and artificial materials in their surroundings. The first notable event related to gardening in the U.S. was the founding of the American Public Gardens Association — the leading professional organization for the field of public horticulture that works together with members and other organizations to strengthen and shape public horticulture by providing the tools and support needed to plants creatively and sustainably. They were formerly known as the American Association of Botanical Gardens and Arboreta.
The American Public Gardens Association initiated National Public Gardens Week in 2009, in partnership with a large gardening supply company, Rain Bird, to increase public awareness of the educational resources public gardens provide to local communities. It aims to highlight programs about important topics such as plant conservation, water conservation, the preservation of green spaces, and home gardening.
The organization’s members include botanic gardens, arboreta, zoos, museums, colleges and universities, display gardens, and research facilities, all of which are expected to unveil projects that emphasize their importance and effort as community connoisseurs and catalysts for environmental change throughout the week.
⬆ U2 – THE JOSHUA TREE TOUR 2017 ~ DALLAS, TEXAS ⬆
Live Nation Entertainment, which initiated National Concert Day, is a merger between two original companies. In 2009, the first Live Nation, a concert promotion firm, and a ticketing company, Ticketmaster, reached an agreement to merge. The new company received regulatory approval and was named Live Nation Entertainment. Although the merger was first approved in Norway and Turkey, several fans, artists, and regulators opposed it, with The United Kingdom’s Competition Commission ruling against the merger. However, on January 25, 2010, the United States Justice Department approved the merger, pending a few momentarily prohibitions, and Live Nation Entertainment, Inc. was established.
Live Nation Concerts is currently the largest producer of music concerts in the United States and internationally — producing over 20,000 shows annually for about 3,000 artists globally. It also owns and operates many entertainment venues and acts as a music recording label. National Concert Day was established in 2015 and held for the first time in May. It was a day to honor the commencement of the summer concert season, as well as the musicians, record companies, tour managers, and everyone else who works to ensure that fans enjoy live music. Live Nation held a concert at Irving Plaza in New York City during the first year of the holiday. That year, they also held a Kickoff to Summer Ticket Sale, offering more than a million concert tickets for $20 National Concert Day tickets.
In November 2012, Kevin, Katelynn, Sara, and I went to the Chinese Lantern Festival in Fair Park, Dallas. We arrived early. So, we still had time to walk around Fair Park. When the State Fair of Texas is over, that place looks very empty. But the Texas Star® Ferris Wheel is there year-round. Katelynn posed for some photos. When we came back to the Festival entrance area it was almost time to go in. …
Monarch butterflies can be found all around North America, mainly concentrated in the eastern parts of the United States. They are considered the most popular species of butterflies in the country. These butterflies migrate every year around late summer and fall. The ones born in the northern and central U.S. and Canada travel all the way to Florida and Mexico and the ones born in the western area migrate to southern California as well. There are also monarchs living in the International Space Station!
Butterflies have a life cycle of four phases. The first is the egg, which is laid under young leaves of milkweed. It takes them three to eight days to turn into larvae, which is the second phase of the life cycle. Larvae, also known as caterpillars, are the stage where the species grows the most and feeds very well to be able to form the pupa. The third stage of the life cycle is the pupa, which is the phase where the caterpillar stays within its chrysalis for eight to 15 days before it finally emerges and turns into a beautiful butterfly.
A monarch butterfly can live up to eight months by feeding off milkweed and other nectar plants, which makes them one of the many animal species responsible for pollinating plants and flowers all around. Once they reach sexual maturity and can be considered adult butterflies, it takes them a while to begin their migration process, which happens only once overwintering is complete. Migration takes four different generations to finally be completed.
Herb Day was created in 2006, a time when ‘herb’ was still a bit of a scary word. Medical doctors, naturopaths, and acupuncturists were not yet comfortable incorporating herbs into their practices, and the public knew very little about the subject. The HerbDay Coalition is made up of five non-profit organizations that wish to create a day for people to celebrate the healing power of herbs. On the first Saturday in May, we invite you to have your own celebration with the herbs you have in your garden or on your patio.
The world of plants was divided into trees, shrubs, and herbs by the ancient Greek philosopher Theophrastus. Herbs are also further classified into three groups, namely pot herbs, sweet herbs, and salad herbs. During the 1600s, pot herbs began to be referred to as vegetables as they were no longer considered only suitable for the pot.
In its early stages, botany was primarily a study of the pharmacological uses of plants, and by the Middle Ages, with the advent of humoral theory in medicine, the position was made that foodstuffs, having their own humoral qualities, could, in turn, alter the humoral temperaments of humans.
Popular plants parsley and sage were often used together for cooking in medieval times. A renowned therapeutic nutriment of that age, chicken broth, as well as green sauce, were usually prepared with parsley and sage.
Some of my veggies and fruits were potted separately. It was still too cold to plant the tomatoes and peppers in the greenhouse-raised beds. There were nights, I had to cover the crop since I didn’t heat the greenhouse. Two to three weeks later, it was a different story. The soil and the air were warm enough for planting. And I had to keep the greenhouse door and window open during the daytime. It became warm very quickly in Texas.
The concept of meditation is ancient. Evidence of its existence and practice date back to the 5th and 6th centuries in the South Asian cultures of Hinduism and Buddhism. In the 19th century, when Asian cultures spread worldwide, the concept of meditation was among the fastest to be adopted by people from Western countries.
With meditation came the idea of making spaces that are conducive to meditation. As a result, people started designing traditional landscapes like exotic gardens with ponds, wind chimes, and soft music. The essence of garden meditation comes from the Chinese and Japanese cultures, and their gardens have often been displayed in Western countries. Asian texts on meditation are considered the most notable.
The fact that garden meditation became an annual practice in the U.S. is thanks to C. L. Fornari, who is also known as ‘Garden Lady.’ Fornari is a gardening artist who believes that gardens and gardening help us to connect with ourselves and with nature. She pointed out that caring for plants, planting seeds, and simply talking to plants help us connect with our inner selves and bring us a deeper understanding of ourselves and what our minds and bodies need to feel better.
Although the actual origins of this day are unclear, there is not much need to figure it out. It would be fair to say that National Garden Meditation Day has been celebrated since at least 2000. As the awareness of garden meditation spreads, more and more people will be drawn towards it.
A devastating byproduct of human growth has been the loss of natural habitats around the world. Wild animals and plants can no longer rely on woodlands, marshes, and ponds — these places have been slowly disappearing to make way for roads, homes, factories, etc. As a result, wildlife that was once thriving is now facing multiple threats, and their populations are dwindling.
That’s when, over time, studies began to be conducted to find a solution to this concerning issue. Since private residential property took almost one-third of the urban landscape in many developed nations, one way to revive wildlife was to plan urban gardens that would be completely wildlife-friendly.
A key organization leading the development of these ‘wildlife gardens’ was the National Wildlife Federation, which began operations in 1973 and has been pushing for a wildlife-supportive gardening method ever since. They’d even conducted 24 studies on the impact of wildlife gardening, which clearly showed that such places do boost biodiversity, help wildlife ecosystems thrive, and supplement natural resources when local plants and trees are planted. These places are also almost always home to twice as many species of birds as areas without such gardens.
People who’ve had their homes and backyards turned into wildlife gardens witness this phenomenon first-hand. They’ve recounted tales of seeing local species of animals along with many migratory birds and butterflies, many of whom return to this safe haven year after year.
After Kevin and I had most of our stuff settled in Texas, it was time to pick up Katelynn in North Carolina. On that trip, we picked Interstate 20 and Interstate 55 to see the deep southern states. Instead of driving through Arkansas and Tennessee, we drove through Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, and South Carolina.
By Vicksburg, Mississippi we crossed the mighty Mississippi River and made a short stop for some photos. The February sunset was reflecting on the river. It was beautiful. That night, we stopped for a rest in Jackson, Mississippi.
The following morning, we still had so much driving ahead of us. I didn’t have a driver’s license at the time, Kevin had to drive the whole way. The last 200 miles were painful. But we made it by the evening. And we both could hold Katelynn in our arms again.
Two days later Kevin, Katelynn, and I took the original route back to Texas. It was a tough 18-hour trip through North Carolina, Tennessee, Arkansas, and Texas. Katelynn made her first trip across the Mississippi in Memphis, Tennessee, crossing into West Memphis, Arkansas. From there, we still had about seven more hours. At 2 am, we finally made it home.
Smoky Sun from the Possum Kingdom Lake Wildfires in 2011
The Possum Kingdom Complex is a grouping of four wildfires that have consumed about 148,000 acres (600 km2) in Stephens, Young, and Palo Pinto counties. The complex consists of the Possum Kingdom West Fire (90,000 acres), Possum Kingdom East Fire 11,000 acres (45 km2), Hohertz Fire 40,000 acres (160 km2), and Jackson Ranch Fire 7,000 acres (28 km2). The fire destroyed 166 homes and two churches. 600 more homes were threatened. Possum Kingdom State Park was closed on April 15. Ninety percent of the park was involved in the fire. 450 firefighters, three helitankers, and three helicopters fought the fire along a 270-mile (430 km) fire line.
On August 30, 2011, another outbreak of wildfires ravaged the Possum Kingdom Lake area, continuing well into September and destroying 39 homes by the time of containment.
We spent the early evening hours at the State Fair as well. The fair actually looks much prettier, when it is dark outside. All the lights come on, and the light parade passes through the park. Big Tex and the Texas Star Ferris Wheel come to full glory, and the statues are in their great spotlights.
The first undisputed sculpture pieces came from the Aurignacian culture in Europe and southwest Asia, which was active at the start of the Upper Paleolithic period. This culture developed well-crafted stone tools, pendants, ivory beads, and other form of art. They are also attributed to being the first to create cave art and three-dimensional figures.
The Löwenmensch, found in Germany’s Hohenstein-Stadel area, is an anthropomorphic figure carved from mammoth ivory. It is one of the oldest known uncontested examples of figurative art, standing at 0.9 inches tall. Most prehistoric art that has survived is movable sculptures found throughout central Europe.
The Swimming Reindeer from around 13,000 years ago is one of the greatest Upper Paleolithic Magdalenian bone carvings, however, it is outnumbered by engraved pieces, which are sometimes considered sculptures. The Tuc d’Audoubert caves in France, where a talented sculptor used a spatula-like stone tool and his fingers to build a pair of large bison against a limestone rock tens of thousands of years ago, are home to two of the world’s largest prehistoric sculptures.
Much of the figurative sculpture in Europe at the beginning of the Mesolithic era has been greatly reduced. These sculptures have remained less of a common element in art other than relief decoration of practical objects until the Roman period, despite works such as the Gundestrup cauldron from the European Iron Age and the Bronze Age Trundholm sun chariot.
The Mesopotamian conquest, as well as much of its surrounding territory by the Assyrians, created a larger and wealthier state than was previously usual in the region, with particularly grandiose art in palaces and public places, clearly, an attempt to match the glory of the Egyptian empire art. The Assyrians created their sculptures in great numbers using easily carved stones from Northern Iraq.
In 1926 a classic was born, A. A Milne published his collection of short stories, depicting an anthropomorphic teddy bear, Winnie the Pooh, his human friend, Christopher Robin, and a mixed collection of other animals, most notably on this special day, Eeyore. The animal that inspired such a great charity initiative in Austin, takes his queues and overall character from the unfortunate disposition of the stuffed donkey that he was modeled after, a long, heavy head and neck, leaving the stuffed donkey looking quite sad and depressed as the weight of both head and neck constantly had the donkey faced down at the ground.
The celebration of Eeyore’s “birthday” in Austin, Texas is unique to the area. Originally, the event was set up to distract students from “Dead Week,” however, over time the birthday party has grown into a massive charity event. The first time Austin celebrated Eeyore’s birthday, there was little more than a trash can filled with lemonade and beer, however, when the party moved from Eastwood Park to Pease District Park, Friends of the Forest Foundation, a non-profit that supports local charities took over the production and management of the event.
One cooler March evening, I lit my DIY candle jar on the shelf and had a hot cup of tea in the greenhouse. It was niche sitting and relaxing with a blanket around my legs. No TV. no loud suburban noises, just a quiet evening with my candle and the moonlight.
This particular celebration of penguins was created at McMurdo Station, an American research center on Ross Island where researchers discovered that Adélie penguins start their migration around this day each year. So began World Penguin Day as a way to commemorate the event and raise awareness about these creatures. This day encourages people to learn more about penguins, the dangers they encounter, their environment, and their contribution to the environment.
Penguins differ considerably in size, from the large emperor penguin, reaching heights of over three feet and seven inches, to the little blue penguin which is about 13 inches tall. Historically, giant species of penguins existed that grew almost six feet high and weighed over 176 pounds. Penguins are highly adaptive to aquatic life, with their wings that have evolved into flippers and their excellent swimming abilities where species like the emperor penguin can reach deep depths of 1,800 feet. Penguins are disguised to protect themselves against predators from above and below. Their glossy feathers hold air in them that helps to both keep them warm and help them stay afloat. These extraordinary creatures are spread all over the Southern Hemisphere, from Antarctica to the Galápagos Islands, penguins are famous for their dedicated chick-hatching endeavors, cute waddles, and amazing survival instincts such as huddling to stay warm during icy winters.
Our appreciation for penguins has inspired the creation of movies and books such as “Penguins of Madagascar” and ”Mr. Popper’s Penguins.” Yet, they face extinction where a concerted effort is needed to help reduce our carbon footprint and prevent pollution to preserve their habitat.
There are a variety of ways to take part in a picnic. This meal hearkens back to mid-18th-century al fresco French dining when all you needed was a bottle of wine, a loaf of bread, some cheese, and fruit and you could have a party under the sky.
From barbecues to simple cold plates, picnics are light informal affairs intended to be relaxing and fun for everyone to enjoy the day. Some favorite picnic foods include sandwiches, chips, fresh fruit and vegetables, light salads, and homemade bars. However, picnics can be expanded to include grilled items, too. Burgers and corn on the cob cook up nicely on a portable grill. During large picnics, guests often bring a dish to share creating a potluck atmosphere.
The fresh air tends to rev up our appetite, and physical activity while enjoying a picnic is nice, too. Games of horseshoe, Frisbee, catch, or flying a kite add to the fun of the day.
Kevin, Katelynn, and I spent two weeks at my in-laws house. We had to wait for some paperwork before we packed the pickup truck and moved to Dallas, Texas. Katelynn stayed with her grandparents for the next ten days in North Carolina. This was tough, being without her and half across the country. Kevin and I drove from Valdese, North Carolina to Benton, Arkansas on the first day. We made it through Little Rock and stayed near Interstate 30. From there, it was only another 4-hour trip to get to Dallas.
I brought the snow from Germany and North Carolina to Texas. When we woke up and were ready to leave it began to snow. And it didn’t stop until late afternoon. Dallas was covered in a thick wet snow blanket. The next morning it was all gone, again. For the weekend, we stayed at our sister-in-law’s place. But on Monday, Kevin and I were apartment hunting. And it didn’t take long to find one. Since I was here on a Visa, the apartment complex did a background check on me, and 24 hours later, we could move in. Kevin was also job hunting. And we both went to job fairs. One was in Wichita Falls, which was another two-hour drive away. But everything counted. In these first eight days, we got a lot of things established. After three weeks, it was nice to have our own place, again. Finally, we could bring Katelynn home.
My slithering little friends kept the garden and greenhouse bug-free. They enjoyed living in our yard. Minding their own business, while being good garden helpers. I wish, more people could see the benefits of having a non-venomous snake on their properties.
Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui) at LLELA, Lewisville, Texas
Painted Lady butterflies inhabit every continent except Australia and Antarctica You can find painted ladies everywhere from meadows to vacant lots. Although they live only in warmer climates, painted ladies often migrate to colder regions in spring and fall, making them the butterflies with the widest distribution of any species.
The painted lady is an irruptive migrant, meaning that it migrates independently of any seasonal or geographic patterns. Some evidence suggests that painted lady migrations may be linked to the El Niño climate pattern. In Mexico and some other regions, it appears that migration is sometimes related to overpopulation. The migrating populations that move from North Africa to Europe may include millions of butterflies. In spring, painted ladies fly low when migrating, usually only 6 to 12 feet above the ground. This makes them highly visible to butterfly watchers but also makes them susceptible to colliding with cars. At other times, painted ladies migrate at such high altitudes that they are not observed at all, appearing unexpectedly in a new region.
Thistle, which can be an invasive weed, is one of the painted lady caterpillar’s favorite food plants. The painted lady probably owes its global abundance to the fact that its larvae feed on such common plants. The painted lady also goes by the name thistle butterfly, and its scientific name— Vanessa cardui —means “butterfly of thistle.”
Elephants are the largest existing land animals and are spread across Africa and Asia. Recent studies estimate that there are now just over 400,000 elephants across the African continent and although the situation differs from country to country, it can not be denied that the giant mammals are in decline on a continent-wide scale. Human activities such as poaching for ivory remain a significant reason for the decline.
Save the Elephant Day seeks to change this upsetting trend by educating people about elephants and the predicament they face, encouraging everyone to do their bit in helping to save elephants from extinction.
Organizations across the world have worked together to tackle some of the major threats elephant populations face. In 1989, the international commercial trade of ivory was banned. The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) secured an agreement among its member states to ban the international ivory trade.
In 2016, China, which is the world’s largest ivory market, called for the ban of all ivory sales within the country. On December 20, 2018, the U.K. Ivory Act 2018 received royal assent after being passed by the British Parliament. The act may be extended to include hippos, walruses, and narwhals in the future.
National Gardening Day was founded by Cool Springs Press in 2018 to celebrate the hobby of gardening and to encourage gardeners to share their expert knowledge.
Forest gardening, a forest-based food production system, is known to be the world’s oldest form of gardening. Forest gardens could be found in prehistoric times along jungle banks. Ancient Egyptian paintings from around 1500 BC provide some of the earliest evidence of people gardening for pleasure and to achieve an aesthetically pleasing outcome.
After a decline during the Middle Ages, cottage gardens became popular during Elizabethan times. These usually contained food and herbs, with flowers added for decorative purposes. Gardens gradually became more open-plan and less rigid in their structure and by the mid-19th century in Europe, we were starting to see the types of gardens that we are all familiar with today.
The initial gardeners in the U.S. were essentially harvesters. In the 17th and 18th centuries, those lucky enough to own land and consequently a garden would try and use it to make money by harvesting whatever crops were suitable. Home gardening started to become a leisure activity in the 1800s as villages grew bigger and mass production was beginning. Ornamental gardens took the place of edible gardens and research on plant diseases and pests began.
The last 150 years have seen gardens become an increasingly social space, with methods of caring for them evolving to provide gardeners with a much-increased body of knowledge and equipment from which to garden.
After the greenhouse was built, the next stage was to start a garden-raised bed. I still had plenty of weeds to pull on the greenhouse ground. when most of the weeds were gone, I loosened the clay and mixed it with the raised bed soil. Kevin and I put up an 8′ x 25″ x 1.5″ wood plank as a barrier before we filled in the rest of the soil. Finley inspected and watched my garden work before he took a nap behind the greenhouse. I guess, watching people work can make a cat very tired. It was a sunny Spring afternoon. I can’t blame him.
A variety of animals have been domesticated and raised on farms for food. They provide eggs, milk, cheese, meat, wool, leather, and other products. Most farmers raise their livestock responsibly. Providing a quality environment for them to grow benefits the animal and the farmer, too. Farmers invest in their livestock from the time they’re born, providing nutritious food, and ensuring robust and healthy development. They also provide ideal conditions for their breed. Farmers are continually educating themselves about the livestock they raise so they can provide them with the best care possible.
The tomato is said to have descended or evolved from the “Solanum pimpinellifolium,” which is also known as the currant tomato or wild tomato, native to western South America. These wild tomatoes were smaller than the tomatoes we have in today’s times and they were usually about the size of peas. The domestication, so to speak, of tomatoes, traces back to the Aztecs and other Mesoamerican peoples, who used the fruit fresh and employed its use for cooking. Tomatoes came into Europe through the Spanish, and they became a very regular feature of Spanish food. In other European countries such as France, Italy, and others to the North of Europe, the tomato was initially grown as an ornamental plant, like flowers.
The tomato was met with skepticism as a type of food based on the fact that it was thought to be nightshade by botanists. This skepticism and suspicion were compounded by the acidity of the tomato juice. The tomato was even nicknamed the “poison apple,” because it was believed that it caused aristocrats to get sick and die after eating them. The possible reason for these reactions was that wealthy Europeans of that time used pewter plates, which were rich in lead, and because tomatoes are so high in acidity, the fruit would leach lead from the plate upon coming in contact with it, eventually leading to led poisoning and eventually death.
Limited knowledge made it impossible for anyone at the time to connect the dots between plate and poison at the time and so the easier alternative was to blame the tomato. The leaves of the tomato and its immature fruit contain tomatine, which could be toxic in large amounts. However, the ripe tomato fruit does not contain tomatine.
The seedlings finally moved to the greenhouse. The nights weren’t too cold for the Spring/Summer sowings anymore. One night, I wasn’t sure if the seedlings would survive the cooler night. So, I covered them up with some sandwich backs. I wanted to be on the safe side. The next morning, the greenhouse was covered in dew. But no frost. I was lucky. 🍀
Understanding and valuing nature and all that it has to offer is a character quality we cherish at National Today, especially during National Wildlife Week which takes place from April 5–9 this year. From providing us with multiple food sources to medicinal properties and a flourishing planet to live on, Mother Nature has continued to bless us with the best of the best. However, factors like rapid globalization and industrialization have put an unnecessary strain on the planet resulting in many dangers like climate change, new diseases, extinctions, etc. National Wildlife Week aims to raise awareness about said issues through discussions, campaigns, donations, and such. Just some years shy of celebrating 100 years of National Wildlife Week, the first National Wildlife Week was celebrated back in 1938.
Dandelion is a tap-rooted, perennial, herbaceous plant, native to the temperate areas of the Northern Hemisphere. Once dandelion flowers dry off, dropping petals and stamens, it opens into a spherical shape. Once the seeds are mature, they fly off with the help of fluffy parachute-like structures attached to their tips. The wind disperses the seeds — they are capable of traveling very large distances.
We believe the dandelion evolved around 30 million years ago in the Eurasian region. Our prehistoric ancestors were well aware that the plant was edible and brimmed with medicinal properties. The properties of the plant were known to Egyptians, Greeks, Chinese, and Romans. It was popular in America for its edible uses and in China for its medicinal benefits.
Raw dandelion greens are rich in calcium, potassium, iron, manganese, and various vitamins. The flower can also be used to produce a yellow dye. The plant is considered an invasive species in various parts of the world. It can affect the growth of other crops, spread far, and grow fast. But it can also help plants when planted properly. Its roots can dig deep and bring forth the nutrients for shallow-rooted plants. It can also attract pollinating insects.
We know vitamin C has several health benefits, but it was only recently that National Vitamin C Day came into existence. In 2019, a skincare line, SkinCeuticals, created Vitamin C Day. The aim was to generate awareness around vitamin C. The day also celebrated a research breakthrough. SkinCeuticals established parameters to allow the effective delivery of antioxidants in vitamin C to the skin. The findings proved beyond a doubt the benefits of topical application of vitamin C to the skin.
Much before its official discovery in 1932, health experts determined that citrus fruits could effectively prevent scurvy — a debilitating disease that claimed the lives of millions of sailors from 1500 to 1800. Loading up on vitamin C isn’t a new concept. In the 1970s, double Nobel Laureate Linus Pauling championed daily super doses of oranges to prevent the common cold. He wasn’t wrong about its efficacy but was off the mark in his daily recommended dosage — 12 to 24 oranges a day!
Vitamin C, also called ‘ascorbic acid’, dissolves in water. It remains in our tissues but doesn’t store well in the body. To avoid overdosing on vitamin C, scientists recommend a daily intake of 90 mg for men above 19 years and 75 mg for women. Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant. It can heal wounds and control infection. Among others, it’s also responsible for the production of collagen — a crucial structural protein found throughout the connective tissues in our body.
Collagen is a protein that holds our body together, giving it structure and added strength. Our pantries and kitchen shelves already contain some of the best natural sources of vitamin C. Make sure to stock up on citrus fruits like lemon, oranges, and grapefruit that have a ton of vitamin C. Other excellent sources are tomatoes, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, white potatoes, and bell peppers.
The eastern cottontail can be found in meadows and shrubby areas in the eastern and south-central United States, southern Canada, eastern Mexico, Central America, and northernmost South America. It is also found on the Caribbean island of Margarita. It is abundant in Midwest North America. Its range expanded north as forests were cleared by settlers. Originally, it was not found in New England, but it has been introduced and now competes for habitat there with the native New England cottontail. It has also been introduced into Oregon, Washington, and British Columbia. In the 1950s and 1960s, the eastern cottontail was introduced to France and northern Italy, where it displayed a rapid territorial expansion and increase in population density.
Optimal eastern cottontail habitat includes open grassy areas, clearings, and old fields supporting abundant green grasses and herbs, with shrubs in the area or edges for cover. The essential components of eastern cottontail habitat are an abundance of well-distributed escape cover (dense shrubs) interspersed with more open foraging areas such as grasslands and pastures. Habitat parameters important for eastern cottontails in ponderosa pine, mixed species, and pinyon (Pinus spp.)-juniper (Juniperus spp.) woodlands include woody debris, herbaceous and shrubby understories, and patchiness. Typically eastern cottontails occupy habitats in and around farms including fields, pastures, open woods, thickets associated with fencerows, wooded thickets, forest edges, and suburban areas with adequate food and cover. They are also found in swamps and marshes and usually avoid dense woods.
Eastern cottontails forage in open areas and use brush piles, stone walls with shrubs around them, herbaceous and shrubby plants, and burrows or dens for escape cover, shelter, and resting cover. Wood cover is important for the survival and abundance of eastern cottontails. Eastern cottontails do not dig their own dens (other than nest holes) but use burrows dug by other species such as woodchucks. In winter when deciduous plants are bare eastern cottontails forage in less secure cover and travel greater distances. Eastern cottontails probably use woody cover more during the winter, particularly in areas where cover is provided by herbaceous vegetation in summer. In Florida slash pine flat woods, eastern cottontails use low saw-palmetto (Serenoa repens) patches for cover within grassy areas.
The eastern cottontail is a very territorial animal. When chased, it runs in a zigzag pattern running up to 18 mph (29 km/h). The cottontail prefers an area where it can be out in the open but hide quickly. Forests, swamps, thickets, bushes, or open areas where shelter is close by are optimal habitation sites for this species. Cottontails do not dig burrows, but rather rest in a form, a shallow, scratched-out depression in a clump of grass or underbrush. It may use the dens of groundhogs as a temporary home or during heavy snow. Eastern cottontails are crepuscular to nocturnal feeders; although they usually spend most of the daylight hours resting in shallow depressions under vegetative cover or other shelter, they can be seen at any time of day. Eastern cottontails are most active when visibility is limited, such as rainy or foggy nights. Eastern cottontails usually move only short a distance and remain to sit very still for up to a few hours at a time. Eastern cottontails are active year-round.
The eastern cottontail can reach sexual maturity as early as 2-3 months. The onset of breeding varies between populations and within populations from year to year. The eastern cottontail breeding season begins later with higher latitudes and elevations. Temperature rather than diet has been suggested as a primary factor controlling onset of breeding; many studies correlate severe weather with delays in the onset of breeding. In New England breeding occurs from March to September. In New York the breeding season occurs from February to September, in Connecticut from mid-March to mid-September. In Alabama the breeding season begins in January. In Georgia the breeding season lasts nine months and in Texas breeding occurs year-round. Populations in western Oregon breed from late January to early September. Mating is promiscuous.
Community Garden Week is a special week that allows us to celebrate schools and community gardens up and down the country. Community gardens are great for the environment and are also a great way to promote healing and happiness as they can have a positive effect on our sense of well-being.
Today, as around half of the world’s population currently lives in cities, keeping our environment sustainable, liveable, and, most importantly, carbon-neutral is one of the major challenges in urban policy and planning. This issue has existed for a couple of decades, and there might be a solution to it too in the form of community gardens. Back in the 1960s, communities across the U.K. started transforming unused plots of land into green spaces that allowed residents and volunteers to grow everything from flowers to fruits and vegetables.
Moreover, the benefits of contributing to a community garden are endless. Some of those benefits include spending time outdoors and getting back in touch with nature, community gardening is also an activity for the whole family, especially for kids — it is an enjoyable way to educate them and teach them all about flora and nature. It also encourages kids to eat healthily and to help others. Contributing to community gardens is a learning experience for everyone as you can learn all about gardening and growing different types of plants, and you can also meet and connect with different types of people who have the same interests as you.
Every time, we visit the State Fair of Texas we can’t miss out on the Texas Discovery Gardens in Fair Park. The girls love to see the flowers outdoors and the Butterfly House. This year, they had a special treat for Katelynn at their expo: Snakes, spiders, and bugs. Katelynn loves all these creepy crawlies. There were some venomous snakes and hairy-legged spiders. Not to forget to mention the cockroaches. Thank goodness, they have been locked in their terrariums. I like them much better when there is a protective glass between those critters and me.
As the cold and grey winter days Give way, to the bright and beautiful spring … You know it’s time for you to hear, The Easter bells ring! The birds are chirping, The bunnies are out, There are Easter Eggs all around! There is happiness in the air, And a warmth in your heart to stay with you, All through the year!
Finally, the two pieces I had to reorder were arriving. And I could finish building the greenhouse. Once the frame was up, I slid the panels on the bottom, and installed the window, before I could slide the roof panels in place. The ground was already straightened when I put the base together. Kevin had to help me to lift the greenhouse across the fence. The kit was light, so it was easy for us to get it from the porch to the garden, where I could fasten it to the base. The following morning, I built the door and installed it, before a Spring storm came through. The greenhouse made it successful through the storm.
Northern Cricket Frog at Arbor Hills Nature Preserve in Plano, Texas
The Northern Cricket Frog (Acris crepitans) is a small hylid frog native to the United States and northeastern Mexico. These frogs are majorly in grey, green, and brown color with blotching patterns. Many have a brown or orange stripe down the center of their back and a triangular marking on the top of their head. Despite being members of the tree frog family, they are not arboreal. These frogs prefer habitats near the edges of slow-moving bodies of water and near shelter items, like rocks. It has two recognized subspecies, A. c. crepitans and A. c. paludicola.
The northern cricket frog is one of the three smallest vertebrates in North America, ranging from 19–38 mm (0.75–1.50 in) long. Its dorsal coloration varies widely and includes greys, greens, and browns, often in irregular blotching patterns. The dorsal stripes vary in brightness and hue and are not present until metamorphosis occurs. One New York biologist has identified six distinct color morphs and four pattern morphs, and several intergrades between these. Typically there is dark banding on the legs and a white bar from the eye to the base of the foreleg. The skin has a bumpy texture. It is similar to the southern cricket frog, Acris gryllus, found in the US Southeastern Coastal Plain, but with some overlap along the Fall Line. The southern cricket frog has longer legs, with less webbing on the hind feet, and a more pointed snout, though northern cricket frogs have been observed with snouts indistinguishable from those of the southern species, and the markings on the back of the thigh are typically more sharply defined than that of the northern cricket frog, though biologists have recorded northern cricket frogs in the northern fringes of their range with extremely sharp posterior leg stripes. Northern cricket frogs do not have toe pads. This frog is active most of the year, decreasing during December and resuming around mid-March.
We walked on the fairgrounds to look at some sculptures and walked to the Texas Discovery Gardens. Big Tex celebrated his 60th Anniversary at the State Fair of Texas. Unfortunately, 13 days later he burned down to his frame. He had an electrical short in his wiring, which moved his jaw. It was a sad day in Dallas’ History. The following year, he was rebuilt.
Founder, Colleen Paige’s mission is to help galvanize the public to recognize the number of dogs that need to be rescued each year. It’s also an excellent opportunity to show off your dog’s supermodel side and give them some extra cuddles for all the joy they bring. So sit back and indulge in the endless stream of adorable puppy photos, but keep in mind that today might be the best excuse to bring home your own fluffy canine as your next best friend!
Colleen Paige first brought adoption awareness to a national level with National Dog Day in 2004, which was later adopted by the New York State Legislature in 2013. This day is celebrated on August 26 and is the day Colleen adopted her first dog, “Sheltie” when she was 10 years old. Since then, Colleen has inspired millions with her compassion and has brought worldwide attention to animals in need. She has shone a light on dogs putting their lives on the line every day for personal protection, for law enforcement, for the disabled, for our freedom, and for our safety.
National Puppy Day and National Dog Day are great opportunities to adopt a dog because shelters typically have the highest intake of dogs around summertime. With 30 to 40 animals entering the shelter daily, we need public support to help save lives, and these national holidays do just that — by encouraging and reminding people to adopt, donate, and love their animals more every year.
I started my garden in the early Spring of 2013 by sowing beans, bell peppers, corn, pumpkins, sunflowers, tomatoes, and other goodies. I also worked on some herbs. At least, I had something ready to grow in the greenhouse, once the parts arrived and I could finish building it. Joshua made sure, that I watered the seedlings every day. And Sara enjoyed the milder days on the back porch.
The earliest connection between flowers and their importance to humans dates back to the Paleolithic Age with the discovery of flower fossils. Similarly, gifting flowers has always been central to life and culture. Across civilizations, flowers would feature prominently in ancient myths and stories. The Ancient Greeks revered flowers and associated them with several Gods.
Flowers have bloomed on Earth and in our hearts throughout history as we know it. They bring an extra spring to our steps. Add color to mundane days. Flowers can convey love, joy, and strength through every season or reason. Their fragrance and beauty bring cheer to anyone’s day.
National Flower Day in March reminds us to pause and appreciate nature’s art. The holiday is perfect for planting more flowers. You could gift flowers to someone or even yourself. It’s a great day for a long stroll in the park or a short hike. To stop and smell the roses, tulips, or camellias. As you soak in pops of color in gardens everywhere, it’s hard not to radiate the same joy.
If you’ve been dreaming of spring blooms throughout the Winter, today’s perfect to prep for spring gardening. This special day helps us get ready for warm weather. The perfect pick-me-up after a long, dreary winter. Today’s excellent for getting our gardens ready for spring. National Flower Day is also an excuse to celebrate big moments and small ones. Gift flowers to someone you love or to yourself as a personal pat on the back.
World Sparrow Day is an initiative started by the Nature Forever Society of India (founded by Mohammed Dilawar) along with the Eco-Sys Action Foundation of France and many other organizations around the world. Though the holiday carries the name, Sparrow, it was mainly created for awareness of Sparrows but also includes the beauty and biodiversity of other common birds that may share the same space as us.
Mohammed Dilawar, a dedicated conservationist, started the campaign to provide special care for house Sparrows in Nashik. The idea to make the campaign official was born during an informal discussion at the office of the Nature Forever Society. Thereafter, the first World Sparrow Day was observed in 2010 all around the world.
It created a platform for bird conservationists to network and exchange ideas to improve conservation. It aims to provide a point of contact for people around the world to come together and create awareness of the necessity for the protection of common biodiversity or species of lower conservation.
Sparrows or house sparrows have been known to live in green patches and backyards chirping away in urban areas though, during the harsh summers, they require cool shades and water. They’ve always been quite common in residential areas but are currently on the verge of extinction due to noise pollution, lack of nesting sites in modern buildings, pesticide usage, and non-availability of food as reported by ornithologists.
Adults are clean gray above, with a white head, body, and tail; their black wingtips are spotted with white. They have yellow legs and a yellow bill with a black band around it. Nonbreeding adults have brown-streaked heads. During their first two years, Ring-billed Gulls are motley brown and gray with a pink bill and legs.
These sociable gulls fly overhead by the hundreds or feed together at a golf course, beach, or field. Strong, nimble flyers and opportunistic feeders, Ring-billed Gulls circle and hover acrobatically looking for food; they also forage afloat and on foot.
Ring-billed Gulls often congregate around humans, at garbage dumps, parking lots, and freshly plowed fields. While the species is common on coastal beaches, particularly during winter, many Ring-billed Gulls lead inland lives, never setting eyes on the sea.
For many years, American backyards were purely functional. They were mainly used for gardening since there were few corner stores and market produce. However, after World War II, people had more disposable income and migrated to the suburbs. This brought about a significant transformation in the treatment of backyards. People focused more on the aesthetic appeal of these spaces and introduced ornamental plants and garden features. Also, there was a surplus of materials such as aluminum and concrete, meaning that it was affordable to build patios, pools, and lawn furniture. The backyard grew into a place for leisure and entertaining guests and became an extension of the living space.
The establishment of Earth Day in 1970 renewed people’s interest in growing produce at home. Landscapers started mingling vegetables and fruits with ornamentals in formal garden designs, and “edible landscaping” became increasingly popular. Urban community gardens became more widespread and people picked up an interest in organic gardening once more. Similar to the dooryard gardens of early America, today’s home gardens contain edible plants and herbs. People also include flowers and native plants to add interest to these utility spaces in distinctly American ways.
Springtime; heady scents, vibrant splash of breathtaking colors, so-refreshing rustling of leaves, spring blesses us with colorful brighter days, making us feel more alive than ever. One of four seasons including summer, fall, and winter, each accompanied by a change in weather, spring is characterized by warmer, brighter temperatures, an increase in rainfall, the bloom of flowers, and the grand return of certain animals (bears, bats hedgehogs, wood frogs, among many others); sometimes spring also is characteristic of storms and tornadoes.
Marked by the astronomical definition, spring which occurs between the spring equinox and the summer solstice is dependent on equinoxes (‘equinox’ — Latin for ‘equal night.’) One of the two times of the year when daytime and nighttime are almost the same lengths) and solstices, — ‘solstice’ — derived from the Latin word ‘sol’ meaning Sun, and ‘sistere,’ translated to make stand. Solstice is one of two moments yearly when the Sun is farthest from Earth’s equator. During spring, the earth’s axis is not tilted toward or away from the Sun.
In the Northern Hemisphere, spring kick-starts when the vernal equinox blesses us with her presence and the sun crosses the equator line, heading north. (‘vernal’ from the mid-16th century Latin ‘vernalis’ derived from the Latin word ‘ver’ — ‘spring’ and ‘equinox’ from the Latin words ‘aequi’ — ‘equal,’ and ‘nox’ — night.’) In contrast, at that very moment, the Southern hemisphere begins tilting away from the sun, officially signaling the ushering in of cooler temperatures autumn (fall). In the Southern Hemisphere, spring, associated with September, October, and November, occurs on September 22. During the first day of spring, the Sun rises in the east and sets in the west.
Spring, dubbed the season of new beginnings, rebirth, rejuvenation, and transformation is eagerly embraced with lots of excitement, melting our hearts with endless possibilities that lie ahead.
In 2008, Kevin started a garden. We got an idea from a neighbor, how to layer a raised bed, and started gardening in our backyard. Here are some tomatoes and sunflowers. They make great companions. The sunflowers attract the bees to pollinate the tomatoes. And they keep unwanted bugs away from each other.
Our neighbor saved this little bunny while mowing the lawn. Thank goodness, he saw the Eastern Cottontail baby before it would have become lawnmower stew. He asked me to hold on to it until he was done taking care of the yard. Later on, we put it back in the area, where he found it. In Spring, these little critters are everywhere.
It was the first weekend of October when we visited the State Fair of Texas in 2012. And it was chilly. Most of the time, we avoided the wind and walked into buildings. Since the Automobile Building protected us from the chill, I captured photos of the Mural on the walls along the Esplanade Fountain in Fair Park, Dallas, Texas.
My greenhouse arrived toward the end of February 2013. It was a Thursday. And on the following weekend, I began to build the greenhouse kit. To my dismay, I noticed two frame pieces were broken. I had to call the company the following Monday and wait for the pieces to arrive. UGH! That sucked.
In the meantime, Kevin fixed the chainlink fence and gate poles for the garden space. It’s an area to prevent the dogs from pooping in our garden. Katelynn and I cut a bush down and pulled its roots out as well as we could. Once she found a worm, she was too busy playing with it. So, much about helping me with digging roots out of the ground.
In November 2011 I met with a friend and her son from Germany in downtown Dallas. This allowed us to do some sightseeing in town. We looked at several buildings like the Fountain Building, the Bank of America Building (the tallest building in Dallas), the Old Red Dallas County Courthouse, the Comerica Bank Building, … etc.
I always wanted to go to the Sixth Floor Museum by Dealey Plaza. In the museum, we were not allowed to photograph. But it was interesting to look at pictures, read history, and watch videos of Kennedy’s Presidency until the assassination at Dealey Plaza in downtown Dallas on November 22, 1963, and the aftermath. No matter, how often I watch those videos I always become a bit sentimental.
In February 2013, I purchased an 8 x 6 ft. greenhouse kit. While I waited for the kit to arrive at our house, I started some seeds with Katelynn and Sara. We also prepared some avocado pits and let a pineapple grow roots in a water-filled jar. The girls had a miniature greenhouse with colorful salad tomatoes.
The White-winged Doves (Zenaida asiatica) – also known as Singing or Mesquite Doves – are large, semi-tropical, and pigeon-like doves that occur naturally in the Americas. They are sometimes considered conspecific (one and the same species) with the West Peruvian Dove (Zenaida meloda); however, differences in vocalizations and morphology are credible arguments against this theory. In fact, they may best be placed into the bird genus Columba (typical pigeons) than the dove genus Zenaida (American doves).
White-winged Doves occur naturally in the United States from the Southwest east to Texas and Louisiana, south to Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean, into parts of western South America. Introduced populations have established themselves in Florida, USA. They have been increasing their range northward. In fact, they have been reported as far north as Alaska to Ontario, Maine, Newfoundland, and most places in between. Most of them are seasonally migratory. They breed in the United States and northern Mexico and travel south to Mexico, Central and South America, and some Caribbean islands for the winter. However, those populations occurring in areas where food is available year-round – in the southern parts of their range – tend to be year-round residents. They inhabit scrub, woodlands, desert, citrus orchards, agricultural fields, and residential areas throughout their range. Many farmers in Mexico refer to them as “la plaga” (the plague) as large flocks – sometimes thousands of them – may descend upon a single field of grain, and decimate it (particularly after the breeding season).
The origin of National Marching Band Day can be traced to the founding of Drum Corps International (D.C.I.) by 13 founding member organizations that wanted to govern and standardize marching band competitions throughout North America.
It acts as a governing body for junior drum and bugle corps and is responsible for developing and enforcing rules of the competition and for providing standardized adjudication at sanctioned competitions throughout the United States and Canada. D.C.I. founded Marching Music Day to celebrate marching music as an “engaging and ever-expanding art form around the world.”
The ‘march’ music genre contains powerful rhythms in a regular pattern, which makes the genre suitable for marching. Military bands use this music as it expresses the motion of their march. As mentioned, the holiday is in celebration of the different art forms that bring us “music on the move.” Although the genre of music has strong military roots, its usage has evolved into an art form used to move us during somber memorials and thrill us in times of relief.
For centuries, the rhythm of the ‘march’ music genre has kept military units and other bands moving in unison as they are performed in auditoriums and grand arenas to spectators’ delight. From small parades to impressive spectacles, fifers, pipers, buglers, drum corps, marching bands, parade groups, drill teams, and color guards bring this genre of music to life and audiences to their feet, blaring an enthusiastic roar.
What do the orangutans of Borneo, the elephants of Sumatra, and the Black Rhino all have in common? Aside from all being totally cool animals that we watch on YouTube, the more sobering truth about these creatures is that they’re all critically endangered species. But on World Wildlife Day, the UN and its partners are planning to raise awareness of the gravity of this dire situation.
An animal is only placed on the critically endangered species list if the International Union for Conservation of Nature believes the animal faces a very high risk for extinction – extinction as in going the way of the dinosaurs and dodo. So what does critically endangered look like? Current estimates put the number of living Black Rhinos at around 2,500 in the entire world. Russia’s Amur Leopard, found in the far eastern recesses of the country, is on the verge of extinction, with only about 40 left in the world. Unfortunately, this list goes on and on.
The peach blossoms come from the peach tree, which is native to China. Historians and archaeologists think this plant has been around for more than 2,500 years. They’ve found literature and text that mentions peaches and even little fossilized peach stones as evidence of this fact. There is also evidence to show that the Chinese particularly revered the flowers of the peach tree, as peach blossoms were a part of most major celebrations. The Chinese believed (and still do) that peach blossoms can ward off evil spirits and increase vitality in a person. Soldiers walked before Emperors, carrying peach blossoms, and people all over the country would hang peach blossoms on their front doors to kick off the New Year.
Persia had a big role to play in the spread of this plant to other regions. In fact, the Latin name, ‘Prunus persica,’, which translates to ‘Present from Persia,’ refers to when Persians introduced this fruit to the Romans. When Alexander the Great conquered Persia in 334 B.C., he took the seeds of this plant to Europe, and soon, explorers were taking the peach all over the world.
By the 16th century, the peach came to the U.S. via Spanish explorers. From there, it traveled to England, becoming a rare and prized delicacy. Colonists began domesticating the peach tree in America, and by the 1800s, peaches were being commercially grown in the U.S. The first peaches grown for sale were by farmers in Maryland, Delaware, Georgia, and Virginia. Today, the peach blossom has found a place in popular culture, appearing in art, paintings, and even folk tales.
Texas Independence Day is the celebration of the adoption of the Texas Declaration of Independence on March 2, 1836. With this document signed by 59 delegates, settlers in Mexican Texas officially declared independence from Mexico and created the Republic of Texas. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Texas_Independence_Day
Celery is a fibrous vegetable that grows into a leafy stalk. While many enjoy it fresh, celery also goes well into a cooked meal. Per serving, the crunchy vegetable has 16 calories. It’s a good source of fiber, potassium, and vitamins A and C. Add it to snacks to benefit from its anti-inflammatory qualities. However, celery is not a superfood. They are the perfect complement to a healthy diet. While it is not glorified as a superfood, celery does class up the plate. Seasoned right, celery can stand out with a flavor all its own.
Meanwhile, back in your kitchen, your celery sticks scream for something else. Add some peanut butter or avocado. Mix chopped celery into a pasta dish or stir-fry. Stir chopped celery into onions and potatoes for a delicious soup. While all these items are cooking, chop up a few extra sticks store them in an airtight container, and place them in the refrigerator. They will keep crisp for at least two days. The celery will lose quality after that, but you can still enjoy them or use them in soups or other recipes.
Bright red with a pointed head crest and black bib, male cardinals are always a welcome sight at bird feeders. Cardinals are year-round residents in the eastern two-thirds of Texas. They prefer thick underbrush for nesting. Cardinals have been expanding their range northward.
Both male and female cardinals sing almost year-round. Common calls include “cheer cheer cheer”, “whit-chew whit-chew whit-chew” and “purty purty purty”. Cardinals eat seeds, fruit, and insects, and are easily attracted to bird feeders, especially those containing sunflower seeds.
Male cardinals vigorously defend their territory. They have been known to attack their reflections in mirrors, windows, and chrome. Sometimes they will even attack small red objects they mistake for other males. Females usually sing after males establish territory but before nesting starts. A cardinal’s nest consists of a tightly woven cup of roots, stems, and twigs lined with fine grass and hair.
Cardinals are colorful, tolerant of people, have pleasant calls, and are easily attracted to bird feeders. That has made them a favorite of backyard birdwatchers all over the eastern half of the U.S. Cardinals may form winter flocks of 60-70 birds. Their bright plumage brings color to our yards during the winter when many other species have flown south.
When the sun disappeared behind the trees, it was time for the air show. It was also a little bit cooler. And the girls became a bit more active outside the water fountains. Katelynn had the chance to hold a cockatoo on her shoulder. That bird looked almost bigger than her. Sara enjoyed hanging with her daddy and munched herself through the cooler. Everything, that could keep her cool, she went for it. Katelynn came back with a lightsaber before it was time for fireworks.
The earliest occurrence of the famed cocktail was in 1938 by the father of the drink Carlos “Danny” Herrera. He made it in his restaurant located in Baja California, for a famous customer named Marjorie King, a dancer on the hit American theatrical Broadway “Ziegfeld Follies” because she was allergic to spirits but not tequila — and just like that our beloved drink was born. The problem is, that Herrera isn’t the only person to claim to be the OG margarita maker. One of them was Francisco “Pancho” Morales who was a bartender in Mexico, who first mixed the cocktail in 1942 in Juárez, Mexico, and then left to become a US citizen and work as a milkman for 25 years. He has the backing of the official Mexican newspaper — Notimex.
The wildest story is this last one. Margarita Sames, a Dallas “higher class” citizen, believed she created the drink in her vacation home for her guests in Acapulco, Mexico in 1948. Tommy Hilton (yes… that Hilton) who was friends with Margarita attended the party, and then brought it back to his hotel chains and put it on the menu. But before he could even breathe, Jose Cuervo, of the famous tequila brand, claimed he was already running ad campaigns for the drink in 1945, with the catchphrase, “Margarita: It’s more than a girl’s name.” Regardless of where the drink was first made, one thing is for certain — everyone was having fun.
Thankfully, margaritas come in a ton of different varieties, so it’s not a surprise why 76% of Americans enjoy a nice margarita. From strawberry and peach to mango and berry, to slightly stronger drinks with beer, to even having healthier versions like skinny margaritas and sportier cocktails (just swap out the triple sec for a Gatorade). It doesn’t matter if you’re at a bar, at home on the sofa, or just finished an important meeting; grab the nearest fruit, tequila, triple sec, and mix that baby up to the rhythm of “one tequila, two tequila, three tequila, floor”. But do drink responsibly, too much tequila has been known T’kill’ya!
The Mediterranean House Gecko is a relatively small, 4 – 5 in (10 – 13 cm), species that has become ubiquitous in certain areas of the United States. Unlike any native lizard, geckos have sticky toe pads, and vertical pupils, and their large eyes lack eyelids. These geckos are generally light gray or almost white in color but may have some darker mottling. This species is most easily distinguished from the similar Indo-Pacific gecko by its bumpy (warty) skin. The Mediterranean House Gecko can usually be found praying on insects near external house lights or other forms of lighting on warm nights.
Like most other invasive species, the Mediterranean House Gecko breeds rapidly. Females are capable of laying multiple clutches of two eggs each throughout the summer. These eggs are laid in cracks and crevices in trees or man-made structures including buildings. Like rodents, the Mediterranean House Gecko has been aided by human development. It is very common to see the geckos on the sides of buildings under lights catching insects on a summer night.
It is uncertain how the Mediterranean House Gecko first made its way to the United States. It was first reported in Key West, Florida 1915. It is thought that this gecko was probably a stowaway on a ship from the Mediterranean area. Mediterranean House Geckos are quite common in the pet trade, which has no doubt led to its spread across the United States. Currently, this species has high numbers in Florida and has established breeding populations all along Southern states.
Did you know that most households in the United States have at least one pet? While there are more cats than dogs in the United States, more households have dogs than cats, but not by much. Pets are not limited to the canine and feline categories. There are quite a few who prefer the companionship of birds, reptiles, fish, or rats. Whoever your pet companion is, we are sure you will enjoy spending a little extra time with them on National Love Your Pet Day and reap the benefits, as well such as stress relief and lower blood pressure. So on February 20th (and every day) show your appreciation to your pets!
Kevin, Courtney, and I went with the kids, and a stroller full of cooler, blankets, and towels from a parking garage to the Addison Circle, which leads to the entrance of Kaboom Town. Addison opens the gates around 4 or 5 pm. The earlier we show up, the better the chance we get a decent spot. It was a very hot Independence Day weekend. So, we adults decided to pick a shaded spot under a couple of trees close to the water fountains and the bathrooms. Once, our blankets were laid out, the girls wanted to play in the fountain and cool off. There was still plenty of time for the airshow and fireworks. By the time the sun is behind the horizon, the kids can rest and watch the shows. It didn’t take long until Sara was hungry and wanted to eat a sandwich. Thank goodness, we always bring our cooler with us. Katelynn rested with her Dad on the blanket for a little bit, before she decided she was hungry, too.
Cabbage is more than just a side of coleslaw or an accompaniment to corned beef on St. Patrick’s Day. This delightful veggie deserves additional credit because it has much more to offer. Apart from being a very good source of fiber and vitamins, cabbage is a vegetable that offers value for money.
Although there isn’t much history on National Cabbage Day, apart from the day it was officiated, the history of the domestication of cabbage can be traced back to 4000 B.C. By the Middle Ages, it had become an integral part of European cuisine. During the 17th and 18th centuries, cabbage was a staple in many countries including Germany, England, Ireland, and Russia, where pickled cabbage was frequently consumed. The cabbage made its debut in North America in 1541 with French explorer Jacques Cartier. By the 18th century, it was commonly planted by both colonists and Native Americans.
Today, the world production of cabbage and other species of the same family is nearly 69 million tons, with China accounting for 48% of the total. Although cabbage is a vegetable that is taken for granted, its production numbers affirm its popularity across the world and its nutritional value makes it an essential part of every kitchen. Cabbage has been around for thousands of years coming in different varieties and flavors. Also, you can enjoy it in a range of ways. You can either eat it raw, steam it, boil it, bake it, braise it, or fry it. You can even ferment it to enjoy it in the future.
While February 14 is more famous for being Valentine’s Day, it also doubles as the annual observance of National Ferris Wheel Day. George Washington Gale Ferris Jr., the inventor of the Ferris wheel, was born on February 14. Ferris, a civil engineer, born in 1859, in Galesburg, Illinois, introduced the world to the concept of the Ferris wheel and designed the original Chicago Ferris Wheel. He graduated from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, New York, in 1881.
Ferris constructed his prototype as a landmark for the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition in Chicago, as the United States version of the Eiffel Tower in Paris. Originally called “the Chicago Wheel,” it took Ferris two years to plan and construct. Costing about $700,000 in 1893 and containing over 100,000 parts, Ferris’ massive wheel stood at an enormous 264 feet high, towering about 26 stories above Chicago. It had 36 gondolas (cars housed within glass and locked doors) and accommodated up to 60 (40 seated, 20 standing) passengers. Over 1.4 million people paid 50 cents for a 20-minute ride on the wheel through the next 19 weeks of the World’s Columbian Exposition.
After the exhibition, the Ferris wheel was moved to St. Louis, Missouri, in 1904 for the Louisiana Purchase Exposition, and destroyed there on May 11, 1906, with dynamite for scrap metal. Some dismantled parts of Ferris’ original design were used to make the U.S.S. Illinois, a World War I battleship, and to construct a bridge over the Kankakee River, south of Chicago. Although Ferris lived a short life – dying at the age of 37 due to typhoid fever – his invention lives on, enjoyed by fun lovers around the world.
The differential grasshopper is found throughout most of the United States, except for the northwest. Within its range, it is most often found in heavily weeded areas and grasslands, and even in vacant lots and other urban areas. This species is not migratory but can travel a few miles to search for food.
Biergarten covered with colorful umbrellas at the State Fair
Not only does the umbrella help keep us dry from the rain, but it also protects us from the heat of the sun. You can also use an umbrella as a fashion accessory. While the umbrella is primarily practical, they also decorate cocktails. These brightly colored paper umbrellas make fun party favors, especially when visiting sunny locations.
Umbrellas have also found their way into the art world. Their color and shape make sharp silhouettes. They also serve as the canvas for art. In movies, umbrellas play a role, too. For example, they played vital parts in Singing in the Rain (1952) and Mary Poppins (1964).
The Chinese Lunar New Year’s Day is one of the most — if not the most — important holidays in China. The New Year begins when the new moon appears, which typically occurs between January 21 and February 20.
The holiday’s origins can be traced back to the period between 475 B.C. and 221 A.D., known as “the Warring States period.” Several myths and legends about the origins of this holiday exist. A popular myth narrates the story of a monster called ‘Nian,’ meaning ‘Year,’ who terrorized villagers at the beginning of each new year. According to the story, the monster also happened to be afraid of bright lights, loud sounds, and the color red. The villagers then used all these to frighten away the monster.
In the past, Chinese New Year was a special time to honor deities and ancestors. During present-day celebrations, there are several commonplace traditions practiced by people. For instance, homes are thoroughly cleaned out. This cleaning is symbolic of chasing out bad luck and ushering good fortune into the year. Families gather and enjoy special meals. Young ones are given money in red envelopes. On the final day, the ‘Lantern Festival’ takes place. During the festival, glowing lanterns are hung up in temples or carried around. The streets are taken over by parades and ceremonial dances.
The Year of The Wood Dragon
2024 is the Year of the Wood Dragon. Dragon is the 5th animal in the 12-year cycle of the Chinese zodiac signs, coming after the Rabbit and before the Snake. Recent years of the Dragon include 2024, 2012, 2000, 1988, 1976, 1964, and 1952, with the next Dragon year in 2036 (Year of the Fire Dragon). It is associated with the earthly branch symbol Chen. The Dragon is powerful, endlessly energetic full of vitality, goal-oriented yet idealistic and romantic, and a visionary leader. They know exactly who they are and possess the keenest sense of self among the 12 zodiacs of Chinese astrology.
The American flamingo is a large bird with long pink legs and webbed feet. The plumage is a distinctive pink, with black on the flight feathers (the long feathers at the tips of the wings). The bill is pink and white with a black tip. The plumage coloring comes from the carotene that is found in the food that is eaten, such as brine shrimp.
They live in large shallow lakes, lagoons, and mud flats in the Caribbean Islands, northern South America, the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico, and the southern United States.
In 2011, Sara was old enough to take her to her first Independence Day parade. It was very warm the whole weekend. But we were prepared. Plenty of water, sunscreen, and sitting in the shade helped tremendously. Katelynn and Sara both enjoyed the parade’s colors and candy. There were parrots, pirates, landmarks, Uncle Sam, Lady Liberty, the Fire Department & Police Department, and so many flags. It was a wonderful event to see people from the community celebrating the 4th of July.
Get ready to celebrate a furry friend, because National Golden Retriever Day is every February 3! The Golden Retriever is one of the most popular dog breeds in the US, and for good reason. Their calm temperament, intelligence, and playfulness make them ideal best friends for any dog lover. Plus, they make great disability assistance animals, like seeing-eye dogs for the blind and hearing dogs for the deaf. They’ve ended up saving lives in these roles—no wonder they have a holiday named after them.
Texas Day was first celebrated in 2017 after it was created online. At first, this holiday was seen as unnecessary as the date was not related to any key moments in Texas. However, the holiday is still regarded as another day to celebrate the Lone Star State. ‘Texas’ is a name derived from ‘taysha,’ a word in the Caddoan language, meaning ‘friend’ or ‘ally.’
Texas has a funny history. It has been territorialized by six different countries: France, Spain, Mexico, the United States, the Confederate States, and the Republic of Texas, for over three centuries. For nine years (1836 — 1845), Texas was an independent country. It joined the United States as the 28th state on December 29, 1845, and its capital city is Austin.
The armadillo is the state’s official animal, and its official flower is the bluebonnet. Its official sport is Rodeo, and its official dish is ‘Texas Chili,’ a red stew dish made with dried meat without beans. Being one of the largest and most populated states in the United States, Texas has a population of over 28 million residents and a land area of 268,596 square miles. The current Texas governor is Greg Abbott. It is famous for Rodeos, special Texan B.B.Q.s, live music, hot weather, Dr Pepper, and its large size. The state brags about its Whataburger, state fair, beautiful sunsets, and sports teams.
The last couple of days, we had a warming trend in Connecticut. Day temperatures were 44℉ (7℃) in Watertown on both days. Yesterday was dry; today the rain and fog came in. Tonight, the temperatures will sink with freezing rain will arrive with some snow. Tomorrow could be really slippery. We won’t know if schools are open or closed, until tomorrow morning. Meanwhile, Texas is dealing with a freeze as well. But it is by far not as bad as it was in February of last year. Y’all stay warm, my friends!
International Zebra Day was most likely founded by a consortium of conservation organizations such as the Smithsonian’s National Zoo and the Conservation Biology Institute. International Zebra Day aims to help raise awareness about the living conditions of zebras and how their numbers can be protected from further decline.
Presently, three types of zebra can be found in the wild. They are the Grévy’s zebra, the plains zebra, and the mountain zebra. Although the Grévy’s zebra, found in the northern regions of Kenya are extremely rare, they are an endangered variety having suffered a loss of more than 54% of its total population. The loss has occurred rapidly in the last three decades because of zebras being poached for their hides and pelts.
Zebras are found in the African Savannah where their natural habitat has been well preserved and not all zebras are in danger of disappearing. The other two subspecies of zebra are less endangered than the Grevy’s zebra. Plains zebras are thriving and don’t face threats of endangerment. The mountain zebra lives in South Africa, Angola, and Namibia. Along with the dangers of poaching, these zebras are also in danger from locals who might hunt them for meat when the going gets tough. Zebras have been battling many concerns regarding preserving their population.
Today it has been 20 years ago, I immigrated to the United States of America. I remember sitting with Katelynn (she was a little less than 4 months old) in my arms in O’Hare (Chicago International Airport), and I had only 22 US pennies in my pants pockets. I was very excited, but also a little bit scared. Because I did not know what the future would bring to us. While Kevin was calling his parents in NC, I looked out the window at the skyline of Chicago. I was thinking to myself: “Omg, what have I done, now? I’m over 4,000 miles away from home, with no money in my pockets, and no job lined up. I just hope everything will work out alright!” Kevin was working long days and went to school at night. In the meantime, I took care of the baby. Better work came with Kevin’s education. About 18 months after my immigration, we could afford a small house in the suburbs of Dallas, Texas.
Now 20 years later, having a house full of kids, dogs, cats, a two-acre backyard, and a car, in Connecticut, I still have “no money” in my pockets. After the bills are paid, there is usually not much left. I learned there are a lot of great people in both places, my home and my home of choice. I traveled all over the US to enjoy the different mentality and hospitality of these states. I also enjoyed the landscapes this country provides to all of us. Here, I look back to two decades of a great journey. Now I’m excited to see, what the next 20 years will have in store for me and my family.
People frequently like to ask me this question: “But you do get the chance to get home and visit family and friends quite often, don’t you?” I have to disappoint y’all. I came here and never went back. And I never regretted my decision, either.
Although the Greater Roadrunner occurs throughout Texas, is well known, is the topic of much folklore, and is a very popular cartoon character, the only field research studies that have been conducted are in desert scrub or brush-grassland habitats in South Texas. As a popular multicultural iconic bird, from prehistory to modern times, it is surprising that it was one of the last bird species to be given state protection because of the mistaken belief that roadrunners were a threat to declining quail populations.
Just because daisies are a common flower, doesn’t mean they aren’t a special one. Daisies are native to Northern Europe but can be found in North America, Australia, Africa, South America, and even Iceland and Greenland. The word daisy comes from the Old English language, “day’s eye” because its petals blossom at dawn and shut at dusk. What is considered a nuisance member of the weed family can also be used to supplement gardens and yards. Celebrate the tenaciously beautiful daisy every year on January 28.
Kevin & Lexi at our first house in Texas in September 2005
National Hug Your Puppy Day is celebrated on January 21 to appreciate our pups by hugging them. These wonderful furry friends deserve all the love and affection we can give them, and it is in recognition of this that an entire day has been created especially for hugging them! It has been said that hugging puppies releases a hormone called ‘oxytocin’, more informally known as “the cuddle hormone” in both the pups and humans. Not only does a good tight hug help to strengthen the bond between man and pup, but it shows the pets that we care. It is a great idea to pick your pup up and give them a big hug today!
There is no evidence of how this holiday started, but we assume it was established as a way of reminding people to stay active. This is especially applicable in the modern world driven by technology as it is. We tend to spend a major part of our day sitting in front of a monitor. The idea of walking is a significant part of human evolution as we separate ourselves from other animals by walking without our hands.
The Romans came up with the concept of a mile by walking. In their estimation, a thousand military steps were equivalent to a mile. Through the ages, long-distance walking developed into a competitive sport as humans liked to exhibit their outstanding feats of achievement. In the latter half of the 19th century, this became a popular sport in America as well as Europe. Germany boasts of the oldest surviving walking club, Black Forest Wanderverein, which was set up in 1864. The first race walk in the U.S. took place in New York in 1911. Even before that, there is a record of race walks being an official sport in the London Olympics of 1908.
Today, we are familiar with various forms of walking such as race walking, speed walking, brisk walking, power walking, marathons, and so on. Walking has even become a mode of worship. For example, thousands of people marched to Camino de Santiago in 2015, inspired by the movie “The Way,” which portrays an American father walking along the same route in France in search of his estranged son’s body. Who knew walking could have such a glorious history? If you have a daily ritual, like getting your morning coffee, reading a book, listening to music, or sipping wine, club it with a bit of walking. This way, you don’t have to find an extra slot in your busy schedule for a walk. Think about it.
Koi fish at the Japanese Garden in Fort Worth, Texas
Koi fish are colorful, ornamental versions of the common carp. Though carp domestication is believed to have begun in China as far back as the 4th century, modern Japanese koi are believed to date back to early 19th-century Japan where wild, colorful carp were caught, kept, and bred by rice farmers. There are now dozens of different color varieties of koi. Wild koi are native to the fresh bodies of water around the Black, Caspian, and Aral Seas. Domesticated in the 19th century, carp have now been introduced throughout the world. Koi are omnivorous feeders who will eat food found at all depths of water. The Japanese koi at the Kids’ Farm are fed a floating pellet, though they will also eat aquatic insects, algae, and plants.
Junonia coenia, known as the common buckeye or buckeye, is a butterfly in the family Nymphalidae. Its range covers much of North America and some of Central America, including most of the eastern half of the US, the lower to middle Midwest, the Southwest (including most of California), southern Canada, and Mexico. Its habitat is open areas with low vegetation and some bare ground. Its original ancestry has been traced to Africa, which then experiences divergence in Asia. The species Junonia grisea, the gray buckeye, is found west of the Rocky Mountains and was formerly a subspecies of Junonia coenia.
Caterpillars of these butterflies appear to prefer plants that produce iridoid glycosides, which are bitter compounds that release a hormone called gastrin that activates the digestive system (i.e. hunger); therefore, iridoid glycoside-producing plants stimulate and attract their appetites particularly when found in plants like Plantago lanceolata. In fact, these metabolites may trigger oviposition behaviors in female butterflies so that descendant larval bodies may better incorporate iridoid glycosides. Iridoid glycoside metabolites appear to have a growth-stimulating effect on caterpillars but a growth-reducing effect on predators. Predators like ants, wasps, birds, and small animals prefer to feed on iridoid glycoside-poor caterpillars rather than iridoid glycoside-rich larvae, potentially due to these effects. Therefore, the immunity of Junonia coenia larvae to predators like ants appears to be strongly related to the concentration of iridoid glycosides sequestered in their bodies. However, too many iridoid glycosides in the diet can negatively affect these larvae’s immune response and increase susceptibility to parasitism.
Adult butterflies feed on flowers with certain pollinator cues: yellow flowers that are ‘pre-change’, or flowers whose color has not been changed due to insect visitation or other factors. Common buckeye caterpillars feed in isolation rather than relying upon grouping behaviors. Vulnerability to the Junonia coenia densovirus is another concern for the survivorship of common buckeye larvae.
In 1993, residents and businesses in The Colony came together to build a playground. There was lots of planning, fundraising, scheduling, and building – all done by volunteers! This little town in Texas made a great effort and the result was a community-built playground named Kids’ Colony. The years and hot Texas sun took its toll on the expansive wooden structures and the process began to replace the beloved playground. In 2011, Phase I of the rebuild of Kids’ Colony was completed with the addition of a nature-themed play structure, pavilion, picnic tables, and benches.
Because National Bean Day on January 6 falls in the middle of winter, it’s the perfect excuse to cook a favorite comfort food. Wondering why National Bean Day is held on January 6? That’s the same day the famous geneticist Gregor Mendel died in 1884. Mendel used bean and pea plants to develop theories on plant genetics. So the formation of National Bean Day has more to do with scientific development than how good bean recipes taste. But don’t let that deter you from enjoying eating beans this holiday!
Whether they’re your backyard’s star cardinal or the common pigeons that flock to and fro in the park, birds have always held a spot of fascination, love, and adoration in our hearts. There’s a certain awe that can only be tapped into when watching an eagle soar. Unfortunately, most birds are either endangered or protected, this is mostly due to habitat loss or illegal pet trade.
That’s why the Avian Welfare Coalition created National Bird Day: to raise awareness of the hardships and plights of these important animals and how we can initiate the change needed to create a healthier, more sustainable relationship with them.
Birds are often considered living links to the past, being the closest related animals to the evolution of dinosaurs. They’re often keystone species in the ecosystems, signifiers of their health and vitality. For example, the holes left behind by woodpeckers are often used as homes for a large variety of other animals. That means if woodpeckers were to run out of a food source – or out of the right kinds of trees – so, too, would all the animals dependent on their pecking skills.
While National Bird Day may be relatively new, having been founded in 2002, the adversity that birds have had to face is nothing novel to the animal kingdom. Just ask the Dodo, the Labrador Duck, or the Passenger Pigeon, considered sacred by many Native American tribes and often the subject of many works of American art until its demise.
About 36 million people around the world are blind. By 2050, the number of people diagnosed with blindness is predicted to rise to 115 million. Those who are blind or who have severe vision impairments face many challenges in life. Some of these challenges include navigating new environments, using a computer, handling cash, and arranging clothes.
Blind people have ways to successfully deal with many of these situations. In today’s world, advanced technology and voice activation make a blind person’s life much more manageable. But one invention, in particular, has helped countless numbers of blind people. This invention is called braille and it was developed nearly 200 years ago. Braille gives blind people the ability to read and even write letters. The system consists of raised dots that form letters and words which are read by touch.
Louis Braille invented the reading system of raised dots in 1824. Born on January 4, 1809, in France, Louis lost his sight after an accident in his father’s harness shop at the age of three. He would later attend the National Institute for Blind Children in Paris. There, his interest in music would benefit him when at the age of 10 he met Charles Barbier, a captain in Napolean’s army. The captain taught the students about a communication code using dots called Night Writing. Combining his knowledge of music and the inspiration of code communication, Louis Braille invented a 6-dot fingertip reading system when he was only 15 years old.
In 2009, the World Blind Union and its partner organizations celebrated the 200th anniversary of the birth of Louis Braille. The celebration evolved into World Braille Day. In 2018, the UN General Assembly decided to make it an official observance by proclaiming January 4th as World Braille Day. January 4th commemorates the birthdate of Louis Braille. The UN celebrated the first official World Braille Day in 2019.
On June 12, 2011, the Dallas Mavericks won the Finals 4:2 against the Miami Heat in the Kaseya Center in Miami. Three days later, on June 16, 2011, Kevin and I went to Dallas and saw the Dallas Mavericks Parade. Unfortunately, we had too many people in front of us to capture decent photos of the players and the parade. The Dallas Mavericks team waited 31 years for this victory to become the World Champions in Basketball.
Later that month, Dirk went to our hometown where he got his own parade and waved from the balcony of our Würzburg Residence. From 1984 -1987, I went to the same school as Dirk. Here, Dirk was six, when he started 1st grade. Who would have ever thought that this kid would win an NBA championship many years later?
Fox squirrels are large tree squirrels. Due to their ability to adapt to a wide range of forest habitats, they are Texas’ most common squirrel. Their greatest numbers occur in open upland forests with a mixture of oak and nut trees. Fox squirrels are an important game animal but their fondness for corn and pecans often cause them to be considered pests by farmers.
Squirrels are usually active early in the morning and late in the afternoon. Fox squirrels nest in holes in trees or build leaf and twig nests. They eat acorns and other nuts, buds, fruit, fungi, insects, amphibians, and the inner bark of trees. Squirrels bury nuts for winter food and relocate the nuts by smell. Squirrels find only a portion of the nuts they bury and are important in planting many species of nut trees. A single squirrel can bury several thousand pecans over 3 months.
Squirrels’ long bushy tails are used for a variety of purposes. They can be wrapped around a squirrel’s face to keep them warm, used as an aid in balancing when they run along tree limbs, or spread and used as a parachute if the squirrel should fall. With a little practice, watching a squirrel’s tail movements gives you a clue to their mood. Quick jerks of the tail signal that they are nervous or upset.
Fox squirrels usually have 2 breeding seasons and litters a year. Breeding season peaks in January and February and again in May and June. The young, usually 3 – 4 to a litter, are born naked, blind and helpless. Just three months later, however, they can survive on their own. Squirrels can live up to 15 years.
National Joshua Day is on December 25 each year. Joshua is many things at once. Some of you may know him as the lovable Josh — familiar, traditional, and always sunny. In Abrahamic religions, the name carries significant weight and importance. He was Moses’ right hand, after all, leading the people of Israel into the promised land. The legacy of excellence seems to have lived on. The Joshuas of today aren’t just leaders wherever they go — they’re also at the top of our list of favorite people.
Our Joshua teaches the younger cats, how to catch a rodent at his old & wise age.
In 2010, Kevin, Katelynn, Sara, and I went to our local Christmas Parade again. This time, the girls got a glimpse of Santa. Katelynn was in first grade. Her class had the school play “Santa’s Suit”, where she was the “Lego” Elf. On Christmas Eve, Katelynn lost her first tooth. So, the Toothfairy and Santa visited our home on the same night. Unfortunately, Sara had a bad cold on Christmas Day. She wasn’t too happy. But we made the best out of the situation.
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2011
Santa left apples, oranges, nuts, and candy under the tree. Of course, Sara found the candy first and wanted some. Kevin and I said she could have some after breakfast. Instead of listening, she was very sneaky, put one in her mouth, and acted like she didn’t know what we were talking about. Lexi was happy, she had a new toy duck, which was shredded by her and Ranger the same day.
It’s a difficult task to pinpoint the exact moment that monkeys first emerged as a unique species within the animal kingdom, but it is believed that their appearance took place approximately 60 million years ago. This vast amount of time would pass, month by year by millenia, both creeping and speeding along, without the existence of a National Monkey Day! At long last, though, thanks to two pioneering college students, this would change in the year 2000.
Casey Sorrow and Erik Millikin, both studying art at Michigan State University, are responsible for the creation of this simian-centric celebratory day. Sorrow (fittingly) would admit to the Detroit Metro Times that he experienced a form of malaise around the holiday season and felt compelled to find a way to combat these December blues. After jokingly jotting down “Monkey Day” in a friend’s calendar, Sorrow took the idea and ran with it: when December 14th rolled around, he and his art school friends dressed up as monkeys and ran amok, putting on their best monkey impressions.
They would go on to incorporate ideas related to their newly formed holiday into their artwork and homemade comics. Publishing these pieces online allowed for the notion of a Monkey Day to spread, and now, decades on, the day is observed throughout the world in countries including Germany, India, and Thailand.
What started out as a bit of fun has evolved into a full-blown operation. Monkey Day serves as an important anniversary each year for raising awareness of modern threats to monkeys, with entities such as National Geographic, the Smithsonian Institution, and Greenpeace promoting the day. Sorrow and Millikin have also been instrumental in utilizing monkey-themed art as vehicles to serve this end, as well. Their work has brought an entirely new understanding of the term “monkey business!”
The trees were introduced to the U.S. by the United States Department of Agriculture facility at Glenn Dale, Maryland, as ornamental landscape trees in the mid-1960s. They became popular with landscapers because they were inexpensive, transported well, and grew quickly. Lady Bird Johnson promoted the tree in 1966 by planting one in downtown Washington, D.C. The New York Times also promoted the tree saying, “Few trees possess every desired attribute, but the Bradford ornamental pear comes unusually close to the ideal.”
In much of North America these cultivars, particularly ‘Bradford’, are widely planted as ornamental trees. The trees are tolerant of a variety of soil types, drainage levels, and soil acidity. Their crown shape varies from ovate to elliptical but may become asymmetric from limb loss due to excessive and unstable growth rates. The initial symmetry of several cultivars leads to their attempted use in settings such as industrial parks, streets, shopping centers, and office parks. Their dense clusters of white blossoms are conspicuous in early spring, with an odor often compared to rotting fish or semen. According to extension specialist Kelly Oten of North Carolina State University, the smell attracts flies which are the primary pollinators rather than bees. At the latitude of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, the trees often remain green until mid-November, and in warm autumns, the colors are often bright, although, in a cold year, they may get frozen off before coloring. In the South, Callery pears tend to be among the more reliable coloring trees.
In the Christmas Season of 2006, Kevin, Katelynn, and I visited California. Since we celebrated the 60th Anniversary of Kevin’s grandparents in Anaheim, we stayed an extra day to go to Disneyland.
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2007
In December 2007, Kevin installed his first outdoor Christmas tree made of Christmas light chains. Everything was held up by a PVC pipe.
If someone at a park feeds bread to ducks, there are Mallards in the fray. Perhaps the most familiar of all ducks, Mallards occur throughout North America and Eurasia in ponds, parks, wilder wetlands, and estuaries. The male’s gleaming green head, gray flanks, and black tail curl arguably make it the most easily identified duck. Mallards have long been hunted for the table, and almost all domestic ducks come from this species.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Kevin installed a motor and attached the brew stick in the cauldron. The motor was on a timer, so it seemed like the witch was literally stirring her brew. The funny part about it was, the motor started speeding up and the whole witch tried to keep the brew in control. When that happened, Kevin had to secure the cauldron and make sure, the witch wasn’t flying off. 😄😄😂
With more than 48 acres of natural landscaping consisting of two playground areas, two basketball courts, a pavilion, an amphitheater, a pond, and a newly expanded disc golf course, Bill Allen Memorial Park is perfect for the whole family.
World Lemur Day is celebrated on the last Friday of October and this year, the holiday is scheduled to fall on October 27. The objective of this holiday is to raise awareness about the need to preserve this endangered species and to celebrate its unique attributes. The holiday was first observed in 2014, founded by Jonah Ratsimmbazafy in Antananarivo, Madagascar. Since then zoos and animal rights organizations across the globe have been celebrating this particular event. World Lemur Day is celebrated in tandem with the World Lemur Festival.
Katelynn loves going to the pumpkin patch because she can jump in the bounce house, go on hay rides, and pick a pumpkin. Sara just enjoyed crawling around between the pumpkins. Every pumpkin had to be tested by giving it a good slap on top. We also went to the Pirate Days. Unfortunately “Boo at the Zoo” got rained out the day, we went to the Fort Worth Zoo. But it wasn’t the end of the world, either. The girls got out and had fun, anyway.
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2011
Awww! 2011 was one of my favorite Halloween Seasons of all time so far. Katelynn had a crush on “Marvin, the Martian” and wanted to marry him. That’s right. She loved this Looney Toon character so much, that we had to get her a plush Marvin. She said she wanted to become an Astronaut and be the First Woman on Mars. Well, over the years her idea of flying to Mars has changed. But she still wants to be a Paleontogist, now.
Sara was the cutest little garden gnome, I’ve ever seen. It was her first Halloween, she could walk to the houses. But she still had a hard time catching up with her older sister. Her little feet were not fast enough. So, she called Katelynn to wait for her: “Kaitin, Kaitin! I want to go T’ick-o’-T’eat with you!” Sara wasn’t scared of any monsters either. Since we always made a big fest out of Halloween, she must have thought it was normal.
Kevin worked on the cauldron in previous years. But it came out the best on Halloween 2009. He had to cut a hole in the bottom to fit a pipe for the fog maker. A purple light bulb was installed before he aligned the inner cauldron with some dark fabric. Kevin glued some eyeballs and bones on top of the fabric to make them look like the witch just tossed them for her brew in the cauldron. Of course, needed a stand and a “fire”. Kevin got some golfball-sized styrofoam balls, cut a small hole, and spray painted them, so they would look like charcoal. Then he pushed red string lights in the precut holes to make the “charcoal look like it was glowing in the fire. Once the stand and the “charcoal” were in place, he set the cauldron on top of it and let the fog machine do its job. Ta-da! The witch had some brew cooking.
In May 2007, Kevin graduated with a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from Keller University. The ceremony was held at the Gaylord Texan Resort in Grapevine. After the ceremony, I was able to capture a few photos of the Resort, which resembles the Alamo and the San Antonio Riverwalk.
While the history of reptiles may go hundreds of millions of years back, National Reptile Awareness Day has an unfortunately short history in comparison. Additionally, it wasn’t really until 1966 when the first Endangered Species Act was passed that awareness of the needs and threats facing reptiles (or any animal, for that matter) started to make its way into our cultural mainstream.
With the passing of that act, a mid-century push toward conservation started taking the forefront. Updates were passed in 1967 and 1969. Additionally, in 1967, the Environmental Defense Fund created their historical efforts to ban DDT from usage in the United States. Much of this movement was sparked by Rachel Carson’s seminal book, Silent Spring, which documented the adverse effects pesticides and other chemicals have on the environment.
National Reptile Awareness Day wouldn’t exist without the efforts of that movement. In fact, many reptiles wouldn’t be around today without the help of the Endangered Species Act. While National Reptile Awareness Day may have a small history compared to its subjects, it’s still part of a historically important movement to help protect and conserve all species of animals.
Katelynn wanted to help me with the pumpkin carving. So, I’ve got her a little pumpkin she could play with and get the pumpkin guts out. She always loved to say: “We need to get all the pumpkin yikes out!” And then she played with the gooey inside of the pumpkin.
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2009
Sara was only twelve days old when we celebrated Halloween in 2009. She was such a cute little Pumpkin. Katelynn wanted to help with the pumpkins again, while her little sister took a nap. Katelynn was very proud of being a big sister. She really enjoyed taking Sara out for her first Trick-or-Treat. All bundled up we walked through the neighborhood and collected candy on this cool October night. The fresh air was good for the little munchkin.
Kevin had a couple of motors, he wanted to use for something neat on Halloween. He decided to make moving cat eyes. A couple of tiki candle holders, styrofoam balls, and spray paint needed to be purchased. The strings, wooden picks, black foam sheets, and velvet fabric we had lying around the house. Kevin also installed some mini light bulbs inside the eyeballs. So, they were glowing, while they moved and stared at everyone.
Since I read a book about Native Americans when I lived in Germany, I wanted to visit the marker where the prehistoric site of Clovis-aged people fire hearths had been found in 1951 due to the excavation for the Lewisville Lake Dam, which contained Hackberry seeds, fish, birds, tortoises, rabbits, squirrels, mussels, and bigger animals like mammoth, bison. wolves. coyotes and several more. The first investigation took place between 1951 and 1957. The second investigation was between 1978 and 1980. Due to the severe drought in North Texas, the site was more investigated in the late 70s. In 2006, I found the marker. We had an extreme drought that year as well. But the site was still covered by water.
This is a day to honor and thank all of the hardworking farmers and ranchers who plow, sow, grow, and harvest to feed our nation. We especially rely on farmers to get fresh food on our tables during these uncertain times. Let’s pay tribute to the men, women, and families who put food in the grocery stores and on our tables every day.
… This Halloween season was completely different from last year’s. Katelynn was excited to go to “Trick-or-Treat”. She knocked on the doors with a happy “T’ick-or-T’eeeeat”. Since she couldn’t pronounce the “r”, the neighbors thought she was adorable and gave her a lot of candy. After three houses we had to walk home to empty the bag before we could go out there and get more candy. Oh my, so much candy and no meltdowns anymore.
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The Munster Mansion in Waxahachie, Texas
In 2004 I heard about the Munster Mansion Replica when I watched VH1 while I was preparing dinner. I talked to Kevin about it. And one weekend, we drove from Dallas to Waxahachie. When we found it, we looked at it. The owner, Charles McKee waved at us, and we waved back.
A couple of years later, I read in the Dallas Morning News that the McKees have these weekend tours right before Halloween. Kevin and I got a babysitter for Katelynn, and down we went to Waxahachie again. They used the big parking lot in front of a local school. A school bus and a limousine were busy around the clock, picking guests up and dropping them off. It was a long wait. But once we were on the property, we had a lot of entertainment. One of the firebreathers asked me to pull a nail out of her nose. I replied, “… before this happens I will pass out.” Everybody in line was laughing. 😊
Once we made it inside the mansion, we were not allowed to capture photos or record any film. It made us pay more attention to the tour as well. If you like to see photos and documents, you can go to the official website and check it out for more information. Here is the link:
In 2007, Kevin had to go with Katelynn to Trick-or-Treat. I was still recovering from a knee injury and rather stay at home. It was fun. Katelynn was dressed in her “Snow White” costume and received plenty of candy, while the neighbors and I were busy giving out candy. But I have to admit, I missed the door-to-door walk that year.
Fossils aren’t just interesting and fun to look at — they’re also proof of the existence of once-living things (like dinosaurs, animals, plants, and even DNA remnants). Through these fossils, we’re able to learn a lot about life from billions of years ago. We can even take a look at animals and life forms that are no longer on the planet! These fossils (and the education around them) deserve to be preserved and explored. That’s why we celebrate National Fossil Day annually on the Wednesday of the second full week in October, with this year’s celebration being held on October 11.
The monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus) is a milkweed butterfly (subfamily Danainae) in the family Nymphalidae. Other common names, depending on region, include milkweed, common tiger, wanderer, and black-veined brown. It is amongst the most familiar of North American butterflies and an iconic pollinator, although it is not an especially effective pollinator of milkweed. Its wings feature an easily recognizable black, orange, and white pattern, with a wingspan of 8.9–10.2 cm (3.5–4.0 in). A Müllerian mimic, the viceroy butterfly, is similar in color and pattern but is markedly smaller and has an extra black stripe across each hindwing.
The eastern North American monarch population is notable for its annual southward late-summer/autumn instinctive migration from the northern and central United States and southern Canada to Florida and Mexico. During the fall migration, monarchs cover thousands of miles, with a corresponding multigenerational return north in spring. The western North American population of monarchs west of the Rocky Mountains often migrates to sites in southern California, but individuals have been found in overwintering Mexican sites. In 2009, monarchs were reared on the International Space Station, successfully emerging from pupae located in the station’s Commercial Generic Bioprocessing Apparatus.
The pecan, Carya illinoinensis, is a member of the Juglandaceae family. Juglandaceae are represented worldwide by seven and ten extant genera and more than 60 species. Most of these species are concentrated in the Northern Hemisphere of the New World, but some can be found on every continent except Antarctica. The first fossil examples of the family appear during the Cretaceous. Differentiation between the subfamilies of Engelhardioideae and Juglandioideae occurred during the early Paleogene, about 64 million years ago. Extant examples of Engelhardioideae are generally tropical and evergreen, while those of Juglandioideae are deciduous and found in more temperate zones.
The second major step in the development of pecan was a change from wind-dispersed fruits to animal dispersion. This dispersal strategy coincides with developing a husk around the fruit and a drastic change in the relative concentrations of fatty acids. The ratio of oleic to linoleic acids is inverted between wind- and animal-dispersed seeds. Further differentiation from other species of Juglandaceae occurred about 44 million years ago during the Eocene. The fruits of the pecan genus Carya differ from those of the walnut genus Juglans only in the formation of the husk of the fruit. The husks of walnuts develop from the bracts, bracteoles, and sepals, or sepals only. The husks of pecans develop from the bracts and the bracteoles only.
Mockingbirds are one of the most commonly noticed birds in the state of Texas. They are either applauded for their audaciousness or cursed for their persistence in nocturnal singing or in the defense of their territory. Insects, fruit, crustaceans, and small vertebrates make up the mockingbird’s diet. The fact that they enjoy fresh fruits and vegetables hasn’t exactly made them gardeners’ friends either, although they do eat lots of insects.
Mockingbirds are found in just about every habitat type in the state. The males’ territoriality and constant singing and displaying during the breeding season make them the most noticeable bird in Texas. Often this territoriality takes the form of early morning singing sessions or diving attacks on other animals or people!
Unmated male mockingbirds sing more than mated ones, and only unmated males sing at night. Both sexes sing in the fall to claim winter feeding territories. These areas are often different than their spring breeding territories. Mockingbirds mimic 50 other bird songs. They have also been known to imitate other sounds they hear such as rusty hinges, whistling, cackling hens, and dogs barking so expertly that even an electronic analysis could not tell the difference between the mockingbird and the original. Scientists have found that female mockingbirds are attracted to males that can make the most different sounds.
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