Welcome back to our series sharing Holiday Insights, Daily Holidays, Traditions, & Fun, Facts: April 13th. We sure have a lot to celebrate today. Take a look and let me know which Holiday you would most like to celebrate and why.
International Be Kind to Lawyers Day
Remember you never know when you might need a LAWYER.. Today, there is to be absolutely no lawyer jokes today, because today is International Be Kind to Lawyers Day.
The practice of law is one of the least respected professions in the world. Isn’t that sad? There’s not many careers that rank lower. Which isn’t something I want to teach my child.
Which seems odd, because being a Laywer is a very high paying, white collar job. Unfortunately, as in any profession, there’s always a few, who spoil the reputation for the majority of lawyers.
Despite the low perception, the law profession is a noble one. It’s where the majority of people who practice law fit in. These are the honorable men and women who are there when you need them.
lawyers are the ones who help you to buy and sell homes, prepare your will, protect your interests, defend you in court as needed against lawsuits, go the extra mile to fight for your rights, and provide legal advice on an endless list of topics.
Here is a few ways your family can Celebrate International Be Kind to Lawyers Day
Lawyers are very well compensated for their work. It’s the little things you do to celebrate this day, that are important. Send a lawyer a nice card or an email. Buy a lawyer a cup of morning coffee, or a drink tonight at the bar. Or, take a lawyer to lunch. Most of all, keep it simple.
Before you say I don’t know any Lawyers look one up online and visit there office with a nice Gift Card for lunch. Most importantly there is to be no lawyer jokes, period.
Ex Spouse Day is in recognition of your Ex. Someone must have been kidding when they created this day, right? Could anyone actually want to recognize their Ex?
Most of the time I wouldn’t want to recognize my Ex but with him being Suzzane’s dad I always want to make sure he is okay. Especially with his health failing.
Most of us want to forget them. Hard as it may be to believe, Ex Spouse Day has indeed arrived. Once again, we will remind you that we do not create the days, we merely report them. So, please don’t shoot the messenger.
As for David even though it sounds mean I wish David and his parents would distance themselves from his ex- wife whom them always have around. Which makes Charlie and I uncomfortable.
All too often, relationships don’t work out and 50% of marriages in the U.S. end in divorce. Life provides us with many ex-girlfriends, and ex-boyfriends. There are many ex-wives and ex-husbands. Most likely, we would prefer to forget them. But remember if you have children with a Ex to always be kind because our children are watching us at all times.
With a little stretch of the imagination and an open eye, you may find a few “Ex’s” out there who actually have good traits. There are even examples where some people get along better with their Ex after the relationship is over.
If you value your Ex in any way, give him or her whatever appreciation and recognition you feel is appropriate today. If you can not find any redeeming trait, no one will fault you for skipping today’s celebrations altogether.
International Moment of Laughter Day
International Moment of Laughter Day holiday is always April 14 International Moment of Laughter Day is a special day that will put a big smile on your face.
The objective of this day is to get people to laugh, and to laugh more often. ‘Laughter is the best medicine”and Moment of Laughter Day is also known as National Moment of Laughter Day, and plain old Moment of Laughter Day.
I don’t care whether you celebrate today as a local, national, or international day. What’s important is that you bring about laughter (and happiness) to those you come in contact with today.
To celebrate this special day, tell jokes or do funny things that cause people to laugh. A smile is not a good enough reaction. Successful participation in this day results in whole-hearted laughter.
Now, I am off to pick up a Book of Knock Knock Jokes to share with Charlie he can tell his friends this evening.
If you don’t you have anything better to do then Look up at the Sky Day is a fun day to check out what’s up there. ‘Ya never know what might be going on up there.
An asteroid or meteor may be on it’s way. A solar eclipse could be on display. A flock of geese or birds may be over head (you may need to duck for cover). Or, the clouds may be forming into interesting characters and patterns.
Take a few minutes out from your busy day to look up at the sky today. If nothing else, the break from the routine will be relaxing. Then look up at the Sky again that evening.
If your Homeschooling your children like we are Charlie you can have them write down 3 difference between the night sky and day sky. Or what did they see in the Clouds? Did you see a dog or a face or something else? Make Cotton Candy which is like a cloud for a snack.
Important Note: If you look up at the sky too long, people are going to think you have nothing better to do. Which if you were to ask me I don’t have. How about you?
Recipe for Cotton Candy
You only need a few ingredients for your hand-spun cotton candy:
- 4 cups of sugar
- 1 cup of corn syrup
- 1 cup of water
- ¼ teaspoon of salt
- 1 tablespoon of raspberry extract (can use other extracts, such as almond, orange, or vanilla)
- 2 drops of pink food coloring
- Lollipop sticks, for serving
Gather up these ingredients: It’s time to make the delicious treat you’ve been craving. If you’d like your cotton candy to be a different color, substitute the two drops of pink food coloring for something else — red, green, or purple would all make interesting cotton candy hues.
Step 1: Combine the Ingredients
Put 4 cups of sugar, 1 cup of corn syrup, 1 cup of water, and 1/4 teaspoon of salt into the saucepan over medium high heat and stir the ingredients together until the sugar is melted. Make sure you use a pastry brush to wipe down the sides of the pan to keep sugar crystals from forming.
Step 2: Heat the Mixture
Grab your candy thermometer and place it in the saucepan. Heat the mixture to 320 degrees F. Once the mixture has reached that temperature, pour the hot liquid into a shallow heatproof container. Add the extract and food coloring that you’re using and stir the ingredients well. While the recipe above calls for raspberry extract and pink food coloring, you can use any extract or food coloring you want — be adventurous and try out some new cotton candy colors and flavors.
National Bookmobile Day – The second Wednesday in April
Future Dates: April 24, 2021; April 13, 2022; April 12,2023; April 10, 2024; April 9, 2025
Let’s Bookmobiles which is our chance to recognize and appreciate their value in bringing education and knowledge to your area, making it much easier to gain access to books of all kinds.
The traveling bookmobile may visit your neighborhood or they may make a stop at your local school, or community center. By being mobile, bookmobiles gets books to people who may not be able to get to the local library. The more rural the community, the greater the need for a traveling library.
Did you know Bookmobiles have been around since at least the 1800s. helping to bring knowledge and education to America. For example in 1839, the American School Library, traveled around to American frontier towns, bringing Harper and Brothers books to remote schools.
The arrival of the Internet, made information and online books of all kinds to anyone who has an internet connection which has caused a decline in the importance of bookmobiles. Which I hate because Charlie and I don’t have a car and can’t get to our library. What about you?
Do you think the internet ultimately spelled the end of the bookmobile? That book has yet to be written. Also, do you think the Internet will end up closing Libraries? I know I hope that doesn’t happen. But it could.
National Dolphin Day is always April 14. Flipper, the TV dolphin would be so proud to know that this day is in honor of him and his fellow dolphins. Isn’t that cool?
Flipper was the star of a television show bearing his name and a heroic dolphin, who debuted on September 19, 1964, and ran through 1967. But, this special day is not just about Flipper.
National Dolphin Day is about all dolphins. While we think of them as fish, dolphins are actually mammals. Which is a #HomeschoolTeachingMoment
Dolphins are friendly and intelligent. They live in shallow waters and continental shelves, leading to frequent sightings and human contact. Growing from 4 to 30 feet long, their main diet is fish and squid.
We are surprised that this is called a “National” day, as there are many dolphin themed events and educational programs around the world on this day.
It seems like everyone around the world loves dolphins. You can celebrate National Dolphin Day in many ways, including: visiting an an aquarium to see dolphins. Reading abut dolphins or seeking out one of the many special events for this day. Or join a group to protect dolphins.
If we hadn’t already had plans I would have called our local Zoo to see if they had Dolphins and taken Charlie to see them. Instead we are going to make Dolphin shaped Cookies this evening.
National Pecan Day is a rather nutty day but its a day to celebrate and enjoy popular, tasty pecans. Sounds like its time to make my Chocolate Pecan Cake or Brownies for Dessert this evening.
Pecan trees are native to North America. Commercial growers are very proud to be growing “America’s Nut Tree”. Did you know Native Americans have cultivated the trees for its flavorful and nutritious nuts for over a thousand years.
Even early European settlers first harvested Pecan nuts by foraging for them in the woods. By the 1770s, Pecans were cultivated in gardens and orchards.
Thomas Jefferson brought Pecan trees from the southern U.S. and planted them at his estate in Monticello. He gifted a Pecan tree to George Washington who planted it at his Mount Vernon estate on March 25, 1775. Over the next two hundred years or so, Pecan tress have been planted on every continent except Antarctica. #HomeschoolTeachingMoment
A Little Pecan Trivia:
- Pecans belong to the hickory family.
- There are over 1,000 varieties of Pecans.
- Pecans aren’t technically nuts from a technical standing they’re a fruit!
- Mature trees produce nuts every other year for 50-60 years.
- Pecan trees live up to 300 years and grow up to 150 feet tall.
- 90% of worldwide production of pecan s come from the United States.
We don’t have to tell you how to enjoy National Nut Day. Grab some pecans and chow down. Have a big piece of pecan pie. Praline candy anyone!?
Pecan Pie Recipe
Ingredients
8 Original recipe yields 8 servings Ingredient Checklist
- 1 ¾ cups white sugar
- ¼ cup dark corn syrup
- ¼ cup butter
- 1 tablespoon cold water
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- 3 eggs
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 ¼ cups chopped pecans
- 1 (9 inch) unbaked pie shell
Directions
Instructions Checklist
- Step 1 Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
- Step 2 In a medium saucepan, combine the sugar, corn syrup, butter, water, and cornstarch. Bring to a full boil, and remove from heat.
- Step 3 In a large bowl, beat eggs until frothy. Gradually beat in cooked syrup mixture. Stir in salt, vanilla, and pecans. Pour into pie shell.
- Step 4 Bake in preheated oven for 45 to 50 minutes, or until filling is set.
Reach as High as You Can Day is a day to expand your horizons. And, it truly will be an uplifting experience. Today, there are no limits. You can literally reach for the sky.
If your like me and short. As I am only 4’9 you might not be able to reach that tall. Although Charlie being silly told me to bring a ladder with me today and I could reach anything I need. But ladders are heavy and I refuse to carry one. How about you?
Is there something you’ve wanted to “go for”, and felt it was just out of reach? A new job, perhaps? Maybe a date with that cute co-worker or classmate. Whatever the challenge you face, if you reach as high as you can, you just might win the prize. And, you will never know until you try.
Which is why when Charlie and I get back from our errands this evening and we finish my office were going to set up our Video Studio which is reaching out for me.
Use Reach as High as You Can Day to reach and attain, or even surpass, your goals and objectives. You’ll be oh, so glad that you did! This isn’t just a Holiday for adults but kids who should always reach as high as they can.
Song of the Day: Jumpin Jack Flash
Movie of the Day: White Men Can’t Jump
Thank you,
Glenda, Charlie and David Cates
