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NATIONAL PAUL BUNYAN DAY
On June 28th, we remember fondly the tales of the big blue ox and a mighty lumberjack. It is National Paul Bunyan Day!
Described as a giant and a lumberjack of unusual skill, Paul Bunyan is one of the most famous North American folklore heroes. In the tales, Paul Bunyan was almost always accompanied by his companion, Babe the Blue Ox.
Was He Real?
First appearing in print in 1906, in a story published by Northern Michigan journalist James MacGillivray, Bunyan’s character originated in folktales circulated among lumberjacks in the Northeastern United States and Eastern Canada. One account states that the tales began during the Papineau Rebellion of 1837. In 1914, William Laughhead reworked the stories for a logging company’s advertising campaign. The campaign breathed new life into the growing legendary character of Paul Bunyan. It was the 1922 edition of Laughead’s tales that inspired many others and soon the character’s plaid shirt and far-fetched characteristics spread across all of the United States and Canada.
Statue of Paul Bunyan in Akeley, MN.
I visited there in the Mid 1950's with my sister and folks.
The Folklore
While folklore surrounds the lumberjack, Paul Bunyan is one character that has an origin story. One Paul Bunyan legend claims it took five storks to carry him as a newborn. As he grew a little older, when he clapped his hands and laughed, windows shook and shattered. The story continues that he sawed off the legs of his parents’ bed in the middle of the night when he was only seven months old. Folklore also credits Bunyan with forming the Grand Canyon as he and Babe the Blue Ox walked through, dragging his ax behind him. Another myth suggests Bunyan created the Great Lakes so Babe had a watering hole.
Read one or several of the Paul Bunyan tales. Share your adventures as you find the various statues dedicated to this folklore hero. Use #NationalPaulBunyanDay to share on social media.
HISTORY OF NATIONAL PAUL BUNYAN DAY
National Day Calendar is researching the origin of this larger than life celebration.
NATIONAL PRALINES DAY
On June 24th, National Pralines Day honors a confection made from nuts (whether in whole pieces or ground) and sugar syrup. Pralines may also refer to any chocolate cookie containing the ground powder of nuts.
Around the world, candy makers create their pralines a little differently.
- Belgian Pralines – contain a hard chocolate shell with a softer, sometimes liquid, filling.
- French Pralines – a combination of almonds and caramelized sugar.
- American Pralines – contain milk or cream and are softer and creamier, resembling fudge.
At the Chateau of Vaux-le-Vicomte during the 17th century, French sugar industrialist, Marshal du Plessis-Praslin (1598-1675), originally inspired the early pralines. These first pralines were whole almonds, individually coated in caramelized sugar.
The powder made by grinding up sugar-coated nuts is called pralin. This is an ingredient in many types of cakes, pastries and ice creams. When this powder is mixed with chocolate, it becomes praliné in French, which gave birth to what is known in French as chocolat praliné.
The French settlers brought their recipe into Louisiana, an area of the United States where both sugar cane and pecan trees were plentiful. During the 19th century, New Orleans chefs substituted pecans for almonds, added cream to thicken the confection, and thus creating what is known throughout the Southern United States as the praline.
NATIONAL CHOCOLATE ICECREAM DAY JUNE 7, 2021
Vanilla is considered the most popular flavor of ice cream, but ever since the Italians froze hot chocolate in 1692, chocolate has been a close contender. The celebratory day itself was likely started by an ice cream manufacturer to encourage greater sales of the delightful dessert, but the question remains whether there was really any need to encourage people to eat more chocolate ice cream.
@DaveMcK wrote:NATIONAL CHOCOLATE ICECREAM DAY JUNE 7, 2021
Vanilla is considered the most popular flavor of ice cream, but ever since the Italians froze hot chocolate in 1692, chocolate has been a close contender. The celebratory day itself was likely started by an ice cream manufacturer to encourage greater sales of the delightful dessert, but the question remains whether there was really any need to encourage people to eat more chocolate ice cream.
💥 Lol @DaveMcK my hips do not need anymore chocolate 🤣😂 💥
Good morning America... As I get ready to head out to pay my respects on this Memorial Day, I have one simple request for all Americans.. I simply ask that Americans live their lives in a way that preserves Freedom and Honors the sacrifice that my Fallen Brothers and Sisters have made to preserve it for you.. For if you let Freedom die, your children will forever live in bondage and the sacrifice our Fallen have made will have been for nothing...
May God bless you all and stay safe..
We seem to have ended up with some duplicate photos today.
T.c
WHY IS THE POPPY A SYMBOL OF MEMORIAL DAY?
In the war-torn battlefields of Europe, the common red field poppy (Papaver rhoeas) was one of the first plants to reappear. Its seeds scattered in the wind and sat dormant in the ground, only germinating when the ground was disturbed—as it was by the very brutal fighting of World War 1.
John McCrae, a Canadian soldier and physician, witnessed the war first hand and was inspired to write the now-famous poem “In Flanders Fields” in 1915. (See below for the poem.) He saw the poppies scattered throughout the battlefield surrounding his artillery position in Belgium.
The Poppy Lady
In November 1918, days before the official end of the war, an American professor named Moina Michael wrote her own poem, “We Shall Keep the Faith,” which was inspired by McCrae’s “In Flanders Fields.” In her poem (also shown below), she mentioned wearing the “poppy red” to honor the dead, and with that, the tradition of adorning one’s clothing with a single red poppy in remembrance of those killed in the Great War was born. Moina herself came to be known—and honored—as “The Poppy Lady.”
The Symbol Spreads Abroad
The wearing of the poppy was traditionally done on Memorial Day in the United States, but the symbolism has evolved to encompass all veterans living and deceased, so poppies may be worn on Veterans Day as well. Not long after the custom began, it was adopted by other Allied nations, including Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom, where it is still popular today. In these countries, the poppy is worn on Remembrance Day (November 11).
Today, poppies are not only a symbol of loss of life, but also of recovery and new life, especially in support of the servicemen who survived the war but suffered from physical and psychological injuries long after it ended.
Remembering our forthcoming Military Holidays!
National Wine Day today May 25th 2021 brings to mind my favorite Wisconsin Winery which is the Wollersheim Winery & Distillery.
Wollersheim Winery is located on a scenic hillside across the Wisconsin River from Prairie du Sac, Wisconsin. Created in the 1840s, Wollersheim Winery has developed into a leader in the Midwestern wine industry, winning numerous awards throughout its storied history. I hope everyone has an enjoyable National Wine Day with a glass or two of your favorite wine.
Happy National Dog Rescue Day was yesterday! Love this pup SO **bleep** much !! Our daughter Janice with her husband Dean and their rescued puppy Kona.
BIRD DAY
We honor our feathered friends on several holidays called Bird Day in the United States. The day celebrates birds of all kinds across North America.
With over 2,000 species of birds in North America, birdwatchers and nature lovers alike will appreciate the beauty and variety of these winged friends offer. From songbirds to waterfowl and domesticated birds, they come in every color of plumage and wingspan.
During the spring, migrating birds move to their summer nesting grounds. It’s an excellent time for those new to birdwatching to learn to identify birds by species. Enthusiasts also know that birds will migrate through backyards and stop for a rest, a bite to eat, and a drink if the right habitat is provided. They stand prepared by their windows with binoculars and watch as new visitors arrive daily. Whether it’s an oriole, a tree swallow, the ruby-throated hummingbird, or an American Finch, you’ll want to make sure you’ve prepared food, natural habitat and water sources for your guests.
However, it’s not just the passersby that get birdists excited. It’s the long term residents and those of the greater outdoors. Year after year they watch robins collect their nesting material or chickadees caring for their brood. They wander through nature preserves seeking a glimpse of a varied thrush or a prairie warbler. When they do, they are often graced with a privileged view of a bald eagle soaring above them.
NATIONAL AMARETTO DAY
On April 19th, National Amaretto Day recognizes a liqueur known around the world for its flavor and aroma.
The word Amaretto in Italian means “a little bitter,” because it is made from bitter almonds or apricot kernels or both. Makers infuse it in pure alcohol or brandy, resulting in a strong almond flavor. This traditionally Italian liqueur carries a reputation for being fragrant.
Shrouded in Secrecy and Lore
Taking us back to the 1525 Renaissance in Saronno, Italy, painter Bernardino Luini selected a young innkeeper as his model for a fresco of the Madonna of the Miracles. In gratitude for being selected, the innkeeper gave the artist a gift of her own secret blend of almond and brandy. For centuries, the family held the recipe as a closely guarded secret. However, the Di Saronno family began producing its amaretto for a broader market in the 20th century. The liqueur began appearing for sale in advertisements in the United States in the late 1940s, and the family still bottles their recipe today.
Another Amaretto tale comes from the same area of Italy. However, this story tells of a young Lazzaroni couple blessed by the Cardinal of Milan in 1718. The couple honored his visit with a unique recipe of their own, producing an amaretto cookie like no other. And this one came also came in a bottle. Of course, they also closely guarded their recipe generations. In 1851, the Lazzaroni family began selling their amaretto liqueur, and the family is still producing it today.
HOW TO OBSERVE #NationalAmarettoDay
Amaretto can be enjoyed in several ways. Whether you bake or mix a drink, celebrate the day with the flavor of amaretto. The aroma alone is quite satisfying. The amaretto sour is likely the most familiar amaretto cocktail. However, amaretto also complements coffee and citrus beverages, too. Thanks to amaretto flavor syrups you can also enjoy delicious mocktails.
But you don’t have to stop there for an amaretto flavor. Baked amaretto also makes for delicious baked goods! Experiment with recipes or share your favorites. We even have a recipe for you to try.
Ready for a cocktail that’s part drink, part dessert, and 100 percent irresistible? Try Amaretto Coffee! When Alex and I first tried this boozy coffee drink, we expected it to taste good. But one sip and our eyes widened. Wowza, is this stuff good! It’s one of those flavor combinations that’s years beyond the sum of its parts. The amaretto brings a nuttiness and spice to the coffee that’s hard to quantify in words. Topped with frothy whipped cream and a sprinkle of cinnamon, it’s truly to die for.
NATIONAL DEEP DISH PIZZA DAY
On April 5th, National Deep Dish Pizza Day gives pizza lovers a day to celebrate one of America’s favorite varieties of pizza.
Whether it’s dine-in, delivered, take out or homemade, deep-dish pizza satisfies pizza lovers all across the country. Pick whatever toppings you like. This day focuses on the deep crust that holds an amazing amount of sauce and toppings. Like other styles of pizza, the deep-dish menu offers a variety of combinations to choose from. If you prefer an all meat pizza, the deep-dish makes it. Top it with vegetables galore. Or order extra mushrooms, the deep-dish can manage.
NATIONAL NOUGAT DAY
National Nougat Day on March 26th celebrates a soft and chewy or sometimes hard and crunchy candy often found at the center of a candy bar.
Made by whipping egg whites together and adding honey or sugar, roasted nuts, and sometimes candied fruit, some say nougat has been a sweet treat since ancient Rome. Enjoyed both as a candy all on its own or paired with chocolate or other flavorings.
Recipes range from the more traditional nougat made with almonds and honey to those with hints of citrus.
In Italy, they call it torrone. In Spain, a nougat is called turrón. The United States has a version made with corn syrup called divinity.
Three basic kinds of nougats include:
1. White nougat – made with beaten egg whites and honey.
2. Brown nougat – made without egg whites and has a firmer, often crunchy texture.
3. Viennese or German nougat – chocolate and nut praline
In the United States, modern candy bar makers use a different recipe than the traditional nougat. Today they make of a mixture of sucrose and corn syrup aerated with a whipping agent such as egg white or hydrolyzed soy protein or gelatin. It is the preferred and often used ingredient of large candy companies because it is inexpensive to make and used as a filler.
Varieties of nougat are found in:
3 Musketeers, Mars, Snickers, Milky Way, Zero, Salted Nut Rolls, Reese’s Fast Break, Reese’s Whipps, Baby Ruth, and others.
HOW TO OBSERVE #NationalNougatDay
This holiday offers an opportunity to become a nougat aficionado. Or perhaps try learning the nuances of nougat. No matter how you spend the day, be sure to get a sample or two. Whether it’s a big bite or small, enjoy some nougats. Be sure to share a piece, too! Use #NationalNougatDay to post on social media.
NATIONAL NOUGAT DAY HISTORY
National Day Calendar continues researching the origin of this confectionary holiday.
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