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. 

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.

Remembering our forthcoming Military Holidays!

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.

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

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.

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 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.

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 SUGAR COOKIE DAY

Observed each year on July 9th, National Sugar Cookie Day honors the ever-popular and delicious sugar cookie.

A holiday favorite and very easy to make, sugar cookies disappear quickly once they come out of the oven. Most sugar cookies include sugar, flour, butter, eggs, vanilla, and either baking powder or baking soda. While most people have the ingredients on hand at all times, some of the ingredients should be fresh for the best outcome. Children enjoy baking and decorating anytime someone makes a batch of sugar cookies.

The sugar cookie is believed to have originated in the mid-1700s in Nazareth, Pennsylvania. German Protestant settlers created a round, crumbly and buttery cookie that came to be known as the Nazareth Cookie.

Today, sugar cookie making and decorating has become an art form for kids and adults alike. Starting with the shape of the cookie, the dough is formed with either a cookie cutter or other methods of cutting and shaping the dough. Once the cookie is baked, the cookie artist adds colored frosting or icing. Sprinkles, edible glitter, colored sugars, and additional details may be added. Some cookies receive so much detail, it’s almost a shame to eat them. 

HOW TO OBSERVE NationalSugarCookieDay

• While making some delicious and beautiful sugar cookies, marvel at the skill of bakers who have mastered the skill. Learn some of their tips and tricks, or share your own. We even have a delicious sugar cookie recipe for you to try. For more recipes, be sure to visit the National Day Calendar® recipe pages or share one of your own. Don’t forget to give a shout-out to your favorite baker and let them know you appreciate their delicious cookies. Post on social media using NationalSugarCookieDay.

NATIONAL SUGAR COOKIE DAY HISTORY

National Day Calendar is researching the origins of this cookie holiday. However, the calendar is full of cookie celebrations! Won’t you check them out?

NATIONAL PECAN PIE DAY

Pecan pie is a pie of pecan nuts mixed with a filling of eggs, butter, and sugar (typically corn syrup).[1] Variations may include white or brown sugar, cane syrup, sugar syrup, molasses, maple syrup, or honey. It is popularly served at holiday meals in the United States and is considered a specialty of Southern U.S. origin. Most pecan pie recipes include salt and vanilla as flavorings. Chocolate and bourbon whiskey are other popular additions to the recipe.Pecan pie is often serveId with whipped cream, vanilla ice cream, or hard sauce.

Name: Pecan Pie Prep: 15 minutes Cook: 60 minutes Total Prep: 75 minutes Servings: 6-8   Ingredients: 1 cup brown sugar 1 1/4 cup corn syrup 4 eggs, beaten 4 tablespoons butter 1 teaspoon vanilla 1 1/2 cup pecans Instructions: 

1. Bake:

   Bake at 350°F for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes tent the pie loosely with aluminum foil to prevent the crust and pecans from getting too browned. Bake for another 35 to 45 minutes until the filling has set. The pie should be a bit wiggly in the center.

    
2. Remove from oven and let cool completely:

   Note that the pie will be puffed up a bit when you first take it out of the oven. It will settle as it cools.

NATIONAL PECAN PIE DAY Grab a slice on July 12th and celebrate National Pecan Pie Day! Mix up the ingredients using primarily corn syrup, pecan nuts, salt, and vanilla. Occasionally, recipes vary by including sugar syrup and molasses or maple syrup.