What do you excel at? What gifts, talents or skills are uniquely yours? Take the opportunity to share your unique gifts with friends and colleagues on celebrate Your Unique Talent Day.
Word of the Day
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| Definition: | (adjective) Not capable of being persuaded by entreaty; relentless. | ||
| Synonyms: | relentless, grim, unappeasable, unrelenting, unforgiving, stern | ||
| Usage: | The inexorable investigator questioned the witness repeatedly, long after she had been reduced to tears and claimed to know nothing more. | ||
History
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 | A transit of Venus occurs when the planet passes between the Sun and Earth, obscuring a small portion of the Sun's disk. In 1639, English astronomer Jeremiah Horrocks made the first observation of such a transit by using a telescope to focus the Sun's image onto a white screen and watching as Venus's shadow, appearing as a small black disk, passed across it. These observations allowed him to estimate the distance from Earth to the Sun more accurately than ever before. | ||
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 | Spinoza was a Dutch Jewish philosopher whose early interest in new scientific and philosophical ideas led to his expulsion from the synagogue in 1656. His philosophy represents a development of and reaction to the thought of René Descartes, and many of his most striking doctrines are solutions to difficulties created by Cartesianism. In his masterpiece, Ethics, he constructed a monistic system of metaphysics modeled on Euclid's Elements. | ||
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| If you've ever tried out the latest diet fad only to find yourself gaining weight and feeling awful and wondered what you were doing wrong, scientists now have an explanation for you. | |||
This diet study upends everything we thought we knew about ‘healthy’ food
1859 - Charles Darwin, a British naturalist, published "On the Origin of Species." It was the paper in which he explained his theory of evolution through the process of natural selection.
1874 - Joseph F. Glidden was granted a patent for a barbed fencing material.
1947 - John Steinbeck's novel "The Pearl" was published for the first time.
1950 - The musical "Guys and Dolls" opened.
1954 - Air Force One, 1st US Presidential airplane, christened
1966 - The Beatles began recording sessions for "Sergeant Pepper"
1991 - Monica Seles, sets female tennis record winning $2,457,758 in a year
2012 - Gangnam Style becomes the most viewed youtube video surpassing 808 million views
DAILY SQU-EEK
thanks, sheri for our thanksgiving squ-eek
If You Were Born Today, November 24
Your opinions are strong, and you enjoy sharing them with others. Your imagination is powerful, and you can use this strength creatively in your career, but you may tend to make mountains out of molehills on a personal level. You are an entertaining conversationalist and your mind is active, alert, and interested. Although stubborn at times, you are warm with your loved ones and you are generous with your time. Detaching yourself from situations when you become too emotionally involved can be an important strategy. Famous people born today: Dale Carnegie, Scott Joplin, Geraldine Fitzgerald.
| Picture of the day | |
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Maktoum bin Mohammed Al Maktoum (b. 1983) is the deputy ruler of Dubai. He also serves as Chairman of Dubai Media Incorporated.
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A Geothermal Swim
Photograph by Kelby Singhaus
“My Swedish friend and I decided (pretty easily) that a dive into a ... geothermally heated pool sounded abundantly more pleasant than being cold (like we were) during our late summer Icelandic journey,” writes Kelby Singhaus. Hruni’s rolling grass hills and “flocks of poofy sheep” contributed to what Singhaus called an unbeatable moment. “So dive, we did,” he writes, “and warm we were! Until we got out, of course.”
knit, toe up
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Blumenbeet / Bed of Flowers pattern by Gudrun Neuma...
Diese wunderschönen, sommerlich Sneakers sind ruckzuck gestrickt und man braucht nur ca. 50g Sockenwolle dafür. :-)
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knit
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22 Little Clouds pattern by Martina Behm
A beautiful shawlette with long ends that can be wrapped comfortably around your neck and secured with a little knot – that’s my new pattern „22 Little Clouds“. Sim...
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knit
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Vanessa Headband pattern by Nancy Ricci
NOTE: I FOUND A TYPO IN THE PATTERN! I HAVE CORRECTED MY MISTAKE! Sorry about that folks, my bad.
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knit, 6 - 24 mths
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Funny Stripes Set: Cardigan pattern by Patons
Patons Look at Me! yarn featured in Booklet 500927 has been discontinued. Patons Astra yarn is featured in pdf pattern download (October 2009).
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knit
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striped poncho pattern by Suzanne Resaul
A striped poncho made in 2 rectangular panels and sewn together. The contrast colour (CC) is carried up the side of the work by crochet slip stitch, avoiding a...
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crochet
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Dutch skies potholders pattern by Kirsten from Haak maar...
These potholders are easily styled for each kitchen decor!
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crochet
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crochet
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crochet
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Schultertuch / Dreieckstuch pattern by Orchideeflower
Für dieses tolle Tuch kann so gut wie jedes Garn /jede Wolle verwendet werden.
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crochet
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Tekko Shrug pattern by Kristina Olson
This pattern uses one of my favorite stitches, the crossed double crochet. The construction is a simple rectangle so it’s perfect for beginners and novices. ...
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(two) RECIPES
TUNA-STUFFED PEPPER
The perfect dinner for one, though a bunch of 'em also work if you've got a village to feed. They're fresh-tasting and super-filling, with a whopping 30 grams of protein.
MAKE IT:
1. Heat oven to 375°F. Spray a baking pan with nonstick spray and set aside.
2. Slice off the top of one red bell pepper, removing stem and seeds; rinse and pat dry.
3. Combine one 5-oz can albacore tuna packed in water, drained and flaked, with 1 Tbsp Dijonnaise (or make your own fat-free mayo and Dijon mustard mix). Scoop mixture into pepper.
4. Place pepper in pan and bake until softened, about 25 minutes.
Sweet Potato Chews ... doggie THANKSGIVING
thebark
Thoroughly wash and peel sweet potatoes. Slice the sweet potato into 1/4- inch slices by cutting down the middle lengthwise.
Dehydrate at the highest setting 145-155 until done. Drying approximately 6-8 hours will leave them with a chewy texture. For crunchier treats dehydrate longer until the desired consistency.
CROCKPOT RECIPE
stephanie o'dea
CrockPot Crab Dip Recipe
Dip! With crab meat! And cream cheese! Do better things than this exist? I don't actually think so.We had a houseful of people last night and I was thrilled that Christine emailed me earlier in the week with her famous crab dip recipe. I changed a few things, but this is definitely her recipe. Thank you, Christine!
The Ingredients.
--1 pound crab meat (imitation crab meat is NOT gluten free. Go for the real stuff!)
--3 packages (8oz each) cream cheese
--1/2 cup buffalo wing sauce (or you can use 1/2 cup jarred salsa)
--1 can chilies and tomatoes, drained (Rotel)
--1/2 cup milk
--2 lemons, optional
The Directions.
I used a 4 quart crockpot. This feeds 20 people as an appetizer, or one cranky woman as a meal.
Sort through the crab and make sure that there aren't any shells.
Cube the cream cheese and put it into your crockpot. Plug it in and turn to high to begin melting the cream cheese. Add the buffalo wing sauce (or salsa), milk, and the drained can of Rotel.
Put in the crab, and stir gingerly to combine.
Cover and cook on low for 2-3 hours, stirring every 20 to 30 minutes, or on high for no more than 2 hours, stirring often.
Serve with your favorite crackers, cubed bread, or celery sticks. If you plan on serving out of the crockpot, you can "pretty it up" by inserting slices of lemon all the way around the edge of the dip in the crock.
The Verdict.
This was a hit. The crock was scraped clean.
CRAFTS
HANGING FLOWER MASON JARS
free people blog
It’s such a simple idea yet it makes such an impact.
What you need:
Jars of any size and shape, small flowers of your choice (can be fresh or dried – I used fresh mini roses and dried lavender), some thread, a hot glue gun, and possibly some sort of stick.
What you do:
Step 1: Cut the stem of your flower so that its height is less than the height of your jar – you don’t want the flower to reach the bottom of the jar. Once the flower dries (if it hasn’t already done so) it will probably lose its leaves, so I just removed mine from the start.
Step 2: Tie a thread around the bottom of the stem. You may want to wrap it around multiple times, tieing it each time, to assure that it holds. Cut the thread at a point that will allow the flower to hang from the lid, yet still not touch the bottom of the jar. Allow yourself an extra ½ inch or so to glue to the lid.
Step 3: Lay the top half of the thread on the inside of your lid and apply a generous drop of hot glue. You may need to use a stick or pencil tip to help hold the string in place. If you want your flower to hang directly in the center of your jar, you might want to off-center the glue drop, making it so that one outer edge of the glue touches the exact center of the lid. This is the spot where the un-glued portion of your thread should begin. I know it’s hard, but be patient for about two minutes – the glue needs to dry :)
Step 4: Put the lid on your jar and you’re all done! How easy was that?!
But wait… I have an even easier version. If you chose a flower that was already dried, you can skip the string-hanging part and hot glue the stem straight onto your lid. If you use more than one flower for this like I did, you should tie the stems together before gluing. Make sure you use a very generous amount of glue for this version… and wait a little longer for it to dry!
The first version is beautiful because if you touch the jar gently, the flowers will sway beautifully inside the jar. The second version is cool, too, because you can also flip it upside down!
CHILDREN'S CORNER ... THANKSGIVING thankful wreath and mazes
PUZZLE
QUOTE
DOG & RESCUED RAT BECOME BEST FRIENDS
WHEN MICKEY ALICE KWAPIS SAVED A RAT FROM BECOMING SNAKE FOOD, SHE DIDN’T EXPECT A FRIENDSHIP LIKE THIS TO EMERGE!
When Mickey Alice Kwapis saved a rat from becoming snake food, she didn’t expect a friendship like this to emerge!
RESCUED
Mickey Kwapis, a taxidermist by trade, saved this domesticated rat from becoming snake food at a pet store.
At only 4 weeks old, the rat needed to be hand fed. He was given the name “Riff Ratt” and was quickly introduced to Mickey’s pet dog.
The dog, named Osiris, has gently helped a number of Mickey’s rescue animals, but he is especially friendly to Riff Ratt. Osiris even lets Riff clean his teeth, bravely climbing onto the Dutch Shepard’s giant mouth.
“Riff Ratt really likes licking the inside of Osiris’ mouth. I’m sure you all are wondering if we’re afraid Osiris will eat Riff – NOPE! Osiris has helped foster and care for dozens of animals and he is the gentlest dog I’ve ever met. See for yourself!”
"Welcome" in Inuktitut [Eskimo] (Canada) - Khanog illinga vet
CLEVER
JOSE ROMUSSI
Chilean artist living and working in Berlin. There are several categories of embroidery,dance being just one of them
EYE OPENER
Twenty Interesting Things About…Turkeys
thepioneerwoman
1. Ben Franklin, in a letter to his daughter, proposed that the turkey should be the official bird to represent the United States. He wrote that a turkey is a “much more respectable bird” than the “bad moral character” of the eagle whom he described as a “rank coward”.
2. In 2011 an estimated 46 million turkeys were eaten in the United States on Thanksgiving.
3. Nearly 88% of Americans surveyed by the National Turkey Federation eat turkey at Thanksgiving.
4. A turkey’s eyes are set into the opposite sides of its head. The position of the eyes allows the animal to see two objects at once, but limits its depth perception. Turkeys have a wide field of vision and by moving their neck, they can gain a 360-degree field of view.
5. The average weight of turkeys purchased for Thanksgiving is 15-16 pounds with about 70% of the turkey being white meat and 30% dark meat.
6. Deep fried turkey originated in the southern United States, but is popular today throughout North America.
7. Many people report drowsiness after eating Thanksgiving dinner. Though most blame it on the tryptophan in turkey, others suggest it isn’t the turkey alone, but more likely the result of a carbohydrate-rich meal.
8. The first and final missions to land men on the moon (led by Neil Armstrong and Eugene Cernan respectively) both served up turkey and gravy.
9. The costume worn by “Big Bird” on Sesame Street is mostly comprised of large feathers from 45-pound turkeys.
10. The male turkey is called a tom, the female turkey is called a hen, and baby turkeys are called poults.
11. Only tom turkeys gobble, while hen turkeys make a clicking noise.
12. Want to stave off macular degeneration: Turkey is listed among the top 10 foods for your eyes because it’s rich in zinc (plus the B-vitamin niacin, which specifically protects against cataracts).
13. Between 5,000 and 6,000 feathers cover the body of a wild, adult turkey in patterns called feather tracts.
14. Ever thought of dressing as a turkey? According to the Guinness World Records, the largest gathering of people dressed as turkeys is 661 and was accomplished at the 44th Annual Capital One Bank Dallas YMCA Turkey Trot in Dallas, Texas, USA on November 24, 2011.
15. Strangely enough June, not November, is National Turkey Lovers’ Month.
16. Domesticated turkeys cannot fly, and a tom turkey can reach a weight of 30 pounds within 18 weeks after hatching (normal incubating period is 28 days).
17. Turkey Anatomy: The fleshy growth under a turkey’s throat is called a wattle. The long, red, fleshy area that grows from the turkey’s forehead over the bill is called a snood, and the caruncle is the red-pink fleshy growth on the head and upper neck of the turkey.
18. Wild turkeys can fly for short distances up to 55 miles per hourand can run at speeds up to 25 miles per hour.
19. The bare skin on the throat and head of a turkey changes colors when they become distressed or excited.
20. Wild turkeys roost in trees; they are especially partial to oak trees.
thanks, shelley
Our VT turkey will weigh in at around 35 lbs. And yes, we've had bigger ones--up to 45 lbs.! Hope the leftovers will last until Christmas:)
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