Tuesday, December 1, 2015

Giving Tuesday DECEMBER 1, 2015

DIANE'S CORNER ... Celebrate Giving Tuesday

Giving Tuesday takes place on the Tuesday directly after American Thanksgiving, which in turn takes place on the 4th Thursday of November. Giving Tuesday was created to help the “giving season” get started, reminding people that there is more to holidays than consumerism and commercialization.
Giving Tuesday was created when two organizations, the 92nd Street Y and the United Nations Foundation came together in 2012, about a month before that year’s Thanksgiving. Their intention was to set aside a day that was all about celebrating the generosity of giving, a great American tradition. Many leaders in the areas of social media, philanthropy and grassroots quickly joined in, and together they created a group of founding partners including United Nations Foundation, Cisco, Mashable, Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA), Sony, Aldo, Groupon, UNICEF, Google, Skype, Microsoft and Unilever. The first announcement about Giving Tuesday was made through Mashable, a technology website. The first Giving Tuesday was covered extensively by the Washington Post, the Huffington Post, ABC News, Deseret News, and the White House official blog, causing the scheme to gain an enormous amount of popularity in a short period of time. Giving Tuesday is organized and celebrated each year with the simple aim of encouraging individuals, families, schools, businesses, and other organizations to give to the less fortunate. A year later, in 2013, even more organizations joined in, including eBay (which gives a percentage of all its sales proceeds from a week in December to Giving Tuesday) and fashion designer Kevin Cole, who both designed and promoted awareness ID bracelets, giving 100% of the proceeds to Giving Tuesday. Giving Tuesday has been praised by many, including the Chronicle of Philanthropy, a newspaper that covers the nonprofit world, as an antidote to consumer culture and a way for people to give back.

INTRODUCING OUR NEW POMERANIAN, 9 year old ROSHKO (bulgarian for 'fluffy') who will be called ROSKO (he responds to that name which has all the known elements in it, buts flows off the tongue easier for ray and i)
image 1

Word of the Day

capstone 


Definition:(noun) The top stone of a structure or wall.
Synonyms:stretchercoping stonecopestone
Usage:When the structure's capstone was finally in place, the builders threw themselves a party to celebrate their achievement

thanks, patty

History

Mary Virginia Martin (1913)


Martin was an American musical comedy star. She co-owned a dance school in her native Texas before moving in 1938 to New York City, where she earned a small part in the musical Leave It To Me, winning widespread popularity with her buoyant singing voice and high-spirited temperament. She went on to star in several enormously successful musicals, including South PacificPeter Pan, and The Sound of Music, as well as a number of films. 

World AIDS Day


In order to promote more social tolerance and a greater awareness of HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) and AIDS (acquired immune deficiency syndrome), the World Health Organization (WHO) declared December 1 as World AIDS Day in 1988. Every year, various global agencies take the lead in coordinating this day and in educating people about HIV/AIDS. In the United States, local communities, organizations, and schools have observed World AIDS Day by disseminating education and prevention materials and holding candlelight memorial services, among many other events.

Dinosaur Nesting May Have Led to the Rise of the Modern Bird


Researchers have recently discovered that dinosaurs had an innovative nesting style that may have led to the evolutionary success of modern birds. The study, published in the journal Plos One, details for the first time the link between dinosaur 
READ MORE:

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1835 - Hans Christian Andersen published his first book of fairy tales
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1909 - The Pennsylvania Trust Company, of Carlisle, PA, became the first bank in the in the U.S. to offer a Christmas Club account. 

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1913 - The first drive-in automobile service station opened, in Pittsburgh, PA

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1952 - In Denmark, it was announced that the first successful sex-change operation had been performed. 

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1955 - Rosa Parks, a black seamstress in Montgomery, AL, refused to give up her seat to a white man. Mrs. Parks was arrested marking a milestone in the civil rights movement in the U.S. 

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1990 - British and French workers digging the Channel Tunnel (begun into 1987) finally met under the English Channel. 




DAILY SQU-EEK



If You Were Born Today, December 1

You are fiercely independent, but also very passionate, and thus relationships are important to you. Optimistic yet practical, you are success-oriented. You have a sixth sense that you rely upon quite heavily, as it allows you to see and understand more than the average person, and you trust your instincts. After all, they serve you well. Charismatic and attractive, you enter relationships rather easily, but often end up in a power struggle. This could be due to your own independent nature, and your attraction to equally as strong-minded people. You are more sensitive than you ever let on, largely due to your observant nature. Famous people born today: Woody Allen, Richard Pryor, Bette Midler, Sarah Silverman, Lou Rawls, Lee Trevino, Charlene Tilton.



Picture of the day
Brooms
Typical Filipino handmade brooms in Banaue. Brooms are cleaning tools consisting of fibers (often made of materials such as plastic, hair, or corn husks) attached to, and roughly parallel to, a cylindrical handle. In Asian countries there is often a distinction between a "hard broom" and a "soft broom", named for the types of fibers used. Soft brooms are made for sweeping the walls of cob webs and spiders, whereas hard brooms are made for sweeping dirt off sidewalks.


Picture of a snowy street scene in Istanbul

Snowed Out

Photograph by Olga Gamburg
“I was very fortunate to have witnessed a record-breaking snowstorm in Istanbul this past February,” writes Olga Gamburg of this image she captured in Turkey. “The city hasn't seen a beautiful white blanket like this in 28 years. After a three-hour journey on foot, because most of public transit and cabs stopped working, I was able to capture this perfect memory to take home with me.”



knit, CHANUKAH

knit, CHRISTMAS

knit
Image_small2

knit

knit

knit

I guess that’s one way to get over a puddle guy rides bike over puddle on cardboard

crochet, CHANUKAH

crochet, CHRISTMAS

crochet

crochet

crochet

crochet



RECIPES
Bourbon Pecan and Chocolate Gelt Pie

  1. Yield:8 servings
GeltPie
Both decadent and delicious, this Bourbon Pecan and Gelt Pie is the perfect way to end your Thanksgivukkah meal this holiday season. To create this recipe, I combined a classic pecan pie with some chocolate gelt candy and then added a touch of Bourbon for a little something extra.
Just like Thanksgivukkah itself, everyone is sure to love it!

BurbounPecanandGelt
 Ingredients
For the crust:
2 cups of flour, plus extra for rolling out the dough
1 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
2/3 cup cold shortening
7 Tbsp milk. Almond milk is a great non-dairy alternative.
For the filling:
1/3 cup melted butter or margarine
2/3 cup sugar
1 cup light corn syrup
½ tsp salt
3 eggs
1-2 Tbsp bourbon
20-25 pieces of gelt—enough to cover the bottom of the crust. (You can order pareve gelt online.)
½ cup chopped pecans
½ cup halved pecans

Directions

To make the crust:
Whisk together flour, salt and sugar. Cut shortening into the flour mixture until it is almost incorporated.
Add milk and mix until just combined. You do not want to over mix here, or the crust will be rubbery. Form a large ball with the dough and place in the middle of a flat surface covered with flour.
With a rolling pin, roll the dough out until it is about 2 inches larger than the upside down pie plate. Once it is big enough, flip the pie plate back over and lay the dough in the plate lightly pushing it to the bottom and the sides.
With a fork, poke a few holes in the bottom of the crust and push the sides of the crust into the side of the plate. Then, to make the lip of the pie look fancy, use the fork to make marks in the dough on the lip of the plate (picture shown) and rip off any excess dough. Set aside for filling.
Note: You can also use the extra dough to make decorations. Roll out the extra dough and cut out any shape you want – here I used a turkey. With a fork, mix 1 egg and 1 Tbsp of water. Lightly brush a small amount of the eff mixture over the cut out and then sprinkle with sugar. Bake at 375 until golden brown (about 2-5 minutes depending on how big your cut out is).
To make the filling and assemble pie:
Mix melted butter or margarine and corn syrup together until it has a glossy look. Add salt and sugar and mix until it is completely integrated into the mixture. Mix in eggs and bourbon until the entire mixture is a pale yellow color (no darker yellow egg streaks). Set aside.
Start filling the crust by placing the unwrapped gelt at the bottom of the pie crust. Add both chopped and halved pecans. Then add filling mixture.
Bake at 375 degrees for 45 minutes to an hour. The edges of the crust should be a golden brown and the filling should be completely congealed.




CROCKPOT RECIPES
stephanie o'dea


Maple Dijon Chicken CrockPot Recipe


I think anything with the word "dijon" in the title instantly sounds exquisite and marvelous---even though it's only a $2.99 condiment. Dijon is the show-off in the mustard family. I was pleasantly surprised to have everything in the house already (well, minus the bay leaves). 

The Ingredients.


--1 lb chicken pieces (I used frozen breast tenderloins)
--1 cup chicken broth 
--2 sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped

--1 onion, chopped
--2 T dijon mustard
--3 T maple syrup 
--3 cloves garlic, chopped

--2 bay leaves
--1 tsp thyme 

The Directions.
 

I used a 4 quart crockpot---it was a good size. This fed the four of us with a tiny bit left for lunch the next day. If you have a large family or would like leftovers, double the quantity.
 

Put the chicken into the bottom of your crockpot and toss it with the thyme, maple syrup, and dijon mustard.
 

Peel and slice the sweet potato, and add to the pot. Add the onion and garlic. If you don't want your onion to have a crunch, put it at the bottom of the crockpot; otherwise on top of the chicken is fine.
 

Pour in the chicken broth. Add the bay leaves.
 

Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours, or on high for 4-5. This is done when the chicken is cooked through and the vegetables reach desired tenderness.
 

The Verdict.
 

Very good, and quite moist. The picture up above is a bit misleading----I had enough juice in the pot to ladle over the vegetables and some leftover white rice. The sweet potato fell apart a bit, so some were more mashed than chunky. 
The kids each ate 2 of the breast tenderloins, and a bit of sweet potato. I really liked this chicken a lot-- I enjoyed the flavor and appreciated how easy it was to throw together.




CRAFTS, CHRISTMAS
BOTTLE CAPT BIRDCAGE
free people blog
Post image for DIY Holiday Décor: Bottle Cap Birdcage














This tiny birdcage would be so adorable hanging on a Christmas tree or a little branch in your bedroom. I’m pretty sure I’m going to have mine on display all year round. It’s not hard to make, but this birdcage definitely requires a good amount of concentration.
DIY Wire Bird Cage














What you need:
A bottle cap
A hammer
A nail
Copper wire in 2 different sizes (26 gauge and 20 gauge)
Wire cutters
Pliers
A permanent marker
What you do:
1. Use a hammer and nail to puncture a small hole on the outside of your bottle cap. Do this 6 times total, and space the holes evenly between one another.
DIY Wire Bird Cage
DIY Wire Bird Cage
DIY Wire Bird Cage









































2. Use paint or permanent marker to color your bottle cap however you like. I made mine black to match the wire, and used a permanent marker because I knew it would dry quickly.
DIY Wire Bird Cage














3. Cut 3 pieces of the thicker wire, about 6 inches each, and bend them into U shapes.
DIY Wire Bird Cage














4. Use pliers to bend up about ¾ an inch of wire on either end.
DIY Wire Bird Cage














5. Thread one piece of wire through two holes that are directly opposite one another, with the largest portion of the wire in the middle of the bottle cap.
DIY Wire Bird Cage














6. Use pliers to tightly wrap the ends around the wire. Repeat these steps with all 3 wires, making sure to thread each one through two opposing holes.
DIY Wire Bird Cage














7. Pinch the wires together about ½ inch from the top.
DIY Wire Bird Cage














8. Cut a 2-inch piece of the thick wire and wrap tightly around all of the wires, about 5 or 6 times around. Cut off any excess.
DIY Wire Bird Cage














9. Use your fingers to round out the tops of the wires so that you have more of a birdcage shape.
DIY Wire Bird Cage














10. Cut 3 pieces of the thinner wire, about 4-5 inches each.
DIY Wire Bird Cage














11. Beginning about ½ inch from the bottom, wrap the wire around each rung until you’re back where you began. Wrap the wire around itself to secure.
DIY Wire Bird Cage














12. Do this two more times, spacing each thin wire about ½ inch from the one below it.
DIY Wire Bird Cage














13. To make a hook, create the shape below using a thin piece of wire.
DIY Wire Bird Cage














14. Thread the wire through the top loop of your cage, and wrap it around a few times to secure it.
DIY Wire Bird Cage
DIY Wire Bird Cage



























That’s it! Go hang your itty bitty birdcage wherever you wish! 
DIY Wire Bird Cage
DIY Wire Bird Cage




















CHILDREN'S CORNER .... CHANUKAH craft




PUZZLE



The math teacher saw that Larry wasn't paying attention in class. She called on him and said, 'Larry! What are 2 and 4 and 28 and 44?' Larry quickly replied, 'NBC, FOX, ESPN and the Cartoon Network!'

QUOTE
Find a place inside where there's joy, and the joy will burn out the pain. - Joseph Campbell


 
Larry's kindergarten class was on a field trip to their local police station where they saw pictures tacked to a bulletin board of the 10 most wanted criminals. One of the youngsters pointed to a picture and asked if it really was the photo of a wanted person. 'Yes,' said the policeman. 'The detectives want very badly to capture him.'  Larry asked, "Why didn't you keep him when you took his picture ?




In the 1800s, the sweat of the terminally ill was thought to cure hemorrhoids. On July 4, 2015, Tom Rea of St. Louis, MO, won a $70 million jackpot with the lottery numbers he had repeatedly played for 23 years! Alexander the Great left detailed instructions that his corpse should be mummified with honey—a process called mellification.


Little Larry attended a horse auction with his father. He watched as his father moved from horse to horse, running his hands up and down the horse's legs and rump, and chest. After a few minutes, Larry asked, 'Dad, why are you doing that?' His father replied, 'Because when I'm buying horses, I have to make sure that they are healthy and in good shape before I buy. Larry, looking worried, said, 'Dad, I think the UPS guy wants to buy Mom ..... '

"Welcome" in Inuttut [Greenlandic] (Greenland) - Tikilluaritsi

Black And White Animation animated GIF


Larry watched, fascinated, as his mother smoothed cold cream on her face. 'Why do you do that, mommy?' he asked. 'To make myself beautiful,' said his mother, who then began removing the cream with a tissue. 'What's the matter, asked Larry 'Giving up?'

CLEVER
This is sooooo neat.    You have to try it.... This is a keeper!! You actually have to draw a Stickman...and see what happens..




A new teacher was trying to make use of her psychology courses. She started her class by saying, 'Everyone who thinks they're stupid, stand up!' After a few seconds, Little Larry stood up. The teacher said, 'Do you think you're stupid, Larry?' 'No, ma'am, but I hate to see you standing there all by yourself!'

EYE OPENER
thanks, shelley
THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF BRAS
thechobble


bra-types-comic-1bra-types-comic-2bra-types-comic-3bra-types-comic-4bra-types-comic-5bra-types-comic-6bra-types-comic-7bra-types-comic-8bra-types-comic-9
hugs-browntonesnowmangift-julea



Image result for see you soon


3 comments:

  1. Love your Rosko
    A Good Blog as usual
    Hugs Janice

    ReplyDelete
  2. Rosko is adorbs. I'm glad you're back!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. thanks, so much. we are both settled into our lives together which is wonderful. later today he meets the whole family for the first time which everyone is looking forward towards.

      Delete