Monday, December 12, 2016

Poinsettia Day December 12, 2016


DIANE'S CORNER .. Celebrate Poinsettia Day

 “Conversely, the red plant itself burns a brighter red when set off by the green than when it grows among its peers. In the bed I always reserved for poinsettia seedlings, there was little to distinguish one plant from its neighbors. My poinsettia did not turn scarlet until I planted it in new surroundings. Color is not something one has, color is bestowed on one by others.”
― Arthur Japin 

Poinsettia Day, a day to celebrate the ever popular red flower used around the Christmas holiday season. When looking at a Poinsettia, all we can think of is “The Poinsettia is to Christmas like a pumpkin is to Halloween” But where is the Poinsettia from, and how did it become a Christmas staple? That’s why we’re here to find out what Poinsettia Day is all about!

To find out where the Poinsettia flower originated from, we have to take a look in the past. In 1480 to his death, Aztec King Montezuma adorned his palace with Poinsettia or Cuetlaxochitl as it was known by the Aztecs, having his people cultivate the flower as a gift from the Gods. Poinsettia was served as a reminder of the sacrifice that the Aztec gods had micturade to create the universe and that the debt would be repaid in human sacrifices. The Aztecs used the Poinsettia’s sap to cure fevers and the leaves make a dye.

Then, in the 17th century after the Conquistadors invaded Mexico, the blood red wild flower became a part of Christian ceremony for the first time when it was used in the nativity procession, the Fiesta of Santa Pesebre. It’s around this time that many legends originated, attempting to explain why the plant, beginning to be called “La flor de Nochebuena,” or Holy Night had acquired its bright and beautiful red color.

After being discovered in 1828 by Joel Roberts Poinsett, the poinsettia became a popular specimen among botanists. One Botanist in particular by the name of Wilenow, in 1833 he named the Poinsettia “Euporbia pulcherrima.” But after only four years another botanist by the name of William Hickling Prescott renamed the flower to “Poinsettia pulcherrima” in honor of the man who brought the flower back to be studied, Joel Poinsett.


 

Word of the Day

runnel 


Definition: (noun) A small stream; a brook.
Synonyms:streamlet, rill, rivulet, run
Usage:He could tell from the impression carved into the landscape that the runnel's flow had drifted a few feet to the north.


 The Dance of Life
 Picture: Edvard Munch: The Frieze of Life.

Idiom of the Day

have the world by the tail

— To be very successful, contented, and happy in life. 

thanks, helen
VINTAGE FINDS (part 1) ... mysocalledcraftylife
il_570xn-1128174711_niho 
 History

Edvard Munch (1863)

 

Best known as the painter of The Scream, Munch was a Norwegian artist and an important forerunner of expressionistic art. His early life was marked by the deaths of his mother and favorite sister, and he said about his father: "From him I inherited the seeds of madness." Anesthetizing his trauma, Munch visually explored primal themes like death, sex, and fear. Reaction to his stark and sometimes fearsome images caused his first major exhibition to be closed.

Flickering Lights May Illuminate a Path to Alzheimer's Treatment

New research demonstrates that, in mice whose brains are under attack by Alzheimer's dementia, exposure to lights that flicker at a precise frequency can right the brain's faulty signaling and energize its immune cells to fight off the disease. 

READ MORE:

Flickering lights may illuminate a path to Alzheimer's treatment

By Melissa Healy
New research demonstrates that, in mice whose brains are under attack by Alzheimer’s dementia , exposure to ligh...

 

 1792 - In Vienna, 22-year-old Ludwig van Beethoven received one of his first lessons in music composition from Franz Joseph Haydn.

 

 1800 - Washington, DC, was established as the capital of the United States.

 

 1870 - Joseph H. Rainey of South Carolina became the first black lawmaker to be sworn into the U.S. House of Representatives.

 

 1897 - The comic strip"The Katzenjammer Kids" (Hans and Fritz), by Rudolph Dirks, appeared in the New York Journal for the first time.

 

 1901 - The first radio signal to cross the Atlantic was picked up near St. John's Newfoundland, by inventor Guglielmo Marconi.

 

 1912 - The Mother's Day International Association was incorporated with the purpose of furthering meaningful observations of Mother's Day.

 

 1925 - The "Motel Inn," the first motel in the world, opened in San Luis Obispo, CA.

 

 1955 - British engineer Christopher Cockerell patented the first hovercraft. 

 

1970 - In New Orleans, LA, the Doors made their last appearance with Jim Morrison.

 

  1985 - Dionne Warwick received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

 

 1997 - Denver Pyle received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

 

 2001 - Flutist James Galway received a knighthood from Queen Elizabeth II.



DAILY SQU-EEK

 

If You Were Born Today, December 12
 
You have a distinctly dual nature that, at your best, makes you versatile, and at your worst, downright confused (and confusing!). While a great lover of peace and harmony, you are also determined and fiery. While idealistic, you mostly have your feet on the ground. In relationships, the need for partnering and cooperating is strong, but freedom also matters to you. You are a natural counselor, offering excellent advice. There is usually quite a bit of drama and colorful emotion in your relationships, whether it's because you bring this to the table or attract these kinds of people. Famous people born today: Frank Sinatra, Edward Koch, Connie Francis, Jennifer Connelly, Bridget Hall, Bob Barker, Dionne Warwick.
 




READER'S INFO
 
 a celebration of DIY spirit 

December 17 - 18, 11am - 6pm

Magnuson Park, Hangar 30
6310 NE 74th St
Seattle, WA 98115

FREE - Leashed pets are welcome to join in on the fun!



 Evening on Karl Johan
Picture: Edvard Munch: The Frieze of Life.

 Pictures of the day

 Lars Kruse

 Lars Kruse (1828–1894) was a fisherman from Skagen in the far north of Jutland, Denmark, who was credited with saving over 200 lives. In one case, on 27 December 1862, he rescued much of the crew of the Swedish brig Daphne when it was stranded during a storm. Kruse also gained fame through his portraits, painted by Michael Ancher, and an account of his mistreatment written by Holger Drachmann in a mixture of poems and prose.
 

Aurora Borealis Over Iceland’s Jokulsarlon Glacier Lake

Picture of the Day: Aurora Borealis Over Iceland’s Jokulsarlon Glacier Lake
Iceland’s natural beauty never ceases to amaze


 knit - christmas
Sam_8492_small2

 knit 
thanks, linda
 
 
image
 
 
 
 
 
Wine Glass Holder pattern by Claudia Olson
How to keep your hands free (for knitting?) while enjoying your wine…or…how to attend a party and not misplace your glass.

Preview by Yahoo

 

 knit, preemie - 1 yr
 
 
image
 
 
 
 
 
Abagail Sweater pattern by Kay Squared
Thank you to cira who graciously translated this pattern into Portuguese!

Preview by Yahoo

 
 knit
 
 
image
 
 
 
 
 
Lasagna Scarf pattern by Phyll Lagerman
I decided to add a little spice to the basic ribbed ascot scarf. As I was knitting this the longer it got the more it looked like lasagna noodles to me! I asked my ...

Preview by Yahoo

 
knit - christmas
Fox_fireplace_small2
Wonderland Fox pattern by StitchOnSaturday
 
 Spring
 Picture: Great Modern Masters: Edvard Munch.


 crochet - christmas
Amigurumi Holiday Chick
Pepika - Amigurumi Free Patterns
 crochet

 crochet
thanks, bertha

 crochet

 crochet - christmas
How to Crochet an Angel Easy Angel Crochet Pattern
How to Crochet an Angel


 RECIPE - christmas

Cream Cheese Christmas Tree
Cream Cheese Christmas Tree Appetizer

il_570xn-1114215871_kouk 

CROCKPOT RECIPE
Slow Cooker Lo Mein


 Self Portraits in front of Blue Sky
Self Portrait


SWEETS - chanukah, vegan
thanks, carol

Vegan Chocolate Truffles (With Manischewitz Red Wine!) Only 3 ingredients, easy and pretty!


il_570xn-1125649535_h3fy 

ADULT COLORING


Image result for adult coloring



 The Voice
 The Voice


CRAFTS - christmas
thanks, jennie

Mini Cookie Snowglobes
Mini Cookie Snowglobes

il_570xn-873149924_f2s1 
 

CHILDREN'S CORNER ... christmas game

Santa's Workshop online word search game for kids. Find all of the Santa's workshop words from the list and highlight them in the puzzle to win the game.
free online game




PUZZLE
 
 Snail on Cactus Jigsaw Puzzle



QUOTE
Image result for why is it that all the people you actually want to be around



il_570xn-855895843_ep1k 
 Scientists at the University of Minnesota discovered that people can swim just as fast in syrup as they can in water. -------------------- With over 26,000 possible outcomes, you could play one game of tic-tac-toe every day for 70 years and see a different outcome each time. -------------------- Lena Deeter from Arkansas, USA, could write forward, backward, upside down, and upside down backward, as well as writing different sentences in any direction, using both hands at the same time!

 Rose and Amelie
Rose and Amelie


CLEVER - christmas

#DIY this is perfect for a dessert table at Christmas! #Christmas #ideas:


 

EYE OPENER  - christmas
 



 
Posted by at

No comments:

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)