Carrot Cake Day FEB 5, 2015 (out of order)

DIANE'S CORNER ... Celebrate Carrot Cake Day

Carrot Cake has been made since the Middle Ages, when sugar and other 

sweeteners were rare and very expensive, and so people used sweet vegetables to flavor their puddings. This technique became practically obsolete for several hundred years, but resurfaced in the 20th century. During World War II, the British government rationed many luxury foods and household staples including sugar. To appease the nation’s sweet tooth, the Ministry of Food promoted recipes for carrot puddings, carrot-filled pies, and carrot cakes. Today, many families in the UK still serve carrot cake on Christmas Day! Carrot cake is much healthier than many other baked goods. A traditional recipe calls for carrots, raisins, walnuts, and brown sugar. Enjoy a slice from your local bakery in honor of Carrot Cake Day!

Word of the Day

affront
Definition:	(noun) A deliberately offensive act or something producing the effect of deliberate disrespect.
Synonyms:	insult
Usage:	Your deliberate implication that I stole the money is an affront to my character.

History

15th Amendment to the US Constitution Ratified
	Ratified during the post-Civil War Reconstruction Period, the 15th Amendment to the US Constitution was intended primarily to enfranchise former slaves. It states: "The right of citizens.to vote shall not be denied or abridged.on account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude." Though the amendment's purpose was not fully achieved until 1965.

Hugo Junkers

Junkers was a pioneering German engineer who held many patents for his original developments in the fields of gas engine and aircraft design. He had innovative ideas about metal airplanes and flying wings, and he put them to the test—somewhat ironically, as he was purportedly a pacifist—developing warplanes for World War I. In the lead-up to World War II, the Nazis stripped Junkers of control of his company and sentenced him to house arrest. He died soon after.

Ultra-Rare Fox Spotted  in Yosemite

Wildlife biologists have confirmed spotting one of the rarest mammals in North America—the Sierra Nevada red fox—at Yosemite National Park in California. Only 50 Sierra Nevada red foxes are thought to exist in North America, and this is the first time the species has been observed in the park. A small group of these foxes has been monitored in an area north of the park since 2010. Before that, it had not been seen in the region for 20 years. Biologists plan to continue to keep watch for it via remote cameras in Yosemite .

1488 - The Portuguese navigator Bartholomew Diaz landed at Mossal Bay in the Cape, the first European known to have landed on the southern extremity of Africa

1783 - Spain recognized the independence of the United States.

1815 - The world's first commercial cheese factory was established in Switzerland.

1913 - The 16th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution was ratified. It authorized the power to impose and collect income tax.

1947 - Percival Prattis became the first black news correspondent admitted to the House and Senate press gallery in Washington, DC. He worked for "Our World" in New York City

1951 - Dick Button won the U.S. figure skating title for the sixth time. 

2009 - Eric Holder was sworn in as attorney general. He was the first African-American to hold the post.

If You Were Born Today, February 3
You are inspired, flexible, and able to bounce back quickly from any setback. Your imagination is wild, your expectations sometimes unrealistic, and your compassion boundless. There is certainly an artistic streak in you, and whether or not you can turn this into a career, you do see the world through an artist's eyes. You are a true giver, but should be careful not to take on more than you can handle--and this is true not only in career and day-to-day life, but in your interpersonal relationships as well. Famous people born today: Nathan Lane, James Michener, Gertrude Stein, Morgan Fairchild.

Waves hit the pier wall on the seafront of Tynemouth, on the north east coast

knit

Valentine Mug Hug pattern by Michele Wilcox

				Valentine Mug Hug pattern by Michele Wilcox Materials:
				View on www.ravelry.com	Preview by Yahoo

knit

Ierne pattern by MMario

				Ierne pattern by MMario Suitable as a stole, scarf, motif for an afghan or other flat knit pieces.
				View on www.ravelry.com	Preview by Yahoo

knit

Free fall-tank pattern by Annina Päivärinta

				Free fall-tank pattern by Annina Päivärinta August 2012: There’s now an updated version of the pattern, w/ correct chart for the back.
				View on www.ravelry.com	Preview by Yahoo

knit 

Zig-zag Jacquard Dishcloth pattern by Bich Lan

				Zig-zag Jacquard Dishcloth pattern by Bich Lan This Jacquard dishcloth looks intricate but in fact it is an easy one, because it uses the simple technique of slip-stitch knitting.
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knit

Irish Mesh Cowl pattern by Jo Strong

				Irish Mesh Cowl pattern by Jo Strong Errata: Row count is reading row 24, 20, 25.
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crochet

Grandma's heart pattern by Carola Wijma

				Grandma's heart pattern by Carola Wijma ERRATA:
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crochet

Evighedstæppe pattern by Jeanette Bøgelund Bentzen

				Evighedstæppe pattern by Jeanette Bøgelund Bentzen Fin the free pattern (with detailet image-close up) for the square HERE
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crochet

Bloom Where You Are Planted pattern by Darlene Swaim

				Bloom Where You Are Planted pattern by Darlene Swaim February’s block for MA’s crocheted button afghan.
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crochet

 Kelley's Ponchito pattern by Julie Blagojevich

				Kelley's Ponchito pattern by Julie Blagojevich Kelley’s Ponchito is a light and lacy poncho crocheted from side to side as a single rectangle and then seamed to create the poncho shape. The neck opening ...
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crochet

Animal Winter Wear pattern by Joy Koestner

				Animal Winter Wear pattern by Joy Koestner hook it! add to faves to queue About this pattern Animal Winter Wear by Joy Koestner average rating of 3.8 from 9 votes average difficulty from 7 users 36...
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recipe

http://womanofmanyroles.com/layered-jello-snacks/

craft

DIY Playdough Mason Jars

				DIY Playdough Mason Jars I came across this DIY Playdough Mason Jars idea on Pinterest. I knew I had to make these for my youngest son. He is a play dough Jedi. All you need are
				View on livingchiconthechea...	Preview by Yahoo

'hello' in Slovenian: Zivjo (hello), Dober dan (good day)

puzzle!

Dog Flying Jigsaw Puzzle

				Dog Flying Jigsaw Puzzle Dog Flying Jigsaw Puzzle, 67 Piece Classic. Dog running fast toward the camera, all four paws off the ground. brown dog,
				View on www.jigzone.com	Preview by Yahoo

clever!

EYE OPENER!

Unexpected Ways to Use Apples

Stack an Apple with Peanut Butter

Apples and peanut butter are a match made in healthy-snack heaven. Sweet, savory, crispy, fat -- all the good stuff. You can core an apple and stuff the center and slice it, or you can trick it out like a fancy layer cake, as shown above.

Decorate a Tree

There's something undeniably magical about eschewing plastic baubles on the tree in favor of homemade ornaments. Add in the fragrance and charm of using dried fruit on the tree and you may not feel too bad about leaving the tree up until March.

Use Them to Stamp Things

Ditching the rubber stamp for stamps of the organic variety, like the classic potato stamp, is seriously fun. 

Ripen Unripe Fruit

Apples give off ethylene, a gas which accelerates ripening. Place unripe bananas, avocados, tomatoes, etc in a paper bag with an apple and it will take you from green and hard to sweet and tender.

Refresh Your Face

Said to reduce inflammation and the appearance of fine wrinkles, apples' pectin is a natural boon to the beauty routine. For a quick way to brighten up your face, grate a peeled and cored apple and apply to skin; let sit for 15 minutes. Rinse with warm water.

Keep Cakes and Baked Goods Moist

By storing cakes and baked treats with half an apple, the moisture of the apple keeps the cake fresh longer. Just be sure to use an airtight container, and voila.

Make an Apple Oatmeal Face Mask

As mentioned before, the pectin in apples is great for inflammation and wrinkles, but the fruit's alpha-hydroxy acids also work wonders on skin. For a fab face mask, that also employs the moisturizing properties of oatmeal, try this: Grate half a peeled and cored apple and mix with one tablespoon rolled oats, one teaspoon yogurt, and one teaspoon honey. Slather on face and let sit for 10 minutes, rinse with warm water.

Make Dried Apples and Apple Chips

Apples last in cold storage for a very long time so they may not be first priority for drying, but that said, they are excellent candidates for the results they provide. Dried apples retain some chewiness, apple chips are crunchy and make for a fine, fine garnish on desserts and salads

Make Tealight Holders

Cored-out apple tealight holders. Why? Because they are really cute and all of your friends will think you are so very clever.

Soften Brown Sugar

Brown sugar loves to transform itself from soft and crumbly into a hard impossible brick. But if you place a slice of apple in a sealed bag with hardened brown sugar and it will be soft again in a few days as the sugar absorbs the moisture of the fruit.