Orange Blossom Day June 27, 2018

DIANE'S CORNER ... 

Celebrate Orange Blossom Day

As far as delicate, fragrant flowers go, the orange blossom has got to be near the top of the list of the world’s most favorite. Frequently used in perfumes, this flower has long been believed to bring good fortune and as such is often seen in bouquets and wreaths at weddings.

Orange blossom petals can also be used to make orange flower water, which is an alternative to the perhaps better known rose water, and is often used in culinary arts to make desserts and some tasty cakes.

Today is about observing the versatility of this fragrant flower, and perhaps finding out a little more about what it has to offer.

The History of Orange Blossom Day

The orange blossom flower has been a part of traditional medicine and perfumes for generations, and it’s showing no signs of dropping out of favor these days.

As the flower of the citrus sinensis – that’s an orange tree to me and you – it’s a widely available ingredient and a pretty, delicate white flower.

In French and Middle Eastern cuisine, it shows up quite frequently as an ingredient – in the orange flower water incarnation mentioned above, and some really tasty cakes and treats are made from it.

In the United States, the orange flower water is often used to make the teatime cake of scones, but it’s also found in recipes for the chewy treat of marshmallows.

This flower can be the base of a honey too – orange blossom honey can be created quite simply by beekeepers putting their beehives into citrus groves around the time that the little flowers start to bloom. The flavor in the resultant honey is very distinctive and this makes it a highly sought after sweet treat.

Blossoms which have fallen from the tree can be dried and used to make tea – this is done particularly in Spain.

thanks for "How's This for Nostalgia" pics, Elaine 

 It took three minutes for the TV to warm up?

Word of the Day

refurbish
Definition:	(verb) To make clean, bright, or fresh again.
Synonyms:	freshen up, renovate
Usage:	We refurbished the offices in the hopes that a new look would make for happier, more productive employees.

Nobody owned a purebred dog?

 

 

Idiom of the Day

(one's) moment in the sun  — A brief period of time in which one is or has been particularly successful, popular, famous, etc., especially when set against an otherwise moderate or unremarkable life.

When a quarter was a decent allowance? 

And made with real Silver!

 

History

The Battle of Dettingen (1743)

In 1713, Holy Roman Emperor Charles VI issued the Pragmatic Sanction, which stated that a female heir could inherit his lands. When his daughter Maria Theresa became queen in 1740, the War of Austrian Succession erupted. Austrian, British, German, and Dutch troops formed the Pragmatic Army, named in support of the sanction, and defeated French troops in the Battle of Dettingen, despite having no access to supplies.

Louis XII of France (1462)

King of France from 1498 to 1515, Louis XII succeeded his cousin Charles VIII. Called the "Father of the People" by his subjects, Louis maintained his popularity by ruling with moderation. Despite early victories, he was unsuccessful in asserting French claims in Italy after he met resistance from Pope Julius II's "Holy League." 

Martyrdom of Joseph and Hyrum Smith

Members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, also known as Mormons, commemorate the day on which their founder, Joseph Smith, and his brother, Hyrum, were murdered in the city jail in Carthage, Illinois, in 1844. Joseph had announced his candidacy for presidency earlier that year; as the mayor of Nauvoo, IL, Smith saw to it that the press used to print the opposition newspaper was destroyed. Threats of mob violence followed, and Smith and his brother were jailed for treason. A mob of men stormed the jail on June 27 and killed them, thus elevating them to the status of martyrs.

Africa's baobab trees can live for more than 1000 years but the oldest and largest of them are dying

The oldest and biggest angiosperm trees in the world, the African baobabs, are dying or already dead, an international team of scientists has found. The scientists added that the spate of deaths, described in the journal Nature Plants, might be the result of a ...
READ MORE:

Africa's baobab trees can live for more than 1,000 years, but many of the oldest and largest are dying


1693 - "The Ladies' Mercury" was published by John Dunton in London. It was the first women's magazine and contained a "question and answer" column that became known as a "problem page."


1787 - Edward Gibbon completed "The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire." It was published the following May. 


1885 - Chichester Bell and Charles S. Tainter applied for a patent for the gramophone. It was granted on May 4, 1886.


1918 - Two German pilots were saved by parachutes for the first time. 


1924 - Democrats offered Mrs. Leroy Springs for vice presidential nomination. She was the first woman considered for the job. 


1927 - The U.S. Marines adopted the English bulldog as their mascot. 


1940 - Robert Pershing Wadlow was measured by Dr. Cyril MacBryde and Dr. C. M. Charles. They recorded his height at 8' 11.1." He was only 22 at the time of his death on July 15, 1940. 


1955 - The first "Wide Wide World" was broadcast on NBC-TV.


1959 - The play, "West Side Story," with music by Leonard Bernstein, closed after 734 performances on Broadway. 


1967 - The world's first cash dispenser was installed at Barclays Bank in Enfield, England. The device was invented by John Sheppard-Barron. The machine operated on a voucher system and the maximum withdrawal was $28. 


1969 - Patrons at the Stonewall Inn, a gay bar in New York City's Greenwich Village, clashed with police. This incident is considered to be the birth of the homosexual rights movement. 


1985 - Route 66 was officially removed from the United States Highway System.

1989 - Tom Jones was awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk Of Fame. 


2005 - In Alaska's Denali National Park, a roughly 70-million year old dinosaur track was discovered. The track was form a three-toed Cretaceous period dinosaur.



DAILY SQU-EEK

If You Were Born Today, June 27

You are a wonderful conversationalist and idea-person. You have a way with words, and others tend to appreciate your sense of fun. You are very able to make sacrifices for others, and sometimes do so to the detriment of your own progress. This is particularly true in your love life. You are highly creative. Possibly the most impressive of your many abilities is your empathic qualities that allow you to put yourself into virtually anyone’s shoes and understand. Famous people born today: 

1872 Paul Laurence Dunbar, American poet and novelist (Oak & Ivory), born in Dayton, Ohio (d. 1906)

1880 Helen Keller, American political activist, author (The Story of My Life) and lecturer, who was the 1st deaf-blind person to earn a BA, born in Tuscumbia, Alabama (d. 1968)

1959 Janusz Kamiński, Polish cinematographer (Schindler's List), born in Ziębice, Poland

1966 J. J. Abrams, American writer, producer and director (Lost, Star Wars: the Force Awakens), born in NYC, New York

1975 Tobey Maguire, American actor (Spider-Man, The Great Gatsby), born in Santa Monica, California

1984 Khloé Kardashian, American reality television star (Keeping Up with the Kardashians), born in Los Angeles, California

READERS INFO

1.

1936 -

TODAY:  Lucille Clifton, poet, writer, and former Poet Laureate of Maryland, is born.

2.

JASNA Greater Louisville Jane Austen Festival 2018

Jul 13-15, 2018 | Louisville, KY

Locust Grove|561 Blankenbaker

Still searching for your Mr. Darcy? Then head out to the Jane Austen Festival in Louisville, Kentucky, a fantastic event for fans of the author and her works. Guests can mingle with hundreds of other fans and Austen experts that love the author’s wonderful body of literature. The festival features a variety of fun and enriching events ranging from a Regency style show and emporium to afternoon tea talks and literature-focused discussions.

further information: 2018 Jane Austen Festival - The Jane Austen Society of Louisville, Kentucky

3.

Super Geek Film Festival 2018

Jul 12-15, 2018 | Fort Lauderdale, FL 

Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention Center|1950 Eisenhower Blvd 

The Super Geek Film Festival screens all kinds of movies for your inner or outer geek. From manga to science fiction, these films hit every realm and universe. Amateurs and professionals represent their films in all different ways including documentaries and animations.

further information: Geek Film Fest | Florida Supercon

4.

ITW Thrillerfest 2018

Jul 10-14, 2018 | New York, NY 

Grand Hyatt New York|109 E 42nd St

ITW Thriller Fest is a marquee conference for thriller enthusiasts, readers, authors, and agents hosted at the Grand Hyatt in New York City. With hundreds of genre experts and contributors having gathered for past conferences, the event has established itself as a major of hub for networking and socializing within the literary thriller universe. The conference annually features keynote speakers, workshops, Q&A sessions, and plenty of unique booths for thriller-lovers to explore new adventures and authors.

further information: ThrillerFest XIII | July 10 – 14, 2018 | Grand Hyatt | New York City — The Premier Conference for Thriller Enthusiasts

You got your windshield cleaned, oil checked, and gas pumped, without asking, all for free, every time? And you didn't pay for air? And, you got trading stamps to boot?

 

 

Pictures of the day


The Lion of Al-lāt is an ancient statue which adorned the temple of pre-Islamic goddess al-Lāt in Palmyra, Syria. On 27 June 2015, it was severely damaged by the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant after they captured Palmyra. The statue was eventually removed to the National Museum of Damascus, underwent reconstruction works, and now stands again.

RILEY HARLAN, 12

Mystic gates high in the mountains of Japan

It was considered a great privilege to be taken out to  

dinner at a real restaurant with your parents?

 

 

knit, 2 - 8 years

thanks, Marilyn

Swirly Girly Sundress pattern by Eileen Casey

knit

thanks, Lisa

Nopjesdebardeur pattern by de breimadammen

knit

Bordeaux Matelasse Afghan

https://www.marymaxim.ca/books-patterns/free-patterns/free-bordeaux-matelasse-afghan-pattern.html
knit

Sailboat Baby Cloth

knit

Sakura Dress

https://www.yarn.com/products/universal-yarn-sakura-dress-free?

They threatened to keep kids back a grade if they  

failed...and they did it!

 

 

crochet

thanks, Rosa

Miniature Backpack pattern by MaryJ Handmade

crochet

thanks, Fern

Scrub Top pattern by Rilla Edwards

crochet

Cutie Carry Purse Pattern

crochet

MOROCCAN GARDEN

https://www.projectarian.com/2016/06/09/moroccan-garden-tiles-free-crochet-pattern/

crochet
Carla Summer Top
https://www.girliescrochet.com/carla-summer-top.html

When a 57 Chevy was everyone's dream car... to cruise,  

peel out, lay rubber or watch submarine races, and people went steady.

 

RECIPE, adult

thanks, Shelley

Homemade Sangria Recipe

When being sent to the principal's office was nothing  

compared to the fate that awaited the student at home?

 

 

CROCKPOT RECIPE
thanks, Dana

Honey-Apricot-Glazed Chicken

Basically we were in fear for our lives, but it wasn't because of drive-by shootings, drugs, gangs, etc. Our parents and grandparents were a much bigger threat!  But we survived because their love was greater than the threat.

 

 

SWEETS

Slow Cooker Hot Fudge Pudding Cake

    

Prep Time 10 min Cook Time 2 hr, 30 Total Time 10 mins

Serves 8 Servings     

Slow Cooker Hot Fudge Pudding Cake an easy crock-pot dessert perfect for freeing up your oven. With a delicious sauce that forms beneath the cake.

Nutrition Facts
Serving Size
Amount Per Serving	As Served
Calories 254kcalCalories from fat 38
% Daily Value
Total Fat 4g
Saturated Fat 3g
Cholesterol 0
Sodium 198mg
Carbohydrate 56g
Dietary Fiber 2g
Sugars 42g
Protein 2g

Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs:

	Calories	2000
Total Fat	Less than	65g
Sat Fat	Less than	25g
Cholesterol	Less than	300mg
Sodium	Less than	2,400mg
Total Carbohydrate		300g
Dietary Fiber		25g

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup white-whole wheat flour or all purpose flour
• 1 cup coconut sugar (or packed brown sugar)
• 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup almond milk (or milk of your choice)
• 2 tablespoons coconut oil, melted (or vegetable oil)
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Cocoa Fudge Mixture
• 3/4 cup coconut sugar (or brown sugar)
• 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 3/4 cups hot or boiling water
• Optional Toppings:(use any combination you like to equal a total of 1 cup)
• Paleo-friendly chocolate chips (or semi-sweet)
• White chocolate chips
• Shredded Coconut
• Chopped Nuts

INSTRUCTIONS

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt. Pour in the milk, butter and vanilla and mix until just combined.
2. Spread into a 3-qt. slow cooker coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle with optional toppings using any combination equaling out to one cup and press gently into batter so they stick.
3. For the Cocoa fudge mixture, combine sugar and cocoa and sprinkle over the batter in the crock-pot. Pour hot or boiling water over the cocoa powder (do not stir).
4. Cover and cook on high for 1 3/4 - 2 1/2 hours or until a toothpick inserted near center of cake comes out clean. Every slow cooker cooks differently so if your slow cooker runs hot, be sure to check on the batter at 1 hour and then every 20 minutes after that.
5. Serve warm with ice cream and top with fruit if desired.

Summers filled with bike rides, Hula hoops, and  

visits to the pool, and eating Kool-Aid powder with sugar.

  

 

 

 

ADULT COLORING

Didn't that feel good, just to go back and say, 

'Yeah, I remember that'?

 

Still remember Howdy Doody and The Peanut Gallery?

 

CRAFTS

thanks, Kay

How to Turn a Photo into Paint by Numbers

If making your own paint by numbers art is something you are interested in doing pop on over to

The Free Trick for How to Turn a Photo into Paint by Numbers

and the website PBNify.com to make any image into a paint by number pattern and color guide

PBNify

Still remember the Lone Ranger, The Shadow knows,

Nellie Bell, Roy and Dale, Trigger and Buttermilk?

 

CHILDREN'S CORNER ... crafts

thanks, Cindy

Mock Basket

Wax Coke-shaped bottles with colored sugar water inside.

 

 

PUZZLE

Austrian Mountain Jigsaw Puzzle

Candy cigarettes

 

WORD SEARCH

adult birth bramble cling commit deal

false fled fluid frost government honor

icing include information interstellar limit misery mole moot nest

original pare party peace personal proof rail ravine

solemn spouse stolen thicket travel trust world years

Home milk delivery in glass bottles with cardboard 

stoppers.

 

 

SUDOKU ... hard

solution:

And with all our progress, don't you just wish, just once, 

you could slip back in time and savor the slower pace, and share it with the children of today.

 

 

QUOTE

Stuff from the store came without safety caps and hermetic seals because no one had yet tried to poison a perfect stranger?

 

 

Playing baseball with no adults to help kids with the  

rules of the game?

 

CLEVER

Lying on your back in the grass with your friends  

and saying things like, 'That cloud looks like a...?

 

 

EYE OPENER

Pencil and Paper Games icebreakerideas

The great thing about pencil and paper games is their simplicity. They can be played anywhere and at any time. When kids get bored at home, simply give them a piece of paper and pencils or pens, and they can entertain themselves for at least an hour. Our selection of pencil and paper games includes several old favorites

Dots and Boxes

A pencil and paper game for two players, Dots and Boxes begins with an empty grid of dots. Players take turns adding a single horizontal or vertical line between two un-joined adjacent dots. The player who completes the fourth side of a 1×1 box earns one point and gets another turn. Players write their initials in the boxes to indicate who completed each. The drawn “board” can be of any size. If you have little time to play or are just learning how to play, try a 2×2 box. A 5×5 box works well for experts. Dots and Boxes ends when there are not more lines that can be placed. The winner is the player with the most boxes completed.

Cootie

The object of this game is to draw a completed cootie bug before the other players. Provide each player with a piece of paper and a pencil. Players roll a die to complete their bug. Every time, the number of dots on the die represents a different body part:

• 1 = body
• 2 = head
• 3 = antennae, hat, or bow
• 4 = eye,
• 5 = tongue, teeth, or lips
• 6 = a leg

Have each player roll the die and the player with the highest roll goes first. A player must start by throwing a one for the body and then a two for the head. If a player cannot roll the required numbers, they lose their turn and must try again on their next turn. After a player gets the body and head, cootie parts can be added in any order a player desires. However, if a player rolls a number of a cootie body part they already have, their turn is over. When a player successfully rolls a needed number, they get a free roll to attempt to get another body part. The winner of the game is the first to finish their cootie.

Hangman

A challenging two-player word game, Hangman challenges players to complete the spelling of a word before a drawing of a hangman is finished. The first player thinks of a word or phrase and writes a blank for every letter below a drawing of a gallows with an empty rope. The second player attempts to spell the word by guessing letters. Each wrong guess gives the guessing player a body part added to the swinging rope – a head, torso, two arms, and two legs. If the hangman is completed before guesses provide the correct word or phrase, the player who chose the word wins. To stump an opponent, use short words or words with repeated letters.

Tic-Tac-Toe

Tic-Tac-Toe is one of the first pencil and paper games a child learns. To begin playing, draw a grid of two horizontal lines dissecting two vertical lines. Players take turns choosing a box and placing either the letter 0 or the letter X to mark their box. The goal of the game is to fill in three marks in a row or block your opponent from doing so.

Building

Have fun building castles, homes, construction sites, and forts with anything available. Provide the kids with building blocks, empty cardboard or plastic containers, toilet tissue and paper towel cardboard tubes. Alternatively, build a fort with boxes, blankets, and pillows.

Puzzles

Puzzles are not only fun, but also build problem-solving and cognitive abilities. Choose from one or more of the following:

• For a real challenge, pull out a 1000 piece jigsaw puzzle.
• If children are of different ages, set up several jigsaw puzzles for different skill levels.
• Have your children make their own puzzles by drawing a picture on the cardboard. Outline puzzle pieces on the finished pictures, cut them out, and have each child put together either their own or another child’s puzzle.
• Purchase inexpensive puzzle books – crosswords, word search, and Sudoku – for kids to work through.

Hide and Seek

Hide and Seek works with children of any age. For indoor hide and seek, you may wish to set a limit on the areas in which they hide. Older children will enjoy an evening game played outside in the dark – have the person playing “It” carry a flashlight for safety. Vary the time “It” counts depending on the age level of players and the size of the playing area. The last person found becomes the new “It.”

Treasure Hunt

Kids love finding hidden objects and although this fun game to play at home does take a bit of preparation, the fun it provides is worth it. Begin by writing clues on small folded slips of paper. Each clue leads kids to the next place with an additional note. When the kids reach the end, they find a prize. Alternatively, leave coins in each spot, beginning with pennies and working up to the end and a larger amount of money.

Indoor Bowling

• Collect ten empty plastic water bottles and fill them part way with water for stability.
• Arrange them the way bowling pins are usually set up.
• Use a medium sized ball for knocking the pins down.
• Set a starting line and have kids take turns attempting to knock all the pins down.
• The easiest way to keep score is to give out one point for each pin knocked down.
• Give a reward to the winner with the most points.

Hot Potato

An old favorite, play begins with everyone sitting in a circle on the floor. Turn on music while players pass the “hot potato” – a bean bag or small soft ball – around the circle as quickly as they can. When the music stops, the player holding the hot potato is out. When only one player is left, you have a winner of the game.

Guess the Sound

Gather several items that produce some sort of sound. Blindfold players and have them guess the item from the sound it makes. You can show the items to younger children at the beginning of the game. For older children, make them guess without seeing the items. Some items to include are:

• A stapler – staple a paper
• A glass – hit the side with a spoon
• A pill bottle – shake it
• A piece of paper – tear it
• A comb – rub your fingers along the teeth
• Wood blocks – bang them together
• A pot with a lid – place the lid on top noisily

Touchy Feely

Although this game has its origin as a classroom sensory table experience for pre-schoolers, children of any age find joy in this touchy feely game. Find a heavy box with a lid you can close. Cut a hole in the side large enough for a hand to fit through. For younger children, a decorated shoebox is fun. Put your item inside the box and have each child guess what it is. Players can ask questions and you can offer a clue if you wish. The “winner” is the player who identifies the most substances and objects. Try one or more of the following:

• Cooked rice or spaghetti
• Seeds from a fresh pumpkin
• A piece of fruit – apple, orange, grapes, or cherries
• A toy – child must specify what it is
• Gelatine dessert
• Feathers
• Real and fake flowers
• Dehydrated potatoes
• Cereal

Artistic Antics

Choose the oldest or youngest to start this drawing game and then have players draw in order of their birth date. Find a fairly large piece of paper and get out colored pencils, crayons, or markers. The first player begins by drawing a line, circle, or other piece of a picture. Each player adds to it. Keep having players add to the picture until everyone has a turn, if you have many players, or until the players have had a predetermined number of turns. See what type of interesting drawing results.

Domino Run

Set up dominoes to make a domino run by standing them on end in long lines so that when the first tile topples, it topples the second, which topples the third, then the fourth, until all of the tiles fall. Begin with relatively few dominos and increase the number and difficulty of the design with each subsequent run. Kids will spend a great deal of time with this exercise.

Freeze!

Choose some of your kids’ favorite music and have them dance until the music stops, at which point they must freeze. You can have them freeze in whatever position they are in when the music stops or specify a position. Some good choices are the shapes of:

• Animals
• Expressing an emotion
• Letter
• Plants – trees or flowers
• Yoga positions

Dance Party

Another fun musical game is to have a dance party. Try some fun genres such as a square dance or some classical music along with your kids’ favorites. If you wish, kids can dress up for some of the music. Dance party time is great way to work off some extra energy, so try it before naptime for your little ones.

Categories

You may need to help your youngest children begin this game, but older children can play it without assistance. To begin, choose between five and ten categories and write them across the top of a piece of paper. Some suggestions are:

• Birds
• Animals
• Countries
• Games that use a ball
• States
• Television shows
• Things with wheels
• S. Presidents
• Vegetables

The first player chooses any random letter of the alphabet. All the players have one minute to come up with something for each category listed that begins with that letter. At the end of each round scores are totalled. However, you only get a point if no one else came up with the same thing or name. The more obscure the words chosen for each category usually earn the most points.

Word Whiz

A dictionary game for older children, word whiz can be played indefinitely. Provide each player with a piece of paper and a pen or pencil. Pass around a dictionary and each player in turn chooses a word the meaning of which they believe the other players do not know. Players read words aloud and spell them if necessary. The players who have not chosen the word write down what they believe the word means. All the definitions are read and the players vote for which one they think is correct. The player with the word gets one point for each vote and then reveals the real definition. The player with the most points at the end of a set number of rounds wins the game.

Whether you have a family of all ages or just one child, our selection of fun games to play at home has a game perfect for you. When you want to play games at home, you want something with quick and easy directions and set up. Very few of the games in this article require any outlay of funds or extra equipment. Additionally, many can be modified for different ages and group sizes. Fun games to play at home can be quick, such as a few games of tic-tac-toe, or take a great amount of time, like a 1000 word puzzle. For rainy or hot summer days, our games provide enjoyment and many, such as the puzzles and word games, are also educational and build thinking skills. Choose a game and have fun!