Guinea Pig Day - July 16, 2019

DIANE'S CORNER ... 

Celebrate Guinea Pig Day

As far as small fuzzies go, the Guinea Pig is certainly one of the world’s favorites. Having been domesticated in South America for thousands of years, they’re one of the longest-serving companions to humans and today are the pet of choice for many children and adults alike. With their soft squishy bodies, cute little ears and their easy-going demeanor, if you’re looking for a cuddly companion you can’t go far wrong.

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To keep the love of guinea pigs alive, Guinea Pig Appreciation Day celebrates everything that we love about these cutesy critters and celebrates just what it is that makes them great pets.

History of Guinea Pig Appreciation Day

We first started domesticating the humble guinea pig as far back as 5000BC, when they were usually kept as livestock. In Europe, they became known as exotic pets when traders brought them to the UK in the 1500s, with even royalty being keen to keep them.

Throughout the years, we have bred many different breeds of guinea pigs – from breeds with long lush coats that need trimming frequently, to piggies with no hair at all!

thanks for the pics, Barbara

Word of the Day

meniscus

Meniscus of the knee

MEANING:

noun
1. The curved surface of a column of liquid.
2. Something having a crescent-shape.
3. A lens that is concave on one side and convex on the other.
4. A thin cartilage disk between bones in a joint, such as in a knee or wrist.

ETYMOLOGY:

From Latin, from Greek meniskos (crescent), diminutive of mene (moon). Earliest documented use: 1686.

USAGE:

“My father listens silently, but I can feel a meniscus of rage rising in him, coating his throat with bile.”
Siddhartha Mukherjee; Runs in the Family; The New Yorker; Mar 28, 2016. 

Idiom of the Day

Make or break -

Meaning - Circumstances causing total success or total ruin.

Example - The huge investment in this big project with make or break him.

This Day in History

1790 - The District of Columbia, or Washington, DC, was established as the permanent seat of the United States Government. 

1862 - David G. Farragut became the first rear admiral in the U.S. Navy. 

1926 - The first underwater color photographs appeared in "National Geographic" magazine. The pictures had been taken near the Florida Keys. 

1935 - Oklahoma City became the first city in the U.S. to install parking meters. 

1945 - The United States detonated the first atomic bomb in a test at Alamogordo, NM. 


1951 - J.D. Salinger's novel "The Catcher in the Rye" was first published. 


1957 - Marine Major John Glenn set a transcontinental speed record when he flew a jet from California to New York in 3 hours, 23 minutes and 8 seconds. 


1969 - Apollo 11 blasted off from Cape Kennedy, FL, and began the first manned mission to land on the moon. 


1970 - The Pittsburgh Pirates played their first game at Three Rivers Stadium. 


1981 - After 23 years with the name Datsun, executives of Nissan changed the name of their cars to Nissan. 


1985 - The All-Star Game, televised on NBC-TV, was the first program broadcast in stereo by a TV network. 

2009 - In Chicago, Sears Tower was renamed Willis Tower. 

thanks, Karla

DAILY SQU-EEK

If You Were Born Today, July 16

Others tend to be quite fascinated with you. You have a royal bearing and warm approach, yet you keep a certain distance and air of mystery. You are enthusiastic and highly intuitive. Your advice is always welcome as you are exceptionally fair-minded. You most enjoy love relationships that keep you moving, learning, and experiencing life. You are quick to size up a person or situation, and you are typically very accurate in your assessments! Famous people born today: 

1821 Mary Baker Eddy, American founder of Christian Science (Science & Health), born in Bow, New Hampshire (d. 1910)

1872 Roald Amundsen, Norwegian polar explorerwho led the 1st expedition to the South Pole, born in Borge, Østfold, Norway (d. 1928)

1907 Orville Redenbacher, American popcorn magnate (Orville Redenbacher's Gourmet Popcorn), born in Brazil, Indiana (d. 1995)

1911 Ginger Rogers [Virginia McMath], American actress, dancer and singer (Top Hat, Kitty Foyle), born in Independence, Missouri (d. 1995)

1942 Margaret Smith Court, Australian tennis player (1970 Grand Slam, 24 Grand Slam singles titles), born in Albury, New South Wales

1943 Jimmy Johnson, American NFL coach (Dallas Cowboys, Miami Dolphins), born in Port Arthur, Texas

1958 Michael Flatley, Irish choreographer (Lord of Dance), born in Chicago, Illinois

READERS INFO

1.

(Not So) Totally Useless Fact of The Day:

In 1776, about 2.5 million people lived in the United States.

2

CELESTIAL EVENTS TONIGHT:

• July 16 - Full Moon. 
• 
• The Moon will be located on the opposite side of the Earth as the Sun and its face will be will be fully illuminated. This phase occurs at 21:38 UTC. This full moon was known by early Native American tribes as the Full Buck Moon because the male buck deer would begin to grow their new antlers at this time of year. This moon has also been known as the Full Thunder Moon and the Full Hay Moon.
• July 16 - Partial Lunar Eclipse. 
• 
• A partial lunar eclipse occurs when the Moon passes through the Earth's partial shadow, or penumbra, and only a portion of it passes through the darkest shadow, or umbra. During this type of eclipse a part of the Moon will darken as it moves through the Earth's shadow. The eclipse will be visible throughout most of Europe, Africa, central Asia, and the Indian Ocean. (NASA Map and Eclipse Information)

3.

Taste of Hartford 2019

Jul 15 - 28, 2019 | Hartford, CT 

For one week, the best restaurants in Hartford offer multi-course, price-fixed menus for everyone to enjoy. Don't miss this exciting opportunity to treat your taste buds to the most delicious dishes in the area.

further information: Taste of Hartford 2019 | Hartford Restaurant Week | Connecticut Restaurant Week

4.

Independence Popsicles in the Park 2019

Jul 16, 2019 | Independence, MO

Glendale Park

When it’s hot out, it’s hard to turn down a Popsicle. And there are plenty of them at Independence Popsicles in the Park in Independence, Missouri. This is a kid-focused event that takes place at various locations during a few summer months. The event also features live music, art, puppets and more.

further information: Find Your Family Fun

5.

Stockton Beer Week 2019

Aug 9 - 18, 2019 Dates | Stockton, CA 

Raise a pint of your favorite microbrew to Stockton Beer Week in Stockton, California. The week-long suds-soaked event features dozens of California breweries serving up their signature ales and their latest beer creations, a beer fun run/walk, beer dinners, beer-themed movie nights and seminars with craft beer experts.

further information: Sip, sip, hooray! 2019 Stockton Beer Week Dates Announced! | Visit Stockton

Pictures of the day

The Saturn V SA-506 carrying Apollo 11, the first crewed lunar landing mission, on July 16, 1969, at 13:32 UTC. Launching from Launch Pad 39A at Florida's Kennedy Space Center, the five Rocketdyne F-1 engines of the rocket's S-IC first stage can be seen arrayed in a quincunx, with a fixed center engine and four outer engines that gimballed for steering. A multistage liquid-fuel expendable launcher, the Saturn V was designed under the direction of Wernher von Braunat the Marshall Space Flight Center. It was the largest production model of the Saturn family, with a height of 111 m (363 ft), although larger models were theorized. The super heavy-lift launch vehicle consisted of liquid-propellant rockets in three stages, the first of which had a total mass at launch of 2.3 million kilograms (5.1 million pounds), consisting mostly of its RP-1 fuel and liquid oxygen. As well as launching Apollo missions, the Saturn V also launched the Skylab space station. Thirteen rockets were launched from 1967 to 1973, with an almost perfect launch record – Apollo 6 and Apollo 13 did lose engines, but the onboard computers were able to compensate.

SWITZERLAND

In Switzerland, three out of four people would rather die at home.

knit

thanks, Paige

Ränks pattern by Tuna

knit
thanks, Violet

Sugar Glazed Socks

knit

Daisy Dishcloth

knit

Gossamer Goddess Top

knit

Sand Dollar Dream Afghan

Crochet Pattern of the Day: Valerie, Canadian Correspondent

Elephant C2C Square

crochet
thanks, Joy

Summertime Fishy Phone Case

crochet
thanks, Ava

Wrapped in Love

crochet

Full Bloom Dishcloth

crochet

Baby Delight Dress

crochet

Modern Summer Top

RECIPE

thanks, Amy

Warm Feta Cheese Dip

CROCKPOT RECIPE
thanks, Debbie

Grandpa's Classic Coney Sauce Recipe

SWEETS

thanks, Carol

Strawberry Pie Recipe

ADULT COLORING

CRAFTS

thanks, Karen

Felt Bird DIY Bookmarks

CHILDREN'S CORNER ... vintage

thanks, Patty

ACROSS

1.	Inquire.
3.	Addition to a letter.
5.	Short for mother.
6.	Grown-up kitty.
7.	Yourself.
10.	Short for advertisements.
12.	Nickname for Arthur.
14.	United States (abbreviation).
16.	Doctor (abbreviation).
17.	Animal to play with.

DOWN

1.	Ante Meridiem (abbreviation).
2.	Speak.
3.	Short for father.
4.	Where pigs live.
6.	What cows chew.
8.	Kind of grain.
9.	Passing fashion.
11.	Girl's name.
13.	Railroad (abbreviation).
15.	Street (abbreviation).

answer:

PUZZLE

Flower Osteospermum Jigsaw Puzzle

WORD SEARCH

SUDOKU ... hard

solution:

QUOTE

thanks, Lana









CLEVER

I would never actually wait if I needed to go. According to my mother (she was a doctor), the bladder is always being filled so you can go before, during and after any/every event!

EYE OPENER

10 Fun Facts About Guinea Pigs

1. Its estimated that 2% of UK households own a Guinea Pig.

2. Guinea Pigs have 20 teeth! The very prominent incisors that we all see, premolars and molars. They’re hidden by a Guinea Pig’s fatty cheeks, which make them very hard to see.

3. Two of the most common Guinea Pig insurance claims seen by ExoticDirect are for dental problems, such as overgrown teeth that lead to dental deformities, pain and difficulty eating. And Gastric issues such as Gut stasis. Gut stasis is when a piggy’s gut stops contracting and moving. The conditions are often linked, being caused by a lack of fibre found in hay and grass in the diet.

4. A baby Guinea Pig is called a Pup (pup).

5. Like humans, Guinea Pigs can’t produce their own vitamin C. It needs to be supplied to them in their diet. Insufficient vitamin C will lead to the piggy developing Scurvy.

6. Guinea pigs eat their own poo. Well the caecotrophs anyway. These are their soft droppings, and they’re full of goodness from their high fibre diet. They also produce a hard dropping which they don’t eat.

7. Guinea Pigs shouldn’t eat buttercups, but they can eat brussels sprouts!

8. The best temperature for Guinea Pigs is between 18 to 23 degrees Celsius. Too hot, and your piggy could get heatstroke, and too cold and it can get chilled.

9. Guinea Pigs shouldn’t eat cut grass, as this can begin to ferment very quickly, giving your piggy an upset tummy.

10. Guinea Pigs are very fertile, and if a male is left with multiple females, he will mate with them all. This was proven back in 2014, when a male GuineaPig impregnated 100 females at Hatton Adventure World in Warwick, after ending up in the female enclosure.

Written by Tamara Labelle for ExoticDirect pet insurance

ExoticDirect pet insurance insure small pets, lizards, snakes, tortoises, birds and other exotic-y pets such as pygmy hedgehogs and ferrets.

A THOUGHT FOR TODAY:

Every student needs someone who says, simply, "You mean something. You count." -Tony Kushner, playwright (b. 16 Jul 1956)