International Cat Day - Aug 8, 2019

DIANE'S CORNER ... Celebrate Int'l Cat Day

International Cat Day is a full 24 hours of recognition and veneration of one of humanity’s oldest and most beloved pets. The festivities were put together for the first time in 2002 by IFAW, the International Fund for Animal Welfare, among other animal rights groups, to celebrate the most popular pet on the planet.

An estimated 500 million cats are thought to be frolicking in neighbors’ gardens across the world, which means that most every extended family is bound to have an aunt with more kittens than former husbands, whatever the country or climate. And that’s great, because owning a cat has been shown to improve mental health and to relieve stress, anxiety and depression. So when it’s raining cats and dogs outside and you don’t have someone to cuddle with, any black, ginger, Persian, Siamese, Burmese, Bengal, Shorthair, Munchkin, Balinese, RagaMuffin or any old stray cat will do the trick.

So roll out the red carpet and the catnip for your furry feline friend, because International Cat Day is that one day a year when black cats bring good luck and cat eye sunglasses match your entire wardrobe.

Word of the Day

akratic

MEANING:

adjective: Characterized by weakness of will that results in acting contrary to one’s better judgment.

ETYMOLOGY:

From Greek akretes (powerless), from a- (without) + kratos (power, strength). Earliest documented use: 1896.

USAGE:

“Smoking causes cancer, heart disease, stroke, emphysema, you name it. Too many young people, especially young women, are taking it up without any real understanding of the risks, and when they do understand the risks they are akratic -- they just can’t help themselves.”
Boris Johnson; Banning Smoking in Cars Is Bizarre, Intrusive -- and Right; The Daily Telegraph (London, UK); Feb 10, 2014.

Idiom of the Day

A BLESSING IN DISGUISE

Something that appears bad at first but ends up having good results

Missing that plane turned out to be a blessing in disguise because I got to spend more time with my family.

This Day in History

1815 - Napoleon Bonaparte set sail for St. Helena, in the South Atlantic. The remainder of his life was spent there in exile.

1876 - Thomas Edison received a patent for the mimeograph. The mimeograph was a "method of preparing autographic stencils for printing."

1899 - The refrigerator was patented by A.T. Marshall.

1911 - The number of representatives in the U.S. House of Representatives was established at 435. There was one member of Congress for every 211,877 residents.

1950 - Whataburger opened its restaurant in Corpus Christi, TX.

1960 - 25,000 copies of "Tell Laura I Love Her" were destroyed by Decca Records. It was said that the song was "too tasteless and vulgar for English sensibility."

1966 - Michael DeBakey became the first surgeon to install an artificial heart pump in a patient.

1970 - Janis Joplin bought a headstone for the grave of blues singer Bessie Smith. Smith was one of Joplin's idols.

1978 - The U.S. launched Pioneer Venus II, which carried scientific probes to study the atmosphere of Venus.


1999 - Wade Boggs (Tampa Bay Devil Rays) got his 3,000th hit of his major league baseball career.


2000 - The submarine H.L. Hunley was raised from ocean bottom after 136 years. The sub had been lost during an attack on the U.S.S. Housatonic in 1864. The Hunley was the first submarine in history to sink a warship.

thanks, Julia

DAILY SQU-EEK

If You Were Born Today, August 8

You are always looking for meaning in your life and in the things and circumstances around you. You could frequently find yourself assessing what things may be worth, and your instincts are excellent for figuring out what is worth a further look. You dislike routine and love to keep yourself active, yet you crave stability and security. A long-term, stable job that also allows you to mix things up would be ideal. Your insatiable curiosity makes you extremely interesting to know, as your ideas are always intriguing. You make a wonderful friend and companion. Even so, there can be times when you are overly practical and logical when a softer touch is more appropriate. In love, you tend to go the distance, but you do need to feel that you’re growing and improving through a relationship. You are ambitious and, while very loving, you can be quite stern when irritated. Famous people born today: 

1902 Paul Dirac, English physicist (quantum electrodynamics, Nobel 1933), born in Bristol, England (d. 1984)

1947 Ken Dryden, Canadian politician and hockey player (Montreal Canadiens, 6 Stanley Cups), born in Hamilton, Ontario

1998 Shawn Mendes, Canadian singer-songwriter (Handwritten, Treat You Better), born in Toronto, Ontario

READERS INFO

1.

(Not So) Totally Useless Fact of The Day:

Lego produces 318 million tires in a year, making the world's largest rubber tire manufacturer by number of units produced.

2.

Sonoma County Fair 2019

Aug 1 - 11, 2019 | Santa Rosa, CA

Sonoma County Fairgrounds|1350 Bennet Valley Rd

The Sonoma County Fair demands a solid two-week commitment from you. That’s fair because there is so much to do that you may not even accomplish all that you set out to do. Carnival rides, games, food, flower shows, live music, horse racing and many other events will fill up these two weeks with ease.

further information: Sonoma County Fair General Information

3.

Wisconsin State Fair 2019

Aug 1 - 11, 2019 | Milwaukee, WI 

Wisconsin State Fair Park|640 S 84th St

The Wisconsin State Fair is held each year in the sunniest part of the summer at the fairgrounds in West Allis, Wisconsin. The fair is good old-fashioned family fun with livestock exhibitions, live music, carnival rides and any food you can imagine deep fried, on a stick or both! Local bands perform throughout the grounds during the day, while nighttime brings big name acts to the main stage. The wine garden offers a great place to kick back and relax, or you can have some silly fun at classic events like the piglet races, cheering your favorite little guy on to a delicious Oreo cookie prize. Don't forget to try one of the iconic Original Cream Puffs - fairgoers eat 350,000 a year! - and check out the 200,000 square foot exhibition center packed with vendors, exhibitors, art displays and more.

further information: Daily Schedule

4.

Tanana Valley State Fair 2019

Aug 2 - 11, 2019 | Fairbanks, AK

Tanana Valley State Fairgrounds|1800 College Rd

The Tanana Valley State Fair in Alaska showcases exhibits throughout the week to educate and entertain the citizens of Tanana Valley. This fair comes complete with games, rides, shows, contests, and everything else that makes up your classic state fair. The fair ends with a Contra Barn Dance and an exquisite fireworks display.

further information: Tanana Valley State Fair in Fairbanks, Alaska

Pictures of the day

The Cuban green woodpecker (Xiphidiopicus percussus) is a species of bird in the family Picidae. It is the only species within the genus Xiphidiopicus and is endemic to Cuba. A distinctive, relatively small woodpecker of the general size and shape of a sapsucker, the Cuban green woodpecker occasionally appears crested, with bright olive-green overparts and yellow underparts. The nape and upper breast are bright red, with some black bases to feathers usually visible, with a black chin and throat; the crown is red in males and black with white stripes in females. Females are significantly smaller than the male and generally shorter-billed. Juveniles are generally duller in plumage, showing more barring and streaking below. It typically measures 21 to 25 cm (8.3 to 9.8 in) in length and weighs 48 to 97 g (1.7 to 3.4 oz). This picture shows a female X. p. percussus individual.

His species died with him

The mounted remains of Lonesome George, who died in 2012, at about 100 years old.

knit
thanks, Nancy

Bike Basket

knit
thanks, Ivy

Theodore the Horse

knit

Openwork tee knitting pattern

knit

PUG SOCKS

Pug Socks

knit

Papageno pattern by Caoua Coffee

Knit Pattern of the Day: Valerie, Canadian Correspondent

Summer Squares

crochet
thanks, Ann

Crochet Purple Dress

crochet
thanks, Joy

Celtic Tiles Blanket

crochet

How to Crochet a Simple Lemon Pillow

crochet

Not-So-Granny Tunic

crochet

Zig Zag Zipper Bag

RECIPE

thanks, Shelley

Chili Roasted Sweet Potatoes Recipe

CROCKPOT RECIPE

Easy Slow Cooker French Dip Recipe

SWEETS

thanks, Carol

Blueberry Lattice Top Pie Recipe

ADULT COLORING

CRAFTS

thanks,  Karen

Light Up Your Bedroom With A Fairy Light Kids Rug

CHILDREN'S CORNER ... make

thanks, Sonja

Chocolate Milk Straws

PUZZLE

Chandelier Jigsaw Puzzle

WORD SEARCH

SUDOKU ... very hard

solution:

QUOTE

thanks, Anita

CLEVER

thanks, Valerie, Canadian Correspondent

Bird feeder

Want to attract more birds to your backyard but not sure how. A great way to get these woodland creatures more interested in you is to set up a feeder. All you have to do is stick some food inside it, and they’ll gradually start recognizing your backyard as a place where they can eat.

You don’t even need to go to the effort of buying a feeder either. It’s easy enough to make one using a flower pot and some saucers. Drill a hole in the side of the container for the food to come out, and it’s done.

Birdbath

Of course, if you’re going to make a bird feeder, then you may as well make a bath to go with it. This will give your new wildlife friends somewhere to drink from and chill out when they’re not feasting themselves at their feeder.

Once again, it’s easy to make this creation out of flowerpots - four of them to be precise. Stacking them on top of each other like so creates a stand for the bath to sit on. Then, all you need is a clay saucer to stick on the top, and you’ll have the birdbath of your dreams.

EYE OPENER

thanks, Jenny

18 Fun DIY Hula Hoop Projects That Will Impress You | Homesthetics - Inspiring ideas for your home.

A THOUGHT FOR TODAY:

When I can look Life in the eyes, / Grown calm and very coldly wise, / Life will have given me the Truth, / And taken in exchange -- my youth. -Sara Teasdale, poet (8 Aug 1884-1933)