More Herbs, Less Salt Day - August 29, 2019

DIANE'S CORNER ... 

Celebrate More Herbs, Less Salt Day

Eating a healthy, balanced diet is often easier said than done – it takes thought, time and effort to prepare fresh and nutritious food, when less healthy options are often much easier and more convenient!

More Herbs, Less Salt Day encourages you to take a simple step to re-align this balance, through the use of herbs in home-cooked dishes in place of salt. It doesn’t take much room or effort to grow a variety of fresh herbs, and a little rosemary, thyme, mint or other herbs can do just as much to enrich a dish as a heavy dose of salt.

Roadside Attractions That Are So Big You’ll Want To Go On A Road Trip To See Them

Big Banana is a tourist attraction in Coffs Harbour, Australia. You can even walk through it!

Joke of the Day

FARMER AND THE DEBT

An old farmer wins the ten million dollar lottery and is being interviewed. The reporter asked what he is going to do with all the money.

"Oh, I reckon the first thing I'll do is go and pay a few bills."

"And what about the rest?" the reporter continued.

The farmer shrugs. "Well, I guess they'll just have to wait."

The Cabazon Dinosaurs in California were originally constructed by sculptor Claude Bell to attract visitors to a nearby cafe (now closed). Today, the dinosaurs are a popular roadside tourist attraction.

Word of the Day

tirrit

“Ogni fede fingo” (“I pretend to believe every belief.”)
Un palindromo in italiano

MEANING:

noun: An instance of panic, temper, upset, etc.

ETYMOLOGY:

Perhaps an alteration of the word terror. Earliest documented use: 1600.

USAGE:

“’These tirrits and frights will be the death of me,’ cries Mrs. Quickly when Ancient Pistol is swaggering in her house.”
Tom Taylor’s and Charles Reade’s Plays; The Gentleman’s Magazine (London, UK); Jan 1855.

The Big Apple is a restaurant located just off of Ontario Highway 401. Besides food, the site features an observation deck and a petting zoo.

Idiom of the Day

BUST ONE’S CHOPS

To work very hard on something, or to harass someone
I was busting my chops all night to get that report finished!Stop busting my chops! I’ll mow the lawn later.

Note: In British English slang, the word ‘chops’ is used to mean ‘mouth’. So the idiom above literally means ‘punch in the mouth’.

Found near Te Puke, New Zealand, Kiwi 360 is a fully operational kiwi orchard. Besides its famous landmark, it offers tours on kiwi shaped carriages.

This Day in History

1885 - The first prizefight under the Marquis of Queensberry Rules was held in Cincinnati, OH. John L. Sullivan defeated Dominick McCaffrey in six rounds.

1886 - In New York City, Chinese Ambassador Li Hung-chang's chef invented chop suey.


1949 - At the University of Illinois, a nuclear device was used for the first time to treat cancer patients.


1957 - Senator Strom Thurmond of South Carolina set a filibuster record in the U.S. when he spoke for 24 hours and 18 minutes.


1958 - George Harrison joined the band Quarrymen. John Lennon and Paul McCartney were also members.


1962 - The lower level of the George Washington Bridge opened.


1964 - Roy Orbison's single "Oh, Pretty Woman" was released. The song was Orbison's second #1 hit in the U.S and his third in the U.K.


1965 - Gemini 5, carrying astronauts Gordon Cooper and Charles ("Pete") Conrad, splashed down in the Atlantic Ocean after eight days in space.


1967 - The final episode of "The Fugitive" aired.


1971 - Hank Aaron became the first baseball player in the National League to hit 100 or more runs in each of 11 seasons.


1977 - Lou Brock brought his total of stolen bases to 893. The record he beat was held by Ty Cobb for 49 years.


1983 - The anchor of the USS Monitor, from the U.S. Civil War, was retrieved by divers


1986 - The former "American Bandstand" studio was placed on the National Register of Historic Places. The studio is in Philadelphia, PA.

thanks, Joan

DAILY SQU-EEK

If You Were Born Today, August 29

You are passionate and ardent, and you work hard towards success in life. A natural leader, your charisma attracts others. You are success-oriented, but your warmth keeps you from becoming hardened or overly practical. You are seeking emotional fulfillment in life, and you enjoy starting new projects that you may not always follow through to completion. Optimistic and straightforward, you don’t readily beat around the bush, and others usually find your manner charming rather than abrupt. You are typically very willing to work for reforms that better people’s quality of living and open people’s minds to progress. You stand by your convictions and humanitarian ideals. Bringing inspiration and uniqueness to whatever work you do, you enjoy making people see things in new ways. You are attracted to busy, hard-working people like yourself. It is relatively easy for you to mix business and pleasure, and you are more than willing to work on relationships. You tend to thrive in partnerships. Famous people born today:

1632 John Locke, English empiricist philosopher; influential Enlightenment thinker and "Father of Liberalism" (Two Treatises of Government), born in Wrington, England (d. 1704)

1862 Maurice Maeterlinck, Belgian poet (Blue Bird, Nobel 1911), born in Ghent, Belgium (d. 1949)

1915 Ingrid Bergman, Swedish actress (Casablanca, Cactus Flower), born in Stockholm, Sweden (d. 1982)

1923 Richard Attenborough, English actor and director (Gandhi, Jurassic Park, Young Winston), born in Cambridge, England (d. 2014)

1936 John McCain, American war hero and Republican politician (Rep-Arizona, 1983-2018, Presidential nominee 2008), born in Coco Solo, Panama Canal Zone (d. 2018)


1958 Michael Jackson, American recording artist and King of Pop (Thriller, Bad), born in Gary, Indiana (d. 2009)

1981 Brian Chesky, American internet entrepreneur (CEO of Airbnb), born in Niskayuna, New York

thanks, Jessica

READERS INFO

1.

(Not So) Totally Useless Fact of The Day:

On August 21, 1959, President Eisenhower signed an executive order proclaiming Hawaii the 50th state of the union. 

Before the Second World War, the United States was a 48 state nation with some territories including Alaska
and Hawaii. The United States purchased Alaska from Russia in 1867 while Hawaii was a republic which ceded itself to the United States. Both of these
territories attained statehood in 1959 (with Hawaii being the last to gain statehood) thus making Dwight Eisenhower the first American President to preside over the fifty states.

Sweat has a bad smell to it, right? Wrong.

Sweat is odorless. The smell doesn’t originate until it mixes with the bacteria on the skin. That is what causes the bad odor.

The item of clothing that is today recognized as the kilt originated in the 1720’s.

It was designed by an Englishman named Thomas Rawlinson.

2.

1983 -

The anchor of the USS Monitor, from the American Civil War, was retrieved by divers on this day in 1983. The USS Monitor was the first ironclad warship commissioned by the Union Navy in February of 1862. It was lost at sea, December 31, 1862. The wreck was located August 27, 1973.

3.

Midwest Old Threshers Reunion 2019

Aug 29 - Sep 2, 2019 | Mount Pleasant, IA

Midwest Old Threshers|405 E Thresher Rd

The Midwest Old Threshers Reunion could quite possibly serve as the poster child of the family funfair. In fact, if you close your eyes and try to imagine a summer festival, the stuff going on at the multi-day event in Mount Pleasant, Iowa, might come to mind. The festival features live music, food, antiques, tractors, steam engines and much more.

further information: Midwest Old Threshers Reunion in Mt. Pleasant, Iowa

4.

King Richard's Faire 2019

Aug 31 - Sep 2, 2019 | Sep 7-8, 2019 |  Carver, MA

King Richard's Faire Grounds|235 Main St

enjoy a simpler time. King Richard’s Faire is rife with costumed acrobats, jugglers, dancers and many others with a host of talents. Knights will battle to the “death” on horseback, fairies will dance gracefully through the forest, fire eaters will eat scorching flames and you will stuff your face with ancient favorites along with the poison of your choice.

further information: Family Friendly Events Tickets Boston Providence & Cape Cod

5.

Ohio Renaissance Festival 2019

Aug 31 - Sep 2, 2019 | New York, OH

Ohio Renaissance Festival|10542 East State Route 73

Prepare thyself for a whimsical adventure back in time at the Ohio Renaissance Festival! This popular event features a 16th Century English village recreated over 30 acres and filled with costumed characters, amusing villagers, roving performers, Medieval artisans, unique arts and crafts shoppes and more. Watch epic duels and fully armored jousts, rub elbows with royalty or mingle with rowdy pirates and hard-working blacksmiths. There are also themed weekends, like Pirates Weekend and Barbarian Invasion Weekend, each with its own lineup of festive entertainment. And don’t forget to enjoy all the sweet and savory offerings like turkey legges, steak on a stake and chocolate-covered cheesecake on a stick.

further information: Home Page

Found in the same Australian town as the world’s largest pineapple, the world’s largest cow is just down the street.

Pictures of the day

The Rho Ophiuchi cloud complex is a dark nebula of gas and dust that is located 1° south of the star Rho Ophiuchi in the constellation Ophiuchus, bordering Scorpius, rising above the plane of the Milky Way in the night sky. At an estimated distance of 131 ± 1 parsecs, this cloud is one of the closest star-forming regions to the Solar System. This picture is an infrared image of the Rho Ophiuchi cloud complex in false color, captured by NASA's Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE) mission. The emission nebula in the center glows bright white due to heating from nearby stars, while the red object in the bottom right is a reflection nebula caused by light from the star Sigma Scorpii being reflected off the surrounding dust. The bright pink objects just left of center are young stellar objects, many still enveloped in their own compact nebulae.

THERE'S AN ABANDONED VILLAGE IN CHINA
BEING OVERTAKEN BY NATURE

A fishing village is abandoned when the fishers move mainland due to the ease of transport and sale for their daily catches.

The biggest coffee pot in the world can be found in the town of Selb, Germany.

knit

thanks, Nancy

Lunchbox Apple Cozy

knit

thanks, Helen 

Honeycombs Summer Easy Scarf Knitting Pattern

knit

August Hat pattern by Sarah Solomon

knit

Three Squares & Two Sleeves

knit

Larksfoot Afghan


The Longaberger company headquarters in Newark, Ohio are shaped like a huge basket. And yes, the company is in the business of making baskets. How could you tell?

Knit Pattern of the Day: Valerie, Canadian Correspondent


A plaque near this giant ax reads: “The World’s Largest Ax. This giant ax symbolizes the importance of the forest industry, past, present and future, to the Town of Nackawic and the Province of New Brunswick, Canada. 1991.”

crochet

thanks, Alexa

Scalloped Edged Hot Pad

crochet
thanks, Ava

Woven Cowl

crochet

Lola the Plushy Unicorn pattern by Ashleigh Kiser

crochet

Night Breeze Shawl

crochet

Row Count O


Found on a macadamia plantation along Australia’s sunshine coast, this huge pineapple features several rides and a petting zoo.

RECIPE

thanks, Shelley

Pasta With Kale Pesto and Roasted Butternut Squash Recipe

This buffalo monument found near the town of Jamestown, North Dakota is the reason for the town’s nickname – Buffalo City.

CROCKPOT RECIPE

Chicken Delicious Recipe

The town of Barellan in Australia is home to the largest tennis racquet in the world. It was made to commemorate Evonne Goolagong, the famous tennis player who was born in Barellan.

SWEETS

thanks, Ida

Easy Grape Jam Recipe with Only 2 Ingredients

Located on the ground of the Dynamic Earth science museum near Sudbury, Canada, the world’s largest nickel is over 9m high.

ADULT COLORING

The Big Chicken is a KFC restaurant in Georgia that features a 17 meter tall steel sided structure in the shape of a chicken.

CRAFTS

thanks, Alexa

How to Make a Lace Flower

Constructed as a prop for a TV commercial in the 1980s, today it has been donated to the town of Ohakune to commemorate its reputation as New Zealand’s carrot capital.

CHILDREN'S CORNER ... crafts

thanks, Kathy

How to Make Pompom Pen

This giant moose was one of the first tourist attractions in the city of Moose Jaw, Canada. More recent attractions include tunnel tours, a mineral spa and a casino.

PUZZLE

Varenna Bridge Jigsaw Puzzle

Technically it’s a Ukrainian Easter Egg known as a pysanka and it was created to honor the Ukrainian population of the town of Vegreville, Canada.

WORD SEARCH

angry bloat callow class court detective dismal dole

embodiment essence fellowship file filthy flirt foray foretell

guest hairs happy heartless induce insurance

lane lest lethargy loot lost meringue pretend

short sled solid steep strait sweat timer twist weapon wound

Located in California, this thermometer was built to commemorate the 134 degrees fahrenheit (57 degrees celsius) recorded in nearby Death Valley on July 10, 1913

SUDOKU ... very hard

solution:

Randy’s Donuts is a famous bakery and landmark near Los Angeles International Airport that has a donut on its roof.

QUOTE

thanks, Joanne



Found in Roland, Canada this structure was built as a tribute to a local resident who made it into the Guinness Book of World Records in 1977 for growing the world’s largest pumpkin.

This 11 ton piece of cutlery is located in Springfield, Missouri.

CLEVER 

One dad figured out a way to use straws instead of curlers so that his daughter can comfortably sleep in them at night. He wraps her hair around the straws, bends the straws to kind of form a circle, and uses an elastic to keep the straws in place. In the morning, she has a head full of curls!

This huge guitar has become a major attraction during the Tamworth Country Music Festival in New South Wales.

EYE OPENER 

thanks, Julie

Top Summer Recipes in Every State

A THOUGHT FOR TODAY:

Each progressive spirit is opposed by a thousand mediocre minds appointed to guard the past. -Maurice Maeterlinck, poet, dramatist, and Nobel laureate (29 Aug 1862-1949)

Since the town of Wawa, Canada derives its name from a Native American word meaning “wild goose”, it’s not surprising that it is home to the world’s largest goose statue.

OPTICAL ILLUSION

Neck or back?

In 2018, Twitter user @LilMaarty posted this image, apparently confused over whether the photo showed a woman's back or just her neck. The Tweet was the subject of much debate and was retweeted over 30,000 times. It turns out it is her back, in case you're wondering.