DIANE'S CORNER ...
Celebrate Serendipity Day
Serendipity is the term for a “happy accident” or a “pleasant surprise.” Thus, Serendipity Day encourages people to look for and notice those unexpected good things that are always out there, if we have the eyes to see them. In fact, the creators of this holiday believe that serendipity is no accident at all, but an attitude or a lifestyle in which you are always reaching for those unexpected things and expecting happy surprises to occur.
The word serendipity was coined in the mid 1700s by a man named Horace Walpole. In a letter to a friend, he explained how he had created the term from a Persian fairy tale known in English as The Three Princes of Serendip. The story tells of three princes who were banished from the kingdom of Serendip (another term for Sri Lanka) in order to prove their worth. As they wander the world, “serendipitous” moments occur to them time after time, in a rather unbelievable amount, much like some children’s stories, where they just happen to run across the perfect place or the clue to solve the mystery, or old, corny superhero movies, where they just happen to have the antidote lying around.
In other words, it seems like Walpole first created the word serendipity as some mild ridicule of these “happy accidents” and now the term is a favorite inspirational line everywhere: “seek serendipity!”
thanks for the photos from the Indian Hills Community Center in Colorado, Valerie, Canadian Correspondent
Word of the Day
solecism
“Enjoy Christmas with us. Bookings been taken now”
MEANING:
noun:
1. A grammatical mistake or a nonstandard usage.
2. A breach of etiquette.
3. An error, inconsistency, or impropriety.
ETYMOLOGY:
From Latin soloecismus, from Greek soloikismos, from soloikos (speaking incorrectly; literally, inhabitant of Soloi) after Soloi, an ancient Athenian colony in Cilicia where a dialect considered as substandard was spoken. Earliest documented use: 1577.
USAGE:
“Purists who carp about grammatical solecisms such as ‘try and find’ instead of ‘try to find’ should refer to a 2007 study which found that Brits use ‘try and’ 71 per cent of the time in speech and 24 per cent in writing, compared with Americans who used it only 24 per cent of the time in speech and 5 per cent in writing.”
Michael Skapinker; The Language of Shakespeare: American English is Truer to Tradition Than the British Like to Think; Financial Times (London, UK); Mar 24, 2018.
1. A grammatical mistake or a nonstandard usage.
2. A breach of etiquette.
3. An error, inconsistency, or impropriety.
Michael Skapinker; The Language of Shakespeare: American English is Truer to Tradition Than the British Like to Think; Financial Times (London, UK); Mar 24, 2018.
Idiom of the Day
BETTER LATE THAN NEVER
It’s better to do something late than not at all
Person A: “Sorry I missed your birthday! There’s a card in the post.”Person B: “Don’t worry. Better late than never!”
Person A: “Sorry I missed your birthday! There’s a card in the post.”Person B: “Don’t worry. Better late than never!”
This Day in History
1227 - The Mongol conqueror Ghengis Khan died.
1587 - Virginia Dare became the first child to be born on American soil of English parents. The colony that is now Roanoke Island, NC, mysteriously vanished.
1894 - The Bureau of Immigration was established by the U.S. Congress.
1916 - Abraham Lincoln's birthplace was made into a national shrine.
1938 - The Thousand Islands Bridge was dedicated by U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt. The bridge connects the U.S. and Canada.
1958 - Vladimir Nabokov's novel "Lolita" was published.
1962 - Peter, Paul & Mary's "If I Had A Hammer" was released.
1963 - James Meredith graduated from the University of Mississippi. He was the first black man to accomplish this feat.
1966 - The first pictures of earth taken from moon orbit were sent back to the U.S.
1992 - Larry Bird, after 13 years with the Boston Celtics, announced his retirement.
1997 - Patrick Swayze received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
2004 - Donald Trump unveiled his board game (TRUMP the Game) where players bid on real estate, buy big ticket items and make billion-dollar business deals.
thanks, Mia
DAILY SQU-EEK
If You Were Born Today, August 18
You are at once determined and emotional, so that there is a distinct tough side to your nature, yet a deeper, more sensitive and intuitive side as well. You love to learn, and will constantly seek out experiences that add to your knowledge throughout your life. Your mind is very strong and powerful, sometimes to the point of obsession! You can easily become fixated on one particular thing or feeling. If you pour your focus and determination into a particular life path or goal, your chances of success are great. With self-discipline, you can achieve anything you set your mind upon. You can be rather stubborn and rigid at times, but you are also friendly and likable. Your love life tends to be rather stable, as you think in terms of practicality and the long-term. Famous people born today:
1774 Meriwether Lewis, American soldier and public administrator (Lewis & Clark Expedition), born in Ivy, Virginia (d. 1809)
1920 Shelley Winters [Schrift], American actress (Lolita, A Place in the Sun, A Patch of Blue & Poseidon Adventure), born in St. Louis, Missouri (d. 2006)
1934 Roberto Clemente, Puerto Rican baseball outfielder (Pittsburgh Pirates), born in Carolina, Puerto Rico (d. 1972)
1936 Robert Redford, American actor (Sting, Candidate, Natural, Great Gatsby), born in Santa Monica, California
READERS INFO
1.
(Not So) Totally Useless Fact of The Day:
1227 - The Mongol conqueror Ghengis Khan died.
By raising your legs slowly and lying on your back,
you cannot sink into quicksand.
2.
1920 -
Tennessee Representative Harry T. Burn cast the deciding vote in favor of the 19th Amendment for women's suffrage. Both the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate had voted to pass the amendment in 1919, and then the amendment was sent to the states to be ratified. Thirty-six states were necessary for ratification. By the time the issue came up for a vote in Tennessee, the amendment was one state away from becoming a part of the Constitution. However, seven states had already rejected the amendment. Prior to his vote, Burn received a letter from his mother, in which she advised him to "be a good boy" and vote for women's suffrage. Luckily for women across the country, Burn followed his mother's advice and his vote broke the tie in Tennessee in favor of the amendment's ratification.
3.
Tennessee Representative Harry T. Burn cast the deciding vote in favor of the 19th Amendment for women's suffrage. Both the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate had voted to pass the amendment in 1919, and then the amendment was sent to the states to be ratified. Thirty-six states were necessary for ratification. By the time the issue came up for a vote in Tennessee, the amendment was one state away from becoming a part of the Constitution. However, seven states had already rejected the amendment. Prior to his vote, Burn received a letter from his mother, in which she advised him to "be a good boy" and vote for women's suffrage. Luckily for women across the country, Burn followed his mother's advice and his vote broke the tie in Tennessee in favor of the amendment's ratification.
Erie County Fair 2019
Aug 18, 2019 | Hamburg, NY
Erie County Fair & Exposition|5600 McKinley Pkwy
At the Erie County Fair, you can join many others in the pursuit of agriculture. Educate yourself on the importance of maintaining agriculture in New York by joining in on fun activities. Experience every other County Fair event like carnival rides, concerts, and a petting zoo.
further information: Admission & Hours
4.
Honolulu Rainbow Film Festival 2019
Aug 18, 2019 | Honolulu, HI
Doris Duke Theatre at the Honolulu Museum of Art|900 S Beretania St, Honolulu
Established in 1989, the Honolulu Rainbow Film Festival is one of the most renowned LGBT film festivals in the United States. Organized by the Honolulu Gay & Lesbian Cultural Foundation, the event provides a platform for LGBT films from around the world to make their debut. In addition to being a rich outlet for the film community, the festival strives to foster a sense of awareness and support for the LGBT community.
further information: HonoluluuRainbowFilmFestival
5.
Alaska International Senior Games 2019
Aug 18, 2019 | Fairbanks, AK
Who said sports are just for young people? Not the Alaska International Senior Games. These athletes are all over 50 and will compete in many different competitions from bocce to swimming. All seniors are invited to get in on the fun.
further information: Home - Alaska International Senior Games
SUNDAY'S INTERESTING FACTS
Recent research has shown that language is integral in such brain functions as memory, abstract thinking, and, fascinatingly, self-awareness. Language has been shown to literally be the “device driver”, so to speak, that drives much of the brain’s core “hardware”. Thus, deaf people who aren’t taught some form of complex language at a young age, will be significantly handicapped mentally until they learn a structured language, even though there is nothing actually wrong with their brains. The problem is even more severe than it may appear at first because of how important language is to the early stages of development of the brain. Those completely deaf people who are taught no sign language until later life will often have learning problems that stick with them throughout their lives, such as trouble with abstract thought, even after they have eventually learn a particular sign language. It is because of how integral language is to how our brains develop and function that even deaf people, let alone deaf-blined people, were once thought of as mentally handicapped and unteachable.
Before the Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombs were dropped, the U.S. government warned the Japanese, though not directly mentioning the nuclear bombs, and asked them to surrender. The Japanese of course refused, as, at that point, they were ignorant of the successful development of a nuclear bomb and, thus, had no reason to think the U.S. could follow through with their threat to utterly destroy Japan, if necessary. The U.S. had originally planned a series of much larger nuclear strikes that would happen in quick succession after the Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombs, wiping out most of the major cities in Japan, had the Japanese at that point not agreed to surrender.
Harald I of Denmark was the offspring of King Gorm the Old and Thyra Dannebod. The famed Jelling stones at Jelling church in Denmark were erected in honor of King Gorm and Thyra. The runes read: “King Harold bade these memorials to be made after Gorm, his father, and Thyra, his mother. The Harold who won the whole of Denmark and Norway and turned the Danes to Christianity.” These stones are particularly famous in Denmark due to being a symbol of when Denmark first became a nation state.
Allergies can cause your nose to run because the body reacts to them the same way it reacts to viruses and the like. Namely, by kicking the mucus glands into overdrive to try to stop as much of the allergen as possible from entering your body.
Caterpillars and Butterflies have a variety of means of protecting themselves from predators. One of the most interesting found with Lycaenidae (of which 6000 species exist worldwide) is through communicating with ants using various vibrations and chemical signals. Using this, they somehow reach an agreement with the ants in that the ants will provide them some level of protection and, in exchange, the ants will be provided with an additional food source (honeydew secretions).
PATTERN BOOK SUNDAY
Recent research has shown that language is integral in such brain functions as memory, abstract thinking, and, fascinatingly, self-awareness. Language has been shown to literally be the “device driver”, so to speak, that drives much of the brain’s core “hardware”. Thus, deaf people who aren’t taught some form of complex language at a young age, will be significantly handicapped mentally until they learn a structured language, even though there is nothing actually wrong with their brains. The problem is even more severe than it may appear at first because of how important language is to the early stages of development of the brain. Those completely deaf people who are taught no sign language until later life will often have learning problems that stick with them throughout their lives, such as trouble with abstract thought, even after they have eventually learn a particular sign language. It is because of how integral language is to how our brains develop and function that even deaf people, let alone deaf-blined people, were once thought of as mentally handicapped and unteachable.
Before the Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombs were dropped, the U.S. government warned the Japanese, though not directly mentioning the nuclear bombs, and asked them to surrender. The Japanese of course refused, as, at that point, they were ignorant of the successful development of a nuclear bomb and, thus, had no reason to think the U.S. could follow through with their threat to utterly destroy Japan, if necessary. The U.S. had originally planned a series of much larger nuclear strikes that would happen in quick succession after the Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombs, wiping out most of the major cities in Japan, had the Japanese at that point not agreed to surrender.
Harald I of Denmark was the offspring of King Gorm the Old and Thyra Dannebod. The famed Jelling stones at Jelling church in Denmark were erected in honor of King Gorm and Thyra. The runes read: “King Harold bade these memorials to be made after Gorm, his father, and Thyra, his mother. The Harold who won the whole of Denmark and Norway and turned the Danes to Christianity.” These stones are particularly famous in Denmark due to being a symbol of when Denmark first became a nation state.
Allergies can cause your nose to run because the body reacts to them the same way it reacts to viruses and the like. Namely, by kicking the mucus glands into overdrive to try to stop as much of the allergen as possible from entering your body.
Caterpillars and Butterflies have a variety of means of protecting themselves from predators. One of the most interesting found with Lycaenidae (of which 6000 species exist worldwide) is through communicating with ants using various vibrations and chemical signals. Using this, they somehow reach an agreement with the ants in that the ants will provide them some level of protection and, in exchange, the ants will be provided with an additional food source (honeydew secretions).
Gabrielle Cot is an oil-on-canvas painting by William-Adolphe Bouguereau, produced in 1890. The eponymous subject is the daughter of the French painter Pierre Auguste Cot, who was Bouguereau's most notable pupil. He started the work as a study for another painting but decided to develop it into a full work after becoming enthralled by Gabrielle Cot's charm and beauty. It was the only non-commissioned painting he ever painted. Bouguereau gifted the painting to Gabrielle Cot's grandmother, Madame Duret, and it has been privately held since then. It was exhibited to the public in Paris in 1891 and in New York in 1999.
Katmai National Park and Preserve in Alaska
A brown bear holds a freshly caught salmon in its mouth.
knit
thanks, Wendy
thanks, Ethel
knit
knit
knit
Crochet Pattern of the Day: Valerie, Canadian Correspondent
crochet
thanks, Ava
crochet
thanks, Jessica
crochet
crochet
All-Time Favorite Tote Bag
crochet
Row Count E
RECIPE
thanks, Shelley
SWEETS
thanks, Lesley
COOKBOOK SUNDAY
ADULT COLORING
"Printemps" by Alfons Mucha
CRAFTS ... sewing
thanks, Kay
CHILDREN'S CORNER ... drawing
PUZZLE
WORD SEARCH
SUDOKU ... hard
solution:
QUOTE
thanks, Marge
CLEVER
EYE OPENER
thanks, Betty
A THOUGHT FOR TODAY:
Give me your tired, your poor, / Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, / The wretched refuse of your teeming shore. / Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me, / I lift my lamp beside the golden door! -Emma Lazarus, poet and playwright (22 Jul 1849-1887) [from a poem written to raise funds for building the pedestal of the Statue of Liberty]
OPTICAL ILLUSION
A skull?
or
A woman looking into a vanity mirror?
No comments:
Post a Comment