Kindness Day - November 13, 2019

DIANE'S CORNER ... Celebrate Kindness Day

Kindness Day isn’t just about adopting all the children from your local orphanage – it’s about the little gestures of kindness too. Helping others can restore a sense of humanity, not to mention giving you that warm fuzzy glow inside.

Kindness Day was born when a collection of humanitarian groups came together on November 13, 1997 and made a “Declaration of Kindness”. Likewise, on Kindness Day everyone is encouraged to make a similar declaration. Donating books, food or clothes to your local community is a great way to celebrate. However, pledging to commit just one act of kindness is no less worthwhile: hold the door open for a stranger, compliment your neighbour on their collection of garden gnomes, let your partner have control of the TV remote for the evening.

However you decide to celebrate remember that the best thing about Kindness Day is that it doesn’t cost a thing!

An innovative artist, Pierre-Auguste Renoir was born on February 25, 1841, in Limoges, France. He started out as an apprentice to a porcelain painter and studied drawing in his free time. After years as a struggling painter, Renoir helped launch an artistic movement called Impressionism in 1870s. He eventually became one of the most highly regarded artists of his time. He died in Cagnes-sur-Mer, France, in 1919.

Joke of the Day

UNEMPLOYMENT OFFICE

Working at the unemployment office has to be a tense job...

For if you get fired, you still have to come in the next day.

Word of the Day

indolent

MEANING:
       adjective:

1. Lazy, lethargic, averse to exertion.
2. Painless or causing little pain; slow to develop or heal. Used in medicine, for example, indolent ulcer.

ETYMOLOGY:

From Latin indolent-, stem of indolens, from Latin in- (not) + dolens, present participle of dolere (to suffer, feel pain) which also gave us dolor, condole, and dole. Earliest documented use: 1663.

USAGE:

“He becomes listless, indolent, flabby as a jellyfish.”
Stefan Zweig; The Collected Stories of Stefan Zweig; Pushkin Press; 2013.

Idiom of the Day

GO BACK TO THE DRAWING BOARD

Start planning something again because earlier attempts were unsuccessful
The client didn’t like our original concept so let’s go back to the drawing board!

This Day in History

1789 - Benjamin Franklin wrote a letter to a friend in which he said, "In this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes."


1805 - Johann George Lehner, a Viennese butcher, invented a recipe and called it the "frankfurter."


1927 - The Holland Tunnel opened to the public, providing access between New York City and New Jersey beneath the Hudson River.

1937 - NBC formed the first full-sized symphony orchestra exclusively for radio broadcasting. The conductor for its first 17 years was Arturo Toscanini.


1940 - The Walt Disney movie "Fantasia" had its world premiere at New York's Broadway Theater.

1961 - The Tokens' "The Lion Sleeps Tonight" was released.


1971 - The U.S. spacecraft Mariner 9 became the first spacecraft to orbit another planet, Mars.


1977 - The comic strip "Li'l Abner" by Al Capp appeared in newspapers for the last time.

1982 - The Vietnam Veterans Memorial was dedicated in Washington, DC.


1995 - Greg Maddux (Atlanta Braves) became the first major league pitcher to win four consecutive Cy Young Awards.


2006 - A deal was finalized for Google Inc. to acquire YouTube for $1.65 billion in Google stock.


2009 - NASA announced that water had been discoved on the moon. The discovery came from the planned impact on the moon of the Lunar Crater Observation and Sensing Satellite (LCROSS).

thanks, Nina



DAILY SQU-EEK

If You Were Born Today, November 13

You are wise beyond your years, and your eyes reflect this wisdom. The outward expression of your personality is strong and determined, although this hides a very emotional and sensitive nature. Success may come later in life, simply because in youth, you are inclined to more daydreaming than action. You may come across as sarcastic and even tough, but you are a thoughtful and kind person with a love of knowledge, justice, and truth. You also have a well-developed sense of humor. Famous people born today:

1312 Edward III, King of England (1327-77) noted for his military success and for restoring royal authority, born in Windsor Castle, Berkshire, England (d. 1377)

1850 Robert Louis Stevenson, Scottish author (Treasure Island), born in Edinburgh, Scotland (d. 1894)

1911 Buck O'Neil, American baseball player (Kansas City Monarchs, 1st African-American coach in Major League Baseball), born in Carrabelle, Florida (d. 2006)

1955 Whoopi Goldberg [Caryn Johnson], American actress, comedian and singer (Color Purple, Burglar), born in NYC, New York

1967 Jimmy Kimmel, American TV host and producer (Jimmy Kimmel Live!), born in Brooklyn, New York

READERS INFO

1.

(Not So) Totally Useless Facts of The Day:

Brazil Reading Program

One can be released early from prison for good behavior. In one country, one can get out early for reading books. Due to overcrowding in Brazil’s prison system, the government of Brazil has a program in place in which a prisoner can reduce his/her sentence by 4 days for every book they read. Inmates read a book, submit a book report, and if approved they will spend 4 days less in the penitentiary system.

Today, few people would consider buying a car that’s not equipped with air conditioning. It’s seen as a necessity, not a luxury. That wasn’t always the case, though. 

The 1940 Packard was the first car to offer factory-installed air conditioning. Cadillac and Chrysler followed suit in 1941 with similar A/C systems. But these setups were primitive and expensive, and they didn’t really catch on. Luxury car buyers quickly came to see A/C as a highly desirable
feature, and by 1969, more than half of all new cars sold were equipped with A/C.

Arthur Guinness, founder of Guinness Brewery, had 21 children with just one wife.

2.

thanks, Shelley, New York Food Correspondent

3.

We Make History American Heritage Festival 2019

Nov 14 - 16, 2019 | Queen Creek, AZ

Schnepf Farms|24610 E Rittenhouse Rd

The American Heritage Festival is a large-scale interactive and educational experience for the whole family. Featuring a seasoned cast of historical interpreters and reenactors, this event is the biggest and most diverse of its kind in the Southwest. The festival showcases famous people and events from periods in American history ranging from the Colonial times all the way to the World Wars and the Vietnam era. Other special features include historic music, a historic fashion show, historic merchants and battle reenactments at this celebration of American history and heritage.

further information: American Heritage Festival | We Make History

4.

Texas Native American Championship Pow Wow 2019

Nov 22, 2019 | Grand Prairie, TX

Traders Village|2606 Mayfield Rd

Native American culture, whether you’ve noticed or not, is still very prominent in some parts of the United States. Dozens of tribes convene at the Texas Native American Championship Pow Wow where there’s tribal dance contests, arts and crafts, tribal music, authentic tribal food, costumes and many other staples of Native American Culture.

further information: Texas Native American Championship Pow Wow 2019

5.

New York Trad Fest 2019

Nov 23, 2019 | New York, NY

Irish Arts Center|553 W 51st St

A night of music, featuring Brian Conway, John Nolan, Andy Stein, Rhys Jones, Jerry O'Sullivan, Donie Carroll, Don Meade, Niall Connolly, Jonathan Srour, Annmarie Acosta School of Music, Calum Pasqua Band, Johnny Cuomo, Clare Horgan and more!

further information: Welcome to NY Trad Fest 2019

Pictures of the day

Les Grandes Baigneuses ('The Large Bathers') is an oil-on-canvas painting by French artist Pierre-Auguste Renoir, produced between 1884 and 1887. The painting depicts a scene of nude women bathing. In the foreground, two women are seated beside the water, and a third is standing in the water near them. In the background, two others are bathing. Renoir's intention was to reconcile the modern forms of painting with the painting traditions of the 17th and 18th centuries, particularly those of Ingres and Raphael. The painting is now in the collection of the Philadelphia Museum of Art.

Minsk, Belarus

Autumn colors 

knit
thanks, Ruth

Snuggle Bear Playmat

knit
thanks, Emily

Small top down Faroese shawl pattern by Cate Leonard

knit

Cable Cross Hat

knit

Cropped Jacket

knit

Afghan Knitalong Square 15 - The Mighty Miter

Crochet Pattern of the Day: 

thanks, Valerie, Canadian Correspondent

Free Crochet Cardigan Pattern - Beverly

crochet ... Thanksgiving
thanks, Ava

Crocheted Turkey for Thanksgiving

crochet ... Thanksgiving
thanks, Gabby

Crochet Pumpkin Pie Bunting

crochet

Easy Granny Square with Center Flower

crochet

Cupcake Pin Cushion

crochet

Argyle Crochet Afghan

RECIPE

thanks, Heide

CHICKEN W/ TARRAGON & WHITE WINE

(Poulet à l'estragon et le vin blanc)

Ingredients:

1/4 Cup Olive Oil
1 Chicken cut into 8 pieces
Sea Salt & fresh pepper
Flour for dusting

Sauce:
1-1/2 cups Cipollini (or pearl onions) trimmed
2 -4 cloves garlic, halved
Sea Salt & Pepper
1 cup white wine, such as a medium dry Riesling
3 cups low sodium chicken broth- plus 1/3 cup
1/4 cup chopped fresh tarragon leaves, plus 2 tablespoons
2 tablespoons flour
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
Additional Vegetables cut up (optional): Carrots, yams, potatoes

Directions:
Carefully wash and towel dry chicken pieces and place in a one gallon plastic bag. Add salt and pepper and some flour. Shake the bag to coat chicken.

In a dutch oven heat oil over high heat. Add the chicken and season the chicken with a little more salt and pepper,(careful not to over salt) and dust with flour a little more.

Cook the chicken on high heat, turning occasionally as it sizzles, until brown on all sides, about 8 minutes, remove chicken and set aside.

For the Sauce: Heat the same dutch oven used for the chicken over medium high heat. Add the prepared onions and prepared garlic halves. Cook, stirring frequently until softened, abut 5 minutes.

Increase the heat to high and add the wine, then scrape up the brown bits that cling to the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon.

Return chicken pieces to the pan. Add 3 cups of chicken broth and 1/4 cup of tarragon and bring the mixture to a boil. At this point you can add any optional vegetables handy. Reduce the heat to a simmer, cover the pan and cook turning the chicken pieces over every 10 minutes, until cooked through, about 30 minutes total for the breasts and wings and 40 minutes total for the legs and thighs. Transfer the chicken to a platter and loosely tent with foil while you finish the sauce.

To finish the sauce: In a small bowl, mix the remaining 1/3 cup chicken broth and flour. whisk the flour mixture into the sauce until smooth. Bring the sauce to a simmer and cook, uncovered, until thickened about 8-10 minutes. Stir in the butter and season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve the sauce over the chicken and garnish with the remaining 2 tablespoons of tarragon. Serve with French bread.

CROCKPOT RECIPE

thanks, Shirley

Slow Cooker Fettuccine Alfredo!

SWEETS

thanks, Shelley, New York Food Correspondent

Spanish Flan Recipe

ADULT COLORING

CRAFTS

thanks, Ellie

diy splattered wood coasters

CHILDREN'S CORNER ... Thanksgiving

thanks, Cindy

DIY Large Pom Pom Pumpkins

PUZZLE

Reflection Fall Lake Jigsaw Puzzle

WORD SEARCH

compromise daisy demure dicker dismay distant drive

enjoy eternity faith flout heart honey hurry

laptop lessen mercantile mutual pent possess

server space spoil style sugar tame teen treat triumph

upset virtue vista vixen vogue write

SUDOKU ... very hard




solution:







QUOTE

CLEVER 

Use a binder clip to stack bottles efficiently in your fridge.

EYE OPENER 

thanks, Shelley, New York Food Correspondent

The Secret Ingredient That Improves Meat Every Time

A THOUGHT FOR TODAY:

I know what I have given you. I do not know what you have received. -Antonio Porchia, poet (13 Nov 1886-1968)

Pierre-Auguste Renoir

OPTICAL ILLUSION

At first glance, it looks like this guy’s body doesn’t quite match his head. But don’t worry, this is just your eyes tricking you. 

If you look closer though, you’ll realize that it’s actually the guy who’s sitting down. His girlfriend is hugging him from behind and her head is over his right shoulder.