Inspire Your Heart with Art Day - January 31

DIANE'S CORNER ... 

Celebrate Inspire Your Heart with Art Day

Inspire Your Heart With Art Day sounds straightforward enough. Go to a gallery, theatre, cinema, or music venue, and soak up the art. Remember the instruction, though: Inspire Your Heart. Care is needed.

Have you noticed how edgy the arts have been getting lately? It’s not about truth and beauty any more. Artists want to shock you. That’s their new raison d’etre, and while it might thrill and enrage you, it’s not necessarily good for your heart.

So the key to getting the most out of this day is being selective about your art, and choosing something that will inspire your heart rather than expire it. With anything before 1967 you should be on fairly safe ground, but particularly recommended would be Turner (painting), Beethoven (Music) or Shakespeare (The Whole of Human Life). You know what you like of course: Go consume it!

Joke of the Day

NOSY NEIGHBORS

I fear my neighbor may be stalking me, she was googling my name last night on her computer...

I saw it clearly through my binoculars!

Word of the Day

bibliophage

MEANING:

noun: One who loves to read books; a bookworm.

ETYMOLOGY:

From Greek biblio- (book) + -phage (one who eats).

USAGE:

“An author and publisher himself, [Karl] Lagerfeld was a bibliophile of epic appetite. (Practically a bibliophage, he is said to have torn the pages out of thick paperbacks as he read them.) He bought French books, English books, books of poetry, signed books, first editions, monographs, everything he could find.”
Lauren Collins; The Lagerfeld Economy; The New Yorker; Dec 2, 2019.

Idiom of the Day

PULL SOMEONE’S LEG

Tease or joke with someone by saying something that’s not true
You’re pulling my leg! I don’t believe you met Elton John at the pub!

This Day in History

1865 - The 13th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution was passed by the U.S. House of Representatives. It was ratified by the necessary number of states on December 6, 1865. The amendment abolished slavery in the United States.

1893 - The trademark "Coca-Cola" was first registered in the United States Patent Office.

1930 - U.S. Navy Lt. Ralph S. Barnaby became the first glider pilot to have his craft released from a dirigible, a large blimp, at Lakehurst, NJ.

1940 - The first Social Security check was issued by the U.S. Government.

1949 - The first TV daytime soap opera was broadcast from NBC's station in Chicago, IL. It was "These Are My Children."

1958 - Explorer I was put into orbit around the earth. It was the first U.S. earth satellite.

1971 - Astronauts Alan B. Shepard Jr., Edgar D. Mitchell and Stuart A. Roosa blasted off aboard Apollo 14 on a mission to the moon.

1990 - McDonald's Corp. opened its first fast-food restaurant in Moscow, Russia.


2005 - Keanu Reeves received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.


2010 - Beyoncé set a Grammy record for females when she won six. The six awards were Song Of The Year, Best Female Pop Vocal Performance, Best Female R&B Vocal Performance, Best Traditional R&B Vocal Performance, Best R&B Song, and Best Contemporary R&B Album.

thanks, Sofia

DAILY SQU-EEK

If You Were Born Today, January 31

Charming and well liked in love, you are a very amorous person. Highly intelligent, you are also perceptive and compassionate so that your "smarts" are not only book smarts. You are well-organized, hard working, and robust. You often feel that a job well done is one you do yourself, and might sometimes make decisions for others as a result. Idealistic with people, you are born to love, but are not always settled in that area of your life. Famous people born today:

1797 Franz Peter Schubert, Austrian composer (Unfinished Symphony), born in Vienna, Austria (d. 1828)

1915 Thomas Merton, French-American Catholic writer and Trappist monk (7 Story Mountain), born in Prades, Pyrénées-Orientales, France (d. 1968)

1919 Jackie Robinson, 1st African American major league baseball player (Dodgers), born in Cairo, Georgia (d. 1972)

1923 Norman Mailer, American novelist (Naked & the Dead, The Executioner's Song), born in NYC, New York (d. 2007)

1931 Ernie Banks, American baseball shortstop, 1st baseman and hall of famer known as "Mr Cub" as he played all 19 of his seasons with the Chicago Cubs, born in Dallas, Texas (d. 2015)

1947 Nolan Ryan, American baseball Hall of Fame pitcher (MLB no-hit leader [7], strikeout leader [5,714]), born in Refugio, Texas

1981 Justin Timberlake, American singer-songwriter & actor (Sexyback, My Love), born in Memphis, Tennessee

thanks, Joan

READERS INFO

1.

(Not So) Totally Useless Facts of The Day:

Many humans run from or cringe at the sight of a cockroach. It turns out they have a similar reaction when coming in contact with us. Upon coming in contact with a human, a cockroach will run to safety and then proceed to clean itself off.

A fly is a fly but what is it called when it’s a group of flies? The answer would be a “business” of flies. So next time someone says, “Mind your own business”, what they mean is you should go mind your own flies.

If you have a fear of spiders, your next move should 

be to move to the continent of Antarctica. Why? 

Because there are no spiders there. It is the ONLY 

continent where there are no spiders.

2.

1958 -

 

Explorer I was put into orbit around the earth on this day in 1958. It was the first U.S. earth satellite. 

 
From left: William Picketing, James Van Allen, and German scientist Wernher von Braun hold a model of Explorer 1.

3.

Feb 1, 1902

TODAY: In 1902, poet, playwright, and activist Langston Hughes is born.

4.

thanks for the Offbeat Holiday, Patty

FEBRUARY 2: HEDGEHOG DAY

It might technically be Groundhog Day, but just look at this cuddly creature. He also needs celebrating.

5.

Gem & Jam Festival 2020

Jan 31 - Feb 2, 2020

Pima County Fairgrounds, Tucson, AZ

The three-day music, art, performance, and gem & mineral festival will be returning to its beautiful, desert setting

further information:  Gem and Jam Festival 2020

6.

ATLANTA’S #1 FRIDAY NIGHT PARTY

Jan 31 - Feb 1, 2020

Zari Cafe

31 Bennett Street Northwest

Atlanta, GA

We're Bringing Fun Back To Partying On Friday Nights Atlanta's #1 Party Destination Two Floors Too Party With Rooftop City Views !! Amazing Drink Specials Full Kitchen

further information: ATLANTA’S #1 FRIDAY NIGHT PARTY

7.

Portland Seafood & Wine Festival

Jan 31 - Feb 1

Oregon Convention Center

777 Northeast Martin Luther King Junior Boulevard

Portland, OR

Come join us and 190 exhibitors in 90,000 square feet of space with entertainment, lots of fresh Oregon seafood and wine, craft beers, cider, and distilled spirits. Taste some of Oregon's best wines from over 60 WINERIES and munch on deliciously fresh 🦀 seafood 🦀 at the peak of Dungeness Crab season! 

further information: Portland Seafood & Wine Festival

Pictures of the day

Ophiuchus is a constellation commonly represented in the form of a man grasping a large snake, and was formerly referred to as Serpentarius. It is a large constellation straddling the celestial equator and near the centre of the Milky Way as viewed from Earth, being surrounded by Aquila, Serpens, Scorpius, Sagittarius and Hercules. To the north of the serpent's tail is the now-obsolete constellation Taurus Poniatovii, while to its south Scutum. Ophiuchus's brightest star, Alpha Ophiuchi, represented here by the right eye of the snake charmer, was traditionally known as Rasalhague, from the Arabic meaning 'head of the serpent charmer'. This illustration is plate 12 of Urania's Mirror, a set of 32 astronomical star chart cards illustrated by Sidney Hall and first published in 1824, featuring artistic depictions of Ophiuchus, as well as Taurus Poniatovii, Scutum (here referred to as "Scutum Sobiesky") and Serpens.

Guy Makes His Own Selfie Drone by Chucking His GoPro

in the Air Right Before Each Trick

Freestyle skier Nicolas Vuignier made headlines last year with his DIY 360 camera by tying his smartphone on a string and swinging it around him

knit ... Valentine's Day
thanks, Connie

Let me be Your Valentine Socks pattern by Schibot Garne
knit
thanks, Marilyn

Anna Frozen Flip Doll

knit

Twiggy pattern by YYC Knits

knit

Le chien Á la mode

knit

Favorite Scarf Ever pattern by Lisa Bruce

Knit Pattern of the Day: 

thanks, Valerie, Canadian Correspondent

ABALONE

crochet
thanks, Tara

Valentine Heart Coaster pattern by Andee Graves

crochet
thanks, Violet

Wooly Windows PDF FREE Crochet Hat pattern

crochet

Crochet Classic Raglan Cardigan

crochet

Stop and Smell the Flowers Granny Square

crochet

Pineapple Crochet Market Bag

RECIPE

thanks. Lily

Sweet Potato Wedges with Avocado Dipping Sauce

CROCKPOT RECIPE
thanks, Marge

Slow Cooker Pork Loin

SWEETS

thanks, Shelley, New York Food Correspondent

Nutella Banana Bread

ADULT COLORING

CRAFTS ... Valentine's Day

thanks, Stella

DIY CANDY HEART GARLAND

CHILDREN'S CORNER ... Valentine's Day

thanks, Lillian

You Make My Heart Flutter Valentine Craft

PUZZLE

Pot Brushes Jigsaw Puzzle



WORD SEARCH

adore again before believe blank blob break

charge circus crisp dash deflate destruction dome dreary

early explore flooding follow front goof great gross

helium hunch kill loose naked nickel

paint parge roam rogue

seek seep sigh slippery spark stories view wordsmith

SUDOKU ... very hard

solution:

QUOTE

CLEVER 

thanks, Helen

Make use of rain gutters to hang shoes or organize books.

Rain gutters are more than just for water catchment.

They can make a pretty bookshelf for kids’ books (securing any sharp edges of course) or can be used to organize your shoes.

You can do it like this:

or like this:

thanks, Sheri

EYE OPENER 

54 Super Bowl Snack Recipes for Game Day

A THOUGHT FOR TODAY:

To blame the poor for subsisting on welfare has no justice unless we are also willing to judge every rich member of society by how productive he or she is. Taken individual by individual, it is likely that there's more idleness and abuse of government favors among the economically privileged than among the ranks of the disadvantaged. -Norman Mailer, author (31 Jan 1923-2007)

thanks, Jenny

OPTICAL ILLUSION