Plant a Flower Day - March 12, 2021

DIANE'S CORNER .. 

Celebrate Plant a Flower Day

Few things on the planet are more beautiful or fascinating than flowers – and with over 400,000 flowering plant species in the world, there’s definitely something out there for everyone!

From the simple daisy to the elegant rose, from the colorful wildflowers dotting hillsides to the elaborate and vibrant blooms of southeastern Asia, flowers have more than deserved their own day of celebration for their contributions to nature, culture, and life.

History of Plant a Flower Day

Flowers have been around for at least 150 million years, with new and captivating species springing up all over the place during that time. And they have long been a staple in various cultures all around the world, serving numerous purposes over the millennia including decorative and medicinal ones.

As early as 2,500 BC, the Ancient Egyptians were using flowers to adorn tables and great halls, as well as show respect to both the living and the dead, with the remains of many kinds of flowers uncovered in the tombs of pharaohs, high priests and other wealthy citizens. Later, both the Ancient Greeks and Romans continued to use flowers for these same purposes and also began to use some of them as herbs. This tradition continues today through herbal teas, medicines and spices.

Throughout history, flowers have carried different symbolic meanings, including in various religions and mythologies. In Hinduism, the world’s oldest religion, the lotus flower is considered an important spiritual symbol, while roses have long been seen as a display of love and affection and poppies are used to commemorate soldiers who have died in war.

Flowers have also been an integral part of our traditions and rituals. Could you imagine a wedding reception without the bouquet toss or a Christmas without poinsettias? And what would poets and painters do without the flowers that have inspired them to create countless works of art such as Van Gogh’s sunflowers, Monet’s water lilies or Blake’s ‘Auguries of Innocence’?

These blossoming plants even have influence over the economy. In 17th century Holland during a period known as ‘tulip mania’, tulips were considered to be so valuable that they were worth more than gold and a mere ten bulbs could be used to purchase a whole house! And to this day the world’s most expensive spice is saffron, which is made using dried crocuses.

Perhaps most valuable of all, however, is the role that flowers play in the natural world. With their bright colors and enchanting scents, they not only brighten up the world around us but also attract and sustain pollinators such as bees, butterflies and birds, enticing them with sweet nectar and having their precious pollen distributed in return. And once they’ve reproduced, flowers bear sweet fruit that animals and humans alike can enjoy.

Flowers play a crucial role in sustaining ecosystems, producing food and enriching human life and culture. By celebrating Plant a Flower Day you’ll be helping these bountiful blossoms to flourish.

Joke of the Day

thanks, Bev

YOU CAN TELL 'EM IN CHURCH......

An elderly woman died last month. Having never married, she requested no male pallbearers. 

In her handwritten instructions for her memorial service, she wrote, 'They wouldn't take me out while I was alive, I don't want them to take me out when I'm dead.'

Word of the Day

enunciatory

MEANING:

adjective: Announcing; declaring; pronouncing.

ETYMOLOGY:

From Latin ex- (out) + nuntiare (to announce). Ultimately from the Indo-European root neu- (to shout), which also gave us announce, denounce, pronounce, renounce, and pronunciamento. Earliest documented use: 1693.

USAGE:

“‘You know, they say there are as many different Hamlets as there are actors to play him,’ says Walken, asked to consider the issue of his trademark enunciatory style.”
Steven Rea; Many Mimics, But No One Delivers a Line Like Walken; Philadelphia Inquirer (Pennsylvania); Feb 3, 2013.

Idiom of the Day

What does 'At a snail's pace' mean?

If something moves at a snail's pace, it moves very slowly.

DAILY SQU-EEK

If You Were Born Today, March 12

No matter what your age, you always remain youthful and playful. You are open to a wide range of ideas, and you have a real sense of the right words to say or write and the best way to present an idea. You would be excellent at promotion or advertising, and also make a warm and interesting friend who always seems to lend a hand or lift others' spirits with words of encouragement. At times impatient with others, your warm heart wins in the end. Famous people born today:

1922 Jack Kerouac, American Beat writer (On the Road, Mexico Blues), born in Lowell, Massachusetts (d. 1969)

1928 Edward Albee, American playwright (Who's Afraid of Virgina Woolf?), born in Virginia (d. 2016)

1946 Liza Minnelli, American singer/actress (Sterile Cuckoo, Cabaret), born in Hollywood, California

1947 Mitt Romney, 70th Republican Governor of Massachusetts and presidential candidate, born in Detroit, Michigan

1962 Darryl Strawberry, American MLB right fielder (8-time All Star), born in Los Angeles, California

(Not So) Totally Useless Facts of The Day:

Hurricanes have names thanks to an Australian weatherman named Clement Wragge, who started naming tropical storms after politicians he hated. He would say that the officials were "causing great distress" or "wandering aimlessly about the Pacific."

Franklin D. Roosevelt was the last U.S. president who could fluently speak a second language.

When Wyoming applied to join the US, Congress said they would have to stop letting women vote. Their response: "We will remain out of the Union one hundred years rather than come in without the women." They joined in 1890 as the first and only state that allowed women to vote.

READERS INFO

1.

1933 -

President Franklin Roosevelt conducted his first presidential fireside chat over the radio. When President Roosevelt took office, the country was in the midst of the Great Depression and the banking system was in crisis. Many people were removing all of their cash from banks in what became known as "bank runs." On March 6, a national banking holiday was declared and all banking transactions were suspended. Congress then passed the Emergency Banking Act, which included new banking regulations, on March 9. During the first fireside chat, President Roosevelt explained those new banking reforms in an informal and easy-to-understand manner to the American people. His speech helped calm people's fears, and when the banks reopened the day after his speech, the banking situation had stabilized. During his four terms in office, Roosevelt used the radio fireside chats 30 times to address the American public directly about important issues including New Deal legislation and key events during World War II.

2.

March 13, 1956 -

The film The Searchers, starring John Wayne and Natalie Wood, premiered in New York. During the film, Ethan Edwards (Wayne) searches for his nieces Debbie (Wood) and Lucy (Pippa Scott) who were abducted by the Comanche when their family's ranch was attacked. During the raid on the ranch, the girls' parents and brother were killed. Brad Jorgensen (Harry Carey Jr.) and Martin Pawley (Jeffrey Hunter) join Edwards in his long search. The behind-the-scenes process for making the film was recorded and used to help market it. Directed by John Ford, The American Film Institute ranks The Searchers as the 12th greatest movie of all time.

3.

March 14, 1940 -

The film Road to Singapore, starring Bing Crosby, Bob Hope and Dorothy Lamour, premiered in New York City. The popular film was the first of seven films starring Crosby and Hope (Lamour also starred in the first six films, and had a brief cameo role as herself in the seventh), which collectively became known as the "road pictures." The road pictures included Road to Zanzibar (1941), Road to Morocco (1942), Road to Utopia (1945), Road to Rio (1947), Road to Bali(1952) and The Road to Hong Kong (1962). Crosby and Hope were known for ad-libbing portions of the dialogue during the road pictures, which made them all the more fun to watch. The comedy pair worked well together, not just on the movie screen but also on radio and in television appearances as well.

4.

Coronavirus Style by Sylvia, CAN DO Correspondent

Chesley Cowl

PATTERN BOOK FRIDAY

Knitted comforts for our sailors, soldiers & airmen

COFFEE

thanks, Ella

Pictures of the Day

Early Morning Frost Gave this Statue Some Added Texture and Highlights

“Departure” is a bronze sculpture by artist George Lundeen

Boston

The sun sets behind the city skyline.

knit
thanks, Sheri

Nautilo

knit
thanks, Sally

Bamboo Stems Scarf pattern by Vikki Perkins

knit

Collared Stole

knit

Penuche Twist Socks

knit

Model Wrap

Knit Patterns of the Day: 

thanks, Valerie, Canadian Correspondent

Icordion Cowl pattern by Louise Fitzpatrick

Mosaic Gauntlets

crochet
thanks, Ava

Easy V-Stitch Cocoon Shrug

crochet

thanks, Marilyn

Flower pot holder

crochet

Brise - Neck warmer

crochet

Funky Rounds Crochet Belt

crochet

Havskum - Wrist Warmers

RECIPE

thanks, Shelley, New York Food Correspondent

Coconut Curry Chickpeas With Pumpkin and Lime Recipe

Quarantine Cooking Recipes

thanks, Debbie

Soy-Ginger Dinner Scramble on Rice

CROCKPOT RECIPE

thanks, Sara

Slow-Cooker Burgundy Beef

VEGAN/ VEGETARIAN RECIPE

Both vegetarian and vegan diets may provide health benefits, including reduced body weight, lower cholesterol levels, and decreased risk of cardiovascular disease. However, it is important for vegetarians and vegans to ensure that they are meeting all of their nutritional requirements.

thanks, Alice

The Comforting Slow Cooker Dish

COPYCAT RECIPE 

thanks, Jenny

Copycat Sbarro™ Pepperoni Pizzas

RETRO

thanks, Ann

Swiss Roll Cake

SWEETS .. St. Patrick's Day

thanks, Anita

MINT CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

COOKBOOK FRIDAY

Cereal Foods and How to Cook Them

ADULT COLORING .. St. Patrick's Day

FUN

Some signs make no sense!

On a bathroom door: "Toilet out of order. Please use floor below."

In a laundromat: "Automatic washing machines: please remove all your clothes when the light goes out."

CRAFTS

thanks, Kathy

How To Make A DIY Felt Leaves Coffee Sleeve

CHILDREN'S CORNER .. St. Patrick's Day

thanks, Lillian

Yarn Wrapped Shamrock Craft for Preschoolers

PUZZLE

Cat Agnese Jigsaw Puzzle

WORD SEARCH

agreement amass blood bolt boos breeze brick bright

carat cliff contact crave danger decent dictionary

float free fright fugitive gavel given happy heed hoarse

large lava meet nook office perform process

refuge remit river sorry total transmit trout tryst yield

SUDOKU .. very hard

solution:

ICE BREAKER ..

thanks, Kris

You can use 'ice breaker questions' to build a rapport, enabling strangers to engage in back and forth conversion. With a little practice and possibly a beer or two, you’ll be breaking more ice than the Titanic. 

What’s A Funny (Appropriate) Pick-Up Line That Works For You?

QUOTE

thanks, Judy

CLEVER 

There comes a time in every adult's life when you watch little kids race up a staircase on their knees and think: Ouch. Kneeling for long periods causes discomfort that can plague you for days.

Keep sheets of bubble wrap on hand for just those times. When you're pulling weeds in the garden, dusting low shelves or painting baseboards, kneeling on the bubble wrap should provide some much-needed cushioning.

EYE OPENER 

thanks, Isabel

Easily figure out what order you should read an author’s books in using this site.

Complete List of all Book Series in Order

A THOUGHT FOR TODAY:

Whenever you commend, add your reasons for doing so; it is this which distinguishes the approbation of a man of sense from the flattery of sycophants and admiration of fools. -Richard Steele, author and editor (12 Mar 1672-1729)

OPTICAL ILLUSION

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