~★~♥~♥~★~ El Morno! ♥~★~★~♥ ~
December 29

★~ Today’s Quote: One resolution I have made, and try always to keep, is this: To rise above the little things..John Burroughs

★~ Pepper Pot Soup Day:

According to the legend……….. It was during the Revolutionary war, and the Continental army was camped at Valley Forge.  The winter of 1777-1778, was cold and harsh. Conditions were deplorable. Food was often scarce. George Washington asked his army’s chef to prepare a meal for the army, that would both warm them, and boost their moral. The chef found scraps of tripe, small bits of meat and some peppercorn. He mixed this in with some other ingredients, and created Pepper Pot soup, also known as “Philadelphia Pepper Pot soup”. The hot, and somewhat spicy soup, was well received by the troops. It was called “the soup that won the war”.

Celebrate Pepper Pot Day by making or opening a can of Pepper Pot soup for the family Note: while tripe was a main ingredient of this soup, you can substitute with chicken or beef.

★~ Today in History:

♥~ 1952 – The first transistorized hearing aid was offered for sale by Sonotone Corporation on this day. I SAID THE FIRST TRANSISTORIZED HEARING AID WAS OFFERED FOR SALE BY SONOTONE CORPORATION ON THIS DAY.

♥~ 1999 – Three ferrets named Beckham, Posh Spice and Baby Spice were used to lay power cables for a rock concert being held in Greenwich, London, England, (workers were not allowed to dig up the turf at the Royal Park). Organizers found that rods could not push the cables through the tiny tunnels, which frequently bend and dog-leg. The ferrets were eased into tiny nylon harnesses with wires which where then attached to a rope, the animals ran into a series of ducts which were under the stage like rabbit runs, leading the cables with them. The ferrets instinctively make for any hole in the ground and are enticed to the end of the duct by a slab of smelly meat. The New Years Eve concert featured Simply Red, Eurythmics and Bryan Ferry.

★~Born Today:

♥~ 1800 – Charles Goodyear inventor of vulcanized rubber after he accidentally (after five years of research) dropped some rubber mixed with sulfur on a hot stove;

♥~ 1936 – Mary Tyler Moore Emmy Award-winning actress: The Mary Tyler Moore Show

♥~ 1947 – Ted Danson Emmy Award-winning actor: Cheers

★~ Did You Know:   Yes, Yes, Yes, New Year’s Eve is two day away but El Morno wants to help you prepare today for tomorrow. El Morno is good that way.

♥~ Lock your car! According to statistics from the National Insurance Crime Bureau, more vehicles are stolen on New Year’s Day than on any other holiday throughout the year.

♥~ Ring in the New Year with family and friends! The first visitors you see after ringing in the New Year will bring you good or bad luck, depending on who you keep as friends and enemies. Keep your friends close and your enemies far, far away!

♥~  The first Time Square New Year’s Eve Ball (1907), was an illuminated 700-pound iron and wood ball adorned with one hundred 25-watt light bulbs.  Today, the round ball designed by Waterford Crystal, weighs 11,875-pounds, is 12 feet in diameter and is bedazzled with 2,668 Waterford crystals.

♥~ Throughout the year, visitors to Times Square in New York City write their New Year’s wishes on pieces of official Times Square New Year’s Eve confetti. At the end of the year, the wishes are collected and added to the one ton of confetti that showers the crowd gathered in Times Square in celebration of the New Year

♥~  The top three destinations in the United States to ring in the New Year are Las Vegas, Disney World and New York City.

♥~ 40 to 45% of Americans  make one or more resolutions each year.

♥~ Among the top new years resolutions are resolutions about weight loss, exercise, and stopping to smoke. Also popular are resolutions dealing with better money management / debt reduction.

♥~ In Italy, people wear red underwear on New Year’s Day as a symbol of good luck for the upcoming year.

♥~ Hogmanay (Scotland), the birthplace of “Auld Lang Syne” is also the home of Hogmanay (hog-mah-NAY), the rousing Scottish New Year’s celebration (the origins of the name are obscure). One of the traditions is “first-footing.” Shortly after midnight on New Year’s eve, neighbors pay visits to each other and impart New Year’s wishes. Traditionally, First foots used to bring along a gift of coal for the fire, or shortbread. It is considered especially lucky if a tall, dark, and handsome man is the first to enter your house after the new year is rung in.

♥~ Oshogatsu (Japan): The new year, is a symbol of renewal in Japan. In December, various Bonenkai or “forget-the-year parties” are held to bid farewell to the problems and concerns of the past year and prepare for a new beginning. Misunderstandings and grudges are forgiven and houses are scrubbed. At midnight on Dec. 31, Buddhist temples strike their gongs 108 times, in a effort to expel 108 types of human weakness. New Year’s day itself is a day of joy and no work is to be done. Children receive otoshidamas, small gifts with money inside.

♥~ The Netherlands: The Dutch burn bonfires of Christmas trees on the street and launch fireworks. The fires are meant to purge the old and welcome the new.

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When do you start taking the Christmas decorations down? Our tree will come down on on January 2nd and I will start to put away the rest of the decorations over the course the following week but I am leaving our Christmas lights up forever or until they burn out–which ever come first.

I planted vases of  paper whites along my window sill and they all bloomed in time for Christmas. I hope they hold their bloom until after New Year’s. They are so pretty and every time I look at them or smell them I feel so happy.

What a great way to enjoy fresh flowers.

We have a kitchen full of Christmas goodies that Cole and I have been eating non-stop.  But as my great grandmother always said, “all it’s good for is eating.” Can’t argue with that logic.

If you have a morno moment leave a comment…Odd Loves Company!

♥