Hug Day, Squirrel Appreciation Day, Clam Chowder Day

★~♥~♥~★~ El Morno! ♥~★~★~♥
January 21, 2014

Close encounters of the Emu kind

★~  Today’s Quote: A hug is a great gift – one size fits all, and it’s easy to exchange.  ~Author Unknown

★~ Hug Day:

hug day

A Hug is a wonderful tonic. It makes you feel energized and gives you an emotional boost. In fact, the medical evidence is that a hug helps your body produce more Oxytocin, which is the ‘feel good’ hormone. Research has found that one 20-second hug a day makes a big difference between how happy and relaxed we are. On the other hand a lot of genuine 3 second hug (the average length of a hug) might work just as well. Of-course not everyone appreciates a casual hug, on the other hand saying, “Would you like a hug?” Seems really stupid. So I would just suggest timing your hugs appropriately.

★~ Squirrel Appreciation Day:

Squirrels

Let’s face it—appreciating a squirrel is hard work. Maybe not as hard as appreciating a pigeon, but still it isn’t easy. Just do your best and throw the squirrels some bread, or nuts.

★~ New England Clam Chowder Day:

clamChowderCannonball

New Englanders use the Native American term quahog. The name quahog derives from the Narragansett Indian name for “poquauhock.” The scientific name, mercenaria, of these clams comes from Latin meaning “wages.” because Native Americans strung the shells like beads and used them as money or “wampum.” Quahogs replace fish in the fish-milk stews of coastal England and France to become New England chowder. Prounounced “chowdah” by people situated north of Connecticut.

In Maine, those living on one side of Penobscot Bay like their clam chowder made with tomatoes, while those living on the other side like it made with milk and no tomatoes. Maine residents often call their region “Down East” and their chowder “Down East Chowder.” The definition of of “Down East” is:

When ships sailed from Boston to ports in Maine (which were to the east of Boston), the wind was at their backs, so they were sailing downwind, hence the term “Down East.” And it follows that when they returned to Boston they were sailing upwind; many Mainers still speak of going “up to Boston,” despite the fact that the city lies approximately fifty miles to the south of Maine’s southern border.

By 1836, clam chowder was already well-know in Boston and served at Ye Olde Union Oyster House, the nation’s oldest continuously operating restaurant. The building that houses the Union Oyster House is about 250 years old. Daniel Webster, the noted lawyer and orator who served as a Congressman and as Secretary of State, was a regular at the bar, where he was known for downing a tumbler of brandy and water with each half-dozen oysters–and he’d rarely eat less than six plates of the tasty bivalves!

★~ Today in History: 

[youtube]http://youtu.be/sZYjc57V55U[/youtube]

♥~ 1925 – Nome, Alaska alerted the world by radio to a diphtheria epidemic that threatened to wipe out its entire population. The famous Iditarod race is run each year to commemorate the emergency delivery of diphtheria antitoxin that saved the people of Nome.

♥~ 1959 – The Kingston Trio (Bob Shane, Nick Reynolds and Dave Guard) received a gold record for Tom Dooley

~ 1993 – Workers from two bakeries and WKLL Radio set a world record in Utica, New York, by baking history’s largest jelly doughnut: 3,739 pounds, 16 feet in diameter.

★~Born Today:

telly-savalas-

♥~ 1922 – Telly (Aristotle) Savalas Emmy Award-winning actor: Kojak [1973-’74]; The Dirty Dozen, Birdman of Alcatraz, Battle of the Bulge, On Her Majesty’s Secret Service, Kelly’s Heroes; died Jan 22, 1994

♥~ 1942 – Mac (Scott) Davis singer: Baby Don’t Get Hooked on Me; Friend, Lover, Woman, Wife; actor: North Dallas Forty; host: The Mac Davis Show; songwriter: In the Ghetto, Memories; ACM Entertainer of the Year [1975]

♥~ 1947 – Jill Eikenberry actress: L.A. Law, Arthur, The Manhattan Project

♥~ 1956 – Geena Davis Academy Award-winning supporting actress: The Accidental Tourist [1988]; Beetlejuice, Fletch, The Fly, Tootsie, Thelma and Louise, Buffalo Bill,The Long Kiss Goodnight, Commander in Chief

★~ Good to Know: 

squirrel

♥~ Squirrels belong to the order Rodentia. There are 365 species.

♥~ They mate twice a year.

♥~ Their nests are called dreys.

♥~ Their sweat glands are on their feet.

♥~ They can run up to 20 miles an hour.

♥~ Their teeth never stop growing. Gnawing keeps squirrels’ teeth from growing into their necks.

♥~When frightened, they dart back and forth to confuse predators. This doesn’t work with cars, however, so most city squirrels don’t live longer than a year.

♥~ Although considered granivores (animals that eat grains and nuts), they will eat almost anything.

♥~ Gray squirrels bury their acorns all over the place (“scatter hoarding”), then forget where. Forgotten acorns become trees. This forgetfulness is the main way oak and other hardwood forests grow and spread, scientists say.

♥~ Gray squirrels are called “living fossils” because they haven’t changed much in 37 million years.

More Fun Facts about Squirrels

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Awesome: This film follows the ancient cycle of sunset, to night, to sunrise. A continuous loop of perpetual movement that has been unbroken since the dawn of time, and the only true constant in our lives. 

Ancients from Nicholas Buer on Vimeo.

I hug Cole every morning before school for 20 seconds. I count. And sometimes if I’m feeling extra clingy I add 5 seconds. We also have group hugs. Of-course, since Dearly Departed Joe died they aren’t the same 😀 but Rascal joins us and we hug on. If someone isn’t a hugger, I guess you can just pat them on the head. Let’s not over analyze. Speaking of over analyzing, have you ever listened to church goers talk about the Peace Be With You handshake in church? Oh. My. God. Have a little faith people. Most people wash their hands a few time a day. I digress.  I hug, shake hands, kiss one check, accept kisses on both. Does this make me hugmiscuous?

((((  Hug    )))))

Have  terrific Tuesday and if it falls short of terrific feel free to rant–it’s Rant Tuesday.

Odd Loves Company!

14 thoughts on “Hug Day, Squirrel Appreciation Day, Clam Chowder Day

  1. Thanks for the hug. Here’s one back. {{{HUG}}}

    The squirrel facts are nuts. I had not idea their sweat glands were in their feet. Doesn’t that make it difficult to keep deodorant on????? just saying.

    Have a fabulous Odd day!

    • Lovely hug. When I first read your next line I thought it said squirrel farts. And for a minute I didn’t question it because well it’s you…ya know? But when you moved forward to deodorant–I was confused and re-read. Deodorant is not going to help a squirrel that farts after all, right? Oh Beth Ann I might becoming Bat Bloggy.

  2. I’ll appreciate the squirrels but I hope my neighbors don’t find out. I commiserate and agree the world would be a much better place without squirrels every time I see them. I’m told they make it really hard to garden and keep the bird feeders filled. Clam chowder would hit the spot. it’s cold. Another good reason to hug people.
    If this is how you do it I’m sending my hug ((( )))

  3. You rock, Katybeth! I’m a hugger, too. I’m sure you wouldn’t have guessed that, now would you? LOL Super-duper HUGE hugs to you, today!

    Hugs from Ecuador,
    Kathy

  4. Nobody appreciates squirrels more than Dallas! Every time he sees one, he wants to give chase. NOT a good thing if I’m on the other end of the leash!
    I know exactly what you’re talking about with the handshake of peace in church. In one church I attended, the priest told us every winter that, since it was flu season and all, we could just nod instead!
    ((( HUGS ))) right back to you! Bet Cole won’t tell you for a few years, but I’m sure a big hug starts his day off perfectly!

    • Ok–Funny story. Back in the days when I had my 80 pound all muscle Doberman we were at a dog show and I took him outside to entertain him for awhile on a retractable lead. I had a tennis ball in my pocket and I have no idea what I was thinking but I threw it for him while he was on lead. He went for it. and took me down face first, but I hung on to the lead and he brought the ball back and dropped it at my nose. I never did that again.
      Nod? NOD? Was it called the No Faith Chapel? Nodding is the worst.
      Hug accepted and returned. Hopefully that is true for Cole in the meantime it starts my day off right!

  5. When we lived in Housston we used to feed the birds, I still do up here, I got to where i had to give the squirrels their due. We tried everyway in the world to outsmart them but in the end they won. They are simply going to get in the feeders eventually. Just acceept it.
    Joe was the premier hugger.
    TTFN
    MJ

  6. I think squirrels are cute. Of course, I have never had problems with them in my attic or anything. Nik’s days at the farm taught her to chase & bark after them.
    Dipping into the 30s the next few nights they say. Clam chowder does sound pretty tasty about now.
    I usually let someone else make the first hugging move unless I have a history with said person. Don’t want to overstep boundaries. That’s just guarded me. {{{HUG}}}……..hey, that wasn’t too bad!

    • Nice job. Wow the 30’s you really are having a bit of winter. Nice!
      ((( Hugs))) back at you. Nice job! All of a sudden I’m terrible amused at the thought of someone looking at you and saying–“Don’t hug me!” I’m might be a bit punchy. Cole’s senior project might be the death of me–6 more weeks!

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