~★~♥~♥~★~ El Morno! ♥~★~★~♥ ~
January 23,2011

Post updated: January 23, 2013

★~Today’s Quote: A pound of pluck is worth a ton of luck. James A. Garfield

★~ Chinese New Year: The Year of The Dragon

Today is the first day of the Chinese New Year!  The traditional Chinese Lunar Year 4710 begins at sunset on the day of the second New Moon following the winter solstice and ends with the full moon 15 days later.

Legend has it that in ancient times, Buddha asked all the animals to meet him on Chinese New Year. Twelve came, and Buddha named a year after each one. He announced that the people born in each animal’s year would have some of that animal’s personality. Those born in dragon years are innovative, brave, and passionate.

Simple ways to celebrate the Chinese New Year are adding a few glowing paper lanterns to your home,do a little house cleaning to sweep away any bad luck. Red is the traditional color of the holiday because it symbolizes luck and prosperity— paint your doors bight red so luck and prosperity will catch you coming and going or simple tie or hang  some red bows.

★~ Measure Your Feet Day- 

Look at those feet… yikes. How big are those things, precisely? Do you even know?  Today is the day to find out down to the inch, the centimeter, the millicronometer! Bust out your snazziest ruler or measuring tape and celebrate measure your feet day in style!

Measure Your Feet Day originates in ancient Iceland of all places. As most anyone can tell you, ancient Icelanders spent their free time doing one of two things: Bowling, or High-Fiving with their feet, which they called “Shelbing”. In the Spring, when Iceland has it’s notorious rain storms, the natives would gather in their huts, measure their feet, and pair off. They would then celebrate the rains by Shelbing until the sun went down. It was customary to measure ones feet again after the celebration though that part of the tradition has not been practiced since the late 80’s. Before long, the other world leaders heard the tale of the fun-loving Icelanders and emailed each other on ways to commemorate such a joyous event. So it was written that, January 23rd would forever be Measure Your Feet Day…

So unsheathe your hooves and mark down the size because Measure Your Feet Day only comes but once a year.

★~ National Pie Day: 

Which pie should you choose for your National Pie Day? The pie-sibilities are endless! Will it be one of the 231 varieties of apple pie, the favorite of 36 million Americans?

Although 2011 was officially dubbed “The Year of the Pie” this versatile dessert shows no signs of crumbling in the popularity polls anytime soon… Served warm or cold, sweet or savory, one crust or two, a la mode or a la carte, by the slice or straight from the pan, pie was, and still is, HOT, HOT, HOT.

★~ Today In History:

♥~ 1849 – English-born Elizabeth Blackwell became the first woman in America to receive a medical degree, from the Medical Institution of Geneva, N.Y.

♥~ 1971 – It was a cold day in Prospect Creek Camp, Alaska. The lowest temperature ever recorded in the U.S. was reported as the mercury fell to a minus 80 degrees Fahrenheit. My teeth chatter and my car battery dies at the mere thought of it…

♥~ 1977 – Carole King’s  landmark album, Tapestry, became the longest-running album to hit the charts, as it reached its 302nd week on the album lists.

♥~ 1983 – The A-Team one of television’s most intellectual, sophisticated and classy shows came into American homes. It was full of action and drama and starred Mr. T, wearing a ton of gold jewelry. He played the not so mild-mannered Sgt. Bosco B.A. Baracus, and George Peppard took the lead role as John Hannibal Smith. Yes, The A-Team debuted.  Go ahead and use the line, “I will rip your face off, sucka!” at least once today compliments of Mr.T.

★~Born Today:

♥~ 1737 – John Hancock  American patriot and statesman, first signer of the Declaration of Independence. Hancock served as president of the Continental Congress from 1775–77 and served as Massachusetts governor for nine terms beginning in 1780. Because of his conspicuous signature on the Declaration, Hancock’s name has become part of the American language, referring to any handwritten signature. Born at Braintree, MA, he died at Quincy, MA, Oct 8, 1793. National Handwriting Day is also celebrated today ad we are all encouraged to write legible. Treat yourself to a new pen!

♥~ 1957 – Princess Caroline of Monaco royalty: daughter of Prince Ranier and Princess Grace of Monaco

♥~ 1964 – Mariska Hargitay Emmy-winning actress: Law & Order: Special Victims Unit [2006]; Plain Truth, Perfume, Lake Placid, Night Sins, Leaving Las Vegas, Gambler V: Playing for Keeps, The Perfect Weapon, Prince Street, ER, Tequila and Bonetti

★~ Did You Know: 

Have you ever wondered who made the largest cherry pie?

In 1976 a man named Dave Phillips, in a burst of bicentennial fervor, convinced local businesses in Charlevoix to bake the World’s Largest Cherry Pie as part of the town’s annual cherry festival. A giant pan was built, along with an equally titanic oven. Local farmers supplied the ingredients. The result: a cherry pie weighing 17,420 pounds. It was a world record.Further south, the town of Traverse City had its own cherry festival. It had perhaps heard one too many boasts from Charlevoix, and in 1987 it decided to do something about it. Even though it already had the World Champion Cow of the Insane Grave — a sure-fire tourist draw — it was apparently not enough.The Chef Pierre Bakeries went to work, and on July 25 it baked a cherry pie that put Charlevoix to shame: 28,350 pounds; 17 feet, 6 inches in diameter. As an added snub, the town had Guinness Book of World’s Records certify its pie as the largest ever. Charlevoix’s days in the spotlight were ended after only 11 years. But time has a way of making people eat humble pie.  In 1992, after only five years, Traverse City’s cherry pie crown was knocked clear into Canada when the tiny town of Oliver, British Columbia, baked a cherry pie for the ages — 39,683 pounds.

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I am not greeting this Monday with much enthusiasm. I know the day is going to wake up and offer a lot more promise than the dark. wet, slushy day  that I am looking out my window at, but right now I am faced with hungry campers who will soon be hungry, wet, muddy campers. Cole and I will then face a long, traffic ridden, slushy drive to school so I can drop him off. I think, we will eat toaster pastries from home and stop for a Starbucks on the way to school…

How is your day looking?  Odd Loves Company!