~★~♥~♥~★~ El Morno! ♥~★~★~♥ ~
August 7, 2013
★~ Today’s Quote: We cannot hold a torch to light another’s path without brightening our own. ~Ben Sweetland
★~ National Lighthouse Day:
The rocky ledge runs far out into the sea
And on its outer point, some miles away,
The lighthouse lifts its massive masonry,
A pillar of fire by night, of cloud by day. – Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, “The Lighthouse”
For centuries, lighthouses have served as beacons of light, guiding ships safely to harbor through storms, fog, or dark of night. In 1789, Congress approved an Act “for the establishment and support of lighthouses, beacons, buoys, and public piers.” This piece of legislation commissioned the first Federal lighthouse, which was constructed at the entrance of Chesapeake Bay. Two hundred years later, Congress designated August 7th as National Lighthouse Day to commemorate this important moment in history and to celebrate these beautiful structures. A little lighthouse trivia: Tallest U.S. lighthouse – Cape Hatteras, NC (191 ft.), Oldest U.S. Lighthouse in Service – Sandy Hook, NJ (1764), First U.S. Lighthouse to Use Electricity – Statue of Liberty (1886)
★~ Sea Serpent Day:
Some say they are simple mythological serpents that have fascinated sailors for centuries while others believe these enormous reptilian like creatures are lurking just believe the ocean surface ready to lunge with there razor razor sharp teeth. Most scientists believe that reported sightings of sea serpents are really giant oarfish, which can reach a length of 55 feet. Sounds like a sea serpent to me!
★~ Raspberry & Cream Day:
A simple dish of Raspberries and cream…perfect for morning brunch, or a light after dinner dessert. Or you could enjoy a Raspberries and Cream cocktail!
★~ Today in History:
♥~ 1782- Purple Heart Anniversary: At Newburgh, NY, General George Washington ordered the creation of a Badge of Military Merit. The badge consisted of a purple cloth heart with silver braided edge. Only three are known to have been awarded during the Revolutionary War. The award was reinstituted on the bicentennial of Washington’s birth, Feb 22, 1932, and recognizes those wounded in action.
♥~ 1888 – Theophilus Van Kannel of Philadelphia went around and around with the U.S. Patent Office for a time, but, finally, got a patent for the revolving door.
♥~ 1927 – The Peace Bridge, between the U.S. and Canada, was dedicated during ceremonies attended by the Prince of Wales and Vice President Charles Dawes. The bridge was dedicated to 100 years of friendship between the U.S. and Canada, the longest standing friendship between two countries with a shared border. Fortunately Canadian and United States representatives averted a potential border dispute by reaching an agreement in June after months of heated argument over the future of the Peace Bridge, the second-busiest crossing between the U.S. and Canada
♥~ 1974 – World Trade Center Tightwalk., French juggler and street performer Philippe Petit made an illegal tightrope walk between the twin towers of the World Trade Center, 1,350 feet above the plaza. He and his crew spent months planning the “coup” and smuggling materials into the buildings. Petit crossed eight times in 45 minutes and faced charges of trespassing and disorderly conduct. The 2008 Oscar-winning documentary Man on Wire chronicled this “artistic crime of the century.”
♥~ 1975 – The Rolling Stones received a gold album for Made in the Shade
♥~ 2007 – Barry Bonds smashed his record-breaking 756th home run. He had tied Hank Aaron’s record on August 4. The ball was later auctioned to fashion designer Marc Ecko for a record $752,467, which included a 20% buyer’s premium.
♥~ 2013 – Eid-al-Fitr begins tonight at sundown! This Muslim holiday celebrates the end of Ramadan—a holy month of fasting. In Arabic, “Eid” means “festivity” and “fitr” means “breaking the fast.” There are over 2 billion people in the world who observe the religion of Islam, and many of them will gather together today for this joyous occasion.
★~ Born Today:
[youtube]http://youtu.be/t30cX6OGO0U[/youtube]
♥ ~ 1886 – William Boyd (Bill) McKechnie, Baseball Hall of Fame manager, is generally recognized as one of the greatest strategic managers in history. He took three National League teams to the pennant, the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1925, the St. Louis Cardinals in 1928 and the Cincinnati Reds in 1939 and 1940. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1962. Died at Bradenton, FL, Oct 29, 1965.
♥~ 1903 – Rudolf Ising Academy Award-winning cartoonist: Milky Way [1948]; w/Hugh Harmon: Looney Tunes, Merrie Melodies, 1st talkie cartoon synchronizing soundtrack dialogue with on-screen action.
♥~ 1942 – Garrison Keillor – Beloved public radio personality Best known as host of the Minnesota Public Radio show A Prairie Home Companion, Keillor is an accomplished author, storyteller and humorist.
♥~ 1942 – B.J. (Billy Joe) Thomas singer: Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head, Hooked on a Feeling, [Hey Won’t You Play] Another Somebody Done Somebody Wrong Song, I Just Can’t Help Believing, I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry
★~Good to Know:
When was the last time you laid back and looked at the stars?
There’s always some reason not to that seems good at the time, from mosquitoes to damp ground to having to check your e-mail one more time, but NPR’s Adam Frank provides the perfect reason to ditch reason altogether in his article titled “How to Fall Forever into the Night Sky.”
…First you’ll need to find a nice place, somewhere with the darkest skies possible. It’s got to be a good place to lie down too, someplace comfortable. A wide-open field is best. Then, once you have settled down in your dark, quiet spot take a long deep breath and face out.
That’s right, outwards, not up!
You see “up” is just an illusion. You’re living on the surface of massive rock that’s been pulling you down with its incessant gravity since the day you were born. It’s fooled you into thinking the stars are “up” there, “up” in the sky, high above you. They’re not…
There, now you have it. Now you can feel the real truth, like vertigo, as you fall into the starry multitude. These stars aren’t twinkling lights above your head, they are all suns; vast spheres of thermonuclear burning gas. And, as we have just recently come understand, almost all of those suns support their own families of planets. All those stars, all those other worlds — they’re everywhere. Now you can finally feel that you are there too, right in their midst…
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In case you always wondered: You can tie a Bassets ears in a bow, but only if she is a very sweet Basset like Molly.
However, when I asked Molly:
Do your ears hang low?
Do they wobble to and fro?
Can you tie them in a knot?
Can you tie them in a bow?
Can you throw them o’er your shoulder
like a continental soldier?
Do your ears hang low?
Her disdain was rather obvious. I guess, other people have asked her the same question a time or two.
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Wishing you a Wacky Wednesday!
Odd Loves Company!
Lghthouses are cool. We visited the Bodie Island Lighthouse. What my kids remember most about that trip is the shore line sparkled at night. Something about a chemical reaction. I was pretty. The food of the day is a little light for me but I enjoy a raspberry on occasion.
Haven’t heard much about the Loch ness Monster in recent years. Wonder if he is still around.
Not sure I understand the whole falling into the Night sky, but camping is a great way to lie back and look at the sky. Makes you feel pretty insignificant.
Molly, must be very patient. I’ve heard Basset are nice dogs but very stubborn. True?
Have a Wacky one yourself.
Sparkling sand had to magical, especially for little kids. Need to find out what Loch is up to, I have heard nary a word.
Yes, Basset Hounds are very stubborn or maybe a better word would be persistent. They are bred to stay on a scent no matter what and they are very good at it. Molly is also very sweet and playful.
Hope you had a winsome Wednesday.
My oldest son has a thing about Lighthouses. He’s loved them. Maybe he was a seaman in another life. We’ve been to a few small one’s and he gathers as much information like a fiend. He seems to be more drawn to the remote lighthouses.
Wish raspberries were not so expensive even in season. I don’t think my kids even know about the Loch ness monster, I’ll have to ask them. This is shark week on television and they would watch every gruesome moment if I let them.
Nice job with Molly’s ears! She is a good sport.
Summer is winding down much too fast and all my days are wacky, it seems.
Cheers.
I’m sure your son was an ancient mariner, followed by a notable sea captain, and maybe even a pirate! Fun to include lighthouse visits on your road trips when you can.
Like Mike mentioned, I haven’t heard anything about the Loch Ness in a long time. I guess, the legend is alive and well. Shark week, not for me!
Molly was a good sport and she has magnificent ears.
Hope you had a super day.
You tied that poor dog’s ears in a knot?! If I hadn’t seen the picture, I wouldn’t have believed it. Not that YOU couldn’t do it, but that Molly would stand still for it!
Love looking at the stars — what an interesting perspective, that they’re “out” not “up.” When I take Triple-D out for the last potty of the day, I always look at the sky, checking out the constellations and such. It always reminds me how small I am, in the overall scheme of things, and that keeps me humble. Well, sort of!
I did. She loved it. Sort of. I reward patience. But I’ve never hit a birds nest with a 7 iron. I would, but I haven’t. 😀
So true the sky can make you feel very humble.
On Long Island, we have lighthouses all around us. Even the signs for the parkways have lighthouses on them. There’s one by every bridge, it seems, including that wonderful little lighthouse (still there) written about in the children’s classic “The Little Red Lighthouse and the Great Grey Bridge.” (George Washington Br. to New Jersey). As many as we have and as often as we see them, they cannever be taken for granted. My evening signal to come home from our local beach in the summer is always the first flashing from the Greenwich Light six miles across the LI Sound in Connecticut. White and red flashes, five seconds apart. Time to go home and put something on the table. Or, sometimes, when it’s really hot, we go get ice cream for dinner and go back to the beach to watch the Light flash and the stars come out overhead. Nice way to spend a summer night.
That sounds so lovely and picturesque. I love the sound of the fog horn. There is or used to be a lighthouse in Manitowoc, Wisconsin that had the deepest fog horn. Or maybe all light houses sound the same. It was neat, tho. You must live in the lighthouse capital and i believe the Statue of Liberty reopened too.
coastlines would not look right without lighthouses. the histories behind them are all interesting.
raspberries are great by the handful.
i look up at the stars early mornings during nik’s walks. no time to really study. i do always check moon status.
yes, molly is a good sport! you don’t want to be in the same dog ears category as lbj. he had two beagles, him & her, that he would lift up to a standing position by the ears. lbj did catch some flack.
good evening!
And to think that LBJ kissed me when I was a babe–guess I was darn lucky!
I haven’t been camping in years and the beach has to many mosquitoes in the summer 😀 at night, but last year we did go to the beach after 1am and watch the meteors flash across the sky. Very cool.
Maybe you and Nik can camp together some day!
yes, consider yourself very lucky your ears were not stretched!