Good morning, welcome back to our series sharing Unique Holidays: April 30th being sick last week kept Charlie and I from doing school the way we should have.
Which is okay because we can catch up this week including celebrating Arbor Day by planting a Tree of Charlie and David choice in our front yard now that we’ve purchased our home.
Arbor Day -last Friday of month
Did you know Arbor Day is always the last Friday in April.
National Arbor Day is the Tree Planter’s holiday. This day has been celebrated since 1872 and it begin in Nebraska, a largely treeless plain back in the 1800’s. It’s a day to plant and dedicate a tree to help nature and the environment. Millions of trees are planted on this day.
The National Arbor Day Foundation provides millions of trees for planting. It is estimated that 18 million tress are planted each year on Arbor Day. A lot of places will be giving out Free Trees on this day.
Did you know? The Latin word for “Tree” is “Arbor”? #Homeschool Tip..
Bird Day, held on May 4th, is often celebrated in conjunction with Arbor Day.
Looks like its time for a Field Trip to our local Zoo or Pet Store to study Birds. Would you like to come with my family. We can even have a Picnic while out.
National Bird Day is celebrated on January 5th
International Migratory Bird Day observed on the second Saturday in May
People love birds and they enjoy Bird watching which is a favorite pastime of people. Did you know Bird Watching is one of the most popular of hobbies, because it can be enjoyed by everyone regardless of age.
With this popularity, it comes as no surprise that there is more than one day established to recognize, appreciate, and enjoy birds. Charlie and I would like to ask you to celebrate all of these days.
Now, let’s help to take some of the confusion around a number of distinctly different “bird” days:
Bird Day is the oldest of the days set aside to recognize birds. According to the U.S. Library of Congress, Bird Day was first observed on May 4, 1894. Started by Charles Almanzo Babcock, superintendent of schools in Oil City, Pennsylvania.
By 1910, Bird Day was widely celebrated, often with Arbor Day. Bird Day and Arbor Day are events are focused upon conservation training and awareness.
National Bird Day was established by bird activists and calls upon people to recognize the plight of captive birds. Drawing attention to exploitation of birds in the U.S. pet industry. On this day, organizers suggest we reflect upon the conditions of birds held in captivity.
International Migratory Bird Day celebrates the incredible journey that Migratory Birds take each year. Traveling thousands of miles between breeding grounds in North America, and their winter homes in Central and South America.
Organizers say this is a day to support, and to increase awareness of conservation efforts in support of these Birds. They also suggest a field trip into the Woods to look for and enjoy migrating birds.
On each Bird Day, we encourage you to take a few minutes to watch and observe birds, as well as to feed them.
Did You Know? Hummingbirds are the smallest Migratory Birds. #Homeschool Tip
Once again the Lord was telling me something because when I looked in the Mirror last night I told myself I needed a Haircut and today is Hairstyle Appreciation Day.
If only I didn’t have this cold still so I could get my hair cut and colored. Because I am so tired of looking at my hair flying away and seeing all the grey.
Hairstyle Appreciation Day celebrates uniqueness of all styles of hair.Allowing us to express our individuality. Each generation of youth creates it’s own hairstyles, or comes back to style that were popular years ago. Including hair coloring and shaved heads. After all, no hair is a hair style. SHHH.
Don’t tell Charlie because he wants to DIE his hair blond again which is okay but to do this we have to bleach his hair and I don’t want to do that again.
Perhaps the most famous hair style for women was the “beehive” of the fifties. During the same period, crew cuts were the cut of choice for the guys. Did you like the Beehive because I did. I didn’t even mind Crew Cuts on guys.
Celebrate today with a new hairstyle. Which is exactly what I want to do. Do you have any idea what I should do or what color I should color my hair and if so why?
Guys: Make sure to take notice and compliment the ladies on how nice their new “do” looks. Ladies this goes the same for men if they get a haircut compliment them.
Get out your Sax or grab your Trombone. Or pick up that Trumpet. Then, bring your friends and family together to play a few songs in celebration of International Jazz Day.
This musical holiday was created by UNESCO to highlight Jazz and its role in uniting people around the globe. Artists and jazz enthusiast alike, eagerly partake in this day.
United Nations Organizations, communities, schools, and performing arts organizations, are among groups to hold Jazz concerts and educational programs on this day, promting Jazz as a musical genre, teaching us about its historical roots.
Jazz was born in New Orleans, Louisiana in the late 1800s. If your a Jazz enthusiast, at some point in your life you must take a trip to the birthplace of Jazz. For me this is on my #BucketList and the perfect #Homeschool Music Field Trip.
From it’s origin in New Orleans, Jazz Music spread in popularity across the planet. Jazz is an important international role in art, culture and communications.
On International Jazz Day, an estimated billion people will engage Jazz music and in celebration of Jazz and its affect on people and society. Charlie and I will be studying #Jazz and performed this afternoon in our #Homeschool Music Class.
Musical of the Day: All That Jazz
Today isn’t a day for Pinocchio or Jim Carry from Liar Liar because it’s National Honesty Day. I wonder if I could get David to not tell small fibs all day today. Honestly I doubt it…
I will be discussing National Honesty Day with Charlie this morning and let him know today encourages us to be honest today, and everyday. If your like me then you honestly believe you try your best to be honest all of the time. Although, no one is perfect and you might not be honest all the time. Or at least I am not.
Honesty is a great virtue and as the saying goes, “Honesty is the best policy”. If we want people to believe us when its important, we need to be honest all of the time. I know you have heard about the boy who cried wolf. When the Wolf appeared, no one believed him.
Which is what Charlie and I will be reading in our #Homeschool Reading Class while studying Aesop’s Fables. Would you like to join us for #StoryTime?
Honesty was instilled in the character of our Nation even before its birth. As a child, George Washington our first President could never tell a lie. And, President Abraham Lincoln was known as “Honest Abe”..
Yuck, yuck yuck. I do not like Raisin and neither does Charlie although when he was little he would eat them. As for David he likes them in Bread just like my mom.
Raisins deserve to have their day to dry in the warm Sun and the day has arrived. Its National Raisin Day. Raisins are so popular, because one advertiser had dancing Raisins in their commercials. Hit songs have been written with Raisins and Grapes in mind. Did you know one movie has our Raisin in its title. Before you ask I can’t tell you which movie because its part of Charlie’s homework to look up and see which movie.
Raisins are popular eaten by themselves as a snack, or an ingredient in a wide range of culinary recipes and treats. They’re healthy, nutritious and packed with energy.
Raisins are a basic ingredient in Trail Mix. You can find them in cereals, cookies, muffins and cakes. Sprinkle a few raisins in your salad. Raisins are in both candy and energy bars. Raisins can even be in Puddings, too.
Humans have been drying Grapes in the Sun to make Raisins for thousands of years. Itsbelieved the practice started around 2,000B.C. in ancient Egypt and Persia.
Many of us love Raisins, not too many people have tried their hand at converting a Grape into a Raisin. It’s easer than you think. Why don’t you celebrate National Raisin Day by trying your hand at drying Grapes which can be a fun #Homeschool Science project, or at home with the kids.
How to Make Raisins:
- Remove the grapes from the stems.
- Wash grapes in cold water.
- Spread the grapes out on a clean screen or baking tray.
- Place the screen in the Sun when there will be 3-4 sunny, warm, and dry days in a row. Which isn’t happening here were supposed to have Rain on and off for four yes, you heard me four day. Bring out the Ark we may need it.
- Turn the Grapes once or twice a day.
- Place dried Raisins in an airtight container or in a baggie until ready to eat.
Song of the Day: “I Heard it Through the Grapevine”
Movie of the Day:“A Raisin in the Sun” (1961)
You can celebrate National Raisin Day any way you desire.
When David and I first began Dating him and his mom would play this Game. I didn’t know what it was or even want to give it a try. Years went by and one day I sat down and David showed me how to play now I play once or twice a week. Do you play?
Did you know there are two dates referenced on the internet to celebrate this Holiday.
National Mahjong Day is celebrated on August 1 and was established in 2018 by an American website, suggesting it is a U.S. “National” day.
Chinese Mahjong Day is on April 30 and referred to as “National Mahjong Day”. This is the older of the two Mahjong Day events. Mahjong has been around since approximately 2010 – 2015 and also seems to be American in origin.
If you love the game of Mahjong, why not celebrate on both days!? Which is what David, Sherry and I plan on doing. Before you ask if Charlie will play with us no, he will not. He says it isn’t his cup of tea. LOL
The game of Mahjong originated in Shanghai, China and there is speculation the game of Mahjong was created thousands of years ago by Confucius.
Over many centuries, Mahjong become popular in many countries in Asia, including, Hong Kong, Japan, and Singapore. The game of Mahjong arrived in America in the early 1920’s and took the country by storm and became the rage.
Mahjong is a 4 player game of strategy and there is a solitary version. While the original version is Chinese, there are other varieties, most notably Japanese and American.
The game has 144 beautifully decorated, domino-like tiles made of Ivory or Bamboo (newer, American game pieces are plastic). The tiles are marked in five categories of tiles: simples, Winds, Dragons, Flowers and Seasons.
This day is also referred to as Mah Jong Day, Japanese Mahjong Day and Mah Jongg Day.
Do you like to play games ? If you haven’t played and would like to I play for free on Facebook and I am sure you can find other sites online just by Googling the game.
Thank you,
Glenda, Charlie and David Cates
