Fun National Days in May

 I did a little digging and found some interesting holidays we can celebrate in May.

Here we go:

May 1

National Join Hands Day

This is a day that both the older and younger generations come together.  Put their aside their differences and work together towards a common goal.  Volunteering, reading to residents at a nursing home, organize food drives or clean up local parks.  

it's Also

National Play Outside Day

Put down the phone or tablet and get outdoors!  Go for a hike.  Take the kids to the park.  Take the dog for a walk.  Do a little gardening.  Ride your bike.  Dance in the rain.  

May 2

National Lemonade Day

This day encourages the entrepreneurial spirit in children.  Who hasn't set up a lemonade stand as a child?  And, more importantly, who doesn't love a nice tall, cold glass of freshly made lemonade?  

May 3

National Lumpy Rug Day

Two ways to celebrate this day.  Spring cleaning, because who doesn't love a nice clean rug?  Or, face our problems head on and not sweep it under the rug.  I'm sure we can all celebrate this day one way or another (or both).

  

May 4

National Star Wars Day

May the Fourth be with you.

May 6

National Beverage Day

This day encourages us to enjoy our favorite beverage.  Hot or cold?  Caffeinated or carbonated?  Cocktail or mocktail?  Frozen, blended, creamy, smooth?   How will you celebrate the day?

May 7

National School Lunch Hero Day

Dedicated to the lunchroom ladies (and men).  What was your favorite lunch at school?  I would have to say spaghetti (in elementary school).  The school I went to had actual lunch ladies that made the lunches at school.  The food was pretty good.

May 8

National Dog Mom's Day

I expect a card and breakfast in bed, Pippen!!

May 9

National Lost Sock Memorial Day

This is the day to say goodbye to those single, lonely socks in your drawer.  What to do with them?  How about:  Make a sock puppet, use it as a dust rag, make wrist warmers or choose to never wear matching socks again.

May 12

National Limerick Day

There was a lady named Ferris

Whom nothing could ever embarrass

Till the bath salts one day

in the tub where she lay

Turned out to be Plaster of Paris.

May 14

National Dance Like a Chicken Day

This day encourages everyone to dance like chickens.  Flap your arms and strut like a chicken.  Do the chicken dance.   Maybe Patti's chickens can teach us some new moves?

May 15

National Armed Forces Day

A day set aside to pay tribute to the military in the United States Armed Forces.  The United States Military is composed of 6 branches:  Army, Airforce, Space Force, Navy, Marines and Coast Guard.  How to observe?  Volunteer for an organization that supports those that are deployed.  Organize some care packages to be sent out.  Send letters to those serving in the military to thank them.  Honor a service member.

May 16

National Do Something Good For Your Neighbor Day

Break out those random acts of kindness and shower some or all of your neighbors.  Help an elderly neighbor with some yard work, run some errands for a neighbor, invite them over for coffee or drop off some yummy homemade baked goods.  

it's also

National Love a Tree Day

Trees do quite a bit for us and it's time to give back.  Besides providing oxygen, moderating the climate and creating a beautiful landscape to enjoy, trees also provide a home for animals.  Go outside and celebrate trees by taking a hike, hang out in a park or arboretum or, even better, plant a tree!

and, most importantly, it's

National Mimosa Day

Luckily this falls on a Sunday.  Go ahead and have a few Mimosas this morning to celebrate!

May 17

National Pack Rat Day

Take a good long look at yourself and your possessions and decide if you have pack rat tendencies.  A great day to clean out your attic, garage or basement and get rid of things that are collecting dust.

May 18 

National Visit Your Relatives Day

Since I have a lot of family members reading this, they won't be surprised when I drop by their house today.  

It's also 

National No Dirty Dishes Day

This will never happen at our house.  I can dream, though.  

May 20

National Rescue Dog Day

A day to celebrate our rescue dog, Pippen.  As if he doesn't get celebrated enough around here...

May 21

National Pizza Party Day

It's Friday and I'm making pizza.  Come on over!

May 23

National Lucky Penny Day

Once upon a time, pennies were made of copper, making it valuable.  You could also buy things for a penny (penny candy).  Some people only pick up pennies if they are head side up.  See a penny pick it up and all day long you'll have good luck.  Keep your eyes peeled for those pennies.

May 24

National Brother's Day

A day to celebrate our brothers  that tortured us as kids while our parent's weren't looking .

May 25

National Brown Bag It Day

Pack up a lunch and bring it to work or school today!  What you pack will be much more healthy than eating out.  Don't forget those reusable containers!  

it's also

National Towel Day

A tribute to "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy."  "A towel is about the most massively useful thing an interstellar hitchhiker can have."  Think about it.  A towel can be used to dry yourself off after a shower, bath or swim.  They can be rolled up and put at the base of a door to keep a draft out.  They can be used in an emergency to stop bleeding.  We use them to dust, wash/dry our car and bike.  The list goes on and on.  You can celebrate today by packing a towel.

May 28

National Road Trip Day

The kickoff to the summer road trip season.  Where will you go?

May 30

National Creativity Day

Unleash your imagination.  Embrace your own creativity and celebrate other's creative works.  

May 31

National Smile Day

This day encourages everyone to smile.  Your smile can help brighten someone's day.  It can also improve your day.  Smiles are infectious.  Smile and the whole world smiles with you.  

National Poem in your Pocket Day

 Today is National Poem In Your Pocket Day.  It's the day to put a copy of your favorite poem in your pocket and share it with everyone you meet today.  

This holiday was started in New York City as part of their National Poetry Month celebration.  What a great way to share your love of poetry with other people.  

It's very simple to participate in this holiday.   Print out (or handwrite) a copy of your favorite poem and carry it with you today.  Share your favorite poem with friends, family and coworkers.  If you are shy about reading poetry in front of others, why not print out copies of the poem and hand them out?  Be creative.  Poems can be handed out at a favorite coffee house, train station, grocery line, nursing home or local business.  Encourage local businesses to participate by offering a discount to those with a poem.     Maybe put a poem in a loved one's lunch today.  Or on a coworker's desk.    Add a poem to your signature on your emails.  Tape a poem to the watercooler, in the breakroom or copy room.  How about trying your hand at writing poetry?

You can also share the poem(s) on social media by using  #pocketpoem .

If you have not given poetry a fair chance, this is your day to discover this wonderful art.  Check out The Academy of American Poets.  You can join a number of people and read a poem a day.   

Do you have a favorite poem or poet?

National Card and Letter Writing Month

 April is National Card and Letter Writing Month.  I talked about this in an earlier blog post (click here to check it out) and thought I would remind everyone again.

Why not take a few minutes and write some letters to friends and or family members and drop them in the mail?  People love getting happy mail!  I love handwritten letters!  That's the first thing I read when I get the mail!

Don't know what to write?  How about:

an uplifting message
a funny (happy) memory that you share with this person
Maybe a thank you for something

How about just saying hello?

This would be a great idea for your Girl Scouts.  Our Girl Scout Troop is making some cards for Seniors.  We have done this in the past and the Seniors love receiving cards and letters!  I have contacted the homes that we normally visit and have organized our card drop off with them.  This might be something you can have your troop work on at home.  If you want to take this a step further, maybe your troop would like to be pen pals with some seniors?  Check out this article on Becoming a Pen Pal to Seniors.  You can contact your local retirement community and see if they would be interested in having Girl Scout Pen Pals.  

So, grab some paper and a pen and start writing!

National Take a Chance Day

 Today is National Take a Chance Day!

I found this holiday interesting because it encourages us to take a step out of our comfort zone.  To get out there and do (or try) all of those things that we have been putting off.   Even if it's a small step towards one of your goals, at least it's a start.

It's time to dust off that bucket list.  Pick one of your bucket list items and get started.  You don't have to try and do everything on the list.  Pick an item and decide to work toward achieving that goal. For example, if you want to hike the Pacific Crest Trail, You can start off by purchasing a good pair of hiking shoes.  From there, you can take some short hikes in your local forest preserves for some practice.   All of these baby steps will finally lead you to achieving that goal.

Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn't do than by the ones you did.  -  Mark Twain

What will you Take a Chance on today?

Mom Mode

 Parenting doesn't stop when your children grow up.  

When your children are little, they need quite a bit of supervision and guidance.  As a parent you tend to lighten up a bit as they enter the teenage years.  It's nice to watch them take what they learned and blossom into their own person.  Sometimes you get positive feedback from other adults that lets you know that something sunk into their brains.  And, then they move out/go off to college, which brings about a lot more concerns.

Parents do a lot of worrying while raising their children.  

There's quite a lot during infancy and childhood.  When you think it should start to get easier, they enter another stage (teen, college, adulthood) and more worries accumulate.  When you don't see them all of the time like you did when they were little, your imagination starts to run wild.

Alex told me he was taking a day trip.  I had an idea of what he was going to do on this excursion.  As we were getting into bed that night, RT and I thought we heard Alex's car in the driveway.  We went to sleep thinking he made it home safely.  I woke up in the middle of the night and "Mom Mode" hit me.  I checked the driveway only to find that his car was not there.  What if he was trying to reach me?  I turned my phone on.  RT woke up and I had to explain why I was freaking out why I was making so much noise.  We sent text messages.  We agreed that he's an adult and can handle himself.  Unfortunately that does not stop your Mom brain from thinking that your son is lying on the side of the road.  I didn't get much sleep the rest of the night.

I'm not sure when or why this Mom Mode started.  I have a hunch it was the moment after I gave birth to Nick.   If my child(ren) aren't with me, my brain immediately goes to the worst possible scenario.  It's usually something gory like an accident, injury or even death.  There's no reasoning with the Mom Mode, either.  You can try to pretend all is well, but, Mom Mode does not agree and insists that the situation is much worse.

This story does have a happy ending.  Alex did text me in the morning to let me know that everything was OK.  

Have you ever experienced Mom Mode?

Do you have crazy worries about your children when you don't hear from them?

National Get To Know Your Customer Day

 Today is National Get To Know Your Customer Day.  It is a day where businesses reach out and try to get to know their patrons better.  This day started out with the General Store (family run) type businesses.  Small stores are a lot more personable and willing to please their customers.  They are great at making the customer feel extra special.

The best way to get to know your customer is to ask questions, use social media and follow up after a purchase (maybe a quick survey).

I thought this day was interesting because, as you know, I work in retail.  I think it's great on the business side to get to know your customer/consumer.  I do love people, but I find that when they are a customer, they act a little strange.  If you need a little proof, just search Karen Stories or when you work in retail on this blog.   There are some doozies.  Which makes me seriously think about this day and wonder, do I really want to get to know my customer?  Do I really want to know what the customer is thinking as they glare at me when I say "hello" to them or thank them for stopping in today?  Do I really want to get to know "Bear Spray" guy?  Or the woman who used gloves to hold a piece of paper that she printed out at her home?  

The other day at the register, I had a customer that said "boop" every time he pressed the buttons on the pin pad.  He has visited our store before and made the exact same noises last time.   Is he someone I should get to know?  "Hey, why do you make weird sounds when you press buttons?"  

I think I will sit this holiday out.  I know a little too much about the customer.    

Pennies from Heaven

 There is a saying that when an angel misses you they toss a penny down from heaven.  I decided to do a little digging and found that there is more on this subject.

I located a website that truly believes that the departed drop pennies for us here on earth.  These pennies are just symbols.  They can be sent to us because they (the departed) miss us.  Sometimes they send them to console us and to let us know that we are not alone.  And, sometimes they are sent as a warning.  The article urges the reader to take note as to when these pennies appear in their life.  These coins are a "spiritual communication tool."  If this "spirit" were to appear before us it would disrupt our life more than just a shiny little penny, which is why they toss the coin.

After my mom passed in May, I started finding dimes.  I usually find pennies and know it's rare to find other coins on the ground.  I didn't think much about the new found money.  These dimes must have fallen out of pockets, wallets or purses.  When I mentioned this to someone, they told me that an angel must have dropped these for me to find.  Well, all found dimes would lead to my mom, since this started after she passed.  

My question is this, where do these angels get all of this money that they are tossing around?  Do they bring money with them?  When you die, are you given a bag of coins and told to drop them on earth?  And, most importantly, what if, when dropping these coins, they hit someone in the head?

And, before you get all critical and judge-y, I don't believe that these pennies (or dimes) come from heaven or loved ones.   I believe they fell out of someone's hand/pocket/wallet.  They can be called lucky, because you found them (unlucky to the person that lost them).  If it makes you happy to believe that a loved one is thinking of you, then go with that feeling.

Oh, by the way,  if my loved ones are are reading this, when you are dropping money for me, can you drop a few Ben Franklins once in awhile?    

Kale Pesto

I'm planning on growing kale again in my garden this year and would like to have an assortment of recipes to use.  I found this interesting recipe here and thought I would give it a try.  I love a good pesto and why not use kale?  I also like the addition of hemp seeds in the recipe.  The pesto came out quite tasty and I'm looking forward to using the leftovers to make a kale pesto pizza on Friday.

Here's the recipe:

Kale Pesto 

ingredients:

4 cloves garlic

3 cups kale (1 small bunch)

3/4 cup hemp seeds*

2 TBSP lemon juice

1/4 tsp sea salt

1/4 tsp ground pepper

1/4 cup olive oil

1/3 cup parmesan cheese

*reserve pasta water

directions:

In food processor, add chopped garlic cloves and process until it it minced.  Add kale, hemp seeds, lemon juice, salt and pepper.  As it is processing, drizzle in some oil until it reaches desired consistency.  Pesto can be thinned out by using the reserved pasta water.

Add pesto to pasta and serve.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

*can use walnuts, pecans, slivered almonds or pine nuts to replace hemp seeds

*spice this up a little by adding some crushed red pepper to the mix

*try using flaxseed oil to replace the olive oil.  Flax seed oil has many benefits, like having heart healthy Omega 3 fatty acids.  

*You can make this vegan by replacing the parmesan cheese with vegan parmesan or nutritional yeast or leaving it out all together.

*Makes enough to cover 1 lb of pasta

*I added some of the reserved pasta water so the pesto didn't get too oily.

* I had leftover pesto and plan to use it when making homemade pizza.

*feel free to add more garlic (everybody loves garlic!)

If you make Kale Pesto, let me know what you think!

Enjoy!

Crispy Tofu

 I read a twitter post that said they wanted to start a blog posting recipes.  In the paragraphs before each recipe they would carefully describe in detail how they carried out a murder. 

No plans of murder here.  Sorry.

Although, I could see that happening if they took the last of these tofu bites!  These bites are best served warm.  Toss them in a buddha bowl, with some veggie stir fry, in a salad or eat them alone with some sauce (barbeque or ranch).   They can be refrigerated.  They can be reheated in the oven (or a toaster oven).  You can spice these up by adjusting the seasoning.

Here's the recipe:

Crispy Tofu

ingredients:

14oz tofu, extra firm

1/2 cup vegetable broth

1 TBSP soy sauce

1/2 cup flour

2 eggs or flax eggs*

1 cup bread crumbs*

1.5 tsp paprika

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp onion powder 

1/2 tsp cayenne

directions:

Oven 400*F.

Slice tofu on long side in five slices.  Press each slice to remove liquid.  Once most of liquid is drained, slice tofu into cubes.

In a bowl, mix broth and soy sauce.  Marinate tofu in mixture for at least 20 minutes (or up to 24 hours).

You will need three bowls.  One with bread crumbs and spices, one with the eggs and the third with flour.

Coat the tofu in flour, then place in egg mixture then into the bread crumbs and place on baking sheet that is lined with parchment paper.

Bake for 15 minutes.  Flip the tofu over and bake for another 15 minutes.  The bites are ready when they are crispy and golden brown.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

*to make a flax egg take 1 TBSP ground flax and mix with 3 TBSP cold water.  Let sit for 5-10 minutes before using.

*I use oats as my bread crumbs.  Take 1 cup of oats and put them in the food processor until powdery.

*these would be fun to try with a cajun spice on them

If you make the Crispy Tofu bites, let me know what you think in the comments below.

Enjoy!

National Card and Letter Writing Month

 April is National Card and Letter Writing Month.

I mean, who doesn't love getting a handwritten letter in the mail?  I know that's the first piece of mail I open.  A handwritten letter is a lot better than opening up a bill.

It's time for you to get out all of that pretty paper and cards that you are saving for a special occasion.  Now is the time to use it!  And, don't worry if you don't have pretty paper.  Grab some paint, stickers, washi tape, crayons, or markers and create your own artistic paper.

Letter writing is also a great way to practice your penmanship (I think we all need the extra practice). Don't worry about bad handwriting.  Loved ones know you and your  bad  handwriting and they still love hearing from you.

Don't know what to say?  How about starting off with "Hi" or "Hello"?    Maybe tell them what you have been doing with your time.  Instead of wishing a friend or family a happy birthday on social media, how about sending them a physical card?  You can write a few lines in the card wishing them a happy birthday, letting them know that you are thinking about them.   You can even send a "just because" note or card letting them know that you appreciate them.

What are you waiting for???   Grab your pens and paper and start writing!