National Months - June

 Interesting national months for June.

Here we go!

National Pollinator's Month 

It's all about the bees!  Make a space in your yard for a pollinator garden.  Choose plants native to your area.  Make sure to choose bright flowers.  Color and scent attract bees to your garden.  

National Iced Tea Month

Sipping on iced tea is a great way to cool off on a hot, sunny day.  Sun tea, sweet tea and unsweetened tea.  Which is your favorite?

National Great Outdoors Month

This holiday encourages us to explore nature, wildlife refuges and parks.  Hike, bike, kayak, camp.  It's time to get outside and explore!

National Candy Month

What a sweet way to start the month!  Milk Duds, $100,000 bar, Hershey's Chocolate Bar, Snickers, Salt Water Taffy, Mints, Smarties, Zots, Candy Corn, Coke Bottles, Razzles, Fun Dip, Gummy Bears, Jawbreaker, M & M's, etc.  I remember getting Sno-Caps when we went to the movies.  What's your favorite candy?

National Fresh Fruit and Vegetables Month

Farmer's Markets are starting up.  Pick up some fresh fruit and vegetables and you can add some color to your meals.  Take advantage of the berry picking season (I think strawberry and blueberry season are upon us).  

National Fight the Filthy Fly Month

No, it's not about getting into a ring and boxing a fly.  This holiday raises awareness about the diseases that flies carry.  Flies make themselves at home in uncovered food, garbage and moisture.  And they love the warmer months.  Some ways you can "Fight the fly":  fly swatter, bug zappers and glue trappers.  Make sure all garbage cans are covered and there are no puddles around your home.  Lavender, mint, basil and wormwood are known to deter flies when planted around your garden. Some facts about flies that you don't really want to know:  female flies can lay up to 500 eggs in a lifetime, there are more that 120,000 flies in the world with more that have not been recorded.  I think I've been pestered enough by flies.  What about you?

Which holidays will you celebrate this month?

Sunsets

 What is it about sunsets that draws so many people?  The beautiful colors?  Is it the peacefulness or calmness that it provides?  The promise that something good and beautiful came out of the day?

We visited a town that, at this time of year, there aren't a lot of tourists.  When we went to watch the sunset by the lake, the parking lot was full.  People were walking around and playing on the beach.  The funny part of this story is that it was the middle of the week.  I guess I thought watching the sunset was something that you do while on vacation.  

Do you like to watch the sunset?  

Do you watch the sunset while on vacation?  

Do you ever enjoy the sunset while you are at home?

National Rescue Dog Day

 Over 3 million dogs enter shelters every year.  (THREE MILLION!)  Each dog is in search of a loving fur ever home.  

Most rescue dogs overcome extreme obstacles.  Some are abuse or raised in poor conditions.  Most are abandoned and left to the streets.  With training, these dogs can provide comfort to people as emotional support pets, help people with disabilities and provide comfort to elderly.  People with autism enjoy the therapeutic benefits of comfort dogs while military personnel with PTSD get relief from anxiety and depression.

How to celebrate today:

Volunteer at a shelter.  

Shelters are always looking for donations.  Old towels and blankets.  Some even have an Amazon list of needs.

Consider adopting from a shelter for your next pet.

You can use #NationalRescueDogDay on social media.

I will be spending the day (like every other day) spoiling my weird dog rescue dog, Pippen.  

Retail Problems

 I figured we needed our monthly dose of scary people retail problems.  

I think my stories are dwindling.  I'm either not shocked or surprised anymore by what people say or do in the wild or I'm just used to the craziness.

I've mentioned that I work in a grocery store and that I have to card people for alcohol purchases.  I have to card everyone and see the physical ID card.  One busy day, I was ringing a customer's order and when I asked for an ID card, she showed me her phone.  She had a photo of her driver's license.  I explained that I had to see the actual Driver's License.  And that's how it started.  A fifteen minute rant about how the world is going digital and that our store needs to catch up to the times.  Everyone everywhere is accepting photo IDs.  While she is ranting, I'm feeling sorry for my really long line of customers.  I explain that our store isn't there yet and that this is a rule.  Of course, she wants to speak to my manager.  I did one better and asked the store manager, who was ringing right behind me.  The customer and store manager went back and forth for a few minutes.  The manager said she can not approve the purchase.  Now that another 5 minutes have gone by, the customer says, "Okay," and pulls her driver's license out of her purse.  When she left, every customer, when it was their turn, said, "I can't believe she argued with you for 15 minutes and had her ID on her the entire time!"

Yea, you can't make this stuff up.

Happy Mother's Day

 "To the world, you are a mother, but to your family, you are the world." - Unknown

National Dog Mom's Day

 I have tried to find the source for this holiday, and nothing makes sense.  I'm happy that this day is set aside for us weird dog dog moms.  We really need it. 

Some activities for dog mom's day:

Go for a walk.  Oh, yea.  Don't forget to bring your dog.

Treat yourself.  Oh, and the dog, too.  Go out for a special treat.  Maybe get matching t-shirts?

Some interesting facts about dogs:

They are as smart as a two year old (sounds about right).  They can learn up to 200 words.

They can hear four times better than humans.  Especially when you open a dog treat bag or peanut butter jar.  And when you quietly grab their dog leash.

Being a dog mom improves your health.  Obviously, the person who said this never spent time with my weird dog Pippen.  Bad breath in your face.  Worrying because there might be a thunderstorm.  Having to lug 50lb dog food bags up and down the stairs.

Being a dog mom helps you socialize more.  Again, this person never had to walk Pippen.  I have to avoid people with dogs so he doesn't attack them.  He makes me antisocial. 

Being a dog mom makes you more responsible.  Responsible for letting the dog out, taking him for walks, feeding him, protecting him from the scary thunderstorms and fireworks.

Happy Dog Mom's Day to you.

Oh, and I expect a card and a real nice gift, Pippen.

National Lost Sock Memorial Day

 Where do all of those missing socks go?  There are people that hang on to all of their missing socks with the hopes of finding the mate.  

It's time to take a deep breath and Move On.  Let go of those socks!  It's time to face the music and realize that the sock mates have moved on and are not coming back.  

How to celebrate #LostSockMemorialDay

Clean out your sock drawer.  Make sure all of your socks have a mate.

Wear mismatched socks going forward

Make sock puppets.

Use the mate less socks as a dust rag

Make wrist warmers

Make sock owls 

Make sock monkeys

I think you get the picture.

What will you do with your mismatched socks?

Weeding

 It's finally starting to warm up here in the Midwest.  Well, somedays it's warm.  Totally normal for the area we live.  

Springtime weather brings on yard work.  There's always something to do outside your house or in the garden. 

One of the fun yardwork chores, and everyone's favorite, is weeding!  Maybe some of you have it easy and use chemicals to kill your weeds.  Maybe you have someone else do the dirty work pull the weeds.  Somehow this became my job.  

Now, I'm not complaining that I have been awarded this position.  I have many years of experience in pulling weeds.  In fact, I remember my Mom teaching me how to pull weeds.  Yea, I think there was a hidden motive there.   My only problem with pulling weeds is once I start, I have a hard time stopping.  In fact, my family knows about my sickness if I start leaning over to pick a weed, someone will say, "Don't start that now!"  And I have to stop myself.  I might say, "I'm just going to pick one." or I'm just going to pick a couple."   Everyone knows that translates to, "I'll be out here for several hours."

To be fair, I feel if I stay on top of the weeding, there is less to do later.  I also find it quite peaceful and relaxing (except when you get a stubborn weed that won't budge).

Do you have a lawn service or do you spend the warmer months plucking those nasty weeds?