National Book Lovers Day is Today! Aug. 9

Always a special place in my heart for this book and this cover

There are days for so many things I simply have no interest in - like National Polka Day, Play in the Sand Day, Spumoni Day, etc. I'm not making these up, someone actually went through the trouble of making days for these things. To be clear, I have no problem with these things, I just don't really see why they need whole days devoted to them.

This is why I'm happy to know about August 9th - National Book Lovers Day!

I will not lie. When Kindles first came out, I was all sorts of against them. I was determined not to loose the joy I get from smelling old pages, getting lost for hours in book stores, and turning back covers of tacky books so no one on the subway could see what I was reading.

However, I quickly learned that Kindles didn't mean I had to loose what I loved, it just meant that I could be sure that I was NEVER without a book. I could do both printed books and digital books. Be all bi-readual... or something.

Anyhooo, back to National Book Lovers Day. Celebrate your love of books tomorrow by hustling to your local bookstore and snapping up something you've always wanted to read OR checking out some of the great sites offering free eBooks like the fabulous ManyBooks.net and Project Gutenberg!

Happy Reading Everyone!!

International Children's Book Day / Hans Christian Anderson's Birthday

April 2nd is Hans Christian Anderson's Birthday, therefore it's only fitting that it also happens to be the date of International Children's Book Day this year.


Each year a theme is chosen and a prominent author writes a message to the children of the world. These materials are used in different ways to promote books and reading for children internationally. Activities include writing competitions, announcements of book awards and events with authors of children's literature.


The sponsor for this year's ICBD is the Mexico branch of the International Board on Books for Young People. IBBYP Mexico chose the them "Once upon a time, there was a story that the whole world told". Artist Juan Gedovius created a gorgeous poster for the event.


For information on International Children's Book Day events near you check out http://www.usbby.org/icbd.html.

Read On Little Ones, Read On!!!!

World Autism Awareness Day on April 2nd

ASD affects an estimated 3 million individuals in the U.S. and tens of millions worldwide. Autism statistics from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) identify around 1 in 110 American children as on the autism spectrum. In fact, more children will be diagnosed with autism this year than with childhood cancer, juvenile diabetes or pediatric AIDS combined.

On World Autism Awareness Day, April 2nd, organizations around the world celebrate with fundraising and awareness-raising events. To share your events, please "Like" the World Autism Awareness Day page on Facebook and submit your events by posting the information on the wall.

For more information on Autism and World Autism Awareness Day visit  http://www.autismspeaks.org/what-autism/waad .

Foodie Fridays: National Chips and Dip Day!

It just gets obscuerer and obscuerer. No, it's not a word but if you like Alice and Wonderland you get it.


So today is National Chips and Dip Day. Why? Because we need it. If it weren't for National Chips and Dip day we might only get Chips and Dip during the Super Bowl. Imagine a whole year without Seven Layer Dip or Spinach Dip. No one wants to live in a world like that ... unless of course they're dieting, but I can pretty much assure you that I will never write about dieting.


In honor of National Chips and Dip Day, here are recipes for the most basic to the most unusual dips out there.


Annie's Fruit Salsa and Cinnamon Chips
From Ann Page on Allrecipes.com

(Yields 10 servings)

Ingredients

• 2 kiwis, peeled and diced
• 2 Golden Delicious apples - peeled, cored and diced
• 8 ounces raspberries
• 1 pound strawberries
• 2 tablespoons white sugar
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 3 tablespoons fruit preserves, any flavor
•  
• 10 (10 inch) flour tortillas
• butter flavored cooking spray
• 2 tablespoons cinnamon sugar
• 
  
• Directions

1. In a large bowl, thoroughly mix kiwis, Golden Delicious apples, raspberries, strawberries, white sugar, brown sugar and fruit preserves. Cover and chill in the refrigerator at least 15 minutes.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
3. Coat one side of each flour tortilla with butter flavored cooking spray. Cut into wedges and arrange in a single layer on a large baking sheet. Sprinkle wedges with desired amount of cinnamon sugar. Spray again with cooking spray.
4. Bake in the preheated oven 8 to 10 minutes. Repeat with any remaining tortilla wedges. Allow to cool approximately 15 minutes. Serve with chilled fruit mixture.

Texas Caviar
From Elkinsmeg on Allrecipes.com
(Yields 8 cups)

Ingredients

• 1/2 onion, chopped
• 1 green bell pepper, chopped
• 1 bunch green onions, chopped
• 2 jalapeno peppers, chopped
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 1 pint cherry tomatoes, quartered
• 1 (8 ounce) bottle zesty Italian dressing
• 1 (15 ounce) can black beans, drained
• 1 (15 ounce) can black-eyed peas, drained
• 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1 bunch chopped fresh cilantro
• 
  
• Directions

1. In a large bowl, mix together onion, green bell pepper, green onions, jalapeno peppers, garlic, cherry tomatoes, zesty Italian dressing, black beans, black-eyed peas and coriander. Cover and chill in the refrigerator approximately 2 hours. Toss with desired amount of fresh cilantro to serve.

Lobster Dip
From Chef-Girl-L-Dee on Allrecipes.com
(Yields 2 cups)

• 1 (7 ounce) can lobster meat, drained and flaked
• 1 tablespoon minced onion
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
• 4 tablespoons butter, softened
• 1 tablespoon prepared horseradish

Directions

1. In a medium bowl, mix together lobster meat, onion, lemon juice, cream cheese, butter and prepared horseradish. Continue mixing until smooth. Cover and chill in the refrigerator until serving.

• Veronica's Hot Spinach, Artichoke and Chile Dip

  From Wrightwood Girl on AllRecipes.com 
• (Yields 10 servings)
• • Ingredients
  • 2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
  • 1/2 cup mayonnaise
  • 1 (4.5 ounce) can chopped green chiles, drained
  • 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1 (12 ounce) jar marinated artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
  • 1/4 cup canned chopped jalapeno peppers, drained
  • 1 (10 ounce) box frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
  • 
    
  • Directions
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
  2. Mix together the cream cheese and mayonnaise in a bowl until smooth. Stir in the green chiles, Parmesan cheese, artichokes, peppers, and spinach. Spoon the mixture into a baking dish.
  3. Bake in preheated oven until slightly browned, about 30 minutes.

  
  

  
  

  Seven Layer Tex Mex Dip

  From Ginny on Allrecipes.com

  (Yields 7 cups)

  
  

  Ingredients

  • 1 (16 ounce) can refried beans
  • 1 cup guacamole
  • 1/4 cup mayonnaise
  • 1 (8 ounce) container sour cream
  • 1 (1 ounce) package taco seasoning mix
  • 2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
  • 1 tomato, chopped
  • 1/4 cup chopped green onions
  • 1/4 cup black olives, drained
  • 
    
  • Directions

  1. In a large serving dish, spread the refried beans. Layer the guacamole on top of the beans.
  2. In a medium bowl, mix the mayonnaise, sour cream and taco seasoning mix. Spread over the layer of guacamole.
  3. Sprinkle a layer of Cheddar cheese over the mayonnaise mixture layer. Sprinkle tomato, green onions and black olives over the cheese.

Happy Extraterrestrial Abduction Day!!

Today is Extraterrestrial Abduction Day. For some reason this "holiday" doesn't get much recognition, but for the untold number of people dealing with the trauma of alien abduction this is an important day. Therefore, I've decided to treat it with the gravity it deserves and so have included a list of top places to avoid if you'd rather not be the victim of alien abduction as well as a list of the best resources for helping one cope with a recent abduction.

May the force be with you.

Top Alien Abductions and Locations
1. Roswell, NM (Famous UFO Crash and Mecca for UFO hunters)
2. Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest, AZ (Site of Travis Walton abduction made famous by Fire in the Sky)
3. Nome, AK (Erie disappearances made famous in The Fourth Kind)
4. Mexico City, MX (Lights seen by hundreds of witnesses at various times in past years)
5. Indian Head, NH (Site of the Betty and Barney Hill abduction)
6. South Ashburnham, MA (Site of the Betty Andreasson abduction)
7. Buff Ledge, VT (Site of the Buff Ledge Camp abductions)
8. Alamogorde, NM (Site of Sergeant Charles S. Moody's abduction)
9. Allagash River, ME (Site of Allagash abductions)
10. Stanford, KY (Site of Stanford abductions)

UFO Support Groups
1. Starborn (Northern New England)
2. Abduction Buddies (Online support group)
3. United Friends Observer Society (Internationally known support group, based in Walker, NY)

World Water Day is Coming Up on March 22nd - Get Involved!

International World Water Day is held annually on 22 March as a means of focusing attention on the importance of freshwater and advocating for the sustainable management of freshwater resources.


There are 7 billion people to feed on the planet today and another 2 billion are expected to join by 2050. Statistics say that each of us drinks from 2 to 4 litres of water every day, however most of the water we ‘drink’ is embedded in the food we eat: producing 1 kilo of beef for example consumes 15,000 litres of water while 1 kilo of wheat ’drinks up’ 1,500 litres.

When a billion people in the world already live in chronic hunger and water resources are under pressure we cannot pretend the problem is ‘elsewhere’.

World Water Day was recommended at the 1992 United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED). The United Nations General Assembly responded by designating 22 March 1993 as the first World Water Day.

Each year, World Water Day highlights a specific aspect of freshwater. This year it's water and food security.

Check out the website to find out about events taking place near you and how you can get involved - UN World Water Day.

Alfred Hitchcock Day!

Although Hitchcock was born on August 13th, for some unfathomable reason Alfred Hitchcock Day is today on March 12th. It is a mystery of Hitchcockian proportions.

Seeing that Hitchcock is brilliant 365 days of the year, here's a pic in honor of Alfred Hitchcock Day.