DIANE'S CORNER: Celebrate Innovation Day FEB 16, 2015

since yesterday, i have no ability to use email. my husband worked on the problem well into the night. he can fix any computer misery, but not this one. please keep coming back to my blog to see each issue. i surely hope that i get the full use of my computer back as there are many who enjoy my newsletter in their mail each day - plus, i have lots of new subscribers who i cant communicate with at this time :-( ... diane

DIANE'S CORNER ... Celebrate Innovation Day

Spot a problem, think of a solution, and before you know it you’re innovating! Innovation Day is all about imagining new, better ways of doing things. How will you be innovative?

Word of the Day

assuage

Definition:

(verb) To make (something burdensome or painful) less intense or severe.

Synonyms:

alleviate, relieve, palliate

Usage:

Food, however, became scarce, and I often spent the whole day searching in vain for a few acorns to assuage the pangs of hunger.

Quick Quiz:

People call Ray a chip off the old block because he

History

Presidents' Day

The passage in 1968 of Public Law 90-363, also known as the "Monday Holiday Law," changed the observance of Washington's Birthday from February 22 to the third Monday in February. Because it occurs so soon after Lincoln's Birthday, many states—such as Hawaii, Minnesota, Nebraska, Wisconsin, and Wyoming—combine the two holidays and called it Presidents' Day or Washington-Lincoln Day. Some regard it as a day to honor all former presidents of the US.

"Zombie Cat" in Custody Battle

It's the story that won't die. Bart the "zombie cat," who crawled out of his shallow grave last month after being hit by a car and prematurely buried, is now the subject of a custody battle. Bart was supposed to be returned to his owner following jaw and eye surgeries at the Humane Society of Tampa Bay, Florida, but the organization decided not to release the cat, it said, after learning more about the "circumstances leading up to his burial." In response, the owner filed a legal motion demanding the return of his pet. An animal welfare check at the owner's house did not turn up anything suspicious, but, as of last week, Bart was still under the Humane Society's care.

1857 - The National Deaf Mute College was incorporated in Washington, DC. It was the first school in the world for advanced education of the deaf. The school was later renamed Gallaudet College.

1914 - The first airplane flight between Los Angeles and San Francisco took place.

1923 - Howard Carter unsealed the burial chamber of Egyptian Pharaoh Tutankhamen. The next day he entered the chamber with several invited guests. He had originally found the tomb on November 4, 1922

1932 - The first fruit tree patent was issued to James E. Markham for a peach tree which ripens later than other varieties.

1937 - Wallace H. Carothers received a patent for nylon. Carothers was a research chemist for Du Pont.

1968 - In the U.S., the first 911 emergency telephone system was inaugurated in Haleyville, AL.

2005 - The NHL announced the cancellation of the 2004-2005 season due to a labor dispute. It was the first time a major sports league in North America lost an entire season to a labor dispute.

If You Were Born Today, February 16

Passionate and loving yet independent, you are not always easily understood. Your life is change-ful in part because of a deep inner need to reinvent yourself from time to time. You possess inner vision and can be quite spiritual. Learning to believe in yourself but also to put faith in the universe rather than attempting to over-control your life are keys to your success. When inspired, you are hard-working and determined. Famous people born today: John McEnroe, Sonny Bono, LeVar Burton, Margaux Hemingway.

Picture of four sheep in what appears to be a posed portrait, New Zealand

Sheep Family Portrait

Photograph by Cameron Zegers, National Geographic

“While I was driving through a sheep farm near Waiuku, New Zealand, these four sheep stopped grazing to watch me watch them,” writes Cameron Zegers. “To achieve this shot, I waited for the sheep in the back to walk into the frame. Luckily, it stopped in the perfect place, and the result looked like a well-posed family portrait.”

knit

http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/cafe-au-lait-mitts

knit

http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/winter-lace-socks

knit

http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/bombshell-betty-version-2

knit, newborn - 10 yrs

http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/oriental-lily

knit

http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/the-fidget

crochet, fits all sizes

http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/crocheted-winter-headband

crochet, fits all sizes

http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/brain-waves-beanie

crochet

http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/winter-twist-cowl

crochet

http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/comfort-slippers

crochet

http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/harlequin-hoodie

recipe
szechwan shrimp

Szechwan Shrimp - Don't let some of the ingredients fool you--this spicy shrimp makes a simple, impressive dish, which I usually make for company. For more or less heat, adjust amount of red pepper. Serve over hot steamed rice.

Szechwan Shrimp - Don't let some of the ingredients fool you--this spicy shrimp makes a simple, impressive dish, which I usually make for company. For more or less heat, adjust amount of red pepper. Serve over hot steamed rice.

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Szechwan-Shrimp/Detail.aspx?evt19=1&referringHubId=1320

crockpot recipe
stephanie o dea

5 Layer Brownie Recipe

Hold on to your hats. This is one rich, satisfying, amazing dessert. And it took all of 5 minutes to prepare. The most difficult part for me was climbing up on to a bar stool to reach the baking cabinet over the refrigerator.

The Ingredients.

--1 16 oz package of brownie mix (I had a box of the Whole FoodsGF 365 brand--it has chocolate chips in it!)

--1/4 cup melted butter

--1 egg

--1/4 cup water

--1 can sweetened condensed milk

--1/4 cup walnuts

--1/4 cup coconut

--1/4 cup oats (I used Bob Red Mills Gluten Free Rolled Oats)

The Directions.

I used my mini 1.5 quart crockpot for this dish, because my other one had a chicken dish in it. The proportions of the oats, coconut, and walnuts are for the mini crock. If you decide to use a larger size, use enough of the toppings to spread over the whole surface area.

--melt butter (I was lazy and didn't want to dirty another bowl, so I melted the butter in the crock while I was doing the dishes)

--add 1/4 cup of water, the egg, and the brownie mix

--stir until none of the powder is left dry; batter will be quite thick

--pour can of sweetened condensed milk over the top.

--Shuffle children quickly out of the kitchen because you are "working" and lick out the inside of the can, being careful so you don't cut off your tongue.

--wash sweetened condensed milk off of your face

--cover milk with a layer of oats, then coconut, then walnuts.

--close up crockpot and cook on high, if using a little crock, low if using a bigger one. Test with a knife after two hours, if it comes out clean, cook for another 20-30 minutes with the lid off to get rid of the collected condensation and to help solidify the condensed milk. You will know this is done when the edges pull away from your stoneware.

Since I used my mini crockpot, this cooked for about 4 1/2 hours altogether.

The Verdict.

Well worth the wait. We ate these for dinner - and then for breakfast.and we were happy