Sunday, November 1, 2015

Vegan Day NOVEMBER 1, 2015

DIANE'S CORNER ... Celebrate Vegan Day

Vegan Day first occurred on November 1st, 1994 as a way of commemorating the 50th anniversary of the UK Vegan Society and indeed the term “Vegan”. The Vegan Society was established in November of 1944; although the exact date was unknown. The President of the Vegan Society decided to elect the date of the 1st of November. This is now recognized as the date on which the Vegan Society was founded and on which Vegan Day would be observed.
Along with celebrating the start of the Vegan Society, Vegan Day is an opportunity to promote the benefits of a vegan diet and veganism in general. The term Vegan was coined by Donald Watson and derived from the word Vegetarian. At that time, the differentiation was that Vegans did not consume dairy products. Later this extended to eggs, and by 1951, veganism had become a movement of people who did not partake in the exploitation of animals.

thanks, patty for everything about autumn in one picture


Word of the Day

trenchant 


Definition:(adjective) Having keenness and forcefulness and penetration in thought, expression, or intellect.
Synonyms:searching
Usage:His trenchant criticism redirected the debate and gave everyone something new to consider.


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History

Seabiscuit Defeats War Admiral in the "Match of the Century" (1938)


Seabiscuit was a famous thoroughbred racehorse. As a colt, he was undersized, knobby kneed, and given to sleeping and eating. He failed to win any of his first races and became the butt of stable jokes. In the midst of the Great Depression, however, he began to win a number of prestigious and unlikely races, becoming a symbol of hope to many Americans. Then, in a race dubbed the "Match of the Century," he met War Admiral, who had won the elusive Triple Crown, and defeated him.

Stephen Crane (1871)


Often classified as the first modern American writer, Crane was among the first to introduce realism into American literature. He achieved international fame with his masterwork, The Red Badge of Courage, which depicts the psychological turmoil of a young Civil War soldier. While traveling as a war correspondent, Crane survived a shipwreck and ended up adrift in a dinghy. This ordeal inspired him to write the acclaimed story "The Open Boat."

National Author's Day


The idea of setting aside a day to celebrate American authors came from Nellie Verne Burt McPherson, president of the Bement (Illinois) Women's Club in 1928. In 1949, the day was recognized by the U.S. Department of Commerce. Sue Cole, McPherson's granddaughter, was largely responsible for promoting the observation of National Author's Day after her grandmother's death in 1968. She urged people to write a note to their favorite author on this day to "brighten up the sometimes lonely business of being a writer."

Newfound Human and Ape Ancestor had "Goggle Eyes"


The fossil of a small primate with "goggle" eyes that strode atop tree branches, snagging snacks of fruit, suggests the last common ancestor of all apes might have been less like humans' closest living relatives than often thought, researchers say.
READ MORE:


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1604 - "Othello," the tragedy by William Shakespeare, was first presented at Whitehall Palace in London. 

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1800U.S. President John Adams became the first president to live in the White House when he moved in.

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1848 - The first medical school for women, founded by Samuel Gregory, opened in Boston, MA. The Boston Female Medical School later merged with Boston University School of Medicine. 



1864 - The U.S. Post Office started selling money orders. The money orders provided a safe way to payments by mail.

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1870 - The U.S. Weather Bureau made its first meteorological observations using 24 locations that provided reports via telegraph. 

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1959 - Jacques Plante, of the Montreal Canadiens, became the first goalie in the NHL to wear a mask.

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1968 - George Harrison released the soundtrack "Wonderwall." He was the first Beatle to release a solo album. 

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1994 - The Amazon.com domain name was registered. (amazon founder: Jeff Bezos)





DAILY SQU-EEK





If You Were Born Today, November 1

You certainly follow your own instincts, and you possess a very strong will and distinct character. You have progressive and sometimes unusual ideas and convictions. Your wit is sharp and you have a strong sense of irony. Your personal style is distinct and magnetic, and you could talk a bird out of a tree if you put your mind to it! You are a family person who takes responsibility to loved ones very seriously, and you are a passionate lover. Famous people born today: Lyle Lovett, Stephen Crane, Cheiro, Demi Moore, Larry Flynt, Toni Collette, Logan Marshall-Green.




Picture of the day
Eckert II projection
The Eckert II projection is an equal-area pseudocylindrical map projection presented by Max Eckert-Greifendorff in 1906. In the equatorial aspect (where the equator is shown as the horizontal axis) the network of longitude and latitude lines consists solely of straight lines, and the outer boundary has the distinctive shape of an elongated hexagon.


Picture of the green hills of the Scottish Highlands

Peaks of Enchantment

Photograph by Joana Bochecha, National Geographic 
While on a four-day road trip through the Scottish Highlands, on what began as a rainy day, Joana Bochecha took advantage of a break in the weather and snapped this image of a shaft of sunlight illuminating the hollow between peaks in the Glencoe Mountains. “It had rained all morning, and just before reaching this spot the sun had broken through the clouds,” she writes, “highlighting not only the vibrant green of the grass … but also creating a mist between the top of the mountains that gives a mystical appearance to this photo.”

thanks, virg
YOUR AGE BY CHOCOLATE MATH
 
Don't tell me your age; you'd probably lie anyway-but the Hershey Man will know! 
YOUR AGE BY CHOCOLATE MATH
 
It takes less than a minute. 
Work this out as you read. 
Be sure you don't read the bottom until you've worked it out! 
It's fun.
 
1.First of all, pick the number of times a week that you would like to have chocolate (more than once but less than 10)
 
 
 
 
 
 
2.Multiply this number by 2 (just to be bold)
 
 
 
 
 
3.Add 5
 
 
 
 
 
4.Multiply it by 50 -- I'll wait while you get the calculator
 
 
 
 
 
5.If you have already had your birthday this year add 1765... 
If you haven't, add 1764..
 
 
 
 
 
6... Now subtract the four digit year that you were born.
 
 
 
 
 
 
You should have a three (or four) digit number
 
 
 
 
 
 
The first digit of this was your original number 
(i.e., how many times you want to have chocolate each week).
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
The next two numbers are
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
YOUR AGE! (Oh YES, it is!)
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PREPARE FOR VETERAN'S DAY and REMEMBRANCE DAY WEDNESDAY - NOVEMBER 11th
knit

Poppy

Field Poppy 
Click here to zoom.


Petals (make 4) 
Using A, cast on 7 sts. 
1st row (RS) K. 
2nd row Kfb, k to last 2 sts, kfb, k1. 9 sts. 
3rd row As 2nd row. 11 sts. 
4th row As 2nd row. 13 sts. 
5th–8th rows K. 
9th row Ssk twice, k to last 4 sts, k2tog twice. 9 sts. 
10th–12th rows K. 
13th row As 9th row. 5 sts. 
14th–16th rows K. 
17th row K1, sk2po, k1. 3 sts. 
18th row K. Bind off. 
Center 
Using B, cast on 16 sts. Bind off. 
Finishing 
Sew petals together in pairs, then position one pair over the other in a cross formation and secure. Coil center into a tight spiral and sew base to the center. Using C, work a ring of straight stitches radiating from the flower center, then work French knots around the outer edge of the stitched ring. Maintain the petals in a cup shape with a small stitch behind pairs of petals. 

Stitch Explanation: Sk2po - Slip 2 stitches as if to knit together, knit 1, pass slipped stitches over 


crochet
Poppy
You will need: Some red yarn, some yellow yarn and a hook. Simple, no? You can use any size hook. I used a size 6. Basically, the bigger the hook, the bigger the poppy.
With yellow: Leaving a tail about a foot long, chain 3. Join the last chain to the first with a slip stitch. Careful not to twist the chains.
Rnd 1: Chain 1. 16 SC into the loop made of chains. I know. Tight squeeze. Make them fit. AND make sure your tail that you started with is being crocheted under the SCs. Place your hook through the 1st SC made on this round, but bring your red through instead of the yellow. If you are more comfortable with it, tie a knot with the two colors and cut off the yellow.
Rnd 2: With Red. *Chain 2. 1 DC in the same sc as your chain. 2 TrC in the next 2 sc. 1 DC in the next sc. Slip stitch into the same sc. Slip stitch into the next sc.** Repeat from * to ** around to the end. There should be four petals. Use the last slip stitch to join the last petal to the 1st. Tie off.
Remember the yellow tail that you crocheted over. Now pull that tight and tie it to another tail to secure it. You can also use the tails to sew a pin to the back before hiding all of your ends.

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knit

knit

knit
 
 
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Pink onyx pattern by Ayako Monier
For those who finished this pullover
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knit
 
 
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Knit Tenacity: Ruffled
Used short rows to make side ruffles – didn't want to pick up sts afterward to make edge ruffles.
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knit
 
 
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Little Dudes - Kimberly Chapman's Knitting
Kimberly Chapman's knitting information, including tutorials and gallery.
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crochet
 
 
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TMNT Michaelangelo pattern by Linda Potts
As always… the pattern is free on the blog. I had fun with this one, I hope you do to :D
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crochet
 
 
image
 
 
 
 
 
Ying-hua Shawl pattern by Jade G Chan-Wyles
A simple crochet shawl with lace edging, with flowers that are incorporated into the pattern.
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crochet
 
 
image
 
 
 
 
 
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crochet

crochet
 
 
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Crochet Hexagon Afghan Pattern and Tutorial - Petals to ...
It's been a fun and colorful journey making this crochet hexagon afghan and I am so glad I got to share the process with you! Now for the final reveal and r...
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RECIPES
 
 
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CROCKPOT RECIPES
stephanie o'dea

CrockPot Bacon Wrapped Cornish Game Hens

mmm. bacon. I wrapped these little cornish game hens in bacon, and they were amazing. The kids ate a whole bunch----which is glorious----especially since the meat kind of fell apart and the hens looked different than the chicken my kids are used to eating.

The Ingredients.

--2 cornish game hens, thawed
--6 slices of bacon * (if you are gluten-free, always check labels thrice, and do your own research.)
--1 tsp kosher salt
--1 tsp thyme
--1 tsp rosemary

The Directions.

I used a 6 quart crockpot; the little birds nestled in nicely.

I did skin the birds; there was no where near as much fat and skin as is on a regular chicken, but I took off as much as I could with poultry shears.

In a small bowl, mix your dry spices. Rub the spice mixture all over the birds, inside and out. Lower the birds into the crockpot. I thought I had put them both breast-side down, but I think only one actually was. Take your strips of bacon, and wrap two one way and one the other on each bird. See if you can tuck an end inside of the cavity.

Cover the crockpot and cook on low for 6-8 hours, or on high for 4-5. I cooked ours on low for 4 hours, and then switched it to high for the last hour.

Discard the bacon before serving.

I served rice and roasted veggies with the hens.

The Verdict.

oooh, boy. I like cornish game hens. The meat is very moist and rich----maybe a bit gamey to some, but quite full of flavor. The kids ate all the little drumsticks and a lot of the breast meat. I look forward to making this again! 
The rosemary and thyme were perfect, and the bacon provided a neat smoky flavor to all of the meat. 

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CRAFTS
Spotted Curtains DIY - June 04, 2014


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CHILDREN'S CORNER ... craft


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PUZZLE



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QUOTE
If some longing goes unmet, don't be astonished. We call that Life. - Anna Freud








20140907


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"Welcome" in Griko (Salento Italy) [to a group] - Kalo's i'rtato







CLEVER



thanks, susan b.



EYE OPENER

12 Absurd Facts About 'Alice in Wonderland'


1. THE REAL ALICE WAS THE DAUGHTER OF CARROLL’S BOSS. 

The real Alice, who lent her name to the story, was the daughter of Henry Liddell, the dean of Christ Church College at Oxford, where Carroll taught mathematics. “Everyone who was employed by the school lived on campus,” says Carolyn Vega, the assistant curator of literary and historical manuscripts at the Morgan Library, which is currently running an exhibition on Alice. “Carroll met the dean and Alice’s older brother first, and that’s how he came to know the entire family.”

Alice Liddell in wreath as “Queen of May,” 1860. Image Credit: Albumen print, Photograph by Lewis Carroll (1832–1898). Gift of Arthur A. Houghton, Jr., The Morgan Library & Museum, Photography by Graham S. Haber, 2015.

2. THE MAD HATTER NEVER WOULD HAVE EXISTED WITHOUT THE PERSISTENCE OF CHILDREN.

When Carroll began telling a fantastic tale to Alice Liddell and her two sisters on a summer 1862 boating trip up the Thames, he didn’t plan on becoming a children’s author. But just like your niece who won’t stop begging to watch Frozen again, the kids wouldn’t stop asking him to tell the story—Carroll wrote about having to retell “the interminable Alice’s adventures” in his diary. He eventually turned it into a written novel, presenting it to Alice as an early Christmas gift in 1864. By the time he self-published the final version of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland in 1865, it had doubled in length, with new scenes including those with the Mad Hatter and the Cheshire Cat. “These episodes are likely something that came up later in the retelling of the story,” Vega says.

3. THE ORIGINAL ILLUSTRATOR HATED THE FIRST EDITION. 

Carroll commissioned prominent English illustrator John Tenniel to create the accompanying art for the story. When he saw an early copy of the book, Tenniel was so dismayed at how badly his drawings had been reproduced, Carroll scrapped the entire edition, spending more than half his annual salary to get it reprinted and leaving him in a financial hole before the book even came out. Luckily, once widely published, Alice enjoyed instant success. The books from the subpar printing were later sold in America.

4. IT WAS FIRST MADE INTO A MOVIE IN 1903. 

Only a handful of years after Carroll died, directors Cecil Hepworth and Percy Stowe made the story into a 12-minute film. At the turn of the century, that made it the longest film produced in Britain. Hepworth himself played the Frog Footman, while his wife was cast as the White Rabbit and the Queen. 

5. CARROLL ALMOST CALLED IT “ALICE’S HOUR IN ELFLAND.”

Writing in his diary of the afternoon boating trip that inspired Carroll to come up with a story for young Alice Liddell, he tried out a few different titles for his novel. The original tale presented to the 10-year-old Liddell was called “Alice’s Adventures Underground,” but upon publication, Carroll decided he might call it Alice’s Hour in Elfland. Another rejected idea: Alice Among the Fairies. Eventually, he went with Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland instead. Probably for the best.

6. IT SATIRIZES NEWFANGLED THEORIES ABOUT MATH. 

Scholars have theorized that Carroll’s day job made its way into the book in the form of satire about 19th century innovations in mathematics, like imaginary numbers. For instance, the riddles like the one the Mad Hatter asks Alice about a raven being like a writing desk, “were a reflection on the increasing abstraction that was going on in mathematics in the 19th century,” as mathematician Keith Devlin told NPR in 2010. Carroll was a very conservative mathematician, and he found new forms of math emerging in the mid-1800s absurd compared to the algebra and Euclidian geometry he favored. 

 “Nothing but a pack of cards!" 1885. Image Credit: John Tenniel (1820–1914), Hand-colored proof. Gift of Arthur A. Houghton, Jr., The Morgan Library & Museum, Photography by Steven H. Crossot, 2014

7. THE ORIGINAL ILLUSTRATIONS WERE CARVED INTO WOOD.

Tenniel was a renowned illustrator by the time he took on Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, known for his political cartoons. His drawings were first made on paper, then carved on woodblocks by engravers, which were then made into metal electrotype reproductions to be used in the printing process.

Carte de visite photograph of Lewis Carroll with lens, 1863. Image Credit:Photograph by Oscar Gustav Rejlander. Gift of Arthur A. Houghton, Jr., The Morgan Library & Museum, Photography by Graham S. Haber, 2015.

8. WONDERLAND WOULDN’T HAVE SEEMED SO ABSURD TO THE REAL ALICE. 

“Some of the things that seem like nonsense to us would have made total sense to Alice and her sisters,” Vega explains. When the Mock Turtle says in the book that he receives lessons in drawing, sketching, and “fainting in coils” from an “old conger-eel, that used to come once a week,” the Liddells would have recognized their own art tutor, who gave the girls lessons in sketching, drawing, and oil painting. Much of the “nonsense” from the book was “based on people and places and experiences that these very real children had and would have been familiar with,” Vega says. 

9. THE DODO IS BASED ON CARROLL. 

In the book, Carroll alludes to the 1862 boating trip that inspired the story by putting those present (Alice, her sisters, and Carroll's colleague) in the story as birds. Carroll was the Dodo, named after his real name, Charles Dodgson. As one story goes, the author had a tendency to stammer, introducing himself as “Do-do-dogson.” His sometimes debilitating stutter prevented him from becoming a priest, leading him to mathematics and writing instead. 

A page from the original manuscript given to Alice Liddell by Lewis Carroll.Image Credit: Lewis Carroll (1832–1898), Alice’s Adventures Under Ground, completed 13 September 1864, Illustrated manuscript. © The British Library Board.

10. THE ORIGINAL MANUSCRIPT ALMOST NEVER LEAVES LONDON. 

For its latest exhibition, New York City’s Morgan Library managed to get ahold of Carroll’s original manuscript of “Alice’s Adventures Under Ground”—the hand-written and illustrated version he gave to Alice Liddell. The book belongs to the British Library, and it rarely gets a vacation abroad. When it does, it’s a big deal, as The New York Times explains
[I]t is accompanied by security measures whose details are cloaked in obfuscation befitting Tweedledum and Tweedledee. Jamie Andrews, the head of cultural engagement for the British Library, said that it was not checked on the flight over (‘We don’t freight things like that’), but he would not say exactly where it was on the plane or who exactly was with it
It did cause a minor stir at the airport. "I showed the customs form to the customs guy at J. F. K.," Mr. Andrews said. The man looked at the declared value of the manuscript, a number Mr. Andrews would not divulge. "And he said, 'Jeez, son, what have you got in there, the crown jewels?' And in a sense it is our crown jewels."
“Off with herhead!” 1885. Image Credit: John Tenniel (1820–1914), Hand-colored proof. Gift of Arthur A. Houghton, Jr.,The Morgan Library & Museum, Photography by Steven H. Crossot, 2014.

11. ALICE'S ADVENTURES IN WONDERLAND WAS A PIONEER OF BRAND LICENSING. 

Carroll was a savvy marketer of his story and characters. That’s perhaps the main reason the story is so well known today, even for those who haven’t actually read the book. “He’s one of the first authors working with manufacturers to bring out related products,” Vega says. He was all about the tie-ins. He designed a postage stamp case decorated with images of Alice and allowed her image to adorn cookie tins and other products. For readers eager to learn more about the origins of the book, he produced a facsimile of the original manuscript, a rare move for an author of his day. Later, he created a shorter version of the book for even younger readers. His 19th century business savvy foretold franchise-obsessed companies like Disney decades before their founding. 

12. THE BOOK HAS NEVER BEEN OUT OF PRINT. 

It has been translated into 176 languages. Its sequel, Through the Looking-Glass, and What Alice Found There, sold out within seven weeks of its publication. 

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1 comment:

  1. Alice so much more intriguing than optical things that make my head spin and stomach pitch! I know I'm phobic!

    ReplyDelete