If feels like summer just began; warmer weather, longer days, the kiddos getting out of school, yet here we are, already at the end of August. September is a transitional month, not really summer but not quite fall, either. While cooler weather is on the way,it's not here yet and that means there's plenty of time for fun. With the kids heading back to class and mom and dad back to work, everybody's ready for some fun things to celebrate. And September won't disappoint in that department. So let's dive right in and take a look at the calendar of special days for
SEPTEMBER
1.  National Chicken Boy's Day, National No Rhyme (Nor Reason) Day.
2.  National Blueberry Popsicle Day, National V-J Day, Labor Day (U,S. and Canada).
3.  U.S. Bowling League Day, National Another Look Unlimited Day.
4.  National Wildlife Day, National Newspaper Carrier Day, National Macadamia Nut Day.
5,  National Cheese Pizza Day.
6.  National Coffee Ice Cream Day, National Read A Book Day, National Lazy Mom's Day, National Food Bank Day.
7.  Neither Rain Nor Snow Day, National Grandma Moses Day, National Acorn Squash Day, National Salami Day, National Grateful Patient Day, National Tailgating Day, World Beard Day.
8.  National Ampersand Day, National Pet Memorial Day, National Hug Your Hound Day, National Grandparents Day.
9.  National Teddy Bear Day, Care Bears Share Your Cares Day, National Boss/Employee Exchange Day, National Wiener Schnitzel Day.
10. National Swap Ideas Day, National TV Dinner Day, National Ants On A Log Day. (Sounds like a buffet to me!)
11.  National Make Your Bed Day, National Hot Cross Bun Day (Why isn't this celebrated at Easter time?), Patriot Day and National Day of Service and Remembrance Day.
12. National Video Game Day, National Chocolate Milkshake Day, National Day of Encouragement, National School Picture Day.
13. National Kids Takeover The Kitchen Day, National Peanut Day, Uncle Sam Day, National Programmers Day, National Blame Someone Else Day.
14. National Cream Filled Donut Day, National Eat A Hoagie Day, National Live Creative Day.
15. National Cheese Toast Day, National Linguine Day, National Felt Hat Day, National Double Cheeseburger Day (a heart attack on a bun...), National Tackle Kids Cancer Day, National Online Learning Day, Greenpeace Day, Wife Appreciation Day.
16. National Play-Doh Day, National Cinnamon Raisin Bread Day, National Stepfamily Day, National Working Parents Day, Mayflower Day.
17. National Professional House Cleaners Day, National Apple Dumpling Day, Constitution Day and Citizenship Day, National Monte Cristo Day, National IT Professionals Day.
18. Air Force Birthday, National Cheeseburger Day, National HIV/AIDS And Aging Awareness Day.
19. National PawPaw Day, National Butterscotch Pudding Day, Talk Like A Pirate Day.
20. National Fried Rice Day, National Pepperoni Pizza Day, National Punch Day, National String Cheese Day, National Tradesmen Day, National POW/MIA Recognition Day.
21. National Chai Day, National Pecan Cookie Day, National Dance Day, National Gymnastics Day, Boys and Girls Club Day for Kids, Puppy Mill Awareness Day, Responsible Dog Ownership Day, National Singles Day, National Siblings Day, National Clean Up Day, National Seat Check Day. (Wowzers! That's a lot stuff for one day!)
22. AKC Responsible Dog Ownership Day, American Business Women's Day. Car Free Day, National Centenarian's Day, Elephant Appreciation Day, National Girls Night In Day, Hobbit Day, National Ice Cream Cone Day, National Legwear Day, National White Chocolate Day. (There's so much stuff there's something for everyone on this day.)
23. National Checkers/Dogs In Politics Day, National Great American Pot Pie Day, National Snack Stix Day, National Teal Talk Day, Autumnal Equinox.
24. National Cherries Jubilee Day, National Punctuation Day, Schwenkfelder Thanksgiving, National Voter Registration Day, Innergize Day.
25. One Hit Wonder Day, National Comic Book Day, National Tune-up Day, National Research Administrator Day, National Women's Health & Fitness Day.
26. National Compliance Officer Day, National (not apple) Dumpling Day, National Johnny Appleseed Day, National Shamu the Whale Day, National Pancake Day, National Situational Awareness Day. 
27.  National Chocolate Milk Day, National Crush A Can Day, National Corned Beef Hash Day, National Scarf Day, National BRAVE Day.
28. National Good neighbor Day, National Strawberry Cream Pie Day, National Family Health and Fitness Day, National Ghost Hunting Day, National Public Lands Day, Save Your Photos Day.
29. National Coffee Day, VFW Day, National Gold Star Mothers Day.
30. National Chewing Gum Day, National Mud Pack Day, National Hot Mulled Cider Day, National Love People Day.
​Is it just me or is that a TON of stuff to celebrate crammed into only one month? It's an especially good month for foodies. It'll take me awhile to whittle down my own list of things I want to celebrate but when I get that task accomplished, I'm off to the Lily Pad Party Store and then the supermarket for all of my supplies. 
For anyone living in the US and Canada, this is Labor Day weekend. I plan on taking Monday off and swimming north in the Great Swamp to visit some friends I haven't seen in a long time. Then, on my way home, I'll stop and visit my family and hang out for their weekly weekend BBQ.
​Please join me back here on Tuesday, the 3rd of September for another week of blogs. if you're celebrating this weekend, have loads of fun and please stay safe!                                                                                                        PEACE.

https://nationaldaycalendar.com/september/

"It's as American as apple pie." I bet you've heard that phrase a bunch of times. But what does it mean and how did that humble pie become the epitome of America? I recently read a very interesting article on the subject of that classic dessert and thought that since fall in on our heels, it might be fun to learn a little bit about everyone's favorite fruit pie.
The love affair with apple pie began in the early 1900s when the United States was at war. Not with Europe but with pie. One side, the traditionalists, saw apple pie as a necessity in every household, ranking right up there along with a cookstove and bed. This is according to the Chicago Daily Tribune of 1899. On the opposing side was a group of "food reformers" who wanted the country to break with this unhealthy and corrupting behavior. “Pie really is an American evil,” Kate Masterson wrote in the New York Times in 1902. It is an “unmoral food,” she warned, offering advice for spotting pie eaters: They have “sallow complexions” and “lusterless or unnaturally bright eyes” and, of course, they “are all dyspeptic.” “No great man,” she wrote, “was ever fond of pie.” What? Tell me it isn't so!
Pie eaters could, after all, trace their love of pie back to founding fathers of the country. "A particular pumpkin pie recipe credited to the Adams family was said by the Kansas City Star to have “raised a well-fed race of jurists, scholars, orators and Presidents”—and still further back to the Massachusetts Bay Colony." The pie tradition had come with the early settlers from Old England who transformed savory pies like steak and kidney to sweet treats made from fruit. Not only did the filling change, but so did the crust. "They were lighter and flakier because lard from pigs was more abundant in the Colonies than tallow from cows. (Sugar and spices were imported to the Colonies from Britain, which controlled most trade.) In 1892, Rudyard Kipling described the Northeast as “the great American pie belt,” a title that traditionalists claimed proudly. As the population moved west, the pie recipes did, too."
By the turn of the 20th-century, Americans were eating more apple pie than just about any other kind. Apples were plentiful and, more importantly, could be stored and kept fresh throughout the long winters. But the phrase, "As American as apple pie" wasn't coined until 1924. It came about in an advertisement in the Gettysburg, Pennsylvania Times for men's suits "that bucked the English fashion trends" of the day. A New York Times Op-Ed writer in 1895 once wrote, "Every American is born with an appetite for pie." He continued, "As for immigrants, his Americanism, in fact, may be tested in his taste for pie." 
So what happened to the food reformers? They still believed that pie was "rustic" and worthy of America's newfound place on the international stage. "Advocates such as Harvey Wiley—now best known for his support of the Pure Food and Drug Act of 1906—called for a simpler and lighter diet, focused on Northern European cuisines. Pie eaters (code for immigrants and the lower classes, in the language of the food reformers) were a drag on society. Elizabeth Fulton, a home economist at Kansas State Normal School, believed pie eating, like alcoholism, was a cause of divorce. She implored homemakers to 'return to fresh fruit.' The reformers might have won the battle, too, if not for the outbreak of World War I." Now, pie-eating was seen as patriotic. “As soon as an American boy goes to any foreign country he at once begins to languish for American pie,” a Boston Daily Globe editorial professed in 1918. The craving, the Globe wrote, was a hunger for democracy itself: “Patrick Henry might as well have said ‘Give me pie or give me death’ because what is liberty without pie?” Apple pie maintained its significance into the Cold War.
Apple pie is still considered to be a "taste of home" whether you're in another country or just in the next state. It is nostalgia on a plate. Apple pie might be called the original "comfort food." In 1974 General Motors car company had the jingle, “Baseball, hot dogs, apple pie and Chevrolet, they go together in the good ol’ USA.” The company revived it in 2012 as the nation emerged from the financial crisis and the lingering menace of 9/11.
Even with the fast food  and health food crazes, and wouldn't the food reformers be pitching a fit, Americans still manage to love their apple pie. About 186 million pies of various varieties are purchased every year at the nation's grocery stores alone. And you can walk into a diner anywhere in the USA and find apple pie on the menu. Because nothing typifies America as much, or as well as the humble apple pie. 
Tomorrow I will have for you the September calendar of special days. The kiddos may be heading back to class and your summer vacation may have come and gone, but that doesn't mean there aren't still plenty of fun things to celebrate! Until tomorrow, I wish you
 a big PIECE (of apple pie) as well as           PEACE.

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/why-americans-love-their-apple-pie-180972852/?

Every so often, my wise teacher, The Dharma Frog, arrives for my Wednesday lesson and the subject of that lesson is pretty obvious. But others, like today's, are more obscure, requiring him to fill me in with substantive detail. But I'm getting ahead of myself.
I had set my alarm which I rarely need to do so I'd be up in plenty of time for my morning swim and still have our breakfast prepared. I'd no sooner gotten the table ready when Dharma arrived without fanfare. As soon as he sat himself down at my kitchen table, I poured our perfectly-steeped tea. After a couple of sips, and without waiting for me to serve the food, Dharma began my lesson, " Tadpole, the frog who sacrifices his conscience to ambition burns a picture to obtain the ashes." I must have looked confused because Dharma immediately asked me if I needed clarification....which I did. "Irwin, can you imagine owning a priceless work of art and then burning it because you wanted the ashes to enrich your garden soil?" I shook my head no. "No, of course you can't. That would be silly and irresponsible. But the same thing is true for our conscience. It too is a precious gift and should not be squandered on anything, especially ambition. Why would anyone take a job, for example, that requires them to go against their conscience? They believe that it'll be okay. They'll do it for a year or two just to earn the 'big bucks' as you young folks like to say. But Irwin, nothing is worse than sacrificing your conscience for cash. And that year or two you plan on staying at the job for, usually winds up being for much longer. You get hooked. You like your upgraded lifestyle and don't want to give it up. Eventually, however, your conscience becomes bankrupt and then you begin doing other things that you know are wrong. Where does it end?" 
I know that we've all seen this scenario played out in our own lives. Maybe not by us, but maybe a family member or friend. perhaps our elected politicians. But, at some point, we've witnessed someone squander their conscience for fame and fortune. "Dharma," I asked, "is there a way to align our values and still get what we want from life?" "Certainly, my boy! let me explain to you how anyone can consistently align their actions and obtain what they want." Here's a summary of what he said.
​It's all about fulfillment which is, on the surface, an abstract idea. It can be hard to measure. Fulfillment, according to Dharma, makes you light up and gives the feeling that the work you do creates a real impression to yourself, as well as to others. It's a gift that you offer the world. That fulfillment, then, takes the place of money. If the work you currently do doesn't offer fulfillment, there are a few questions you can ask yourself that will help you determine where your new path should lead. 
1.  What things make you happy? You know, the kind of happiness that makes time stand still. Is it working with animals? Cooking? Painting? Creating one-of-a-kind pieces of jewelry? Maybe your passion is designing beautiful and easy-to-use websites?
2.  The next step is deciding what your goals are. Most of us need to transition into a new career slowly, while still working another job. But setting goals and a somewhat fluid timeframe for achieving them can go a long way toward making those goals reality. After all, Rome wasn't built in a day.
The truth of the matter is that it is entirely possible to earn a living AND feel fulfilled. One needn't sacrifice their conscience for ashes. It can take time to dig out your nuggets of gold...to find your true calling. But those nuggets are found in your story if you take the time to look. if you still are having difficulties, talk to others that have known you for a while. "What comes out to you naturally when you empower others can be your gift. Since it happens unconsciously, you may sometimes ignore it." Look back at the compliments you've received. What were they for? Was it the way you instinctively knew what someone needed...and provided it? Was it for something you made that the recipient still raves about years later? Ask and listen to people around you about the characteristics and abilities they associate with you. You can do it in person or make it fun by posting it on Facebook. Either way, find a way to solicit some responses from people who matter to you. Find the common response that ties them all together. And that will undoubtedly lead you to your path.
Charles Kingsley, a 19th-century university professor, and social reformer said, "We act as though comfort and luxury were the chief requirements of life when all that we need to make us happy is something to be enthusiastic about.” Dharma couldn't agree more!
Yes, we all need to earn a living but it doesn't have to suck the life out of us. There are ways to pay the bills and remain true to the values that guide us.
Sometimes, all it takes is to visualize the life we want. To begin, we often have to go to the end. What would you want your eulogy to be? Do you want to be remembered for how much wealth you accumulated? Or would you rather be known for your kindness and how happy you made others? “Death is not the greatest loss in life. The greatest loss is what dies inside us while we live.” — Norman Cousins
Dharma's message today was a powerful one. it's also one that many of us need to hear. We all get so caught up in "keeping up with the Jones" when all we need to do is to keep up with ourselves. Since I've started writing, my standard of living is quite as high as it was when I worked for someone else. But the freedom I experience being able to do what I love and the joy I get when I read positive comments from my readers is worth far more than any paycheck, Money can never buy that sense of fulfillment.
I hope you'll come by tomorrow when I'll be exploring, of all things, the humble apple pie.
Until then,
                                                                      PEACE.

https://medium.com/the-mission/how-to-consistently-align-your-actions-with-what-you-want-in-life-1d6fdeacd244

Most of us spend our lives living in carefully defined little boxes. We have a budget/financial box, a job or career box, a box for being a parent, and others for being a sibling, a friend, neighbor, and so on. These boxes provide guidelines for how we believe we should operate. But, every so often it can do a body good to color outside the lines of these boxes. Today is the day for learning how to do the things you might not normally do. Today is National Just Because Day. This day affords each of us the opportunity to do something we really want to and for no other reason than because we want to. You might do something unexpected for yourself or you may choose to do something for someone else. How you celebrate today is up to you....just because it is!
Doing the things you want to do develops yourself and honors those inclinations. If your inclination is to paint landscapes even though you can barely hold the brush, honor that inclination and do it! Does it matter if the end result isn't worthy of the Louvre in Paris? N0, it does not. The object here is to let your creativity out of the box and spread it wings.
Let me be perfectly clear....I'm not encouraging you to do things that are pretty much universally agreed to be immoral, dangerous, unethical, illegal, or unhealthy! Just because day isn't about that at all. What it is about, is exploring things that will bring you or others joy and satisfaction. According to Psychology Today magazine, "When you learn to honor this part of yourself and give yourself permission to have your wants, you start to communicate something important to yourself:  You're allowed to have what you want.  You're allowed to be here.  You're important.  What you want matters." And for what it's worth, I believe this is a first, and crucial, step to your long-range fulfillment in life, because it allows the true you to emerge.
So if you want to go buy that orange dress you saw and fell in love with at the mall, even though your mother told you never to wear orange, today's the day to do it. Maybe you want to spend the day in your pajamas watching sappy movies and eating popcorn, today's the day to that, too. Maybe you want to give flowers to a total stranger, just to see them smile. Do it! Whatever your heart's true desire is, today is the day to explore it. You never know what incredible things might come out it; a previously undiscovered talent, the real meaning of joy, or a new friend.  Anything and everything is possible....Just because.
Tomorrow is Wednesday and that means a visit from my dear friend and teacher, the always wise Dharma Frog. Please "hop" back by for that. I know you won't want to miss it!
                                                                        PEACE.

https://nationaldaycalendar.com/national-just-because-day-august-27/
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/fearless-you/201610/do-it-just-because-you-want

Today's an important day for women, especially in the United States. It is Women's Equality Day, a day that celebrates and honors the anniversary of the certification of the 19th Amendment to the Constitution which gave women the right to vote. The amendment was passed in 1920 and Women's Equality Day was created in 1971 and approved by the U.S. Congress in 1973. "The observance of Women’s Equality Day not only commemorates the passage of the 19th Amendment but also calls attention to women’s continuing efforts toward full equality. Workplaces, libraries, organizations, and public facilities now participate in Women’s Equality Day programs, displays, video showings, or other activities."
Suffragettes were militant women protesters who, beginning in the late 19th century worked for broad-based economic and political equality and social reforms, and sought to change voting law to allow them to vote. "Voting rights for women were introduced into international law by the United Nations' Human Rights Commission, whose elected chair was Eleanor Roosevelt. In 1948 the United Nations adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights; Article 21 stated: '(1) Everyone has the right to take part in the government of his country, directly or through freely chosen representatives. (3) The will of the people shall be the basis of the authority of government; this will shall be expressed in periodic and genuine elections which shall be by universal and equal suffrage and shall be held by secret vote or by equivalent free voting procedures."
To celebrate this very special day, I have assembled a few amazing historical facts about the women's movement in the United States.
1. There has always been a presence of women in the military on a volunteer and temporary basis. After the Spanish-American War, the nation finally recognized that there was a need for an ongoing presence of women in the military. In 1901 the Army Nurse Corps was created and the Navy Nurse Corps was created in 1908.
2.  In 1900 married women were allowed to keep the wages they earned and own property in their name.
3.  The first U.S. college to admit women was Salem College, founded in 1772 as a primary school. However, it wasn’t until the Morrill Land-Grant Colleges Act of 1862 was founded, that universities had to educate men and women in practical fields of study. It wasn’t until 1980 that men and women started to attend college in equal numbers. In the past few years, more women graduating from high school, attending and graduating from college, and earning graduate degrees than men.
4.  Title IX was passed in 1972. This was a law that requires schools that receive money from the federal government to give their female students the same opportunities to play sports as male students.
5.  Before the Pregnancy Discrimination Act of 1978, women could be fired if they were pregnant. 
6.  Today more than 30 percent of all businesses are owned and operated by women.
7.  In 2015 Capt. Kristen Griest and LT. Shaye Haver were the first female soldiers to graduate from the Army’s Ranger School.
8.  2017 marked the first time that the Navy has had female applicants for SEAL Officer, Special Boats Unit.
My mother, grandmothers, aunts, and cousins are all active members of various women's groups here in the Great Swamp. And I couldn't be prouder of all of them! To the women of the U.S. and around the world, I salute you on Women's Equality Day. You've come a long way but still have a way to go to achieve full gender equality. It's kind of scary for me to think that in 2019 women still are not being treated equally with men. But the good news is, that gap is shrinking. You can count on this little green frog to have your back and to support your efforts.
One of the best ways I can think of to celebrate Women's Equality Day is to encourage every woman to get out and vote, not just in the big national elections but also at the local level. Every vote is important and you've struggled a long time to earn that right. Don't waste it! And if you know of women who are not registered to vote, encourage and help them to do so. Women's voices can, and have changed the course of history around the world. 
Tomorrow is National Just Because Day and I have a special blog planned to celebrate a day that's tailor-made just for you! Please stop back by. Until then, enjoy your week and
                                                                         PEACE.

https://nationalwomenshistoryalliance.org/resources/commemorations/womens-equality-day/
​https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Women%27s_suffrage
https://www.vehiclesforveterans.org/blog/womens-equality-day/

Hi there! And welcome to Friday. 
Each year, the 23rd of August is designated as National Ride The Wind Day. "This observance commemorates the anniversary of the first human-powered flight to win the Kremer prize.  It was on August 23rd of 1977 that the Gossamer Condor 2,  flew the first figure-eight course specified by the Royal Aeronautical Society, at Minter Field in Shafter, California.  Slowly cruising at only 11 mph, it traveled a distance of 2,172 meters." If my memory serves me correctly, on this day last year, I blogged about The Gossamer Condor 2 and its creator, Dr. Paul B. MacCready. rather than repeat myself this year, I thought it might be fun to take a look at the wind aspect of this now-famous flight and I came up with a few great facts about wind energy that I'd like to share with you. Let's begin, shall we?
​1. Wind energy is the most popular alternative energy. 
2. Wind energy was first developed with windmills in 200 BC in Persia and China.
3. Wind energy was then used for hundreds of years to pump water and crush grain. People also used sails on sailboats as a form of wind power and they still do today.
4. The first modern turbine was built in Vermont in the 1940s.
5. Turbine towers normally stand over 328 ft tall (roughly 100 meters). That’s taller than the statue of liberty. Each turbine blade is normally 260 ft long (79 meters).
6.  Newer, more advanced turbine blades are extending over 300 feet (91.44 meters).
7.  The largest turbine created is located in Hawaii. It is twenty stories tall and each blade is the length of a football field. WOW! I can't even imagine that!
8.  Wind energy is the only form of alternative energy that doesn’t require water.
9. Turbines are getting taller to reach faster, more constant winds higher in the atmosphere. The higher you go the faster the winds and the more energy that can be produced!
​10. The US has over 500 wind turbine manufacturing plants that produce a majority of our turbines and employ 73,000 people. There are wind turbines in 38 of the 50 states. But the US isn't alone. There are wind turbines all over the globe.
11. Potential offshore wind turbines can have the capacity to produce four times more electricity than the US electrical grid can accommodate. This makes offshore wind energy a great solution for densely populated coastal cities.
12.  China produces the most wind energy in the world. The United States closely follows as the second-largest wind energy producer.
13. Wind energy accounts for more than a third of all newly installed US electricity generators.
14.  A single commercial turbine can power 600 homes. One small turbine in your backyard could power your home. 
15.  In 2014, enough wind energy was produced to power more than 17.5 US homes annually. That's every home in Alaska, California, Delaware, DC, North Dakota, Rhode Island, South Dakota, and Vermont combined. That’s also 25 times more energy than was being produced by wind turbines in 2000. Just imagine what that number could be in another 14 years!
16. Wind energy is extremely affordable. In 2014 wind energy was being sold for as low as 2.35 cents.
17. And, contrary to a popular believe floating around out there, your TV doesn't shut off just because the wind stops blowing. Wind energy cannot currently be stored but wind-generated electricity can be if stored in batteries. Wind energy is generally supplemented by other forms of renewable energy. I have no doubt, that newer solutions to the problem of what happens when the wind doesn't blow, will be discovered very soon.
PS. The Land of Lily Pad is powered by both wind and solar energies. We are fortunate to have an abundance of both!
That does it for me this Friday. Ride the wind this weekend; paragliding, parasailing, regular sailing, or flying a kite. If you don't have the energy, inclination, or the wind to do any of these things, Why not just lay back and enjoy the cooling freeze of a big ol' fan? Whatever your plans are, have fun and stay safe! Please come back on Monday for another week of blogs as I begin year number five! Can you believe it? 
​                                                                       PEACE.

https://nationaldaycalendar.com/national-ride-the-wind-day-august-23/
​tarenergypartners.com/blog/electricity-company/21-interesting-facts-wind-energy/

The Tooth Fairy is more of a human thing than it is for frogs, That said, I've always been fascinated by the concept of getting money for lost "baby" teeth. Not only does the tooth fairy get a special day, she or he gets two days as National Tooth Fairy Day is also celebrated on the 28th of February. Ever wonder how the who tooth fairy idea began?
"This childhood favorite evolved with a group of healthcare fairies during the mid-1920s. From bath fairies to Fairy Wand Tooth Whitener, they encouraged kids through a wave of advertisements and health classes. These ads and classes spoke to children about eating their veggies, brushing their teeth, and getting fresh air." Perhaps we should bring back these ads. I think they'd find a useful place in the modern world.
"In 1927, Esther Watkins Arnold brought the tooth fairy to life in an eight-page playlet. She named the playlet The Tooth Fairy. At the same time, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle published photographs of two girls surrounded by “verified” fairies. He claimed that fairies and gnomes existed and the pictures supplied the photographic evidence."
These days, the tooth fairy is far more generous than in years gone by. The average dollar amount for a lost tooth is now in the $3 to $4 range. And if the tooth fairy doesn't have time to stop at the ATM for small bills, the amount left the lucky recipient can climb even higher.
​In honor of Tooth Fairy Day, I've assembled a few fun facts.
1.  The tooth fairy is younger than you might think. While Santa Claus can trace his roots back to 280 CE (AD) and the Easter Bunny was born in the 1700s, the Tooth Fairy first made his/her debut in a 1908 edition of the Chicago Daily Tribune advice column for parents. "Lillian Brown wrote in to suggest that 'Many a refractory child will allow a loose tooth to be removed if he knows about the tooth fairy. If he takes his little tooth and puts it under the pillow when he goes to bed the tooth fairy will come in the night and take it away, and in its place will leave some little gift."  Then came the 1920s ad and the 1927 play.
2.  There is evidence that even before the dawn of the 20th Century, cultures around the world celebrated baby teeth, including the Vikings! Viking warriors would wear their children’s teeth as talismans, believing they’d bestow luck and protection in battle.
3.  Sometimes the Tooth Fairy isn't a fairy at all but is a mouse. This depends, of course, where you live. "Psychiatrist and physician Leo Kanner’s 1928 study Folklore of the Teeth references children offering their lost baby teeth to mice, rats, squirrels, or other animals known to have sturdy teeth. 
4.  The value of teeth fluctuates with the stock market. Insurance group Delta Dental has also been tracking average Tooth Fairy rewards since 1998 and comparing their results to stock market activity. They've found that in at least 12 of the past 15 years, trends in Tooth Fairy payouts have correlated to movement in the S&P 500.
5.  Rosemary Wells was America's Tooth Fairy expert. In the 1970s, Northwestern University professor Rosemary Wells realized that while the practice of replacing baby teeth with money was extremely popular, little was known about the origins of the Tooth Fairy. Wells took it upon herself to interview anthropologists, parents, and children; write a series of magazine articles exploring the roots of the character; and conduct a national survey of 2000 parents to learn more about families’ various traditions and interpretations. Who knew?
6.   No one is quite sure what the Tooth Fairy looks like. Unlike Santa, there isn’t a widely-held consensus on the Fairy’s appearance. Most cartoons and books depict a winged female sprite or pixie, much like Peter Pan's Tinkerbell, bearing a wand and trailing sparkles in her wake. But Dr. Wells's 1984 survey found that while 74 percent of Americans viewed the Tooth Fairy as female, another 12 percent envisioned the Fairy as neither male nor female. Other responders gave less traditional answers: Some imagined the Tooth Fairy as a bear, a bat, and a dragon, I guess this explains why Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson was cast as the Tooth Fairy in the 2010 immensely popular film, The Tooth Fairy.
7.  The Tooth Fairy inspired a prominent skeptic. As a fictional character, you wouldn’t expect the Tooth Fairy to appear in many serious publications. But Dr. Harriet Hall, an Air Force flight surgeon, skeptic, and critic of alternative medicine, has coined the term "Tooth Fairy Science" to describe the importance of ensuring a phenomenon actually exists before studying it. 
Whether you believe in the Tooth Fairy or not, whether you think it's a mouse or a sprite, you have to admit that not only does the Tooth Fairy serve an important function (calming kids' fears about losing their baby teeth) but also is an endearing legend that will live on in one form or another, hopefully, forever.
Can you believe that tomorrow is Friday already? This week has flown by. August 23rd, tomorrow, is National Ride The Wind Day and I have a super environmental blog planned all about wind energy. I hope you'll stop back by! Until then,
                                                                        PEACE.

https://nationaldaycalendar.com/national-tooth-fairy-day-august-22/
http://mentalfloss.com/article/84393/13-toothy-facts-about-tooth-fairy

Late summer is often a difficult time for me and this year is no exception. My little brother, Quigley, Jr. is away at summer camp and most of my friends are out of town visiting family on the other end of the swamp. Generally, I don't let loneliness get the better of me. That said, I am grateful that my friend and wise teacher, The Dharma Frog, was here today for my weekly life lesson. Not only did I need to hear what he said, it was also pretty great having his company, even if only for a short time this morning.
It was no coincidence that Dharma's message was about loneliness. He has this mysterious way of knowing what his students need and then delivering a lesson that perfectly tailored for the situation. As we sat down to our meal, Dharma began with this, "Tadpole, it's only when a frog spends time in solitude that he can hear the truth life reveal to him as it stands knocking on the doorstep of his heart. My boy, I know that science is important to you, that you prefer to have statements backed up by research. So with that in my head, I found dug around and found some amazing new insights about loneliness and well being that is backed up by scientific research. Shall we begin?" Yes, Sir. I'm all ears."
In July of this year, researchers from 60 countries gathered in Melbourne, Australia to share cutting-edge research on the science of well-being. Their findings add depth and complexity to the world's understanding of the major keys to a flourishing life. Researchers addressed, among other topics, modern obstacles to happiness—from the way we’re hooked on technology to a widespread sense of disconnection and loneliness. One of the most striking findings was on the subject of positive loneliness. 
We all know that social connections play a huge role in our happiness. Connecting with family and friends is central to our sense of belonging and connection. "For many of us, frogs and humans alike,, feeling separated from others of our kind translates into a sense of loneliness and disconnection. But does solitude have to be a negative experience? Can time alone feed our well-being?" "It doesn't feel that way, Dharma," I replied, "Will you please  tell me the answer and how I can best take advantage of my time alone without sitting here on my pity pot?"
"Positive loneliness is sometimes referred to as productive loneliness. Irwin, and is in complete contrast to the angst-inducing kind of solitude that makes us feel all alone and abandoned. Productive solitude doesn’t occur because we feel disconnected from others; it’s something that we deliberately seek out. Rather than being lonely or ruminating on negative experiences, we use the solitary time for contemplation, reflection, or creativity. Don't you prefer quiet solitude when you're writing?" Yes, Sir, indeed I do." I hadn't thought about it that way before, but I don't work well with others around.
Dharma continued. "I thought so, my boy. Those who experience positive solitude tend to feel more positive emotions—in particular, the low-energy ones like relaxation and calm. According to research by Leontiev, when these people do find themselves alone, they have a greater sense of pleasure and meaning—and less of a sense of void. Who most enjoys their alone time? Positive solitude seems to come more naturally to those who are more introverted or higher in emotional and psychological maturity." I don't know if I fall into either of those categories, Dharma, but I do know that I am at my creative best early in the morning when the swamp hasn't yet come alive. But what about frogs who aren't like me? How can they benefit from their solitude?"
"That's an excellent question. Those who are more extroverted and gregarious might see more benefit in solitude if they deliberately scheduled alone time for doing something they enjoy, for example, or they could spend their solitary time in the peaceful and welcoming setting of nature. Being out in nature has a way of letting us see things more clearly. And future research may uncover other ways for all of us to cultivate new attitudes toward solitude so we can appreciate it more—and be happier for it."
Dharma continued my lesson by offering a few additional tips for making the most of our time alone.
1. Get emotionally on-board with your alone-ness. Once you accept it and see it as a benefit, it becomes less threatening and more like a gift.
2.  Develop a relationship with yourself. take this time alone to get to know who you are and what you want out of life. The familiar adage that “the most important relationship you’ll ever have is with yourself” will never ring truer than when you’re in a period of alone-ness. To strengthen your relationship with yourself, make an effort to get to know yourself better. Ask yourself: What do I value in life? What do I need more of? What do I need to be done with? What’s next for me? Take some time and think about your answers to these questions. You'll be glad you did.
3.  Let your passions run free. Use your free time to do the things you love. Perhaps you have passions that others in your life don't share. If so, then this is your time to allow your passions (whatever they are) run free.
4.  Make plans with yourself. Send yourself an email asking yourself out on a date. Spend your date-time doing the things you love. Treat yourself to a movie, cook yourself an amazing meal (then you can later brag to your friends about what they missed), or luxuriate in a bubble bath with a good cup of tea and a special book. (It's okay if you want to substitute wine for tea.  I won't tell.)
As we sipped the last of our tea, Dharma's final message to me on positive alone time was about making ourselves proud. "One of the beauties of being alone is that you can live by your personal standards. When you’re not beholden to others, it’s easier to stop living by their expectations of what you should be doing. This creates an opportunity to get clear on what you really – in your heart – expect from yourself. Knowing what you expect from yourself allows you to start putting these expectations into action. With some effort, you can meet YOUR expectations and make yourself proud.
Dharma's lesson today was long but, as always, his timing was impeccable. I needed to hear everything he had to say. Maybe you do, too. Today, I am vowing to turn over a new leaf, to enjoy my occasional alone time and put it to good use. My bedroom could use a little sprucing up and today's the day, I'll start that project. 
Thank you, Dharma, for your inspiration.
Please drop by tomorrow. I have a special blog planned in celebration of National Tooth Fairy Day. Until then,
                                                                       PEACE.

https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/three_emerging_insights_about_happiness?
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-art-closeness/201601/the-fine-art-being-yourself

Deoxyribonucleic Acid....DNA to those of us who aren't scientists...has long been of interest for a number of reasons. DNA is also known as DNA fingerprinting. Lots can be learned from just the smallest amounts of human skin, blood, hair, saliva, and a few other bodily fluids. When we think of DNA, we most often think of its use in forensics and its ability to solve crimes. But DNA can also be used for non-criminal identification, such as identifying someone's relative and for reuniting families after a natural disaster or war. DNA is also used in medicine to identify good matches for organ or bone marrow donation. it is also a tool that is used to personalize treatment for cancer patients. "Moreover, DNA fingerprinting has been used to ensure that a tissue sample has been correctly labeled with the right patient's name." And one of the most unique uses for DNA is in agriculture." All living things have DNA, which means that DNA fingerprinting can be used to identify genetically modified plants or plants that are likely to have therapeutic value. It also can be used to prove pedigree in valuable animals such as racehorses. It's even possible to check the DNA of your mutt to find out exactly which of the "Heinz 57" varieties comprise his make-up.
So know that we know a little about the many uses for DNA, let's take a look at a few fun facts.
1.  Your DNA could stretch from the earth to the sun and back...600 times! "If unwound and linked together, the strands of DNA in each of your cells would be 6 feet long. With 100 trillion cells in your body, that means if all your DNA were put end-to-end, it would stretch over 110 billion miles. That’s hundreds of round trips to the sun!"
2.   Humans are 99% alike. Of the 3 billion base pairs in the human genome, only 0.1% are unique to all humans. While that 0.1% is still what makes you pretty unique, it means all humans are more similar than we are different.
3.   Genes make up only about 3% of your DNA.  "Genes are short segments of DNA, but not all DNA is genes. All told, genes are only about 1-3% of your DNA. The rest of your DNA controls the activity of your genes."
4.   A DNA test can reveal that you're more Irish (Native American, Nigerian, English, etc.) than your sibling. Even though you both have the same set of parents, you can inherit more (or less) of any family nationality than the rest of your siblings. Who knew?
​5.   The human genome contains 3 billion base pairs of DNA. "DNA molecules are shaped like twisted ladders. And the rungs on that ladder are made of bases – adenine (A), cytosine (C), guanine (G), and thymine (T) – locked together in pairs with hydrogen bonds. The really cool part is, they pair up in a very specific way: ‘A’ always pairs with ‘T,’ and ‘C’ always pairs with ‘G."
6.   Your DNA could link you to places you never imagined. You may think you know your family's lineage, but there's a good chance that you don't know everything. Genetics has the power to tell you things you never dreamed knowing just from the DNA in your saliva. Armed with that knowledge, it can make it easier to detect and treat various illnesses as well as connect you with family you never knew existed.
Thanks for taking a little time this morning and stopping by to read my blog. I always appreciate it!  And don't forget...Tomorrow is Wednesday and that means a visit from my wise teacher, The Dharma Frog. Whatever my lesson is on, I'm sure it'll be interesting as well as helpful. So please stop by again tomorrow. Until then, I wish you
                                                                         PEACE.

https://www.thebalance.com/what-is-dna-fingerprinting-and-how-is-it-used-375554
https://blogs.ancestry.com/cm/weird-but-true-facts-about-dna/

As you may know, I dedicate part of my weekend to reading and researching things for this blog. Often, I don't find much that genuinely excites me. But that certainly wasn't the case this weekend. There was an abundance of fun and interesting things for me to share with you. But the most amazing one is what I'll share with you today. I always take great pride when I can write about one of my relatives, even distant cousins who live in faraway lands like the Goliath frog, the subject of this morning's blog.
Many of you might think of frogs as being slimy. And, for the most part, you'd be correct. But frogs have lots of other characteristics like being colorful and being found nearly everywhere throughout the world. The largest species of frog is known as the Goliath frog and this hefty honey lives in the central African country of Cameroon, as well as in Equatorial Guinea. It was recently discovered that this giant frog species build ponds for their eggs and tadpoles by moving rocks up to half the weight of their body!  That might not seem like much until you realize that the Goliath frog can weigh up to 6.6 pounds (just under 3 kilograms) and measure 13 inches in length (33 cm) when fully grown! Scientists believe that their heavy labor could explain their size.
"The researchers, led by a team from Berlin's Natural History Museum (Museum für Naturkunde), found that the frogs altered existing natural ponds or created new nests in small ponds, about 3 feet wide and 4 inches deep, along riverbanks in Cameroon. 'They sometimes move rocks weighing up to 2 kg (4.4 pounds). We think that this laborious activity may explain why adult frogs need to be giants in the first place,' said Marvin Schäfer, lead author of the study, in a press release."
As well as being strong, Goliath frogs are also anxious parents, ​nurturing their young in ponds away from torrent rivers and potential predators. "Giant frogs are the first African amphibian species now known to actively prepare or even construct breeding sites for their offspring," said Mark-Oliver Rödel, project leader and president of conservation group Frogs & Friends, in a press release. "This shows how little we know about the biology, even of some of the most spectacular creatures of our planet."
Scientists hope the research will help conservation efforts dedicated to the rare frogs, which are considered endangered. The exploitation of natural resources, shrinking habitats, as well as climate change and pollution...all man-made problems...are the main causes of the species loss. Another 40% of the world's amphibians are also considered under 'threat."  These sobering statistics came from a report written as recently as May 2019 by the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES). Humans need to realize that climate change, among other life-threatening concerns, are real and they are here, happening now. I'm a big climate change guy but I'll get off the soap box now...at least for today.
Tomorrow will be another fascinating blog with a few interesting facts about DNA. I know you won't want to to miss that! Until then, I wish you all a happy Monday,
                                                                        PEACE.

https://www.cnn.com/2019/08/09/africa/goliath-frog-intl-scli-scn/index.html