Days and Ways to Celebrate – June 18- 30 2020
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This is my last Days & Ways for awhile, so I thought I’d take you through the end of June. I know that’s a lot to take in, but I hated to leave you hanging with the rest of the month just sitting out there. I’m offering a few celebrations, a few ideas and a little food for mind, body and soul. We’re off on the Great 2020 Pandemic Road Trip, hoping and working to avoid the madding crowds and Covid-19. Hope you find some wonderful reasons to celebrate the rest of your June.
June 18th
National Splurge Day
And just in time! It’s been a rough couple of months and today is the day to treat yourself to something special. It’s time to splurge! Eat ice cream… a double scoop even! How about that new golf club you’ve been eyeing, a new dress, a lavish bouquet for the dining room table, a piece of jewelry maybe, a special dinner or a dessert you’ve been craving? Spend a little of that stimulus check on retail therapy. Whatever floats your boat… today’s the day. Indulge yourself.
June 19th
Juneteenth
‘Juneteenth is the oldest nationally celebrated commemoration of the ending of slavery in the United States. Dating back to 1865, it was on June 19th that the Union soldiers, led by Major General Gordon Granger, landed at Galveston, Texas with news that the war had ended and that the enslaved were now free. Note that this was two and a half years after President Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation - which had become official January 1, 1863.’
Learn more about Juneteenth and how to celebrate at juneteenth.com
June 20th
Summer (or Winter) Solstice
Depending on whether you’re north of the Equator or hanging by your toes in the Southern Hemisphere, it’s either the longest or the shortest day of the year. Actually the day is still 24 hours long, it’s the amount of daylight (or lack thereof) that counts. Let NOAA calculate just how many hours of daylight you’ll have. Celebrate summer! Sorry, all you folks down under… it’s winter again.
Hike With a Geek Day
We’ll be at Trinidad Lake State Park in Colorado today and I do plan to hike with my favorite geek – David. Gotta love geeks! It’s the longest day of the year… get out there, find yourself a lovable geek and take a hike.
June 21st
Father’s Day
Yup, I was a Daddy’s girl and proud of it! Photo taken c. 1957
Yes, I was a Daddy’s girl and I loved that man to bits. After 44 years, I still miss his crazy laugh and his loving ways. Celebrate your Dad, your husband, your mentor, your uncle, your brother … all the fine men in your life that have contributed to who you are and who’ll you’ll be. We salute you!
World Selfie Day
Oh, my… it’s also World Selfie Day. Who took the first selfie? Ever wonder?
The first-ever 'selfie' was taken in 1839. While not termed as such then, the self-portrait was taken in Philadelphia by Robert Cornelius, an amateur chemist and photography enthusiast .
The word ‘selfie’, however, was only coined in 2002, when an Australian man, Nathan Hope, got drunk at his 21st birthday and posted a picture of his stitched lip with the caption “sorry about the focus, it was a selfie”.
Note that Paris Hilton claimed to have taken the first selfie… NOT!
June 22nd
National Chocolate Eclair Day
The best fresh cream eclair I’ve ever eaten? Ferguson Plarre in Australia… awesome!
‘Did you know that the word ‘eclair’ is French for lightning. Little is known about the origin of the eclair, but it is known to have originated in France around the turn of the nineteenth century. Many food historians speculate that eclairs were first made by Marie-Antoine Carême, a famous pastry chef for French royalty.
Oxford English Dictionary traces the term "eclair" in the English language to 1861. The first known recipe for eclairs appears in the Boston Cooking School Cook Book by Mrs. D.A. Lincoln, published in 1884.’ Want to know more? It’s all HERE.
June 23rd
National Pink Day
You don’t have to wear pink if you don’t want to… just think of all those ‘pink’ expressions that have crept into our vocabulary:
You can be tickled pink or if you’ve indulged in too much pink gin or too many pink ladies, you might see pink elephants. If you’re seeing pink elephants at work, you might get a pink slip (sorry!). That term for being fired, BTW, was first recorded in the USA back in 1915. Then there are pink-collar workers, persons working in jobs conventionally regarded as “women’s work.”, usually referred to as pink chores on a boat.
Let’s move on to hot pink, shocking pink and sky-blue pink and pink wine, which I think we call rosé and don’t forget pinking shears, though I have no idea how that worked itself into this discussion. There’s Pink Floyd and the Pink Panther and pink flamingos to consider while sipping your pink lemonade.
All I really know is that if you celebrate today, you’ll be in the pink and that’s good enough for me.
June 24th
Choreomania Day
Engraving by Hendrik Honduis at the height of a Choreomania outbreak. I think I’d prefer it to Covid-19. How about you?
I know you feel like dancing, but beware. On this day in 1734, a sudden outbreak of St. John's Dance (aka dancing mania, dancing plague, choreomania, St. Vitus’ Dance) caused people in the streets of Aachen, Germany, to experience hallucinations and begin to jump and twitch uncontrollably until they collapsed from exhaustion. You’ve been warned!
June 25th
National Leon Day
Noel spelled backwards. Yup, only 6 months till Christmas. Yikes!
Let Santa calculate how many days till Christmas! Ho-ho-ho!
June 26th
National Coconut Day
Think coconut cream pie, pina coladas, coir for your compost pile (or composting toilet), coconut oil, coconut scented shampoos and body washes, fresh coconut, coconut milk, coconut water, coconut sculptures and don’t forget to ‘Put de lime in de coconut, drink 'em bot' up,
Put de lime in de coconut and call me in the morning." Listen to Harry Nillson And while you’re listening, check out these super duper coconut facts.
June 27th
National Sunglasses Day
Recognize these sunglassed celebs?
Fashionable, yes… good eye care, too? Even better! Sunglasses always seem to be in fashion… whether you’re cool and gorgeous or just plain us. According to Wiki, ‘Inexpensive mass-produced sunglasses made from celluloid were first produced by Sam Foster in 1929. Foster found a ready market on the beaches of Atlantic City, New Jersey, where he began selling sunglasses under the name Foster Grant from a Woolworth on the Boardwalk.’ So, whether you call them sunglasses, dark glasses, sunnies or shades… wear ‘em today and you’ll be celebrating.
June 28th
Paul Bunyan Day
Paul Bunyan and his blue ox, Babe in Bemidji, MN
According to Wiki,’ Paul Bunyan is a giant lumberjack and folk hero in American and Canadian folklore. His exploits revolve around the tall tales of his superhuman labors, and he is customarily accompanied by Babe the Blue Ox.’ So was Paul Bunyan a real person? ‘Historians believe Bunyan was based in large part on an actual lumberjack: Fabian Fournier, a French-Canadian timberman who moved south and got a job as foreman of a logging crew in Michigan after the Civil War.’
Hmmm… we visited Paul Bunyan and Babe the Blue Ox in Bemidji, MN. That lumberman really got around, eh?
Another note of interest… The Raggedy Ann doll was also invented on this day in 1917 by John Gruelle. How can you tell a ‘real’ Raggedy Ann doll? See the end of this blog for the answer, but if you’re a true Raggedy Anner, you’ll already know.
June 29th
Hug Holiday
Hugging … it’s the best! - Illustration credit: Eleni Kalorkoti
After 2-3 months of isolation and quarantine, we could use a few hugs. Hugging is a health booster The human touch is good for us. It makes us feel loved, supported and protected. Whether it’s a cuddle or the warm embrace of a relative or friend, hugs are awesome. But can you hug safely during a pandemic? Take a look at this NY Times article. Hugging may be a bit modified, but it’s still possible!
June 30th
Social Media Day
There are so many social media sites nowadays, it’s hard to keep track of them all. ‘social media has redefined how people interact, communicate, and share with family, friends, and the world.’ Interestingly, as I study Portuguese on Duolingo, a question that pops up regularly is “In 15 minutes a day, you can learn a language. What will 15 minutes a day on social media get you?’ Hmmm… something to ponder.
According to Small Biz Trends, ‘The first recognizable social media site, Six Degrees, was created in 1997. It enabled users to upload a profile and make friends with other users in 1999. The first blogging sites became popular, creating a social media sensation that's still popular today.’
There’s MySpace and LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter, Flickr, Instagram, Pinterest, Tumblr, Spotify and of course, YouTube to mention just a few. Read about the history of Social Media today. I think you’ll find it fascinating.
Well, there you have it. The rest of June to celebrate. Happy Summer! Why not come along on our road trip with us? We’re calling it the Great 2020 Pandemic Road Trip. We’d enjoy the company and maybe you’ll see a part of this great country you haven’t seen or experienced before. Just stay comfy. There’ll just be us and we’ll do all the hard stuff! No need to wear your mask while reading the blogs. ;-)
How do you tell a real Raggedy Ann Doll?
She has I Love You printed on her heart!