Category: National Observance Days

April 18 has been designated as National Lineman Appreciation Day. If the power is on where you are reading this article, you likely have a lineman to thank. From the power plant, the grid crisscrossing the country both above and underground and right up to the meters on our homes, these men and women build and maintain the system that keeps our nation running. Regardless of the source, the electricity has to be transported by employing transformers and other equipment. Due to the dangerous conditions power poses, safety is of utmost importance for both the lineman and the consumer. When mother nature destroys what our linemen have built up, they are on call to build it back up again as quickly as possible. These men and women work tirelessly to get emergency systems back in working order and urgently return service to remaining areas. Even when there is no crisis, they work under dangerous conditions on a daily basis. Whether they are working in trenches, near water or on high towers, the risks are extreme. Today, be sure to thank a lineman. You can post it on social media or go to your power companies FB page and post a thank you there. You can also mail a thank you card to a power company. This day was first recognized on April 10, 2013.

National Reconciliation Day which occurs on April 2nd each year urges us to repair relationships that have been damaged through words or actions. We all know of a relationship where a misunderstanding caused friction. Eventually or suddenly the relationship was destroyed. Time passes and before long, years pass and not two words have been spoken between the two people. They may be siblings or parent and child. Childhood friendships dissolve in an instant over angry words. Friends often immediately regret the cause of the quarrel but don’t know how to start over.
Over time, feelings of resentment, bitterness, and anger cause more than the loss of friendship. These feelings add to health problems and also infect other relationships in our lives. The act of reconciliation requires some giving to achieve a peaceful balance. Someone must make the first move to break down the barriers that have been built. And while forgiveness may be a part of the conversation, it isn’t necessarily a requirement.

How can you observe National Reconciliation Day? This day encourages us to take that first step and make amends. It’s not too late. Reach out to that friend or loved one and make a fresh start. Maybe you aren’t ready to talk them yet. Try writing a letter or an email.

This day was started by newspaper columnist Ann Landers, who in 1989, in response to one of her reader’s letters, began annually promoting April 2nd as Reconciliation Day. She encouraged her readers to repair their broken relationships and dedicated each April 2nd column to letters concerning just such relationships.

With the Coronavirus and the Stay At Home Order that begins tonight and all the uncertainty that surrounds us. This seems like the best time to observe this day. You never know what tomorrow brings. Stay safe!

National Mom and Pop Business Owners Day honors all small business owners each year on March 29th. Small businesses are a vital part of the United States economy, and the critical role they play is sometimes overlooked. You can show them their much-deserved appreciation by shopping locally and at small businesses.

~Give gift cards from your favorite small businesses to encourage others to shop there.
~Share their social media pages to improve their following.
~Talk about them. Word of mouth advertising is some of the best advertising small businesses get.
~Take their business cards and then recommend them to a friend.
~Be a repeat customer. Remember small businesses are the ones who also support local events and schools, too.

According to the U.S. Small Business Administration, there are more than 27 million small businesses in the United States. Owning your own business is a goal that many people strive to attain. It takes long hours, hard work, and much dedication. Countless hours of nurturing the business are needed in the process of growing the business. From starting out to building and expanding, a successful small business is the goal of every owner.  Some of these Mom and Pop shops are handed down from one generation to the next while others are new start-ups. “Mom and Pop” businesses offer superior customer service as the owners take personal pride in their operations as well as pride in their communities.

Rick and Margie Segel founded National Mom and Pop Business Owners Day in honor of couples like his parents whose successful hat shop opened in 1939 and grew into a 10,000 square feet and $2 million clothing store.

Especially now please consider sharing a link to a small business owner you know, buying a gift card to be used later, or even giving a shot out to them on your social media page. Thanks to all the mom and pop owners who read this!

 

National Plant a Flower Day 2019 is observed on Tuesday, March 12, 2019.

Few things on the planet are more beautiful or fascinating than flowers—with over 400,000 flowering plant species in the world, there is definitely something every one of us would fall in love with. Flowers have served numerous purposes over the millennia, from decoration purposes to medicinal ones, as well as many, many more. In 17th century Holland, a house could be purchased for tulips, and flowers have also been an integral part of various religions and mythologies and their traditions and rituals. Could you even imagine a wedding reception without the bouquet toss? Would there be any Christmas without poinsettias? What would poets and painters do without the flowers that have inspired them to create countless works of art? From the simple daisy to the elegant rose, and from the colorful wildflowers dotting hillsides to the elaborate and vibrant flowers of southeastern Asia, flowers have more than deserved their own day though for their contributions to art, culture, and life.

The best way to celebrate Plant a Flower Day is to plant a flower, or perhaps even many flowers!

So it is expected to be nice and warm here in the panhandle on March 12th so set a little bit of time aside on this holiday to sow some seeds in your yard or garden. This could also serve as the perfect time to take your children outside and explain a bit about how nature works its magic, what helps plants grow, why we need them, and what we can do to help protect our planet from pollution.

Happy National Plant a Flower Day!

Here’s a reminder to set your clock forward for Daylight Savings Time, starting on Sunday, March 8th, 2020. You may not even need this reminder, unless you have wall clocks in your house, because most devices are so smart these days, they just automatically change themselves once the time change goes in to effect.

Have you ever wondered why it’s called “daylight savings”? Essentially, we change our clocks as a way of “saving” or making better use of natural daylight. During daylight savings time clocks are set an hour ahead, so that the sun rises later in the morning and sets later in the evening. We do the opposite in the fall. Contrary to popular belief, Daylight savings Time was not enacted to benefit farmers, but rather as a wartime conservation effort during World War I.

One of the best things about Daylight Savings time is leaving work when the sun is still out. Some people say it saves energy during the spring and summer months, because more people may be outside in the evening and not using artificial light at home. Other people love the long summer evenings and feel safer when there is still light. There are people who also complain about the drawbacks of springing ahead, as it causes you to lose an hour of sleep or an hour of productivity, and a rise in traffic accidents due to drowsy driving during the first few days after the spring time change.

 

Celebrated every February, National Pet Dental Health Month was created by the American Veterinary Medical Association to highlight how important oral health is to overall health, happiness and wellbeing of your pet. If you don’t brush your pet’s teeth every day, you’re not alone. It’s estimated that only 2% of dog owners brush their dog’s teeth on daily despite recommendations from veterinarians across the US to do so. As a result, supplemental dog dental chews that are proven effective in fighting plaque and controlling tartar become an important part of a dog’s daily routine.

The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) has reported that 80 percent of dogs and 70 percent of cats have some kind of oral disease by the age of three. It’s one of the most common problems faced by our four-legged family members.

According to US Veterinarians, periodontal disease, a gum disease caused by plaque and tartar buildup, is the most common dental condition for dogs, with 80% exhibiting evidence of the disease by age 3. When it comes to dental health care in dogs, offense is the best defense. Brushing your dog’s teeth and providing a daily dog dental chew are great ways to reduce plaque and tartar accumulation.

National Hot Chocolate Day is January 31. Hot chocolate is a warm beverage made with ground chocolate, heated milk or water, and sugar. In America, we often use the terms hot chocolate and hot cocoa interchangeably. However, the two beverages are different. Hot chocolate has also been around longer than hot cocoa. In the early 1800s, Casparus van Houten Sr. developed a process to separate the cocoa solids from the butter. His son, Coenraad Johannes made those fats more soluble in water. Together their processes made cocoa powder possible. But before then, everyone drank hot chocolate. Hot chocolate can be enjoyed in a variety of combinations, topped with whipped cream or marshmallows. Sometimes a sprinkle of cinnamon or a dash of peppermint makes the chocolate extra special. In the United States, an instant form of hot chocolate is popular. It is made with hot water or milk and a packet containing mostly cocoa powder, sugar, and dry milk. People enjoy topping it with marshmallows or whipped cream.

There are health benefits to drinking hot chocolate. Cocoa contains significant amounts of antioxidants that may help prevent cancer. It has also been shown that the cocoa beans help with digestion. The flavonoids that are found in the cocoa also have a positive effect on arterial health. This thicker, creamier beverage often offered medicinal benefits for stomach ailments during the 19th century.

With the rain and temperatures expected in the lower 50’s around the panhandle, will you drink hot chocolate today?