SUNDAY FUNDAY, AUGUST 15, 2021

 SUNDAY AUGUST 15, 2021

SUNDAY FUNDAY

For your early risers, have you noticed that the sun is coming up later?  YUP - the daylight hours are shrinking. And will be shrinking until the Winter solstice at 9:58 (CST) on December 21st.  

And just over five weeks to the fall equinox (September 22nd)

I remember enough of my earth science teaching that says if the earth did not have a tilted axis, we wouldn’t have life.  The equator would get 24-hour sun every day and the arctic and antarctic would never have sun (or seasons!!).  

Growing up in Iowa with time in Minnesota, Wisconsin, Nebraska, and South Dakota the summer sun is longer than Austin, but the winter sun is shorter than Austin (and thus colder)!!  And, a bias, it is nice NOT to have to shovel snow!!!  

That reminds me of one more earth science thought.  Most materials grow smaller as they get colder - but that is not true of water.  I think it is about 39 degrees that water starts to get larger.  One source says “When liquid water is cooled, it contracts like one would expect until a temperature of approximately 4 degrees Celsius is reached. After that, it expands slightly until it reaches the freezing point, and then when it freezes it expands by approximately 9%.”

That is why ice floats.  And, that is good.  Back north, if ice shrunk it would go to the bottom of the lakes - and eventually freeze solid - and kill all the fish.  But freezing ice stays on the top of the lake and the fish survive.  And, I have friends who love to go ice fishing!!!  Informally, some pundits claim that ice fishing has saved many Minnesota marriages.  As those long days cause cabin fever, the man goes ice fishing, and gets outside and gets his viewpoint refreshed.  

And for those of you who haven’t been to the lakes in winter, some ice shacks are pretty deluxe - with heaters, televisions, and cots.  A caveat, be sure the lake ice is thick enough to support the ice house and vehicles.  

And, I have walked on water frequently - of course, the water was frozen!!!

*****

NATIONAL DAYS

 

August 15th - National Lemon Meringue Day

The link says “National Lemon Meringue Pie Day on August 15th gives pie lovers and lemon lovers a chance to celebrate. Tart lemon curd and delicate meringue sing together in this deliciously bright pie.”

 

My mother liked to make lemon meringue pie.  She made some other pies too - most notably apple.  She always made her own crust and her own filling.  

 

I like pie and for years, asked for Banana Cream Pie for my birthday.  Anymore, I’m not sure that I have any particular preference, I still like desserts and sweets.

 

 

August 16 - National Tell a Joke Day

Okay, I love jokes - and I love to tell jokes.  Over the years my taste has changed a little to be more conscious of others and loving!!!  Do you have a joke to share?

Did you hear the one about the farmer who was outstanding in his field?

August 17 - National Thrift Shop Day

I have shopped at thrift shops - and sometimes have found bargains.  I have also donated to thrift shops.  In particular, I like The Caring Place in Georgetown Texas.  They do great work in the community.  Their thrift shop is run by volunteers and they also have a food pantry and other services for the low income.  

August 18 - National Fajita Day

I like fajitas!!  I think it goes back to childhood - I can “play” with my food!!  To me, the mark of a good Tex-Mex restaurant is how it does chicken fajitas.  I’m not sure I am a food expert, but I think I can tell the difference between fresh ingredients prepared in-house, not just reheated.  

August 19 - National Soft Ice Cream Day

By accident soft ice cream was discovered:

“In 1934 on Memorial Day weekend in Hartsdale, New York, Tom Carvel had a flat tire. After pulling his ice cream truck into a parking lot, the businessman knew his product was melting. As vacationers drove by, Carvel sold the softened ice cream to them. Surprisingly, they loved the soft ice cream! “

This even got into politics!!  “Even the Minnesota legislature passed laws prohibiting the sale (technically by law it was considered to be ice milk) of soft-serve ice cream from a machine. It had to be sold pre-packaged.”.  Where would Dairy Queen be without soft ice cream?  (And, a trivia question - where was the first Dairy Queen? (answer at bottom).

August 20 - National Chocolate Pecan Pie Day

Genius - combine chocolate with pecans in a pie - WOW!!!  (Not quite related is the wonderful chocolate and peanut butter combination - I am a Reese’s Pieces/Reese’s Cups fan).  

August 21 - National Senior Citizen Day

As you might suspect I know a lot of senior citizens.  I think the term ‘senior citizens’ is nicer than “National Old People’s Day”!!!  People do tell me that age is just a number.  

MUSIC

On this date in 1954 - Little Things mean a lot - Kitty Kallen

In 1959 - Loney Boy - Paul Anka

In 1964 - I Get Around - Beach Boys

In 1969 - In the year 2525 - Zager and Evans

In 1974 - Rock Your Baby - George McCrae

In 1979 Bad Girls - Donna Summer

Music trivia.  

Which song had lyrics like this: “All the sweet, green icing flowing down

Someone left the cake out in the rain”

PUNS (or Punishment)

I just found out that I'm color blind. The news came completely out of the green!

What do you call the wife of a hippie? A Mississippi!

Whenever I undress in the bathroom… My shower gets turned on!

I was walking through a quarry…I said to the foreman, "That sure is a big rock!"

"Boulder," he corrected me. So I stuck out my chest and shouted, "THAT SURE IS A BIG ROCK!!"

My parents said I can't drink coffee anymore. Or else they'll ground me!

Why didn't the cat go to the vet? He was feline fine!

What did syrup say to the waffle? I love you a waffle lot!

Who is the penguin's favorite Aunt? Aunt-Arctica!

LOGIC PUZZLE Musicians

In a rock band, there are three players - Dennis, Henry, and Chris.  They play Guitar, Bass, and drums. They have three songs:  Sun Rises, The Long Road, and Smell of Asphalt

CLUES: (answers at bottom)

Dennis plays the drums

Chris wrote “The Long Road”

The guitarist wrote “Smell of Asphalt

(answers at bottom)

AN AESOP FABLE:

A Fox one day spied a beautiful bunch of ripe grapes hanging from a vine trained along the branches of a tree. The grapes seemed ready to burst with juice, and Fox's mouth watered as he gazed longingly at them.

The bunch hung from a high branch, and the Fox had to jump for it. The first time he jumped he missed it by a long way. So he walked off a short distance and took a running leap at it, only to fall short once more. Again and again, he tried, but in vain.

Now he sat down and looked at the grapes in disgust.

"What a fool I am," he said. "Here I am wearing myself out to get a bunch of sour grapes that are not worth gaping for."

And off he walked very, very scornfully.

Aesop’s Moral: There are many who pretend to despise and belittle that which is beyond their reach.

*****

WRAP-UP

It seems like many of us are making up for last year/last summer and doing some traveling, and/or entertaining family.

I do have a trip planned over Labor Day.  In my first two years out of college, I taught at West Grant High School (in the west half of Grant County, Wisconsin - on the Mississippi River where the Wisconsin River flows in).  The last of 1971 is having their 50th-year reunion and I have been invited to join them in Prairie du Chien Wisconsin on September 4th.  

Do stay safe in your travels, and let LOVE WIN!!!

Karen

PUZZLE ANSWERS:

Dennis plays drums and wrote Sun Rises

Henry plays guitar and wrote Smell of Asphalt

Chris plays bass and wrote The Long Road

Song - MacArthur’s Park 

MacArthur's Park is melting in the dark

All the sweet, green icing flowing down

Someone left the cake out in the rain

I don't think that I can take it

'Cause it took so long to bake it

And I'll never have that recipe again

Oh no!

(Aren’t those super inspiring lyrics?)

And Dairy Queen was started in Joliet Illinois in 1940. In central Texas, Mayfield Dairy Queen started in 1949.