Daily Holidays - January 21

[Sherman A1]

New England Clam Chowder Day So, I realize that the name of this recipe isn’t very exciting. I wanted to name my creation “New England Chowder Chunk” because it isn’t as creamy smooth as some other clam chowders, but to describe a seafood soup as anything related to chunky just made me almost gag a little bit. National New England Clam Chowder Day, admittedly, wasn’t really something I was too excited about. Some of the other Clam Chowders that I’ve tried have been slightly off-putting, but I think I did a fair enough job! http://thefoodiepatootie.com/recipes/national-new-england-clam-chowder-day/

National Hugging Day Myriads of studies have shown that physical contact between humans — such as kissing, hugging, or simply touching — is essential for overall mental and emotional well-being. Hugging, in particular, can improve psychological development, boost your immune system, decrease levels of the stress hormone cortisol, and lower the risk of heart disease: all perfect reasons to take part in National Hug Day, which falls on January 21st.

National Hug Day first began in 1986, and was started by Reverend Kevin Zaborney in Caro, Michigan. Zaborney believed that Americans in particular live in a society where showing feelings in public is embarrassing, and he wanted to change that by putting hugs in the spotlight one day out of the year (it’s true, studies have shown that French couples are three times as affectionate in public than Americans). He chose January 21 because it fell in between Christmas/New Year’s and Valentine’s Day; it’s also in the dead of winter, a time period where most people’s spirits are low, so seemingly a perfect time. Though it’s not a national holiday, National Hug Day is officially recognized by the United States Patent and Trademark Office. The holiday has also since spread to other countries. http://www.medicaldaily.com/celebrate-national-hug-day-experiencing-health-benefits-warm-embrace-318320

Squirrel Appreciation Day SQUIRRELS! Whether you love them or loathe them, National Squirrel Appreciation Day, January 21st, is a great time to take a few moments and learn about these nutty animals. If you count flying squirrels we have 10 tree species in North America. We are constantly uncovering complexities around their survival tactics and social behavior. Squirrels are fascinating animals to watch and have been documented adopting orphaned young and stealing food. And let’s face it—squirrels are pretty difficult to outwit.
Humans actually introduced them to most of our major city parks in the 1850s and ’60s and feeding squirrels was common as a means to encourage kindness to all animals. People thought that by adding them to our parks in cities, we could bring pleasure to the people who couldn’t leave the city and enjoy nature.

So for this Squirrel Appreciation Day, we’re hoping to showcase the critters we essentially chose to keep us company in urban settings. So let’s celebrate their acrobatic ability, their role in connecting people to nature and how they can amuse us even when they frustrate us as neighbors. http://blog.nwf.org/2014/01/celebrate-squirrel-appreciation-day/



http://www.famousbirthdays.com/january21.html

[betsuni]

1. Clam chowder!

From "Moby Dick":

"But when that smokey chowder came in ... it was made of juicy clams, scarcely bigger than hazelnuts, mixed with pounded ship biscuits and salted pork cut into little flakes! the whole enriched with butter, and plentifully seasoned with pepper and salt. ... Fishiest of all fishy places the Try Pots, which well deserved its name, for the pots there were always boiling chowders. Chowder for breakfast, chowder for dinner, and chowder for supper, til you began to look for fish-bones coming through your clothes. The area before the house was paved with clam shells.

"Mrs. Hussey wore a polished necklace of codfish vertebre, and Hosea Hussey had his account book bound in superior shark skin. There was a fishy flavor to the milk, too, which I could not account for, til one morning happening to take a stroll along the beach among some fishermen's boats, I saw Hosea's brindled cow feeding on fish remnants, and marching along the sand with each foot in a cod's decapitated head, looking very slipshod, I assure ye."

[KMOD]

2. hugs to everyone

I love hugs, I am a hugger.

[femmocrat]

5. Back at'cha!

[Sherman A1]

7. Agreed

[bigwillq]

3. :hug:

[Phentex]

4. Damn the squirrels!

As cute as they are, for some reason they have decided it's better to dig up acorns and then head to the deck to eat them, leaving a huge mess. They have the WHOLE yard to eat in! WHY the deck and steps where we walk???

[femmocrat]

6. Happy birthday to Wolfman Jack:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wolfman_Jack

http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/w/wolfman_jack.html