Daily Holidays - February 5

[Sherman A1]

National Chocolate
Fondue Day

Dessert Fondue
Dessert fondue recipes began appearing in the 1960s. Slices of fruit or pastry are dipped in a caquelon of melted chocolate. Other dessert fondues can include coconut, honey, caramel and marshmallow.

Traditional Chocolate Fondue Recipe Below:
8 oz Premium Chocolate (chopped)
1 cup Whipping Cream
2 tsp Grand Marnier (optional)

Over low flame, heat Cream until warm (DO NOT BOIL)
Slowly add chocolate while stirring
Mixture will become smooth
Stir in liqueur
http://www.gone-ta-pott.com/national_chocolate_fondue_day.html

World Nutella Day Nutella is more than just a “chocolaty hazelnut spread,” it is a way of life.

From childhood memories to oozing hot crepes, from breakfasts on vacation to free-spooning sessions on the couch, Nutella is prominent in the memories of many children and grown-up children in the world. http://www.nutelladay.com


Adlai Stevenson Day Adlai Ewing Stevenson II (/ˈædleɪ/; February 5, 1900 – July 14, 1965) was an American politician and diplomat, noted for his intellectual demeanor, eloquent public speaking, and promotion of liberal causes in the Democratic Party. He served as the 31st Governor of Illinois, and received the Democratic Party's nomination for president in 1952 even though he had not campaigned in the primaries. John Frederick Martin says party leaders selected him "because he was more moderate on civil rights than Estes Kefauver, yet nonetheless acceptable to labor and urban machines—so a coalition of southern, urban, and labor leaders fell in behind his candidacy in Chicago."[2]

Stevenson was defeated in a landslide by Republican Dwight D. Eisenhower in the 1952 presidential election. In 1956 he was again the Democratic presidential nominee against Eisenhower, but was defeated in an even bigger landslide. He sought the Democratic presidential nomination for a third time in the election of 1960, but was defeated by Senator John F. Kennedy of Massachusetts. After his election, President Kennedy appointed Stevenson as the Ambassador to the United Nations; he served from 1961 to 1965. He died on July 14, 1965 in London after suffering a heart attack. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adlai_Stevenson_II

Weatherperson’s Day February 5 is National Weatherperson's Day, commemorating the birth of John Jeffries in 1744. Jeffries, one of America's first weather observers, began taking daily weather observations in Boston in 1774 and he took the first balloon observation in 1784. This is a day to recognize the men and women who collectively provide Americans with the best weather, water, and climate forecasts and warning services of any nation.

Many of us take weather information for granted. Turn on a light switch, you get light. Turn on your television or radio, or check a web site and you get the weather forecast. It’s easy to forget that around the clock, dedicated meteorologists and weathercasters are vigilantly creating forecasts to help you plan your day, and issuing warnings to help keep you safe. http://www.crh.noaa.gov/lsx/?n=wxmanday

Western Monarch Day http://www.westernmonarchcount.org

http://www.famousbirthdays.com/february5.html

[betsuni]

1. Oh, it's Weatherperson's Day, is it?

Well, I have a grudge because weatherpersons promised me snow. All day yesterday I was assured there would be snow, lots of it; early this morning they warned about snowy conditions. I was so excited! A few lonely flakes fell and a couple of hours later the sun was out and it was an ordinary boring sunny day. IT WAS A FALSE LIE. I don't know if I can ever trust a weather report again.

[bigwillq]

2. Eww. Nutella.

I don't get the big fuss about Nutella. I think it's gross.

[betsuni]

3. Happy Birthday to Joris-Karl Huysmans

I love his "Against the Grain":

"In the room ... beer pumps stood on a counter near hams having the color of violins, red lobsters, marinated mackerel, with onion and carrots, slices of lemon, bunches of laurel and thyme, juniper berries and long peppers swimming in thick sauce. The only ones eating were unescorted women in pairs, robust English women with boyish faces; large teeth, ruddy apple cheeks, long hands and legs. They attacked, with genuine ardor, a rumpsteak pie, a warm meat dish cooked in mushroom sauce and covered in a crust, like a pie. He ordered oxtail soup and ... a haddock and, seized with a sudden hunger at the sight of so many people relishing their food, he ate some roast beef and drank two pints of ale. He lingered over a piece of Stilton cheese, made good work of a rhubarb tart, and ... quenched his thirst with porter, that dark beer which smells of Spanish licorice but which does not have the sugary taste."

[In_The_Wind]

4. It's also ... National Shower With A Friend Day

Winter is the coldest and loneliest season of the year. With dwindling daylight and Valentine’s Day at its heart, February can often leave people feeling dejected and somber. National “Shower with a Friend Day” injects a bit of humor into the season while also serving to educate people on the benefits of showering in fresh, filtered water (and the effects of chlorine).

[img][/img]

[femmocrat]

5. What you can do to save Monarchs:

Don’t live near an overwintering site? There are other things you can do to help!
Plant native milkweed. This can be in your backyard, at your workplace, or at your school. Find sources of local, native milkweed seed in your state using our Milkweed Seed Finder.
Plant native flowers. Monarchs need nectar to provide energy to migrate, breed, and overwinter. Flowers can be planted anywhere, including overwintering sites.
Support organic and GMO-free agriculture.
Avoid using insecticides and herbicides. These may kill butterflies or caterpillars, or kill the plants that monarchs use for nectaring or breeding.
Get involved in another citizen science project.
Support the Xerces Society’s monarch conservation efforts.

http://www.westernmonarchcount.org

[antiquie]

6. The 2014 Western Monarch Thanksgiving Count numbers have been released!

Annual Count Shows that Number of Monarch Butterflies Overwintering in California may be Holding Steady

[femmocrat]

7. That is encouraging.

Hoping they received endangered species protection soon.