Thread:61Storm/@comment-29989042-20180310010918/@comment-29709319-20180921024807

Hope the puppy and Bixby are getting along together.

September 21st: National New York Day, National Pecan Cookie Day, National Tradesmen Day, and National POW/MIA Recognition Day.

New York with an estimated 19.85 million residents in 2017, it is the fourth most populous state. To differentiate the state from the city with the same name, it is sometimes called New York State. Nickname: The Empire State, Motto: Ever upward, Capital: Albany, Largest city: New York City. Living insignia; Bird: Eastern bluebird, Fish: Brook trout (fresh water), Striped bass (salt water), Flower: Rose, Insect: Nine-spotted ladybug, Mammal: Beaver, Reptile: Common snapping turtle, Tree: Sugar maple. Many landmarks in New York are well known, including four of the world's ten most-visited tourist attractions in 2013: Times Square, Central Park, Niagara Falls (shared with Ontario), and Grand Central Terminal. New York is home to the Statue of Liberty, a symbol of the United States and its ideals of freedom, democracy, and opportunity. New York's higher education network comprises approximately 200 colleges and universities, including Columbia University, Cornell University, New York University, the United States Military Academy, University of Rochester and Rockefeller University, which have been ranked among the top 35 in the nation and world. New York was one of the original Thirteen Colonies that formed the United States. In 1609, the region was visited by Henry Hudson sailing for the Dutch East India Company. The Dutch built Fort Nassau in 1614 at the confluence of the Hudson and Mohawk rivers, where the present-day capital of Albany later developed. The Dutch soon also settled New Amsterdam and parts of the Hudson Valley, establishing the multicultural colony of New Netherland, a center of trade and immigration. England seized the colony from the Dutch in 1664. During the American Revolutionary War (1775–1783), a group of colonists of the Province of New York attempted to take control of the British colony and eventually succeeded in establishing independence. In the 19th century, New York's development of access to the interior beginning with the Erie Canal, gave it incomparable advantages over other regions of the U.S. east-coast and built its political and cultural ascendancy. New York was the only colony not to vote for independence, as the delegates were not authorized to do so. New York then endorsed the Declaration of Independence on July 9, 1776. On July 30, 1777, George Clinton was inaugurated as the first Governor of New York at Kingston. About one-third of the battles of the American Revolutionary War took place in New York; the first major battle after U.S. independence was declared – and the largest battle of the entire war – was fought in New York at the Battle of Long Island (a.k.a. Battle of Brooklyn) in August 1776. After their victory, the British occupied New York City, making it their military and political base of operations in North America for the duration of the conflict, and consequently the focus of General George Washington's intelligence network. On the notorious British prison ships of Wallabout Bay, more American combatants died of intentional neglect than were killed in combat in every battle of the war combined. Both sides of combatants lost more soldiers to disease than to outright wounds. The first of two major British armies were captured by the Continental Army at the Battle of Saratoga in 1777, a success that influenced France to ally with the revolutionaries. The state constitution was enacted in 1777. New York became the 11th state to ratify the United States Constitution, on July 26, 1788. Transportation in western New York was by expensive wagons on muddy roads before canals opened up the rich farm lands to long-distance traffic. Governor DeWitt Clinton promoted the Erie Canal that connected New York City to the Great Lakes, by the Hudson River, the new canal, and the rivers and lakes. Work commenced in 1817, and the Erie Canal opened in 1825. Packet boats pulled by horses on tow paths traveled slowly over the canal carrying passengers and freight. It was an engineering marvel which opened up vast areas of New York to commerce and settlement. It enabled Great Lakes port cities such as Buffalo and Rochester to grow and prosper. It also connected the burgeoning agricultural production of the Midwest and shipping on the Great Lakes, with the port of New York City. After 1850, railroads largely replaced the canal. Since the early 19th century, New York City has been the largest port of entry for legal immigration into the United States. In the United States, the federal government did not assume direct jurisdiction for immigration until 1890. Prior to this time, the matter was delegated to the individual states, then via contract between the states and the federal government. On May 4, 1847, the New York State Legislature created the Board of Commissioners of Immigration to regulate immigration. The first permanent immigration depot in New York was established in 1855 at Castle Garden, a converted War of 1812 era fort located within what is now Battery Park. Castle Garden served as New York's immigrant depot until it closed on April 18, 1890, when the federal government assumed control over immigration. When the federal government assumed control, it established the Bureau of Immigration, which chose the three-acre Ellis Island as its entry depot. Ellis Island opened on January 1, 1892, and operated as a central immigration center until the National Origins Act was passed in 1924, reducing immigration. After that date, the only immigrants to pass through were displaced persons or war refugees. The island ceased all immigration processing on November 12, 1954. On September 11, 2001, two of four hijacked planes were flown into the Twin Towers of the original World Trade Center and the towers collapsed. The other buildings of the World Trade Center complex were damaged beyond repair and demolished soon thereafter. The collapse of the Twin Towers resulted in the deaths of 2,753 victims, including 147 aboard the two planes. In the years since, many rescue workers and residents of the area have developed several life-threatening illnesses, and some have died. A memorial at the site, the National September 11 Memorial & Museum, was opened to the public on September 11, 2011. A permanent museum later opened at the site on March 21, 2014. The new One World Trade Center became the tallest skyscraper in the Western Hemisphere, at 1,776 feet. Other skyscrapers are under construction at the site. On October 29 and 30, 2012, Hurricane Sandy caused extensive destruction of the state's shorelines, ravaging portions of New York City and Long Island with record-high storm surge, with severe flooding and high winds. The storm and its profound effects have prompted the discussion of constructing seawalls and other coastal barriers around the shorelines to minimize the risk from another such future event. This is considered highly probable due to global warming and rise in sea levels. New York has many state parks and two major forest preserves. Niagara Falls State Park, established in 1885, is the oldest state park in the United States and the first to be created via eminent domain. In 1892, Adirondack Park, roughly the size of the state of Vermont and the largest state park in the United States, was established and given state constitutional protection to remain "forever wild" in 1894. It is larger than the Yellowstone, Yosemite, Grand Canyon, Glacier, and Olympic National Parks combined. The Catskill Park was protected by legislation in 1885, which declared that its land was to be conserved and never put up for sale or lease. Consisting of 700,000 acres. The State of New York is well represented in the National Park System with 22 national parks, 4 National Heritage Areas, 27 National Natural Landmarks, 262 National Historic Landmarks, and 5,379 listings on the National Register of Historic Places.

National Pecan Cookie Day! This delicious cookie can be eaten and enjoyed morning, noon and night by hungry snackers everywhere. Another pecan related celebration is National Pecan Day on April 14. Pecan is an Algonquian word, meaning “a nut requiring a stone to crack.” A member of the hickory family, the pecan is native to central and southern United States. Enjoying freshly baked, pecan cookies straight from the oven with a glass of milk is one of the best ways to end the day. Joining a friend while savoring the buttery goodness is even better.

National Tradesmen Day honors the men and women whose skills and hard work build America and keep it running strong. While these professionals work day in and out maintaining skills unique to their trade, our nation continues to operate smoothly without pause. The skills and knowledge of those in the trades keep business, homes and entire nations running. Whether walls go up or come down, roads cross rivers or the water flows, electricians, plumbers, masons, mechanics, carpenters and everyone in between ensures the job gets done. With their hands, their skills and their tools, they keep America running smoothly. Irwin Tools founded National Tradesmen Day in 2011 to honor the men and women who work every day with their hands to keep American running strong. Friday, September 16, 2011, was the inaugural National Tradesmen Day.

National POW/MIA Recognition Day! Every year since 1989 by presidential proclamation, The United States remembers and honors those men and women of the Armed Forces who remain missing in action or who are prisoners of war. We are reminded as a nation to rededicate our efforts to bring our patriots home and to care for our military families awaiting word of their loved ones. The POW/MIA Flag is flown this day over the Capitol, the White House, the Korean and Vietnam Veterans Memorials, the offices of the secretaries of State, Defense and Veterans Affairs, of the Selective Service System, and on the grounds or in the lobbies of every major military installation, every post office and all VA Medical Centers and national cemeteries. National POW/MIA Recognition Day was established by an Act of Congress with the passage of Section 1082 of the 1998 Defense Authorization Act. This day is one of the six days that Federal Law requires the POW/MIA Flag be flown at all places designated by the U.S, Secretary of Defense.

There was so much more info on New York it was hard deciding which parts to put into today's theme, but hopefully I put in enough to make it interesting. New York State bird is a pretty bird I love the colors together. I did not know that the government still owned land. Wonder if they have to pay taxes to themselves?😂 I thought Yellowstone was the largest national park. Boy was I wrong. Wow, Adirondack Park is one huge park now plus it's still considered Wild Forest land. Pecan's my favorite! And in cookies even better. Yum! Hey, hey the workin' man! Thank you for using your hands to improving whatever your trade may be. May all POW/MIA persons be returned home so the family's will be reunited or have closure. 🐦🐟🌹🌳🐢🐞🌎🍪🔨🇺🇸🏡

Sending pecan cookies with hugs and a wubba toss for toasted loaf(for that is what he would be here with our 90 degree weather).🐶💕🍂💕