Thread:61Storm/@comment-29709319-20181110010804/@comment-29709319-20181221020142

December 21: National Maine Day,❤️ Anne & Samantha Day, National French Fried Shrimp Day, Crossword Puzzle Day, Humbug Day, Phileas Fogg Win A Wager Day, Winter Solstice, National Flashlight Day, National Homeless Persons’ Remembrance Day, Yule, National Ugly Christmas Sweater Day, and Underdog Day.

🇺🇸Maine is the 12th smallest by area, the 9th least populous, and the 38th most densely populated of the 50 U.S. states. It is bordered by only one other U.S. state, New Hampshire. It is known for its jagged, rocky coastline; low, rolling mountains; heavily forested interior; and picturesque waterways, as well as its seafood cuisine, especially lobster and clams. Its Nickname(s): "The Pine Tree State" and "Vacationland", Motto(s): "Dirigo" (Latin for "I lead", "I guide", or "I direct"), State song: "State of Maine Song", Capital: Augusta, Largest city: Portland. Living insignia; Bird: 🕊Chickadee, Fish: 🐟Landlocked Atlantic salmon, Flower: 🌸White pine cone (Maine is the only state whose state flower is not actually a flower. Lawmakers chose the White Pine Cone because the state was commonly known as the Pine Tree state.), Insect: 🐝Honey bee, Mammal: 🦌Moose, Tree: 🌲Eastern white pine. Inanimate insignia; Beverage: 🥛Moxie, Food: 🍽Blueberry pie, Fossil: 💎Pertica quadrifaria, Gemstone: 💎Tourmaline, Soil: Chesuncook soil series. The original inhabitants of the territory that is now Maine were Algonquian-speaking Wabanaki peoples, including the Passamaquoddy, Maliseet, Penobscot, Androscoggin and Kennebec. During the later King Philip's War, many of these peoples would merge in one form or another to become the Wabanaki Confederacy, aiding the Wampanoag of Massachusetts & the Mahican of New York. Afterwards, many of these people were driven from their natural territories, but most of the tribes of Maine continued, unchanged, until the American Revolution. European contact with what is now called Maine started around 1200 CE when Norwegians interacted with the native Penobscot in present-day Hancock County, most likely through trade. At the time of European arrival in what is now Maine, several Algonquian-speaking peoples inhabited the area. The first European settlement in the area was by the French in 1604 on Saint Croix Island, by Pierre Dugua, Sieur de Mons. The French named the entire area Acadia, including the portion that later became the state of Maine. The first English settlement was the short-lived Popham Colony, established by the Plymouth Company in 1607. The Popham colonists returned to Britain after 14 months. As Maine entered the 18th century, only a half dozen European settlements had survived. At the close of the War of 1812, Maine was occupied by British forces, but the territory of Maine was returned to the United States as part of a peace treaty that was to include dedicated land on the Michigan peninsula for Native American peoples. Maine was part of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts until 1820, when it voted to secede from Massachusetts to become a separate state. On March 15, 1820, under the Missouri Compromise, Maine was admitted to the Union as the 23rd state. As part of the Missouri Compromise, which geographically limited the spread of slavery and enabled the admission to statehood of Missouri the following year, keeping a balance between slave and free states. The French established two Jesuit missions: one on Penobscot Bay in 1609, and the other on Mount Desert Island in 1613. The coastal areas of western Maine first became the Province of Maine in a 1622 land patent. Maine was much fought over by the French, English, and allied natives during the 17th and early 18th centuries, who conducted raids against each other, taking captives for ransom or, in some cases, adoption by Native American tribes. American and British forces contended for Maine's territory during the American Revolution and the War of 1812, with the British occupying eastern Maine in both conflicts. Maine's original state capital was Portland, Maine's largest city, until it was moved to the more central Augusta in 1832. The 20th Maine Volunteer Infantry Regiment, under the command of Colonel Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain, prevented the Union Army from being flanked at Little Round Top by the Confederate Army during the Battle of Gettysburg. Four U.S. Navy ships have been named USS Maine, most famously the armored cruiser USS Maine (ACR-1), whose sinking by an explosion on February 15, 1898 precipitated the Spanish–American War. Maine's Moosehead Lake is the largest lake wholly in New Englang. Machias Seal Island and North Rock, off its easternmost point, are claimed by both the U.S. and Canada and are within one of four areas between the two countries whose sovereignty is still in dispute, but it is the only one of the disputed areas containing land. Also in this easternmost area in the Bay of Fundy is the Old Sow, the largest tidal whirlpool in the Western Hemisphere. Maine is the least densely populated U.S. state east of the Mississippi River. It is called the Pine Tree State; about 83% of its land is forested, the most forest cover of any U.S. state. In the forested areas of the interior lies much uninhabited land. Much of Maine's geomorphology was created by extended glacial activity at the end of the last ice age. Prominent glacial features include Somes Sound and Bubble Rock, both part of Acadia National Park on Mount Desert Island. Carved by glaciers, Somes Sound is considered to be the only fjord on the eastern seaboard and reaches depths of 175 feet (50 m). The extreme depth and steep drop-off allow large ships to navigate almost the entire length of the sound. These features also have made it attractive for boat builders, such as the prestigious Hinckley Yachts. Acadia National Park is the only national park in New England. Areas under the protection and management of the National Park Service, include: 1️⃣Acadia National Park near Bar Harbor is an American national park located in the state of Maine, southwest of Bar Harbor. The park preserves about half of Mount Desert Island, many adjacent smaller islands, and part of the Schoodic Peninsula on the coast of Maine. Acadia was initially designated Sieur de Monts National Monument by proclamation of President Woodrow Wilson in 1916. Sieur de Monts was renamed and redesignated Lafayette National Park by Congress in 1919—the first national park in the United States east of the Mississippi River and the only one in the Northeastern United States. The park was renamed Acadia National Park in 1929. Recreational activities from spring through autumn include car and bus touring along the park's paved loop road; hiking, bicycling, and horseback riding on carriage roads (motor vehicles are prohibited); rock climbing; kayaking and canoeing on lakes and ponds; swimming at Sand Beach and Echo Lake; sea kayaking and guided boat tours on the ocean; and various ranger-led programs. Winter activities include cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, snowmobiling, and ice fishing. Two campgrounds are located on Mount Desert Island, another campground is on the Schoodic Peninsula, and five lean-to sites are on Isle au Haut. The main visitor center is at Hulls Cove, northwest of Bar Harbor. 2️⃣Appalachian National Scenic Trail generally known as the Appalachian Trail or simply the A.T., is a marked hiking trail in the Eastern United States extending between Springer Mountain in Georgia and Mount Katahdin in Maine. The trail is about 2,200 miles (3,500 km) long, though the exact length changes over time as parts are modified or rerouted. The Appalachian Trail Conservancy describes the Appalachian Trail as the longest hiking-only trail in the world. Bicycles are prohibited from most of the trail, except for the sections which follow the C&O Canal in Maryland and the Virginia Creeper Trail in Virginia. Horses and pack animals are prohibited except horses on the C&O Canal and in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. 3️⃣Maine Acadian Culture in St. John Valley is an affiliated area of the United States national park system, which ties together a variety of sites on the U.S. side of the Saint John River Valley on the Maine–New Brunswick border. The common history of Acadians on both sides of the river is best understood by visiting and learning about sites and events in both Maine and New Brunswick, as well as Nova Scotia. However, the U.S. federal mandate ends at the border, hence the name of this affiliated unit. Its management is overseen by Acadia National Park, the closest staffed U.S. national park system unit, to promote the Maine Acadian Heritage Council's work in highlighting the unique ethnicity and culture of the region. Sites included in the decentralized unit include: 🍂Acadian Landing Site, also known as the Acadian Cross Historic Shrine is a 14 foot marble cross represents the first cross erected in 1785 by the first Acadians settlers who set foot in the valley after canoeing up the St. John River. The cross represents their gratitude for their safe haven and a land of their own. Today some religious and ceremonial services are occasionally held at the site. It is owned by the Madawaska Historical Society. 🍂Tante Blanche Museum is a 1970s log building named for Marguerite Blanche Thibodeau Cyr in honor of her heroic deeds during the 1797 famine. In addition to the Acadian Landing Site and the museum, two adjacent historical society buildings are part of the museum complex: a nineteenth‑century schoolhouse and the Fred Albert House. Collections of artifacts (especially related to Acadian textile manufacture and domestic furnishings) are located in the buildings. 🍂Fred Albert House: The one‑and‑a‑half‑story Albert House has the typical Georgian proportions and square‑hewn log (pièce‑sur‑pièce) wall construction of other 19th‑century houses in the valley. In the house, pièce‑sur‑pièce à tenons en coulisse wall construction is combined with half‑dovetail joinery at the corners. The Albert House appears to have had only a central chimney. Like many other upper St. John Valley houses of the mid‑19th century, the Albert House has ship knees fitted into the attic. 🍂Madawaska School District No. 1: Built circa 1870, this one‑room schoolhouse is a simple wooden structure with plank walls and pine‑board floors. The schoolhouse was the first in the area to be built with an enclosed entrance, known in French as a tambour. Its single room was heated by a small box wood stove with a flue exiting at the center of the room. When the school closed in 1930 the schoolhouse fell into disrepair. In 1976 the Madawaska Historical Society moved it three miles north to its present location. Today the interior is furnished with artifacts, textbooks, and basic teaching aids of the period, as well as the original wooden blackboard. 🍂Fort Kent Blockhouse! Fort Kent, the only surviving American fortification built during border tensions with neighboring New Brunswick known as the Aroostook War. The park features an original log blockhouse, which is open for visits in the summer. 🍂Fort Kent Railroad Station: It was built in 1902 by the Fish River Railroad, a line that was used in service until 1979. The station is now home to a museum operated by the Fort Kent Historical Society, dedicated to the local history of the railroad and its influence on the region. 🍂Governor Brann Schoolhouse is a historic school building on United States Route 1 in Cyr Plantation, Maine. It presently is used by the plantation as a polling station and meeting place. The school was named for Louis J. Brann, who was Governor of Maine at the time of its construction in 1934. It is the best-preserved of the community's former district school buildings. 🍂Acadian Village is a museum of Acadian heritage on United States Route 1 in Van Buren, Maine. The museum includes a complex of six historic buildings (five authentic 19th-century structures, one a careful modern reproduction) in which the life and work of 19th-century French-Americans is showcased. 🍂Musée Culturel du Mont-Carmel: The former church now houses a collection of artifacts related to the Acadian history of the area. 🍂St. Agathe Museum House displays the typical items found in an Acadian home in 1854. 🍂B&A Railroad Turntable: The first trains ran on wood, then coal and finally diesel. The turntable at St. Francis was built in 1904 to turn the locomotives around for return trips as their controls were not configured for extended periods of running in reverse. The turntable was used into the 1980s 🍂Frenchville Caboose and Water Tower are a historic railroad museum property in Frenchville, Maine. The station and water tank were built in 1910 by the Bangor & Aroostook Railroad (B&A). The station was retired in 1971. The water tower became obsolete in 1958 when the diesel locomotive replaced the steam locomotive. The Town of Frenchville purchased the water tank from Bangor & Aroostook Railroad and used it as a water reservoir for the fire department until 1981. The Frenchville Historical Society took over maintenance of the site in 1985. 🍂Allagash Historical Society Museum! 🍂Le Club Français is a non-profit organization dedicated to preserving and promoting an environment for the French language to prosper for all people in the St. John Valley, an area deeply connected to its Franco-American and Acadian heritage. 🍂Pelletier-Marquis House represents an older working class home and is thought of as “everyman’s home.” Humble in appearance, its original site, rock foundation, low ceilings, buckwheat hull insulation, wide floor boards, and square-headed nails make this a unique historical structure. 4️⃣Roosevelt Campobello International Park on Campobello Island in New Brunswick, Canada, operated by both the US and Canada, just across the Franklin Delano Roosevelt Bridge from Lubec. Roosevelt Campobello International Park preserves the house and surrounding landscape of the summer retreat of Franklin D. Roosevelt, Eleanor Roosevelt and their family. It is located on the southern tip of Campobello Island in the Canadian province of New Brunswick, and is connected to the mainland by the Roosevelt Memorial Bridge, at Lubec, Maine in the United States. Here in August 1921, 39-year-old Roosevelt, who would go on to become the 32nd President of the United States, fell ill and was diagnosed with polio. FDR was no longer able to stay at the "beloved island", but he sailed there in 1933 and visited briefly in 1936 and 1939. Eleanor Roosevelt loved the cool summer weather and visited many times with her children and friends. After her death in 1962, the family deeded the property to the governments of the U.S. and Canada. In 1964, they created the 2,800-acre (11 km2) International Park. The cottage, built in the Shingle Style and completed in 1897, was designed by Willard T. Sears. 5️⃣Saint Croix Island International Historic Site at Calais Saint Croix Island, long known to locals as Dochet Island, is a small uninhabited island in Maine near the mouth of the Saint Croix River that forms part of the Canada–United States border separating Maine from New Brunswick. The island is 6.5 acres (26,000 m2), measures approximately 200 yd (182.9 m) long by 100 yd (91.4 m) wide. The island is in the heart of the traditional lands of the Passamaquoddy people who, according to oral tradition, used it to store food away from the dangers of mainland animals. The island was the site of an early attempt at French colonization by Pierre Dugua, Sieur de Mons in 1604. In 1984 it was designated by the United States Congress as Saint Croix Island International Historic Site. There is no public access to the island, but there is a visitor contact station on the U.S. mainland and a display on the Canadian mainland opposite the island. 6️⃣Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument is a U.S. National Monument spanning 87,563 acres (35,435 ha) of mountains and forestland in northern Penobscot County, Maine, including a section of the East Branch Penobscot River. The monument is located on the eastern border of Maine's Baxter State Park. Whether you like to sightsee, hike, bike, ski, snowshoe, or camp, you can enjoy exploring the national monument. Katahdin Loop Road: This 17 mile loop is a great opportunity to see the southern portion of the monument and includes pull-offs with scenic views. There are several short hikes from trailheads on the Loop Road. North/Matagamon Entrance: Activities through the North Entrance include canoeing and kayaking on the East Branch of the Penobscot River, as well as fishing, hiking, and mountain biking. 7️⃣Maine State Parks! This list includes state parks, public reserved lands, and state historic sites in the U.S. state of Maine. They are operated by the Maine Department of Conservation, with the exceptions of Baxter State Park, which is operated by the Baxter State Park Authority, and Peacock Beach, which is under local managemen. 8️⃣Maine Wildlife Management Areas (WMA) are state owned lands managed by the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife. The WMAs comprise approximately 100,000 acres and contain a diverse array of habitats, from wetland flowages critical to waterfowl production to the spruce-fir forests of northern Maine on which Canada Lynx, moose and wintering deer are dependent. Spread geographically throughout all counties of the State the properties are available for a multitude of recreational opportunities, with a focus on hunting, fishing and trapping. The focus on offering these types of recreational opportunities is in line with the funding used to acquire such properties, historically accomplished with funding from Federal Aid to Wildlife Restoration and State bonding approved by voters. Maine has a humid continental climate, with warm, humid summers. Winters are cold and very snowy throughout the state, and are especially severe in the Northern and Western parts of Maine. Daytime highs are generally in the 75–80°F (24–27°C) range throughout the state in July, with overnight lows in the high 50s°F (15°C). January temperatures range from highs near 32°F (0°C) on the southern coast to overnight lows averaging below 0°F (-18°C) in the far north. The state's record high temperature is 105°F (41°C), set in July 1911, at North Bridgton. In January 2009, a new tying record low temperature was set at Big Black River of -50°F (-46°C). Maine has fewer days of thunderstorms than any other state east of the Rockies, with most of the state averaging less than 20 days of thunderstorms a year. Tornadoes are rare in Maine, with the state averaging fewer than four per year, mostly occurring in the southern part of the state. Maine only occasionally sees tropical cyclones. Maine's agricultural outputs include poultry, eggs, dairy products, cattle, wild blueberries, apples, maple syrup, and maple sugar. Aroostook County is known for its potato crops. Commercial fishing, once a mainstay of the state's economy, maintains a presence, particularly lobstering and groundfishing. Western Maine aquifers and springs are a major source of bottled water. Maine's industrial outputs consist chiefly of paper, lumber and wood products, electronic equipment, leather products, food products, textiles, and bio-technology. Maine is the number one US producer of low-bush (wild) and high-bush (cultivated) blueberries. Tourism and outdoor recreation play a major and increasingly important role in Maine's economy. The state is a popular destination for sport hunting (particularly deer, moose and bear), sport fishing, snowmobiling, skiing, boating, camping and hiking, among other activities. There are thirty institutions of higher learning in Maine. These institutions include the University of Maine, which is the oldest, largest and only research university in the state. UMaine was founded in 1865 and is the state's only land grant and sea grant college. There are also branch campuses in Augusta, Farmington, Fort Kent, Machias, and Presque Isle. Bowdoin College is a liberal arts college founded in 1794 in Brunswick, making it the oldest institution of higher learning in the state. Colby College in Waterville was founded in 1813 making it the second oldest college in Maine. Bates College in Lewiston was founded in 1855 making it the third oldest institution in the state and the oldest coeducational college in New England. The three colleges collectively form the Colby-Bates-Bowdoin Consortium and are ranked among the best colleges in the United States; often placing in the top 10% of all liberal arts colleges. Things to do and other parks: sailing along the coast Lake, Summer ocean swimming, Surfing, Hiking, Camping, Bicycling, Sea kayaking, Paddle the entire coast along the Maine Island Trail, River kayaking/canoeing, paddle the entire Allagash Wilderness Waterway, Whitewater canoeing, Snowmobiling, Historical site seeing, Fishing (a fishing license Required), Whale watching, Lighthouses seeing and a Maine Lobster Festival (usually in late July going into early August). 1️⃣Baxter State Park is a large wilderness area permanently preserved as a state park. The park was established by 28 donations of land, in trust, from park donor Percival P. Baxter between the years of 1931 and 1962, eventually creating a park of over 200,000 acres (809 km2) in size. The park is home to the state's highest peak, Mount Katahdin. Inside the park boundary there is no electricity, running water, or paved roads. In keeping with the "Forever Wild" philosophy expressed by Gov. Baxter, the park prohibits the use of audio or visual devices in any way that impairs the enjoyment of the park by others or that may disturb or harass wildlife. Winter hiking and camping regulations have been recently revised to provide more freedom for park visitors, coupled with a clear understanding that park visitors must take responsibility for their safety in the often unforgiving winter environment of the park. 2️⃣Mackworth Island! Mackworth is an island of approximately 100 acres connected to Falmouth by a causeway at the mouth of the Presumpscot River. The 1¼ mile trail that encircles the island takes about an hour to complete at a leisurely pace and visitors are treated to stunning views of Casco Bay and Portland. Along the way, stop to watch boats and ferries motor though the Atlantic waters while seagulls, osprey and shorebirds glide overhead as they search for food. 3️⃣Rangeley Lake! The lake is one of the major headwater lakes of the Androscoggin watershed. Its elevation is 1,518 feet (463 m) above sea level and its area is about 10 square miles (26 square km). The lake's depth is shallow near the shore with a central basin averaging about 95 feet (29 m) deep (29 m). The maximum depth is 149 feet (45 m). 4️⃣Rockland – Home of the Lobster Festival! Rockland is home to the Maine Lobster Festival, a celebration held annually in honor of the town's primary export: lobster. In the first week of August, thousands of people come from all over the world to participate in this five-day event. Rockland also is home to the Farnsworth Art Museum, a world-famous art gallery containing paintings by Andrew Wyeth and other well-known New England artists. Penobscot Bay, which Rockland borders, is known internationally as one of the best recreational sailing grounds in the world. The city's breakwater, built in the 19th century, also draws tourists. Other sites of interest: Rockland Public Library, built 1903-1904, is a Carnegie library designed by George Albert Clough (1843-1910), Lincoln Street Center for Arts & Education, Maine Lighthouse Museum, Maine Eastern Railroad, North Atlantic Blues Festival, Rockland Breakwater Light, Rockland Historical Society & Museum, Maine Boats, Homes, and Harbors Show, and The Coastal Children's Museum. 5️⃣Sebago Lake is the deepest and second largest lake in Maine. The lake is 316 feet (96 m) deep at its deepest point, covers about 45 square miles (117 km2) in surface area, has a length of 12 miles (19 km) and a shoreline length of 105 miles (169 km). In 1938, Maine opened Sebago Lake State Park as one of its original five state parks. The park is 1,400 acres (5.7 km2) (mostly forested), open year-round, and has facilities including two public boat launches and a 250-site campground. There are also numerous private campgrounds, cottages, and other recreational facilities in the area. They also offer fishing and efforts are underway to complete the Sebago to the Sea Trail, a trail running 28 miles from Sebago Lake to Casco Bay, mostly following the path of the Presumpscot River. Fresh seafood of all kinds, can be found in Maine: lobster, crab, scallops, shrimp and clams. Small but flavorful boreal red shrimp (more commonly known as Maine shrimp) are available from November to March. Like New England's only shrimp variety, New England's most extensive type of crab (rock crab) goes by the name Maine crab and although not as celebrated as lobster, is excellent steamed or served any other way. Local oyster varieties include Pemaquids and Sheepscots. Fishermen catch North Atlantic fish of all kinds. Maine produces some of the highest quality beers in the country. When in the Pine Tree State, go for a tour or look for titles by these fine breweries: 1️⃣🍂Allagash Brewing Co., 🍂Casco Bay Brewing Co., 🍂DL Geary Brewing Co., 🍂Gritty McDuff's Brewing Co. and 🍂Shipyard in Portland. 2️⃣🍁Atlantic Brewing Co., 🍁Bar Harbor Brewing Co., 🍁Maine Coast Brewing Co., in Bar Harbor. 3️⃣Maine Beer Co. in Freeport. 4️⃣Sheepscot Valley Brewing in Whitefield. 5️⃣Sea Dog Brewing Co., in Bangor. 6️⃣StoneCoast Brewing Co., in Portland and Bethel. And nothing is more emblematic of Maine than the more than 60 historic lighthouses scattered along its coast. Plan your whole trip around them, or just see a few by boat tour, but be sure to visit at least one while you’re here. If road trips are your thing, Maine is home to four National Scenic Byways: 1️⃣the Acadia All-American Highway! Length: 40 miles. Highlights: beaches, swimming holes, bicycling, foliage viewing, hiking trails, islands, lake, pond, river views, lighthouses, mountain views, ocean views, skiing, state/national park, wildlife. Side Trips: Cadillac Mountain; Echo Lake, Hull’s Cove School House and Church of Our Father (National Register), Isle au Haut, Jesup Memorial Library, Jordan Pond House, Sand Beach, Sieur de Monts Spring,Thunder Hole,The Turrets and other National Register buildings. 2️⃣The Old Canada Road Scenic Byway! Length: 78 miles. Highlights: beaches, swimming holes, bicycling, boating, camping, canoeing, kayaking, fishing, foliage viewing, hiking trails, lake, pond, river views, mountain views, whitewater rafting, snowmobiling, wildlife. Side Trips: Whitewater rafting at The Forks where the Kennebec and Dead rivers meet; Solon- Bingham Rail Trail; boating on manmade Wyman Lake; Appalachian Trail; Lakewood Theater in Madison, one of the oldest, continuous operating summer music theaters in the U.S. 3️⃣the Rangeley Lakes National Scenic Byway! Length: 52 miles. Highlights: bicycling, boating, camping, canoeing, kayaking, fishing, foliage viewing, golf, hiking trails, lake, pond, river views, mountain views, skiing, snowmobiling, wildlife. Side Trips: Angel Falls;Appalachian Trail; Byron School House; Coos Canyon; Oquossoc village; Rangeley Lakes Historical Society; Rangeley Lakes State Park, Rangeley Logging Museum; Saddleback Mountain Ski Area;Wilhelm Reich Museum. 4️⃣The Schoodic National Scenic Byway! Weaving through 27 miles of gorgeous scenery—including a reversing tidal falls, lighthouses, and historic architecture—the Schoodic National Scenic Byway is a 29-mile journey through the only mainland section of Acadia National Park.

📚Anne and Samantha Day is celebrated bi-annually on the summer solstice and the winter solstices. It honors Anne Frank and Samantha Smith. Generations have been moved by the words recorded in the diary of the young Jewish girl, Anne Frank. Born June 12, 1929, in Frankfurt, Germany on the cusp of one of the greatest upheavals in world history, Anne was the second daughter of Otto and Ruth Frank. The family would eventually flee Nazi Germany for the relative safety of Amsterdam, Netherlands. Germany would begin their campaign in 1939 by attacking Poland and by 1942 the Netherlands would be occupied by the Nazi as well. Weeks after receiving a red checkered diary for her 13th birthday, her family and the families of her father’s employees were forced into hiding. The year was 1942. The family survived in hiding in the empty space at the back of her father’s company building. It was here that Anne wrote daily. Her diary would become a place of solace when despair was overwhelming. Her family was betrayed in August of 1944, the men and women separated and forced into hard labor under brutal conditions in concentration camps. Her father would be the only family member to survive, and later discover the diary left behind. The daughter of an instructor of college literature and a social worker, Samantha Smith, was born June 29, 1972. When she was ten years old, she sought to understand the Cold War between the United States and Russia by writing a letter to the Soviet leader, Yuri Andropov. (Dear Mr. Andropov, My name is Samantha Smith. I am ten years old. Congratulations on your new job. I have been worrying about Russia and the United States getting into a nuclear war. Are you going to vote to have a war or not? If you aren’t please tell me how you are going to help to not have a war. This question you do not have to answer, but I would like to know why you want to conquer the world or at least our country. God made the world for us to live together in peace and not to fight. Sincerely,Samantha Smith.) While her letter was published in the Soviet newspaper, Pravda, she did not receive a response from Andropov. Not to be discouraged, she sent a letter to the Soviet Union’s Ambassador to the United States asking if there would be a response from Andropov. On April 26, 1983, she received a reply. Andropov addressed each of the young girl’s questions in a lengthy letter which included an invitation to visit the Soviet Union. (In America and in our country there are nuclear weapons — terrible weapons that can kill millions of people in an instant. But we do not want them to be ever used. That’s precisely why the Soviet Union solemnly declared throughout the entire world that never — never — will it use nuclear weapons first against any country. In general we propose to discontinue further production of them and to proceed to the abolition of all the stockpiles on Earth. – Yuri Andropov.) Samantha soon became known as “America’s Youngest Ambassador.” She traveled to the Soviet Union and wrote a book about her visit. She traveled the world participating in peacemaking activities and became an actress in the television series Lime Street. Her young life was cut short at the age of 13 when the plane she was traveling in crashed on August 25, 1985. Anne and Samantha Day was created by supporters for postage stamps honoring Ann Frank and Samantha Smith.

🍤National French Fried Shrimp Day! The word prawn is used loosely to describe any large shrimp, sometimes known as jumbo shrimp. Some countries use the word prawn exclusively for all shrimp. Americans eat more shrimp than any other seafood. Preparing the shrimp for consumption usually involves the removal of the head, shell, tail and sand vein. There are many ways to cook shrimp. Common methods of preparation include baking, boiling, broiling, sauteing, frying and grilling. Cooking time is delicate for shrimp and they are at their best when not over cooked. A healthy food, shrimp is low in calories and high in levels of omega-3s, calcium, iodine, and protein. The preparation of the shrimp does impact the caloric count. Shrimp is also known to be considered good for the circulatory system.

📝Crossword Puzzle Day! A challenging word game enjoyed by millions around the world. The first crossword puzzles were published in England in children’s books and other publications. They were simple word games derived from the word squares where letters were arranged in a square so that the words read the same across and down. The object of a crossword puzzle is to fill in the white spaces of a grid with the correct words from the hints provided alongside the grid. The black spaces separate individual words. The clues to more challenging puzzles are more like riddles, making the game more complex. The puzzles are not only fun, but challenging crossword puzzles may help delay the effects of dementia or sharpen the brain for problem-solving. They can also increase vocabulary and even relieve the mind from the stress of the day by focusing on something other than worldly problems. Journalist Arthur Wynne from Liverpool is credited as the inventor of word game we know today. He created what is considered the first known published crossword puzzle. The puzzle appeared in the December 21, 1913, edition of the New York World newspaper.

🙄Humbug Day! When the stresses of the holiday season have piled up, many of us start to feel a bit like Scrooge. This day was created to allow us an opportunity to express our frustrations. Humbug Day was created by Thomas and Ruth Roy at Wellcat.com.

🌎Phileas Fogg Win a Wager Day! Phileas Fogg is the main character in the classic novel Around the World In 80 Days by French Novelist, Jules Verne. During an argument about the possibility of traveling around the world in 80 days, Fogg is challenged by fellow members of the Reform Club to do just that. He accepts the wager of £20,000 (equal to about £1.5 million today). With Passepartout his newly hired valet, Fogg departs at 8:45 P.M. on Wednesday, October 2, 1872. In order to win the wager, he must arrive back at the Reform Club at the same time on Saturday, December 21, 1872. Fogg and his valet encounter many trials, obstacles and adventures along the way. Does Phileas Fogg win his wager? December 21st is the anniversary of the day Phileas Fogg was due back at the Reform Club to win his wager.

❄️🌕Winter Solstice is the shortest day and longest night of the year in the Northern Hemisphere. It occurs annually between December 20 and December 23. The winter solstice is marked by the point at which the North Pole is at its farthest from the sun during its yearly orbit around the sun. It will be approximately 23 degrees away from the sun. Despite the temperature outside, the winter solstice is considered the astronomical beginning of winter. Meteorological winter begins December 1 and lasts until the end of February and is marked by the coldest average temperatures during the year.Depending on how far north a person is in the Northern Hemisphere during the winter solstice, their day can range from 9.5 hours to absolutely no sunrise at all. On the bright side, the days will gradually become longer in the Northern Hemisphere until the summer solstice in June. In the Southern Hemisphere, this same day marks the summer solstice and the Southern Hemisphere’s longest day of the year. The vernal equinox and the autumnal equinox conventionally mark the beginning of spring and fall respectively and occur when night and day are approximately equal in length. Around the world since ancient times to modern day, celebrations, festivals, rituals and holidays recognizing the winter solstice have varied from culture to culture. Since the marking of time and the earliest calendars, this day marked the hardest time of the year for early people. Survival was paramount when food and heat are not reliable. In all corners of the Earth, there are ancient remains that seem to have been built around marking the winter solstice. Probably the most famous of these is Stonehenge, England. Every year when the sun sets on the winter solstice, the sun’s rays align with two of the giant stones known as the central Altar and the Slaughter stone. As the sun rises the day of the winter solstice, its rays illuminate the main chambers of the monument dating back to 3200 B.C. at Newgrange, Ireland. In Tulum, Mexico an ancient Mayan city stands deserted. At the top of one of these buildings, a small hole casts a starburst when the sun rises on the winter and summer solstices.

🔦National Flashlight Day! It was around 1899 that the invention of the dry cell and miniature incandescent electric light bulbs made the first battery-powered flashlights possible. Today the flashlights that we use, are mostly incandescent lamps or light-emitting diodes and run on disposable or rechargeable batteries. Some are powered by the user turning a crank or shaking the lamp and some have solar panels to recharge a battery. In addition to the well known, general-purpose hand-held flashlight, other forms have been adapted for special uses. Head or helmet-mounted flashlights designed for miners and campers leave the hands free. There are special flashlights that can be used underwater or in flammable atmospheres. January 10, 1899 – British Inventor David Misell obtained U.S. Patent No. 617,592, assigned to American Electrical Novelty and Manufacturing Company. This electric device designed by Misell was powered by “D” batteries laid front to back in a paper tube with the light bulb and a rough brass reflector at the end. The company donated some of these devices to the New York City police, who responded well to them.

🚫🏠National Homeless Persons’ Remembrance Day! Since 1990, the National Coalition for the Homeless and the National HealthCare for the Homeless Council have sponsored National Homeless Persons’ Remembrance Day to bring attention to the plight of the nation’s homeless population and to encourage the public to act on their behalf.

🌳Yule! Also known as Jul, Yule predates the Christmas holiday by thousands of years. There is some debate as to the origin of the word Yule. Some linguists suggest the word is derived from “Iul”, the Anglo-Saxon word for wheel. This makes a connection to a Celtic calendar, the Wheel of the Year. In the Norse culture, “Jul” refers to the god, Odin. Odin was celebrated during Yule as well. Yule celebrations included bonfires, decorating with holly, mistletoe and the boughs of evergreen trees, ritual sacrifices, feasts and gift giving. The Yule midwinter feast usually lasted 12 days. Vikings(myth) would decorate evergreen trees with gifts such as food, carvings, and food for the tree spirits to encourage them to return in the spring. Mistletoe combined with a mother’s tears resurrected her son, the God of Light and Goodness. The Celts believe Mistletoe possessed healing powers as well and would ward off evil spirits. In Norse tradition, Old Man Winter visited homes to join the festivities. The Viking god, Odin was described as a wanderer with a long white beard and is considered the first Father Christmas. Viking children would leave their shoes out by the hearth on the eve of the winter solstice with sugar and hay for Odin’s eight-legged horse, Sleipnir. Children would traipse from house to house with gifts of apples and oranges spiked with cloves and resting in baskets lined with evergreen boughs. The Yule log was a whole tree meant to be burned for 12 days in the hearth. The Celts believed the sun stood still during the winter solstice. They thought by keeping the Yule log burning for these 12 days encouraged the sun to move, making the days longer. The largest end would be fed into the hearth, wine poured over it, and it would be lit with the remains of the previous year’s Yule log. Everyone would take turns feeding the length of timber into the fire as it burned. Letting it burn out would bring bad luck. While the winter solstice is observed around the world, Yule was celebrated primarily by Germanic cultures of northern and western Europe. The midpoint of winter was a time to celebrate the rebirth of the sun and the light it would bring to the earth.

🎄👚National Ugly Christmas Sweater Day has grown to be an international event. In 2014, they partnered with Save the Children in their “Make the World Better with a Sweater” campaign. You can now help children across the world by wearing an ugly sweater on December 18th and encouraging others to go online and donate. National Ugly Christmas Sweater Day was started in 2011 by ugly Christmas sweater lovers as a way to lighten up the busy holidays and to show off their absurdly, ugly sweaters. The day has grown in popularity and is celebrated worldwide.

🐕Underdog Day! The first recorded uses of the term occurred in the second half of the nineteenth century; its initial meaning was “the beaten dog in a fight.” An underdog is a person or team in competition most likely expected to lose. This expectation can be based on statistical data, opinion or overall standings. When the underdog wins, it’s called an upset. Also known as a Cinderella story, the underdog has long piqued Americans’ interest. Whether in a sporting event, business, education or arts, when success is a long shot and a struggle as well, Americans root and cheer for the underdog. National Underdog Day was first observed in 1976.

Sending hugs!🐶💕🎄💕