Celebrate the Day - August

August 10:

Saint Lawrence Feast Day - A patron saint of libraries and librarians is Saint Lawrence the Librarian. His feast day is August 10th, and is usually celebrated by librarians and archivists (in honor of his traditional method of death) with cold cuts. Lawrence was then slowly roasted on a grill on the site of the Basilica di San Lorenzo in Rome, in the hope that he would publicly renounce his religion and reveal the names of the wealthy Christians.

August 11:

Alcatraz Day - August 11, has been noted as Alcatraz Day. Alcatraz ("the Rock"), located on Alcatraz Island in San Francisco Bay, had its first group of incarcerated prisoners move into this prison in 1934. It became a national recreation area in 1972 and received landmarking designations in 1976 and 1986.

Play in the Sand Day - Almost every child loves to play in sand. Put a kid in a sandbox with a pail and shovel and he'll happily dig, sift and pile. Celebrate summer and "Play in the Sand Day," with fun crafts and activities that involve sand.

August 13:

Left-Handers Day - On 13th August 1992 the Club launched International Left-Handers Day, an annual event when left-handers everywhere can celebrate their sinistrality and increase public awareness of the advantages and disadvantages of being left-handed. This event is now celebrated worldwide, and in the U.K. alone there were over 20 regional events to mark the day in 2001- including left-v-right sports matches, a left-handed tea party, pubs using left-handed corkscrews where patrons drank and played pub games with the left hand only, and nationwide "Lefty Zones" where left-handers creativity, adaptability and sporting prowess were celebrated, whilst right-handers were encouraged to try out everyday left-handed objects to see just how awkward it can feel using the wrong equipment!

* Sinistrophobia is the fear of left-handedness or things on the left side.
* Left-handers adjust more readily to seeing underwater.
* Left-handers excel particularly in tennis, baseball, swimming and fencing
* Left-handers usually reach puberty 4 to 5 months after right-handers
* 4 of the 5 original designers of the Macintosh computer were left-handed
* 1 in 4 Apollo astronauts were left-handed - 250% more than the normal level.

Alfred Hitchcock's Birthday - Sir Alfred Joseph Hitchcock known also as "Hitch" or "The Master of Suspense", was born August 13, 1899 in Leytonstone, London and died at the age of 80 on April 29, 1980 in Bel Air, Los Angeles. He was known to make signature appearances in his movies as an extra.

August 14:

Assistance Dog Day - Pay tribute to the selfless love, devotion and care provided by assistance dogs, including service dogs, guide dogs, hearing alert dogs and alert/seizure response dogs. Observed annually on the second Thursday in August.

Navajo Code Talkers Day - bilingual Navajo speakers specially recruited during World War II by the Marines to serve in their standard communications units in the Pacific Theater. In 1982, the code talkers were given a Certificate of Recognition by U.S. President Ronald Reagan, who also named August 14 "Navajo Code Talkers Day."

August 15:

V-J Day - In the United States, Victory over Japan Day (V-J Day, also known as Victory in the Pacific Day, or V-P Day) is a name chosen for the day on which the Surrender of Japan occurred, and subsequent anniversaries of that event. The term has been applied to both the day on which the initial announcement of Japan's surrender was made on August 15, 1945 (August 14 North American date), as well as the date the formal surrender ceremony was performed in Tokyo on September 2, 1945.

This week is SMILE WEEK

Many times we don't smile enough. We are busy, the kids are screaming, we burned dinner...we need to slow down and smile. This week gives us the excuse we need. SO SMILE!!!

August 17

National Thriftshop Day - Today is a day to go shopping. And not just any shopping will do. Go out and explore your local thrift-shops %u2026 other wise known as dollar stores or discount stores. Not just discout stores, but there are still thrift shops out there where you can buy second hand clothing and goods at a great price. In addition, you are helping the enviornment, because this is a good way to recycle AND you can help out some local charities by shopping at thrift stores like The Salvation Army - who ever really needs an excuse to shop???

August 18

Wizard of Oz premeired on this day back in 1939. What a wonderful excuse to have family movie night. Watch the movie, have some popcorn, reconnect.

August 19

National Aviation Day - The National Aviation Day celebrates the development of human flight. The holiday was established by a presidential proclamation in 1939, which designated the anniversary of Orville Wright's birthday (Orville actually flew the plane) to be National Aviation Day. On December 17, 1903 Wilbur and Orville Wright were able to launch their airplane and watch it fly for a momentous twelve seconds and a total distance of 120 feet.

August 20

National Radio Day - Radio can refer to either the electronic appliance that we listen with or the content listened to. However, it all started with the discovery of "radio waves" - electromagnetic waves that have the capacity to transmit music, speech, pictures and other data invisibly through the air. Many devices work by using electromagnetic waves including: radio, microwaves, cordless phones, remote controlled toys, television broadcasts, and more. Learn about the radio today...listen and dance to your favorite tunes.

August 21

Spumoni Ice Cream Day - Spumoni is a molded Italian ice cream made with layers of different colors and flavors, usually containing candied fruits and nuts. The ice cream layers are often mixed with whipped cream. Chocolate and pistachio are the typical flavors of the ice cream layers. The flavors usually consist of cherry, chocolate or coco bean, and pistachio in the colors pink/red brown and green. Have some Spumoni TODAY!!

August 22

Be an Angel Day - BE AN ANGEL DAY is a non-profit, non-denominational. This is a day on which people around the world are encouraged to be like the angels - God's selfless servants - and 'do one small act of service for someone; be a blessing in someone's life.' There are many Random Acts of Kindness you can perform today: visit the elderly, clean the house, work at a homeless shelter, and the list goes on...Maybe I can get a Squidoo Angel to visit me with some Random Act of Kindness ;)

August 23

Sponge Cake Day - Sponge Cake are similar to angel cakes in that they use many eggs and no shortening or leavening. Sponge cakes use the whole eggs, while angel cakes use only the whites. You would not believe how many FOOD HOLIDAYS there are out there. When it comes to desserts, I definitely don't need an excuse to eat them...how about you??

August 24:

National Peach Pie Day:
Fresh Peach Pie II
"If you like fresh peaches, this is the pie for you. It's the only way my family wants it. It's delicious topped with whipped topping."

PREP TIME 20 Min
COOK TIME 15 Min
READY IN 45 Min
Original recipe yield 2 - 9 inch pies

INGREDIENTS
1 1/2 cups white sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
2 cups water
1 (3 ounce) package peach flavored gelatin mix
4 cups fresh peaches - peeled, pitted and sliced
2 (9 inch) pie shells, baked

DIRECTIONS
In a saucepan over medium heat, combine sugar and cornstarch. Add water and bring to a boil. Continue to boil or 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Stir in the peach gelatin mix. Remove from heat and allow to cool.
In a large bowl, combine the sliced peaches with the gelatin mixture. Gently stir until peach slices are coated with gelatin. Pour into baked pie shells. Refrigerate until set.

Strange Music Day: This site claims August 24 is International Strange Music Day. Its creator is Patrick Grant, whose sound The Village Voice calls a "driving and harsh energy redolent of rock" with "intricate cross-rhythms." Listen to a CD of a type of music you don't usually listen to today...

August 25:

Kiss and make up Day:
The world is full of little worries, insignificant things that over time can amount to negative expression on the people closest to you. Letting your irritation rub off unnecessarily on the people around you means risking the creation of long-standing tifs that are hard to mend. Maintain your relationships by commemorating Kiss-and-Make-Up Day, the basis for which is that keeping one's relationships in constant repair is the way to keep them strong!

National Banana Split Day: It all began in 1904 when David Strickler of Latrobe, Pennsylvania, set out to create a new ice cream sundae for the local Tassell Pharmacy soda fountain. He juxtaposed three scoops of different flavors of ice cream between two halves of a sliced banana, then added dollops of fruit syrups, combining three mini-sundaes into one. The rest is culinary history.

August 26:

National Dog Day: National Dog Day serves to help galvanize the public to recognize the number of dogs that need to be rescued each year, and acknowledges family dogs and dogs that work selflessly each day to save lives, keep us safe and bring comfort. Dogs put their lives on the line every day - for their law enforcement partner, for their blind companion, for a child who is disabled, for our freedom and safety by detecting bombs and drugs and pulling victims of tragedy from wreckage, saving their lives and often grieving the dead and dying they cannot save.

National Dog Day's founder, pet expert and author Colleen Paige, felt it was time to honor dogs more than we currently do, to give them "a day", to show deep appreciation for our long connection to each other - for their endearing patience, unquestioning loyalty, for their work, their capacity for love and their ability to impact our lives everyday in the most miraculous ways. National Dog Day wishes to encourage dog ownership of all breeds, mixed and pure - and embraces the opportunity for all dogs to live a happy, safe and "abuse-free life".
National Dog Day will be many a dog's birthday and for all of them it will be a "K9- 4th of July!" Even citizens who are not dog owners will be encouraged to donate $5 to their local shelter on National Dog Day.

Women's Equality Day (a/k/a Susan B. Anthony Day): - Anniversary of the passing of the 19th Amendment to the Constitution giving women the right to vote.

Since the earliest days of our democracy, Americans have taken great pride and found great purpose in our pursuit of equality It is a right for which many have bravely struggled and the ideal that challenges us even today to build a more perfect union and to forge a future in which our children know no boundaries to their dreams. Each year, on Women's Equality Day, we rededicate ourselves to the pursuit of full equality for women and girls in our society. This momentous event took place in Seneca Falls, New York, in 1848 and set our Nation on a course toward equality It was at this historic gathering that pioneers such as Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Lucretia Mott, Mary Ann McClintock, and Frederick Douglass signed the Declaration of Sentiments-a document unequivocally affirming that all men and women are created equal. Encouraged by the truth of their convictions, these determined women and men set out to make equality for women a reality in America.

August 27:

Because I said so Day: We have ALL heard it..the famous "because I said so..." Well, today, is the day you should use it, use it, use it. It might not work other days, but it sure will today.

August 28:

Dream Day: Martin Luther King jr. gave the "I Have a Dream" speech in 1963. What is your dream?? What cause would you fight for??

August 29:

More Herbs and Less Salt Day: The American Heart Association came up with this one. Salt can cause high blood pressure, which in turn is bad for your heart, but there are lots of herbs out there that can spice up you food, without spicing up your heart. Try to cook with spices instead of salt today, and do your heart a favor.

August 30:

National Toasted Marshmallow Day: If you need another excuse to spend time with the family and maybe cook up some smores....today is the day.

Whimsical table-top conversation piece harks back to the days of Carmen Miranda, tutti-fruiti hats, and the banana madness of the 1940s. Delicious looking details on this ceramic set will have everyone at dinner saving room for dessert.

Click here to buy this salt and pepper shaker set
Price: $14.

5" Peach Pie With Lattice Crust. Made with gel and wax, and smells just like a homemade peach pie. Includes 3 wicks for even burning distribution.

Price: $12.00

Click here to buy this peach pie candle