WORLD WHALE DAY

Humpback Whale off the coast of Maui, Hawaii. Source: Pixabay

World Whale Day is a Save Coastal Wildlife Event. It is held on the third Sunday in February each year.

Whales are noble sea mammals and are some of the most fascinating creatures living in our big blue oceans.

What is World Whale Day?

We celebrate these giants of the ocean on World Whale Day to raise awareness of these magnificent creatures. Founded in Maui, Hawaii in 1980, specifically to honor the humpback whales which swim off the Hawaiian coast, World Whale Day has now become an annual event. It is the main showcase of the Maui Whale Festival held each year on the 3rd Sunday of February on Maui.

Maui Whale Festival

Organized by the Pacific Whale Foundation, the All-Day Maui Whale Festival includes a parade with floats, costumed characters, and music from both Hawaiian and International stars. There are also events for children, so it becomes a whole family event.

If you are not able to attend in person in Hawaii, you can celebrate the day taking part in a fundraising event wherever you live. Have a 'whale of a time' and aid in the cause designed to meet conservation threats to whales, such as loss of habitat and pollution.

Crafty Whales

As a crafting artist, I admire the crafty whales created by fellow crafters. Giving cute handcrafted whales to children would also be a way to raise awareness of these magnificent sea creatures.

Whale Plush Toys

Crochet Plush Whales

Two plush whales, handmade in crochet, are available on Etsy.

*LAVENDER WHALE PILLOW PAL

Whale pillow pal in lavender and purple. This is a plump toy whale hand-crocheted in two pieces and sewn together to make a cute playful pillow-style toy.

Whale pillow pal measures 11 inches long, 9 inches high at his head, including the spout, and 6 inches high at the tail. He is about 2 inches wide, making him easy to cuddle and carry around and fun to rest a little head upon at naptime.

Whale pillow pal is handmade in lavender acrylic yarn. His spout is made in purple and white and his features are hand-embroidered in yarn. He is filled with new soft polyfil and is soft and safe all over for any age child.

*BLUE WHALE PLUSHIE

Toy Whale in Handmade Crochet. Soft Seashore Stuffie. Tubby the Toy Whale. Amigurumi Animal. Kawaii Cutie. Ocean Animal

Tubby the toy whale is handmade in crochet using blue and white acrylic yarn. His eyes are craft safety eyes. His body is blue and his belly is white. Whale is filled with a soft new polyester fiberfill.

Plush whale measures 7 x 7 x 4 inches, a perfect size for little hands to hold. He is ready to join other friendly stuffed animals in a child's toybox.

Available in the Etsy Shop of Coastal Crochet Crafts.

Summary

Orca Whales - Pixabay

So mark your calendars for World Whale Day on the 3rd Sunday of February.

(c) World Whale Day written by Wednesday Elf

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.”

National Name Your Car Day – October 2nd.

October 2nd is 'National Name Your Car Day'.  There is no real origin or reason why October 2nd was chosen, but it's the perfect day to give your favorite car a name if it doesn't already have one.  We spend a lot of time in our cars, and caring for them, so they deserve a name.    Just remember, cars have feelings – so don't give your 'ride' an embarrassing name!

Car Name Suggestions

• Guys with 'muscle cars' or sports cars should go with strong names that reflect the car and the owner. 
• “Chick” cars need sweet names.  
• Luxury cars probably need a formal or regal-sounding name. 

Famous Movie Car Names

Some fun movie car names are familiar to us. These include:

• The Love Bug
• Lightning McQueen from Cars 
• Kit from Knight Rider
• General Lee from The Dukes of Hazzard
• Bandit from Smokey and the Bandit. 

Our Car Names

Our Cars - The Pumpkin and the Super-Beetle

We have had a lot of cars over the years, but our favorite were the Volkswagen Beetles.  The last ones we had included a Super-Beetle (the blue one in the picture) and our son had the Orange one.  

The Orange VW was the only car with a real name.  We called it ~ appropriately ~ 'The Pumpkin'.

Do you have a name for your car(s)?  Come tell me what kind of car and what you call it. 

Happy 'National Name-Your-Car Day'.

Volkswagon Design Bowl Cozy

Handmade bowl cozy with colorful 1960's VW Bugs design. Created by Janice in South Carolina for her Etsy Store Loud, Bright and Happy. 

 
(c) Wednesday Elf.  Originally written on October 1, 2013 for another site. Updated on 'Name Your Car Day' 2026! 

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.”

Columbus Day and My Sister

Source: Pixabay

What do Christopher Columbus and my Sister Sandy have in Common?

In the history books, the discovery of the Americas by Christopher Columbus occurred on October 12, 1492.


In our family, October 12th is more commonly known as my sister's birthday!


When I was a young school girl, we were taught all about Columbus discovering America and memorized an easy rhyme to remember the date:

Columbus Day Christopher Columbus Italian American T-Shirt

“In Fourteen Hundred Ninety Two  

Columbus Sailed the Ocean Blue!”

Columbus Day became a federal holiday in the United States in 1937. It didn't become one of today's 'Monday Holidays' until 1970, so before then it was always observed on October 12th instead of the 2nd Monday in October regardless of what day it falls on.


Monday holidays are days off for banks and the post office and other assorted places. I don't know if most schools today consider Columbus Day a holiday from school, but they did in New York State when we were in school back in the 1950s.

My sister Sandy

When my sister was a small girl, she thought we got Columbus Day off from school because it was her Birthday! We in the family perpetuated this 'myth' until Sandy was probably in the 4th or 5th grade! 

We weren't about to tell her everyone got to have a school holiday for a reason other than her having a birthday. :)

Happy Birthday, Sandy!

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.”

Gingerbread House Day ~ A Fun Holiday

Gingerbread House - Source: Wikimedia

December 12th is known as Gingerbread House Day. 

This unofficial holiday has no known source, but has become a fun day to celebrate.

National Gingerbread House Day is a day set aside for creating a gingerbread house.  Parents and children can have a family activity making a gingerbread house. Or you could bake a large gingerbread house and have a party where the invited guests help to decorate it with icing and candies. The best part is this 'sweet treat' can then be eaten.

Hansel & Gretel

My first Illustrated Fairytale Board Book - Hansel and Gretel Board Book (My First Fairytales)Check Price Remember the Grimm Fairy Tale "Hansel & Gretel"? It was published by the Brothers Grimm in Germany in 1812.  The house in the story is a cottage built of bread and cakes, with windowpanes of sugar.  The old lady the children meet is really a 'witch' who built her house of dainties to lure children to her so she could cook and eat them.  That sweet house in the story became the basis of the Gingerbread House popular today. 

What is Gingerbread?

Source: Pixabay

Gingerbread originally meant 'preserved ginger', but today it refers to a confection made up of honey or molasses flavored with ginger and other spices. 

There are other favorite gingerbread desserts in the form of cakes and cookies and the fun gingerbread man.  

 

Gingerbread Holidays

Gingerbread has become such a popular taste treat that it has generated special days throughout the year.  

• June 5 is now known as National Gingerbread Day, a day created to bring attention to the gingerbread.
• November 21st is National Gingerbread Cookie Day.  There are ginger snaps and regular gingerbread cookies which can be cut into shapes like Christmas cookies with cookie cutters, including the cutest of all, the gingerbread man or gingerbread boy cookie. 
• And the holiday we are now celebrating on December 12  - National Gingerbread House Day.

Gingerbread House Christmas Tree Ornament

Gingerbread House Christmas Tree Ornament

This Gingerbread House Christmas Tree Ornament is handmade by the Etsy Shop Ornaments Are Forever and can be personalized. 

Playtime Gingerbread House

LEGO DUPLO Santa's Gingerbread House Building Set, Christmas Toy for 2 Year Old Boys and Girls, Includes Santa Claus Figure, Stocking Filler Idea, Great Gift for Toddlers, 10976Check Price

If you don't have the time to bake a gingerbread house yourself, your children can enjoy building their own gingerbread house out of Legos with this fun set. 

This Lego gingerbread house is a mini set, perfect for small children to build to add to the family's Christmas decor. 

There are also larger Lego gingerbread houses available on Amazon.

Gingerbread House Festivals

Gingerbread House Festival

Gingerbread Houses have generated Gingerbread House Festivals around the country during the Christmas holidays.  I attended one such charming festival in Savannah, Georgia.

Happy Gingerbread House Day

So, enjoy your gingerbread in any form, especially as a gingerbread house on National Gingerbread House Day! 


(c) 12/3/2016 - Wednesday Elf. 

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.”

Thanksgiving Themes

Thanksgiving Dinner from Kitchen to Table

Source: Pixabay

Whether decorating for Thanksgiving Day, preparing the meal, or needing a special host/hostess gift, here are a few ideas with fun Thanksgiving Themes to save you time and tension while preparing for the holiday.

"What we're really talking about is a wonderful day set aside on the fourth Thursday of November when no one diets. I mean, why else would they call it Thanksgiving?" 

                              ---Erma Bombeck

  Thanksgiving Dinner

First, Find Your Favorite Recipes!

Source: Pixabay

Any special dinner, especially Thanksgiving, begins with gathering together your favorite recipes. A cookbook devoted just to the 'turkey & trimmings' is particularly helpful. Or you could put together your own holiday cookbook with the recipes you've used & loved from past Thanksgivings.
 
Recipes remembered from the past, like grandma's best pumpkin pie recipe or mom's most used stuffing recipe are important ingredients to enjoying your family's traditional dishes.

Available on Amazon

This 68-page Thanksgiving Cookbook is available in paperback or on Kindle and is filled with both classic holiday recipes and some new unconventional ones to try. 

It includes the traditional ones we all expect for a Thanksgiving Day dinner, plus some brand new food creations that might surprise ~ and delight ~ your dinner guests.

"It took me three weeks to stuff the turkey. I stuffed it through the beak." 

                                              ---Phyllis Diller

Get out the Turkey Roaster...

 

From simple to fancy to a turkey fryer, turkey roasters come in many sizes. I use a small one now, unless the family gathers once again! Stuff the 'bird', put it in your roaster pan, and let the appetizing aromas begin to drift through the house...

"Vegetables are a must on a diet. I suggest carrot cake, zucchini bread and pumpkin pie." 

                                                     ---Jim Davis

The Rest of the Meal

 

Source: Wikimedia Commons

If you're having the traditional Roast Turkey for your Thanksgiving Dinner, you're probably adding other family favorites. Ours were turkey stuffing, of course, mashed potatoes and gravy, cranberry sauce, a vegetable, and dinner rolls




This beautiful 'turkey' plate features a design of a plump American turkey and is perfect for serving the Thanksgiving turkey dinner and for any holiday, fall or winter table.  This beautiful dinner plate is made of earthenware in England by Spode, a company that is well known for quality dinnerware.

Traditional Thanksgiving Dessert - Pumpkin Pie

 

Source: Pixabay

It seems as though pumpkin pie is the traditional Thanksgiving Dinner dessert, but mincemeat pie and pecan pie are also favorite choices. Many other kinds of desserts fit in with this holiday dinner too. What you serve probably depends on where you live and what your family tradition has been. For instance, my friend Sylvestermouse shares a favorite family recipe for pumpkin chiffon pie that she grew up with and uses to this day.

"Thanksgiving Dinners take 18 hours to prepare. They are consumed in 12 minutes. Half-times take 12 minutes. This is not a coincidence."

                                ~Erma Bombeck

After Dinner Cleanup

 

Pumpkin Cotton Dishcloth

Stay in the holiday mood right through the dish washing by using a practical cotton dishcloth in a fun 'pumpkin' color and shape. Hand-crocheted of 100% cotton yarn.

Pumpkin Shaped Potholder

Pumpkin washcloth/dish cloth is found in the Etsy Shop of Coastal Crochet Crafts. It also comes with a matching 'pumpkin-shaped' potholder - perfect kitchen helpers for your holiday meal preparations.

Invited out for Thanksgiving Dinner?

Need a Hostess Gift?

Handmade Turkey-Design Beverage Coasters

This set of four (4) beverage coasters with a design of a turkey is perfect for Thanksgiving and lovely to give as a hostess gift when invited out for Thanksgiving dinner.

The design is created on plastic canvas using acrylic yarn in harvest colors. The turkey design is done in tans and browns with a touch of orange for the beak and legs. Turkey sits on a pretty yellow background. This handmade coaster set is available on Etsy at Coastal Crochet Crafts.

"You can tell you ate too much for Thanksgiving when you have to let your bathrobe out." 

                                                     ----Jay Leno

Have a Happy Thanksgiving!

Thanksgiving Turkey Two-Tone Coffee Mug
by DODGERFL

Related Article:  Our Thanksgiving Memories


(c)  Originally published 11/3/2009.  Updated 11/25/2021







Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.”

Honoring my Dad on Veterans Day

My Dad in the U.S. Navy in 1944

In the United States, Veterans Day has been observed on November 11 each year since the end of World War I.  Originally known as Armistice Day, commemorating the end of hostilities in the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month in 1918, it officially became known as Veterans Day in 1954 when President Eisenhower established this day as a National Holiday. 

As we honor … and remember … all who served in the U.S. Military this Veterans Day, I am remembering my dad and his time in the U.S. Navy.

Joining the Service

My Family - Christmas 1943

By the time the United States entered World War II, my dad was already married and father to two children.  He was working for Eastman Kodak in Rochester, NY doing war work and thus was exempt from the draft.  But by late 1944 his brother and 2 of his brothers-in-law were all serving in various branches of the military and he couldn't stand not being a part of the fight for his country.  So one day he simply went downtown and joined the Navy ~ then went home and told my mother!

Basic Training and Beyond

Navy PBY Flying Boat

US Navy PBY Catalina Units of the Pacific War (Osprey Combat Aircraft, No. 62) (Combat Aircraft, 62)

Dad was sent to basic training in Jacksonville, Florida and later transferred to the Naval Air Station in Hutchinson, Kansas where he was assigned as crew chief and rear turret gunner aboard the Navy's PBYs (Patrol Bomber), training in air-sea search & rescue work. These U.S. Navy PBY Catalina Units were also used as submarine hunters throughout the Pacific during World War II.


My mother, my brother & I were able to join dad after his basic training in Florida, and later be with him in Kansas.  The war ended before dad ever made it overseas, but he was so proud to be in the Navy and part of the war effort.

Favorite Memory

 

Me and my Dad

I have a  favorite memory of a conversation dad & I had many years ago when we were talking about that time of his life.  It went like this:

“Dad, you were in the Navy, right?”

“Right”

“And you worked on airplanes, right?”

“Right”

“And you were stationed in Kansas, right?”

“Right”

“And you were in the NAVY?”

Kansas may be a long way from the ocean, but the Navy wasn't confused. Eastern Kansas was perfect because it was mostly rural with lots of land available in the 1940s, with fairly flat terrain. It also had lots of blue skies and was away from the coast lines for security reasons.  During World War II, the Navy built air stations here to train cadet pilots.

Wartime at Home

World War II In-Service Flag

I heard family stories about that final year of World War II when my grandmother had 3 Stars in her front window, signifying that she had 3 family members serving in the military.  My dad represented one of those stars.

Veterans Day

I'm proud of my dad and all the members of my family who served in the military.  I wish to honor my dad, my family members and all the men & women who have served and are currently serving our country this Veterans Day and every day.



Images:

*Intro image is of my dad in his Navy uniform in 1944.  He was SO young looking!
*Other family images are from my family albums.
*PBY Flying Boat image is found on Wikipedia Commons and is part of the Public Domain.
*World War II In-Service Flag/Banner is part of the Public Domain



(c) Article by Wednesday Elf originally published 11/5/2013.  Updated 11/11/2024





Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.”

National Blueberry Month

Blueberries - Source: Pixabay

July is officially known as National Blueberry Month!

The North American Blueberry Council (NABC) spent decades petitioning to have the month of July declared National Blueberry Month and in 2003 this came about through the the United States Department of Agriculture.  

Canada also made a Royal Proclamation for Blueberry Month in August!

Blueberries, a perennial flowering plant with indigo-colored berries, are often thought to be synonymous with Summertime.  So it seems appropriate for July (a true mid-summer month) to be the month chosen for Blueberry month.

While blueberries are grown in many places around the world, the state of Washington is our nation's largest producer of blueberries!

Blueberries as Food ~ 

 

Blueberries for breakfast taste great in blueberry muffins, blueberry pancakes and as smoothies.

Blueberries in fruit salad can't be beat. And, of course, keep a bowl of fresh berries washed and chilled in the fridge for a quick, yummy snack.

Blueberries are delicious eaten as a fresh fruit or cooked and/or baked into muffins, pie, cheesecake, pancakes, and cobbler.

A quick search online produces more blueberry recipes than you can possibly try before the end of blueberry season ~ but it would sure be fun trying. Check out some links from this Google search page.

Blueberry Desserts! 

Blueberry-Strawberry Cheesecake Icebox Cake

Also, blueberries make the BEST desserts. 

Sylvestermouse features a fabulous blueberry-strawberry cheesecake icebox cake recipe from the Life, Love and Sugar blog on her Fun Food Guiide.

Blueberries as Crafts

After you have enjoyed eating blueberries in your favorite way, put down that blueberry muffin for a bit and visit some clever Blueberry crafts on the blog post Beautiful Blueberry Handicrafts. Crafters love the color of blueberries for handmade creations.

Plastic Comb Berry-Picker

 

1 Pack Berry Picker, Berry Pickers and Rakes with Metallic Comb and Ergonomic Handle for Easier Berry Picking, Blueberry Rake Scoop for Blueberries, LingonberriesCheck Price In past times, blueberries were traditionally hand-picked with berry-picking rakes. Today, modern farmers use machine harvesters that shake the fruit off the bush of cultivated highbush blueberries.

But for U-pick/pick-your-own farms,  and your own backyard blueberry bushes, a berry-picking rake is the perfect solution.

This clever device has wire or plastic combs for combing off the berries. It makes berry picking for both blueberries and huckleberries effortless without damaging plants or being injured from thorns.

Happy National Blueberry Month!

Whether growing and gathering the blueberry fruit, eating delicious blueberries, or creating blueberry crafts, July is a great time to begin or continue your blueberry infatuation!

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.”