In honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Day on Monday, January 21st, I thought it would be appropriate to think about the many different colors, varieties, and types of flowers, plants, trees, weeds, and other living things that make nature so diverse and so wonderful to appreciate. In the spring, a walk in the woods or the park is filled with tons of colors, scents, and variety. How boring would it be if we saw only daisies on the side of the road or if green grass was the only plant that grew in our yard, in the forests, and in the fields. Think of the fall and the vibrant picture that the colorful leaves paint for us.

Even animals come in many shapes, colors, and varieties. Take note of the many different song birds that visit your feeder or can be seen from afar.

We’ve all heard the saying “variety is the spice of life.” Life and nature is more interesting when you experience more, see different things, and when what you see changes often. Perhaps we should take a few minutes and think about how lucky we are to live in a country where diversity in people and culture exists. How boring would life be if we all looked the same, ate the same foods, and observed the same holidays and traditions.

This week take a few minutes to honor the inspirational efforts of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. On Monday, January 21st, in honor of Dr. King, why don’t’ you try a different food from another culture, read about a tradition of someone from a different race or culture, or go out of you way to help someone less fortunate. Spread the idea that kindness and actions speak louder than violence and harsh words. Through your actions, you may realize that diversity is the spice of life.

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by sduncan
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Winter is definitely here and in many areas the snow is piling up. But in others, where snow is a good possibility in the winter, there hasn’t been as much as say the Farmers’ Almanac’s home state of Maine (man do they have snow!). So at our house, we’ve been doing the SNOW DANCE.

My eight-year-old daughter, has decided on a nightly ritual that’s supposed to help bring on a snow day. It’s not really a dance but it’s definitely a ritual. This is what she does: Wear pajamas backwards and inside out, place ice cubes in all toilets in your house, and sleep with spoons under your pillow. So far it’s worked in that we have a few inches on the ground, but alas not enough to call off school. She suggested that maybe we need to share this snow dance with more people, thus I’m sharing it with you …in case you want to try.

If you do have snow in your area, what are you doing to cope with all the extra clothes and boots you have to wear? In the 2006 Farmers’ Almanac, freelancer Jean Grigsby shared the following fun idea:

Make Layering Fun:
This winter make a contest out of dressing for the cold. Who is wearing the most colors? Who has on the most clothes? Who’s most covered up? Who is unrecognizable?

What to do:
If snowy conditions aren’t in your forecast and you still would like to enjoy winter fun, head to an ice skating rink! Lots of fun for the whole family. Or take a trip to a winter wonderland.

There’s something magical about snow, and yes even a snow day when it brings you back to a day of having nothing to do. Or better yet, pick a day and designate it a snow day – and do nothing but family fun things.

See when the next snow may be predicted in the Farmers’ Almanac here. Enjoy and let us know if the Snow Dance works for you!

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by sduncan
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Cold weather and wind can quickly dry out your skin and lips. Here are a few helpful ways to avoid dry, cracking skin this winter:

Dry Hands?
Try soaking your hands in warm water for 15 to 20 minutes (enough time for your skin to absorb the water). Pat your hands dry and immediately apply a thick layer of an occlusive moisturizer to seal in the water. An occlusive moisturizer has an ointment or cream base rather than the thinner lotion base, such as petrolatum (more well-known as Vaseline).

You may want to try wearing a pair of light cotton gloves to bed after you moisturize. This will help reduce water loss.

Tips to Prevent Dry Cracked Lips:

Do not lick or bite them. When lips start drying out, your first instinct is usually to add moisture to them by licking them. Don’t! Licking actually enhances the drying, and biting your lips makes them even worse.

Do apply lip balm (or lipstick) before going out into the elements. Reapply it several times while outside.

Use a lip balm with sunscreen in it.

Make sure your diet includes enough vitamin B and iron, as a deficiency of these vitamins can play a part in the scaling on your lips and the cracking at the corners of your mouth.

And don’t forget to drink your 6-8 glasses of water a day.

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by pgeiger
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For years, the innocent mistletoe plant has been thought of as a plant with romantic qualities. Ancient Druids once considered mistletoe to be sacred. They believed that mistletoe could cure sickness and protect its owner from evil spirits. The Druids would harvest mistletoe with a special golden sickle, reserved for this purpose only, at the winter solstice, which is a few days before what we now celebrate as Christmas. Because mistletoe was so sacred, the Druids would not allow the plant to touch the ground. They would hang mistletoe over their doorways and entrances, believing that this would help protect the safety and health of all who passed through, as well as promote romance and fertility. They also believed that if a man kissed a woman under the mistletoe and gave a white berry from the plant to the woman, the couple would get married within the next year.

Happy holidays!

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by sduncan
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The Farmers’ Almanac may be old in terms of years published, but it is very new in terms of growing interest, once again proves that the demand for its content and appeal is ageless. Since August 27, 2007, and September 11th, more than 463 television stations, 3000 radio stations, and thousands of web sites and newspapers - reaching an audience of over 32 million - have broadcast or published news of the release of the 2008 Farmers’ Almanac, and forecast.

As more and more Americans are concerned about global warming and the environment, weather is more on people’s minds than ever. And there’s no other publication that is as trusted or referenced for long-term weather forecasts as the Farmers’ Almanac.

America’s Talking about the Farmers’ Almanac

Every release of the new edition generates a buzz in the media world, but this year’s buzz was louder than ever. The Farmers’ Almanac, which is calling for a “winter of two faces” continues to astonish many with its ability to predict weather so far in advance and at a pretty good accuracy.

The Farmers’ Almanac uses a formula to predict the weather that was developed back in 1818, when the first Almanac was published. This formula is both mathematical and astronomical and takes things like sunspot activity, tidal action of the moon, positions of the planets and others into factor.

In today’s society, we can control so many things, but the weather is one very important aspect of our lives that none of us can control or predict with 100% accuracy. This mysterious aspect of the weather continues to keep us wondering and talking.

The demand for the Farmers’ Almanac’s weather and down-home approach to simple living has created the opportunity for new ways to reach a growing audience. Farmers’ Almanac TV, a magazine-style show inspired by the Farmers’ Almanac, debuted on national public television in April 2006, reaching just 25% of available households. Now in its second season, the show is available to 90% of U.S. public television households (for analog and digital), including those in 17 of the top 20 markets.

In August, Farmers’ Almanac and Farmers’ Almanac TV combined resources and launched a completely redesigned, interactive Web site that brings the Almanac’s remarkably accurate weather forecasts, and its old world wisdom about simpler, more sustainable living into the 21st century.

For nearly 200 years, we have taught North Americans how to garden, improve their homes, understand the weather and live a resourceful, self-sufficient life that’s close the earth. Now we are excited to continue the tradition in a new age, new mediums and new technology.

by sduncan
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Have you ever woken up in the middle of the night and realized how quiet it is? Or fled the city, suburbs, or farm and ranch and headed to a place outdoors where the only sounds competing for your attention came from nature?

In today’s world there are so many interferences that fight for our attention that it’s hard to carve out time to unplug from all the noise our busy lives and world create. Yet is in silences sometimes that we can truly enjoy our surroundings, nature’s beauty, and ourselves.

With each edition of the Farmers’ Almanac we publish, we offer you a natural escape from life’s noisy world. Within its pages you will always find our long-range weather predictions, valuable gardening and fishing calendars, helpful hints, and astronomical data, but you will also find articles that discuss ways to live in harmony with ourselves, our neighbors, and our natural surroundings.

If you haven’t ordered your copy of the 2008 Almanac yet, you really should. In addition to the weather, we have great tips and articles and trivia…for example:

• Hate the smell of bleach on your hands? Try pouring a little vinegar or a little lemon juice on your hands, then rinse. Bleach is alkaline, vinegar and lemon juice are acid, so they cancel each other out and balance the pH of your skin.
• What state’s flag has a bald eagle, a moose, and an elk? (Michigan)
• Did you know that a jackrabbit can leap as far as 15 feet in one leap!
• Or that in addition to potassium a banana contains a good amount of vitamin C?
• Corn on the Cob Trick. Buttering corn on the cob can be tricky for small kids. Next time you have corn, butter a piece of bread and have the child wrap the bread around the ear of corn and turn the corn until all sides are buttered.
• Best day to fish? A complete year’s worth of best fishing times is in this year’s Almanac.

And now thanks to a group of very talented professionals in Savannah, we’re also able to offer you TV and video that’s so much more than some of the “noise” that’s on the stations right now. If you haven’t had a chance to check out Farmers’ Almanac TV, check it out here and then find out what channel it’s playing on near you. And if it’s not playing by you, write to your local Public Television stations and let them know that this is the kind of show you’d like to watch.

Yes, the Farmers’ Almanac has weather, but it also has so much more. I hope you pick up a copy today.

by pgeiger
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In a recent blog I mentioned a Best Day for fishing and other activities. A couple questions were posed about what this is all about. Many years ago before any form of communication helped people, activities were timed according to observations. These activities became connected with the position of Moon and the Sun.

It is believed that the Moon has greater force during certain parts of the cycle and less powerful at other times. Thus in early almanacs and continued today is a Best Days Calendar. This is found on our website and a longer listing in the Farmers’ Almanac (pages 86 -87). It is also part of our popular Planting By The Moon Calendar. Old timers swear that if you follow these rules, it will you help live a more “orderly life.” Some of the signs pertain to the Zodiac, others to the moon or both in doing certain things.

The fact is I get hundreds of requests each month from people who remember a grandparent or elder telling them they should wean a child, plant a root crop, quit smoking or some other task according to the “signs.” This information has always been part of our publication. Can you do things outside of the “rules” - sure - but this information is based upon a tradition that the moon and sun impact our lives.

Recently, when I was putting a fence in at a friends house I made sure we did it during the time listed in the almanac because the dirt settled more firmly around the post. It was hard work made easier by using this calendar.

If you have never looked, check out our Best Days Calendar on the web or in the Farmers’ Almanac. Try using this as a guide to an organized life. You might just like it. The one activity I offer no advice is surgery. Hundreds of years ago, people bled to death during surgery. So, it was important to do it during a time when blood flowed less. Today it is not an issue and, with all the lawyers into the world, I don’t dispense medical advice.

If you use the signs, let me know how it works for you. What sign do you follow and what are the results? Have a wonderful weekend, and Happy Father’s Day to all Dads.

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by pgeiger
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If you grew up in the 60s, there were many battles over the US Flag. How is it displayed, how is it retired; even issues of burning the flag in defiance were part of the news. Today is Flag Day and as with other aspects of the U.S. Government, there is a story behind the story.

There were very few public ceremonies honoring the flag until June 14, 1877, when it was first flown from every government building for the centennial of the flag’s adoption. After that, many citizens and organizations advocated the adoption of a national day of commemoration for the flag. In 1916 President Woodrow Wilson unofficially proclaimed June 14 as Flag Day. Coincidentally, he proclaimed “The Star-Spangled Banner” as the national anthem until 1931 and only in 1949 did President Harry Truman sign the legislation that made June 14 of each year Flag Day. June 14 is designated as a day of national observance for all Americans, but it is not a federal holiday.

Since then, the President proclaims the commemoration each year and encourages all Americans in the country to display the flag outside their homes and businesses. Usually, during Flag Day, the flag is flown from all public buildings, speeches are made in public places and ceremonies take place in towns or cities.

Enjoy today - be proud of your flag.

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by pgeiger
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Father’s Day was the idea of Sonora Louise Smart Dodd of Spokane, Washington. Sonora, one of six children, wanted to pay tribute to her father, who after the death of her mother, raised Sonora and her five siblings on his own. After listening to a sermon on Mother’s Day in 1910, Sonora approached the speaker in regards to a similar day to honor fathers. On June 6, 1910, during the meeting of local ministries at Spokane’s YVCA building, Mrs. Dodd presented a petition that the third Sunday in June be set aside as a national Father’s Day. The ministers endorsed the petition, and it soon gained the attention of many national figures including Woodrow Wilson. In 1914, Congress endorsed Father’s Day. Then, in 1971, a proclamation by President Richard Nixon established Father’s Day as an annual national observance.

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June is the leading month for weddings. So, it is a good time to evaluate the phrase “A bride supposed to wear something old, something new, something borrowed and something blue.” This wedding tradition comes from an English rhyme describing the custom of a bride to wear something old, something new, something borrowed and something blue.

Something old signifies continuity and could be a piece of lace, jewelry or a handkerchief. Something new signifies optimism for the future and is often an article of clothing or the wedding rings. Something borrowed represents happiness, which is often a piece of jewelry from a happily married relative or friend. Something blue signifies fidelity, loyalty and love. In early biblical times, blue, not white symbolized purity. Both the bride and the groom usually wore a band of blue material around the bottom of their wedding attire. The six pence was originally presented to the bride’s father who places a coin in the bride’s show prior to leaving home for the church.

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In keeping with wedding traditions, here is something of interest. Why a best man?? In some societies a would-be groom had to abduct the bride of his choice. To make sure he would not be disturbed, while carrying her off the love of his life, a good friend accompanied him to fight off anyone who might attempt to try and stop him.

More traditions to follow.

Enjoy your weekend.

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by pgeiger
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Ever wonder what does the “D” in D-Day stand for?? D-Day is actually a military term for the day an operation’s exercise starts. Of course, the most famous D-Day is June 6, 1944, when the allies stormed Normandy in World War II. Most sources reveal that there is no significance to the D letter, other than the fact it provides a point of reference, D+1, etc. The military also uses H-Hour for the time an operation will start.

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Why do bees and wasps sting? Protection is the main reason bees and wasps sting. Mice and other bees often raid a hive and steal honey. The bee uses its stinger to kill the raider. One bee’s venom can kill a mouse many times its size. One kind of wasp uses its stinger to provide food for its young. The female wasp will inject her stinging fluid into a caterpillar to paralyze it. She then lays eggs in the helpless creature. The baby wasps will hatch and feed on the caterpillar until they are big enough to go off on their own.

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How to keep fresh-cut flowers flourishing? Don’t cut flowers with tight buds. Wait until they loosen before picking, or they won’t open. Scissors are fine for cutting flowers with woody stems, such as roses, but a sharp knife is better for soft stems. After you snip the flowers from their plants, snip the ends again before placing in water. Try adding a tablespoon of sugar to the water, especially for lilacs and tulips.

Some believe that a copper penny in the water is good for prolonging the life of all flowers. Change the water every other day. Keep cut flowers in a somewhat cool place as this will help keep them from wilting.

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by pgeiger
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