"It sure is hell to be president." –Harry S. Truman

Happy Presidents' Day!

"Welcome to the Mile High City.This is quarterback Peyton Manning of the Denver Broncos, wishing everyone a wonderful holiday season."

Yes, the holidays bring to mind what matters most — family intimacy, expressions of love, resolutions to live more generously. And yes, the emotional weight of December can itself carry a message about the preciousness of life. But seasonal cheer is not enough. Attention to what makes us human must lead to the creation of the just society that alone protects it.
---James Carroll, Boston Globe columnist

In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.

Remember, remember, the 5th of November
The Gunpowder Treason and plot;
I know of no reason why Gunpowder Treason
Should ever be forgot.

Guy Fawkes, Guy Fawkes,
'Twas his intent.
To blow up the King and the Parliament.
Three score barrels of powder below.
Poor old England to overthrow.
By God's providence he was catch'd,
With a dark lantern and burning match

Holloa boys, Holloa boys, let the bells ring
Holloa boys, Holloa boys, God save the King!

Hip hip Hoorah !
Hip hip Hoorah !

A penny loaf to feed ol'Pope,
A farthing cheese to choke him.
A pint of beer to rinse it down,
A faggot of sticks to burn him.
Burn him in a tub of tar,'
Burn him like a blazing star.
Burn his body from his head,
Then we'll say: ol'Pope is dead.

Labor Day, Shmabor Day, what a dumb day
Hire some jerk, then send him away
To celebrate work by playing all day

Click Here for Full Set of Photos

Old Glory (In free verse)
~ By Joanna Fuchs

I am the most famous icon on earth,
on display all over the world...
standing guard at majestic official buildings,
in courtrooms, churches,
and even on the moon.
I fly from the houses
of families who revere America,
and snap in the breeze on parade.
 

I stand for freedom, honor, justice,
service, prosperity and power.
My stars and stripes—my red, white and blue,
evoke respect and admiration from the good,
apprehension and fear from the evil.
 

Sometimes soiled and tattered,
even bloodstained,
I survived the grinding toil of wars,
urging my weary warriors to fight on.
 

I lie precisely folded,
held by mothers of fallen soldiers
as their fingertips caress me
for comfort and strength.
 

I am invincible.
I have been burned, spat upon,
trampled and cursed,
but I overcome all
to unfurl, soar, and inspire again.
I am the Star Spangled Banner;
I am Old Glory;
I am the American Flag,
a symbol of freedom, forever.
 

Happy Towel Day!

Today is Earth Day, and you’ll probably see a lot of blog posts telling you how to save our planet, how we’re doomed, how to lower your carbon footprint, how this, how that. So instead of adding to all that, I’ll simply link you to the Planet Earth site, where James Drake ... has put up amazingly high-res and lovely pictures of our home world, taken by the Russian weather satellite Electro-L.

Phil Plait: Earth Day, from 40,000 km up

 
Picture taken last night while visiting Andrew and Khazana at Grandma's house

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Happy Pi Day!

Today is Japanese Doll Festival, or Girls' Day. To celebrate, platforms covered with a red carpet are used to display a set of ornamental dolls representing the Emperor, Empress, attendants, and musicians in traditional court dress of the Heian period. The image above is from Google Japan

Washington's Birthday
by Margaret E. Sangster

'Tis splendid to have a record
So white and free from stain
That, held to the light, it shows no blot,
Though tested and tried amain;
That age to age forever
Repeats its story of love,
And your birthday lives in a nation's heart,
All other days above.

And this is Washington's glory,
A steadfast soul and true,
Who stood for his country's honor
When his country's days were few.
And now when its days are many,
And its flag of stars is flung
To the breeze in radiant glory,
His name is on every tongue.

Yes, it's splendid to live so bravely,
To be so great and strong,
That your memory is ever a tocsin
To rally the foes of wrong;
To live so proudly and purely,
That your people pause in their way,
And year by year, with banner and drum,
Keep the thought of your natal day.

Google Valentine Surprise:
sqrt(cos(x))*cos(300x)+sqrt(abs(x))-0.7)*(4-x*x)^0.01, sqrt(6-x^2), -sqrt(6-x^2) from -4.5 to 4.5

Happy Troll Day

It's Bubble Wrap Appreciation Day! Get Popping!

Siddhartha Gautama, who would later become the Buddha, was a prince who left his home in Nepal at the age of 29 to search for the meaning of life. His family had protected him from the cares of the world, but as Siddhartha was an inquisitive sort, he traveled about. He saw the misery of old age, sickness and suffering. Because this profoundly affected him, he chose to leave his comfortable surroundings and seek meaning.

Siddhartha, after spending six years living the life of an aesthetic and serving under six teachers, still did not find what he was searching for. He tried many different disciplines, such as surviving by eating only one grain of rice per day, but soon realized that this was not the answer. Because he could not find the answers to his questions he vowed that he would sit under the Bodhi tree (sometimes called Pipal tree, Peepul tree, Pippul tree, or Bo tree in certain texts) until he had his answers. Siddhartha fasted and meditated under this tree for a week, and on the morning of the eighth day came to several realizations which were to become the principles of modern Buddhism. It was here, as Siddhartha meditated and gazed upon Venus rising, that the basis of The Noble Eightfold Path and Four Noble Truths were born.

From this point forward he was referred to as the Buddha -- The Enlightened One. He was also known as Shakyamuni (the sage of the Shakya clan) Buddha. - from doityourself.com

Bodhi Day: The Buddha Attains Enlightenment

Happy Krampus Day!

When do we say “thanks” to the tradesmen who build America and keep it running? This year, Sept. 16 is the first National Tradesmen Day. And everyone can participate.

Mike Rowe: Tradesmen Deserve Their Day

We're 135!!
From the state Capitol to state parks, Colorado today recognizes Aug. 1, 1876, when President Ulysses S. Grant granted it statehood.

It's National Lasagna Day!

You have to love a nation that celebrates its independence every July 4, not with a parade of guns, tanks, and soldiers who file by the White House in a show of strength and muscle, but with family picnics where kids throw Frisbees, the potato salad gets iffy, and the flies die from happiness. You may think you have overeaten, but it is patriotism.

-~Erma Bombeck

Today is Father's Day. The holiday that we celebrate on the third Sunday in June traces its roots to 1910. The Father's Day that took root owes its origins to Sonora Smart Dodd, of Spokane, Washington. She heard a Mother's Day sermon in 1909 and thought it might be nice to honor fathers as well. So the following year, she promoted the idea with the support of area churches. The holiday was generally met with ridicule, and it didn't gain traction for a few years. The first bill to make it a national holiday was introduced in Congress in 1913, but in spite of encouragement by President Woodrow Wilson, it didn't pass. In 1966, Lyndon Johnson issued a proclamation designating the third Sunday in June to honor fathers, and it finally became an official, permanent national holiday during the Nixon administration.

Information from "The Writer's Almanac"

Q: Which was the first state to celebrate Mother's Day?

A: West Virginia

Today is Cinco de Mayo, which commemorates the Mexican victory over the French in the Battle of Puebla in 1862, but is, in a more general way, a celebration of Mexican heritage and culture in the United States.

Here are some recipes for a Mexican fiesta.

It's May Day.
Here is a link to some history about a "holiday" that is celebrated throughout the world.

The First Easter Bunny.

Free Parking in Denver today.

Music for Pi Day
This is reallly cool and shows the close relationship between math and music.

Happy Pi Day! To celebrate, here is One Million Digits of Pi.

It's Shrove Tuesday when tradition says you need to get rid of all the fattening things in your house before Lent.

Today is National Pancake Day, and IHOP is offering a short stack of FREE pancakes until 10:00 PM tonight. That means you can have flapjacks for breakfast, lunch, dinner or an afternoon snack. When you get free pancakes at IHOP today, you aren't just getting a belly full of sweet, carby goodness. You'll also be giving money to charity. The flapjack chain hopes to raise 2.3 million for Children's Miracle Network Hospitals and other local charities.

Today is International Grover Appreciation Day

Happy Valentine's Day! (a la Google)

Today is the beginning of the Chinese Lunar New Year. Here is a celebration in Broomfield.

Happy Troll Day!

"A nation that continues year after year to spend more money on military defense than on programs of social uplift is approaching spiritual death."

-- Martin Luther King, Jr. (written during the Vietnam War, which he opposed)

Christmas Photos

A Colorado Christmas card from the Denver Post.

A good goal for every day of the year, not just Christmas

Message on the back of a UNICEF Christmas card:
UNICEF is committed to creating a world
where children can grow up happy, healthy and hopeful…
where they can learn with pride and live with dignity…
where every child is free…simply to be a child.

A gold Krugerrand coin worth $1400 was dropped into a Broomfield red kettle today.

Easter Eggs at Christmas?
Cadbury chocolate eggs are on sale at local grocery stores.

The reason for Easter in December, says Soopers spokeswoman Kelli McGannon: "They're great stocking stuffers, and our customers want them."

This video has nothing to do with Bodhi Day. It's just cool

We fried a turkey this year! Grandma Kerry came down and we had a great meal and a great visit. See the full picture set.

Happy Thanksgiving!
Remember--you are what you eat.

Who brought the turkey?
The truth about the first Thanksgiving.

Returning, We Hear The Larks

Sombre the night is.
And though we have our lives, we know
What sinister threat lurks there.

Dragging these anguished limbs, we only know
This poison- blasted track opens on our camp –
On a little safe sleep.

But hark! joy – joy – strange joy.
Lo! heights of night ringing with unseen larks.
Music showering our upturned list'ning faces.

Death could drop from the dark
As easily as song –
But song only dropped,
Like a blind man's dreams on the sand
By dangerous tides,
Like a girl's dark hair for she dreams no ruin lies there,
Or her kisses where a serpent hides.

~ Isaac Rosenberg (1890 - 1918)

It was on this day in 1948 that Harry S. Truman managed one of the great election upsets in American history, beating New York governor Thomas E. Dewey to become president.

HAPPY CAPS LOCK DAY!!!

It's Columbus Day, but not every state recognizes the holiday. In Hawaii Monday is Discoverer's Day, to commemorate the discovery of the Hawaiian Islands. In South Dakota it's Native American Day. Berkley, California celebrates Indigenous People's Day. In Canada it's Thanksgiving. Some areas recognize Leif Ericksen instead (on Oct. 9th).
---NPR announcement

IN 1492 - traditional poem

In fourteen hundred ninety-two
Columbus sailed the ocean blue.

He had three ships and left from Spain;
He sailed through sunshine, wind and rain.

He sailed by night; he sailed by day;
He used the stars to find his way.

A compass also helped him know
How to find the way to go.

Ninety sailors were on board;
Some men worked while others snored.

Then the workers went to sleep;
And others watched the ocean deep.

Day after day they looked for land;
They dreamed of trees and rocks and sand.

October 12 their dream came true,
You never saw a happier crew!

"Indians!  Indians!"  Columbus cried;
His heart was filled with joyful pride.

But "India" the land was not;
It was the Bahamas, and it was hot.

The Arakawa natives were very nice;
They gave the sailors food and spice.

Columbus sailed on to find some gold
To bring back home, as he'd been told.

He made the trip again and again,
Trading gold to bring to Spain.

The first American?  No, not quite.
But Columbus was brave, and he was bright.

Today is World Smile Day. Do your part. :)

Happy National Punctuation Day!

In 1978 President Jimmy Carter signed a presidential proclamation designating the first Sunday after Labor Day as National Grandparents' Day.

While grocery shopping today I observed (with shock) that there is a special aisle of Halloween candy on display already! A new record for early starts?

The official Capitol Christmas tree for 2010 has been chosen.
It is a 67-foot Engelmann spruce from Wyoming. The exact location of the tree in the Bridger-Teton National Forest (near Jackson) is being kept secret until November, when there will be a cutting ceremony.

Debunking the 4th of July

John Adams wrote a letter to his wife, Abigail, on the 3rd of July, the day after they voted for independence, saying "the 2nd of July will always be remembered and will be celebrated with parades and illuminations and patriotic speeches."

America ended up with the 4th because that's the day the Declaration of Independence was sent out to the states to be read. The document was dated July 4, so that's the day they celebrated.

Today is Flag Day here in the United States.

On this day in 1777, the government officially adopted the Stars and Stripes as our national flag. No one knows for sure, but it was most likely designed by Congressman Francis Hopkinson and sewn by a seamstress in Philadelphia named Betsy Ross.

On this Memorial Day, may each of us, in our own way, honor those who serve and have served our nation by protecting and upholding the principles upon which it was founded. This is our most basic tenant to service in the military—and as citizens of this beloved country. May each of us remember, in our own small way, to make a difference in our world.

"A Pacifist's Salute" by Unitarian minister and military chaplin Rev. Cynthia Kane

The White House Easter Egg Roll takes place today.
Guests include pop star Justin Bieber, the cast of "Glee", Olympic speed-skater Apolo Ohno, AND J.K. Rowling, the author of the Harry Potter books.

Today is St. Patrick's Day. It was on this day in the fifth century — probably in the year 460 — that Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland, died. He was born in Britain to wealthy parents, but not much more is known about his childhood until he was 16, when he was kidnapped and sold into slavery in Ireland. He was a slave for six years, herding sheep, often alone.
He escaped and made it back to Britain, was trained as a priest, and then returned to Ireland. He wrote that he would have loved to go home to his family and his country, but that it was his duty to remain in Ireland, converting people to Christianity and baptizing them.
There were few Christians in Ireland at the time, so Patrick tried to integrate traditional beliefs with the new religion, and legend has it that he introduced the Celtic cross as a way to combine the Christian cross with a symbol of the sun.
Another legend says that he used the three leaves of the clover to explain the Trinity, which is why shamrocks are a symbol of St. Patrick's Day.

Today in Iceland, it's a big rousing holiday: The first of March is Beer Day. Far from being an arbitrary excuse to carouse, it's a commemoration of a legislative victory, the abolition of a 74-year ban on beer. The beer prohibition in Iceland ended just 21 years ago today in 1989.

Lunar New Year greetings from President Obama.

Today is Valentine's Day, the day on which we celebrate love, especially romantic love. The holiday was named after an early Christian priest, St. Valentine, who was martyred on February 14 in 269 A.D.

The tradition of exchanging love notes on Valentine's Day originates from the martyr Valentine himself. The legend maintains that due to a shortage of enlistments, Emperor Claudius II forbade single men to get married in an effort to bolster his struggling army. Seeing this act as a grave injustice, Valentine performed clandestine wedding rituals in defiance of the emperor. Valentine was discovered, imprisoned, and sentenced to death by beheading. While awaiting his fate in his cell, it is believed that Valentine fell in love with the daughter of a prison guard, who would come and visit him. On the day of his death, Valentine left a note for the young woman professing his undying devotion signed "Love from your Valentine."

February 6th is Waitangi Day in New Zealand. It commemorates the signing of a treaty between the Maori and white European settlers.

Happy Troll Day!

Rare Blue Moon to ring in 2010.The last New Year's Eve Blue Moon was in 1990, and the next one won't come until 2028.

Today is Boxing Day, celebrated the day after Christmas in Britain, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, and other Commonwealth countries.

"I'm dreaming of a white Christmas
Just like the ones I used to know.
Where the treetops glisten,
And children listen
To hear sleigh bells in the snow.
I'm dreaming of a white Christmas
With every Christmas card I write.
May your days be merry and bright.
And may all your Christmases be white."

Irving Berlin

"I heard the bells, on Christmas Day,
Their old, familiar carols play,
And wild and sweet
The words repeat
Of peace on earth, good will to men."

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

It was on this day in 1914 that the last known Christmas truce occurred, during World War I. German troops fighting in Belgium began decorating their trenches and singing Christmas carols. Their enemy, the British, soon joined in the caroling. The war was put on hold, and these soldiers greeted each other in "No Man's Land," exchanging gifts of whiskey and cigars. Games broke out, including a soccer competition. In many areas, the truce held until Christmas night, while in other places the truce did not end until New Year's Day.

from "The Writer's Almanac" by Garrison Keillor

Bo, the White House dog, has his own Christmas stocking. Wonder what will be in it?

Obama family lights National Christmas Tree.

"It represents a tradition that we celebrate as a country--a tradition that has come to represent more than any one holiday or religion, but a season of brotherhood and generosity to our fellow citizens."
------President Obama

The White House in gingerbread.

Happy Thanksgiving!

What part of a turkey is the "furcula"?
---
---
---
The wishbone!

Christmas music on store loudspeakers, neighborhood houses strung with glowing lights, "pre-season" sales in full swing--these are all signs of the rush past Thanksgiving and on to Christmas.
But the strangest thing I've encountered (so far...) is marshmallow Peeps made in winter holidays shapes--snowmen, evergreen trees, and reindeer--all appropriately colored. Guess people don't get enough at Easter!

It's Halloween, one of the oldest holidays in the Western European tradition, invented by the Celts, who believed Halloween was the day of the year when spirits, ghosts, faeries, and goblins walked the earth. The tradition of dressing up and getting candy probably started with the Celts as well. Historians believe that they dressed up as ghosts and goblins to scare away the spirits, and they would put food and wine on their doorstep for the spirits of family members who had come back to visit the home.

from "The Writer's Almanac" with Garrison Keillor

Today is the International Day of Peace.

Today is International Talk Like a Pirate Day!

Today is Colorado Day. Often designated as August 1st, the actual statute declares the first Monday in August as "Colorado Day". Admission to all state parks is free today.

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.

Happy 4th of July!
I made three pies to take to Andrew's for our holiday barbecue. Only afterward did I think I should have made one an apple ("as American as apple pie").

President Obama urges fathers to be in their kids' lives.

This isn't an obligation. This is a privilege, to be a father.

Not only is it Flag Day, but President Obama has declared National Flag Week.

Obama is also calling on Americans to observe the period from Flag Day through Independence Day as a celebration of the nation's heritage, by reciting the Pledge of Allegiance at public gatherings.

Happy Flag Day!

The Big Picture: Cooper's Hill Cheese-Rolling

It's Star Wars Day! May the 4th be with you!

May 1st, often called May Day, just might have more holidays than any other day of the year. It's a celebration of Spring. It's a day of political protests. It's a neopagan festival, a saint's feast day, and a day for organized labor. In many countries, it is a national holiday.

And this our life, exempt from public haunt,
Find tongues in trees, books in the running brooks,
Sermons in stones, and good in everything.

William Shakespeare (1564-1616)

How Marshmallow Peeps are Made.

In the past few days I've made a big dish of Colcannon and also two loaves of Irish Soda Bread. The Irish definitely love carbs (but it's okay "once in a while").

Friday the 13th Origins, History, and Folklore

Today is square root day: 3/3/09

Love is the only force capable of transforming an enemy into a friend.
Martin Luther King, Jr.

Happy Darwin Day!

Happy Troll Day!!

Today is the beginning of the Chinese New Year.

"The Big Picture" features Chinese New Year.

Happy Christmas!

A Visit from Saint Nicholas in the Ernest Hemingway Manner by James Thurber

Unusual and Creative Christmas Trees

Photos from Thanksgiving 2008

What part of the turkey is the "furcula"?

The wishbone!

from 365 Amazing Trivia Facts

Happy Thanksgiving!

Be thankful for what you've got

November is--

*Native American Heritage Month

*National Adoption Awareness Month

*Child Safety Protection Month

*Peanut Butter Lover's Month

*Long Term Care Awareness Month

*Aviation History Month

*National Epilepsy Month

What were the first jack-o-lanterns carved from?

Usually turnips, but occasionally beets, rutabagas, or potatoes.

The custom of carving turnip lanterns for Halloween began in Ireland. When they immigrated to the US, they switched to pumpkins which were more readily available, bigger, and easier to carve.

"365 Amazing Trivia Facts"

What Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) is NOT:

Mexican Halloween.
Indigenous people have celebrated the Day of the Dead since 1800 B.C.

Morbid.
There are no images of dead people, ghosts, witches or the devil.

A cult.
It is a Catholic ritual intermixed with folk culture. Going to Mass is an essential aspect of this celebration.

Weird.
It is very similar to going to a grave and leaving flowers or stuffed animals, or lighting a candle to remember the deceased.

Ancestor worship.
Altars or ofrendas are not for worshiping, but for offering love and remembering departed family members.

Sad.
It's a day of happiness to remember loved ones. But people assume an introspective attitude in the cemetery.

Glorification of death.
The holiday honors dead relatives, not death itself. Celebrants use the opportunity to reflect upon their lives, heritage and the cycle of life and death.

The Lion, the Witch, and the Halloween Wardrobe. Some suggestions for costumes and a list of the most popular ones for this year.

Today is the "official" observance of Columbus Day, although yesterday was the actual day. This trivia question susrprised me--
Which state was the first to observe Columbus Day?
Colorado, in 1905! Who knew?

According to the National Retail Federation, the amount the average consumer spent on Halloween-related stuff last year was an amazing $64.82.
It was $59.06 the previous year.

Today marks the beginning of Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year.

Yesterday, August 1st, was Colorado Day, the anniversary of our statehood. Somehow I had it my mind that it was on August 2nd. Oh well, Happy (Belated) Birthday, Colorado!

Nations come into being in many ways. Military rebellion, civil strife, acts of heroism, acts of treachery, a thousand greater and lesser clashes between defenders of the old order and supporters of the new--all these occurrences and more have marked the emergences of new nations, large and small. The birth of our own nation included them all. That birth was unique, not only in the immensity of its later impact on the course of world history and the growth of democracy, but also because so many of the threads in our national history run back through time to come together in one place, in one time, and in one document: the Declaration of Independence.

Obama's Fathers' Day speech.

Today is the 100th anniversary of Mother's Day.
Here is Google's take on the day.

Today the Denver Buddhist Temple celebrated Hanamatsuri, which commemorates the birth of the historical buddha, Sakyamuni. It's kind of like Christmas without the gift giving and commercialism. TSDBT had a special service, a pot luck, and a "talent show" put on by the youth. Sarah performed in a traditional dance and did a great job. I'll try to post pictures soon.

For Easter this year we spent time together as a family. Sarah, Ben, and I were able to play outside in the backyard. Ben and I cooked dinner together - steak, baked potato, salad, veggie kabobs - and we all enjoyed the meal together Now we're going to play a game together. All in all it's been a good day.

As you slide down the bannister of life,
May the splinters never point the wrong way.

Irish blessing

Savage Chickens on pi day.

Today we celebrate Abraham Lincoln's birthday Lincoln was the 16th president of the United States.

Every year, early in February, the Post Office in Loveland invites patrons to mail Valentines to their Re-mailing Program. A team of volunteers from the community stamps a picture of cupid and a rhyme on the envelopes and re-mails them to designated sweethearts. The verses are generally poor but well-meaning. This year it reads:

From mountains high
to lakesides blue,
this heart's from Loveland
so dear one, to you!

February is--

Black History Month
American Heart Month
Library Lovers' Month

Times Square New Year's Eve Ball Goes Green.

It's Boxing Day , at least in Canada, and other U.K. countries.

Christ is the population of the world,
and every object as well. There is no room
for hypocrisy. Why use bitter soup for healing
when sweet water is everywhere?

Rumi, Persian poet and mystic

Merry Christmas!

We woke up to four inches of snow with a lot more coming down. We hope you have a warm, safe Christmas Day.

Cameo and Sarah are nursing colds, so our Thanksgiving was rather low-key. Fortunately for them Grandma May made her Turkey Frame soup with the leftovers, so hopefully they'll benefit from eating hot, tasty bowls of soup.

Want to know how many calories in your Thanksgiving dinner? Click here. Whatever you eat, the total cost has increased more than 10% over last year.

After an initial refusal, the group Veterans for Peace WERE allowed to march in Denver's Veterans' Day Parade after all.

Regardless of political views, philosophies, or creeds, take a moment this weekend to reflect on Veterans Day:

This Sunday is Veterans Day. A day that we in America honor all of the Veterans that have served the forces that guard our Country and protect our way of life. On Veterans Day we say thank you!

World War I officially ended on June 28, 1919, with the signing of the Treaty of Versailles. The actual fighting between the Allies and Germany, however, had ended seven months earlier with the armistice, which went into effect on the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month in 1918. Armistice Day, as November 11 became known, officially became a holiday in the United States in 1926, and a national holiday 12 years later. On June 1, 1954, the name was changed to Veterans Day to honor all U.S. veterans.

In 1968, new legislation changed the national commemoration of Veterans Day to the fourth Monday in October. It soon became apparent, however, that November 11 was a date of historic significance to many Americans. Therefore, in 1978 Congress returned the observance to its traditional date.

On Veterans day we need to take just a minute and say thanks to our Veterans. They have given so much for us. Some served because they had too, while others served out of a sense of duty, either way the impacted America by their service. During peace time and in times of war, our service men and women stood ready to do our nations bidding. They stand vigilantly on the wall of America to ensure we remain the land of the free. Without them our nation would not be the same.

It is important to remember that we have these men and women in our communities, our Churches, our Schools, and work places. And our nation makes new veterans daily as they return from Iraq and Afghanistan. Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Marines that have raised their hand and pledged to defend everything that we hold dear. Without complaint, without protest, they go. They leave the comforts of home, the safety of our neighborhoods, their families and friends and they do with Honor and Pride.

Today, September 13 is: International Chocolate Day.
Also, Rosh Hashanah and Ramadan begin.

Happy Grandparents Day!

Happy Father's Day!

Did you know that Flag Day was begun by a New York City kindergarten teacher in 1889?

Today is Flag Day.

"Almighty God created the races white, black, yellow, malay and red, and he placed them on separate continents. And but for the interference with his arrangement there would be no cause for such marriages. The fact that he separated th

Check out Google's homage to Mother's Day.

Today is Cinco de Mayo (May 5th) the anniversary of an important event in the Mexican war for independence. Denver celebrates in a big way. You can check out activities Posted by Kerry to Holiday 

Every year the White House celebrates Easter by holding an Easter Egg Roll on the South Lawn. And every year each state sends a decorated egg

Today is Washington-Lincoln Day here in Colorado. Denver Post columnist Ed Quillen writes about the holiday and how it can be redone to be a true "Presidents Day" celebration.

Happy Chinese New Year! This week begins the year of the pig, according to the Chinese calendar. If you were born in 1995, 1983, 1971, 1959, 1947, 1935, 1923, or 1911, congratulations! This is your year. In Chinese astrology a pig signifies intellig

I finally got the Christmas lights taken down!

Both Lakewood and Boulder, Colorado have declared today Prairie Dog Day. Time to give "cousin" Punxsutawney Phil a hand in forecasting the weather. (Santa Fe and Albuquerque actually started the idea last y

February 2nd is NATIONAL TROLL DAY!

Today is National Popcorn Day. Fire up the microwave and enjoy a bag!

USPS facility on its busiest mailing day of the year.

Americans placed more than 900 million pieces of mail with the USPS on Dec. 18  an increase of about 230 milli

Flickr has added a holiday "easter egg" to its site: Santa hats and beards! Check out this picture of Sarah and this photo of Ben

Today we set up our Christmas tree, and we decided to put on every ornament we own - things the kids made, things Cameo and I had from childhood, things we've collected over the years, things that Grandma May had from along time ago - and see if it wou

This Halloween season marks the 40th anniversary of the t.v. cartoon show "It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown".

Today in Australia is "Threatened Species Day." Ten years ago it was known as "National Thylacine Day." A thylacine is also known by its common name: the Tasmanian Tiger.

Colorado Day?

Fizzle....

Happy Father's Day!

Long may it wave...

Don't Panic

Hanamatsuri

The Ancient Roots of April Fool's Day

Honoring Caesar Chavez

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Small Valentine's Day Poem

Six more weeks of winter

Rabbit Rabbit

Gung Hay Fat Choy

Martin Luther King, Jr. Day

Martin Luther King, Jr. Day

2006