June 4 “Gouda luck, and cheese wisely-stand up or stand down?”

June 4th is National Cheese Day. Cheese is made from the curds of milk from cows, goats and sheep. I would like to do a quick tour of cheese from some books I have in the library. “Cheese” by Lucius L. Van Slyke, 1941, published from Orange Judd. This is, as the author states “AContinue reading “June 4 “Gouda luck, and cheese wisely-stand up or stand down?””

June 3 “When I see an adult on a bicycle, I do not despair for the future of the human race.” -H.G. Wells

June 3rd is International Bicycle Day. I enjoyed bike riding in High School a great deal. Then other things caused me to become distracted. Six or seven years or so, my brother helped me to re-focus on bikes. He gave me his old bike. Old as in 1997 Bianchi Veloce. What a beautiful bike. EverContinue reading “June 3 “When I see an adult on a bicycle, I do not despair for the future of the human race.” -H.G. Wells”

June 2 ‘The devil made me do it.’

On June 2nd, 1692, Bridget Bishop was the first woman hanged during the Salem Witch Trials. I have a book that goes a little more into the details. The book “The Witchcraft of Salem Village” by Shirley Jackson, 1956, is an interesting but sad book. Once again, I go to my Landmark Books to getContinue reading “June 2 ‘The devil made me do it.’”

June 1 ‘Wine if you must. It’s no good bottling up your emotions.’

June 1st is National Cork Oak Day and National Cork Day in Portugal. As I have a large collection of tree books, the Cork Oak comes up several times. Let me show you a few books in the library. You will find out about the tree, and the uses of cork. The main use isContinue reading “June 1 ‘Wine if you must. It’s no good bottling up your emotions.’”

May 31 ‘ciggy, cancer stick, coffin nail, gasper’

May 31st is World No Tobacco Day. This day was initiated by the World Health Organization back in 1987. The theme for 2024 is “Protecting children from tobacco industry interference.” I can oblige this task, just by digging in the library a little. I have “The Story of a Cigarette, coloring book” by Lindsay R.Continue reading “May 31 ‘ciggy, cancer stick, coffin nail, gasper’”

May 30 ‘I met the gill of my life’

On May 30th, 1930, John G. Shedd Aquarium opened to the public in Chicago. John Graves Shedd rose through the ranks in Marshall Field and Company, from stockboy, to become the president for seventeen years. He felt that Chicago should have a world class aquarium, so he donated $3,000,000 to make that dream become aContinue reading “May 30 ‘I met the gill of my life’”

May 29 “They will have to give me a medal or court martial me.” -JFK

John F. Kennedy was born on May 29, 1917. I have two books on John F. Kennedy. One about the day he died, and the other about a time he could have died. I would rather today dwell on the second book. I have “John F. Kennedy and PT-109” by Richard Tregaskis, 1962. Once again,Continue reading “May 29 “They will have to give me a medal or court martial me.” -JFK”

May 28 ‘I’ll gladly pay you Tuesday for a hamburger today.’

May 28th is International Hamburger Day. Hamburgers have been around for a very long time. I would like to throw a few books on the grill (figuratively of course) to heat up and serve, for this mainstay of popular fast food diners and home cookouts. My first book is almost as old as the hamburger.Continue reading “May 28 ‘I’ll gladly pay you Tuesday for a hamburger today.’”

May 27 “We don’t know them all, but we owe them all.”

“In Flanders fields the poppies blow,Between the crosses, row by row,They mark our place; and in the sky,The larks still bravely singing, flyScarcely heard amid the guns below…” So begins the poem by lieutenant-colonel John McCrae in 1915 in WWI. May 27th is Memorial Day, now always the last Monday in May. We honor ourContinue reading “May 27 “We don’t know them all, but we owe them all.””

May 26 ‘Paper Darts’

May 26th is National Paper Airplane Day. It is also known as aerogami in China and Japan. I thought I would show a book and tell some personal tales of flying paper airplanes. Arrrrrggg, I cannot find my book of championship paper airplanes that my brother-the ex-real airplane flyer gave me. But… since I ownContinue reading “May 26 ‘Paper Darts’”