July is National Watermelon Month, so proclaimed by Congress. Did you know that the United States produces 4,200,000,000 pounds of watermelon annually and it’s grown in 49 States? (I’m guessing Alaska is stuck on wolf hunting.) Read the House Proclamation here. Or enjoy these darn cute pictures of polar bears eating watermelon. This weekend I’m [...]

I had a great time over the weekend doing all things American–from fireworks to grilling. Realized it’s never too late for a good 4th of July history parody, and this one got the giant history nerd inside me excited. Some clever fellow history buff has rewritten the lyrics to One Republic’s Apologize and given us [...]

It’s 4th of July weekend, and what better way to celebrate than with sparkly explosions of fire? It’s an American tradition, but the Chinese were the ones to first use fireworks to scare away evil spirits as early as the 7th century. 2010′s displays are probably a little more elaborate, especially those on this list [...]

June 21 (or 20, for argument’s sake) marks the summer solstice, the day when the sun is closest to the Northern hemisphere. Astrologically, it’s the first day of summer, and it’s also the longest day of the year. The Ancient Greeks would celebrate with a variety of sun-centered rituals, but here’s how I’m celebrating this [...]

June 14 commemorates the day in 1777 when the Continental Congress officially adopted the American flag. It’s not a national holiday (read: we all have to work anyway) but the patriotically-inclined will be flying their stars and stripes today. And hopefully everyone is following these flag rules! Before dinner tonight, memorize some random flag facts [...]

Memorial Day, originally called Decoration Day, is a day of remembrance for those who have died in our nation’s service. Did you know it was first enacted to honor Union soldiers of the American Civil War and was later expanded after World War I? Take a moment today to remember those who have served as [...]

This week is National Nurses Week, culminating on May 12, the birthday of Florence Nightingale, the founder of modern nursing. During the Crimean War, Nurse Nightingale was dubbed “The Lady with the Lamp” after her habit of making rounds at night to tend injured soldiers. The Nightingale Pledge taken by new nurses (…”and devote myself [...]

Cinco de Mayo celebrates the 1862 battle between the victory of an under-manned, under-armed Mexican army against Napoleon III’s well-fortified French Army led by Napoleon III. We in America use it as an excuse to drink margaritas (Here’s a yummy recipe) and dance the salsa (Here are the basic steps.) Celebrating 5/5 in the U.S. [...]

Don’t forget it’s Mother’s Day week. You’ll want to find a way to appreciate the good way YOU turned out and thank your mom. She probably had a lot do… as Cher and Raquel explain. Ideas that will make Mother’s Day Magic: Fancy-up flowers (put flowers in unconventional containers like watering cans, crockery, and coffee [...]

5 THINGS YOU CAN DO FOR THE PLANET 1. Plant a garden. (Going vegetarian is the easiest way to reduce your carbon footprint, but just becoming a “locavore” and eating food grown within a 100 miles from your home is a start.) 2. Cut down on plastic. (Make the Plastic Pledge. Did you know 8% [...]