Cathy Burnham Martin's Blog, page 76
June 13, 2023
National Weed Your Garden Day
Ahhhh… We gardeners could only wish there was only ONE day to weed our gardens. LOL.
In truth, I must admit that I have often enjoyed great peaceful solitude while weeding, especially when I do it the very first thing in the morning. And the gardens look soooo splendid when just weeded.
Whether we weed today, tomorrow, yesterday, or whenever, let’s celebrate the flourishing that our gardens will enjoy for our efforts. Weed on!
June 12, 2023
National Red Rose Day
Whatever your favorite roses may be, the red rose has long been associated with romance, passion, and beauty. On National Red Rose Day grow your own roses or visit a rose garden. Sprinkle some rose petals on a loved one’s path (to YOU, of course).
This is a day to stop and smell the roses’ fragrance. The red rose symbolizes love. Whether you see red roses today or not, I hope you feel love in your heart.
June 11, 2023
National Corn on the Cob Day
In most U.S. gardens, mid-June is too early for corn that comes fresh from our gardens. But all of us who love fresh corn tend to be anxious!!! At its freshest, the taste of just-picked sweet corn is tough to beat.
Boil it, steam it, roast it, or grill it. Of course, when it’s ready in the garden, one of my favorite approaches is to munch it raw, straight from the garden!
Top corn on the cob any way that pleases you… my favorite is plenty of butter and salt. But try whatever pleases you from seasoned salt, Parmesan cheese, garlic butter, or cayenne pepper to chili powder, lemon or lime juice or zest, or even bacon crumbles.
Of course, if you prefer something really jazzed up for your summer BBQ to serve along with tacos, chicken, or grilled steak, it’s tough to beat Mexican Street Corn.
Mexican Street Corn
This is Super Simple to make, especially because the topping can be prepared well ahead of time!
½ c Mexican crema (or sour cream as a substitute)
½ c mayonnaise
½ c chopped fresh cilantro
½ tsp minced garlic or garlic powder (adjust for your taste)
¼ tsp ground chipotle pepper (or more to suit your taste)
1 T finely grated fresh lime zest
2 T freshly squeezed lime juice
6-8 ears sweet corn, husks removed
½ c crumbled Cotija cheese (or grated Parm or crumbled Feta)
Lime wedges, as garnish
Whisk together the crema, mayo, cilantro, garlic, chipotle, zest & juice. Set aside till needed. To serve, place corn on grill that is preheated to 400°F for 3 minutes, till kernels start turning golden and look charred. Turn over & repeat. Remove to a platter, brushing each ear with crema mixture and sprinkling with cheese (and a bit more chipotle pepper, if so desired). Serve immediately with lime wedges. (Serving Mexican Street Corn on a small wooden stick helps get the yumminess in your mouth and not on your hands.)
June 10, 2023
National Dragonfly Day
Photo by Boris Smokrovic
We now celebrate Dragonfly Day on the 2nd Saturday of June each year, but they have been buzzing around on Earth for nearly 300 million years. Dragonfly fossils have been discovered with 3-foot wingspans, and some scientists say that at one time they may have been just as large as today’s eagles! Of course, the planet was a much hotter and more humid place in those years.
Photo by Wolfgang Hasselmann
The 5,000 dragonfly species are a delight to the eye with their bright metallic colors or soft pastel hues. Even today’s-sized dragonfly wings make them the fastest of all insects, flying as fast as 35 mph.
Photo by David Clode
Plus, they maneuver like an extreme helicopter… straight up or down, forward or backward.
Photo by Jude Infantini
Their nearly 30,000 eye facets provide 360-degree vision.
Photo by Timothy Dykes
The great eyesight did not prevent one very large dragonfly from getting caught in a thick spiderweb by our house. I could hear the franticly ceaseless fluttering as it merely wrapped itself more densely in webbing. Fortunately for the dragonfly, I pulled it free from the web. It then stopped struggling and let me painstakingly pluck every bit of webbing from its body and wings. Hubby says that dragonfly never forgot and spread the word that I was its hero. Ever since that day, it seems that dragonflies flock to me, land on me, and hover near me. And I do not mind one bit.
Photo by Ashish Khanna
Dragonflies abound in wetlands. Catching their prey with their feet, a single dragonfly eats about 100 mosquitos each day! While most dragonflies live for a few weeks up to a year, they can live for years underwater.
The dragonfly symbolizes good luck, prosperity, and life transformations. Now we know!
June 9, 2023
National Donald Duck Day
Did you know that Donald Duck’s middle name is Fauntleroy? Derived from Old French, it means “child king.” On his 50th birthday in 1984, LA Mayor Tom Bradley first proclaimed June 9th as Donald Duck Day.
“Oh boy, oh boy, oh boy!” Talk about a movie star! Donald Duck, with his mischievous and often irritably lovable personality, has appeared in more films than any other Disney character. His big screen debut came on June 9, 1934, in “The Wise Little Hen.”
In his 2nd appearance, he introduced his comic friend, Mickey Mouse. Donald’s girlfriend Daisy Duck and nephews Huey, Dewey, and Louie all waddled in shortly after that. ‘Tis no wonder that in 2002 TV Guide named Donald Duck one of the 50 greatest cartoon characters of all time. Quack me up!
June 8, 2023
Regardless… Speak Up!
Photo by Andrej Lisakov
“The right to be heard does not automatically include the right to be taken seriously.”
— Hubert H. Humphrey (1911 – 1978)
American pharmacist and politician
38th vice president of the United States
June 7, 2023
Listen More
“From listening comes wisdom and from speaking repentance.”
— Proverb
June 6, 2023
D-Day
On this day in history, our troops landed on the beaches of Normandy, France… June 6, 1944, saw more than 160,000 Allied forces land in Nazi-occupied France as part of the largest air, land, and sea invasion ever executed.
US troops hit the Utah and Omaha Beaches. Great Britain and some smaller forces stormed Gold and Sword Beaches, and the Canadians took Juno Beach.
Operation Overlord became known as the beginning of the end of World War II. Deepest gratitude to all who fought and all who died as the Allied forces staged one of the most pivotal attacks against Germany during WWII along that famous 50-mile stretch of beaches.
June 5, 2023
National Start Over Day
Like a clean, blank sheet of paper just waiting for words to be written upon it, each day delivers a fresh start. We all falter, fall, and fail. What’s important is to dare to get back up and try again.
Think of the old adage… “If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again.” Each and every day gives each of us the opportunity to start over. As National Start Over Day, today is a precious reminder of an important skill we can utilize any day… every day… over and over again. You’ve GOT this!
June 4, 2023
Bubble Time
While we might think National Bubbly Day would pop up around New Year’s Day, it’s actually celebrated in June! Enjoy your favorite sparkling beverage on a summer-like day. Champagne, prosecco… and even ginger ale count.
In tribute to the sparkling way of living, I released one of my more fun cookbooks back in 2014. (Hard to believe it was that long ago!) In both paperback and digital formats, “Champagne! Facts, Fizz, Food & Fun” serves up secrets to make you shine when serving bubbly. The fizz comes from dozens of yummy bubbly concoctions to whet your whistle with style. Of course, I serve up food via dozens of yummy recipes that pair perfectly with champagne for occasions from brunch to holiday parties. And I finish it off with lots of fun champagne quotes that range from historical to hysterical.
So, today, I gleefully share one of the sparkling beverage recipes. This puts a party-style spin on the classic Bellini cocktail.
Ruby Bellini Punch
Cranberry juice
Peach nectar
Peachtree liquor or peach schnapps
Peach sorbet
Cranberry & peach ice cubes with blueberries, raspberries & blackberries
Chilled Prosecco (or Champagne)
In advance fill ice cube trays with cranberry and peach juices. In peach cube trays add raspberries and blackberries. In cranberry cube trays add blueberries. Then freeze and set aside in zip-top plastic bags ready for use. In large punch bowl mix cranberry juice, peach nectar, and peach liqueur. Just before guests arrive scoop in peach sorbet, float ice cubes, and pour in the bubbly.
KISS Note: Make a family-friendly version with no alcohol in the punch base. Add ginger ale or sparkling cranberry for the bubbly.
