Moon, Croon, & Spoon...it's June!

Summertime is on the horizon!

School is out! It's time to be outside by the light of June's Strawberry Moon. It's a month when voices are filled with emotion, crooning, as "I love yous" lead to wedding planning. And spoons are constantly heavily laden with ice cold rich and flavorful ice cream. Summertime is when the living is easy, basking in the sun is a daily routine and partying down fills any empty nights. Summer makes its own kind of music. Which song best suits your summertime mood?

Slow & Easy...

Rockin' & Upbeat...

Being on the brink of summer means the temperatures are rising. As with any month, there is much to be celebrated so let's start with one to cool us down.

 

June is National Dairy Month. There is so much to enjoy on a hot summer day which results is some mighty fine chilling effects. The first on the list would indeed have to be ice cream! What is even more exciting is that this doesn't end with the month of June. Not far ahead is National Ice Cream Month - July. That provides us with two months back-to-back to enjoy those cold, creamy treats. Indeed, dairy goes way beyond just the scope of ice cream: yogurt (original, Greek, frozen), milk, eggs, cheese, as well as all the concoctions that can be created from any of these.

 

Not only do we celebrate dairy products all month long but we also will be celebrating colorfully, June is National Fresh Fruit & Vegetables Month! Color is nature’s way of telling us what nutrients are found in those delicious fruits and fresh veggies. Eating a variety of colors, from bright citrus fruits to darker, leafy greens, ensures the body gets the variety of vitamins and minerals it needs. Um-m-m-m? Fresh strawberries atop a bowl of vanilla ice cream...YUM! Don't forget the whipped topping!

It just keeps getting better and better, June is National Candy Month! Let's place a banana in the bottom of our dish topped with three scoops of ice cream. Lace that with strawberries and pineapple smothered with hot chocolate fudge. Then, to top it all of sprinkle with your favorite crushed candies! Oh, my!

 

We get to step away from the food for this celebration. Well, I guess we could enjoy some fruity, sugar roses or long-stemmed candy roses for a double, maybe triple, celebration. June is also National Rose Month in celebration of the rose's rich heritage and symbol of love that dates back thousands of years. A little trivia about roses...Since 1986 the rose has been the official National Floral Emblem of the United States. Roses are native plants to the United States and George Washington was the first rose breeder in the US. Why white roses are so special is no mystery - it's actually a myth perhaps starting with the Romans. Their belief was that white roses grew where the tears of Venus fell as she mourned the loss of her husband Adonis. 

Talking Fly Swatter!

Last, but not the end of June celebrations, is a zany one that accompanies Dairy Month. Are you ready for this? June is Fight the Filthy Fly Month!

"When April with it's showers soote, wets the flye and creates the root, mayhem ye shall see in June, when larvae hatch and payne goes BOOM." ~Geoffrey Chaucer, a new interpretation

Frogs, lizards and the great crested flycatcher maintain a steady diet of flies. But, humans do not fit any of these categories! Flies are the pesky little flying dentures, one of whose favorite buzzing places is a picnic. National Fight the Filthy Fly Month was founded also to battle the flies that overwhelm farm animals during this time of year. These include horse flies, midges, and the dangerous botfly. Remember, June is National Dairy Month so Are Flies Bugging Your Cattle? Create a dairy fly control plan!

OOPS! I know I said last, but one more must be mentioned. You just have to visit Awakenings sister site catnipoflife for more information!

 Stay tuned for many, many foodie celebrations are on June's calendar! You have a choice, which one(s) to celebrate, or not!

June is...

Summertime!

Being on the brink of summer means the temperatures are rising. As with any month, there is much to be celebrated so let's start with one to cool us down.

 

June is National Dairy Month. There is so much to enjoy on a hot summer day which results is some mighty fine chilling effects. The first on the list would indeed have to be ice cream! What is even more exciting is that this doesn't end with the month of June. Not far ahead is National Ice Cream Month - July. That provides us with two months back-to-back to enjoy those cold, creamy treats. Indeed, dairy goes way beyond just the scope of ice cream: yogurt (original, Greek, frozen), milk, eggs, cheese, as well as all the concoctions that can be created from any of these.

 

Not only do we celebrate dairy products all month long but we also will be celebrating colorfully, June is National Fresh Fruit & Vegetables Month! Color is nature’s way of telling us what nutrients are found in those delicious fruits and fresh veggies. Eating a variety of colors, from bright citrus fruits to darker, leafy greens, ensures the body gets the variety of vitamins and minerals it needs. Um-m-m-m? Fresh strawberries atop a bowl of vanilla ice cream...YUM! Don't forget the whipped topping!

It just keeps getting better and better, June is National Candy Month! Let's place a banana in the bottom of our dish topped with three scoops of ice cream. Lace that with strawberries and pineapple smothered with hot chocolate fudge. Then, to top it all of sprinkle with your favorite crushed candies! Oh, my!

 

We get to step away from the food for this celebration. Well, I guess we could enjoy some fruity, sugar roses or long-stemmed candy roses for a double, maybe triple, celebration. June is also National Rose Month in celebration of the rose's rich heritage and symbol of love that dates back thousands of years. A little trivia about roses...Since 1986 the rose has been the official National Floral Emblem of the United States. Roses are native plants to the United States and George Washington was the first rose breeder in the US. Why white roses are so special is no mystery - it's actually a myth perhaps starting with the Romans. Their belief was that white roses grew where the tears of Venus fell as she mourned the loss of her husband Adonis. 

Talking Fly Swatter!

Last, but not the end of June celebrations, is a zany one that accompanies Dairy Month. Are you ready for this? June is Fight the Filthy Fly Month!

"When April with it's showers soote, wets the flye and creates the root, mayhem ye shall see in June, when larvae hatch and payne goes BOOM." ~Geoffrey Chaucer, a new interpretation (Source: Theme of the Month)

Frogs, lizards and the great crested flycatcher maintain a steady diet of flies. But, humans do not fit any of these categories! Flies are the pesky little flying dentures, one of whose favorite buzzing places is a picnic. National Fight the Filthy Fly Month was founded also to battle the flies that overwhelm farm animals during this time of year. These include horse flies, midges, and the dangerous botfly. Remember, June is National Dairy Month so Are Flies Bugging Your Cattle? Create a dairy fly control plan!

OOPS! I know I said last, but one more must be mentioned. You just have to visit Awakenings sister site catnipoflife for more information!

 You have a choice, which one(s) do you plan on celebrating?

D-Day+1

This Day in History: June 7, 1944

The morning of June 7, we are still at war but the tides have turned marking the beginning of an end. While yesterday D-Day, June 6, 1944 marks a turning point in history, it is a day that should be remembered throughout the entire year. The walk along the beaches of Normandy on the morning of June 7 would indeed be completely unimaginable. Yet, had it not been for the courage and sacrifice of thousands upon thousands of soldiers, the course of history would be totally different. That day marked a beginning. A new beginning. A beginning of the end of a horrific war.

Then and now: Haunting D-Day landings pictures in Normandy

Images show stark contrast between Normandy tourist beaches now and how they looked during invasion.

In the aftermath of D-Day, its analysis established the Normandy landings were the largest seaborne invasion in history, with nearly 5,000 landing and assault craft, 289 escort vessels, and 277 minesweepers participating. Nearly 160,000 troops crossed the English Channel on D-Day, with 875,000 men disembarking by the end of June. Allied casualties on the first day were at least 12,000, with 4,414 confirmed dead. The Germans lost 1,000 men. [Source: en.wikipedia.org]

Partial view of Omaha Beach temporary Cemetery established by Third Platoon, 607th Quartermaster Graves Registration Company elements on 7 June 1944. Graves Registration and Engineer Special Brigade medical personnel are recovering and processing American and German dead along the waterline and the beach.

The exact count of all who perished on June 6 remains a continuous challenge. The identifications of all who perished is virtually impossible. 

A body struck by an artillery shell could be, essentially, erased, and that’s just one of the possible fates that faced those who went ashore or jumped into Normandy. Seventy years after the landings, the unidentified remains of soldiers killed in the fighting are still being turned up by farmers and amateur archaeologists.”
Source: The Challenge of Counting D-Day's Dead

 New York Times from June 7, 1944

“The prevailing opinion in Germany before our entry into war, was, that American was a money hunting nation, too engrossed in the hunt of the dollar to produce a strong military force. But since our troops have been in action the opinion has changed, and he says that though Germany is at present a defeated nation, he believes that they would be victors in a war with any nation in the world with the exemption of the United States.”
—Karl Finkl of Bolingen
 

D-Day+1

Today's History Lesson

The morning of June 7, 1944 we are still at war but the tides have turned marking the beginning of an end. Yesterday, D-Day, June 6, 1944, marked a turning point in history becoming a day that should be remembered throughout the entire year. But, not only this day but the morning after. The walk along the beaches of Normandy on the morning of June 7 were unbelievable, unfathomable, unimaginable. Yet, had it not been for the courage and sacrifice of hundreds of thousands of soldiers, the course of history would be totally different. That day marked a beginning. A new beginning. A beginning of the end of the deadliest war in history.

This Day in History: June 7, 1944

Thousands of Stenciled Bodies in the Sand Serve as Poignant D-Day Tribute

Then and now: Haunting D-Day landings pictures in Normandy

Images show stark contrast between Normandy tourist beaches now and how they looked during invasion.

In the aftermath of D-Day, its analysis established the Normandy landings were the largest seaborne invasion in history, with nearly 5,000 landing and assault craft, 289 escort vessels, and 277 minesweepers participating. Nearly 160,000 troops crossed the English Channel on D-Day, with 875,000 men disembarking by the end of June. Allied casualties on the first day were at least 12,000, with 4,414 confirmed dead. The Germans lost 1,000 men. [Source: en.wikipedia.org]

Partial view of Omaha Beach temporary Cemetery established by Third Platoon, 607th Quartermaster Graves Registration Company elements on 7 June 1944. Graves Registration and Engineer Special Brigade medical personnel are recovering and processing American and German dead along the waterline and the beach.

The exact count of all who perished on June 6 remains a continuous challenge. The identifications of all who perished is virtually impossible. 

A body struck by an artillery shell could be, essentially, erased, and that’s just one of the possible fates that faced those who went ashore or jumped into Normandy. Seventy years after the landings, the unidentified remains of soldiers killed in the fighting are still being turned up by farmers and amateur archaeologists.”
Source: The Challenge of Counting D-Day's Dead

 New York Times from June 7, 1944

“The prevailing opinion in Germany before our entry into war, was, that American was a money hunting nation, too engrossed in the hunt of the dollar to produce a strong military force. But since our troops have been in action the opinion has changed, and he says that though Germany is at present a defeated nation, he believes that they would be victors in a war with any nation in the world with the exemption of the United States.”
—Karl Finkl of Bolingen
 

Another reason our American flag continues to fly freely...

Just remember the cost! Freedom is NOT free!

Splash of Soda

Are you enjoying all of the June celebrations? The answer to that question should definitely be YES! Most important is to not forget June is National Dairy Month during which time a summer favorite is a frozen dessert usually made from dairy products, such as milk and cream often combined with fruits or other ingredients and flavors - none other than ICE CREAM!

June 20 has been tagged... 

National Ice Cream Soda Day!

But, so has June 30, July 1 and July 20 according to different sources on the web. June 20th is the day closest at hand so that is going to be our first celebration of (maybe, maybe not) National Ice Cream Soda Day! With the summer heat, the ice cream is already melting as soon as it is out of the freezer so let's give it a little boost with a splash of soda and celebrate!

A Double Berry Dose of Ice Cream!

Take the time to enjoy this frothy drink. All it takes is a few scoops of your favorite ice cream, same flavor or different flavors, drenched in any carbonated beverage. It is the perfect cooling solution on a sizzling June day (or any summer day for that matter). 

When did this frothy beverage get its start? Robert Green invented Ice cream sodas in 1874 during Philadelphia's sesquicentennial celebration. Legend has it Mr. Green added vanilla ice cream to the soda he sold after he ran out of ice (he claims dreaming up the concoction prior to the event). Intentional or not, the sodas remained cold and were an instant hit! Green was so proud of his creation the phrase "Originator of the Ice Cream Soda" is engraved on his tombstone! 

These days there are many delicious variations of the original ice cream soda, including Root Beer Floats, Boston Coolers and Purple Cows. To celebrate National Ice Cream Soda Day, remember all you need is soda, a few scoops of ice cream and of course, don't forget the straw! Plop a scoop of whipped cream on top, add a cherry and ooh-la-la!

A step back in time. . .
 

The Passion of Former Days: The Soda Shop

Photo Credit: wikipedia.org

On a different, yet similar note, do you remember the old-fashioned ice cream soda fountain and why the fountain attendant was called a soda 'jerk'?  

Really quite simple. . .the phrase was coined after the jerking movement necessary to release the soda from the tap when pulling the soda draft arm. The Soda Jerk was similar to a bartender, except the beverages were non-alcoholic, consisting only of a soda and ice cream. The 'jerk' soon learned how to put on quite a show with a unique rhythmic movement popular from the 20s through the 50s. Watching the Soda Jerk in action became as entertaining as enjoying the frothy ice cream soda!

Added Bonus...

Click the image or here for some really unique recipes, i.e., Guinness Extra Stout Ice Cream Float, Pina Colada, Mango Sherbet Drowned in Ginger Ale, Espresso Buzz, and MORE posted to Pinterest on July 20, 2012. Um-m-m-m-m? Maybe that is where one of the mix-ups in the date occurred.

More to Celebrate on this day!

National Vanilla Milkshake Day

June 20, 2014 is also National Flip Flop Day & Take Your Dog To Work Day. There is plenty to celebrate!

My favorite: Cream Soda over Vanilla Ice Cream! What is yours?  

yum, yum, yum . . . yummy!

Switchback Railway

This Day in History: June 16, 1884

Thompson's Switchback Railway, 1884.

There was a time when no amusement ride could possibly bring about more screams and excitement than the roller coaster! Of course, with advancements in entertainment backed by ingenious technology, that summation may no longer hold water. However, the roller coaster, aka Switchback Railway, is the lead story for this day in history. 

Do you know how this ride got its start?  

The forerunner of the primitive roller coaster goes back to the 15th and 16th centuries making its debut as a Russian ice slide. In the early 1800s, the ice slides made their way into France with the first wheeled coaster premiering in 1804 in Paris. Eventually these rides migrated to the United States of America and it is theorized the first arrived in the 1870s. 

One of the early inventions, which was actually the first roller coaster designed as an amusement ride in America, was the Switchback Railway fashioned after a mining hill company's downhill track used to deliver coal. On this day June 16, 1884, the first roller coaster in America opens at Coney Island, in Brooklyn, New York and was a smashing success. It was the brainchild of LaMarcus Adna Thompson, traveled approximately six miles per hour and cost a nickel to ride.

That was only the beginning...

The roller coaster of yesteryear has evolved into the most insane designs ever imaginable. Roller coasters are categorized as the tallest, fastest, steepest, deadliest, longest, most unique, strangest, and most surprisingly boring amusement ride on the planet.

 Knoebels' Flying Turns

Opened 10/23/2013

Flying Turns at Knoebels Amusement Resort in Elysburg, Pennsylvania, provides seats in a wooden chute without any tracks making very tight turns. Three two-person cars travel through a 1,300ft-long (396m) polished wooden trough. There are three lift hills to keep the vehicles safely spaced. The chains are lubricated with water to protect the wood from oil spills.

 El Loco at the Adventuredome

Opened February 2014

El Loco opened in February 2014 the Circus Circus Adventuredome in Las Vegas. The hair-raising new coaster has a turn that banks to the outside.Thrill seekers experience a 72-second, adrenaline-pumping adventure complete with G drops, gravity-defying turns and over-the-edge twists.

 Banshee Inverted Roller Coaster

Opened April 18, 2014

The world's longest inverted roller coaster opened April 18, 2014 at Kings Island, Ohio. The new "Banshee" coaster features a 167 foot lift hill, seven inversions and over 1,000 feet of track. The 2 1/2 minute ride reaches speeds of up to 68 miles per hour and riders will experience a zero-gravity roll.

Coney Island Thunderbolt

Opened June 14, 2014

Coney Island's Thunderbolt officially opened June 14, 2014. The new attraction, which sits on the same lot by the Boardwalk as the original Thunderbolt, starts with a terrifying 90-degree drop from 115 feet and zips along 2,233 feet of track at speeds as high as 55 mph.

Goliath Wooden Roller Coaster

 Opening June 19, 2014

Goliath is a wooden roller coaster at Six Flags Great America in Gurnee, Illinois. It was designed by Rocky Mountain Construction and is expected to open to the public on June 19, 2014.

Those mentioned above are only the tip of the iceberg! What was once the tallest will no longer be as of 2016.   

Orlando to receive 'the skyscraper', 
the world's tallest roller coaster!

We have come a long way, baby!

Enjoy the thrill of the ride!

Enjoy the Thrill of the Ride!

Today's History Lesson

There was a time when no amusement ride could possibly bring about more screams and excitement than the roller coaster! Of course, with advancements in entertainment backed by ingenious technology, that summation may no longer hold water, or does it? The roller coaster, aka Switchback Railway, is the lead story for this day in history. Do you know how this ride got its start? Do you know the location for the Roller Coaster Capital of the World®?

This Day in History: June 16, 1884

Thompson's Switchback Railway, 1884.

The forerunner of the primitive roller coaster goes back to the 15th and 16th centuries making its debut as a Russian ice slide. In the early 1800s, the ice slides made their way into France with the first wheeled coaster premiering in 1804 in Paris. Eventually these rides migrated to the United States of America and it is theorized the first arrived in the 1870s. 

One of the early inventions, which was actually the first roller coaster designed as an amusement ride in America, was the Switchback Railway fashioned after a mining hill company's downhill track used to deliver coal. On this day June 16, 1884, the first roller coaster in America opens at Coney Island, in Brooklyn, New York and was a smashing success. It was the brainchild of LaMarcus Adna Thompson, traveled approximately six miles per hour and cost a nickel to ride.

That was only the beginning...

The roller coaster of yesteryear has evolved into the most insane designs ever imaginable. Roller coasters are categorized as the tallest, fastest, steepest, deadliest, longest, most unique, strangest, and most surprisingly boring amusement ride on the planet.

 Knoebels' Flying Turns

Opened 10/23/2013

Flying Turns at Knoebels Amusement Resort in Elysburg, Pennsylvania, provides seats in a wooden chute without any tracks making very tight turns. Three two-person cars travel through a 1,300ft-long (396m) polished wooden trough. There are three lift hills to keep the vehicles safely spaced. The chains are lubricated with water to protect the wood from oil spills.

 El Loco at the Adventuredome

Opened February 2014

El Loco opened in February 2014 the Circus Circus Adventuredome in Las Vegas. The hair-raising new coaster has a turn that banks to the outside.Thrill seekers experience a 72-second, adrenaline-pumping adventure complete with G drops, gravity-defying turns and over-the-edge twists.

 Banshee Inverted Roller Coaster

Opened April 18, 2014

The world's longest inverted roller coaster opened April 18, 2014 at Kings Island, Ohio. The new "Banshee" coaster features a 167 foot lift hill, seven inversions and over 1,000 feet of track. The 2 1/2 minute ride reaches speeds of up to 68 miles per hour and riders will experience a zero-gravity roll.

Coney Island Thunderbolt

Opened June 14, 2014

Coney Island's Thunderbolt officially opened June 14, 2014. The new attraction, which sits on the same lot by the Boardwalk as the original Thunderbolt, starts with a terrifying 90-degree drop from 115 feet and zips along 2,233 feet of track at speeds as high as 55 mph.

Goliath Wooden Roller Coaster

 Opening June 19, 2014

Goliath is a wooden roller coaster at Six Flags Great America in Gurnee, Illinois. It was designed by Rocky Mountain Construction and is expected to open to the public on June 19, 2014.

New Roller Coasters, New Thrills 2015

Just like new businesses and apartment buildings can gentrify a neighborhood, the addition of new roller coasters can bring unprecedented new life to amusement parks. Here's a look at the biggest and baddest new roller coasters speeding into American parks in 2015.

The Roller Coaster Capital of the WORLD® is right here in the good ol' USA! Cedar Point in Sandusky, Ohio is the largest amusement park in the world and home to the biggest & baddest collection of wood and steel. Since 1892, roller coasters have been at the heart & soul of this great place. From the Switchback Railway to Top Thrill Dragster. Cedar Point has been the very proving ground for the most technologically-advanced thrills in the world. Low to the ground...High above the clouds...

Launched. Winged. Floorless. These machines take us to places we've never been. And we honor the 17 existing scream machines that have paved the way for thrill seekers around the world.

All mentioned above are only the tip of the iceberg! What was once the tallest will no longer be as of 2016.   

Orlando to receive 'the skyscraper', 
the world's tallest roller coaster!

We have come a long way, baby!

Enjoy the thrill of the ride!