AUGUST 14: WORLD LIZARD DAY
Every year, World Lizard Day celebrates a specific type of reptile: lizards. Does thinking about lizards induce ennui? Ridiculous! Lizards are fascinating. There are about 6,000 lizard species, spread out over every continent except Antarctica. As you ponder the miraculous opposable thumb of human beings, consider these features of the lizard:
Most kinds of lizards absorb water from their food, which means they don’t need to be near water.
Lizards range in size from 2 inches in length to over 11 feet.
A lizard has a tail that regenerates. If it breaks off, no sweat: it grows another one.
Some lizards can change colors.
The lizard, which has been around since the dinosaurs, is a reptile characterized by its scaly skin a long body and tail, four legs, and moveable eyelids. Cold-blooded, they need sunshine in order to survive. Most lizards lay eggs, however, some lizards birth live babies. To protect themselves, lizards have many different defense mechanisms. Some of them can run like hell to escape danger. Others can make themselves appear scarily larger when confronted by an enemy. Some, like the Gila monster and Mexican bearded lizards, have venom. The venom of the Komodo dragon is so strong it can kill a human. Consider that should you ever find yourself on Indonesia’s Komodo Island.
World Lizard Day is mostly about lizards as pets. Over 9 million people in the US have lizards as pets, most commonly the African fire skink, chameleon, gecko, green iguana, long-tailed lizard, Chinese water dragon, and the bearded dragon. Doing research before you buy or adopt a pet lizard will help you figure out what kind of lizard would best suit.
AUGUST 15: I LOVE COWBOYS AND COWGIRLS DAY
I Love Cowboys and Cowgirls Day is a day to honor, reflect on, and celebrate the legacy of cowboys and cowgirls. The dawn of cowboys and cowgirls started with the Spanish, who brought cattle-raising traditions and horses to the Americas in the 16th century. The term cowboy, which is the English translation of the Spanish word for “vaquero,” first appeared in 1725. A vaquero was an “individual who managed cattle while on horseback.” The word derives from “vaca,” which means “cow.” Today, cowboys tend cattle on ranches. Historically, they herded and drove cattle in the West and South, and their role has since become one of legend, romanticized in Wild West shows, song, and television and film. The first major cattle drives took place in the 1860s. Cattle were driven north to railheads by cowboys and then transported to northern slaughterhouses. Whites, many of whom had participated in the Civil War; African Americans, who many times were treated better in the frontier environment; Mexicans; and American Indians all worked as cowboys. The birth of barbed wire and, a harsh winter in 1886-1887 lead to the collapse of the cattle industry, and the expansion of railroads to areas previously out of reach killed the need for the cowboy.
Cowgirls perform the same ranch tasks as modern cowboys, but their historic contributions were not well-documented. Many women worked on ranches and, in some cases, ran them. Cowgirls rose in prominence with the rise of Wild West shows and women such as Annie Oakley. The National Cowgirl Hall of Fame and Museum has worked to illuminate the role of cowgirls.
AUGUST 16: NATIONAL BRATWURST DAY
Sadly, not everyone has had the pleasure of enjoying a bratwurst. Hence National Bratwurst Day. Typically made from pork, bratwurst can, in fact, be made from any meat. Sometimes known by the nickname “brat,” bratwurst is a heavily spiced sausage usually enjoyed either on its own with a side of sauerkraut or on a roll with mustard. The word “bratwurst” comes from two German words: “wurst” is the word for sausage; “braten” means “to fry.” Pretty much says it all.
Bratwurst has been around since 1313. It was introduced to the US in the mid-19th century by German immigrants. In Germany, brats are a snack food, mostly seen in pub-like establishments, with the addition of sauerkraut or potato salad and dense rye bread and pretzel. New York City may have hot-dog vendors, but Germany has bratwurst carts!
Very traditional recipes for bratwurst call for both eggs and cream, but every region in Germany has a different type of bratwurst recipe: 40 varieties in all! Franconian bratwurst recipes, for example, are usually heavily laden with marjoram, a method that dates back to the first bratwurst. These bratwursts tend to be large and filled with coarsely ground meat, which gives them an overall juicier texture and flavor. Those from Corburg, on the other hand, only use salt, pepper, nutmeg, and lemon zest. Bratwurst recipes in the US can also differ region by region. No matter the size, shape, or innards, World Bratwurst Day celebrates all varieties and encourages us to explore the culinary world of the brat! Note: most people like to accompany bratwursts with a cold beer. Win-win.
AUGUST 17: NATIONAL THRIFT SHOP DAY
National Thrift Shop Day celebrates the thrift shop. Thrift shops aim to help those most vulnerable in communities. Known by myriad names, thrift shops are also referred to as consignment stores, second-hand stores, resale shops, and hospice shops.
Before thrift shopping became common, people usually liked to repurpose their clothes. During the 18th century, hand-me-downs to younger siblings proliferated or were remade into a different style. When they had exhausted their use as clothing, the material would be recycled as furniture stuffing. While people often sold their items if they needed money, the thrift shop concept had not yet been created.
By the late 19th century, the US experienced a massive cultural shift. The Industrial Revolution increased the production of clothes and goods. At the same time, the country saw a flood of new immigrants. Many new to America — in addition to rural folk — moved to urban areas. The process of buying new clothes and disposing of old ones quickened. Pawnshops and scrap yards arose, but clothes once owned by a stranger indicated a lower social status and were off-putting.
Meanwhile, Christian ministries needed funding for their outreach programs, and religious affiliation groups such as the Salvation Army and Goodwill changed the narrative. In 1897, the Salvation Army launched the “salvage brigades,” residents who went around the neighborhood asking for used clothes. In return, they’d receive food and lodging. Then, In Boston 1902, a Methodist minister created Goodwill, which hired poor and disabled people to collect goods and make necessary repairs to them. These shops provided immigrants with a place to find clothes, with the added intent of promoting “Christian values” alongside social service activities.
In the 1920s, thrift shops reflected the department stores of the time. Initial impressions began to change after thrift shops stopped being known as “junk shops.” By 1935, there were nearly 100 Goodwill stores nationwide. They were particularly useful in the Great Depression and World War II: an affordable option to full-priced stores, with the added advantage that the money from sales went to charitable programs. People warmed up to the idea of thrift shops as a way to find “vintage” items and niche goods. Ever since, the thrift shop has steadily shed its negative image. Another advantage: thrift shopping also helps the environment. Every item purchased from a thrift shop is one less item in a landfill. Recycling at its best!
AUGUST 18: SERENDIPITY DAY
Serendipity: the occurrence and development of events by chance in a happy or beneficial way. A happy accident; a pleasant surprise. Serendipity Day is celebrated to encourage people to confront unexpected good fortune.
Horace Walpole coined the word “serendipity” in 1754. He described the genesis of the term in a letter to his lady love, explaining that he was inspired by the Persian novel “The Three Princes of Serendip.” The story follows three princes banished from the kingdom of Serendip, (now commonly known as Sri Lanka) in order to demonstrate their worth. Serendipitously they encounter revelations not sought, while traveling the world. As a result, serendipity is associated with embarking on a journey and discovering something unexpected.
Serendipity Day was celebrated for the first time in the year 2010. Its goal is to inspire individuals to live their lives in a more opportune way, being open to and accepting of the limitless options that life presents.
AUGUST 19: NATIONAL HONEY BEE DAY
National Honey Bee Day — on the third Saturday in August — is a celebration for beekeepers, honey lovers, and all blooming things. The day recognizes both the honey bee and the beekeepers who tend the hives. It also encourages everyone to enjoy and buy locally grown honey. As important is learning about honey bees and providing them with a supportive environment. Planting wildflowers, orchards, and other flowering plants, supports pollinators such as honey bees. They depend on the nectar of a variety of plants for their survival. Conversely, we depend on honeybees for our survival, too! Without their pollinating abilities, many nutritious plants wouldn’t reproduce.
Honey bees do sting, but only if they perceive a threat, such as damage to their hive or being swatted at. Since they seek sweet nectar, sugary drinks and sweets will attract honey bees when flowers are not blooming yet. So, keep your beverages covered! If a honey bee comes close, either hold still or move slowly away. The honey bee will fly along to the next sweet thing as long as it doesn’t feel threatened.
AUGUST 20: NATIONAL BACON LOVER’S DAY
Hallelujah, it’s National Bacon Lovers Day! Hardly any other aroma on Earth is as stirring as bacon sizzling in a pan. Bacon has been such a massive part of western cuisine since 1500 BC. For thousands of years, we have relished the smell of bacon frying — not to mention its chewy taste. Note, however, that pigs were domesticated from around 8500 BC, so for seven thousand years, humans wasted the bacon right under their noses. How sad!
Bacon was such a desirable cut of pork that, in the 12th century, a church in the English town of Great Dunmow challenged the married men to a wager. If a man could go a complete year and a day without quarreling with his wife, a side of bacon would be the prize. Thus the term “bring home the bacon.”
Until well into the 16th century, the term “bacon” referred to any cut of pork. Only in the 17th century did the word indicate the product we know today. The late 1700s saw the rise of commercial pig farming and bacon production. With rising population rates and an increase in available machinery, bacon was one of the first food items to be mass-produced. Fast forward a couple of centuries to when the Industrial Revolution took the pork industry to a completely new level of production. Before then, bacon and other pork products were produced at home. Most people kept private pigs. Even in urban environments, it was common for people to keep pigs in their basements.
Bacon is still a household favorite. In the US, bacon refers to meat from the belly of the pig, known, logically, as pork belly. Bacon from the loin is called Canadian bacon. To make bacon, the pork is cured using salt and is then dried, boiled, or smoked. The smoking of bacon is often done with hickory, mesquite, or maple wood, and flavors such as brown sugar or maple may be added. More often than not, bacon is pan-fried. Popular as a breakfast food, it is also loved in sandwiches — such as the BLT or club sandwich — as a complement to salads, and as a wrapping for other foods. “Bacon mania” has swept the United States and Canada since the late 1990s. Despite the high sodium and nitrate content of bacon that lower its health benefits, there has been a great increase in the amount of bacon being eaten and in the number of new bacon recipes.