Let’s celebrate small joys where we can—
NATIONAL EMPANADA DAY
Each year on April 8th, National Empanada Day recognizes a delicious pastry that comes in several different forms. The name empanada comes from the Galician, Portuguese and Spanish verb em pandar, meaning to wrap or coat in bread.
Empanadas are made by folding the dough or bread around a seasoned stuffing.
The stuffed dough is then baked or fried. Very much like hand pies, these delicious pastries offer a variety of choices. You can make your empanadas with meat, cheese, vegetables or fruit fillings. However, they may be made with other ingredients, too.
A cookbook published in 1520 in Catalan, the Libre del Coch by Ruperto de Nola, mentions empanadas filled with seafood. nationaldaycalendar.com/...
Empanada recipes: www.cooks.com/...
(PS- it is okay to buy dough)
NATIONAL ZOO LOVERS DAY
Since we are all stuck enjoying life at home, try a virtual zoo tour!
Take a virtual tour of a zoo.
There are many different kinds of zoos. Take a virtual tour of this reptile zoo and learn about the reptiles that live there. You can also download the zoo coloring page for another fun activity at home.
A few zoo facts:
- The Vienna Zoo is the oldest existing zoo and was opened to the public in 1765.
- The United State’s first public zoo, Central Park Zoo, opened in 1874 in New York. nationaldaycalendar.com/...
Visit the zoo
Some people count on the company of a furry friend at home, but others rely on spaces on the outside world to view them. Thankfully, spaces like the San Diego Zoo, the Georgia Aquarium and the Monterey Bay Aquarium are offering live webcam viewings of pandas, penguins and beluga whales. www.usatoday.com/…
Cincinatti Zoo: Join us for a Home Safari Facebook Live each day at 3pm EDT where we will highlight one of our amazing animals and include an activity you can do from home. Don’t have access to social media? No worries! All videos will be posted to this webpage and to our YouTube channel shortly after the Facebook Live ends. cincinnatizoo.org/...
International Day of Pink!
Discrimination takes many shapes, whether it’s based on race, age, disabilities,
gender or sexuality. The 2SLGBTQIA+ community is no stranger to the bullying and violence that stems from hateful beliefs. While progress has been made towards removing these social barriers from our society, discrimination still persists.
So, every year, on the second Wednesday of April, we urge people around the world to put on a pink shirt and stand in solidarity with the 2SLGBTQIA+ community to continue fighting for equality and acceptance. www.dayofpink.org/...
International Feng Shui Awareness Day
International Feng Shui Awareness Day (pronounced fuhng shwey) celebrates this ancient art or philosophy that was developed in China over 3,000 years ago.
According to Merriam-Webster.com Feng Shui is "a Chinese system for positioning a building and the objects within a building in a way that is thought to agree with spiritual forces and to bring health and happiness".
The word Feng means wind and shui means water and Chinese associate wind and water with good health. Feng Shui deals with energy flow and balance. Many people set up their homes using Feng Shui techniques so that everything is correctly aligned so they have good flows of energy. www.sparkpeople.com/...
And, to end on a classy note—
Dog Farting Awareness Day
Let's talk about farts.
Like humans, all dogs fart. It doesn't matter their age, size, or breed.
Sometimes people blame their own farts on dogs, but sometimes dogs really are to blame. Those who are thinking about adopting a dog must be aware of this.
What is behind dog farts? The main culprit is the swallowing of air, which often happens when dogs eat too quickly.
This frequently happens when dogs eat together, as they often are competing for food. A respiratory disease that increases the breathing rate may also cause the swallowing of air, as will feeding a dog directly after exercise, before their breathing rate has slowed down.
Other culprits causing dog farts include having a sedentary lifestyle and eating difficult to digest food such as soybeans, beans, spoiled food, high-fat food, high-fiber food, milk products, and spices. www.checkiday.com/...