Mar 09
Daylight Saving Time is currently the second Sunday in March in the USA. The practice is designed to give people an extra hour of sunlight in the evening hours.
The time change officially takes place at 2 a.m., so change your microwave and old-school clocks before you head to bed Saturday night. The change is automatic for most smartphones, computers, tablets and other digital devices.
Mar 05
My husband came home from the grocery store last night with Hot Cross Buns. I was surprised because they had never had them before Ash Wednesday in past years. I almost refused to eat them because they were “seasonally incorrect”. Of course, I did try one to be sure that they weren’t mislabeled or anything…
I’d never even heard of HCB before college. My freshman year in the dining commons at UMass Amherst changed all that. Huge pans of actually hot, cross buns. We actually even put butter on them, too. No wonder the “Freshman 15” was a problem.
I’ve made a fairly exhaustive study of the local grocery stores’ versions and the one from Giant come out on top. Surprisingly, Wegmans isn’t the winner in this case.
Looking for a video on the history of HCB, I came across one for making these at home.
Maybe that wouldn’t be a good thing!
A bit of HCB trivia: English folklore includes many superstitions surrounding hot cross buns. One of them says that buns baked and served on Good Friday will not spoil or grow moldy during the subsequent year.
Another encourages keeping such a bun for medicinal purposes. A piece of it given to someone ill is said to help them recover.
If taken on a sea voyage, hot cross buns are said to protect against shipwreck.
If hung in the kitchen, they are said to protect against fires and ensure that all breads turn out perfectly. The hanging bun is replaced each year.
Turns out there’s also a “Not Cross Bun” which is a variation on the hot cross bun. It uses the same ingredients but instead of having a “cross” on top, it is has a smiley face in reference to it being “not cross” or “angry”.
The not cross bun was first sold commercially in 2014 by an Australian bakery in response to supermarkets selling hot cross buns as early as Boxing Day (December 26)
Mar 04
National Grammar Day is observed across the United States each year on March 4th.
According to Global Language Monitor, the estimated number of words in the English language is 1,025,109. There is some controversy to that number, but it’s safe to say it is over a million.
Language is something to celebrate. Some people might suggest that grammar is a set of rules for language, but really it is a system for understanding a language; how the words are structured. Understanding the system and the structure helps us to better understand the language, and can help us to learn new languages.
There are some hard and fast rules in grammar, though. Even some of those come up for debate from time to time. Have you ever heard of the Oxford comma?
HOW TO OBSERVE
Do your best to use proper grammar and use #NationalGrammarDay to post on social media.
HISTORY
Martha Brockenbrough, founder of the Society for the Promotion of Good Grammar, designated National Grammar Day in 2008.
As the National Grammar Day website states, “Language is something to be celebrated, and March 4 is the perfect day to do it. It’s not only a date, it’s an imperative: March forth on March 4 to speak well, write well, and help others do the same!”
For more information and ideas on ways to celebrate National Grammar Day, visit the website at: http://nationalgrammarday.com/
Mar 04
National Grammar Day is observed across the United States each year on March 4th.
According to Global Language Monitor, the estimated number of words in the English language is 1,025,109. There is some controversy to that number, but it’s safe to say it is over a million.
Language is something to celebrate. Some people might suggest that grammar is a set of rules for language, but really it is a system for understanding a language; how the words are structured. Understanding the system and the structure helps us to better understand the language, and can help us to learn new languages.
There are some hard and fast rules in grammar, though. Even some of those come up for debate from time to time. Have you ever heard of the Oxford comma?
HOW TO OBSERVE
Do your best to use proper grammar and use #NationalGrammarDay to post on social media.
HISTORY
Martha Brockenbrough, founder of the Society for the Promotion of Good Grammar, designated National Grammar Day in 2008.
As the National Grammar Day website states, “Language is something to be celebrated, and March 4 is the perfect day to do it. It’s not only a date, it’s an imperative: March forth on March 4 to speak well, write well, and help others do the same!”
For more information and ideas on ways to celebrate National Grammar Day, visit the website at: http://nationalgrammarday.com/
Mar 04
Today would probably have been a better day for the Music Man post since it’s about marching forth on March Fourth.
In honor of dedicated musicians and performers of many diverse styles and backgrounds, Marching Music Day celebrates all varieties of the art forms bringing us “music on the move.”
For centuries, the beat of a drum has kept military units moving in unison. From the training field to the battlefield, the football stadium to the Broadway stage, small gyms, auditoriums and grand arena spectacles, fifers, pipers, buglers, drum corps, marching bands, parade groups, drill teams and color guards bring music to life to the delight of millions of performers and spectators.
The military roots of the drum corps have evolved into an art form which moves us during somber memorials and thrills us with their ability to perform delightful music while executing intricate routines with exact precision. Drill squads, marching bands, drum lines, and drum corps name but a few of the many styles of marching music which have developed over the years, engaging hundreds of thousands of performers of all ages, abilities and experience levels.
We see marching music in schools, military units, community celebrations and local auxiliaries. The music is as varied as the ensembles themselves. Instruments may be limited to brass in some settings or may include woodwinds and electric guitars in others. Dance teams, baton twirlers and color guards perform to soundtracks ranging from traditional, standard marches to rock and roll, jazz, contemporary and electronic dance music.
And marching music keeps changing! Spectacular string bands incorporate their own unique sound and elaborate costuming. Technology has brought about the production of lighter, electronic and digital instruments making it possible for musicians to march with violins, cellos, basses and synthesizers to entertain crowds in unique and creative new ways.
Today, March 4 (“March Forth”) is also National Grammar Day. In past years, the National Grammar Day organization promoted the annual date as follows: “Language is something to be celebrated, and March 4 is the perfect day to do it. It’s not only a date, it’s an imperative: March forth on March 4 to speak well, write well, and help others do the same!”
Mar 02
My Little Free Library has a *few* 
Dr Seuss books in it
Meanwhile…
Theodor Seuss Geisel (Dr. Seuss) was born in Springfield, Massachusetts, where I also grew up and went to High School.
The Springfield Library Quadrangle has been home to the Dr. Seuss National Memorial Sculpture Garden since 2002.
Feb 27
“Scotland the Brave” (Scottish Gaelic: Alba an Àigh) is a Scottish patriotic song. It was one of several songs considered an unofficial national anthem of Scotland.
My cellphone ringtone is Scotland the Brave. At any rehearsal, everyone knows it’s my phone, if one is ringing 🙂 I posted a bit about that here: http://maryoblog.com/2015/08/
Below, the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards pipes and drums perform Scotland The Brave, The Black Bear and Highland Laddie on the esplanade of Edinburgh Castle. In typically inclement Scottish weather, the Pipes and Drums were performing to mark the release of their second album Spirit of the Glen: Journey. Part of this album was recorded when the regiment was on active service in Iraq.
With a view of the amazing Scottish country taken from across Scotland.
I had no idea that there were lyrics and I’ve never heard anyone singing them but here they are:
Hark when the night is falling
Hear! Hear the pipes are calling,
Loudly and proudly calling,
Down thro’ the glen.
There where the hills are sleeping,
Now feel the blood a-leaping,
High as the spirits of the old Highland men.
Towering in gallant fame,
Scotland my mountain hame,
High may your proud standards gloriously wave,
Land of my high endeavour,
Land of the shining river,
Land of my heart for ever,
Scotland the brave.
High in the misty Highlands,
Out by the purple islands,
Brave are the hearts that beat
Beneath Scottish skies.
Wild are the winds to meet you,
Staunch are the friends that greet you,
Kind as the love that shines from fair maiden’s eyes.
Towering in gallant fame,
Scotland my mountain hame,
High may your proud standards gloriously wave,
Land of my high endeavour,
Land of the shining river,
Land of my heart for ever,
Scotland the brave.
Far off in sunlit places,
Sad are the Scottish faces,
Yearning to feel the kiss
Of sweet Scottish rain.
Where tropic skies are beaming,
Love sets the heart a-dreaming,
Longing and dreaming for the homeland again.
Towering in gallant fame,
Scotland my mountain hame,
High may your proud standards gloriously wave,
Land of my high endeavour,
Land of the shining river,
Land of my heart for ever,
Scotland the brave.
Feb 25
TCM is currently doing 31 Days of Oscars. I first sort of noticed this when I looked ahead in the scheduling and noticed that all TCM shows were alphabetized. At first, I thought maybe that this scheme was some sort of placeholder before I realized what they were doing. Personally, I preferred when 31 Days grouped films by nomination category, by studio or by actor. Alphabetical is easy for them but hard on me, looking through every entry to see what to record.
Saturday, we were up to the M’s and Tivo faithfully recorded (The) Music Man. When I watched it on Sunday, I was most pleased to realize that I remembered all the words.
Remembering all the words is no small feat.
I first started collecting records (yes, records!) of musicals when I was in high school in Springfield, MA. Our library had an outstanding record collection, but I could only check out one (or 2?) at a time.
I would bring my record(s) home, and listen to them like crazy. Then I’d save my allowance and any work money I had and go to the local department store to buy my favorites. I always bought musicals and they were nearly Original Broadway Cast. Years later, I still have all these records, even though I usually listen on Spotify or on one of my carefully curated playlists. (I also can’t listen to any of the music out of order.)
As the years roll by, many of these musicals, like The Music Man, have gone on to become films. I am not usually a happy camper when the music is changed from what I remember of the OBCs and the film, but The Music Man film made the cut for me 🙂
Feb 17
Today is President’s Day, a combo of holidays for George Washington’s and Abraham Lincoln’s birthdays, making a new Monday holiday.
These days people don’t seem to celebrate much except for having car and furniture sales.
When I was a kid, we lived in a small town (Pawcatuck, CT and Westerly, RI are sister towns, virtually interchangeable with each other).
Our combined town celebrated George’s birthday with cherry pies.
All the kids went around to the stores, and even bars!, and collected Table Talk pies.
I would come home with piles of the pies – which I loved and is still my favorite today.
As far as I remember, no one did anything for Abe’s birthday 🙁
I have mentioned this quirky event to several others and nobody has heard of giving away cherry pies like this on any holiday.
But everyone I’ve asked wishes that it still happened!
Feb 15
So far, Tom has filled in the cracks that appeared during shipping and has sanded everything down, getting ready for painting.
We’ve decided on a bright blue to match my car and a yellow roof (to make it Cushing’s colors!)
I’ve ordered stamps for the insides of the books, pencils with our motto (Take a Book ~ Return a Book).
Some of our books will also be part of BookCrossing. If you don’t know what that is, here’s more info: http://www.bookcrossing.com/about
I’ll keep you posted with more info as the construction continues, getting read for the Grand Opening!
Cushing’s Music and Local Events