Got gifts yet? Better hurry. Here are some ideas for you to consider for the graduate in your life.
Pencils ready… Go!
Source: @ Keenagers News©
Graduation Gifts Word Search
Category: Traditions and Holidays
Memorial Day 2022
Memorial Day is celebrated in the United States each May to remember and honor military men and women who died while serving in the nation’s armed forces. This differs from Veterans Day, which is celebrated in September to honor everyone who served in the U.S. military, whether or not they died in service. From 1868 through 1970, Memorial Day was celebrated on May 30th each year. Since then, the official national Memorial Day holiday is traditionally celebrated on the last Monday in May.
Memorial Day began as a tribute to Civil War dead, and it was not until after World War I that the day was expanded to honor those who have died in all American wars. The origins of special services to honor those who die in war can be found in antiquity. The Athenian leader Pericles offered a tribute to the fallen heroes of the Peloponnesian War over 24 centuries ago that could be applied today to the 1.1 million Americans who have died in the nation’s wars: “Not only are they commemorated by columns and inscriptions, but there dwells also an unwritten memorial of them, graven not on stone but in the hearts of men.” What a fitting reminder to all of us to learn about and tell the stories of our military ancestors who died in service.
Peace to you and happy memories on this Memorial Day.
Article By Kimberly Powell for The ThoughtCo.com
Where Americans Rest in Peace
The Normandy American Cemetery on a bluff overlooking Omaha Beach — the one featured so powerfully in “Saving Private Ryan” — is the most well-known and most visited ABMC cemetery.
But it’s one of only 25 monuments and cemeteries in France alone, and hardly the largest, among a global network of fields honoring America’s war dead.
The ABMC manages 26 beautifully manicured cemeteries around the world, located in Belgium, France, Italy, Luxembourg, Mexico, Netherlands, Panama, Philippines, Tunisia and the United Kingdom — plus an additional 32 war monuments as far away as the Marianas Islands and New Zealand. (ABMC)
Robert Dalessandro lives by the motto: “Time will not dim the glory of their deeds.”
The former U.S. Army officer — a historian, author and Gulf War veteran — is the deputy secretary and leader of the American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC). He and his team around the world are responsible for preserving the memory of more than 200,000 American men and women either killed or missing in action in wars overseas.
“I believe we have the most sacred mission of any government agency,” Dalessandro, 63, said in an interview this week with Fox News Digital.
The ABMC, headquartered in Arlington, Va., outside Washington, D.C., has been preparing this week for Memorial Day ceremonies at 26 American military cemeteries around the world, from France to the Philippines.
Fewer than 1,600 Americans, mostly from World War I, rest at the small Suresnes American Cemetery.
It stands on a hill that offers sweeping views of Paris below and the Eiffel Tower in the distance.
The largest ABMC cemetery is in the Philippines, on a crest overlooking the skyline of Manila.
There rests 16,859 military dead who were killed in the Pacific in World War II. The cemetery also honors 36,286 individuals missing in action.
Dalessandro’s organization also cares for cemeteries in Belgium, Italy, Luxembourg, Mexico, Netherlands, Panama, Tunisia and the United Kingdom. Each is hauntingly beautiful.
The ABMC was created in 1923, in the aftermath of the slaughter of World War I, in which 117,000 Americans were killed in just a few short months of combat.
Families whose loved ones were killed in combat were given the option of having the body repatriated to the United States, or having the remains interred, overseas, at an American military cemetery, where they [would] be cared for, in perpetuity, by the United States government.
To the surprise of many, 40% of American families chose to have their sons and daughters buried in Europe.
Gravestones throughout the network contain the remains of men and women who were never identified.
“Every day, we make sure that those cemeteries are perfectly maintained, perfectly operated and ready at any moment for visitation by anyone,” Dalessandro said.
“And we do that to honor those who rest there. It is a tremendous responsibility.
Source: Meet the American who honors the memory of 200,000 fallen war heroes | Fox News
Memorial Day Word Search
The Memorial Day holiday weekend is typically a great reason for people to kickstart their summer with a backyard BBQ, a trip to the beach or a day at the park.
Americans from coast to coast will especially relish some downtime and relaxation this year after struggling in recent times with the coronavirus pandemic, higher crime, economic challenges and very high prices — including for food and for gas — to name just a few issues.
Yet no matter what we do this Memorial Day weekend and on Memorial Day itself, the holiday offers a chance for the solemn remembrance of those who served our country and are no longer here on Earth with us but who are forever in our hearts.
Here is an easy word search to kickstart your 3-day weekend.
Source: Memorial Day Wordsearch, Crossword Puzzle, and More (thoughtco.com)
INTERNATIONAL NURSES DAY LESSON
A salute to those men and women who do so much to keep us healthy.
Nurses do one of the most important jobs in the world. There is a special day for us to celebrate them. International Nurses Day (IND) is on May 12 every year. Of course, this is the anniversary of Florence Nightingale’s birth. On IND, nurses take part in different events to highlight the importance of their work. They give ordinary people a chance to learn about the work they do. Many hospitals and clinics organize fund-raising events to highlight the work of nurses. IND was started in the USA in 1965. The International Council For Nurses decided it was important to have a special day to raise awareness of the important work of nurses. It is also a day for nurses to pat themselves on the back and be proud of doing such a valuable job.
PHRASE MATCH
Match the following phrases from the article.
1. one of the most important a. nurses
2 highlight the importance b. valuable job
3. give ordinary people c. jobs in the world
4. the important work of d. on the back
5. pat themselves e. of their work
6. be proud of doing such a f. a chance to learn
SPELLING
Spell the jumbled words (from the text) correctly.
1. one of the most tipantrmo jobs
2. the vreasnanryi of Florence Nightingale’s birth
3. ghhltighi the importance of their work
4. organize fund-raising nsvtee
5. pat evesmhetsl on the back
6. doing such a aueblval job
It’s easy to check your answers. Just return to the reading and check them out.
Thanks to ESL Holiday Lessons: English Lesson on International Nurses Day
Mother’s Day 2022
Hope you are having the BEST Mother’s Day ever!
Celebrating Mothers and Fathers Word Search I
So what’s so special about Mothers and fathers again? Here’s what:
Thanks to Keenager News & Rose’s Word Search
Plant A Tea Garden For Mom!
Make a little extra room in your garden or a few flower pots and build your herbal tea garden with these easy tips.
How do you like your tea? Hot with milk and honey? Iced with a little bit of lemon and sugar? Made only with the infusing powers of the sun? Whichever way you like to drink your tea, having your favorite herbs on hand is a sure way to create a delightful drink any time of year. And what better way to ensure a storehouse of wholesome herbal teas than to grow your own? Make a little extra room in your garden or a few flower pots and build your herbal tea garden with these easy tips.
Chamomile
Chamomile, one of the most popular tea herbs, is simple to grow and looks beautiful in a garden or window box. Its pretty daisy-looking flowers have a sweet apple-like aroma that is good for attracting bees. There are two main kinds of chamomile that folks grow. German chamomile, an annual that can grow up to two feet tall, and Roman chamomile, a perennial that grows to be about 4–12 inches tall. Because Roman chamomile grows out, rather than up, it makes an attractive and effective ground cover. Both varieties can be used for tea.
Like many other herbs, chamomile loves full sunlight and prefers well-drained soil. Chamomile will grow just about anywhere but does not like very hot temperatures (above 98 degrees) for very long. If chamomile is prepared as an infusion, it can to help to calm the nerves and relieve stomach upsets. It can also be used to help relieve colic in small children. To use chamomile for tea, harvest the flowers early in the morning, when young and just opening. Deadhead often to promote constant blooms. If growing the perennial kind, cut it back in the fall to prevent woodiness next season and cover it with mulch to protect it from winter weather. To make tea, steep about 1 tablespoon of fresh flower heads — or 2 teaspoons, if dried — in one cup of boiling water. Steep the blossoms for five to ten minutes. Sip and relax!
Lemon Balm
Known as the “heart’s delight” in southern Europe, and used medicinally by the Greeks nearly 2,000 years ago, lemon balm makes a soothing hot tea or a cooling tea sweetened with honey. Lemon balm, like many other plants in the mint family, is easy to grow just about anywhere. Caution, though, lemon balm will spread! If you are planning to grow it in your own garden you may want to keep it contained in a small planter box or a pot buried in the ground. It can also grow in a pot aboveground. If growing in a pot, make sure to prune often so its leaf stock matches the rootstock.
Lemon balm prefers full sun with some midday shade and grows well in moist soil. Lemon balm leaves can be harvested anytime, but the flavor tends to be best right when flowers begin to open. For a tea, infuse a few leaves in boiling water and let steep for 2-5 minutes. Cool tea and honey for sweetener (add honey when the tea is still hot). Similarly to chamomile, lemon balm helps calm the nerves and uplift the spirit. It is also used to provide relief from bronchial systems, colds, and headaches.
Lavender
An herb with a beautiful and fresh scent, lavender has a number of uses beyond herbal tea. It can be used an insect-repellent, added to bathwater, stitched into pillows and spread throughout a garden to create a lovely purple haze across the landscape. There are many varieties of lavender to choose from, the most popular being lavender officinalis and lavender spica. All lavender prefer similar growing conditions. A sunny open area for growing helps to discourage fungus and lets lavender grow tall freely. Your soil will need to be very well drained, perhaps even bordering on sandy. Some lime content also helps.
To Grow Lavender:
Lavender can be grown in containers but tends to do better in a garden space. Seeds should be sown in late summer or autumn. You can divide and plant in the autumn, as well. To harvest, gather flowering stems just as the flowers begin to open. Leaves can be picked at any time. To make a tea, infuse about 2 tablespoons of fresh flowers —or 4 teaspoons dried—into boiling water and steep 2- 5minutes. Lavender tea is helpful for soothing headaches, calming nerves, and for preventing fainting and dizziness.
by Sherie Blumenthal for farmersalmanac.com
Dessert’s for Mother’s Day
If you’re planning a Mother’s Day celebration, you’ll definitely want to include one of these decadent desserts. You’re sure to find something in this huge collection of dessert recipes that’s perfect for the woman in your life.
Mini No-Bake Blackberry Lemon Cheesecakes
Chocolate Cake with Raspberry Buttercream
Banana Split Parfaits
Decadent Brownie Pie
Click here to see more fabulous desserts brought to you by Danelle of Let’s Dish:
Thanks to Danelle.
Source: Decadent Brownie Pie — Let’s Dish Recipes (letsdishrecipes.com)
Cinco de Mayo 2022
Today marks the 160th anniversary of Cinco de Mayo. While it’s a relatively minor holiday in Mexico, the annual fiesta is an excuse in the United States to indulge in margaritas, cervezas (beer), guacamole and tacos.
Many people tend to confuse Cinco de Mayo with “Día de la Independencia,” or Mexico’s independence day. That holiday, also known as “El Grito de la Independencia,” is actually observed on Sept. 16, when Mexico celebrates its independence from Spain.
In Mexico, Cinco de Mayo is not a celebration but a day of remembrance, commemorating Mexico’s victory over the French during the 1862 Battle of Puebla. An outnumbered Mexican army — led by Ignacio Zaragoza, a 33-year-old Texan from Goliad — defeated the invading French forces at the small town of Puebla de Los Angeles during the Franco-Mexico War.
The retreat of the French troops represented a great victory for the people of Mexico, symbolizing the country’s ability to defend its sovereignty against a powerful foreign nation.
Source: What Is Cinco de Mayo and Why Is It Celebrated? – NBC New York