Conversation 25

NATIONAL MOVIE NIGHT
Pop some popcorn, grab a blanket and your favorite buddy, put away the cell phones and tablets, and then queue up a string of movies for a fun night of entertainment. National Movie Night on the second Friday in June encourages us to start (or restart) a tradition of movie nights with friends and family.

Movies have been bringing people together for over 100 years. The stars, the stories entertain us, connect us and help us create memories. As technology evolves, so does how we enjoy our movie nights. From the theater to reel-to-reel home movies, the VCR, DVD, and streaming, we’ve been enjoying movies on big and small screens. Drive-in movies invited us to enjoy films from the comfort of our cars. Today, our video library is as large as we want it to be thanks to streaming services. We can even enjoy movies in our own backyards projected onto screens under the stars.

Can you smell the popcorn popping? Start your tradition with friends and family on National Movie Night with new and classic movies at the theatre or in your homes.

ARMY BIRTHDAY

Every year on June 14 we celebrate the birthday of the United States Army. Let’s tip our hats and raise a glass to the military branch that was born in 1775.

Formed from amateur troops of volunteer soldiers defending colonies against British tyranny, the oldest military force in the United States began before the U.S. formally existed. Their forces consisted of mostly inexperienced militiamen commanded by independent colonial armies. According to battlefields.org, there were never more than 48,000 Continental soldiers at one time. Today, the United States Army consists of over 1 million active-duty service members and an additional 800,000 Army National Guard and Reserve members.

The enduring history of the U.S. Army means they have been integral to many of the United State’s military, peace-keeping and humanitarian efforts. During the Army’s Birthday, these and many advancements will be recognized through events and ceremonies.

NATIONAL CUCUMBER DAY

Today is June 14 and National Cucumber Day at National Day Calendar and we are enjoying fresh cucumbers all day long! Join us as we crunch on this crisp summer favorite and enjoy the fruits of summer.

You can almost taste the crisp, watery goodness of a cucumber during the summer months. With fresh fruits and vegetables at our fingertips, we feel very little guilt indulging in this salad favorite. Whether we grow them in our garden or purchase them at a local farmers market, we love the freshness a cucumber adds to our diets.

Most people think cucumbers are a vegetable. In fact, they are actually a fruit in the watermelon family Cucurbitaceae. Cucumbers are normally a long and have a cylindrical shape, and are grown in different sizes. There are also around 100 different types of cucumbers around the world.

NATIONAL STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKE DAY

National Strawberry Shortcake Day on June 14 lands at the peak of strawberry season. While we are able to get strawberries all year long now, the best strawberries are those picked from April to June. These bright red berries during this time are sweeter and more flavorful. By adding them to a shortcake biscuit or a sponge cake, strawberry shortcake is an easy and refreshing summertime dessert!

Strawberry shortcake can be found as far back as 1588 in England. However, it wasn’t until the 1800s strawberry shortcake made its way to the U.S. Eliza Leslie of Philadelphia receives credit for the first recipe for strawberry shortcake in her cookbook The Lady’s Receipt-Book. Though she referred to them as “strawberry cakes,” her recipe was used to popularize this delicious dessert in homes.

By the late 1850s, Americans began adding a strawberry sauce with slices of fresh strawberries to the top of their shortcakes. The dessert was a June favorite because many people would celebrate their strawberry harvest with strawberry shortcake parties. This tradition is still celebrated across the country today.

Today, strawberries are sliced, mixed with sugar then allowed to sit for about an hour until they have surrendered plenty of their juices. The shortcakes are then split, and the bottom is covered with a layer of the strawberries, juice and whipped cream. The top is then put back on, and more strawberries, juice and whipped cream are added to finish it off.

I Believe I Can Fly

I used to think that I could not go on
And life was nothing but an awful song
But now I know the meaning of true love
I’m leaning on the everlasting arms
If I can see it, then I can do it
If I just believe it, there’s nothing to it
I believe I can fly
I believe I can touch the sky
I think about it every night and day
Spread my wings and fly away
I believe I can soar
I see me running through that open door
I believe I can fly
I believe I can fly
I believe I can fly (woo)
See I was on the verge of breaking down
Sometimes silence can seem so loud
There are miracles in life I must achieve
But first I know it starts inside of me
If I can see it, then I can be it
If I just believe it, there’s nothing to it
I believe I can fly
I believe I can touch the sky
I think about it every night and day
Spread wings and fly away
I believe I can soar
I see me running through that open door
I believe I can fly
I believe I can fly
I believe I can fly (woo!)
Hey, ’cause I believe in you
Oh
If I can see it (woo!), then I can do it (I can do it)
If I just believe it, there’s nothing to it (hey)
I believe I can fly (woo!)
I believe I can touch the sky
I think about it every night and day
Spread my wings and fly away
I believe I can soar
I see me running through that open door
I believe I can fly (I can fly)
I believe I can fly (I can fly)
I believe I can fly (I can fly)
If I just spread my wings (I can fly)
I can fly (I can fly)
I can fly (I can fly)
I can fly (I can fly)
If I just spread my wings (I can fly)
I can fly (I can fly, I can fly)
Woo (I can fly)
Hm-mm… fly, fly, fly

@shoelady60,

Good evening please take it easy and I am glad you are not cooking a lot.

Enjoy the Stanley Cup if you can stay up. 😎💕

Here you have been so good. 😎

@taci,

Good evening I will visit my father’s gravesite this Father’s Day. I want to put fresh flowers
out and perhaps talk a bit to him. 😘💕

Some days are harder than others when it comes to our parents. 💕

Your hike sounds wonderful. Oz has places but you really have to drive a distance
for what you really want to see and do.

All good I enjoy my long walks storm is coming this way I wonder what it will bring.

@oodiebom,

The part not far from you sounds so charming I would love to shop and walk around
a place like that. I love your markets too.

OZ may be in for a storm tonight watching the Telly and I hope nothing blows away.

I am going to jump in the shower I can see lightning in my security camera.

Oodie be careful driving in all that rain if you are near it. The weather people say OZ will
be cooler tomorrow I just worry about the animals. I have A/C and I will be fine.

Sweet Dreams. 💕

@xango,

Good evening I am feeling much better very warm evening in OZ. 😎🎈
Xango I am so glad to see you post. I am sure rain is coming good and plenty.

Glad the bunnies are back I have seen a few with the critters I have I hope they are safe.
I buy baby carrots for them and they love them. 💕Poppy is so jealous of the cats. LOL!

I am going to jump into a Perlier Shower we are super humid and hot here.

Rest well.