The Squid Calendar

Today is National S’mores Day!!! But, come one, who needs a holiday to enjoy this extraordinary delight which could only have been invented by a true culinary genius. The graham cracker – the chocolate – the freshly roasted marshmallow. Pure heaven!

Check out National S’mores Day by MsSnow4a.

Today is July 13, Barbershop Music Appreciation Day!  I love barbershop music.  I love it in its purest and most kitschiest form (four guys in stripes and flat hats singing Glow Worm), and in more modern twists.

Barbershop Harmony! by tenger

By the way, today is also Embrace Your Geekness Day, so here is a video that fulfills both.  (Yeah, my geekness is screaming that it should say geekiness too, but it’s doesn’t so get over it.)

Today is National Pecan Pie Day! How sweet is that?!

Pecan Pie.

Say it again. Slower. Now say it like Billy Crystal in When Harry Met Sally. Okay you’ve got it!

So now grab a hold of this Pecan Pie Recipe by The-Cooking-Mom, and start cooking!

Photo by museinthecity used with permission under CC 2.0.

Today is World Population Day.  Today we need to think for a bit on how the rise in population is effecting the earth and how we plan to provide for the masses.  We need to consider what changes we need to make now, so that we don’t overpopulate it.

Learn more about World Population Day.

I tried to find an amazing lens that addresses these issues, but could not find anything that fully satisfied me.  So instead, I’d like to introduce a great lens that takes a look at the world population and breaks it down so you can gain a better perspective on its composition. Are any of the statistics surprising to you?  If The World Were A Village of 1000 People… by lisadh

Photo by Markusram used by permission CC 2.0

On July 10, 1890, Wyoming became the 44th state admitted into the United States of America.  With it’s name derived from a Delaware Indian word meaning “land of vast plains”, Wyoming is a beautiful area.

Check out Wyoming’s Devils Tower by bethd821

Frida Kahlo, a Mexican artist, was born on July 6, 1907.  Frida is known for her self portraits. Her paintings are bright and bold and often surreal. A bus accident put Frida in great physical pain, and caused her physical problems which continued her entire life.  Her tumultuous marriage to Mexican artist, Diego Rivera, also greatly influenced her art.

Learn more at nina_kuriloff’s page: Frida Kahlo, extraordinary female Mexican Painter.

Also check out Frida Kahlo Jewelry and Clothing by babygirlboutique.

Photo is of The Two Fridas by Frida Kahlo

Today begins the 36th G8 summit held in Huntsville, Ontario in the heart of Muskoka.  The G8 Summit is a gathering of the leaders of France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, the United States and Canada, and Russia. The theme for this year’s summit is “Recovery and New Beginning”.

Is there still a need for the G-8 or should the G-20 just take over as the forum for the world’s agenda? The G20 summit includes the leaders from these countries, plus those of guest countries: Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Mexico, South Korea, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Turkey, United Kingdom, United States.

June is African-American Music Appreciation Month. African American musicians have shaped what music is today. Countless amazing artists have pushed music forward and created genre after genre of music, over the past 200 years. I would venture to even say that nearly all music made today in America has been influenced in some way by African American music. Read Obama’s official proclamation of African-American Music Appreciation Month

I wouldn’t even know where to start if I looked back at all the black musicians that have made an impact on me, so instead I’ll stick with a few current, less mainstream, artists:

Janelle Monae – A Cybergirl by BettyBroke
The Best Neo Soul Music by LivingInParis
Laura Izibor by Mazzer

Who is your favorite black musician? Feel free to leave a link to a lens on your favorite African American musician.

Today is the first day of summer. It is the Summer Solstice. After today the days start getting shorter – at least for those of us in the northern hemisphere.

Here are a few pages on the Summer Solstice as a pagan holiday:

Pagan Holidays – Summer Solstice by PJ_Deneen

Litha-Summer Solstice Sabbat by WhiteOak50

(Photo by thegarethwiscombe used with permission under CC 2.0.)

Happy Father’s Day to all those Dads out there.  Today is we honor Fathers.  We honor fathers, grandfathers, adopted fathers, step-fathers,  single fathers, expecting fathers, and men who “father” by mentoring and caring for the next generation.

Here are some tributes to Dad:
My Dad, My Hero by Heather426
Memories of Daddy by Rokusan
I love you Dad by aj2008
Ode to Dad by Wizard-Morton
The Story of A Vietnam Veteran by Jewelsofawe
My Dad-My Hero by mbgphoto
My Father – In Memoriam by Stazjia
Photographs Of My Father by CDT
I Love My Dad by Carmel_Aaron
A Dedication To My Dad by Ladymermaid
How I found my Dad by JanTUB

If you have a lens about your Dad, feel free to leave a link below.

Photo by Jon Ovington used by permission under CC 2.0.