Walk out to your garden. Roll out your meditation mat, and assume a yoga position, as today is Garden Meditation Day. You and your plants are going to do some serious bonding on this May 3 holiday.

Every gardener knows that gardening is good for the mind, body, and soul. It is also known that meditation gives us inner peace and tranquility. It helps us to connect with ourselves, and even with nature. So, Garden Meditation Day is an outstanding merging of the values and benefits of gardening and meditation.

Per C.L, Fornari, the creator of this special day:

“Garden meditation day honors the fact that when we’re working in the landscape we have the opportunity if we choose to take it, to let the rest of the world fall away. This is indeed what meditation is: letting go of all thoughts, concerns, and worries and focusing on just one thing…in this case, what we’re doing in the garden. It is as calming as a mantra or focusing on the breath, to name two common forms of meditation. So those who seek a spiritual retreat, a calming yoga experience, actually have that in their backyards!”

For those of us who are already gardeners, we know this feeling full well. For those of you yet to try your hand at gardening, use today to find the joy, peace, serenity, and therapeutic value of gardening. You’ll be glad you did.

Looking for topics to meditate? Ponder these Garden Quotes and Sayings.

Frog Jumping Day is a great day to jump like a frog. Or, is today intended to jump “over” one? Either way, this May 13 holiday is certain to be a fun day. But, is this truly the reason for this day?  Read on………

The roots of this holiday goes back to Mark Twain’s first short story. It was first published in 1865 as “Jim Smiley and His Jumping Frog”. Later, he published it as “The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County”. It is also known under a third title “The Notorious Jumping Frog of Calaveras County”.

While we have discovered many links and references to Frog Jumping Day evolving from this Mark Twain short story, we have yet to discover the reason for this particular date. May 13th is neither the date of Mark Twain’s birth, nor his death.

Calling all nerds, geeks, and comic book aficionados. Today is Free Comic Book Day. They are not just for kids. Many adults frequently follow comic book characters. As a result, they regularly purchase them when a new issue is published. And, publishers are happy to produce new issues on a frequent basis.

Who says you can’t get something for nothing? On this very special day, comic book stores all over the country hand out specially printed copies of comic books. Some comic book stores take it a step further, setting up shelves of free comic books, with no strings attached. Take one or take several, and you don’t owe the store anything. Of course, comic book stores are trying to hook you into the fun world of comic books, so you come back and buy new editions over and over again. Occasionally, stores will also hand out other freebies, memorabilia, posters, etc.

 Free Comic Book Day, taking place on the first Saturday of May is an annual promotional effort by the North American Comic Book industry to help bring new readers into independent comic book stores. At last count, over 2,000 retailers in 30 countries participate in this fun-filled day.

Tip: Not all comic book stores participate in this day. Inquire before you go.

Fatigue Syndrome Day is quite a tiring day. Just thinking about this day makes me tired. As this May 12 holiday nears, I get more and more tired each day. I can’t wait for it to be over. As a matter of fact, I think I’ll take a nap and sleep this day away.

Today recognize the fact that sometimes life is just too tiring. Perhaps you’re tired because you are not getting enough sleep. Perhaps, you’re stressed out. Some people experience chronic fatigue from worrying, or due to problems. These are all common causes of persistent fatigue. Whatever the cause, use today to identify it, and correct it.

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) is actually a disorder. The major symptoms are feeling tired and weak. Headaches and dizziness may also occur. It’s hard to diagnose, as the symptoms can be caused by many things. If you are always tired perhaps it’s time to visit your general practitioner!? Use today to place that call, and to make an appointment.

Did you Know? Lack of exercise can contribute to fatigue.

It’s National Escargot Day. On this May 24 holiday, let’s go out and eat some snails. It’s considered a delicacy by some. For many others, the thought of feasting on snails is just too yucky. So, you might satisfy your urge to participate in this day by learning more about them.

Escargot Trivia and Fun Facts:

• Snails race around at 0.0004 miles an hour.
• Eating them is good for you. Snails are high in protein and low in fat.
• Growing snails as a food source is called “Heliculture”.
• France is the largest consumers of escargot. They consume over 40,000 metric tons a year.
• The escargot snails we eat are not native to North America. They were brought into the United States in the 1850s.
• Snails are almost blind and do not have hearing organs.

Did You Know? Snails are technically considered mollusks. Therefore, they are classified as seafood.

National Endangered Species Day is a day to raise awareness about the many animals that are on the endangered special list. It is a time of education and action. There are many ways we can help to keep animals from becoming extinct. On this day the Endangered Species Coalition, the National Wildlife Foundation, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Organization and many other conservation groups offer educational programs, seminars, and events, to help us to appreciate the plight of so many animals that are on the Endangered Species List.

The animal kingdom is a very diverse list of creatures that roam the land, sea, and air of our planet. It includes land animals, birds, fish, and sea creatures as well as insects. However, the list of God’s creatures is finite, and the number is decreasing. We all know that the dinosaur and the wooly mammoth have come and gone millions of years ago. In more recent times, we have lost the American Buffalo, Barbary Lion, Great Auk, Carrier pigeon, Blue Whale, and a large range of creatures of all kinds. Much of the lost species are due to the encroachment of humans on animal habitats, as well as environmental destruction and alteration of the animal’s environment. 

The endangered species list is filled with animals of all kinds. It includes different types of elephants, rhinos, orangutans, gorillas ,and leopards. You will find both the giant and red pandas on this list. The list contains dolphins, turtles, penguins,and whales.  Plenty of birds, fish,  and insects have made the endangered species list as well.

What would you like to have to eat today? Okay, great…..health permitting, go ahead and have any and all of your favorite foods and snacks. Because today is Eat What You Want Day. This May 11 holiday is definitely not a day for diets.  It is one single, solitary day in the year to go off your diet and eat something you really enjoy, Today, you can set aside your dietary “No-No” list. Today, you can splurge. Tomorrow, it’s back to the diet. It is important to note that today is not intended to eat as much as you want. Rather, the goal is to eat something you otherwise wouldn’t have. If you are watching carbs or calories, simply keep within your limits by eating just a small amount of that favorite treat.

Caution: People with allergies and/or medical conditions, may not be able to fully participate in this day. Simply said: Do not risk your health to participate in this day.

Don’t Fry Friday is a very important day for you and your skin. It occurs just as the Memorial holiday begins, and at the start of summer. At this time, sunlight is the most intense. People are seeking the sun and the great outdoors after a long winter. The purpose of today is to educate people and to make them aware of the dangers of overexposure to UVA and UVB rays. These UV rays come from the sun, and from popular tanning booths. They are the primary cause of skin cancer.

Very Important: Skin cancer is very treatable and curable if caught early. Unfortunately, early detection does not always occur. If you have even the slightest suspicion, go get checked out by your doctor…. immediately.

A little sunshine is good for you. It provides important vitamin D, and sunshine brightens your mood. It’s overexposure that damages your skin and can result in skin cancer. There’s a better way to get vitamin D, than from the sun. It is readily available as a vitamin supplement in pill form, usually along with Calcium.

Have a safe and happy summer. Follow the motto for skin cancer prevention: ” Slip, Slop, Slap, and Wrap” This means slip on a shirt, slop on the suntan lotion (SPF 30 or higher), slap on a hat, and wrap on the sunglasses. Yes, UV rays can damage your eyes, too. In addition, it is recommended that people stay out of the sun during midday of summer when these harmful UV rays are the most intense.

Did You Know? Over 3.5 million cases of skin non-melanomas are diagnosed each year. And, there are over 76,000 cases of skin melanoma a year, most of which are preventable.  Source: American Cancer Society

Dance Like a Chicken Day is for those who like to do the “Chicken Dance”. And, that’s pretty much all of is, isn’t it? All ‘ya gotta do on this May 14 holiday is dance like a chicken. While any dance song will do, there’s no dance quite like the chicken dance.

It’s a tradition at almost every wedding reception to play and do this dance. It gets people of all ages up dancing and mingling. It puts a smile on everyone’s face. And, it’s not limited to weddings. It is also played at other social events where there is a band and dancing. Kid’s parties are another place to play this song. 

There’s just not enough opportunities to do this dance. Therefore, this holiday exists to provide you with another opportunity to dance like a chicken. So, don’t pass up this priceless opportunity. 

Did You Know? There are more chickens than humans in the world.

Learn About Composting Day is a great opportunity to “Go Green” and help the environment. You don’t have to be a gardener to participate in this holiday. Everyone can get into the act of recycling plant and vegetable matter into rich and valuable soil. If you are not a gardener, you can give compostable materials you have to a gardening friend. It makes you feel good, knowing you are doing your part to keep our environment a little bit cleaner. You may be surprised at how easy it is to compost. And, everyone can do it. Use this May 29 holiday to begin eco-friendly composting.

As you learn about composting today, you will also see the wide array of ways you can compost. You can start a simple compost pile in your backyard. Or, you can select a range of composters, from compost bins and compost barrels to compost tumblers. You can even use an indoor compost pail. More on Composters and Compost Tumblers.