February is National Bird Feeding Month. If you feed them, they will come. Mid-winter is a tough time for backyard birds. Snow often covers their food source, while at the same time food supplies are dwindling. A reliable high-energy supply of bird seed is essential, to provide the energy your backyard birds need to survive the long-lasting extreme cold in February.

People of all ages participate in bird watching and bird feeding. About one-third of the U.S. adult population feeds wild birds in their backyards. The percentage is much higher for seniors.

Many national and local bird support groups actively support National Bird Feeding Month. This includes the National Bird-Feeding Society (NBFS) and the Wild Bird Centers of America.

It is easy to participate in this month-long event. If you haven’t hung up your bird feeder yet, what are you waiting for? If you don’t have a bird feeder, what are you waiting for? Purchase a feeder and bird seed. Then, hang it up today. Your backyard birds will entertain and reward you, as they feed from your feeder.

Bird Feeding Tip: If you are new at bird watching and bird feeding, hang the feeder in a strategic location outside your living room window. Then, you can watch them all day from the comfort of your chair or sofa.

Today is Make a Friend Day, a February 11 holiday. Do you have enough buddies? The answer should be no. No matter how many besties we have, more of them increases our wealth. That’s because they are one of life’s valuable assets. ‘Ya just can’t have too many of them. And perhaps best of all, you get to choose who you want as a friend.

Make a Friend Day is a great opportunity to meet someone new or do something to make a new pal. Making a new friend can be easier to do than you think. There must be a gazillion ways to make new ones. It often helps by smiling and just being friendly or helpful.

Spend this special day just being friendly and doing special or nice things for others.

Oh, by the way… I hope that you will be my bestie!

Song of the Day: You’ve got a Friend, by singer-songwriter James Taylor

Love Your Pet Day, a February 20 holiday, is a day to spend time with your pet, and to pamper it. People just love their pets, and today is an easy excuse to spend time with them and give them special treatment. Give them lots of love and attention today. Your pet loves attention and will have a good time with you, regardless of how you choose to enjoy this day with him.

A pet is any animal that gives you comfort and or enjoyment. When we think of the ideal pet, we usually think about a fog or a cat. However, almost any animal can be a good pet. Some others include birds, pigs, rabbits, fish, turtles, snakes, and more. Then, if you want a pet that is low maintenance and easy to lease, try a pet rock or a chia pet.

Interestingly, Ecard companies have a wide choice of cards for today. There are many cards to send to pet owners to make them smile and feel good. However, we did not find a single Ecard to be sent to the pet. ……..hmmm.

Today is National Lost Penny Day! On this February 12 holiday, you can make a few pennies, by seeking out lost pennies, of which there are probably quite a few in the nooks and crannies of your home. An individual penny may not have a lot of monetary value these days. However, finding a penny is a sign of good luck. Go on a hunt for lost pennies today. Then, pile up some good fortune.

Heads or Tails? For the superstitious among us, finding a penny on the ground “heads up” will bring you good luck. However, if it’s “tails up”, picking it up brings bad luck.

Benjamin Franklin designed the first U.S. penny. The U.S. produced the first pennies in 1787. Since then, billions of pennies have been minted and put into circulation. In 1909, the penny became the first coin to bear a president’s image. It was first released on February 12, 1909, to commemorate Abraham Lincoln’s 100th birthday.

Have a happy and prosperous National Lost Penny Day!!

Hey, today is everything it’s quacked up to be. Lame Duck Day, a February 6 holiday, is set aside to give recognition to people whose tenure in a position is running out. Very likely they are easing into retirement and a new lifestyle. You sometimes can identify them sitting back and reading the paper on an otherwise busy workday.

Okay, so you are probably thinking that a “lame duck” is a duck with some sort of injury. If only that were the reason for today! Rather, a human “Lame Duck” is a person who is in a position of some kind, and will soon be “shown the door”. The best example is an incumbent politician who is finishing his last term or had lost in the November elections. Outgoing politicians remain in office until the beginning of January. The term also applies to leaders, managers, etc., who are retiring or whose term of office is up.

A person becomes a lame duck the minute he announces his retirement or loses an election in November. He remains so until the day he leaves his position, and the “new guy” takes over. During the interim period, Lame Ducks are usually far less effective, and frequently ineffective. After all, loyalties will soon shift. It’s all but impossible to rally the troops to one take on more cause or project. The lame duck will soon be flying the coop, trading a briefcase for a suitcase.

The 20th amendment addressed presidential succession. And, it shortened the time between a politician being elected and when he or she takes office. Now there’s a lame duck issue if I’ve ever heard one.

Today is Kite Flying Day. On this February 8 holiday, we hope the weather is good enough in your area to go fly one. Flying them is a lot of fun for people of all ages. People have enjoyed flying them for thousands of years. It’s an ever-popular activity for children and enjoyed by many adults.  

Ben Franklin was perhaps the most well-known kite aficionado. He flew a kite in a thunderstorm and discovered electricity. You can say he got a charge out of flying them!

We are amazed that Kite Flying Day is held in the middle of winter. Chances are few people in the northern areas of the country will brave the snow and cold today to go outdoors and fly a kite. There is strong evidence suggesting this holiday began in South America where it is summer kite flying weather.

Did you know? Kites were first used by the military in ancient China over 3,000 years ago. It is unknown when people began flying them for fun.

If the weather is good in your area, we have one thing to say to you… Go fly a Kite!

Song of the Day: “Let’s Go Fly a Kite”, from the movie Mary Poppins.

Today is International Eat Ice Cream for Breakfast Day. Can you think of anything better to have for breakfast? Me neither. So, leave the cereal in the cupboard. Mom, don’t bother making pancakes or French toast. The family won’t eat it today. Just bring out the ice cream, chocolate fudge, whipped cream, and all of the toppings to make a huge sundae. It’s going to be memorable, make that historic breakfast that the kids will ask for over and over again. 

It’s mid-winter. The snow and cold seem like they will never come to an end. Spring seems so far away. Stuck in a mid-winter funk, and suffering from cabin fever, it’s time to do something, weird, odd, and quirky.

 To get the full excitement about this special day, tell the kids what’s gonna happen a few days before it arrives. The eager anticipation will lift their spirits and help to make winter go by just a little quicker. 

So, who’s ready to eat ice cream for breakfast!!!    ….YEAHHHHH!!!!!!!!

Goody gumdrops, today is a great holiday. It is National Gumdrop Day, a February 15 holiday, honors the popular, gelatin-based, sugar-coated candy.  They are fruit or spice flavored. They are made into a wide variety of shapes.  Gumdrops have been a favorite candy for many decades. Nowadays, the “Gummi” candies which are the same gelatin base, are the most popular gumdrop type of sweet.

On National Gumdrop Day, you know what to do… eat Gumdrops to your heart’s content! 

Did You Know? There are vegan and non-vegan gumdrops. Vegan ones do not contain gelatin.

 Test your Knowledge: Quiz: What children’s board game includes Gumdrops? For the answer, scroll down.

Do a Grouch a Favor Day is today. On this February 16 holiday, make a grouch exceptionally miserable by helping him out. today. Do him or her a favor and make the world a better place.

Everyone has been a grouch at one time or another. Some people are seemingly grouchy all of the time. It’s in their nature. Others are occasional grouches, influenced by events in their lives, lack of sleep, the weather, etc. A few people are good at disguising their grouchy moods. But, they still need cheering up.

 Look around for someone who is in a grouchy mood today. Then, do him or her a favor that will cheer up their day. There are plenty of grouches out there to practice on. Try it on all of the grouches that you see today, and watch the results!

National Frozen Yogurt Day and International Frozen Yogurt Day are two interrelated holidays. Yogurt is a great, healthy, and tasty treat. So, we are ecstatic that there are two days to celebrate it. But, don’t limit your consumption of frozen yogurt to just two days a year. Eat it as often as you can as it is healthy for you!

You know what to do, to celebrate both frozen yogurt days. International Frozen Yogurt Day, as its name implies, is the broader of the two holidays. Everyone around the world can partake in a dish or cone of their favorite flavor of frozen yogurt. Froyo yogurt shops are in many countries around the world. They strongly promote this day, offering free yogurt samples and discounts. Froyo uses this day to come out with new yogurt flavors and toppings. Not to be outdone, many other retail outlets that sell frozen yogurt, have their promotions on this day.

National Frozen Yogurt Day, may sound more limiting, and apply to just one country (presumably the U.S.). But, who is to stop anyone, wherever they are, from enjoying delicious yogurt on this day?

Did You Know? Just a few years ago, there were two National Frozen Yogurt days on the calendar. And, there was almost a third day created to celebrate frozen yogurt. Want to know more? Read on…