Category: What Day is it?

Ground hog day

January 31, 2024

Yes, February second is just around the corner. Most of us just ignore the note on the calendar. There are no sales on Amazon, Penney’s, or Kohls. We do not have the day off from our jobs unless we schedule vacation. What is there to say or write about this stupid holiday?

I want to promote traditional meals like Easter, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Chanuka. We do receive time off for some of these festivals. We still put together a big meal for our families. They are full of traditional dishes from our cultures that have been passed down for weeks, months, or even years. Some are traditions spanning over ten years.

This year it falls on a Friday. Your family may want to celebrate on Saturday or Sunday. Be like the Reagans from the “Blue Bloods” show and have a Sunday dinner for once. They do it every week and someone is almost always called during the meal. Your group does not have to solve a murder, a terrorist crisis, or even the New York Times crossword puzzle.

Eggs are for Easter, barbeque is for Independence Day, turkey for Thanksgiving, and green beer is served on St. Patrick’s Day. What could we possibly serve for Groundhog’s Day? When my children were young, I served sausage on a Saturday that was designated on the calendar as this neglected holiday. I informed them that we would begin this special day by eating the ground hog.

They were not reading my words. They thought I said groundhog. No space between two words. I continue this tradition when I can. This year I decided that instead of promoting what the politicians are trying to shove down our throats I wanted to encourage the hog farmers to keep up the good work. They have a legitimate reason for slinging slop.

At some point on Groundhog Day weekend serve your favorite kind of ground hog. It can be links, patties, Italian sausage on a pizza, or any other form of ground pork in whatever recipe your family enjoys. For those of you in the northern states that have never heard of it you could even serve biscuits with sausage gravy. I remember asking for them in a hotel restaurant in Philadelphia one morning and the waitress looked at me like I was crazy.

That may have been justified because some know I am crazy. She had just met me and had no other clue about my mental status. Family recipes can be used to enhance any celebration. Do you have a breakfast casserole recipe that you use for Christmas which includes sausage? This is the perfect time to serve it for lunch or dinner.

I know some of my readers may wonder why I am having fun with this whimsical holiday. I enjoy trying to be funny when I write. It is difficult to insert humor when you are speaking of serious subjects. I have the most fun when I can sound ridiculous in what is a truly outrageous column. Join me on the second of February with possibly your first Groundhog Day ground hog feast. Enjoy.

 ©Copyright 2024 by Charles Kensinger

It’s not a Groundhog Day

February 1, 2023

Remember the movie “Groundhog Day” with Bill Murray? His day just repeats and repeats. In the book, there are many more days in the cycle than we see in the film. He has enough time to learn to play the piano, create ice sculptures, study French, and conquer the Heimlich maneuver.

What would you do if you had unlimited days and knew what would take place every twenty-four hours? I think I would do like Phil does and go insane at first. Once I determined that nothing would change, I would concentrate on one thing at a time. The last scene shows how he has changed during the years he has been stuck.

We all have things that we can improve on. I may not be as self-centered as Phil Connors. I could work on my interpersonal skills. I could learn to play the piano better. I have never carved an ice sculpture or performed the Heimlich Maneuver. I would like to give them a try.

What personal changes do you need to make? Are you a jerk? Are you prideful? Do you hit on women, or men, incessantly? Is your life full of sarcasm and nastiness? Do you need a change?

Let’s look at what we can learn from this spiritual video. Life can be full of the same old stuff, or we can work to change things for the better. It is our turn to be the one that hates everything and everybody, we can run from them, or we can do as our lead character does and begin serving others.

Set a goal. Remember my column from the first of January? Don’t worry if the resolution you made for this year has already fallen by the wayside. Pick it up again and be ready to continue as often as you must.

Life is not the same all the time. Look for ways to help others. Make this a great winter no matter how long it may last.

©Copyright 2023 by Charles Kensinger

I do not like snakes

February 1, 2023

One of my favorite songs by Jim Stafford is “I don’t like Spiders and Snakes.” I know, it is another old song. Today is National Serpent Day. I don’t like snakes as pets. They are fine outside in our yard. I thought I might share some snake stories with you.

We had a part beagle dog that was very unusual. She was an outdoor dog, and her name was Trixey. As I said, she was part beagle. We did not train her as a hunting dog. One day, Cindy, my wife asked me to come and look out into the yard. Our dog was standing, looking at the yard next door. Her gaze was focused on a brush pile.

My wife asked what she was doing. My response was that she was set to point. Those who have seen hunting dogs being put through their paces, know this stance. When a hound senses their prey, they stop, the nose goes out, they raise one front paw, and their tail stiffens to make them an arrow pointing the hunter to where the game is.

This is what Trixey did. After the first time we saw it, we often saw her set to point always at the same neighbor’s yard. Later we saw foxes and other animals over there. She knew what she was doing.

Another interesting habit she had was playing with snakes. She would find them sunning themselves in the yard and pick them up. When a dog picks something up, they use their mouth. This beagle would grab them midsection and shake her head violently. Then she would drop them.

This game continued if the snake started to move after it was dropped. They tried to wait her out. That did not happen. She was into the game. Trixey could lay on the ground and quietly outwait them. She was good. The play ended when the snake did not ever move again.

That was where she left her playmate. My wife was afraid she would be bitten. If that ever happened, we never saw or heard it. One day Cindy was the one we heard. She was carrying the laundry basket and she saw a snake. I gave it a kick and it did not move. That ended the fun for Cindy.

Snakes are important in our world. They have their place. They eat bugs and small animals. This is a good thing when they live in your yard or garden. I was the assistant livestock manager for a pet wholesaler. We supplied pet stores with products. Two big sellers were white mice and baby rats.

We bred these and it was my job to go in and feed everything on the weekends. We called these feeder stock because they were used to feed snakes and other reptiles. It’s the cycle of life. I have also worked with some snakes in my career. Those are different kinds of snakes, and those stories are for another day.

©Copyright 2023 by Charles Kensinger