Thank God it’s Monday, again. I always look forward to Mondays, as they’re my 52 Chances a year, in which I get to share Memories of My Mom with you. Therefore, happy Monday, to everyone.
April 11th was National Pet Day. Plus, National Kids and Pets Day is coming on the 26th and National Pet Parents Day is the 27th. [Note: National Love Your Pet Day was on Feb. 20th.] Most pet owners obviously love their pets every day but, as NationalDayCalendar.com explains, “This holiday focuses on giving EXTRA attention to our pets.”
To celebrate these special pet observances, we can do extra things with our pets that we know they’ll enjoy – grooming is always popular; as is going for a long walk or run, playing with them and their favorite toy or getting them a new toy; extra petting, scratching, and cuddling is great, too. Spoil them more than normal and show them how important they are to us.
As usual, these are just more of those “special days” that can and should be observed EVERY day. According to The Psychological And Physical Benefits Of Having A Pet, by Louise B Miller, Ph.D. (PsychologyToday.com; Oct 26, 2020):
“Petting, holding, or cuddling an animal increases the levels of serotonin and dopamine in our bodies, which are feel-good, calming brain chemicals. As a result of these positive chemical changes, our feelings of depression and loneliness may be reduced while our self-esteem and happiness may increase.”
If you don’t have a pet, consider expanding your family by adopting a pet (or just fostering one). If you love pets but simply can’t have any of your own, you can still celebrate in other ways. Walk a neighbor’s dog. Praise your friends’ and family’s pets and show them appreciation. Like humans, pets happily recognize praise and appreciate appreciation.
You can donate food, treats, toys, and/or time to an animal shelter or rescue center. You can also take selfies with others’ pets or shelter animals and promote pet adoption (or fostering) by sharing them on social media platforms.
Milkbone.com offers 8 Ways To Celebrate Love Your Pet Day. Likewise, HolidayInsights.com suggests 9 ways to observe Love Your Pet Day. And, similarly, Chewy.com has also shared 9 Benefits Of Having A Pet.
Most homes in the U.S. have at least one pet. I remember always having pets when I was growing up. The neighborhood strays always found their way to our house because Mom would always take them in and nurture them and find them good homes, if they couldn’t stay with us.
Pets are a big responsibility to have, much like children. They all need shelter, food and water; as well as training, grooming, health care, plus constant love and attention. There are so many benefits, physically and emotionally, we get from having a pet.
Studies have found that it increases our own exercise and reduces stress, which lowers blood pressure and improves heart health. Also, some studies have shown that children who are raised with pets are less likely to develop allergies later in life.
Many pets can be left for varying amounts of time with minimal supervision. They are natural protectors of their homes and “family”. They offer us unconditional love and companionship. Animals also make us smile and bring us joy, which is why they’re often used for emotional support in schools, hospitals, senior care facilities, and the like.
Another benefit of owning a pet is an increased opportunity to socialize. Pets are great conversation “icebreakers”. Additionally, they help manage loneliness and depression by creating bonds and giving us purpose. They teach children responsibility, nurturing skills, non-verbal communication, and caring attitudes for their environment and others.
FROM MOM’S MEMORIES…
As seen in…
This is not a Cook Book! It’s Gloria Pitzer’s Food for Thought (Secret RecipesTM, St. Clair, MI; Oct. 1986, p. 12)
BACK TO BASICS
Sometimes the familiar becomes very boring to us and all of the things we thought of as providing comfort and security, begin to get us down and we really want to get away. Getting away – for even a little while is just the ticket – but as Wilford Peterson wrote in the following essay, it’s the coming home again that counts!
THE FUN OF COMING HOME by Wilfred Peterson, as quoted in Sunshine Magazine
‘One of the greatest rewards of a vacation trip is the fun of coming home again. After a time away, home takes on a new radiance. There are so many things we are eager to see once more: the jumping, tail-wagging greeting from our dog at the kennel.
The relaxation of sitting down in a favorite chair; the bliss of sinking into your own, comfortable bed and reaching for a book on the bedside table – we have a new appreciation of everything.
And then there is the expectation of the new… the accumulation of mail, which we open eagerly for news of loved ones and friends and the stacks of magazines. It is almost like Christmas! We wade right in and even the bills can’t stop us!
We look for everything to be changed, but it is good to find all the old dependable values are intact. It is worth journeying far and wide to discover the fun of coming home again!’
“Pets have more love and compassion in them than most humans.” – Robert Wagner
Most pet parents know the joy of a “jumping, tail-wagging greeting from [their] dog” (or cat); regardless of whether they’ve been gone for several days or weeks (on a trip) or several hours (at work) or less than an hour (on an errand). Receiving a “welcome back – I missed you” reception of unconditional love is always a pleasure.
Just as much so is the comfort they quietly offer us, when they sense that we’re feeling secluded or sick or sad or scared. According to FreshPet.com, dogs can read our facial expressions. They claim, “Dogs can recognize six basic emotions – anger, fear, happiness, sadness, surprise, and disgust – and process these in similar ways as humans…”
Throughout recorded history, animals have been used for physical aid, as well as emotional support – especially since the 20th century and even more so in the 21st century, for the latter. Service animals are different from emotional support animals, in that they’re trained to perform specific tasks and services for someone’s physical aid or support.
Pets can help children learn trust and responsibility, as well as be their playmates and keep boredom at bay. Children who grow up with pets learn better how to share and empathize with others. Humans are social by nature, however, children who grow up with pets are even better at mingling and making friends.
Most pets are an endless source of unconditional love and affection. They can also help children cope better with not being the center of attention. Pets even offer a sense of safety and security, for both children and adults. They have unusually good instincts and senses that typically earn our trust.
Plus, pets are a source of laughter and joy, as they are very entertaining. Pet videos are probably the most watched and shared on social media platforms. The comical TV show/contest, “America’s Funniest Home Videos” always has hilarious pet entries. All pets, just like humans, have their own distinctive personalities and quirks. They’re amazing to watch.
“The cat was having a litter of kittens under the sewing table and our police dog, Susie, was about to have a litter of pups and was moping about, looking for comfort. I now wonder how any serious writer could have found inspiration in that kind of environment.” – Gloria Pitzer, My Cup Runneth Over And I Can’t Find My Mop (Secret RecipesTM, St. Clair, MI; Dec. 1989, p. 28)
When times were lean, Mom created several recipes for making pet food and treats at home to save on the grocery budget. A couple of years ago, I shared 3 of them on the Recipes tab. Check out Pet Cookies – Homemade, Dog Biscuits – Homemade, and Cat Food – Homemade.
Mom included all kinds of tips in her newsletter and cookbooks – household tips, cooking and baking tips, gardening tips, as well as pet care tips. Here are just a few from her self-published cookbook, Eating Out at Home (aka: Book 3)…
MORE FROM MOM’S MEMORIES…
As seen in…
Eating Out at Home (National Home News, St. Clair, MI; September 1978, p. 46)
[MISCELLANEOUS PET TIPS]
SERVE MEALS IN THE EVENING… Your dog rests best with a moderately full stomach. Feed him [or her] in the evening so he [or she] can digest the meal in the cool of the night. If you feed a dog in the morning and then expect vigorous activity from him [or her], you’re inviting canine indigestion – or even heat stroke [during hot months].
DON’T WORRY IF your dog or cat likes to snack on grass. Regardless of the tall tales you may have heard, most dogs and cats eat grass simply because they like it [as it counteracts indigestion].
SPRINKLE ON CANNED dog food [broken dog biscuits/dry kibble] to add extra chewing exercise – or feed straight from the box, as a snack.
IF YOUR DOG LIKES to snack on beef knuckle bones, don’t let the treats lie around the yard for more than a day. The rotting marrow will attract flies and, soon [after], the bones will be infested with maggots. Hornets, too, like bones and will furiously attack any dog that tries to share one.
LAST THOUGHTS…
Thanks for visiting! I hope you’ve enjoyed reading about my memories of my mom, her memories, and other related things. If you have any questions or comments, feel free to email me at [email protected]. You can also find me on Facebook: @TheRecipeDetective.
IN CLOSING…
In honor of this, being National Pecan Day and National Pecan Month, here’s Mom’s secret recipe for “Sugared Pecans”; as seen in her self-published cookbook, Secret Make Alike Recipes – Revised (Secret RecipesTM, Marysville, MI; May 1997, p. 29). It’s found within her copycat recipe for “Bread Pudding Like Cracker Barrel”. As always, I’m asking only for proper credit if you care to re-share it.
P.S. Food-for-thought until next Monday…
April observes… National Month of Hope, Keep America Beautiful Month, Lawn and Garden Month, National Couple Appreciation Month, National Fresh Celery Month, National Garden Month, National Humor Month, National Soft Pretzel Month, National Soy Foods Month, National Poetry Month, National Volunteer Month, Scottish-American Heritage Month, Stress Awareness Month, and National Records and Information Management Month.
Today is also… National Gardening Day and National Reach as High as You Can Day. Plus, as the start of the second full business week [Mon.-Fri.] of April (for 2025), it’s also the start of… National Library Week.
Tomorrow is… National Banana Day, National Glazed Spiral Ham Day, National Rubber Eraser Day, National Take a Wild Guess Day, and National Tax Day. Plus, as the Tuesday of the second week in April (2025), it’s also… National Library Workers Day.
April 16th is… National Eggs Benedict Day. Plus, as the Wednesday of National Library Week (for 2025), it’s also… National Bookmobile Day.
[NOTE: April 16th is the anniversary (1986) of Jeopardy using Mom’s research on a German breakfast dish in one of their “answers”.]
April 17th is… National Cheeseball Day. Plus, as the third Thursday of the second quarter (for 2025), it’s also… Get to Know Your Customers Day.
April 18th is… National Animal Crackers Day and National Columnists’ Day. Plus, it’s also… Good Friday (for 2025), which changes annually.
Saturday, April 19th, is… National Amaretto Day, National Garlic Day, National Hanging Out Day, and National North Dakota Day.
April 20th is… National Cheddar Fries Day, National Lima Bean Respect Day, and National Pineapple Upside Down Cake Day. Plus, it’s… Easter Sunday (for 2025), which changes annually.
Have a great week and happy Easter!
…15 down and 37 to go!
