Category: holidays and observances

November Dates and Days

November in the U.S. brings Thanksgiving, a time for family and reflection. We also acknowledge Armistice Day, Native American Heritage Month, and Giving Tuesday, promoting generosity and the contributions of diverse communities. Each observance highlights cultural significance and the importance of giving back.

Say “November”, and in the United States, we think “Thanksgiving”.

Yes, for the abundant and delicious food we consume, but mostly because it’s a time spent with family, often ones we don’t see every day. And other countries observe a Thanksgiving Day.

What do you have planned for Thanksgiving?

Whether you have made plans yet or not, what would make your holiday special and satisfying? What do you need to do now to make that happen?

Photo by Kelly on Pexels.com

An Immigrant’s Thanksgiving

Dr. Hans Duvefelt immigrated to the United States from Sweden. He practices medicine in Maine and writes a blog, “A Country Doctor Writes”.

He wrote about his first Thanksgiving in the United States. Here is a link to that article.

Another Thanksgiving Reflection

A Country Doctor Writes

Dr. Duvefelt published his blog posts as a 3-book series, available on Amazon. (affiliate link)

Daylight Saving Time ends

If you don’t like changing to Daylight Saving Time in the spring, you will welcome the change back to standard time in the fall. We used to change in October but a few years ago it was extended to the first Sunday in November.

If the change messes with your sleep, this post offers help to adjust quickly.

How does the change in daylight hours affect the way you feel and function?

Armistice Day-November 11

Maybe you’ve never heard of this day. It’s become more of a historical term for the end of World War I, said to have ended “at the 11th hour on the 11th day of the 11th month” in 1918.

Many countries observe it in various ways. In the United Kingdom it’s called Remembrance Day. In the United States, we mark it as Veterans’ Day, where we honor those who have served in the military in all wars and peacetime.

Forever Honoring Our Veterans 

Veterans Day on November 11 honors all who served in the U.S. armed forces. The Veterans Administration provides crucial health care and education through the VHA system. Personal stories highlight the deep bonds between veterans and their families. Meets a wounded veteran’s therapy dog serving as his best man at his wedding.

Keep reading

Your Veteran Relatives

Some veterans welcome the chance to tell stories about their service time, while others find it too intrusive. Be sensitive to their feelings and don’t push those who are reluctant to share.

For your relatives who are willing to talk about their military experiences, show interest even if you’ve heard their stories before. Their accounts are history that may otherwise be unknown. Once they are gone, their stories will be gone too. Don’t miss this chance to learn valuable family history.

Native American Heritage Month

The Thanksgiving holiday mostly celebrates the immigration of Europeans to the North American continent. Native American Heritage Day and Month, recognize the people who were already here.

It is a time to celebrate the traditions, languages and stories of Native American, Alaska Native, Native Hawaiian, and affiliated Island communities and ensure their rich histories and contributions continue to thrive with each passing generation….

we celebrate the culture and heritage of these remarkable Americans who deeply enrich the quality and character of our Nation.

We celebrate Indian Country with its remarkable diversity of American Indian and Alaska Native cultures and peoples while remembering and honoring our veterans who have sacrificed so much to defend our Nation.

U.S. Department of the InteriorIndian Affairs

If you descend from Indigenous groups, how do you observe and preserve your heritage?

If you descend from people who came to North America from elsewhere, what do you know about the Indigenous people who inhabited the land you now live on?

The Rich History of Watercress in Native American Culture

In 1889, the Locvpokv Muscogee Creeks established the village of Talasi near the Arkansas River, later called Tulsa. The Council Oak remains a cultural landmark, where Native Americans hold ceremonies. This article explores watercress and its culinary uses, highlighting its significance to local indigenous communities and the environment.

Keep reading

Giving Tuesday-“Radical Generosity”

It started with Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving, when shoppers flock to retailers in search of Christmas shopping bargains.

Then came Small Business Saturday, which promotes local, independently owned businesses.

And the next shopping event is Cyber Monday, for e-commerce transactions on the Monday after Thanksgiving. It was created by retailers to encourage people to shop online.

All of these are opportunities for shoppers to save money and for businesses to make profits, strengthening the economy. But some parts of our society can fall through the cracks of that economy.

While some of us may be doing well financially, not everyone is. And that’s where Giving Tuesday bridges the gap.

Join the GivingTuesday movement and reimagine a world built upon shared humanity and radical generosity.

Giving Tuesday website

And generosity is not just about money. “Whether it’s making someone smile, helping a neighbor or stranger out, showing up for an issue or people we care about, or giving some of what we have to those who need our help, every act of generosity counts, and everyone has something to give.”

Radical generosity-the suffering of others should be as intolerable to us as our own suffering

GIVING TUESDAY

Because Thanksgiving is November 27, Cyber Monday is December 1, and Giving Tuesday is December 2. But why wait? Any day is a perfect day to be generous.

Exploring the HEART of health

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a world globe with two crossed bandaids

Doctor Aletha

Jump Into July

July is a significant month, with celebrations like the Apollo 11 moon landing anniversary and U.S. Independence Day, marked with events such as the Republican National Convention and the 2024 Summer Olympics. It’s a time for reflection on history, patriotism, and excitement for upcoming festivities, including a notable move for the 2028 Olympics.

revised June 20, 2025

How much do you remember about July 2024? Read this post to find out.

Here we are, starting the second half of the year. July is the first full month of summer for half the world and the last full month before school starts again, at least for some families. In July, we have only one federal holiday in the United States, but that doesn’t mean it’s a dull month.

July 20-Remembering the First Moonwalk

Perhaps I should have titled this post Leap into July since this month we remember a “giant leap” that happened in 1969.

On July 20 we will remember that historic day over 50 years ago when humans first walked on the moon, first Neil Armstrong, followed by Edwin Aldrin.

From the National Aeronautics and Space Administration website

“The primary objective of Apollo 11 was to complete a national goal set by President John F. Kennedy on May 25, 1961: perform a crewed lunar landing and return to Earth.

Apollo 11 launched from Cape Kennedy on July 16, 1969, carrying Commander Neil Armstrong, Command Module Pilot Michael Collins, and Lunar Module Pilot Edwin “Buzz” Aldrin.

An estimated 650 million people watched Armstrong’s televised image and heard his voice describe the event as he took “…one small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind” on July 20, 1969.

one small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind

Commander Neil Armstrong, July 20, 1969

Armstrong and Aldrin spent 21 hours, 36 minutes on the moon’s surface.

After a flight of 195 hours, 18 minutes, 35 seconds Apollo 11 splashed down in the Pacific Ocean, 13 miles from the recovery ship USS Hornet July 24, 1969.”

If you don’t remember it, or weren’t alive then, you can watch it at this link.

July 20, 1969: One Giant Leap For Mankind

life size photo of the Apollo 11 crew-Armstrong, Collins, and Aldrin
No, I didn’t go to the moon with the Apollo 11 team. My husband snapped this photo of me in front of this wall-sized photo of them displayed at the Johnson Space Center in Houston, TX

Now the United States and multiple other countries plan to return to the moon within the next few years. I hope this new “space race” is as exciting as the first one was.

July 4-Celebrating Independence

Further back in United States history, colonists in North America took a “giant leap” by declaring independence from Great Britain. That set off a hard-fought, costly war, culminating in an independent country of 13 states.

We celebrate Independence Day, more commonly simply called the 4th of July. The Continental Congress voted on July 2, 1776 to declare independence, but the Declaration was adopted on July 4, so we celebrate that day, which is an official federal holiday.

Unfortunately, the war was not the end of conflict for the new country.

The European settlers engaged in conflicts with the Indigenous people that still impact lives today. Many settlers bought and enslaved Africans despite many who objected to such a heinous practice.

The struggle between slave owners and abolitionists eventually led to a bitter Civil War a hundred years later and the civil rights movement after another century.

Still, the original dream of equality and the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness continues to inspire and motivate all Americans, whatever their origin.

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal,

that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.–

That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, 

the Declaration of Independence
Thanks again to my husband for this photo of me at the Lincoln Memorial looking toward the Washington Memorial in Washington, DC.

Thanks to a cousin who did an extensive genealogy of my father’s family, I found evidence of having an ancestor who assisted in the fight for independence by providing supplies to the army. So I became a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution.

The mission of DAR includes education, patriotism, and historic preservation. Follow this link to see if you qualify to join, we always want new patriots and new members.

And don’t assume it doesn’t apply to you. DAR is seeking unrecognized African American and Native American patriots. One of them may be your ancestor

Daughters of the American Revolution

“As part of the DAR’s mission to preserve the past and encourage people to learn more about the nation’s history, the E Pluribus Unum Initiative will support new scholarship, create educational programming, and develop new research tools that complement work being done by other organizations, with the goal of enriching our understanding of the different people behind the effort of the colonies to win independence, and recognizing those who have been left out of the historical narrative.”

July 15-The Republican National Convention

At the 2024 Republican National Convention, delegates of the United States Republican Party selected the party’s president and vice president nominees for the 2024 presidential election in November. The event occurred July 15 to 18, 2024, at the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. 

The nominee was, as expected, former President Donald Trump, who announced his choice for a vice presidential running mate, Senator J.D. Vance.

Mr. Vance was known for his military service as well as his memoir, Hillbilly Elegy, in which he described growing up poor in Appalachia.

Hillbilly Elegy: A Memoir of a Family and Culture in Crisis 

He was raised by his grandmother because his mother, Beverly, struggled with substance abuse. She successfully overcame her addiction and lived to see her son become Vice President of the United States. Her story is one to celebrate.

I’ve never been inside the White House; it’s impressive from the outside. The President and his family reside here.

Aren’t the flowers gorgeous?

July 26-The Summer Olympics

The 2024 Summer Olympics (French: Jeux olympiques d’été de 2024), officially the Games of the XXXIII Olympiad (French: Jeux de la XXXIIIe Olympiade) and commonly known as Paris 2024, is an international multi-sport event scheduled to take place from 26 July to 11 August 2024 in France, with Paris as the main host city and 16 other cities.

statues of runners passing a torch
at the U.S. Olympic Training Center at Colorado Springs Colorado, photo by Dr.Aletha

From 1924 to 1992, the Summer and Winter Games were held in the same year, every four years, a period called the “Olympiad”. The last Summer and Winter Games held in the same year were in Barcelona (Summer) and Albertville (Winter) in 1992.

Since then, the Summer Games are celebrated during the first year of an Olympiad and the Winter Games held in the third year, so we only have to wait two years to watch these exciting games again.

The Olympic games originated in Greece.

Considering the variety of sports held during the Summer Games, there will be many chances to observe competitive jumping-basketball, gymnastics, equestrian, volleyball, diving, and skateboarding-as well as sports that stay grounded-archery, golf, table tennis, and weightlifting.

two champion athletes
a runner and gymnast represented at the Olympic training center in Colorado Springs, CO

And what would summer be without water so we’ll see swimming, water polo, canoeing, rowing, and sailing. And surfing is in the Olympics, but not in Paris. Surfing events will be in Tahiti, which is part of French Polynesia.

swimming pool
a real “Olympic-sized” swimming pool at the training center

These photos are from my tour of the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colorado a few years ago. Please visit this post to see more photos and read more about my visit.

A tour of the U.S. Olympic Training Center, Colorado Springs, Colorado

A visit to the United States Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs showcases the dedication and resilience of Olympic and Paralympic athletes. Promoting physical activity, it emphasizes the health benefits of exercise, while sharing the “Winning Attitudes” and determination exhibited by champions. The center inspires a commitment to personal excellence and perseverance.

Keep reading

Exploring the HEART of Health

I’ll definitely be tuning in to watch the Olympic games. I especially enjoy the gymnastics and track events but also some of the less familiar sports. I may even check out breaking, which debuts this Olympics.

Breakdancing, as breaking is popularly known, is a form of dance sport that blends urban dance with remarkable athleticism, making it worthy of a spot in the Olympic program.

I’m already excited about the 2028 Summer Olympics coming to my home state, Oklahoma! At least part of it is. Los Angeles California is the official host city but two events will be in Oklahoma City-softball and canoe slalom.

“The partnership between the two cities is a move designed to use existing sports facilities and keep costs down.” Read more about the plans at this link

Why two 2028 Los Angeles Olympics events are moving to Oklahoma City

I’ve never been to an Olympic game so this will be my best chance.

I’d love for you to follow this blog. I share information and inspiration to help you transform challenges into opportunities for learning and growth.

Add your name to the subscribe box to be notified of new posts by email. Click the link to read the post and browse other content. It’s that simple. No spam.

I enjoy seeing who is new to Watercress Words. When you subscribe, I will visit your blog or website. Thanks and see you next time.

Let’s jump into July

What are you jumping into this month? What new “leaps” will you try? Let us know in the comments so we can cheer you on.

Dr. Aletha

a woman in a red, white, and blue shirt
Me, a few years ago, showing my patriotic spirit by posing in red, white, and blue

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