Since so many people enjoy turkey at Thanksgiving and many other times throughout the year, I decided to share some interesting turkey facts. See how many of these facts you already knew.
1. Did you know that turkey is low in fat and high in protein, and is a very inexpensive
source of iron, zinc, phosphorus, potassium and B vitamins?
2. In 2003, the average American ate 17.4 pounds of turkey.
3. A 15 pound turkey usually has about 70 percent white meat and 30 percent dark meat.
4. Six hundred seventy-five million pounds of turkey are eaten each Thanksgiving in the United States .
5. The turkey was domesticated in Mexico and brought to Europe in the 16 th century.
6. The heaviest turkey ever raised was 86 pounds, about the size of a large dog.
7. Most of the turkeys raised for commercial production are White Holland’s.
8. Turkeys lived almost ten million years ago.
9. Turkeys ’ heads change colors when they become excited.
10. Turkey feathers were used by Native Americans to stabilize arrows.
11. A male turkey is a tom, and a female turkey is called a hen.
12. Wild turkeys can fly for short distances up to 55 miles per hour.
13. Turkeys can see movement almost a hundred yards away.
14. Tom turkeys have beards. This is black hair likefeathers on their breast. Hens sometimes have beards, too.
15. Turkeys see color, but turkeys don’t see well at night.
16. Wild turkeys spend the night in trees. They especially like oak trees.
17. Turkey breeding has caused turkey breasts to grow so large that the turkeys fall over.
18. June is National Turkey Lover’s Month.
19. White meat has fewer calories than dark meat.
20. Turkeys will have 3,500 feathers at maturity. Most turkey feathers are composted.
21. Turkeys have been bred to have white feathers. White feathers have no spots under the skin when plucked.
22. For their first meal on the moon, astronauts Neil Armstrong and Edwin Aldrin ate roast turkey in foil packets.
23. Turkeys have heart attacks. The United States Air Force was doing test runs and breaking the sound barrier. Nearby turkeys dropped dead with heart attacks.
24. In England , 200 years ago, turkeys were walked to market in herds. They wore booties to protect their feet. Turkeys were also walked to market in the United States .
25. It takes 75-80 pounds of feed to raise a 30 pound tom turkey.
26. Gobbling turkeys can be heard a mile away on a quiet day.
27. Turkeys are related to pheasants. Commercially raised turkeys cannot fly.
28. The ballroom dance the “turkey trot” was named for the short, jerky steps that turkeys take.
Have a safe and Happy Thanksgiving; see you next month with more Moments with Mary.
Top 10 New Year's Resolutions
New Year's Eve has always been a time for looking back to the past, and more importantly, forward to the coming year. It's a time to reflect on the changes we want (or need) to make and resolve to follow through on those changes.
1) Spend More Time with Family & Friends: Recent polls conducted by General Nutrition Centers, Quicken, and others shows that more than 50% of Americans vow to appreciate loved ones and spend more time with family and friends this year.
2) Fit in Fitness: The evidence is in for fitness. Regular exercise has been associated with more health benefits than anything else known to man. Studies show that it reduces the risk of some cancers, increases longevity, helps achieve and maintain weight loss, enhances mood, lowers blood pressure, and even improves arthritis. In short, exercise keeps you healthy and makes you look and feel better.
3) Lose Weight: Over 66 percent of adult Americans are considered overweight or obese, so it is not surprising to find that weight loss is one of the most popular New Year's resolutions. Setting reasonable goals and staying focused are the two most important factors in sticking with a weight loss program, and the key to success for those millions of Americans who made a New Year's commitment to shed extra pounds.
4) Quit Smoking: If you have resolved to make this the year that you stamp out your smoking habit, over-the-counter availability of nicotine replacement therapy now provides easier access to proven quit-smoking aids. Even if you've tried to quit before and failed, don't let it get you down. On average, smokers try about four times before they quit for good. Start enjoying the rest of your smoke-free life!
5) Enjoy Life More: Given the hectic, stressful lifestyles of millions of Americans, it is no wonder that "enjoying life more" has become a popular resolution in recent years. It's an important step to a happier and healthier you!
6) Quit Drinking: While many people use the New Year as an incentive to finally stop drinking, most are not equipped to make such a drastic lifestyle change all at once. Many heavy drinkers fail to quit cold turkey but do much better when they taper gradually, or even learn to moderate their drinking. If you have decided that you want to stop drinking, there is a world of help and support available.
7) Get Out of Debt: Was money a big source of stress in your life last year? Join the millions of Americans who have resolved to spend this year getting a handle on their finances. It's a promise that will repay itself many times over in the year ahead.
8) Learn Something New: Have you vowed to make this year the year to learn something new? Perhaps you are considering a career change, want to learn a new language, or just how to fix your computer? Whether you take a course or read a book, you'll find education to be one of the easiest, most motivating New Year's resolutions to keep. Challenge your mind in the coming year, and your horizons will expand.
9) Help Others: A popular, non-selfish New Year's resolution, volunteerism can take many forms. Whether you choose to spend time helping out at your local library, mentoring a child, or building a house, there are many nonprofit volunteer organizations that could really use your help.
10) Get Organized: On just about every New Year resolution top ten list, organization can be a very reasonable goal. Whether you want your home organized enough that you can invite someone over on a whim, or your office organized enough that you can find the stapler when you need it, these tips and resources should get you started on the way to a more organized life.
Mistletoe
Here’s a short story about the plant many of us have in our homes at Christmas time. The plant is called Mistletoe it grows on willow and apple trees (and in garden centres!). The practice of hanging it in the house goes back to the times of the ancient Druids. It is supposed to possess mystical powers which bring good luck to the household and ward off evil spirits. It was also used as a sign of friendship and that's where the custom of kissing under Mistletoe comes from! As the legend goes, the ancient Druids considered the Mistletoe plant to be sacred for its use in curing illness, as an antidote for poisons, and as protection from witchcraft. Whenever armies met under the mistletoe in the forest, they had to lay down their arms and observe a truce until the next day. From this comes the ancient custom of hanging a ball of mistletoe from the ceiling and exchanging kisses under it as a sign of friendship and goodwill, a custom still found in many European and North American countries.
When the first Christians came to Western Europe, some tried to ban the use of Mistletoe as a decoration in Churches, but many still continued to use it! York Minster Church in the UK used to hold a special Mistletoe Service in the winter, where wrong doers in the city of York could come and be pardoned. The custom of kissing under Mistletoe comes from England! The original custom was that a berry was picked from the sprig of Mistletoe before the person could be kissed and when all the berries had gone, there could be no more kissing!!
Poinsettia
The most popular Christmas flower is not even a flower. Those bright red flame-like petals are actually leaves. The flower itself lies within and is composed of tiny red and gold blossoms. It is named after Dr. Joel Roberts Poinsett, the first American minister to Mexico, who took a liking to the plant in 1825. It was introduced to him by Mexicans who called it La Flor de la Noche Buena (the Flower of the Holy Night). It was brought to the United States in 1836, and was cultivated in the 1890's by Albert Ecke in California. Today, the city of Ventura, California, is called the " Poinsettia City".
In Mexican legend, a small boy knelt at the altar of his village church on Christmas Eve. He had nothing to offer the Christ Child on his birthday because he had no money, but his prayers were sincere and a miracle gave him the present that could be bought by no one; the first Flower of the Holy Night sprang up at his feet in brilliant red and green homage to the holy birth. It is said that the poinsettia is native to Mexico and is believed to have first been used in connection with Christmas in the 17th century when Mexican Franciscans included the flowers in their Christmas celebration.
Rosemary
The flowers of this plant supposedly were once white and odorless. In honor of the Virgin Mary who threw her purple ((blue)) robe over a rosemary bush during the flight to Egypt, it changed its color to dark lavender. Rosemary was once the most popular Christmas plant in England. Today we can enjoy this herb as a decorative plant or as a spice in cooking many of our favorite recipes.
