FEBRUARY 26, 2014 – NATIONAL PISTACHIO DAY – NATIONAL TELL A FAIRY TALE DAY

            NATIONAL PISTACHIO DAY

February 26th is a day for all to celebrate National Pistachio Day.  It is a day that has been set aside for all pistachio lovers to eat their favorite nut all day long.  For those who do not eat pistachios, buy some and give them to someone who does.  Crack them open and eat them up or enjoy them in ice cream or your favorite pistachio dessert!
Pistachios arrived in the United States sometime in the 1880′s but they have been cultivated in the Middle East since the Biblical times.
The pistachio tree grows to about 20 feet tall needing little or no rain and must have high heat.  In Iran, they claim that they have pistachio trees still living that are 700 years old!  A new tree takes between 7 and 10 years to mature and bear fruit.
*  All pistachio shells are naturally beige in color.  Some companies dye nuts red or green if nuts are inferior or for consumer demand.
*  California produces about 300 million pounds of pistachios each year, accounting for 98 percent of America’s production.
*  Pistachio shells typically split naturally, when ripe, prior to harvest.
*  The kernels are often eaten whole, either fresh or roasted and either salted or unsalted.
*  In the Middle East people call the pistachio the “smiling nut”
*  In China people call the pistachio the “happy nut”
Health Benefits:
Pistachios are an excellent source of vitamin B6, copper and manganese and a good source of protein, fiber, thiamin, and phosphorus.  In July 2003, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the first qualified health claim specific to nuts lowering the risk of heart disease: “Scientific evidence suggests but does not prove that eating 1.5 ounces (42.5g) per day of most nuts, such as pistachios, as part of a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol may reduce the risk of heart disease”

A great thing to do — Recycle the pistachio shells:

The empty pistachio shells are useful for recycling in several ways. If unsalted, the shells need not be washed and dried before reuse, but washing is simple if that is not the case. Practical uses include as a fire starter, just as kindling  would be used with crumpled paper; to line the bottom of pots containing houseplants, for drainage and retention of soil for up to two years; as a mulch  for shrubs and plants that require acid soils: as a medium for orchids; and as an addition to a compost pile designed for wood items that take longer to decompose than leafy materials, taking up to a year for pistachio shells to decompose unless soil is added to the mix. Shells from salted pistachios can also be placed around the base of plants to deter slugs and snails. Many craft uses for the shells include holiday tree ornaments, jewelry, mosaics, and rattles. Research indicates that pistachio shells may be helpful in cleaning up pollution created by mercury emissions.

NATIONAL PISTACHIO DAY HISTORY
Our research failed to find the creator or the origin of National Pistachio Day, an “unofficial” national holiday.
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                  NATIONAL TELL A FAIRY TALE DAY

National Tell A Fairy Tale Day, an “unofficial” National holiday is celebrated on February 26th.  Snuggle up in your corner chair or sofa with the children sitting near you or maybe all gather around a campfire as it is a day to celebrate by telling your favorite fairy tale or making up one of your own.
Originally, adults were the audience of a fairy tale just as often as children. Literary fairy tales appeared in works intended for adults, but in the 19th and 20th centuries the fairy tale became associated with children’s literature.
As stated in Wikipedia:  A fairy tale is a fictional story that may feature folkloric characters such as fairies, goblins, elves,  trolls, giants, mermaids or gnomes and usually magic or enchantments.  The term is also used to describe something blessed with unusual happiness, as in “fairy tale ending” (a happy ending) or “fairy tale romance” (though not all fairy tales end happily). A “fairy tale” or “fairy story” can also mean any far-fetched story or tall tale; it’s used especially of any story that not only isn’t true, but couldn’t possibly be true.
~~ Today your story may begin with “Once upon a time” and it may end with “Happily ever after”  but whatever your fairy tale is, may it be a good one and may your day be a good one as well! ~~