Author: Lisa Mungovan

Today is Homemade Bread Day. Find an easy recipe and start baking! While you wait for the dough to rise, you can go for a walk outside, because it’s also Take A Hike Day. If you have any energy left, try making baklava, a flaky pastry filled with nuts and honey, for Baklava Day!

The Grand Canyon in Arizona, was carved out by the Colorado River, over millions of years. It’s 18 miles wide, over a mile deep, and 277 miles long. 10-year-old Bodie Hilleke, just became the youngest person to kayak the entire way through the Grand Canyon. He completed his 280-mile journey with his parents and older siblings.

We know Greenland has lakes hidden under its ice sheets, but scientists believe there may also be a hidden underground river. The Dark River may flow 62 miles below the surface, and stretch 620 miles long. A subglacial river could be carrying melted ice, from the center of Greenland, all the way to Petermann Fjord.

Yesterday, NASA launched 4 astronauts, on a SpaceX Crew Dragon spaceship. The Resilience is headed to the International Space Station, carrying Japan’s Soichi Noguchi, and the US’s Michael Hopkins, Shannon Walker, and Victor Glover. For almost 10 years, Americans hitched a ride on Russia’s Soyuz rockets. It’s finally their turn to drive again!

Today is the International Day of Tolerance, first declared by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization in 1995. Tolerance is the ability to endure something that you don’t always like or agree with. As long as no one’s getting hurt, you can show tolerance with your little brother, your parents’ rules, or spinach!

Today is Button Day! Zippers are quicker and Velcro is easy, but buttons can be beautiful or whimsical, and they’re quiet! It’s also Fast Food Day, so get your meal at a drive-thru restaurant. Then, find your teddy bears, because it’s Have A Party With Your Bear Day! Don’t forget the honey!

Do you ever need some quiet time? A scuba diver in Egypt, just spent 6 days underwater! Saddam Al-Kilany completed the world’s longest scuba dive, by staying submerged in the Red Sea for 145 1/2 hours. A medical team supervised his dive, which was cut short for health reasons. I wonder where he pooped? Yuck!

Countries around the world, are working hard to test COVID-19 vaccines. The next problem, is making sure everyone can get vaccinated. GAVI is a Vaccine Alliance, that’s protected millions of children by providing vaccines against many deadly diseases. They’ve raised enough money, to provide 1,000,000,000 doses to developing countries, as soon as they’re ready!

The 5-day celebration of Diwali began yesterday. It’s the Hindu Festival of Lights, marked by oil lamps and candles, fireworks, feasts, and gifts. Do you have any friends that are Hindu? Ask them to tell you about their family traditions. Make foods like samosas or sweet gulab jamun, for a taste of the festivities.

My raisin bran is crunchy, and kind of chewy too. I’ll bake it in a bundt pan, and make a cake for you! That’s a little poem I made up, for I Love Writing Day. It’s also Raisin Bran Cereal Day, and Bundt Cake Day. Bundt pans can make ring-shaped cakes, or beautiful jello.