April 11th - Dandelion Day

Today is Dandelion Day and when you think about dandelions you can’t help but think about spring. This pretty little weed has been around for more than 30 million years. The name dandelion originates from the French words dent de lion meaning "lions tooth", of course they are not talking about the puffy yellow bloom, they are referring to the jagged leaves. You might think a dandelion is a single flower, but it is actually made up of many tiny flowers. After the dandelion blooms each flower produces a seed with a bushy cotton like stem that flies through the air like a tiny parachute.

For Children, dandelions spark curiosity. I fondly remember, as a child, making bouquets of dandelions and proudly giving them to my mom. I also remember dissecting them and blowing those tiny little parachutes all over the yard. I’m sure my parents appreciated that.

To celebrate Dandelion Day take yourself back to childhood and make a bouquet of dandelions. If you are not thrilled about bringing weeds into the house you can make paper dandelions out of pencils.


Paper Dandelions

Material required:
Construction paper, gift wrap (2-sided is best), or any paper
Scissors
Tape
A pencil
Markers (optional)

1. Take a sheet of construction paper and fold it in half. Cut along the folded line to create a long strip of paper.
2. At this point, if you are using plain paper, you can decorate both sides with markers.
3. Fold the paper in half and then half again.
4. Leaving a small section uncut on the ends, cut slits in the folded paper.
5. Unfold the paper. Tape one end of the uncut portion to the eraser end of the pencil.
6. Roll the paper around the pencil. Then tape the end of the paper to the pencil.
7. Push the pieces of paper away from the eraser, making it look like a dandelion. You now have a cute, decorated pencil.

By the way today is also National Cheese Fondue Day. After creating bouquets of flowers, you can enjoy a scrumptious snack of cheese fondue and bread or crackers. Get creative, you can dip many things into cheese fondue. Try your favorite vegetables, fruits or meat. The possibilities are endless and your family will enjoy snack time together.

Classic Cheese Fondue

Ingredients:
2 cups milk
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
2 teaspoons ground dry mustard
1 clove garlic, peeled and crushed
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
6 cups shredded Mexican cheese blend

Directions:

In a separate bowl mix together the cheese and ½ of the flour. In a medium saucepan over low heat, mix together milk, Worcestershire sauce, ground dry mustard, garlic and the

remaining flour. Heat until almost boiling. Gradually stir in cheese blend. Continue heating until all the cheese has melted. Keep the mixture warm and melted in a fondue dish.