North Dakota State Flower: Wild Prairie Rose

The North Dakota’s State flower, the Wild Prairie Rose, has three distinct species: the Rosa Blanda, Arkansana, and Pratincula. Grown as an ornamental plant, the lovely flowers sport five dazzling showy pink petals with a tight complementary cluster of shiny yellow stamens in the center.

The Wild Prairie Rose is native to a large area of central North America, although it’s concentrated in the Appalachian and Rocky Mountains. You’ll find it growing like wildfire across all of North Dakota, along roadsides, foothills, meadows and even cities. The extravagant pink perennial can sometimes be weedy or invasive.

From Fargo to Grand Forks and Bismarck to Red River, the Wild Prairie Rose can be found in abundance and is often picked by residents because of its wonderful scent. Considered a block shrub, these beauties are also found in South Dakota, Missouri and Minnesota.

One of the most stunning flowering crabapple varieties is the Prairie Rose Flowering Crab. It blossoms slightly later than other crab trees and the rose-like flowering is amazingly beautiful. Trees produce breathtaking double, deep pink flowers that are temptingly fragrant.

The Wild Prairie Rose is quite useful outside the garden as well! It’s often used in food, food additives, animal food, bee plants, fuels, poisons, medicines, and environmental compounds. In fact, the essence of Wild Prairie Rose can be used to help address issues which often underlay stress and health problems, helping to ‘untie’ or release mental/emotional energetic knots. Wild Prairie Rose essence helps transform emotions, attitudes or patterns of behavior to enhance development, growth and awareness.

Fun Fact

The USDA considers it a weed!

We Didn’t Start the Fire

Today is Billy Joel’s birthday.  He was born in 1949 and wrote some great songs: Allentown, She’s Always a Woman, Piano Man, and one of my all-time favorites—We Didn’t Start the Fire.

“We Didn’t Start The Fire”

Harry Truman, Doris Day, Red China, Johnnie Ray
South Pacific, Walter Winchell, Joe DiMaggio
Joe McCarthy, Richard Nixon, Studebaker, Television
North Korea, South Korea, Marilyn Monroe

Rosenbergs, H-Bomb, Sugar Ray, Panmunjom
Brando, The King And I, and The Catcher In The Rye
Eisenhower, Vaccine, England’s got a new queen
Marciano, Liberace, Santayana goodbye

We didn’t start the fire
It was always burning
Since the world’s been turning
We didn’t start the fire
No, we didn’t light it
But we tried to fight it

Joseph Stalin, Malenkov, Nasser and Prokofiev
Rockefeller, Campanella, Communist Bloc
Roy Cohn, Juan Peron, Toscanini, Dacron
Dien Bien Phu Falls, Rock Around the Clock
Einstein, James Dean, Brooklyn’s got a winning team
Davy Crockett, Peter Pan, Elvis Presley, Disneyland
Bardot, Budapest, Alabama, Khrushchev
Princess Grace, Peyton Place, Trouble in the Suez

We didn’t start the fire
It was always burning
Since the world’s been turning
We didn’t start the fire
No, we didn’t light it
But we tried to fight it

Little Rock, Pasternak, Mickey Mantle, Kerouac
Sputnik, Chou En-Lai, Bridge On The River Kwai
Lebanon, Charles de Gaulle, California baseball
Starkweather Homicide, Children of Thalidomide…

Buddy Holly, Ben-Hur, Space Monkey, Mafia
Hula Hoops, Castro, Edsel is a no-go
U-2, Syngman Rhee, payola and Kennedy
Chubby Checker, Psycho, Belgians in the Congo

We didn’t start the fire
It was always burning
Since the world’s been turning
We didn’t start the fire
No, we didn’t light it
But we tried to fight it

Hemingway, Eichmann, Stranger in a Strange Land
Dylan, Berlin, Bay of Pigs invasion
Lawrence of Arabia, British Beatlemania
Ole Miss, John Glenn, Liston beats Patterson

Pope Paul, Malcolm X, British Politician Sex
J.F.K. blown away, what else do I have to say?

We didn’t start the fire
It was always burning
Since the world’s been turning
We didn’t start the fire
No, we didn’t light it
But we tried to fight it

Birth control, Ho Chi Minh, Richard Nixon back again
Moonshot, Woodstock, Watergate, punk rock
Begin, Reagan, Palestine, Terror on the airline
Ayatollah’s in Iran, Russians in Afghanistan
Wheel of Fortune, Sally Ride, heavy metal, suicide
Foreign debts, homeless Vets, AIDS, Crack, Bernie Goetz
Hypodermics on the shores, China’s under martial law
Rock and Roller Cola wars, I can’t take it anymore

We didn’t start the fire
It was always burning
Since the world’s been turning
We didn’t start the fire
But when we are gone
It will still burn on and on and on and on
And on and on and on and on…

We didn’t start the fire
It was always burning
Since the world’s been turning
We didn’t start the fire
No, we didn’t light it
But we tried to fight it

We didn’t start the fire
It was always burning
Since the world’s been turning
We didn’t start the fire
No, we didn’t light it
But we tried to fight it

We didn’t start the fire
It was always burning
Since the world’s been turning
We didn’t start the fire
No, we didn’t light it
But we tried to fight it

Patriotic Bettas

Betta fish are one of the most popular aquarium fish around the world, known for their vibrant colors and unique personalities. Among the many different types of betta fish, the red white and blue betta is a particularly stunning and sought-after variety.

These fish are named for their bright red, white, and blue coloring, which can come in a variety of patterns and shades. Whether you’re a seasoned aquarium owner or just starting out, these colorful fish are sure to make a stunning addition to any tank.

All About Red White and Blue Betta Fish

If you’re looking for a stunning addition to your aquarium, the red, white, and blue betta fish is an excellent choice. These fish are known for their bold colors and captivating personalities. In this article, we’ll explore everything you need to know about caring for red, white, and blue betta fish.

Appearance of Red White and Blue Betta Fish

Red, white, and blue betta fish are strikingly beautiful creatures. These fish are known for their vibrant colors, which can range from deep red to bright blue. The patterns on their fins and bodies can vary, but they typically feature stripes, spots, or intricate designs.

In terms of size, red, white, and blue betta fish are relatively small. They typically grow to be around 2.5 inches long, making them an ideal choice for smaller aquariums.

If you’re considering adding a red, white, and blue betta fish to your collection, you’ll want to make sure your aquarium is set up to showcase their beauty. Consider using a dark substrate and adding plenty of plants and decorations to create a visually appealing environment.

Caring for Red White and Blue Betta Fish

Like all fish, red, white, and blue betta fish require proper care to thrive. Here are some essential things to keep in mind if you’re considering adding one of these fish to your aquarium:

Water Quality: Betta fish are sensitive to changes in water quality, so it’s crucial to keep their environment clean and well-maintained. Test the water regularly and perform partial water changes as needed.

Diet: Red, white, and blue betta fish are carnivorous and require a diet rich in protein. Feed them a variety of foods, such as pellets, frozen or live brine shrimp, and bloodworms.

Temperature: Betta fish are tropical fish and require a consistent water temperature between 76-82°F. Use a reliable heater to maintain the correct temperature.

Compatibility: Betta fish are known for their aggressive behavior, so it’s important to choose tankmates carefully. Avoid keeping multiple bettas in the same tank, and choose peaceful species that won’t nip at their fins.

Conclusion

Overall, red, white, and blue betta fish are a stunning and captivating addition to any aquarium. With proper care and attention, these fish can thrive and provide you with years of enjoyment. Whether you’re an experienced fishkeeper or just starting, consider adding a red, white, and blue betta fish to your collection.

What Shall We Bake Today?

Today’s offering is a favorite of mine…Coconut Cream Pie!

ingredients

1 (9 inch) baked pie crusts (although a graham cracker crust can be used too!)

1 (5 ounce) package vanilla instant pudding mix or (5 ounce) package instant coconut cream pudding mix (I like the coconut cream)

1 1⁄2 cups cold milk

1 1⁄2 cups flaked coconut

1 (8 ounce) container Cool Whip, thawed

Directions

In a large bowl mix pudding and milk until pudding becomes thick (usually about 2 minutes).

Fold in 4 oz (1/2) of the Cool-Whip.

Fold in 1 cup of coconut.

Spread mix into bottom of pie crust.

Spread remaining Cool-Whip on top.

Sprinkle with left-over coconut. (you can toast the coconut if you choose.)

Serve cooled (about one hour in the fridge).

Keep refrigerated.

Enjoy!

Topanga

Today is Danielle Fischel’s birthday.  Probably known best as Topanga Lawrence in the tv series Boy Meets World, she was born in 1981. This article, from Mental Floss, details 25 surprising facts about the series Boy Meets World.

From Mental Floss:

On September 24, 1993, television audiences were introduced to Cory Matthews (Ben Savage) and his lovable group of friends, family members, and one very important teacher when Boy Meets World made its premiere on ABC. Over the course of seven seasons, fans followed the teen shenanigans of Cory and his buddies, including best friend Shawn (Rider Strong) and girlfriend Topanga (Danielle Fishel). In 2012, old and new fans alike got to revisit Cory and Topanga—now married—as they raised their own teenage daughter in a spinoff, Girl Meets World.

On the 25th anniversary of the original series’ premiere, here are 25 things you might not have known about Boy Meets World.

1. CORY WAS ORIGINALLY SUPPOSED TO HAVE TWO BEST FRIENDS.

In the first three episodes of the show, Cory has a second friend, in addition to Shawn. The show was originally going to feature Cory’s friends as a group, rather than a duo, so the showrunners kept rotating in new friends. But the characters didn’t stick. The cast even started calling the cafeteria chair that those characters sat in the “death chair” because the actors would never return. Finally, in the season one episode “Cory’s Alternative Friends,” Topanga was introduced and the notion of another best friend was lost.

2. SHAWN HAD A SISTER, BUT SHE WAS ONLY EVER MENTIONED ONCE.

In the “Cory’s Alternative Friends” episode, Shawn telephones his sister Stacy. In later episodes, Shawn doesn’t have a sister. Why? It has to do with the aforementioned plan for Corey to have two best friends. While filming the episode, the actor who was going to play one of those friends was fired. Rider Strong, who played Shawn, was given all of his lines at the last minute. In the original script, Stacy wasn’t Shawn’s sister. So, she never shows up in the show again.

3. MR. TURNER DISAPPEARED.

What’s with all the disappearing Boy Meets World characters? Mr. Turner played a vital role in the high school years of the show. Shawn even lives with him for a time. But in the fourth season episode “Cult Fiction,” Mr. Turner gets into a life-threatening motorcycle accident. He never appears on the show again and is rarely mentioned. In the next season, during the graduation episode, Minkus (who has also been MIA since season one) mentions Mr. Turner, saying that they had just been on “the other side of the school.” Mysterious.

Strong claimed that the twentysomething Mr. Turner was written into the show because Friends was popular at the time. But he didn’t quite fit into the show. He did, however, seem to fit into Girl Meets World: He appeared in three episodes of the spinoff.

4. MEMBERS OF TOPANGA’S FAMILY ALSO DISAPPEARED.

Topanga’s family tree is also all over the place. Like Stacy, Topanga’s older sister, Nebula, is a one-episode wonder. She appears in the season one episode “She Loves Me, She Loves Me Not,” but is never mentioned again. And Topanga is later referred to as an only child. Topanga’s parents were played by five different actors over the course of the show: Peter Tork, Michael McKean, and Mark Harelik played her father, and her mother was played by both Annette O’Toole and Marcia Cross.

5. STUART MINKUS’S NAME WAS CHANGED FOR A REASON.

The writers changed Lee Norris’s character’s name to “Stuart Minkus” after it was discovered that there was an actual Stuart Lempke (the character’s original name) living in Philadelphia, which is where the show takes place.

6. DANIELLE FISHEL WASN’T THE FIRST TOPANGA.

Topanga was originally played by a different actress who ultimately didn’t work out for the part. On Fishel’s first day, she made the character very upbeat and peppy—but after rehearsal, co-creator Michael Jacobs waited until everyone went home and had a meeting with her in which he told her that he wanted Topanga to be more of a slow, calm character, and they went through the script line by line. Fishel was terrified that she’d lost the part like the actress who played Topanga before her, so she spent all night practicing the part.

After the next day’s run-through, Fishel recalled that, “Michael started the notes session off with me again. My heart stopped beating regularly, and my palms got sweaty: ‘Danielle, yesterday I gave you an enormous amount of notes. I did that because I believed you were capable of handling them,’ he said in front of all the writers and producers and my fellow actors. Then he stood up. I panicked. Was he going to fire me, slam his script on the ground, and storm out of there? ‘However, with your performance today, you exceeded my expectations,’ he concluded. He started clapping, and all the writers stood up and clapped next to him. Michael wasn’t going to fire me. He believed in me. He gave me a freaking standing ovation.”

7. ANOTHER CHARACTER THAT WAS REPLACED: MORGAN MATTHEWS.

In the first two seasons, Lily Nicksay played the youngest member of the Matthews family, Morgan. Then, a few episodes into season three, Lindsay Ridgeway took over the role of Morgan. It was never explained why Nicksay was replaced. In the third season, Corey says, “Morgan, long time no see.” She responds, “Yeah, that was the longest time out I’ve ever had!” Nicksay—who now goes by Lily Gibson—made a few reunion appearances with the cast and even appeared on an episode of Girl Meets World.

8. TOPANGA WAS NAMED AFTER TOPANGA CANYON.

It was taking a while to come up with Topanga’s name and it ended up becoming a last-minute decision.According to Fishel, “Michael Jacobs says he was driving down the highway when production called and said, ‘We need a name for this character!’ He happened to be driving past Topanga Canyon, so he said, ‘Topanga.’ He says that if they had called him two miles later, I would’ve been named Canoga, which is the next exit.”

9. THE YOUNG ACTORS WENT TO SCHOOL TOGETHER.

Just like the show, the set itself revolved around a classroom. During the show’s early years, Savage, Fishel, Strong, and Will Friedle (Eric) were all still in school. Fishel later explained, “When we started the show, we had little sectioned off areas for each one of us to try to focus and work with our own individual teachers, but it always ended up being more like a regular school classroom with all of us chiming in and learning little bits of what everyone else was learning.”

10. RIDER STRONG HATED SHAWN’S HAIRCUT.

Though Shawn’s haircut was beloved by the fans, Strong didn’t feel the same way. Unfortunately, he wasn’t allowed to change it. “I hated my hair. I came to the audition with that hairstyle, got the part, and the director Michael Jacobs never let me cut it from there on out,” Strong said. “A bunch of girls at a sleepover told me to wear my hair like that—parted down the center—and I was 12, so I listened. It was my version of Christian Slater. But my hair is wavy and they would straighten it on the show and it would take forever. I wanted to cut my hair so bad, but the only time I got to was when we found out the show was going to be canceled.”

11. STRONG STOLE SHAWN’S FAMOUS LEATHER JACKET.

When the show ended, Strong made off with a nice souvenir. “Disney wouldn’t let us take anything, but I had a leather jacket that I had bought on my own, and I swapped it,” he said. Unfortunately, someone later stole the jacket from his car in Brooklyn. Strong wasn’t the only rebel in the cast; Savage admitted to stealing a pair of shoes from the show as well.

12. SCENES BETWEEN ERIC AND SHAWN WERE LIMITED FOR A REASON.

Friedle and Strong remain close friends to this day. Their undeniable chemistry made for some hard-to-shoot scenes. In a 2013 reunion, Friedle admitted, “They never let Rider and I do scenes together because we would look at each other and start laughing, so I think over seven years, we had, like, five scenes together.”

13. THE CHARACTERS GO TO JOHN ADAMS HIGH SCHOOL, WHICH IS A POSSIBLE REFERENCE TO WILLIAM DANIELS.

Though it hasn’t been confirmed, many Boy Meets World fans believe that John Adams High School is a nod to Daniels’s career. He played John Adams in the musical and film version of 1776. Another reference to his career: Mr. Feeny calls The Graduate a “great film.” Daniels played Mr. Braddock in the movie.

14. DANIELS DID HAVE A FEENY-ESQUE VIBE ON SET.

He didn’t exactly mentor the kids, as fans might hope. The child actors were definitely intrigued by him, though. They originally thought he was British because he came across as very proper. “There wasn’t a whole lot of socializing off set, but we revered the character and the man,” Savage later said. “When he’d come on set, we’d talk, we’d listen, and we’d absorb, and then he would vanish, like some sort of magical person that just pops into your life. He was like a mystic. He always taught us things, and there was so much to absorb from him.”

15. THE “AND THEN THERE WAS SHAWN” EPISODE WAS A CAST FAVORITE.

Both Friedle and Strong have pointed to the season five episode as a favorite. The 1998 episode was inspired by ’90s horror movies like Scream. The episode co-starred Jennifer Love Hewitt, who was dating Friedle in real life. Her character’s name, by the way, was Jennifer Love Fefferman. It’s no wonder the cast “could barely get through the scenes,” as Friedle put it. “We were laughing so hard.”

16. MANY FUTURE STARS APPEARED ON THE SHOW.

Jennifer Love Hewitt wasn’t the only star to make a guest appearance on Boy Meets World. Future Parks and Recreation star Adam Scott played school bully Griff Hawkins on the second season. Freaks and Geeks star Linda Cardellini spent a few episodes almost breaking up Cory and Topanga. In 1995, the same year that Clueless came out, Brittany Murphy played Trini for two episodes. A couple of future Buffy stars also appeared on the show: Charisma Carpenter and Julie Benz.

Perhaps the most surprising Boy Meets World guest star is Blake Sennett, who would go on to be the lead guitarist for the band Rilo Kiley and frontman of The Elected. During his child acting days, Sennett went by the name Blake Soper. Like Scott, he played a school bully: Joseph “Joey the Rat” Epstein. His first appearance was in season two and he popped up periodically until the episode “Graduation” in season five.

17. THE SHOW SKIPS SOME GRADES.

Though the show definitely leaps ahead in time, it’s hard to tell when those leaps occur. In season one, Cory, Shawn, and Topanga are in sixth grade. In the season two premiere, the characters are officially seventh graders and enter high school. Then, in the season four episode “I Ain’t Gonna Spray Lettuce No More,” the characters are referred to as 11th graders. Season five represents their senior year and they enter college in season six. Somewhere in there, a couple grades were lost.

18. STRONG WANTED TO QUIT THE SHOW TO GO TO COLLEGE.

Strong approached the showrunners about quitting to focus on his studies, but Jacobs convinced him that it was possible to do the show while attending college. Strong took all morning classes and then went to work. He even had a dorm room, as the school required, though he didn’t stay there every night. In 2004, four years after the show ended, Strong graduated with an English degree from Columbia University. The academic life suited him; in 2009, he earned an MFA from Bennington College.

19. MAITLAND WARD DIDN’T AUDITION.

Maitland Ward, who joined the show during its college years, had actually auditioned for another of Jacobs’s shows, Zoe, Duncan, Jack & Jane. He really liked her, but she didn’t end up getting cast. Instead, he later called her to take the role of Jack (Matthew Lawrence) and Eric’s roommate (and crush), Rachel.

20. MICHAEL JACOBS’S SON PLAYED JOSHUA MATTHEWS.

Joshua Matthews is the younger brother of Cory and Eric, who was born during the sixth season. The part was played by various babies until the season finale, when Daniel Jacobs, son of creator Michael Jacobs, played him. Interestingly, Daniel had already made a cameo that season as a different character. He wasn’t originally supposed to be in the episode, but the child actor that they had cast was being too chatty when he was supposed to be silent during a scene. So, Jacobs called his wife, who promptly brought in Daniel to play the part.

21. WILLIE GARSON PLAYED THREE DIFFERENT CHARACTERS.

Another famous guest star: Willie Garson, a.k.a. Stanford Blatch in Sex and the City. In two first season episodes, Garson can be seen as the assistant manager of the Market Giant supermarket, where Cory’s father works. He appears again a few years later as Mervyn, who applies for a job at the Matthews’ store. Then, in season seven, he’s the minister who marries Cory and Topanga.

22. ABC RAN AN ONLINE POLL ASKING WHETHER CORY AND TOPANGA SHOULD GET MARRIED.

Jacobs wanted the iconic couple to marry before the show ended. ABC disagreed with the decision. The network executives thought that the characters, who were 20 years old, were far too young to get married. It was actually Jacobs who suggested the Internet poll. The audience wanted to see their favorite couple marry, and they did midway through the last season.

23. THE TEARS IN THE FINALE WERE GENUINE.

The last scene in the classroom with Mr. Feeny was only filmed once. “We did that last scene in one take because we were such a wreck,” Strong explained. Ben Savage has said that the last scene was his favorite memory of the show. “When they said, ‘Cut!’ on that final take, it was almost like someone was saying, ‘Say goodbye to your childhood,’” he recalled.

24. THE FINAL SCENE IS THE ONLY SCENE IN THE SHOW WHERE WE SEE FISHEL’S TATTOO.

Because the scene was only filmed once, the crew had four cameras set up to capture all the action. Midway through the scene, a writer asked Jacobs, “What’s on [Danielle’s] neck?” He responded, “Chinese letters.” The writer asked, “Did you ever know they were there before?” Michael responded, “Hair has never given her pigtails before.” Those pigtails revealed a tattoo on Danielle’s neck, which is visible if you look closely,

25. MANY OF THE CHARACTERS RETURNED FOR GIRL MEETS WORLD.

Jacobs has said, “Whoever wants to be part of this show will be and whoever wants to move on will.”

SOURCE: MENTALFLOSS.COM

“Just What I Never Wanted…”

Wondering what to get Mom for Mother’s Day this year? Well, surprisingly enough, there’s plenty of articles about what NOT to get Mom.  Here’s one I found at scarymommy.com.  Enjoy!

From scarymommy.com:

It is a fact not scientifically proven that all moms just want to be given at least a handmade card and then be left the f alone on Mother’s Day. It is not a day in which we want to be given nothing. We want our lifelong, never-ending, 24/7 efforts to be recognized, damnit. But of course, as with everything else, our day inevitably won’t always go to plan; that is scientifically proven.

So we asked you, our dear readers, on both Facebook and Instagram for the absolute crappiest gifts you’ve ever gotten for Mother’s Day, and you didn’t disappoint. Below, in no particular order, are some of the best worst responses we got.

No matter what happens this year: We here at Scary Mommy see you, and appreciate you.

“A pedicure with my mother-in-law”

“Olive oil because my husband thought I’d “really like the bottle it came in.”

“First mother’s day my husband gave me $50 to get that “grill I’ve been talking about.” Yeah, I put it together and made dinner on it too. It’s taken over 20 years, but he’s gotten better”

“A dog hair remover brush”

“Pajamas four years in a row… Please get me anything else.”

“A card that the child was meant to decorate but she was a month old so it was just plain white”

“Deodorant. I actually had wanted to try this new brand, but NOT as a gift”

“A Lazy Susan for the pantry. My husband had also already gotten me a Lazy Susan for Christmas”

“Wiper Blades”

“A gift card for a golf course my husband likes to play at. I don’t golf. Obviously he used it.”

“A mother’s day card after I miscarried. The thought was nice but it hurt more than anything at that point”

“The line that I’m not HIS mother so he doesn’t have to get me a gift”

“An offer to spend “quality” time with my kids by taking them out for a special activity that I would choose and arrange. I’m a stay-at-home mom. So I was offered: Nothing. Absolutely nothing different than I do every day. Yay. Yes, he really thought he was giving a good gift.”

“A vacuum and not a great vacuum either.”

Responses have been lightly edited for clarity.

SOURCE: SCARYMOMMY.COM

Secretariat

In honor of today’s running of the Kentucky Derby, I found an article on the History.com website detailing the greatest horse in history—Secretariat!

From history.com:

Secretariat was a legendary thoroughbred racehorse whose name reigns supreme in the history of racing. The stallion with a chestnut coat, three white “socks” and cocky demeanor not only became the first horse in 25 years to win the Triple Crown in 1973, he did it in a way that left spectators breathless.

Secretariat’s 1973 performance in the third Triple Crown race at Belmont Stakes, where he bested his closest competitor by a mind-blowing 31 lengths, is widely considered one of the most stunning horse races of all time.

Big Red

Called the “Clark Gable of horses” by Vogue, Secretariat consistently blew away the competition: His times in all three Triple Crown races remain the fastest in history. “Big Red,” as he was known, was a horse that seemed aware of his greatness and reveled in it. Secretariat’s owner, Penny Chenery, told author Lawrence Scanlon that Secretariat, “next to having my children, was the most remarkable event in my life.”

A ‘Strong-Made’ Foal

Secretariat was born to a Virginia stable that had been nearly sold when the owner, Chris Chenery, became ill. Chenery’s daughter Penny, however, resisted her siblings’ urging to sell the financially struggling Meadow Farm and instead took charge and guided it back to profitability. In 1969, Penny Chenery decided to breed the stable’s mare, Somethingroyal, to stud Bold Ruler, and the pair’s second breeding resulted in Secretariat.

Born at 12:10 am, March 30, 1970, the foal who became Secretariat first appeared chunky to stud manager Howard Gentry. As Gentry reported, the young horse was a “Big, strong-made foal with plenty of bone.” When Eddie Sweat, who became Secretariat’s long-time, dedicated groom, first met the horse, he was also reportedly unimpressed.

Sweat told Canadian Horseman in 1973, “I didn’t think much of him when we first got him. I thought he was just a big clown. He was real clumsy and a bit on the wild side, you know. And I remember saying to myself I didn’t think he was going to be an outstanding horse.”

A Rough Start

But by age two, the young Secretariat had found his legs and, under trainer Lucien Laurin, began to show the world what a powerhouse he was. He stood tall at approximately 16.2 hands (66 inches) tall, and weighed 1,175 pounds with a 75-inch girth. At his first race on July 4, 1972, at Aqueduct Racetrack in New York City, Big Red got bumped hard at the start, throwing off his race. He finished fourth, but made an impressive surge in the final stretch moving up from 10th place to fourth. In his second race, 11 days later, Secretariat again poured on the speed during the final stretch and won by six lengths. By his third race on July 31, he was already a crowd favorite and easily won, this time with Ron Turcotte who from then on became Secretariat’s main jockey. By the end of his 1972 season, Big Red had won seven of nine races and was named the Horse of the Year, becoming the second two-year-old to ever capture that honor.

Secretariat at Age Three

The following year, 1973, would prove to be pivotal for both the legacy of Secretariat and Meadow Farm. Penny Chenery’s father, Chris, died in January and Penny was hit with a daunting tax bill. To keep the stable operating, Penny Chenery managed to syndicate Secretariat, selling 32 shares of the horse for a record $6.08 million. In his 1973 debut at Aqueduct Racetrack, Secretariat, who had grown even stronger over the winter, proved he was worth every cent.

He slogged through wet conditions and a packed field to win by four and a half lengths. In his next race at Gotham Stakes, Secretariat again surged ahead of the pack to win.

If Secretariat ever did disappoint, it was in his next race at Wood Memorial Stakes. Before the race, an abscess had been discovered on the top of his mouth, likely caused by a burr in his hay. Groomer, Eddie Sweat, would tell The Thoroughbred Record six years later that the abscess “bothered” the horse “a lot.” Big Red ended up third in that race, a shocking four lengths behind the winner, Angle Light. In the lead-up to the Kentucky Derby, the loss dented the armor of a horse that had once been considered a sure-thing.

Kentucky Derby Victory

Following the Wood Memorial race, Secretariat’s team lanced the abscess and it healed. By race day at the 1973 Kentucky Derby two weeks later, Secretariat was once again ready to dominate—and dominate he did.

Although he broke last out of the gate, Secretariat accelerated his pace at every quarter-mile of the race and finished with a course record that still stands of 1:59 2/5th.

In the decades since, only one other horse, Monarchos, has finished in under 2 minutes at the Derby. Two weeks later at the Preakness, Secretariat again came from behind to win the race. His final time was disputed, due to two separate timings, until a 2012 forensic review revealed it was 1:53 flat, which remains an unbroken course record.

By his Preakness win, Secretariat had become an international media star. Big Red appeared on the covers of Time, Newsweek and Sports Illustrated. In a time when the grim news of the Watergate scandal and Vietnam War protests had dominated headlines, word of a stunning horse captivated the public’s attention. Writer George Plimpton described Secretariat as “the only honest thing in the country at the time…Where the public so often looks for the metaphor of simple, uncomplicated excellence, the big red horse has come along and provided it.”

Secretariat Takes the Triple Crown

On June 9, 1973, the final race day of the Triple Crown at Belmont Park, the American public was humming with excitement for the race that could determine the first Triple Crown winner in 25 years. Secretariat, for his part, was ready to deliver.

Unlike in his previous races, this time Secretariat did not start from behind. Instead, he bolted from the gate and secured good placement along the inside lane. His long-time rival, Sham, gave him some competition at the start, but by the half-mile mark, Secretariat pulled away. And he just kept accelerating.

“Down the backstretch, with a half-mile to go, Secretariat was clearly giving me a rocket ride,” Turcotte recalled in 1993. “I never experienced anything like it. Faster, faster, faster. Enemy hoofbeats soon disappeared; too far behind us on the track for me to hear. What a race. What a memory.” By the time Secretariat and Turcotte rounded the final corner they were all alone. The announcer, Chic Anderson, narrated to spectators, “He’s moving like a tre-mend-ous machine…”

Secretariat crushed the competition—first by 10 lengths, then 20, and eventually a gob-stopping 31 lengths—to become horse racing’s first Triple Crown winner since 1948. A famous Sports Illustrated photo shows Turcotte looking back during the final leg of the race to see the long empty stretch that Secretariat had opened between him and his nearest rivals.

Penny Chenery would say about Secretariat in the Belmont race, “Why did he keep on running when he’d passed everybody by almost an eighth of a mile? My gut feeling is that it was his home track and he was ready for that race. I just think he got out there and put away Sham early and just felt ‘Okay, I feel good, I’m just going to show them how I can run.’”

‘Only One Secretariat’

In the decades since Secretariat completed the Triple Crown, his record times remain unsurpassed in the Kentucky Derby, the Preakness and the Belmont Stakes.

In 1974, Secretariat was inducted into the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame. In 1999, he was the only non-human included among ESPN’s 50 greatest athletes of the century and he became the first thoroughbred to be honored with his own U.S. Postal stamp. Outside the paddock at Belmont Park now stands a statue of Secretariat with both his front feet in the air.

Before the Triple Crown races, Secretariat’s breeding rights had been sold by Chenery for $6 million. Part of the agreement was that the thoroughbred would retire from racing after his third year.

After his Triple Crown victory, and a “Farewell to Secretariat” Day at Aqueduct to a crowd of 32,900, the chestnut horse was flown to Claiborne Farm in Paris, Kentucky. Here, he would sire nearly 600 offspring, including 41 stakes winners. But none of his offspring ever compared to the original. “A lot of misinformed people thought he could reproduce himself,” Claiborne manager John Sosby told People magazine in 1988. “But it just doesn’t work that way. There’s only one Secretariat.”

Secretariat’s Heart

Indeed, when the great horse was put down in October 1989, after being diagnosed with a painful, incurable hoof condition known as laminitis, medical examiners discovered something incredible. Dr. Thomas Swerczek, the veterinarian who performed the necropsy, reported that he found that Secretariat’s heart, weighing between 21 and 22 pounds, was the largest he had ever seen in a horse. “We were all shocked,” Swerczek told Sports Illustrated in 1990. “I’ve seen and done thousands of autopsies on horses, and nothing I’d ever seen compared to it.” The main motor of Secretariat, that “tremendous machine,” was approximately twice the normal size.

SOURCE: HISTORY.COM

North Carolina State Flower: Flowering Dogwood

Flowering dogwood is a woody, deciduous, showy, understory tree in the dogwood family (Cornaceae) that is native from southeastern Canada through eastern North America to eastern Mexico, where it is commonly found growing in woodland margins. The species epithet is Latin for “floriferous.”

Flowering dogwood can be a tricky plant to grow in a landscape setting. Locate flowering dogwood in a site that receives full sun to partial shade, though in the piedmont and along the coast it may need more shade, especially in the afternoon. Plant in well-drained soil that is high in organic matter and has a slightly acidic to neutral pH. A 2- to 4-inch layer of mulch will help keep the roots cool and moist in hot summers. Propagate flowering dogwood by seeds or stem cuttings. 

Flowering dogwood is a small tree 15 to 25 feet tall. The tree is found throughout the state, usually growing under larger forest trees and at woodland edges. It is quite tolerant to heat once established and has a low flammability rating. The showy dogwood “flower” is actually a cluster of small, true flowers surrounded by four petal-like bracts. It is the state flower of North Carolina. The flowers are visited by butterflies and specialized bees, and the red fruits are a food source for songbirds and other wildlife from fall through winter.  

With multi-season interest, it has many uses in the landscape such as a butterfly, pollinator, or children’s garden, a native or winter garden, accenting a patio or play area, a specimen, or shade tree.  

Quick ID Hints:

Showy bracts emerge before the leaves.

Leaves are opposite with veins that arch up toward the tip.

Leaves have a smooth to wavy margin. 

Bark becomes scaly to finely blocky as it matures.

Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: Calico scale, dogwood borer, dogwood sawfly, Japanese maple scale, leafhoppers and oyster shell scale are a problem. Dogwood anthracnose is not all that common, only occurring at 1800 feet or higher elevation. Spot anthracnose is more common. Trees are also susceptible to powdery mildew, leaf spot, canker, root rot and leaf, twig blight crown canker, bacterial leaf scorch, powdery mildew and septoria leaf spot. The foliage is browsed by white-tailed deer, and these trees do not withstand pollution.  This tree can be challenging to grow in urban settings, other native trees should be considered.