Author: Lisa Mungovan

The Grand Rapids Zoo in Michigan, recently announced the birth of its first baby pygmy hippo, to first-time parents Penelope and Jahari. Pygmy hippos are much smaller than regular hippopotamuses, but the calf still weighed 11 pounds. There are fewer than 2,500 pygmy hippos left in their native habitat, the West African rainforests.

Today is Grandparents Day. Make sure you tell them how much you love them. Ask them what they did for fun when they were younger, or how your parents misbehaved as kids. It’s also Feel the Love Day, so give all your relatives, pets, and friends some extra love too. Love is awesome.

Did you grow any squash in your garden this summer? Today is Acorn Squash Day, so bake one for dinner. Don’t forget to save some seeds for next year. It’s also Superhuman Day, which celebrates all the people who have disabilities, and the challenges they face in daily life. They’re an inspiration for everyone!

Today is Buy A Book Day. Libraries are fantastic, but sometimes you want to keep that favorite book to read again and again! Thrift stores and yard sales are great places to find cheap books, and sometimes libraries have book sales too. If your neighborhood has a Little Free Library, the books are free!

Everyone needs a pet, but maybe you have allergies, or travel too much, or don’t have money for visits to the vet. Get a pet rock! In the 19 70’s, they were sold in a ventilated box, with a bed of hay. Today is Pet Rock Day, so adopt one from your garden!

Today is Hummingbird Day. The tiny birds can hover in midair, by beating their wings up to 200 times-per-second. Larger types of hummingbird hatch from eggs the size of a bean, but the smallest bird in the world, the 2-inch-long bee hummingbird, lays 5-millimeter-long eggs, in nests made of cobwebs and lichen.

Vultures are gigantic birds with an important job. As scavengers, they’re essential in cleaning up dead wildlife. Their featherless heads, help keep them cool, and stay clean when they eat. Turkey vultures have a 6-foot wingspan, so it’s easy to spot them circling in the sky. Happy Vulture Awareness Day!

Today is Barbie Doll Day. Creator Ruth Handler’s first Barbie doll, went on sale September 6, 1959, 65 years ago! Barbara Millicent Roberts wore a black and white swimsuit, and came with blond or brown hair. Now, there are more than 1,000 different Barbies. Take Barbie out, for Play Outside Day!

Do you have a book you’ve been meaning to read, but never get around to it? Today’s the perfect day to get started. It’s Reed A Book Day and Fight Procrastination Day! Do all the things you’ve been putting off, as long as one of those things includes reading.

Did you know, today is Beard Day? The longest beard ever recorded belonged to Hans Nilson Langseth. His beard was 17 1/2 feet long! It can be tough to grow a nice beard, but you can always wear a fake one. You can even draw one on with markers. Don’t forget the sideburns!