February is Bake for Family Fun Month

If baking is any labor at all, it’s a labor of love. A love that gets passed from generation to generation.

– Regina Brett

There’s something about the smell of baked goods cooking in the oven that just says home and security. When we think about Christmas time, it’s always the smell of sugar cookies baking that sticks in the memory. When you come home and the smell of a hot dinner is playing harmonies with the delicious smell of that evening’s dessert in the oven, you know that everything is OK. Bake For Family Fun Month encourages you to share a month of love and shared tradition with your family by baking in the kitchen, for fun!

History of Bake For Family Fun Month

Bake For Family Fun Month was established to help promote the retention of an ancient family ritual that goes back into the earliest days of human existence. Baking is a great experience for friends and family alike, promoting everything from some basic understandings of chemistry, to knowing how to properly measure out each of the ingredients to get the desired results. Tactile knowledge is gained as you begin to be able to know when you’ve kneaded the bread enough by how it feels under your hands, and then, most importantly, there’s the shared love of family and food that comes across as you build family traditions.

In today’s fast-paced consumer and convenience based society, the joys of a fresh baked batch of cookies continues to be an experience worth sharing with your family.

How to celebrate Bake For Family Fun Month

The best way to celebrate Bake For Family Fun Month is to get yourself into the kitchen with your family and start baking up some deliciousness. Tonight it can be a fresh loaf of bread seasoned with your favorite seasonings, tomorrow it can be delicious biscuits made by replacing the water with chicken broth. Such simple things are family memories made from. Have a love for cookies? Get out there and bake yourself some, there’s no need to go to the store! That, and it creates some much needed time to bond with your family, something we don’t do enough of these days. Bake For Family Fun Month encourages you to get together and build a history of loving family memories centered in the kitchen, and if you have a great time with it, you can just carry it out through the rest of the year!

AG Nominee Sen. Sessions Once Told Fired Acting AG Sally Yates: You Have ‘to Say No to President’

From: NBC News

Acting Attorney General Sally Yates was fired Monday night for defying President Donald Trump's executive order on immigration.

But the very notion of her pushing back at the president was brought up — and encouraged — at her 2015 Senate confirmation hearing as deputy attorney general, when she was grilled about being able to challenge Barack Obama if she disagreed with him.

And who was the man who introduced the idea of dissent?

Republican Alabama Sen. Jeff Sessions, who is now poised to himself become the U.S. Attorney General in the Trump administration.

"You have to watch out because people will be asking you to do things you just need to say 'no' about," Sessions told Yates. "Do you think the attorney general has the responsibility to say no to the president if he asks for something that's improper? A lot of people have defended the [Loretta] Lynch nomination, for example, by saying, 'Well [Obama] appoints somebody who's going to execute his views. What's wrong with that?'"

"But if the views the president wants to execute are unlawful, should the attorney general or the deputy attorney general say 'no?'" Sessions added.

"Senator, I believe the attorney general or the deputy attorney general has an obligation to follow the law and the Constitution," Yates responded, "and to give their independent legal advice to the president."

Yates, who spent her career going after white-collar criminals in the Atlanta area and also prosecuted Olympic bomber Eric Rudolph, was praised by another senator at that hearing for her abilities as an attorney.

"She will be a hero of the American people, a hero of what's right," said Sen. Johnny Isakson, R-Ga. "She'll call them like she sees them, and she will be fair, and she will be just."

Before her firing Monday, Yates had advised the Justice Department not to enforce Trump's executive order barring certain refugees and people from seven Muslim-majority countries from entering the United States — a ban that caused confusion at airports over the weekend and set off protests nationwide. Trump had said the ban was necessary as a precaution against "radical Islamic terrorism" and a way to do "extreme vetting."

"For as long as I am the acting attorney general, the Department of Justice will not present arguments in defense of the executive order, unless and until I become convinced that it is appropriate to do so," Yates wrote.

The White House in a scathing statement shot back that Yates had "betrayed" the Department of Justice.

"Ms. Yates is an Obama Administration appointee who is weak on borders and very weak on illegal immigration," the White House said.

Yates became acting attorney general while the current Senate continues to deliberate on the nomination of Sessions as the nation's top law enforcement attorney.

The Senate Judiciary Committee is expected to vote Tuesday morning after hearings earlier in the month where Sessions faced two days of tough questioning by Democrats over his past record.

Trump early Tuesday slammed the Democrats on Twitter, demanding they vote on attorney general and his other Cabinet picks. "They should be ashamed of themselves!" he tweeted.

When will the Democrats give us our Attorney General and rest of Cabinet! They should be ashamed of themselves! No wonder D.C. doesn't work!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 31, 2017

Sean Spicer Refuses to Discuss Rumored Anti-LGBT Executive Order Coming from Trump This Week

From: Towleroad

In Monday’s press briefing, White House Press Secretary was asked about a rumored anti-LGBT executive order planned by Donald Trump in the coming days.

The Human Rights Campaign acknowledged the reports earlier today:

There are a number of rumors swirling that Donald Trump is planning to sign yet another discriminatory executive action – this time specifically targeting the LGBTQ community. While only the White House can speak to the veracity of the rumors, given the administration’s track record of championing discrimination in just the last week, HRC is preparing to fight this to the fullest.

“The rumors of an anti-LGBTQ executive action by President Trump are deeply troubling. We already know that he is willing to target and marginalize at-risk communities for his perceived political gain. As the President and his team plan their next steps, we want to make one thing clear: we won’t give one inch when it comes to defending equality, whether it is a full-on frontal assault or an attack under the guise of religion. Mike Pence should know that better than anyone given his track record in Indiana,” said JoDee Winterhof, the Human Rights Campaign’s Senior Vice President for Policy and Political Affairs. “The Human Rights Campaign will stand with those who have already been targeted by this Administration and are prepared to fight tooth and nail against every effort to discriminate.”

The rumor is that Trump intends to roll back an executive order put in place by President Obama which prohibited federal contractors from discriminating on the basis of sexual orientation, and perhaps go even further to allow a broader range of discrimination against LGBT people based on ‘religious freedom’.

Spicer responded to a question from Chris Johnson at the Washington Blade at today’s briefing.

Said Spicer:

“I’m not getting ahead of the executive orders that we may or may not issue. There’s a lot of executive orders, a lot of things the president has talked about and will continue to fulfill but we have nothing on that front now…”

Press Sec. Sean Spicer was asked about #religiousfreedom exec. order that would undermine #LGBT rt's & he did not answer .@HRC @JayBrownHRC pic.twitter.com/80s0m2AgYm

— Anthony (@hollywoodblvd1) January 30, 2017

UPDATE

Washington Post‘s Josh Rogin confirms the news.

I'm told reliably there is a draft Executive order on LGBT issues including adoption. Details and timing unclear.

— Josh Rogin (@joshrogin) January 30, 2017

More: EO could allow fed employees to refuse to serve LGBT based on belief marriage is b/t man & woman or gender is immutable from birth

— Josh Rogin (@joshrogin) January 30, 2017

”Projeto Nu E Cru" by C. Svenson Photography

February is From Africa to Virginia Month

“From Africa to Virginia” is the theme of interpretive programs throughout February at Jamestown Settlement history museum.  It is a month long focus on the culture of the first known Africans in Virginia and the experience of Africans in colonial America.

During February the theme “From Africa to Virginia” is reflected in a printed family guide of Jamestown Settlement’s expansive gallery exhibits and in daily guided tours of the museum’s outdoor living-history areas.

The galleries chronicle the nation’s 17th-century beginnings in Virginia in the context of its Powhatan Indian, English and African cultures.  The parent culture of Africans brought to Virginia in 1619 is portrayed in a diorama that includes a full-scale dwelling and artifacts from the Ambundu culture of Angola.  A dramatic multimedia presentation describes African encounters with Europeans, the impact on African culture, and the development of the transatlantic slave trade.

Other exhibits tell about Virginia’s tobacco-cultivation economy and its relationship to the evolution of slavery in the colony.  A structure re-created from an archaeological site depicts a late-17th-century slave quarter alongside a planter’s house and Indian cabin, also based on Virginia archaeological sites.  Decorative objects of ivory and metal made by west central African craftspeople, and archaeologically found objects made or used by enslaved people in Virginia can be seen in the gallery exhibits.

Daily outdoor tours of Jamestown Settlement’s re-created Powhatan Indian village, 1607 English ships and 1610-14 colonial fort, compare fishing, hunting, construction and metalworking skills of Africans in Angola with technology used in 17th-century Virginia.  During the tours, participants will be invited to participate in role play that illuminates the circumstances of the 1619 arrival in Virginia of 20-some Africans who had been captured by English privateers from a Portuguese ship en route from Angola to Mexico.

Jamestown Settlement is operated by the Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation, a Virginia state agency that also administers the Yorktown Victory Center, where visitors will be invited throughout February to learn about the lives of African Americans during the American Revolution period.  The theme will be a focus of guided tours of the museum’s re-created Continental Army encampment and 1780s farm.  Indoors, the Witnesses to Revolution Gallery and “The Legacy of Yorktown: Virginia Beckons” exhibition address the impact of the Revolution on African Americans.

February is Adopt a Rescued Rabbit Month

Join us in celebrating Adopt a Rescued Rabbit Month, when we celebrate what wonderful companions rabbits are, and encourage people to adopt from a rabbit rescue group or animal shelter!

February is Dog Training Education Month!

Having a furry friend in your life provides a great amount of happiness! Making sure your dog is a well-respected canine citizen is arguably one of the most important things you do as a responsible pet parent.

A trained dog is a fully participating member of the family—what a gift for all of you!

• Puppy classes provide the opportunity for getting your new family member started off right. Puppy classes provide the experiences and opportunities for your puppy to develop interaction skills with other puppies, with people, and in new environments.
• Puppy socialization has been found to be critical to the psychological health of adult dogs. Puppy classes provide the opportunity for this important facet of your puppy’s upbringing.
• Training classes provide dog owners the skills and knowledge for dealing with common, normal dog behaviors—starting with puppy behaviors such as housetraining and chewing.
• No matter what age you start training your dog, foundation training provides the basis for any activity, and behavior or job you want your dog to do.
• Training provides dogs with the basic good manners we all want—from polite greeting when guests arrive, to walking nicely on the leash, to coming when called.
• A trained dog is a fully participating member of the family—what a gift for all of you!
• A trained dog joins in the fun when company comes, accompanies the family to the kids’ sports games, goes with you to visit friends and relatives, goes for hikes, swims, and everything else the family does together.
• Training enables you to choose from among a broad range of activities and dog sports to participate in and enjoy with your dog • Training has been shown to be the single most important thing that keeps a dog in his or her “forever” home.
• Training builds your mutual bond, enhances the partnership and enriches the relationship you share with your dog.
• Positive reinforcement is key, especially rewarding for the right behavior. Don’t forget to reward your favorite pooch with treats for good behavior!

February is American Heart Month

Heart disease is the leading cause of death for men and women in the United States. Every year, 1 in 4 deaths are caused by heart disease.

The good news? Heart disease can often be prevented when people make healthy choices and manage their health conditions. Communities, health professionals, and families can work together to create opportunities for people to make healthier choices.

Make a difference in your community: Spread the word about strategies for preventing heart disease and encourage people to live heart healthy lives.

10 Groovy Things to Do in February starring Glenn Close and Brandon Uranowitz

Since there are so many groovy plays, musicals, concerts and events, this is my monthly list to help promote a few of them (click on a title for more information or to purchase tickets):

From: Deep Dish

1

  Sunset Boulevard

Broadway previews begin February 2. Opens February 9 at the Palace Theatre.

Glenn Close returns to Broadway in her 1995 Tony Award-winning role of faded movie star Norma Desmond. Following a sold-out run in London’s West End, this revival of the Andrew Lloyd Webber musical features a 40-piece orchestra, the largest in Broadway history.

2

The Glass Menagerie

Broadway previews begin February 7. Opens March 9 at the Belasco Theatre.

Sally Field, Joe Mantello, Finn Wittrock and Madison Ferris star in this revival of Tennessee Williams' 1947 play about a restless young man and his relationship with his fading Southern belle mother and his painfully shy sister.

3

Brandon Uranowitz: The Songs of William Finn

February 8 - 11 at NYC's Feinstein's/54 Below

The Tony Award nominee (An American in Paris) makes his Feinstein’s/54 Below solo debut. Fresh off his acclaimed turn as Mendel in the Broadway revival of Falsettos, Uranowitz gets up close and personal with audiences while sharing songs by the Tony Award-winning William Finn. Expect everything from In Trousers to Falsettos to A New Brain to Elegies and beyond as Uranowitz lends his unstoppable talent to a selection of work from one of our greatest living Broadway writers.

4

Sunday in the Park with George

Broadway previews begin February 11. Opens February 23 at the Hudson Theatre.

Jake Gyllenhaal makes his Broadway musical debut alongside Tony winner Annaleigh Ashford in the Stephen Sondheim/James Lapine 1984 masterpiece about pointillist painter George Seurat. Be there for this stunning musical about the art of making art — this is not your ordinary Sunday.

5

Significant Other

Broadway previews begin February 14. Opens March 2 at the Booth Theatre.

Playwright Joshua Harmon (Bad Jews) makes his Broadway debut with this play about a gay bachelor looking for love in the big city (it premiered Off-Broadway in 2015). Directed by Trip Cullman, the production stars Gideon Glick, John Behlmann, Lindsay Mendez and Barbara Barrie.

6

Come From Away

Broadway previews begin February 18. Opens March 12 at the Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre.

Written by Canadians Irene Sankoff and David Hein, this new musical explores the lasting connection forged between a group of travelers whose planes were diverted to a small Newfoundland town on September 11, 2001. Directed by Tony-nominated director Christopher Ashley (Memphis), the production stars Chad Kimball, Jenn Colella, Joel Hatch, Rodney Hicks and Caesar Samayoa.

7

Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?

February 22 - May 27 at London's Harold Pinter Theatre

James Macdonald directs a new production of Edward Albee’s landmark play starring Olivier and Bafta award-winning actress Imelda Staunton (Gypsy, Sweeney Todd), Olivier award-winner Conleth Hill (The Producers, Game Of Thrones), Olivier award-winner Luke Treadaway (The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time), and Imogen Poots (Roadies) in her West End debut.

8

Concert for America: Stand Up, Sing Out!

February 25 at NYC's Town Hall

Presented by Seth Rudetsky and James Wesley in association with Your Kids, Our Kids, Inc., this star-studded benefit concert will highlight the diversity and hope that is America at its best. Proceeds will go toward national organizations dedicated to protecting the environment, women's health and civil rights. The first Concert for America on January 20 featured Chita Rivera, Kelli O’Hara, Brian Stokes Mitchell, Betty Buckley, Jessie Mueller, Billy Porter, Sharon Gless, Andrea Martin, Bebe Neuwirth and many others.

9

Seth Sikes Sings Bernadette Peters

February 25 at NYC's Feinstein's/54 Below

Seth Sikes returns to Feinstein’s/54 Below with his six-piece band to celebrate the music of Bernadette Peters. Sikes says, “Bernadette Peters is Broadway's sweetheart, Sondheim's muse, and a lifelong hero of mine. The songs in her catalog are an embarrassment of riches, and I can't wait to explore them, all in tribute to the lady herself.”

10

Mrs. Miller Does Her Thing

February 28 - March 26 at Signature Theatre in Arlington, VA

Based on the real-life story of Elva Miller, James Lapine's new comedy features Emmy and Tony Award winner Debra Monk as the devoted, warbling songstress whose operatic, off-key singing of such hits as “Downtown” and “A Hard Day’s Night” became an unlikely pop phenomenon in the 1960s.

Constitutional Crisis 9 Days In: Monday Night Massacre

From: Boy Culture

Not-My-President Trump has already flirted with a constitutional crisis, first by instructing his subordinates at the CBP to ignore — ignore — a binding court order freezing parts of his Muslim ban, and now by firing acting A.G. Sally Yates.

Yates, as acting Attorney General, had said she would not uphold Trump's Muslim ban, which she isn't convinced is even legal.

In retaliation, Trump fired her and replaced her with a lackey, who will be a placeholder for Jeff Sessions, who is — impossibly — expected to be easily confirmed by the Senate in two days.

Until then, the new acting A.G. lacks some of the legal authority of Yates because she was not approved by Congress. But Trump does not care. He is all about score-evening. Check out the juvenile, banana-republic statement he authorized announcing Yates's departure:

“The acting Attorney General, Sally Yates, has betrayed the Department of Justice by refusing to enforce a legal order designed to protect the citizens of the United States. This order was approved as to form and legality by the Department of Justice Office of Legal Counsel.

Ms. Yates is an Obama Administration appointee who is weak on borders and very weak on illegal immigration.

It is time to get serious about protecting our country. Calling for tougher vetting for individuals travelling from seven dangerous places is not extreme. It is reasonable and necessary to protect our country.

Tonight, President Trump relieved Ms. Yates of her duties and subsequently named Dana Boente, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, to serve as Acting Attorney General until Senator Jeff Sessions is finally confirmed by the Senate, where he is being wrongly held up by Democrat senators for strictly political reasons.

“I am honored to serve President Trump in this role until Senator Sessions is confirmed. I will defend and enforce the laws of our country to ensure that our people and our nation are protected,” said Dana Boente, Acting Attorney General.”

It is crystal-clear that Trump feels he, as POTUS, is 100% above the law.

This. Is. A. Coup.

The powers that be in the Senate need to impeach this man. We can not wait until 2018 and 2020 for him to be weakened and voted out.

For one thing — what makes you think he would leave by then?

Another Year, Another Fabulous Actress & Gay Icon Snubbed By The Oscars

From: Queerty

Barbra Streisand

Yentl 

1983

Before Barbra Streisand starred in Yentl, she had already been nominated twice for Best Actress Oscars, for Funny Girl (1969) and The Way We Were (1974). She won for Funny Girl, in a rather unusual tie with Katharine Hepburn, who also won for her role in The Lion In Winter. But with Yentl, she was ignored by the Academy—not only as the lead actress, but she had also directed the movie, in an era when women simply did not get hired as directors of major motion pictures. The absence of any Academy recognition for Streisand in Yentl was quite the scandal at the time, especially since Streisand had won Best Director at The Golden Globes earlier that year, the first female to win that award. Unfortunately the bad feelings continued: Streisand was snubbed again for The Prince of Tides (1991), a film she again was both the lead actress and the director.  The Prince of Tides received 7 Oscar nominations, including Best Actor (Nick Nolte) and Best Supporting Actress (Kate Nelligan), but no nominations for Streisand.

Hot Young Twink Aiden Summers

Dripping wet and stroking his boner!
From: Guys Love Guys

 8Teenboy says: Aiden Summers shows off his tight jock body in some in this personal self pleasure session. Aiden strips his young, tight bod then down and hops in the shower. Dripping wet and stroking his boner he rubs out nice hot load all caught in crystal clear HD.

Christian Collins and Jasper Robinson

This summary is not available. Please click here to view the post.

February is National AMD/Low Vision Awareness Month.

February is National AMD/Low Vision Awareness Month. AMD or Age-Related Macular degeneration is the leading cause of vision loss affecting over 15 million adults over the age of 50.To understand how AMD affects your vision. Take your left hand and cover your left eye, now make a fist with your right hand. Take your right fist and place it directly in front of your right eye. The only thing you should see is images in your periphery or side vision. Now imagine that this is how you are to function within the world.

8 States Censor LGBTQ Topics in Schools. A Lawsuit Now Challenges That

Many states still have these kinds of laws on the books
From: Gay Pop Buzz

 If you can believe it, we still have states in this country that restrict or in some cases forbid discussion of LGBTQ issues in schools.

In the state of Utah for example, a so called “no promo homo” law prohibits educators from talking about LGBTQ topics.

In other states, such as Alabama, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Mississippi, South Carolina and Texas, teachers cannot talk about issues pertaining to LGBTQ sexual health.

According to Peter Renn, a senior attorney at Lambda legal, many of those laws were passed in the late 80’s and early 90’s, at a time when AIDS was becoming a public health crisis.

Back then, a stereotypical misconception existed where some thought only gay people could contract and/or spread HIV.

With the hope of removing these types of laws from the books,  advocacy groups such as Equality Utah and the National Center for Lesbian Rights have filed a federal lawsuit.

According to a report appearing on the PBS NewsHour website that looks at the Utah case:

“The suit claims that three school districts in Utah failed to protect the students from harassment or physical abuse at school. And just this week, they asked U.S. District Court Judge Dee Benson for an injunction that would block Utah from enforcing the law while the case is in progress.”

The case has the potential to impact similar laws in other states, where various restrictions are in place that limit or block discussion of LGBTQ topics.

More from the PBS story:

“Alabama, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Mississippi, South Carolina and Texas, they pertain specifically to health courses, with most stating that teachers cannot instruct students on LGBTQ sexual health.

In Oklahoma, the law requires that AIDS education include the false claim that ‘engaging in homosexual activity’ is one of the behaviors “primarily responsible for contact with the AIDS virus.””

In some places, students have joined together to form groups, such as the Gay Straight Alliance. Their purpose is to have safe places to talk about LGBTQ topics in a supportive, non-judgmental way.

Unfortunately, some schools have tried to stop such organizations from forming because of so called “references to human sexuality”.

LGBTQ advocates believe the current laws that restrict these topics are harmful to young people because they perpetuate a culture of fear among students that need help.

And it appears they are correct.

According to research released by the Trevor Project, suicide is the second leading cause of death for people between the ages of 10-24.

7 Reasons Hunky Celebs “Leak” NSFW Pics That Might Surprise You!

From: Gay Pop Buzz

 2. 

Stalled Careers

Sometimes, extremely graphic videos are released to the public to help an person’s stalling career. This point is particularly true for television reality personalities who don’t want to fade from public memory.

“Hot guys on reality shows are a dime a dozen. When they leave the program or the series ends, so does their 15-minutes of fame,” shared our source.

A possible example of this can be found in the case of Dustin McNeer, a contestant who was on American’s Top Next Model. After leaving the show, several purported pictures came out of him of the adult nature. And then came word of the super raunchy video leak.

https://sprinkledpeen.tumblr.com/post/144210241183/this-is-dustin-mcneer-supposedly-praise-jesus

7 Queer Films That Should Have Been Nominated For An Oscar This Year

From: NewNowNext

 7

Best Costumes

“Everybody Wants Some!”

Need we say more?

Google Doodle for February 1, 2017

Celebrating Edmonia Lewis

Edmonia Lewis wasn’t afraid to reshape convention. As the first woman of African American and Native American heritage to achieve international fame as a sculptor, Lewis is known for incorporating African American and Native American cultural themes into her Neoclassical style sculpture.

Born in New York in 1844 to a father of Afro-Haitian descent and a mother of Mississauga Ojibwe and African American descent, Lewis was adopted by her maternal aunts after her parents’ death when she was nine years old. At age 15, Lewis enrolled in Oberlin College, which is where she became passionate about art. Unfortunately however, her time at Oberlin was fraught with discrimination by many of her peers and the surrounding community. It was due to this that she was prevented from enrolling in her final term, and therefore was unable to receive her degree. 

After her time at Oberlin, Lewis moved to Boston in 1864 to pursue a career as a sculptor. She was consistently denied apprenticeship until she met Edward A. Brackett, a sculptor whose clients included some of the most well-known abolitionists of the time. Lewis worked under Brackett until 1864, when she launched her first solo exhibition. Her work paid homage to the abolitionists and Civil War heroes of her day, including John Brown and Colonel Robert Gould Shaw. Her work was very well received and with her success, she traveled to Rome, Italy.

In Rome, Lewis joined a circle of expat artists and established her own studio. During this time, Lewis began sculpting in marble, focusing on naturalism and themes relating to African American and Native American people. Her work commanded large sums of money, and she continued to receive international acclaim until her death in 1911.

Today’s Doodle art depicts Lewis sculpting one of her most famous works, The Death of Cleopatra, which is on display at the Smithsonian American Art Museum in Washington, D.C. Her realistic portrayal of Cleopatra’s death received acclaim from critics, who called it “the most remarkable piece of sculpture in the American section" of the show. The vibrant colors of the Google letters also pay tribute to Lewis’s Native American roots - her Native American name was Wildfire.

Decades later, Lewis’s legacy continues to thrive through her art and the path she helped forge for women and artists of color. Today, we celebrate her and what she stands for – self-expression through art, even in the face of adversity.

Doodle by Sophie Diao

Big Low Hangin’ Balls Dick - Sounds like a Nicki Minaj song

February is Fabulous Florida Strawberry Month

Did you know that Florida is the second-largest strawberry producer in America?  In fact, our neighbor to the east, Plant City, is known as the “Winter Strawberry Capital of the World.” Because of our warm climate, growers in our state are able to harvest their berries from November until the end of March, while other U.S. production areas are dormant.

Florida berries are delicious AND packed with important nutrients – two great reasons to celebrate this fantastic crop! Today, Brevard Medical Equipment brings you 10 fun facts about this powerful little fruit.

• Strawberries are high in potassium, Vitamin K, and magnesium, which are all important for bone health.
• Eating eight strawberries a day has been shown to lower blood pressure and to have positive effects on memory and heart health.
• Strawberries are packed with antioxidants that can improve cholesterol and increase eye health, along with high levels of Vitamin C, which can boost immunity and help prevent cancer.
• You can dip your strawberries in dark chocolate for a double health treat, as dark chocolate has been shown to help keep white blood cells from sticking to blood vessel walls.
• Strawberries are picked at their full ripeness, unlike some other fruits, which don’t ripen until after they’re harvested.
• Strawberries are the only fruit that have their seeds on the outside! The average berry has about 200 seeds.
• A bit of balsamic vinegar, lemon, or orange juice can bring out the flavor of strawberries.
• Need a memory boost? The anthocyanins in strawberries have been shown to increase short term memory by 100 percent in eight weeks.
• Strawberries are high in fiber, and one cup of the fruit contains only 54 calories.
• Strawberries have a long history! Evidence that they grew wild in Italy has been found dating back to 234 B.C, and as early as 1300 A.D., the French began cultivating strawberries to use them medicinally.

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From: Brent's Auto Wall