#summer 2022

Also…

Not to mention his filler protein shake face. Not sure why he’d be drinking the whey right now though 🤭

And just for a freebie

New/Old video of Chris during the Lightyear press tour.

National Corn on the Cob Day

Nothing says summer quite like a perfectly grilled (or boiled) corn  on the cob, doused with butter, salt, pepper, or perhaps a more creative  seasoning profile.

In the height of summer, under a cornflower blue sky filled with  cotton-ball clouds, the smell of grilled meat fills the air. Children  are laughing and playing in the creek, and the adults are setting up the  picnic tables with checkered table cloths, red solo cups and paper  plates.

In the middle of the table sits a giant bowl covered with a layer of  aluminum foil, with steam gently escaping from around the edges, rich  with the smell of fabulous, buttery corn on the cob.

Corn on the Cob Day celebrates events like these, whether held  outdoors or indoors. It reminisces about the gathering of family around  one of the sweetest healthy cookout treats that is available throughout  the summer.

It’s Corn on the Cob Day!

History of Corn On The Cob Day

The history of Corn On The Cob Day goes back to a time even before  European settlers actually first came to the Americas. Corn is a new  world plant, native to the American lands, that was originally enjoyed  by the Native Americans who were there before the westerners  “discovered” the land.

Since then, corn has made various appearances in dishes all over the  world, and the by-products of this plant have been used in quite  literally millions of different products. For instance, in the United  States, high fructose corn syrup is found in almost every candy, and  certainly, in almost every carbonated beverage that can be found. Other  corn products that are used en masse include oil, cereals, snacks,  breads and even fuel.

Corn on the cob comes in more varieties than a person might think!  Sure there’s the traditional yellow corn, but there are also white and  mixed colored corn that can be eaten on the cob.

In any case, almost every type of corn can be prepared into corn on  the cob through various methods of preparation, and each brings its own  combination of tastes and flavors. There is no limit to the delicious  meals and fantastic flavors when a little corn on the cob is added to  the table.

Corn On The Cob Day is the opportunity to try different flavors, grab the butter, and enjoy delicious corn on the cob!

How To Celebrate Corn On The Cob Day

Celebrating Corn On The Cob Day is simple and fun! Try these ideas for celebrating or create new ideas:

Try Different Ways of Cooking Corn on the Cob

Start by cooking up some corn on the cob in the traditional  way–boiling. It only takes a few minutes in the water (don’t salt it  first!). Then enjoy eating it with a generous heap of butter and salt!

Now that opens the doorway to a whole variety of options to be  considered. Another way to prepare the dish is to wrap corn on the cob  in aluminum foil and let it roast in the coals of a campfire (or in the  same way on a gas or charcoal barbecue grill) until it’s positively  bursting with deliciousness.

Explore Seasoning Options

Anyone knows that corn on the cob needs butter and can be delicious  just on its own. But don’t stop there because other options are worth a  try as well! Start by adding butter as a base, and then dust the corn on  the cob with a choice of seasonings. Simple salt can work just fine, or  get more creative with seasoning salt, pepper, or any of a variety of  spices that suit your palette.

Try these varieties:

Cajun Corn on the Cob. Mix garlic powder, onion powder, red pepper, paprika and oregano, then sprinkle lightly.

Corn on the Cob Citrus Seasoned Salt.  Add sea salt, hot smoked paprika, black pepper, smoked salt, and finely  grated orange zest, then rub on (while cooking on the grill, if  preferred).

Italian Corn on the Cob. Go  Italian by sprinkling buttered corn on the cob with parmesan cheese,  powdered garlic and italian seasonings (basil, oregano, rosemary, thyme  and marjoram).

Learn More About Corn  

While it is in most people’s kitchens at one time or another, many  people don’t know some of these fun facts about corn. For instance,  although the most common corn color is yellow, it can also be cultivated  to be purple, green, blue-gray, red, white and even black. Here are  some other fun facts about corn:

The word ‘maiz’ or ‘maize’ has Native American/Spanish language  origins and that is what this grain is called in many languages.

Most cobs of corn have an average of 800 kernels, arranged in 16 rows around the cob.

Corn is produced on all of the inhabited continents on the planet (but it cannot grow in Antarctica).

The United States is the largest single producer of corn on the planet, providing at least 40% of the world’s corn harvest.

Celebrate Corn on the Cob All Summer Long  

While corn on the cob day comes at the beginning of June, anyone from  the corn growing belt in the US knows that the best time to get fresh  corn on the cob is at the end of the summer. The great news is that it  isn’t necessary to choose between the two–just go ahead and celebrate at  both times. In fact, corn on the cob can be celebrated all throughout  the summer!

Mother Ocean Day

Pay homage to the incredible force of nature that is the ocean, which houses over a million different species, many of which are endangered or threatened.

Water is essential to human life. In fact, it is essential to all of the forms of life known to humankind in general, as there are no known species that can survive without it.

Though marine biologists are unsure just how many kinds of creatures reside in our planet’s 5 oceans, it is estimated that about one-quarter of all of the Earth’s species do. Not to mention how very important the oceans are to our civilization—for thousands of years, braving their waters has been one of the bravest feats a human being could accomplish, one that often led to amazing discoveries and the general increase of our knowledge of the planet we inhabit.

For all of these reasons and many, many more, Mother Ocean Day is a long-overdue celebration of our oceans in all of their majesty and peril.

History of Mother Ocean Day

Mother Ocean Day is relatively a new celebration, as it was introduced for the first time in 2013. It is a concept thought up by the South Florida Kayak Fishing Club that has since sought the approval of the City of Miami to declare this a day official. The point, of course, is to take a day to celebrate the beauty and wonder of the ocean, and it is no surprise that inhabitants of Florida were the ones to come forward with this idea, as Florida is famous for particularly gorgeous white sand beaches and clear, aquamarine waters.

Different themes

Every year, there is a different theme that is selected for Mother Ocean Day. Some of the different themes that there have been over the years include the likes of…

Gender and Oceans

Our Oceans, Our Future

Healthy Oceans, Healthy Planet

Our Oceans: greening our future

Our Oceans, Our Responsibilities

Why is the ocean so important?

The ocean is not purely there for us to swim in and enjoy. It is critical for the survival of our plant, and it has been taken for granted for too long now! There are five oceans that make up our planet – the Antarctic or the Southern Ocean, as well as the Arctic, Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Did you know that these five oceans cover around 70 percent of the Earth? Moreover, did you know that the ocean is responsible for producing more than half of the world’s oxygen? If that was not enough, it also absorbs 50 times more carbon dioxide when compared with our atmosphere.

The ocean is also responsible for helping with the regulation of the Earth’s climate, with the vast coverage of the ocean able to transport heat from the equator to the South and North poles. This will regulate the weather patterns as well as the climate. And, of course, we cannot mention the ocean without speaking about the life that calls it home! This includes everything from the sea turtles in the Pacific to the manatees in the Atlantic ocean.

Fascinating facts about our oceans

The ocean is a truly fascinating place. To illustrate this, we have put together a collection of exciting and surprising facts about the ocean…

We still only know a fraction of our oceans’ marine species. There are now 240,470 accepted species in accordance with the World Register of Marine Species. However, it is believed that this is just a very small portion of the species that are in existence.

There are more historic artefacts under the ocean than in museums all around the world. There are actually around 1,000 shipwrecks just off the Florida Keys alone! There have been a number of underwater museums that have been created over the years. This includes the Christ of the Abyss, which is a submerged bronze statue in the Mediterranean.

The longest chain of mountains is virtually entirely beneath the ocean. This is known as the Mid-Ocean Ridge. It stretches across a distance of 65,000 km. it is believed that the Mid-Ocean Ridge is less explored than the surface of Mars or Venus.

Less than five percent of the oceans on the planet has been explored. Yes, we’re getting to know our oceans more and more, yet there is still a lot that has not been discovered.

Did you know that the majority of life on Earth is aquatic? It may come as no shock when you consider the fact that so much of the surface of the Earth is underwater. Nevertheless, it is still incredible to think that 94 percent of our living species exist within the ocean!

How to celebrate Mother Ocean Day

There are many things people can do on Mother Ocean Day, what’s important is to pay homage to this incredible force of nature and enjoy what it has to offer to the full. Taking to the waves, whether this be on a boat or a surfboard, is one way to enjoy the day. Snorkeling and diving are both unforgettable ways to get to know the ocean better by taking a look at some of the plants, fish and other creatures living in it. If you prefer to stay on dry land, a picnic on the beach enjoying the calm, soothing sound of the waves could be the perfect way for you to appreciate the ocean. Just remember to clean up afterwards! And for those who wish to celebrate the day from the comfort of their own home, eating a meal made from foods of the ocean, such as fish and shellfish, could be a deliciously appropriate way to go about observing this occasion.

For example, have you ever tried langoustines? Langoustines are an excellent alternative to lobsters, as they are much cheaper, but have a similar flavor some chefs even find superior to lobster because of its delicate sweetness. They are also surprisingly easy to prepare—all you really need is some salty water to briefly boil them, and some garlic butter to brush over them. If you love your barbecue, langoustines can also be barbecued and then dipped in a simple dijon mustard sauce. Originally, langoustines were eaten in Europe, but they have recently become popular in North America as well, so if you have never tried them, this day is the perfect time!

However, regardless of whether it’s Mother Ocean Day or not, we should always respect the oceans and the beaches leading into them by never polluting them in any way, so future generations can enjoy them as much as we do today.