July is National Ice Cream Month

 A Holiday Review

Ronald Reagan designated the month of July as Ice Cream Month in 1984 during his presidency. It has become a time to enjoy ice cream with family and friends and try new flavors.

Ice Cream month also includes Ice Cream Day, which is celebrated on the third Sunday of July.

Celebrating National Ice Cream Month

It is easy to celebrate Ice Cream Month during its designated month of July and all year long. There are so many flavors and forms of ice cream that you could do a different one for probably the whole month. 

Ice cream is a frozen dessert made from dairy products (milk and cream), sometimes combined with fruits, nuts, and various flavors.

Image Source: Pixabay

Ice Cream can be enjoyed as a scoop in a cone, plain in a dish, as part of a Sundae, and in the form of specialty cones and bars (Drumsticks, Ice Cream Sandwich, etc.) and novelty bars like Snickers and Strawberry Shortcake.

There are many flavors of ice cream, and many brands to choose from. They range from a really creamy and delicious one made by Blue Bunny, which is very high in calories, but oh, so good, to brands for Keto diet plans and those with diabetes. Everyone, it seems, can enjoy ice cream, a very versatile dessert. 

There is also homemade ice cream made using an ice cream maker. We had one when our children were small (many moons ago) that was not electric like today's machines, but used a hand-crank. More work, but fun. Our specialty in the summer was homemade Peach ice cream. Very yummy! 

Some Ice Cream Fun Facts

• Sunday is the day more ice cream is sold than any other day of the week. Maybe that’s where the word ‘Sundae’ comes from. 🙂
• It takes about 50 licks to finish one scoop of ice cream in a cone.

Ice Cream Holidays

In addition to having a whole month dedicated to celebrating ice cream (July), there are individual days set aside to enjoy tasting particular flavors. 

There is also National Ice Cream Day on the third Sunday of July each year.

• July 1 - Creative Ice Cream Flavors Day
• July 13 - National Nitrogen  Ice Cream Day
• July 17 - Peach Ice Cream Day
• July 20 - Ice Cream Soda Day
• July 23 - Vanilla Ice Cream Day
• August 19 - Soft Ice Cream Day

Ice Cream Flavors

Image Source: Wikipedia

America’s top ten ice cream flavors include the traditional three, with Vanilla being #1, Chocolate listed at #2 and Strawberry coming in at #8.  Then we have the classic Neapolitan, which is made of blocks of chocolate, vanilla and strawberry side by side in the same container. Neapolitan ice cream comes in at #10 on the list. For a whole list of flavors, click here: List of ice cream flavors - Wikipedia 

Summary

Image Source: Pixabay

So, on National Ice Cream Day and the whole month of July, celebrate this holiday with a bowl, a cone, a Sundae and more. A sweet and cool treat for this summer month. 

Which flavor of ice cream is YOUR favorite? Mine is first vanilla, then any flavor with nuts. 

For more Holiday Reviews, check out 

Review This: Holidays

For more Dessert Reviews, check out 

Review This: Desserts

*National Ice Cream Month Holiday Review is written by Wednesday Elf 

The Ultimate Ice Cream Book: Over 500 Ice Creams, Sorbets, Granitas, Drinks, And More

Sweet Cream and Sugar Cones: 90 Recipes for Making Your Own Ice Cream and Frozen Treats from Bi-Rite Creamery [A Cookbook]

For the Love of Popsicles: Naturally Delicious Icy Sweet Summer Treats from A–Z

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The Caray Family of Baseball Broadcasters - A Sports Review

Those who know me know that I am a huge baseball fan. But I’m not just a fan of the players and the teams. I also love to listen to the team announcers calling the games. This probably comes from my love of broadcasting and having married a radio broadcaster. 

There have been many well-known and famous baseball broadcasters for Major League Baseball over the years, such as Vin Scully of the Dodgers, Jack Buck with the St. Louis Cardinals and Bob Uecker of the Milwaukee Brewers. But to have four generations of one family all become baseball broadcasters, as the Harry Caray family did, is unique indeed. 

The Caray MLB Broadcasters 

Harry Christopher Caray

Harry Caray was the eldest of four generations of MLB sportscasters, both in radio and for television.  He was most well known for first working for the St. Louis Cardinals, then his 11 years with the Chicago White Sox before spending his last 16 years as the announcer for the Chicago Cubs. He became a Chicago legend for his special announcing style and his hilarious storytelling. 

While announcing for the White Sox, Caray began the practice of leading the home crowd in singing "Take Me Out to the Ball Game" during the seventh inning stretch. Fans came to love this practice so much that when Harry left the White Sox to become the play-by-play announcer for the Chicago Cubs, it became a regular ritual which continues to this day. 

Harry Caray also became famous for his frequently exclaimed catchphrase "Holy cow!" when his team hit a home run.

Harry Christopher “Skip” Caray Jr.

Harry Caray’s son ‘Skip’ Caray followed his dad into the broadcast booth as a baseball broadcaster with the Atlanta Braves. Skip worked for the Braves for more than 30 years, before his death in 2008. Skip Caray’s son ‘Chip’ has extended the Caray broadcasting legacy to the third generation.  

Harry Caray once said that one of his proudest moments was when he worked some innings in the same broadcast booth with his son Skip and grandson Chip during a Cubs/Braves game on May 13, 1991.

Harry Christopher ‘Chip’ Caray III

After working for several years on other sports, Chip Caray began working baseball games for the Seattle Mariners from 1993 to 1995. In 1998, he was hired to work alongside his grandfather as broadcaster for the Chicago Cubs. When Harry Caray died in February 1998, Chip stayed with the team and took his grandfather's place as "the Voice of the Cubs”. Chip served as the Cubs announcer for seven seasons before leaving at the end of the 2004 season to work alongside his father, Skip, broadcasting games for the Atlanta Braves. After his dad died, Chip became the Braves regular play-by-play announcer.

In 2023, Chip Caray accepted the position of the play-by-play announcer for the St. Louis Cardinals, where his grandfather had begun his career as the voice of the Cardinals.

Harry Christopher “Chris” Caray IV

And now we come to Chris Caray, son of Chip, grandson of Skip and great-grandson of Harry Caray. Chris, along with his identical twin brother Stefan Caray, continue the legacy of the broasting Carays. 

The twins began their baseball announcing while still in college, calling games for college games before working together as sportscasters. In 2021, Chris and Stefan broadcast for the Cotuit Kettleers of the Cape Cod Baseball League. In 2022, they joined the Amarillo Sod Poodles of the Texas League as their broadcasters.

In 2024, Chris (Harry Christopher Caray IV), was hired to be a play-by-play announcer for Oakland Athletics telecasts.

Summary

Four generations of Harry Christopher Caray broadcasters is a unique accomplishment. For more information about this famous family and their baseball announcing legacy, click here. 

*Image sources of the Caray family for this article are from Wikipedia. The Intro image is from Pixabay.

*A review of the Harry Caray family of baseball broadcasters written by Wednesday Elf, the ReviewThis! Baseball contributor.

The Legendary Harry Caray: Baseball's Greatest Salesman

Holy Cow!

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Toxic Prey by John Sandford - A Book Review

A Lucas and Letty Davenport Novel

Lucas, and his daughter Letty, team up to track down a dangerous scientist whose latest project could prove disastrous for the entire world. 

Synopsis

Toxic Prey (A Prey Novel)

Lucas Davenport is a US Marshal. His adopted daughter Letty Davenport is an investigator for the Department of Homeland Security. When it is discovered that a dangerous scientist has a project that could prove disastrous for the entire world, father and daughter team up to track him down.

Dr. Lionel Scott, an expert in tropical and infectious diseases, has come to believe that society is in danger of becoming nonexistent due to Earth’s out of control population levels. He thinks the disorder that has been allowed to run rampant will destroy Gaia (the earth) if the threat to the planet is allowed to continue. With a small group of dedicated followers, Scott thinks Gaia is dying and he has decided the only way to save it is to eliminate at least one-half of the world’s population. He plans to do this by releasing a deadly virus he has developed through his knowledge of infectious diseases.  He has combined two toxic diseases, making them extremely infectious, that will create a world-wide epidemic worse than any the world has yet seen. 

Summary

About the time the threat is discovered, Dr. Scott has disappeared completely. Lucas and Letty, working with a group of specialists, set out to find Scott as soon as possible. When their worst fears are confirmed, it becomes a frantic race to find Scott before the virus he created turns into the perfect weapon. 

Toxic Prey is book #34 of 34 in John Sandford’s Prey Series, published in April 2024.

Related Reviews:

• More John Sandford novels reviewed here on Review This Reviews!
• More Book Reviews on ReviewThisBooks.com 

Toxic Prey (A Prey Novel)

*Toxic Prey book review written by Wednesday Elf 

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The Dog Man Series by Dav Pilkey - Book Review

From the creator of Captain Underpants comes a spin-off series called Dog Man!  The Dog Man Series is a group of graphic novels for children ages 8 to 10 created by writer/illustrator/cartoonist Dav Pilkey. My 10-year-old grandson is a huge fan of these books. 

When Tyler first showed me his Dog Man books, I saw them from an adult standpoint and thought them rather silly – cartoon strips with dopey dialogue and ridiculous situations. Then I saw the joy in my grandson’s demeanor as he described these books to me.  I quickly changed my mind when I realized how much he loved them and how funny he thought they were. For a ten year old boy to enjoy reading books, no matter how silly, is something any adult should encourage. 

The Dog Man Series

The book series centers around Dog Man, a new hero with the body of a police officer and the head of a dog sewed together. They are graphic novel chapter books written and illustrated by Dav Pilkey. There are currently 12 books in the series, with a new one coming out in December 2024. 

Author Dav Pilkey

Source: Wikipedia

The author’s true name is David Murray Pilkey Jr. Early on, Dave worked for Pizza Hut and someone left the ‘e’ off on his name tag. Thus, he adopted this atypical spelling as his pen name ‘Dav’ when he began writing his novels for children. 

Dav was diagnosed with ADHD as a kid and was also dyslexic. He was so disruptive in class that his teachers made him sit out in the hallway each day. Well, Dav loved to draw and enjoyed making up stories, so he spent his hallway time creating his own original comic books.  Luckily Dav was not a very good listener when told by his teacher that he couldn’t spend the rest of his life making silly books because the adventures he created later became his bestselling books of Captain Underpants and Dog Man. 

In addition to the Dog Man series and the already popular Captain Underpants series, Dav Pilkey has published six other series of graphic novels, plus 18 standalone stories. 

Summary

Adults may find these children’s series of graphic novels silly, but children, like my grandson Tyler, love them and Dav Pilkey has proven that a difficult beginning in school can be overcome with a positive attitude and a born talent for drawing and storytelling.

Today he is a bestseller author and illustrator of numerous children's book series, with his Dog Man Grime and Punishment being his #1 best-selling book in the United States and Canada. His Cat Kid Comic Club book is also on the top-25 list.

Check out the Dav Pilkey website here for a list of all his children's book series. 

Book #13 in the Dog Man Series coming December 3, 2024. Preorder below.

In DOG MAN: BIG JIM BEGINS, discover the origin of our beloved characters from the Dog Man series as they join forces to stop the Space Cuties from destroying the city. 

Dog Man: Big Jim Begins: A Graphic Novel (Dog Man #13): From the Creator of Captain Underpants

*Book review of the Dog Man series is written by Wednesday Elf

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National Towel Day Holiday Review

Towel Day is held each year on May 25. It was created by fans in 2001 to honor Douglas Adams (d. 5/11/2001). 

According to the author’s book “The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy”, a towel is the most important item a hitchhiker can carry.

“... any man who can hitch the length and breadth of the Galaxy, rough it, slum it, struggle against terrible odds, win through and still know where his towel is, is clearly a man to be reckoned with."

Celebrating Towel Day

Fans of Douglas Adams’ book and its philosophy about towels, will enjoy Towel Day. Otherwise, towels are important in daily life and come in many forms.

There are bath towels and beach towels, dish towels, hand towels and tea towels.

To properly celebrate National Towel Day, let's look at a few examples of towels, that absorbent cloth used for drying.  

Kinds of Towels

Bath Towels

Used to dry the entire body after a bath or shower. The best bath towel is one that is 100% cotton. Super luxury towels are those made of Egyptian Cotton. Pima Cotton and organic cotton are also superior types of cotton used in luxury towels. 

Interesting note about those lovely soft towels hotels and resorts use ~ they are always 100% cotton (which makes them wonderfully absorbent) and always in the color white. White has an associated luxurious charm.  White color also co-ordinates well with the decor of hotels.

Beach Towels

Used for going to the beach. Usually very colorful and they come in many designs.

getDigital Bath Towel 42 Don't Panic - Large Beach Towel for The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy Fans - 55 x 28 inch, 100% Cotton, certified with German Textile Standard

Staying with our Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy theme, this galaxy beach towel is a fun choice for Hitchhiker fans. Other fans will know immediately what the number 42 / Don't Panic means!

Kitchen Towels

Used to dry dishes and wipe up spills in the kitchen. Kitchen towels are also known as dish towels (and are called tea towels in the U.K. 

Hand Towels

Used to dry your hands. Hand towels are the perfect accessory for the kitchen and the bathroom. They are extremely handy hanging near the sink.

Summary

Towels, in addition to being the most important item a galaxy ‘hitchhiker’ can carry, are absolutely essential to every household. One can never have too many towels, as they have so many different uses. 

National Towel Day

May 25

For More Holiday Reviews, check out 
ReviewThisReviews: Holidays

*National Towel Day Holiday Review is brought to you by Wednesday Elf

Oeleky Dish Towels for Kitchen 15x26 Inches, Pack of 8 Cotton Kitchen Towels for Drying Dishes, Absorbent Bar Mop Towels (Multi, 15x26 inches)

Zuorery 3 Pack Hand Towels for Bathroom, Cotton Face Towels, Super Soft Highly Absorbent Decorative Hand Towel Set for Gym, Shower, Hotel, Spa 13x30 Inch

The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: The Illustrated Edition

Utopia Towels 6 Pack Medium Bath Towel Set, 100% Ring Spun Cotton (24 x 48 Inches) Lightweight and Highly Absorbent Quick Drying Towels, Premium Towels for Hotel, Spa and Bathroom (White)

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The Bad Weather Friend by Dean Koontz - Book Review

We have all known ‘fair weather friends’. But it is not fair weather all the time. What everyone could use is a ‘bad weather friend’ who is there for you in good times and bad! Dean Koontz latest novel, The Bad Weather Friend, deals with that premise. 

Once again we have a new Koontz novel to enjoy. This one is a little bit on the Science Fiction side and a good amount in the humor area.

Main Characters:

Benny Catspaw - a kind man with a sunny disposition who is enjoying his life.

Harper - a waitress at Benny’s favorite diner who is also a PI-in-Training.

Spike - A Craggle. A Craggle’s main function is to protect those who are too nice for their time and culture. Spike becomes Benny’s Craggle.

Synopsis

The Bad Weather Friend

Benny’s life was going along smoothly until the day he lost his job, his reputation, his girlfriend, and his favorite chair. One would think that Benny is just being paranoid. But, no! Someone is out to get him. He just doesn’t know who or why. Nevertheless, he soon learns that there is a faction out there who feel compelled to destroy Benny because he is so nice! The nice people in the world do not fit into the way this group wants their world to be! 

Then, a giant crate is delivered to  Benny, from an uncle he never heard of, accompanied by a video message that states All Will Be Well in Time!

Inside the crate is a seven-foot-tall self-described “bad weather friend” named Spike! Spike will take care of it. He’ll find Benny’s enemies. He’ll deal with them. 

Summary

Benny and Harper end up joining Spike in seeking out and eliminating this group, or at least making their threats useless. As the story draws to a conclusion, Benny & Harper find they are very compatible as a couple, and Spike, the Craggle, becomes a valued friend for life. 

If you want to know what a ‘Craggle’ is, you’ll have to read the story! A delightful Dean Koontz story his fans will love.

*Book Review of The Bad Weather Friend, written by Wednesday Elf

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

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