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National Day of the Deployed

On October 26th, National Day of the Deployed annually honors the United States military personnel deployed around the globe.

The designation recognizes all of the brave military personnel who have been deployed, are sacrificing, or have sacrificed their lives to defend our country. It also acknowledges their families who are separated from them during deployment and the sacrifices they make in order for their family members to serve our country.

HOW TO OBSERVE #DayOfTheDeployed

Many deployed troops leave their families behind to serve their country. They make the greatest sacrifices to keep their country secure. A few ways to recognize their services include:

• Donate to a military organization like the USO. They support troops in the U.S. and overseas. The USO also provides support to the families before, during and after service.
• Send care packages. Visit Support Out Troops to find out what and where to send care packages worldwide.
• Locally, attend ceremonies honoring the military.
• Volunteer your time and services to local military organizations.
• If you know a military family, ask what support they need. Needs vary by family. Some just need to hear from home and know they are in your thoughts.
• Offer to support military personnel who have no family. They deploy with no one back home to send care packages or other support.

Chicken Fried Steak Day 

Crispy breading and creamy gravy — just a few things you can look forward to on October 26, National Chicken Fried Steak Day. It’s a Southern cuisine classic. So, break out your deep fryer, get your gravy ladle ready and get excited to have a full belly of Southern fried goodness!

It seems like big things always happen in Texas! This includes celebrating that guilty pleasure, chicken fried steak, which is said to be the result of a mixup in a fried chicken versus steak food order in 1911.

One of the reasons for chicken fried steak’s popularity certainly stems from the great publicity it generated. Whether you call it chicken fried steak, pan fried steak or country fried steak; an early mention of this dish allegedly appears in 1924. Writer A.L. Wyman describes the dish in the “Los Angeles Times” as ”beef steak rolled in flour, fried in a pan, and served with country gravy being poured on a hot platter and the fried steak placed over it.”  Later recipes show up in publications like the “Winnipeg Free Press” in 1936 and the “Household Searchlight Recipe Book” in 1949.

But it’s really in Texas where this carnivore’s delight gains popularity with three different regional versions of chicken fried steak. The East Texas version dips the meat in egg followed by flour. In Central Texas, bread crumbs replace flour and in West Texas, there’s no egg-dipping at all, according to a former Texas food critic.

By 2011, Lamesa, Texas launched its “Lamesa Original Chicken-Fried Festival” in commemoration of the chicken fried steak centennial. Today, we crown it the fore-runner of the current National Chicken Fried Steak Day.

Howl at the Moon Night

Coming less than a week before Halloween, Worldwide Howl at the Moon Night celebrates wolves, animals that seemingly howl at the Moon. It is a day to educate people about wolves, and raise awareness to help groups that work in wolf conservation, such as Wolf Haven.

Pumpkin Day

National Pumpkin Day on October 26 celebrates one of the most beloved symbols of Autumn. Come October, pumpkins are everywhere – on food, on drinks, and even as house decorations. People visit pumpkin patches to find their perfect pumpkins to carve for Halloween and walk around sipping their pumpkin spice lattes, and pumpkin pies are an essential Thanksgiving staple. For Americans, pumpkins represent everything that is cozy and loved about Autumn.

A new meaning for ‘hometown’

Why buy a house when you can buy a whole town? The Association of Mature American Citizens [AMAC] reports that the town of Water Valley, Maury County, TN is up for sale. Think about it, not only would you be a homeowner, you’d also be the mayor and the chief of police, if you’ve a mind for that. The asking price is $725,000 — not bad when you consider that not so far away homes are selling for $400,000 to $800,000. But Water Valley consists of four general stores, a barn and a circa-1900 creek-side home with updated wiring and plumbing.