MainStreet Lodge
909 Main Street NE • Minneapolis, MN 55413 • (612) 362-2450
www.catholiceldercare.org
Nov/Dec 2015
Deals for Veterans
On Veterans Day, many restaurants offer free
food to active duty and retired military
personnel as a way of showing appreciation for
their service. Keep an eye out for ads on TV or in
newspapers, or go online to www.Military.com
for information.
Amazing Herbs: Sage
A popular herb used in Thanksgiving recipes,
sage is also commonly found in sausages and
dishes containing beans, cheese, tomatoes and
eggs. Its botanical name comes from the Latin
word salvere, meaning “to be saved”—an
appropriate moniker given its extensive healing
properties. A natural preservative and antiseptic,
sage has been used to treat wounds, bites and
ulcers for thousands of years. More recently, the
herb’s essential oils have been studied in
Alzheimer’s research, due to evidence they may
enhance memory and cognitive function.
Mission Statement
Catholic Eldercare provides the care, housing and
services needed by older adults to continue living fully
with dignity in an intentionally created caring
community.
Wild World: Great Horned Owl
The great horned owl is the most common owl in
North and South America, and also one of the most
recognizable, thanks to the feather tufts on its head that
resemble horns or pointed ears. Their familiar
“whoo-whoo” call is most often heard just after sunset
or just before dawn. They nest in tree holes and stumps,
caves, abandoned nests, and man-made structures such
as bridges or barns. With a wingspan of 3 to nearly
5 feet, great horned owls are powerful hunters, eating a
large variety of animals, including rabbits, squirrels,
ducks and other birds. They have no natural predators
and can live up to 15 years in the wild.
Popular Pages: ‘The Jungle Book’
Spread the Love
“Thanksgiving was never meant to be shut up
in a single day.” —Robert Caspar Lintner
An immediate hit after its publication in 1894,
Rudyard Kipling’s collection of short stories and poems
gained a new generation of fans after the Disney
animated film adaptation was released in 1967. Three
of the tales feature young Mowgli, the boy raised by
wolves, mentored by Bagheera the panther and Baloo
the bear, and pursued by Shere Khan the tiger. The
remaining stories highlight various animals, such as the
mongoose Rikki-tikki-tavi, that are outside Mowgli’s
world. Each story has been interpreted as a fable about
growing up and fitting in.
A Favorite Fall Fruit
One of the oldest known
fruits, the pomegranate has been
cultivated for more than 8,000
years. The bright red fruit is
native to Iran and Turkey and
has been featured in the
mythology, art and literature of
many cultures, often as a symbol
of health and eternal life.
The name of the fruit
derives from the Middle French
pome garnete, which means
“seeded apple.”
The pomegranate is widely
grown in Korea and Japan,
where it is often used for bonsai
because of the plant’s colorful
flowers and the unusual twisted
bark of older trees. Pomegranate
trees can live more than
100 years.
In some cultures, the
pomegranate was used more for
decoration than for food. It also
was a favorite subject of modern
artists, appearing in works by
Paul Cézanne, Salvador Dalí,
Henri Matisse and
Pablo Picasso.
Late autumn is harvest time
for pomegranates, which have a
tough outer layer but are filled
with crunchy, juicy seeds. The
juice and the seeds, called arils,
are the only edible parts.
Pomegranate seeds are high
in vitamin C, vitamin K, folate,
fiber and several minerals.
They also contain beneficial
antioxidants and are believed to
reduce joint inflammation,
lower blood pressure and
improve blood flow.
Stress Less When
Holiday Shopping
Thanksgiving Favorites
Across the Nation
If you look at the dinner
tables across the country at
Thanksgiving, it’s unlikely you’ll
find any two feasts that are
exactly the same. Every family
has its own traditions, but many
homes in the same region enjoy
similar holiday dishes year after
year. Here are a few trends:
Offerings from the ocean. In
New England, mussels are a
popular side dish, as is oyster
stuffing (a favorite in the South,
too). And you just might find
green bean salad with octopus
on a holiday table in Hawaii.
Corn of plenty. Many New
England tables feature corn on
the cob as a nod to the first
Thanksgiving, while corn
casserole or corn pudding is
commonly found in the
Midwest. Southern cooks often
serve cornbread dressing.
A berry good idea. While jellied
cranberry sauce from a can
remains popular throughout the
country, homemade versions
take on distinguishing
characteristics: Pure cranberry
sauce is a staple in Western
states, the Northeast is home to
cranberry relish with citrus peel,
and cranberry salad can be
found in the South
and Midwest.
Remembering family and
friends with gifts is a holiday
tradition. With some planning,
seasonal shopping can be a
merry activity instead of an
overwhelming chore. Try these
helpful tips, and you’ll have this
task in the bag.
Make a list. Create a list of
people you’re shopping for,
what you’d like to give them and
how much you’re willing to
spend. Take the list with you to
avoid being enticed by store
displays and going over budget.
Time your trips. Avoid the
frenzy of crowds by hitting
stores during off-peak times—
weekdays during the early
morning and late afternoon.
Invite friends along. You may
have heard the saying “Many
hands make light work.” Enlist
the help of some friends, and
they can offer gift advice, carry
bags, and simply make the
outing more fun. Plus, experts
say there’s safety in numbers.
Use the Internet. Checking the
Internet can give you an idea of
prices and sales on items you’re
shopping for. If you want to
avoid going out altogether,
consider using trusted websites
to buy gifts online and ship
them to the recipient.
Semper Fi
Whether in missions on the
land, in the air or at sea, the
U.S. Marine Corps is tasked by
Congress to be “the most ready
when the nation is least ready.”
Established as the
Continental Marines during the
Revolutionary War on Nov. 10,
1775, this branch of the U.S.
armed forces is the smallest,
with about 180,000 active duty
personnel, and is part of the
U.S. Department of the Navy.
Marines are forward deployed,
meaning they are positioned on
Navy ships off coastlines around
the world and equipped to
quickly respond to crises using
ground, aviation and
amphibious operations. Marines
Easy Ways to Raise
Alzheimer’s Awareness
When President Ronald
Reagan declared the first
National Alzheimer’s Disease
Awareness Month in November
1983, fewer than 2 million
Americans had the disease.
Today, there are more than
5 million.
This month, join the cause
to help raise awareness about
Alzheimer’s. Here are
some ideas:
Walk for a cure. The
Alzheimer’s Association Walk to
End Alzheimer’s is an annual
event that takes place in
communities nationwide
throughout the year, with many
walks occurring in the fall. Invite
also defend U.S. embassies
abroad and stand post at the
White House.
The Corps’ official emblem is
the eagle, globe and anchor. The
eagle represents the U.S., the
globe illustrates the Marines’
worldwide presence, and the
anchor stands for the branch’s
naval heritage. The Corps’ motto
is the Latin phrase Semper Fidelis,
often shortened to Semper Fi,
meaning “always faithful.”
Wit & Wisdom
“Food is our common ground,
a universal experience.”
—James Beard
“One cannot think well, love
well, sleep well, if one has not
dined well.”
—Virginia Woolf
“If more of us valued food and
cheer and song above hoarded
gold, it would be a
merrier world.”
—J.R.R. Tolkien
“Cooking is like love. It should
be entered into with abandon or
not at all.”
—Harriet van Horne
friends and family to join your
community’s team to raise funds
for Alzheimer’s care, support
and research.
Put on some purple. The color
purple is used to represent
Alzheimer’s awareness. Go
further than just wearing a
purple ribbon—why not dress
head to toe in purple? You can
also hang a purple wreath or
banner on your door.
Honor a caregiver. November
is also National Family
Caregivers Month, and this is no
coincidence—Alzheimer’s affects
caregivers as well as those with
the disease. Send a card or
special treat to a caregiver,
letting them know they
are appreciated.
“The table is a meeting place,
a gathering ground, the source
of sustenance and nourishment,
festivity, safety, and satisfaction.
A person cooking is a person
giving: Even the simplest
food is a gift.”
—Laurie Colwin
“You don’t need a silver fork to
eat good food.”
—Paul Prudhomme
“People who love to eat are
always the best people.”
—Julia Child
“Cooking with kids is not just
about ingredients, recipes and
cooking. It’s about harnessing
imagination, empowerment
and creativity.”
—Guy Fieri
Commanders’ Code Names
In a long-standing tradition, U.S. presidents have been assigned code
names, used by the Secret Service agents who protect them. Take a
look at some of the handles given to the commanders in chief.
NOVEMBER
1775: The Continental Congress
passes a resolution establishing the
U.S. Marine Corps.
1883: U.S. and Canadian railroad
companies begin using time zones to
end scheduling problems. The system
divided the countries into four time
zones that are still used today.
1911: The Chevrolet Motor Car
Company is founded in Detroit.
U.S. President
Code Name
Harry Truman
“General” or “Supervise”
John Kennedy
“Lancer”
Gerald Ford
“Passkey”
Ronald Reagan
“Rawhide”
George H.W. Bush
“Timberwolf”
Bill Clinton
“Eagle”
George W. Bush
“Trailblazer”
Barack Obama
“Renegade”
1925: A Nashville, Tenn., radio station
debuts the “WSM Barn Dance.” The
weekly broadcast evolved into the
Grand Ole Opry.
1935: Parker Brothers begins selling
the board game Monopoly.
1947: Princess Elizabeth marries Philip
Mountbatten. The future queen of
England and the Duke of Edinburgh
were wed at Westminster Abbey.
1954: Ellis Island closes. Known as
the gateway to America, the federal
immigration station in New York
Harbor processed more than
12 million immigrants during its
62 years.
1972: Pay TV network HBO debuts.
1982: The Vietnam Veterans Memorial
in Washington, D.C., opens to visitors.
1989: Tens of thousands of
Germans swarm the Berlin Wall to
celebrate the opening of the infamous
Cold War border.
1992: Representing Illinois, Carol
Moseley Braun becomes the first
African-American woman elected to
the U.S. Senate.
2006: Nintendo releases the Wii
game console.