http://www.raisinglemons.com/travel/its-a-pillow-its-a-pet/
For those of you who are traveling with children this summer, check out this article about Pillow Pets
Autumn in Australia
Greetings from Down Under! That’s what we call Australia because we are down below the Equator, in the Southern Hemisphere of the world.
Photo via Tourism Australia
You may have learned in school about the differences between the Northern Hemisphere, where most of you probably live, and the Southern Hemisphere, where I live. (“Hemisphere” means “half of a circle”, so pretend you’re looking at a globe. Cut it in half across the middle and the top half would be the Northern Hemisphere and the bottom half would be the Southern Hemisphere.) One thing that is kind of crazy to think about is that the seasons here are the opposite of those in the Northern Hemisphere.
So, most of you are probably starting to look forward to spring when the flowers bloom and the grass gets greener. Here in Australia, our seasons are changing from summer to fall. Fall usually runs from March 1 to June 1 and then our winter season begins – just as you’re getting ready to cool off in the swimming pool!
Photo via Australia.com
Why do you think our seasons are the exact opposite of yours? It all has to do with the revolution (turning) of the Earth around the Sun and how much sunlight covers the Earth’s surface at a given point. In May through July, the Northern Hemisphere is exposed to more direct sunlight because it is facing the sun. The same thing happens in the Southern Hemisphere in November through January.
March is the first month of the Australian autumn. Our warm weather turns cooler and the chances for rain increase. We have a lot of celebrations here in the fall. We celebrate St. Patrick’s Day on March 17th, like many of you might. (I think Magical Unicorn will be writing a blog post about St. Patrick’s Day soon!) We also celebrate Easter on the same day as you do in North America, but for us it is a fall holiday, not a spring holiday. We also have a holiday that you have if you live in America, called Labor Day. We celebrate that on the second Monday in March. Around Labor Day, we have a huge outdoor festival called the Moomba Festival in Melbourne. The word “Moomba” is an Aboriginal word meaning “let’s get together and have fun”. The city has lots of activities going on throughout the festival and ends with a bright and colorful parade with lots of people in costumes.
Now, with all this talk of seasons, you might be wondering if koalas like me hibernate in the winter. The answer is no and that’s because koalas aren’t really bears. We’re “marsupials” or mammals with a pouch, like kangaroos. So, I get to stay up and check out all of the fall fun from up in the trees, munching on my favorite eucalyptus leaves.
What are you looking forward to about the change of seasons where you live? If it’s about to be spring, what is your favorite part of that season?
Auction #5 wraps up with a repeat winner!
Stephany Cavatoni wins our final auction! Thank you, Stephany!
And, thanks to all who participated in our Facebook auctions yesterday and today. We feel that it’s important to do all we can to help others in need and the people of Japan can certainly use it.
Remember, we’re donating $1 for every Pillow Pets plush animal purchased at www.MyPillowPets.com March 17-19 to the American Red Cross. Tell your friends!
All of our auction winners will be contacted by email on Monday to arrange for payment and delivery.
Thanks, again, for doing what you can to help our Japanese friends! Have a great weekend, everyone!
Our favorite frog goes to…
Ellen Simpson! Ellen was the high bidder in auction #3 with her winning bid going to the American Red Cross. Thanks to all who jumped online to bid! Check back on our Facebook page – www.facebook.com/MyPillowPets – for the start of auction #4 at 9 am EST this morning.
Let’s all do what we can for our friends in Japan! Have a great Friday, everyone!
Christine Womack wins auction #2!
A BIG Pillow Pets “thank you” to Christine Womack who won our beloved dinosaur. Her winning bid will be donated to the American Red Cross to help relief efforts in Japan. You rock, Christine!
Leap back on over to our Facebook page – www.facebook.com/MyPillowPets at 9 pm EST tonight for our third and final auction of the day. There should be some “ribbetting” bidding!
Our fourth auction will begin tomorrow morning at 9 am EST. For now, we BID you good night from our blog!
We have a winner! Results from auction #1…
Congratulations and LOTS of Ms. Lady Bug love to Niecey Docherty! She had the highest bid in our first of five auctions benefitting the American Red Cross and relief efforts in Japan. Thanks to all who bid and be sure to check out auction #2 which will begin at 3:30 pm EST today. Let’s do whatever we can to help our friends in Japan…
Pillow Pets Auction on Facebook – March 17th & 18th
In support of the American Red Cross and relief efforts in Japan, we’ll be auctioning FIVE Pillow Pets plush animals over a 25 hour period. Starting at 10 am EST today, you can bid on one of our green-colored Pillow Pets (it IS St. Patrick’s Day after all!) as seen on The Today Show’s Rockefeller Plaza this morning. ALL proceeds will go directly to the Red Cross to help the people in Japan.
A few rules:
- You must bid directly beneath our post. Bids posted as a separate comment on our Wall will not be considered.
- Bid as many times as you like.
- Bidding closes five (5) hours after the auction opens and according to the administrator’s clock.
- Winners will be announced on our blog – www.MyPillowPetsBlog.com.
- Winners must respond with a comment on our blog within 48 hours to confirm their winning bid.
Payment will be processed over the phone with a CJ Products customer service representative.
We hope to see you bidding on Facebook today and tomorrow for a great cause!
Support Relief Efforts in Japan with Pillow Pets plush animals, The Today Show & the American Red Cross
The people of Japan need our help. After the recent devastation there and on-going consequences of the earthquake and tsunami that ravaged part of the country, The Today Show, American Red Cross and CJ Products, makers of Pillow Pets brand products have come together to support relief efforts in the area.
Today and tomorrow, March 17th and 18th, we will donate $1 of every Pillow Pets plush animal purchased at www.MyPillowPets.com to the American Red Cross for Japan. As a thank you for helping, you will also receive $5 off each Pillow Pets plush animal you buy on our website. You need to use the promotion code – “TODAYSHOWRELIEF” to receive the discount.
Beginning at 10 am EST today, we will also launch an auction on our Facebook page – www.facebook.com/MyPillowPets. We’re auctioning 5 Pillow Pets plush animals over a 25 hour period today and tomorrow. All of the proceeds will go to the American Red Cross. Bid high and bid often! Rules and winners will be posted here on our blog, so check back often.
The people behind the Pillow Pets brand at CJ Products are dedicated to giving back to communities and people in need. A glimpse of your TV or newspaper headlines tell you that there is great need and suffering in Japan. Please do what you can to help.
THANK YOU!
Shamrocks, Leprechauns & Parades – Oh, My!
For each petal on the shamrock,
This brings a wish your way –
Good health, good luck and happiness
For today and every day.
- Irish blessing
March 17th is St. Patrick’s Day! St. Patrick’s Day is a worldwide celebration of Irish culture and history. A national holiday in Ireland, St. Patrick’s Day is celebrated on the 17th because it is believed that St. Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland, died on that day in 461 AD.
People all over the world will wear green on St. Patrick’s Day. I plan to wear a green ribbon in my mane just like many girls in Ireland wear in their hair. In Ireland and England, people traditionally wear a small bunch of shamrocks on their jackets or caps. Have you ever seen a shamrock? I’m sure you have because they are also known as “clovers”. (“Shamrock” or seamróg is the Irish word for clover.) And you know what four-leaf clovers mean, right? They mean “good luck”!
Legend says that each leaf of a four-leaf clover means something – the first is hope, the second is faith, the third is love and the fourth is luck. It is estimated that for every ONE four-leaf clover, there are about 10,000 three-leaf clovers, which is why finding a four-leaf one can be so hard! Would you believe that, according to the Guinness Book of World Records, the highest number of leaves found on a clover is 14! Whoa.
In addition to the shamrock, there are some other symbols of Ireland like the musical instrument known as a harp. The Irish flag is green, white and orange. The green symbolizes the people of Southern Ireland and orange represents the people of Northern Ireland. The white represents the peace that brings them together as a nation. And, we can’t forget about those magical little guys called “leprechauns”!
Even though St. Patrick’s Day is a celebration that started in Ireland, it is the United States that gets the credit for creating some of the biggest and best St. Patrick’s Day parades. The longest-running and most widely attended is in New York City. Other popular parades are in Boston, Massachusetts, and Savannah, Georgia. In Chicago, people dye the Chicago River green while bagpipers play and Irish dancing groups dance. Do you have a St. Patrick’s Day parade where you live?
There are about 34 million Americans who have Irish ancestors. And, on St. Patrick’s Day, many more people join in to celebrate Irish culture. Food and drinks are dyed green (like bagels and beer) and many people will serve corned beef and cabbage, Shepherd’s Pie (which is made with meat and mashed potatoes, not sweet stuff!), and Irish soda bread, which are some traditional foods in Ireland. My favorite is the Irish soda bread, but I pick the raisins out.
Irish Soda Bread - Photo via SimplyRecipes.com
So, this Thursday, find something green to wear and go on a shamrock hunt. If you find one, take a picture and post it on our Facebook page to give all of our friends a little extra luck! You’ll also want to tune in to “The Today Show” on NBC (7 am EST) and visit our Facebook page on St. Patrick’s Day to learn about something special we’re doing to help the people in Japan after the terrible earthquake and tsunami they experienced.
Happy St. Patrick’s Day!
Help Support Pillow Pets™ for Jacob
Last week, Silly Monkey blogged about an inspiring friend to Pillow Pets™ – Jacob McConahay, who is working towards a goal of collecting 1,000 Pillow Pets plush animals for sick kids at Riley Hospital. The most amazing part of the story is that Jake, himself, is battling cancer. You can read the full story here. CJ Products, the makers of Pillow Pets plush animals, heard about Jake’s heartwarming and selfless efforts and have committed to match the number of Pillow Pets he collects. Jake already has several hundred Pillow Pets donated from people across the United States. CJ Products has also just announced a special program for anyone who would like to purchase Pillow Pets at a discount to donate to their local children’s hospital in Jacob’s name. This program allows individuals or groups to purchase Pillow Pets by the case (Pillow Pets by the dozen!) for $180. This includes shipping and provides the discounted rate per Pillow Pet™ plush animal of $15. There are 12 Pillow Pets plush animals in each case. For further information, or to donate, please send an email with “Donate for Jacob” in the subject line to kathy@mypillowpets.com. We will respond to each email individually with details on how to make the donation.
