June 29 - International Mud Day

Happy International Mud Day! Mud. It seems like a nuisance, doesn’t it? As soon as it rains, mud is everywhere, and it literally gets all over everything.  

There are definitely no benefits that this slippery, sticky dirty substance could offer, right? Wrong. And the creators of International Mud Day are out to prove it!  

After all, mud is quintessential to the outdoors, and the outdoors mean fresh air and exercise, two of the best things for people. So what if we get a little dirty?  

Plenty of research has shown that coming into contact with a certain number of bacteria is good for us, as it helps build up immunity, as opposed to living in a virtually sterile environment, which makes our bodies very vulnerable.  

Not to mention how many minerals mud can—there’s a reason why people pay hundreds of dollars for mud masks and baths at spas. 

HOW TO OBSERVE 

There are countless ways to celebrate International Mud Day, but all of them have one thing in common: you have to get dirty. This day can be especially fun if you have children, because who likes to get dirty as much as children?  

One of the most creative and fun activities that would be perfect to do on International Mud Day is making mud sculptures or mud cakes.  

It’s easy to adjust the consistency of the mud you’re using by simply adding a little more earth or water, so it should be easy to make what you want to make, while enjoying plenty of carefree laughter and quality family time in the process.  

Yet another easy way to enjoy this day to the fullest is to make a homemade mud pit using a blow-up pool. Not only is this cheap, but it also makes for a truly unique experience.  

All you have to do once you’ve bought a small blow-up pool is fill it with mud that can easily be filled using a mixture of earth and water that your children can then splash around in.  

Just make sure that you’re prepared to throw out their clothes once you peel them off, because there is no way those clothes will ever get clean again. 

Use #InternationalMudDay to post on social media. 

HISTORY 

The creators of International Mud Day wanted to find a way to help all of the children of the Earth feel closer to each other…and what a better way to do it than through the Earth itself?  

In 2009, International Mud Day began at a World Forum event, when Gillian McAuliffe from Australia and Bishnu Bhatta from Nepal got together to talk about ways to encourage feelings of community and appreciation for the world around us.  

The collaboration that followed has inspired educators, children, and families across the globe, from Holland to Nepal to the United States, to celebrate International Mud Day together each year on June 29.  

Regardless of age, race and religion, covered in mud, we all look the same! 

After all, as American botanist Luther Burbank said, 

"Every child should have mud pies, grasshoppers, water bugs, tadpoles, frogs, mud turtles, wild strawberries, acorns, chestnuts, trees to climb.  

Brooks to wade…bees, butterflies, various animals to pet, hayfields, pine-cones, rocks to toll, sand, snakes and hornets; any child who has been deprives of these has been deprived of the best part of…education." 

So what are you waiting for? Jump in the mud and get dirty! 

#InternationalMudDay 

@InternationalMudDay

@daysoftheyear 

@Mudd

@MudMovie 

@nichecinema 

June 29 - National Camera Day

 

Happy National Camera Day! Say cheese! On June 29 each year, everything comes into focus when we recognize today. It commemorates, of course, the camera, photographs, and their invention.  

 

A camera is an irreplaceable tool used to record and replicate memories, events, and people/places.  

 
Before the invention of the camera, the only resource to document a vision was a painting.  

 
Capturing an image of a person or place in a drawing took time and skill. Very few people can perfectly draw the likeness of someone, let alone capture the essence of an event. 

 
The power of a camera provided many with a simple, inexpensive, and fast solution. 

 
While early camera obscura devices took up entire rooms, by the 17th-century developments lead to portable devices. 

Further advancements, like the invention of the magic lantern, further pushed what was possible with projection, but didn’t solve the issue of capturing still images. 

German author Johann Zahn, an expert on light, wrote extensively about the camera obscura, magic lantern, telescopes, and lenses.  

In 1685, he proposed a design for the first handheld reflex camera. Ahead of his time, it would take another one hundred and fifty years before his invention became a reality. 

In 1826 or 1827, the first photograph, or more specifically, the earliest known surviving photograph made in a camera, was taken by French inventor Joseph Nicéphore Niépce.  

The image below depicts the view from an upstairs window at Niépce's estate, Le Gras, in the Burgundy region of France.

 

American entrepreneur George Eastman, also known as “The Father of Photography”, brought the camera to the masses. 

 
In 1880, he perfected a process of making dry plates for photography and organized the Eastman Dry Plate and Film Company for their manufacture.  

 
The first Kodak (a name he coined) camera was placed on the market in 1888. 

 
While he did not invent the camera, he did develop many additions improving the use, ease, and production of the camera. His developments made the camera widely available to homes around the world. 

 
While the first cameras were large and bulky, each later design evolved until some cameras were as small as a pen.  

 
Today’s digital cameras have many features and variations, making them appealing to people of any and all ages for personal and professional use.  

 
The portable and easy to use features not only allow us to take photos quickly, but we can also edit them on the fly. Smartphones with built-in cameras include features that allow us to share photos instantly as well. 

 
Taking photos has become so easy, that according to Business Insider, that in 2017 over 1.2 trillion digital photos were taken! From a large boxy camera to one that fits in our pocket, cameras have come a long way. 

 
HOW TO OBSERVE 

 
Whether photography is a hobby or your profession, celebrate the day by taking photos.  

 
Snap a picture of something or someone you enjoy and cherish the memory. But taking pictures isn’t the only way to celebrate. 

 

• • Take a photography class. 

  • Teach someone how to take outstanding photos. 

• • Expand your photography skills by learning more about your camera. 

  • Try a different style of photography or camera.

https://www.nationaldaycalendar.com/thirteen-tips-to-get-the-most-from-your-digital-camera/ 

 
Post photos on social media using #NationalCameraDay. 

Everything about taking quality photos begins with the best equipment you can find. 

Try these cameras for yourself. 

https://www.amazon.com/best-sellers-camera-photo/zgbs/photo?ref_=assoc_tag_ch_amzn1.curatedcontent.ATVPDKIKX0DER.3e2b29c2-e673-4340-b61c-068611b43153&_encoding=UTF8&linkCode=ib1&tag=zoovioinc.-20&linkId=4495f4af36093e48f755b6380d9a6ce2 

HISTORY 

National Day Calendar® is researching the origins of this flashy holiday. 

What brand of camera do you prefer to use? 

@NationalCameraDay 

@apple

@nikon 

@gopro 

@canondslrreviews 

@Kodak 

@fujifilmcameras 

@EastmanChemicalCo 

@Amazon 

@nichecinema