Goodness gracious
It’s November, one to remember, and there’s plenty to be thankful for
Thanks to Thanksgiving, November is a cornucopia of great reasons to be grateful — clocks, mushrooms, twinkle lights, turkeys, ducks and turduckens. And the ultimate turkey shoot, Election Day, Nov. 8, when everyone can be appreciative for at least one thing: It’s over. 1 National Aviation Month, National Model Railroading Month, National Novel Writing Month. Planes, trains and author for-reals. GRANDE RAVE
Mexico’s Day of the Dead, Dia de los Muertos — with thanks for sugar skulls, memories of the dear departed and, considering how things could be worse, another Tuesday. MOCCASIN OCCASION 2 Dan’l Boone’s birthday, 1734. The frontiersman settled Kentucky, and good thing he did. Otherwise, Col. Sanders wouldn’t be a Kentucky colonel — merely a cluck private. DO THE HOAGIE POKE 3
Sandwich Day celebrates the one-handed meal that was invented by England’s fourth Earl of Sandwich, in 1762. The earl’s name was: (A) Sloppy Joe, (B) Monte Cristo, (C) Elvis, (D) Dagwood Bumstead, (E) Po’ Boy, or (F) John Montagu. Answer at Nov. 29. OOHS AND OZ 4 The Wiz through Nov. 6 and Nov. 11-13 at The Weekend Theater, Little Rock. Details at weekendtheater.org. Call (501) 3743761. THE WHIZ Oklahoma red-dirt philosopher Will Rogers’ birthday, 1879.
“There’s no trick to being a humorist when you have the entire government working for you.” — Will Rogers. THEY DO HAIKU Arkansas Haiku Society Conference through Nov. 5 at the Arlington Hotel, Hot Springs. Details at hotsprings.org. Haiku is a poem Of seventeen syllables, Quicker than a tweet. ’SHROOM WITH A VIEW 5
Mushroom Mania nature hikes and mushroom soup, 10 a.m.4:30 p.m. at Pinnacle Mountain State Park near Little Rock. Details at arkansas.com. Call (501) 8685806. THE CLOCK STRUCK TWO, AND BACK IT FLEW 6 End of daylight
saving time at 2 a.m. Clocks fall back one hour. But the day never seems any longer, does it? — proof that nothing ever gets done, not even when you make time. BETTER THAN BITTER 7 National Bittersweet Chocolate with Almonds Day — and salute to all the nuts in the bar. THANKS FOR YOUR VOTE 8 Election Day. “Thanks to you, we’ve reached a milestone.” — Hillary Clinton. “I love what I do, and I am grateful beyond words.” — Donald Trump. “Be thankful we’re not getting all the government we’re paying for.” — Will Rogers. ANY WAY YOU SLICE IT
Montana Admission Day, 1889. Big Sky Country admits everything else is pie-in-the-sky compared to an Arkansas peach cobbler. BED SPREAD 9 National Sleep Comfort Month, Peanut Butter Lovers Month. The difference between sleep and peanut butter is that nobody likes a chunky mattress. ELF-SERVICE SHOPPING 10 Junior League of Little Rock Holiday
House shopping through Nov. 12 at the Statehouse Convention Center, Little Rock. Details at jllr.org. Call (501) 3755557. DECK THE HALL Reopening of Little Rock’s Robinson
Center performance hall after more than two years’ renovation, 10 a.m. ribbon-cutting and tours. Details at robinsoncentersecondact.com. SALLLLLLL-UTE! 11 Veterans Day. JUST LIKE OLD TIMES 12 Antique Alley Arkansas Antique Show through Nov. 13 at Conway Expo Center,
Conway. Details at antiquealleyarkansas.com. Call (501) 230-5728. SOCIAL SPHERE 13 How to celebrate World
Kindness Day: with a random act of slight courtesy. After all these months of political attack ads, it doesn’t take much to pass for being neighborly. CARAT CRUNCH 14 Real Jewelry Month — but at these prices, all that glitters is not sold. GONE ON THE BLINKS 15 Enchanted Land of Lights and Legends drive-through light show through Dec. 31 at Jefferson County Regional Park, Pine Bluff. Details at pinebluffcvb.org. Call (870) 536-7600. SANTA HAS THE JINGLE-JANGLES Sorry, Wrong Chimney comedy through Dec. 31 at Murry’s Dinner Playhouse, Little Rock. Details at murrysdp.com. Call (501) 562-3131. SOONERS OR LATER 16 Oklahoma Admission Day, 1907. Arkansas’ western neighbor state admits they have so much noise (Drumright) and breakage (Broken Bow, Broken Arrow), and people tripping over things (Eufala), there ought to be a Lawton. PICK THREE 17 Chamber Music Society of Little Rock concert with the Lysander Trio, 7:30 p.m. at Trinity Episcopal Cathedral, Little Rock. Details at chambermusiclr.com. HOURS OF HORS D’OEUVRES Taste of the Holidays restaurant sampler, 6 p.m. at Mid-America Science Museum, Hot Springs. Details at midamericamuseum.org. Call (501) 767-3461. PEAK ’TIQUE PIQUE 18 Bella Rustina Modern Vintage Market through Nov. 20 at War Memorial Stadium, Little Rock. Details at bellarustina.com. Call (501) 230-5728. SQUARE AWAY Lights of the Ozarks, carriage rides and hot chocolate through Dec. 31, Fayetteville town square. Details at thelightsoftheozarks.com. Call (479) 521-5776. REOPEN INVITATIONS 19 Arkansas Symphony Orchestra concert, “Return to Robinson
Center: Pines of Rome” with violinist Philippe Quint, 7:30 p.m. Nov. 19 and 3 p.m. Nov. 20 at the newly refinished auditorium, downtown Little Rock. Details at arkansassymphony.org. Call (501) 666-1761. Walton Arts Center reopening, free events from 9:50 a.m. ribbon cutting through evening entertainment including the Symphony of Northwest Arkansas. Details at waltonartscenter.org. Call (479) 4435600. WATTS HAPPENING Holiday Lights at Garvan Woodland Gardens, 17 acres and millions of lights through Dec. 31, Hot Springs. Details at garvangardens.org. Call (501) 262-9300. WINNERS AND CHEWERS 20 Game and Puzzle Week Unscramble these letters to spell the No. 1 favorite sweet thing to see passed on Thanksgiving Day: N-O-T-U-D-H-C-O-W R-O-W-T-H. Answer at Nov. 24. A FINE HOWDY-DO 21 World Hello Day — a day of “hi”s and “lo”s. TWANGS A LOT 22 SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Is today your birthday? If so, the day is all a’quiver. Sagittarius the archer draws a bow, a beer and a lucky number. Celebrate with fellow straight arrows Miley Cyrus, 24 on Nov. 23; and Boris
(Frankenstein) Karloff, born Nov. 23, 1887. BADDA-BING, BADDA-BOOM 23 International Drum Month, otherwise known as Bang On the Ceiling Month. HOO-RAH FOR THE PUMPKIN PIE 24 Thanksgiving Day. BETTER THAN PASS THE POTATOES Here it comes quiz answer: T-O-U-C-H-D-O-W-N T-H-R-O-W. AFFABLE QUACKERS 25 World’s Championship Duck Calling Contest and duck gumbo cook-off, carnival and related events through Nov. 26, Stuttgart. (Carnival opens Nov. 23.) Details at stuttgartarkansas.org. Call (870) 673-1602. BEAR NECESSITIES Mountain Rendezvous through Nov. 27 at Petit Jean State Park near Morrilton. Details at petitjeanstatepark.com. Call (501) 727-5441. GROTTO SHOW WITH MISTLETOE Caroling in the Caverns Nov. 25, 26 and 27, and Dec. 2-4, 9-11 and 16-18 at Blanchard Springs Caverns near Mountain View. Details at yourplaceinthemountains.com. Call (870) 269-8068. GEORGE WASHINGTON PREPPED HERE 26 The first president proclaims Thanksgiving Day, 1789. But too late — the turkey is gone, and the leftovers are down to cold dressing and the canned dinner rolls nobody wants. LOOK AT FROSTY GO Christmas Parade of the Ozarks, 6 p.m., Springdale. Details at rodeooftheozarks.com. Call (479) 756-0464. HARK THE HERALDS 27 River City Men’s Chorus Christmas celebration, 3 p.m. Nov. 27 and 7 p.m. Nov. 28 and Dec. 1 at Second Presbyterian Church, Little Rock. Details at rivercitymenschorus.com. Call (501) 377-1080. REINDEER ON THE RUN 28 Enchanted Forest Trail of Lights
and candy canes, 6-9:30 p.m. through Dec. 30 in Sherwood Forest, Sherwood. Details at cityofsherwood.net. Call (501) 8358909. SANDWICH SNITCH 29 Hero of the hero sandwich quiz answer: (E) John Montagu. Asked what he wanted for lunch, he had the answer in hand. IT’S A DAISY 30 A Christmas Story: Ralphie wants a BB gun through Dec. 25 at Arkansas Repertory Theatre, Little Rock. Details at therep.org. Call (501) 378-0405. SPIRITS FORETOLD Trans-Siberian Orchestra concert, “The Ghosts of Christmas Eve,” 7:30 p.m. at Verizon Arena. Details at verizonarena.com. Call (800) 7453000. Coming next month: December! Call (501) 399-3633, write to Ron Wolfe, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, 121 E. Capitol Ave., Little Rock, Ark. 72203, or email
rwolfe@arkansasonline.com
by Nov. 15 to suggest December calendar entries or how to celebrate Dec. 21 as the year’s shortest day, such as: with shortcake, short cuts and the short goal of just make it through Christmas. Each event requires a phone number that is answered during business hours or by an answering machine that identifies the event or its sponsor.