It’s almost time for the “greatest spectacle in racing”, the Indianapolis 500. During 110 years of this amazing annual event, many things have changed, many traditions have stayed the same but the race itself is always entertaining.  Here are a few fun facts to share with your racing buddies.

• The first Indy 500 took place in 1911 but actually the track’s first event was on June 5, 1909. The track served as a launch pad for a balloon race. The event drew 40,000 spectators, with the winner landing 382 miles away in Alabama.
• The Indianapolis Motor Speedway spans 253 acres. IMS could contain Churchill Downs, Yankee Stadium, the Rose Bowl, the Roman Colosseum, Vatican City, the White House, the Taj Mahal and Liberty Island with an acre to spare.
• The track was once paved with 3.2 million bricks, giving it the name “The Brickyard”. Today, a 36-inch wide strip of bricks cuts across the front stretch of the 2.5-mile oval.
• The tradition of "kissing the bricks" was started by NASCAR champion Dale Jarrett after his Brickyard 400 victory in 1996.
• Originally Gasoline Alley referred only to the one corner where the fuel depot was located.
• The Indianapolis Motor Speedway is the highest-capacity sports venue in the world with seating up to 250,000 fans. It also means that it is one of the hardest sports facilities to exit taking up to 3 hours to leave once the race is over.
• The first race was won by Ray Harroun who was also known as the first person to use a rear-view mirror on a motor vehicle. His take home pay was $14,250. He also started the tradition of drinking a pint of milk in the winner’s circle. His preferred drink was buttermilk.
• In 1977, Janet Guthrie became the first female driver to qualify for and compete in the Indy 500. That same year, she also became the first woman to compete in NASCAR's Daytona 500.
• The Borg-Warner Trophy was first awarded in 1935 when it was valued at $10,000. Today, that same trophy is worth more than $1,000,000. 
• 8 miles of hot dogs and bratwursts are consumed by racing spectators. That means up to 475 gallons of ketchup are also consumed. To drink, how about 16,000 gallons of Coca-Cola products and more than 14,000 gallons of Miller Lite and other beer products.

Quietly hang a homemade basket filled with flowers and candy on your neighbor’s doorknob. Ring the bell. Run like crazy before anyone sees you—otherwise, you might get a kiss!

This playful custom was part of “May Basket Day” in our Iowa hometown, when we were growing up.  We enjoyed creating our own baskets and choosing which neighbors would receive daffodils or pansies along with a sweet treat, always giving a special basket to a favorite friend.

May 1st originally represented the arrival of spring and new beginnings. The holiday draws from various ancient celebrations, including Beltane, a Celtic festival honoring fertility and life’s return. Beltane marked the year’s division between winter’s darkness and summer’s light, often featuring bonfires and lively, outdoor festivities.

Dancing around the Maypole is another popular May Day activity, originating in medieval times. Boys and girls would weave ribbons or streamers around a tall pole, eventually covering it entirely. Legend said you might meet your future spouse during the dance, leading to a June wedding.

The crowning of the May Queen—a symbol of nature, purity, and growth—is another medieval tradition. While May Day isn’t specifically religious, Catholics celebrate the season with “May processions,” where children place flowers at the feet of a Virgin Mary statue.

In the United States, May Day gained new meaning in the 19th century when it became International Workers’ Day, part of the labor movement for better working conditions and fair hours. Today, 66 countries, including Cuba, Kenya, China, Mexico, and North Korea, mark May Day as a day to honor workers’ rights.
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Reviving May Day traditions brings joy and welcomes the warmth of spring. Create a basket, fill it with spring’s beauty, and share it with someone special for a memorable May Day celebration—just don’t get caught!

Flash floods are also known as pluvial floods. These occur when extreme precipitation causes a flood independent of a body of water. This can happen anywhere, including in urban areas when the drainage system or dam is overwhelmed. 

The tiny plastic thing placed in the middle of a pizza box is called a “box tent”.

Moles can be pesky, but they also have some redeeming qualities. They eat many soil pests, including grubs, termites, and slugs. They also aerate the soil, allowing deeper air and water penetration into the soil.

Mulch peonies each spring with 2-3 inches of material to control weeds.

The U.S. Army established Fort Benjamin Harrison in Lawrence Township in 1904. During WWI, the Fort was used for officer training camps and to train engineering specialists. Spring is a good time to hike Fort Ben’s nature trails, take a horseback ride, pack a lunch to eat around the lake, or enjoy a learning experience at the visitors’ center.

A group of zebras is called a “dazzle”.

Dig and divide hardy perennials flowers, especially ones that bloom in the fall, such as mums and sedum.
It’s important to sterilize plant pots. Over time, garden pots can accumulate mold, salt deposits, and pests that may harm your new plants.

The “Easter Bunny” who visits children on Easter morning was an invention of German Protestants. The “Oster Hase” or “Easter Hare” brought eggs and sweets to “good children”.
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The 3-hour gardening rule advises avoiding gardening between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. during the summer to prevent sunburn, dehydration, and sunstroke. It also benefits plants by reducing stress as midday is the least ideal time to water.

The pruning of trees should be completed before new growth occurs. Trees should not be pruned while the new leaves are growing. 

Plant the following seeds and set outdoors by early to mid-March: beets, carrots, collards, kohlrabi, lettuce, mustard greens, onions, potatoes, parsley, radishes, and spinach (following seed packet instructions). 

Equinoxes are the only two times of year when the Sun rises due east and sets due west for all of us on Earth! 

Just before new growth begins, mow lawns a half inch lower than normal to remove old, dead leaf tissue. This only needs to be done once before raising the mower height back to the usual setting for the remainder of the season.

The name "Indiana" stands for Land of the Indians—but in reality, fewer than 8,000 Native Americans reside in the state today.

Start your tomato seeds indoors six to eight weeks before the last frost to ensure strong transplants for the growing season.

St. Patrick’s Day is also called St. Paddy’s Day, not St. Patty’s Day. This is because the name Patrick is “Padraig” in the Irish language.

Rhinoceros horns are made from protein called “keratin”, the same substance that fingernails and hair are made of.

In 1930 presliced Wonder Bread hit the grocery shelves throughout the U.S.
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Watch the lawn as the snow recedes for snow mold. This turf disease is possible under snow or matted leaves. Rake the infected area to help dry it out.

​From "The Kokomo Press"
Extreme Cold Causes Tree to “Explode”
In what witnesses are calling “the loudest thing to happen here since the gas tower blew,” a tree in Kokomo reportedly exploded last night after temperatures dropped to levels best described as extremely rude.

According to startled residents, the tree made a sudden cracking noise sometime during the deep freeze, briefly convincing neighbors that either a transformer blew, winter had officially gone too far, or Kokomo was finally under attack from Chicago.

Authorities later confirmed the culprit was frost cracking, a natural process where frozen sap expands and causes trees to split dramatically… because apparently even plants get too cold to function properly.

No injuries were reported, though several locals admitted to peeking through their blinds and praying it was an M80. Local Arborists assure the public that while trees are not actually detonating like fireworks, they can snap loudly when temperatures drop fast.

The tree declined to comment but is expected to spend the rest of winter standing there awkwardly, slightly split, and pretending nothing happened.
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Residents are advised to stay warm, stay indoors, and avoid making eye contact with all plant life until at least spring.

Ice Stacking, California's Palm and Pine, the beauty of Northern Lights and much more!!!!

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Though not an everyday occurrence, ice stacking creates a stunning and sometimes eerie winter landscape particularly along the rocky coastline of Lake Superior. Ice stacking requires specific weather conditions including strong winds, cold temperatures and significant ice cover on the lake. When the powerful winds push large sheets of ice against the shoreline, the ice crumbles into piles of shards. As the ice sheets break and pile up on top of each other, they form unique and intricate patterns.
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This process can also be accompanied by distinctive sounds—the cracking, crunching, and groaning of the ice as it moves and stacks.

When traveling in California, I noticed a pine tree next to a palm tree. It seemed like a strange juxtaposition until I found out this notable landmark is known as “the palm and the pine”. A single palm tree and a single pine tree planted together in the median of Highway 99 just south of Madera represents the state’s north-south divide—the palm symbolizes Southern California, while the pine represents Northern California. The unique landscape marks the geographic center of California, reinforcing the symbolic connection between the two distinct regions. The expression “where the palm meets the pine” is a popular phrase indicating the point where the state’s diverse climates and identities converge.

California’s ability to support both palms and pines reflects its varied climate zones. In Southern California, the warm, dry conditions are ideal for palm trees, particularly those introduced by Spanish missionaries in the 1700s who planted them for Palm Sunday, referencing the tree’s biblical significance.
The city of Los Angeles planted tens of thousands of palms in the 1930s to beautify the city for the Olympics, making the palm tree an icon of imagined paradise.
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In contrast, Northern California’s cooler climate is home to a range of evergreens, such as pine trees, which flourish in mountainous areas. These ecosystems—desert oases for palms and mountain forests for pines—are often geographically close, highlighting California’s remarkable environmental diversity.

Key gardening tasks in January include ordering seeds, testing soil, pruning fruit trees/roses, and starting slow-growing crops like onions and peppers indoors. Also, indoors you can start petunias, begonias, and impatiens. Early, cold-hardy crops such as peas, kale, and lettuce can be started inside or in cold frames. 

When resting or sleeping on the water, sea otters hold paws with each other to prevent drifting away from their group. 

Over 50 tons of trash are left in Times Square after New Year’s Eve celebrations including 3,000 lbs. of confetti.

In the Philippines, it's common to wear polka dots on New Year's Eve to symbolize wealth and prosperity. 

Waterford comes up with a new ball pattern every year for the New York City ball drop. The sphere is made up of 2,688 crystal triangles and has over 32,000 lights. It also displays over 16 million color patterns.

Farmer’s Almanac predict that winter 2025-2026 will be a “wild ride” with dramatic swings, wintry weather, and a cycle of “chill, snow, repeat.” 

When planning your garden it is recommended that at least 70% of your garden should be native plants to support local wildlife like birds and pollinators. The remaining 30% can be non-native, non-invasive plants.

Evenly water plants with tepid water. Uneven watering can lead to oedema, and watering with cold water can shock the plant. 

Geese, and many other migrating birds, fly in a V to conserve energy. This decreases the wind resistance, meaning they can fly for much longer before stopping to rest.
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Both rain and snow contain nitrogen that plants need. Nitrogen attaches to snowflakes as the snow falls through the atmosphere. In addition, nutrients are slowly released into the soil as the snow melts. This is especially effective early in the spring when the ground is thawed, allowing nature to provide a gentle fertilizer boost to plants.