October is from the Latin octo, which means “eight”. The number “eight” is said to be a symbol of wealth, prosperity, peace and fertility. 

What flower bulbs do you plant in autumn? Think daffodils, crocuses, snowdrops, tulips, hyacinths, irises, and alliums. These flowers are call “dormant perennials.” They need the cool, moist autumn soil to awaken them from their dormancy so that they can begin growing roots in preparation for the spring.

Documented evidence of an activity resembling football can be found in the Chinese military manual Zhan Guo Ce compiled between the 3rd century and 1st century BC.

Once the hour of daylight dwindles during autumn and the green chlorophyll in leaves is gone, other pigments come out. Carotenoids give leaves their brilliant yellow and orange colors. Anthocyanins are found in deep red and purplish leaves. The presence of tannins means leaves will turn brownish or tan.

Trying to concoct an artificial substitute for rubber, General Electric engineer, James Wright, combined boric acid with silicone oil in 1943. The result was a gooey, bouncy blob which was not suitable for making tires but became a popular kids’ toy later called “Silly Putty”.

De-thatch and/or aerate your lawn.

Keep plants, especially newly planted stock, well-watered until the ground freezes.

The word "pumpkin" showed up for the first time in the fairy tale Cinderella.

Snakes use their tongues and a special structure in the roof of the mouth called the Jacobson’s organ to “taste” what is around them.
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Sliced bread was invented right here in Indianapolis.  Wonder Bread’s Indianapolis branch was the first place to start selling pre-sliced loaves of bread.

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​The proper name for a group of cats is a chowder. A group of kittens is called a kindle.

Don’t fertilize woody plants now. It stimulates late growth that won’t have time to harden off properly before winter.

All fast-food logos have elements of red and yellow. This is because red and yellow psychologically stimulate hunger.

White chocolate isn’t really chocolate. It doesn’t contain cocoa solids. Instead, white chocolate is made of cocoa butter, milk, and sugar. 

The feeling of falling when half asleep is called a ‘hypnic jerk.’ Scientifically, there is still no explanation for why we get hypnic jerks. However, anxiety, caffeine and physical activity close to bedtime make a hypnic jerk more likely. They are also more frequent in younger people.

People who collect ties are called “grabatologists”.

The Anglo-Saxons called the month of August “Weod month” because it’s a month when weeds and other plants grow rapidly!

Remove any old plants that have stopped producing to help eliminate insects and diseases from your garden.

This is a great time to plant evergreen trees and shrubs, such as pines, spruces, and firs, because the plants will have time to develop their roots before the winter conditions.
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Indiana became a state on Dec. 11, 1816, when President James Madison signed the congressional resolution admitting Indiana to the Union as the 19th state. Corydon remained the first state capital until 1825, when the capital was moved to Indianapolis.

In the United States, the May Day holiday was first celebrated in 1886, as part of the struggle for the eight-hour workday. On May 1st of that year, hundreds of thousands of workers across the country went on strike, demanding better working conditions and shorter working hours.

Since 1875, The Kentucky Derby horse race has been held on the first Saturday in May, making it one of the oldest in the world. 

While pots of terra-cotta and stone are more attractive, they tend to require more frequent watering than nonporous plastic and fiberglass containers.

When shopping for plant material if the tag says partial or medium shade it means an area that is shaded for six hours per day. The area might get direct sun from 3:00 p.m. on, or direct sun only in the morning.

The Empire State Building opened its doors on May 1,1931. At this time, it held the record for being the tallest building in the world.

Cutting roses and trimming bushes can be a prickly job. To make the task pain free and fast, grip thorny stems with barbeque tongs or clothespins.

In Holland, the tulip capital of the world, tulip bulbs are dug up after they bloom, held in cold storage and replanted each fall.

You know you’re from Indiana if you know what the phrase “Knee-high by the Fourth of July” means.

Is it a hurricane or a typhoon? They’re actually the same type of event. What we call a hurricane in the United States is a typhoon if it forms in the northwestern Pacific. Meteorologists also use the general term tropical cyclone.
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Panophobia—The fear of everything or tear that terrible things will happen.

The Titanic, which was thought to be unsinkable, encountered an iceberg on April 15, 1912, and sank two hours and forty minutes later. Only roughly 700 of the 2,224 passengers were rescued since there weren’t enough lifeboats to save everyone.

Heading out to do some gardening? Scrape your fingernails along a bar of soap to create a barrier that keeps dirt from getting deep under your nails. Once you’re done working, grab a nail brush and brush out the barrier as you wash your hands.

American President Abraham Lincoln was assassinated by John Wilkes Booth in a crowded theater in Washington, DC, on April 14, 1865. The following day, April 14, Lincoln passed away.

Allow the foliage of spring-flowering bulbs to remain in place after blooms fade. Leaves manufacture the food reserves, which are then stored in the bulb for a repeat showing next year.

Plant a tree in celebration of Arbor Day, April 24. You should plant bare-root stock before new top growth begins. You can plant balled and burlapped and containerized stock later in spring.

Time to prepare your grill for summer cookouts. Try cleaning your grill without chemicals by using half an onion. Onions have natural antibacterial properties and help deep clean the grates. First, get the grill nice and hot to burn off any remaining food. Next, cut an onion in half and pierce it with a long grill fork and scrub. Happy grilling!

Plant hardy perennials, such as daylilies and delphiniums.

Your nose and ears continue growing throughout your entire life. 

In the 1800s, ketchup was believed to have healing properties and was used to treat ailments such as indigestion and a bad tummy.

The bubble wrap used to wrap fragile objects and that is fun to pop, was initially supposed to be 3D wallpaper.

The month of March symbolically represents new growth, fertility, and procreation in humans, plants and animals.

National Pi Day on March 14th recognizes the mathematical constant π. Also known as pi, the first three and most recognized digits are 3.14. The day is celebrated by pi enthusiasts and pie lovers alike!

March 10 is the start of Daylight Saving Time, which begins at 2:00 A.M. that day. Don’t forget to “spring forward” and set the clocks one hour ahead. The extra hour of daylight is intended to assist both our general mental health as well as agricultural employees, like farmers.

Starting seeds indoors allows you to gain a few precious weeks of growing time, which can really make a difference. It’s actually necessary for a number of plants--warm-season vegetables—such as tomatoes, peppers, and eggplant.

Sprinkle salt on carpets to dry out muddy footprints before vacuuming. 

The first telephone was patented on March 7th, 1876 by Alexander Graham Bell.

Many cultures associate St. Patrick's Day, March 17, 2024, with the color green. Green is the color of chlorophyll, the magical pigment that helps plants make their own food through photosynthesis. Although green is the color of envy and jealousy in some cultures, it's also the color of luck and prosperity in others!

Around March 20 or 21, the Vernal Equinox takes place. The duration of the day and night are equal at this time since the sun is directly overhead the equator.

Raspberries are part of the rose family as are cherries, apricots, plums, pears, apples, quinces, peaches, strawberries, and blackberries. Unlike roses though, these types of fruits typically have flowers with five equal petals arranged around a central core.
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Spring cleaning? The roots of cleaning can be traced back all the way to 2800 BC. Archeologists discovered that ancient Babylonians started making soap around this time, as they excavated soap-like materials and various cylinders. These cylinders contained inscriptions saying “fat boiled with ash. Cleaning was also prevalent in other ancient civilizations, such as the Egyptians. For instance, a medical document dating back to 1500 BC proves these people used vegetable and animal oil to form soap-like substances. They also relied on alkaline soap for washing.
 

 

Plant a spring garden for beautiful birds and butterflies. Where in the world is no barking allowed and many more fun facts!!!! Just click here conta.cc/49cLOL9

The month of February is named after an early Roman cleansing ceremony-- spring cleaning festival. The word comes from the Latin term “februum,” which signifies purification.

Most houseplants require less water in winter because growth is slowed or stopped. Check soil for dryness before watering.

Bulbs decide that winter has come and gone by keeping track of the total time when the temperature around them is below 45 degrees but above freezing. After a certain amount of time—up to 12 weeks for tulips and 6 for crocus—the bulbs are ready to wake up, grow, and bloom.

Garlic is called “the stinking rose” and is a member of the lily family related to leeks, chives, onions, and shallots. It is rich in manganese, Vitamin B, Vitamin C and selenium. Garlic’s antibiotic and antifungal properties ward off a number of pests and diseases.

The four leaves on a 4-leaf clover represent the arms of the cross. Long before Christianity the cross was a powerful symbol.

Patented in the United States in 1863—before the telephone—the fax machine, called the pantelegraph, was sending faxes from 1865 to 1870 in France.

Use flat paint to hide imperfections in the walls. The higher gloss, the more the problem will show.

While trees and shrubs are still dormant, finish any needed pruning. Don’t trim spring-flowering shrubs such as lilac, magnolia and forsythia until after they finish blooming.
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Warm feet, better sleep. Putting on socks before crawling into bed improves all over circulation by opening up the blood vessels in the feet. When the blood vessels dilate and open up in the feet, they release heat that redistributes throughout the body, allowing for a more rapid decrease of core body temperature.

In 1908, Nick Freienstein, son of German immigrants, opened a street corner restaurant in Huntington, Indiana. He had grown up eating Weiner Schnitzels. He also ran a hamburger cart. Combining these two together he invented the pork tenderloin sandwich.

Ellis Island in New York City opened on January 1, 1892.

“Happy New Year” in Spain and parts of Latin America means eating 12 grapes, one at each stroke of the clock, to symbolize success for each month of the coming year.

Human teeth are the only part of the body that can't heal themselves.

There are more bacterial cells in your body than human cells. The average human is around 56 per cent bacteria.
Most ginger cats are male because the ginger gene is found on the X chromosome, meaning female cats would require two copies of the gene to become ginger while males only need one.

Cut back ornamental grasses. Clip back the old foliage before new growth begins cutting back to within a few inches of the ground.

Plant amaryllis bulbs in pots now for spectacular indoor flowers in early spring.

Suddenly struck with a painful leg cramp in the middle of the night or while exercising? Try drinking 2-3 oz of pickle juice. It can help alleviate muscle cramps and Charley horses.

If you seal an envelope and then realize you forgot to include something inside, place your sealed envelope in the freezer for an hour or two. It should unseal easily.
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Magnesium regulates muscle and nerve function, blood sugar levels and blood pressure. It’s also necessary for making protein, bone, and DNA. Every cell in our body contains magnesium—and needs it to function.