 Americans eat about 1.5 million Peeps during Easter.
Dwarf marigolds planted among the vegetables will add a decorative touch while helping to keep insects away. Spring snowstorms, late cold weather or long spring rains can present hardships for birds. Providing food in the spring will help birds survive the seasonal change and give them the added nourishment and energy required for the mating and nesting season. Start seeds of warm season plants, including tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, marigolds, zinnias and petunias for transplanting later in the garden. The first Oreo cookies were sold in 1912 at a store in Hoboken, NJ. A metal shoehorn can be used in the garden as a miniature trowel. Potassium is a mineral that’s essential to your well-being. Having enough potassium helps your cells maintain a normal level of fluid, promotes healthy blood pressure, and supports muscle contraction. Easter lilies first originated in Japan and arrived in England in the late 18th century. The United States only caught onto the trend after World War I. On April 14, 1912, the famous Titanic ship hit an iceberg and sank on her first and only voyage. Did you know? The sound of doors opening and closing on Star Trek is a flushing toilet.
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 Make strawberries last longer by placing them, unwashed, in a glass jar with a lid on it. Store in coldest part of the refrigerator and they should keep fresh for up to 3 weeks.
Dandelions are good indicators of rain as they close up when they detect moisture and reopen when the weather dries. A moonbow is like a solar rainbow, but is created by moonlight (rather than sunlight) when it is refracted through water droplets in the air. Moonbows only happen when the full Moon is fairly low in the sky. Use a plastic leaf rake when you remove mulch. Metal garden rakes with sharp tongs can rip tender foliage from emerging plants. Leprechauns are the bankers and cobblers of the fairy world. Leprechauns are known for their money, and there's apparently a lot of it in the cobbling business. Since they spend most of their time alone, the tiny green men pour all their energy into crafting shoes. They're said to always have a hammer and shoe in hand. The Eiffel Tower was ascended for the first time on March 31, 1889. Gustave Eiffel himself led a group of government officials and members of the press to the top. The journey had to be made by foot as the elevators were not in operation yet and took over an hour to reach the top. There are number of vegetables that you can start seeding indoors (or in a greenhouse) in March, including brussels sprouts, cauliflower, spinach, squash and perennial herbs (all under cover), chili and sweet peppers and celery. If you have a greenhouse, you can also start sowing cucumbers, gherkins and tomato seeds. It’s a good time to prune houseplants that might have grown leggy over the winter. Pruning will also encourage new, more compact growth. One serving of hazelnuts has almost a third of your daily dose of Vitamin E, which boosts immunity. Yawning helps cool your brain, which in turn improves alertness and performance, according to research from University of Vienna in Austria.  Did you miss out on our December Newsletter?... No worries!
Some topics we covered were:
If you missed out and want to read more check it out here: Ski Landscape December Newsletter  Ever notice that you “feel” colder in the winter if the wind is blowing? This is due to the windchill effect. It combines the cooling effect of temperature and wind which then drives down the “perceived” temperature. As the wind speed increases, it draws the heat from the body causing skin temperature and, eventually, internal body temperatures to do down. The wind is not changing the temperature of the air it’s changing the temperature of your body. For example: a temperature of 0° F and a wind speed of 15 mph will produce a windchill temperature of -19°. Under these conditions, exposed skin can freeze in 30 minutes.
Our body keeps a “buffer” or think layer of air next to our skin to help regulate our body temperature of 98.6°F. A strong wind can disrupt this buffer layer making us feel colder, potentially leading to hypothermia, frostbite or death. Hypothermia occurs when the body’s temperature drops too low causing uncontrollable shivering, disorientation and incoherence. Get medical attention immediately. If you can’t get help quickly:
Windchill Safety Tips
It’s often said “No two snowflakes are alike”. But, is this really true? One man, Wilson A. Bentley, a farmer and amateur meteorologist dedicated himself to answering this question by observing flakes of snow for 50 years.
William Bentley was born in 1865 and raised on a farm in Jericho, Vermont. As a homeschooled child, he had a deep love of nature. On his 15th birthday Wilson received a microscope and when he got a glimpse of a six-sided snowflake that was the beginning of his snowy fascination. At 17, Wilson’s parents bought him a new microscope and a camera. He spent two years figuring out how to take a picture of a snowflake under the microscope. On January 15, 1885 he created the world’s first micro photograph of a snowflake. Wilson Bentley became known as “Snowflake Man” throughout the village. Bentley captured over 5,000 images and was the first person to recognize that now two snowflakes were alike. He developed a technique for photographing these crystals which scientist’s still use today. Slowly people became interested in Bentley’s work. In 1920 he became one of the first members of the American Meteorological Society. Bentley’s proudest moment came in 1931 with the publication of his book “Snow Crystals” which contained 2,453 of his snowflake photos. He was the first American to record raindrop sizes and one of the first cloud physicists. Wilson Bentley, “Snowflake Man”, died of pneumonia at his farm on December 23, 1931.  High carbohydrate veggies that also provide fiber and vitamins include zucchini, broccoli, sweet potatoes, Brussel sprouts, red bell peppers.
Ornamental plants have a genetic ability to sense atmospheric changes and adjust to cold and warm temperature. “Jingle Bells” was originally a song about Thanksgiving in 1857. It was also the first song played in space. Like fingerprints, everyone’s tongue print is different. A shark is the only known fist that can blink with both eyes. Cloche is traditionally a bell-shaped item placed over plants to protect them from insect or frost damage. The first historical reference to candy canes in America goes back to 1847, when a German immigrant named August Imgard decorated his Christmas tree in Wooster, Ohio with candy canes. 90% of candy canes are bought in the month before Christmas. To keep your Christmas tree fresh during the holiday, keep the tree-stand water reservoir full. Never allow the trunk to get dry. Some tree growers suggest adding about 5 aspirin tablets to the water. Only female holly trees bear the colorful berries. There must be a male tree growing nearby for pollination, if fruits are desired. As winter weather makes driving more treacherous you need to pack a car emergency kit. Include in your kit: jumper cables, flares, ice scraper, car cell phone charger, blankets, map, food and water, and extra warm clothes and other necessities.  November’s full Moon is traditionally called the Beaver Moon. This was based on the month that beaver traps were set before winter in the Colonial era.
Indigenous Americans had many other uses for cranberries. Not only did they eat cranberries fresh and use them as an ingredient in other foods, native communities also used cranberries to heal wounds and dye fabrics. Held in 1924, the first Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade included monkeys, bears, camels, and elephants borrowed from the Central Park Zoo instead of the traditional character balloons we know today. Weeding is more important in late summer and autumn than at any other time! Just one weed left to mature can produce hundreds, if not thousands, of seeds that will grow into weeds to plague you next year, so weed the garden one last time before you call it quits. When added to food, cayenne pepper can help to relieve sluggish digestion and clear toxins from your system. The hot sensation on your tongue tells your body to release endorphins, which make you feel better. Indiana is home to about 900 lakes, the largest of course being Lake Michigan. The largest natural lake entirely in Indiana is Lake Wawasee. M&Ms are named after their creators: Mars and Murrie. Animals and insects that eat mostly leaves—such as pandas, caterpillars, giraffes or koalas — are called folivores. Americans typically refer to this time of year as “fall,” while the British use the word “autumn.” Both terms date back to the 16th century but before that it was called “harvest”. Evergreen trees such as pines, cedars, and spruces stay green because their leaves (needles) are covered with thick wax and they contain materials that prevent freezing when it gets cold.  The largest pumpkin ever measured was grown by Norm Craven, who broke the world record in 1993 at 836 lb. or the size of a walrus.
Samhainophobia is the fear of Halloween. Other phobias include phasmophobia which is the fear of ghosts; wiccaphobia, the fear of witchcraft; and the fear of darkness, hyctophobia. On October 1st, 1908 Henry Ford introduced the Model T car which cost $825. Bring green tomatoes indoors and they will ripen to full red. Light is not necessary but temperature matters--the warmer the temperature, the faster the ripening. Firm, tart apples are best for baking holiday pies. They include Granny Smith, Rome, Jonathan, Northern Spy, and Winesap. Divide and transplant summer-flowering perennials such as peonies, irises, and coreopsis. Watch for the last of the hummingbirds heading south to their winter homes. Acorns are an important food source for a variety of mammals—squirrels, birds, pigs, bears and deer. Acorns are toxic to horses. Pickleball is currently one of the most popular games throughout the U.S. In the summer of 1965, pickleball was founded by Joel Pritchard, Bill Bell and Barney McCallum on Bainbridge Island, Washington. Joel’s wife Joan came up with the name “pickle ball”—a reference to the thrown-together leftover non- starters in the “pickle boat” of crew races. Dentistry is the oldest profession in the world. One study found evidence of teeth being drilled in skulls that dates from 7,500 to 9,000 years ago.
Fireflies were named official state insect in 2019 by Governor Eric Holcomb.
When repainting a room in your home mark the paint and trim colored used on the back of your electrical wall plate. The Romans believed that September was looked after by the god of fire. So they always expected fires and volcanic eruptions to occur during this month. Make sure you prune your plants while the weather's still mild. Try to cut your shrubs to about a quarter of their original size and thin out the congested stems to improve air circulation. Did you know? Pumpkins need the help of bees to grow. Pollinating bees take the seeds from the male plant to the female plant and pumpkins are born. September was once the 7th month of the year, until the winter months became official on the calendar. The sapphire is the official birthstone of September. The only naturally occurring thing that can scratch a sapphire is a diamond. Chrysanthemums are beautiful fall flowers that are available in two basic types: florist and garden. Florist mums make wonderful gifts, but do not do well outside. For landscape use, look for garden mums. It’s time to relocate plants which have enjoyed being outside for the summer into indoors. To prevent unexpected soil pests from moving indoors, sink each pot in a bucket of water for a few hours before bringing the plant indoors. This process drowns or uncovers any slugs, snails, worms, or beetles hiding below the surface of the soil. Football season fun fact: the markings on a college football are slightly different from its professional counterpart. There are white stripes painted at either end of the ball to make it easier to spot when it's passed between players. |
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