Wednesday, February 29, 2012

Leap Year Birthdays

February Calendar Leap Year : details of calendar of leap year, February 2012 Stock Photo

Photo courtesy 123rf.com

There are about 4 million people in the world who were born on a leap day.  For more information click here.  What did you learn today?

Tuesday, February 28, 2012

Leap Year Driver's License Birthdays

February Calendar Leap Year : details of calendar of leap year, February 2012 Stock Photo

Photo courtesy 123rf.com

If you were born on February 29 and live in the United States, the state in which you live will determine whether you can celebrate your birthday and get your driver's license on February 28 or March 1.  For more information click here.  What did you learn today?

Monday, February 27, 2012

Leap Year Babies

February Calendar Leap Year : details of calendar of leap year, February 2012 Stock Photo

Photo courtesy 123rf.com

Your chances of being born on a leap day are 1 in 1,500.  For more leap year information click here.  What did you learn today?

Sunday, February 26, 2012

Look Up and Identify!

Ac cloud
Photo of altocumulus clouds courtesy invectis.co.uk

One of the things I disappointedly learned today is there are no cloud identification apps for Kindle Fire (Android).  However, there is a great little book that can be downloaded for a little over $7.00 U.S. that will meet all your cloud identifying needs:  Cloud Collector's Handbook, by Gavin Pretor-Pinney

The thing I wanted to learn today is the clouds that I saw two days ago and that I was trying to identify are altocumulus clouds.  For more information click here and click here.  What did you learn today?

Saturday, February 25, 2012

Language and Brain Switches

Brain Speech : Abstract speaker silhouette with bubbles in the head Stock Photo
Photo courtesy 123rf.com

There is a questionnaire now being given by scientists to bilingual persons in several countries such as Spain (speakers of Spanish and Catalan) and Canada (speakers of English and French).  The studies are trying to determine what unconscious changes occur in the brain when switching from one language to the other. 

For more information click here.  What did you learn today?

Friday, February 24, 2012

"Grapes" For Every Garden

Grape Hyacinth : Blue Grape hyacinth with red tulips in Holland
Photo of The Blue River courtesy 123rf.com

The Muscari blossomed in my garden this morning.  It's beautiful and fragrant, and one of my favorite garden bulbs.  I have the common Grape Hyacinth, species name Muscari armeniacum.  They can be planted just about anywhere except for swampy areas, especially swampy areas that can freeze.

There are 30 species of Muscari.  In the Keukenhof Gardens in Holland there is a very famous planting of Muscari called The Blue River.  This dense and wide planting of Muscari winds throughout the gardens, and is the most photographed area of the gardens every year.  For more information click here.

What did you learn today?

Thursday, February 23, 2012

Differences Between Moths and Butterflies

Moth : a close-up of a male gypsy moth showing its beautiful feathered antennae
Photo of male Gypsy Moth's feathery antennae and flat resting wings courtesy 123rf.com

Butterfly Antennae : Silver-studded Blue, Plebejus argus -Species of Lepidoptera, called also Hairstreak Butterfly, in front of white background
Photo of  Silver-studded Blue Plebejus' clubbed antennae and vertical resting wings courtesy 123rf.com

I know one difference between moths and butterflies is when at rest moths' wings lie flat and butterflies' wings are held vertically; but when I look at pictures of them where all wings are displayed flat I haven't been able to tell the difference between the two.

Three other differences between moths and butterflies are:
1.  Butterfly antennae are clubbed on the ends, moth antennae are thin or feathery on the ends.
2.  Butterfly bodies are thin and smooth, moth bodies are thick and fuzzy.
3.  Butterflies are active in the day, moths are active at night.

By the way, butterfly pupal stage is called chrysalis, moth pupal stage is called cocoon.

For more information click here.

Wednesday, February 22, 2012

Frozen Seed Now a Thriving Plant

Ice On Riverbank : Frozen
Photo courtesy 123rf.com

The seed of a plant frozen in Siberia for possibly 30,000 years has been discovered, thawed, planted, and now grows in Russia.  For more information click here.

Tuesday, February 21, 2012

Tonight: Gemini & Monoceros

Diagram of the constellation Gemini
Photo of Gemini courtesy SeaSky.org

Diagram of the constellation Monoceros
Photo of Monoceros courtesy SeaSky.org

The constellations Gemini and Monoceros crossed the meridian at 9:00 P.M. on February 20, so they are still good for prime viewing tonight.  For more information click here.

Monday, February 20, 2012

A Blog A Day...Does What?!

Nerds Working At Computers : Close-up of an interface computer button and a hand mouse cursor Stock Photo
Photo courtesy 123rf.com

I started this blog on October 15, 2011 because a friend told me that I could get paid for doing what I do every day anyway:  look up something new to learn.  Really?!  Well, they were right, and I'm as surprised as anyone else might be. 

The most surprising thing about all this is the diverse following a blog can accrue in such a short amount of time.  As of today the top seven countries with the most followers for this blog are (those with the number of followers in the four-,
three-, or two-digits):

1.  U.S.
2.  Russia
3.  Germany
4.  Netherlands
5.  U.K.
6.  Canada
7.  Australia

There are also followers from Albania, Argentina, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Bulgaria, Colombia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Georgia, Greece, Hong Kong, India, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Lithuania, Malaysia, Nigeria, Norway, Pakistan, Philippines, Romania, Slovenia, South Africa, South Korea, Serbia, Spain, Sweden, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, Turks and Caicos Islands, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, and Venezuela.

Thank you, and I've enjoyed and appreciated your emails, too!

Sunday, February 19, 2012

Cranky? Have You Had Your H2O?

Happy People In Water : splash boy
Photo courtesy 123rf.com

Drinking enough water can change your mood for the better!  The early stages of dehydration include feeling cranky.  For more information click here.

Saturday, February 18, 2012

Parrotlets' Unique Calls

Blue-Winged Parrotlet in its nest
Photo courtesy ParrotletPictures.com

Parrotlet parents (wild parrots in Venezuela) teach their own chicks unique calls, so these calls are different from the calls of other parrotlets.  For more information click here, click here, and click here.

Friday, February 17, 2012

Back Yard Bird Count 2012

Birds In Yard : The large image of flight of sitting small grey sparrows Stock Photo
Photo courtesy 123rf.com

Are you participating in the Great Backyard Bird Count 2012?  It's going on through Monday, February 20.  For more information click hereclick here, and click here.

Thursday, February 16, 2012

The Days of the Crows

American Crow : American Crow (Corvus brachyrhynchos) in a grassy field
Photo courtesy 123rf.com

Right now about the only birds I'm seeing regularly in the yard are American Crows (of course, in addition to our House Finches, Chickadees, and House Sparrows seem to be hiding out a bit more than usual).  What I didn't know is that American Crows are monogamous cooperative breeding birds.  They do not reach breeding age for at least two years, so offspring from a previous nesting season will usually remain with the family to assist in rearing new nestlings.   For more information click here and click here.

Wednesday, February 15, 2012

It's a Great Dog Night Tonight!

Diagram of the constellation Canis Major
Photo courtesy SeaSky.org

Canis Major, Great Dog, is a constellation that can be seen in both hemispheres tonight.  It contains Sirius (which means "scorching", and is also known as the Dog Star), which is the brightest star in the night sky.  For more information click here.

Tuesday, February 14, 2012

Sholes and QWERTY

Qwerty Keyboard : qwerty board
Photo courtesy 123rf.com

On this day in 1819, Christopher Latham Sholes, the inventor of the QWERTY keyboard, was born.  For more information click here.

Monday, February 13, 2012

Valentine's Day for Friends

Friends Valentine : illustration art of active couples with isolated background
Photo courtesy 123rf.com

In Finland, Valentine's Day is called Friends Day.  In some Latin American countries, Valentine's Day is called Day of Love and Friendship.  For more information click here.

Sunday, February 12, 2012

Gardenias and Secret Love

Gardenia : Beautiful white gardenia flower on shrub Stock Photo
Photo courtesy 123rf.com

My favorite flower and bush is gardenia.  Billie Holiday often wore a gardenia in her hair, and she's also one of my favorite jazz singers.  I'm considering planting a new gardenia this year, and I discovered that I didn't know the following.  This plant was named after the very interesting character Alexander Garden; and the flower is the symbol for purity, sweetness, joy, and secret love.  For more information click here and click here.

Saturday, February 11, 2012

Bare Dog Paws

Black Dogs In Snow : Dogs in the the snow. The breed of the dogs are a Cairn Terrier and the small dog is a mix of a Chihuahua and a Miniature Pinscher.
Photo courtesy 123rf.com

If a human walks barefoot in the snow for very long, their feet would freeze.  Dogs can walk bare-paw in the snow and their paws won't freeze, because the way the blood vessels under the skin on the paw is arranged keeps the paw at the body's temperature.  For more information click here.

Friday, February 10, 2012

Snowy Owl Migration 2011-2012

Snowy Owl : Snowy Owl in Flight in Saskatchewan Canada Stock Photo
Photo courtesy 123rf.com

The snowy owl winter migration has reached much further south than usual this year.  Only two states in the U.S. haven't reported sitings of a snowy oil in any winter migration:  Arizona and New Mexico.  For more information click here.

Thursday, February 9, 2012

Recipe for Salty Relief

Gargling : Brunette illness girl gargles her throat in bath
Photo courtesy 123rf.com

The reasons why gargling with salt-water is beneficial for a sore throat and a cold, as well as the accompanying throat-pain of both, are:  salt prevents bacteria from growing, and salt relieves inflammation by drawing moisture out of swollen tissues.  My recipe is two measuring-teaspoons of kosher salt desolved in one ice-tea glass of water (if you're not from The South, that would be a highball glass, or a 12-ounce glass).  For more information click here and click here...and I hope if you have a cold like me, that gargling with salt-water helps you like it does me, and that you feel better soon.

Wednesday, February 8, 2012

Today is the Pin Festival !

Sewing Needles : Sewing needles on black background, macro view
Photo courtesy 123rf.com

Hari-Kuyo, the Festival of Broken Needles, was the beginning of the lunar year on the old Chinese calendar, and is now a festival in China and Japan every year on February 8.  People bring to the shrine their broken pins and needles used in the previous year, and express gratitude for their service.

For more information click here and click here.

I've broken sewing machine needles and the eyes in needlepoint needles, but I didn't exactly express gratitude for the broken needle, nor even for the service it had provided.  I wonder if there are uses for broken needles, but that's for another blog on another day.  What do you do that requires you to use needles?  (You can leave comments below.)

Tuesday, February 7, 2012

Needlepoint VS. Airlines

Yarn Needle : macro of needle and red thread
Photo courtesy 123rf.com

If you're a needlepointer, like me, you need to carry some sort of cutting device with you to cut yarn.  However, airlines don't allow scissors or blades to be carried onto airplanes these days.  So, savvy needlepointers have come up with three ideas: 1)  carry an empty dental-floss case because the floss cutter built into the case will cut needlepoint yarn (this is what I have been doing), 2) carry nail-clippers, which will also cut needlepoint yarn, or 3) purchase this clever pair of tiny, short, round-tip scissors, called "Itty-Bitty Scissors" (this is what I want).

Monday, February 6, 2012

Monopoly's 77th Anniversary

Monopoly : Monopoly
Photo courtesy 123rf.com

On this day in 1935 the first Monopoly board game was sold.  You can buy special Monopoly games that feature favorite movies, sports teams, cartoons, etc.  There is even a Monopoly card game.  The squares on the board feature different street-names depending on the countries in which they are sold.

For more information click here.

Sunday, February 5, 2012

Combine This: Maps & Flags!

War Between The States Map : The world map with all states and their flags Stock Photo
Photo courtesy 123rf.com

Here is a fascinating map of the world including the flags of the countries!  I found it two hours ago, and have been studying it ever since.

Saturday, February 4, 2012

Beginnings: U.S.A. and C.S.A.


Map of Southern United States courtesy Gutenburg.org

On this day in 1789, George Washington and John Adams were elected first president and vice-president of the United States of America. 

Sixty-two years later, on this day in 1861 delegates from six Southern states met in Montgomery, Alabama to form the Confederate States of America.  Two weeks later, on February 18 the provisional Congress of the C.S.A. made Jefferson Davis provisional president.

For more information click here and click here.

Friday, February 3, 2012

Robinson Crusoe in Real Life

Desert Island : Beautiful uninhabited island at Philippines
Photo courtesy 123rf.com

Three hundred and three years ago yesterday, on February 2, 1709, the sailor who was the inspiration for the book, Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe, was rescued from the island of Aguas Buenas off the coast of Chile.  Scottish sailor Alexander Selkirk had been stranded for four years alone on that tropical island.  For more information, including how Selkirk might have survived on the island, click here.  I didn't know Robinson Crusoe was based on fact!

Thursday, February 2, 2012

History of Ground Hog Day

Ground Hog Day : Groundhog day with text. Vector graphic postcard
Photo courtesy 123rf.com

Ground Hog Day is celebrated only in the United States and Canada, but it evolved from Candlemas celebrations that originated in Europe.  In pre-Christian times, the Romans celebrated the Feast of Lights on February 1, which became Candlemas to the Christians on February 2, and eventually led to the founding of Ground Hog Day in Canada and the U.S.  The underlying reasons for all these celebrations had to do with forecasting the last weeks of winter weather and the viability of the coming spring and summer crops.  There were also religious reasons for celebrating Candlemas, which are quite interesting.  For more information click here.

Wednesday, February 1, 2012

Camelopardalis: The Giraffe

Diagram of the constellation Camelopardalus
Photo courtesy SeaSky.org

Tonight the constellation, Camelopardalis (Latin for "Giraffe"), crosses the meridian.  I didn't know about this constellation.  It was first named Camel, then later changed to Giraffe.  During February the northern hemisphere can see it upside down; it is right-side up in summer.  For more information click here.