Does anything scream back-to-school like a package of brand-new yellow pencils? As writing implements go, pencils are pretty, well, basic. Most people I know prefer to use pens. Outside the math and art worlds, few people use pencils on an everyday basis. But did you ever stop to think about how long pencils have beenRead more
Devil’s Advocate It’s a strange phrase. Aligning yourself with the devil is sure to isolate yourself from a broad segment of society. Yet we say we are “playing devil’s advocate” with some regularity. But why? Where did this phrase come from? The term has come to describe anyone who argues for a less popular cause,Read more
Over the past few years, I have acquired a number of family treasures: handwritten correspondence between family members, including my grandmother. I’ve enjoyed reading her letters, which include commentary on her days and her desire to see us, her daughter, son-in-law, and grandchildren, very soon. Every now and then, I’ve come across something that raisesRead more
Updated April 9, 2020 It’s true that people step up during trying times. It has been heartening to see how many people have come forward, offering free resources to help parents faced with an unexpected (and undetermined) period of homeschooling. I’ve been sharing many of these on social media, but thought it might be usefulRead more
With graduation ceremonies approaching, many are asking why there are two ceremonies and “What is a baccalaureate anyway?” Merriam Webster says baccalaureate is “1. the degree of bachelor conferred by universities and colleges; 2a. a sermon to a graduating class, and 2b. the service at which this sermon is delivered.” While I know my collegeRead more
Salt (sodium chloride or NaCl) has been a constant throughout history. There are recorded uses of salt dating to 5060 BC. At one time, it was so valued it was even used as currency. In 2700 BC a pharmacological treatise in China describes more than 40 kind of salt and two salt extraction methods (whichRead more
November is Manatee Awareness Month. I first discovered the gentle manatee many summers ago at SeaWorld, while on a family vacation to Florida. I found these huge creatures captivating and stayed at the tank watching them much longer than my family would have liked. Known for their gentle, slow nature, they are sometimes playful, andRead more
Today is International Sloth Day! Of course there is a day to honor this adorable, under-appreciated creature. While its name is often used as a slur to describe lazy individuals, the poor sloth is slow because it has no choice in the matter. Whether two- or three-toed, the sloth is simply not built for speed.Read more
We have been doing more traveling recently and it is interesting to note the signs we pass. Besides the sometimes entertaining advertising billboards, the exit signs indicating nearby towns or streets also attract attention. Once you get out of the familiar bubble you call home, there are notable differences in town names, making one wonderRead more
Groundhog Day, celebrated on February 2, like many other holidays, started with a pagan festival, in this case celebrating the beginning of spring by the Celts. Like many other traditions, this came to America via Europe. Going back to the ancient Romans, each February, people would watch for hedgehogs (or badgers, depending on yourRead more