Did you know the World’s Largest Slinky used to be displayed in Richmond, Virginia? Alas, it has moved to Pennsylvania. While I was initially quite disappointed to be missing the giant slinky, I ended up discovering something even more amazing on my afternoon tour of Richmond. There are a plethora of interesting outdoor activities and…
If you’ve never heard of Snowflake Bentley, then I’ve got a treat for you! Wilson Bentley was an amazingly passionate man who dedicated his life to photographing microscopic snowflakes. Keep reading to find out more… Which came first, the snow or the passion? Wilson Alwyn Bentley was born on February 9, 1865, in Jericho, Vermont. …
I first heard about Grandma Gatewood several months ago on Sharon King’s blog, Midlife Moments. Emma Gatewood, better known as Grandma Gatewood, was the first woman to thru-hike the entire length of the Appalachian Trail (AT), alone, in one continuous journey. In 1955, at the age of 67, she hiked 2,050 miles wearing canvas shoes and…
It has been 10 months since I started writing here at Behind Every Day and I have published 65 posts since then. As I near the end of the calendar year, my mind turns to year-in-review mode and I thought it might be fun to look back and see which 5 of the 65 were…
What was it like for the Pilgrims who came across the ocean on the Mayflower? It’s impossible to know for sure since no one who was there is still around to answer our questions and tell us about it. But wondering what it must have been like is something I often do. What was it…
How long do dinosaurs live? Do carnivores live longer than herbivores? If being a herbivore (vegetarian) makes you live longer, then why didn’t the carnivores switch or become omnivores? Do omnivores live longer than either of the others? This all started with a simple off-hand question from one of my students last spring –…
I have always loved the smiley face. Its cheery, happy, yellow smile brings happiness wherever it goes. If my life could have a logo, I think it might be the smiley face. (My theme song is Don’t Worry, Be Happy and my motto is “Oh well!”) There – I’ve claimed it! I was driving through…
Did you know that out in the Nevada desert in 1955, at the Test Site, a town was built? It was called Survival Town, or Doom Town. As part of the 14 nuclear tests done in 1955, the town was built to study the effects of a nuclear explosion in a populated area. Various houses…
A history lesson in a commercial? Yes, it’s true! One of the latest GEICO commercials features Alexander Graham Bell answering the phone, “Ahoy hoy!” He goes on to tell the caller that it’s a wrong number, “No, no. My number is one. You must want two.” Haven’t seen the commercial yet? Watch it now. A…
Why do we wear poppies on Memorial Day? For that matter, what is Memorial Day even about? I teach 5-year-olds so for them, these questions are nebulous at best. I love this story about Moina Belle Michael and the origin of the Memorial Poppy but unfortunately it’s too mature for my young students (better suited…
Carrots are full of Vitamin A and beta carotene which are good for your eye health. This is a fact. The superpowers of carrots though have become exaggerated over time. They help maintain healthy eyes but cannot resolve vision problems. If you are near-sighted, no amount of carrots will change that. Why then do we…
Hello and welcome! Just a quick note to share my vision for this blog. As mentioned on my welcome page, I’ve always been fascinated by those little behind-the-scenes glimpses and tidbits of trivia about the world – how things work, where common phrases come from, what it’s like to work in a certain profession, the…