A Feast of Fascinating Facts

"What did you learn in school today?" Remember asking that question around the family supper table? And remember your kids answering, “Nothing.” Can you really get through the day without learning something new? 

Supper Table: Share Your Day!

Perhaps rewiring my brain last month with my Gratitude Journal has made me more receptive to fascinating facts I did not know or had forgotten. Allow me to share some with you.

Did you?

Did you know that Otters hold hands when they sleep? I learned that from my crossword puzzle. According to further research, they hang on to each other in sleep so they won’t drift out to sea.

Otters Holding Hands

Did you know there is a company on Prince Edward Island called Fellow Earthlings that makes hand-made designer sunglasses which are featured on fashion runways in New York City and sported by the likes of Katy Perry, Kat Von D, Justin Trudeau and Lady GaGa? I learned that from my new favourite TV show, Land and Sea. 

Kat Von D
in her Fellow Earthling Sunglassses

Justin in his PEI Shades

Did you know that The Great Miramichi Fire of 1825, mentioned in the novel Barkskins by Annie Proulx …

• ranks as one of the three largest forest fires recorded in North America
• destroyed 1/3 of the houses in Fredericton which is 108 miles from Miramichi
• took the lives of about 160 people in and around Newcastle (now part of the city of Miramichi)
• forced many humans and animals to take refuge in the river to escape the blaze
• consumed almost 16,000 square kilometres (about 1/5) of NB forests
• is thought to be started by humans and exacerbated by unusually hot, dry weather in the summer and fall of 1825  

The Great Miramichi Fire

Did you know that Handel’s Messiah, a 240-page oratorio, was composed in just 24 days in 1741? And did you know that King George 11 stood for the Hallelujah chorus at the 1743 London premiere, beginning the tradition of standing that continues to this day? I learned this from a CBC radio interview. 

Hallelujah!!

Did you know the term “woke person” refers to someone who is aware of issues concerning social and racial justice? I learned this from my daughters who were discussing an 8-year-old child who boycotted Nestle candy on Halloween because of  that company’s exploitation in Africa. A woke child.

Woke Children

Did you know The Beaver Moon is the full moon in November, so named because November is a good time to trap beavers? November's full moon is also known as The Frost Moon. In fact, there is a special name for the full moon in every month, such as March’s Worm Moon, August’s Sturgeon Moon and December’s Long Night’s Moon. I learned this from my friend Jill and Hey Google.

Beaver Moon

Did you know that the Swedish practice of Death-Cleaning or “döstädning” is gaining popularity throughout the world? I first learned about this concept while catching up on my Observers. The idea is to declutter, put things in order, make your home neat and tidy as your “time to leave the planet” approaches. In her book The Gentle Art of Swedish Death Cleaning, author Marareta Magnusson suggests that it is rewarding to spend time with meaningful objects one last time, then dispose of them. Although death is a subject we tend to avoid, your loved ones will thank you for practicing “döstädning”.

"One day Son, all this will be yours."

Did you know that the French word for river, fleuve, refers to a river that flows into the ocean while a “rivière” does not flow into the ocean? So, our mighty St. John River/Wolastoq is a fleuve, and the Nashwaak is a “rivière”. I learned that on the wharf in Gagetown at a St. John River Society meeting.

Fleuve St. Jean/Wolastoq

Did you know that surnames did not really exist until after the Norman Conquest in 1066? I came across that nugget while reading the book, The Juggler’s Children by Carolyn Abramson. Surnames developed based on a person’s occupation, or where they lived, or their father’s first name, or even their appearance or disposition. For example, my surname, Fullerton, derived from Fowler---a person who cares for fowl, and “tun”, meaning settlement. My room-mate’s surname, Mathieson, derives from “son of Matthew." 

"Light in Darkness"
Fowl Tender

"Do and Hope"

Son of Matthew

Did you know that a professor of surgery in England is concerned that medical students are losing hand dexterity due to increased screen time and decreased craft skills such as cutting and sewing? I learned that on my news screen. Obviously, knitting should be a required course in med school, imho.

Cutting and Sewing in the OR

So, what did YOU learn today???

...Until Next Time...