Carving pumpkins into jack-o-lanterns is an age-old tradition dating back to the Celts and their traditions of their holiday, Samhain, celebrating the end of summer, the year and honor loved ones that had passed away.  The pumpkin is native to North America so before the discoveries of Columbus, they carved gourds or turnips.  Coal would be […]

Hundreds of years ago when English physicians wanted to learn about the human body, it was difficult because there were numerous regulations to follow.  Doctors were typically allowed to dissect only one body over the course of their education – and once the dissection had been accomplished, the physicians were reluctant to relinquish their prized […]

If you had to guess the age of the world's oldest living tree, what would you say?  Five hundred years?  One thousand?  Try 9,550.  The spruce was discovered in Sweden in the Dalarna province, along with a cluster of about 20 other spruces all more than 8,000 years old.  The tree's age's was determined by […]

Boo!  Halloween is here once again – and, commercially speaking, the holiday seems to gain popularity as each year passes. Last year, the National Retail Federation released the following projections about the 2007 celebration based on its research: An estimated 36 million trick-or-treaters would be knocking on doors for ghostly treats. The average U.S. consumer […]

'Tis the season of weddings and celebrations.  Sure, you have been to three weddings already, but what about the two this fall? Gift giving has become easier with bridal registries available in almost any store.  According to www.theknot.com, 85% of brides want something from that very list.  However, being able to treat the couple to […]

More than a half century ago, New England college students enjoyed pies from the Frisbie Pie Company.  And it wasn't long before tossing those empty pie pans became a fun and popular game. At the same time, Fred Morrison invented the Pluto Platter for the Wham-O company.  Thrown like an empty Frisbie pie pan, students […]

Did you know more than half our nation's apple production comes from Washington state?  This fall no matter the level of educations, bring your teacher an apple and share these facts with them! According to the U.S. Census Bureau, over 25% of the nation's population (age 3 or above) goes to school – from nursery […]

October is National Reading Group Month.  Its goal is to celebrate the joy of sharing books and inspire individuals who do not belong to a reading group to join one or stare one of their own.  For more information, visit www.wnba-books.org.  Here are a few book facts to impress your friends with: According to the […]