June 2025
America
Who discovered America over the centuries though Columbus got credit in 1492.
Read about the different peoples and cultures who found this continent.
Read about the different peoples and cultures who found this continent.
Comments
Correct Phrases
16/06/25 08:54 Filed in: Culture
Is it another "think" coming or "thing"? It can be both are right at this time. Why?
"Perhaps you said “you’ve got another thing coming,” and your conversation partner explains that the original form of this idiom is “you’ve got another think coming.” They would be technically correct, but you could follow up with an explanation that the “think” version is now mostly used by British English speakers. Since your version has become so widely used, and so easily understood, “thing” has become common American usage."
"Perhaps you said “you’ve got another thing coming,” and your conversation partner explains that the original form of this idiom is “you’ve got another think coming.” They would be technically correct, but you could follow up with an explanation that the “think” version is now mostly used by British English speakers. Since your version has become so widely used, and so easily understood, “thing” has become common American usage."
Father's Day Today
15/06/25 09:49 Filed in: Family
Learn more about the history of Father's Day and what fathers were often given, Roses!, for a gift that day.
"Each June, stores roll out their Father’s Day best — sales on ties, watches, and barbecue grills. But when Father’s Day was first created, a much smaller token was given out to dads: roses. Flowers aren’t as heavily advertised for Father’s Day now as they are for mothers in May, yet the link between dads and the delicate blooms comes from the earliest American celebrations of the holiday.
The first known Father’s Day is tied to the West Virginia mining community of Fairmont. On July 5, 1908, the town held a church service honoring the lives of fathers in their community, many of whom had perished the December before in what is widely considered the worst mining disaster in U.S. history. However, the church event was held just one time, and another city propelled the holiday into national view.
In 1909, Sonora Smart Dodd launched her campaign to honor fathers from her home in Spokane, Washington. As the daughter of a Civil War veteran and widower who had raised six children, Dodd believed fathers deserved recognition for their roles. Within a year, she had drummed up community support, and on June 19, 1910, Washington became the first state to celebrate Father’s Day. Dodd’s first festivities included an exchange of roses; children gave red roses to their fathers and pinned color-coded buds to their shirts — red for living fathers and white roses in honor of the deceased. The activist even rode through the city, handing out flowers and gifts to fathers who couldn’t leave home. Over time, the tradition of giving roses to dads faded away, but the holiday stuck around. After years of rallying, Father’s Day became a federally recognized holiday in 1972."
"Each June, stores roll out their Father’s Day best — sales on ties, watches, and barbecue grills. But when Father’s Day was first created, a much smaller token was given out to dads: roses. Flowers aren’t as heavily advertised for Father’s Day now as they are for mothers in May, yet the link between dads and the delicate blooms comes from the earliest American celebrations of the holiday.
The first known Father’s Day is tied to the West Virginia mining community of Fairmont. On July 5, 1908, the town held a church service honoring the lives of fathers in their community, many of whom had perished the December before in what is widely considered the worst mining disaster in U.S. history. However, the church event was held just one time, and another city propelled the holiday into national view.
In 1909, Sonora Smart Dodd launched her campaign to honor fathers from her home in Spokane, Washington. As the daughter of a Civil War veteran and widower who had raised six children, Dodd believed fathers deserved recognition for their roles. Within a year, she had drummed up community support, and on June 19, 1910, Washington became the first state to celebrate Father’s Day. Dodd’s first festivities included an exchange of roses; children gave red roses to their fathers and pinned color-coded buds to their shirts — red for living fathers and white roses in honor of the deceased. The activist even rode through the city, handing out flowers and gifts to fathers who couldn’t leave home. Over time, the tradition of giving roses to dads faded away, but the holiday stuck around. After years of rallying, Father’s Day became a federally recognized holiday in 1972."
Earth Population Over Time
14/06/25 09:38 Filed in: History
Some odd facts to look at from different sites. How has the Earth's population grown over time?
Read here. More information on the population during earlier time periods for humans.
For today's population — It took many thousands of years for the human population to reach 1 billion. But once that figure was reached, the growth rate became mind-boggling — and a source of concern due to the potential overpopulation of our planet. By 1950, the global population reached an estimated 2.5 billion. Today, the number of humans stands at a staggering 8 billion — and is currently growing by more than 200,000 people each day. According to the United Nations, the global population is expected to increase by nearly 2 billion in the next 30 years, and could peak at around 10.4 billion in the mid-2080s.
There is a concern that in a number of countries, demographics is shifting with fewer babies being born and replacement population is dropping. Time will show how demography wins out in the end.
Read here. More information on the population during earlier time periods for humans.
For today's population — It took many thousands of years for the human population to reach 1 billion. But once that figure was reached, the growth rate became mind-boggling — and a source of concern due to the potential overpopulation of our planet. By 1950, the global population reached an estimated 2.5 billion. Today, the number of humans stands at a staggering 8 billion — and is currently growing by more than 200,000 people each day. According to the United Nations, the global population is expected to increase by nearly 2 billion in the next 30 years, and could peak at around 10.4 billion in the mid-2080s.
There is a concern that in a number of countries, demographics is shifting with fewer babies being born and replacement population is dropping. Time will show how demography wins out in the end.
Haying Season 2025
Our haying season is done for 2025 and looks like another good crop of hay. Super to see it finished in June before we leave and we can see the roadway again. Here is what the field was like the other day close to the house.
Girl Faerie Dance Rehearsal
12/06/25 15:21 Filed in: Family
Our darling princess granddaughters have been having dance lessons. Now they are into rehearsals leading tonight of the recital. They look like faerie princesses in their special clothes.
Strawberry Moon 2025
11/06/25 18:20 Filed in: Berlin
Last night was June's full moon, the Strawberry Moon. Unfortunately we could not see it because it was slightly overcast and the moon this time of year rises further to the south behind our tall trees that run along the south of the house. The moon is blocked by the trees.
To know more about what the Strawberry moon means, follow along…
"Despite its sweet-sounding name, the Strawberry Moon doesn’t actually turn red or pink. The reddish tint we sometimes see on the Moon happens only when it’s close to the horizon, where Earth’s atmosphere scatters the light like a giant pair of sunglasses. Instead, this full Moon earns its name from the season itself.
For many Native American tribes, including the Algonquian peoples of the Northeast, as well as the Ojibwe, Dakota and Lakota, the Strawberry Moon marks the time when wild “June-bearing” strawberries ripen — ready to be gathered and savored. It’s a name that celebrates nature’s generosity and the abundance of early summer’s bounty.
This naming tradition stretches far and wide. The Haida people of the Pacific Northwest call this period the Berries Ripen Moon, honoring the same seasonal harvest.
More Than Just Strawberries The Strawberry Moon is just one of many evocative names given to full Moons throughout the year — each tied to the seasonal changes and activities of the communities that watch the skies.
Across cultures, June’s Moon has worn many hats. The Anishinaabe call it the Blooming Moon, a nod to the flourishing flowers of the season. The Cherokee speak of the Green Corn Moon, signaling the time to tend young crops, while the Western Abenaki know it as the Hoer Moon."
To know more about what the Strawberry moon means, follow along…
"Despite its sweet-sounding name, the Strawberry Moon doesn’t actually turn red or pink. The reddish tint we sometimes see on the Moon happens only when it’s close to the horizon, where Earth’s atmosphere scatters the light like a giant pair of sunglasses. Instead, this full Moon earns its name from the season itself.
For many Native American tribes, including the Algonquian peoples of the Northeast, as well as the Ojibwe, Dakota and Lakota, the Strawberry Moon marks the time when wild “June-bearing” strawberries ripen — ready to be gathered and savored. It’s a name that celebrates nature’s generosity and the abundance of early summer’s bounty.
This naming tradition stretches far and wide. The Haida people of the Pacific Northwest call this period the Berries Ripen Moon, honoring the same seasonal harvest.
More Than Just Strawberries The Strawberry Moon is just one of many evocative names given to full Moons throughout the year — each tied to the seasonal changes and activities of the communities that watch the skies.
Across cultures, June’s Moon has worn many hats. The Anishinaabe call it the Blooming Moon, a nod to the flourishing flowers of the season. The Cherokee speak of the Green Corn Moon, signaling the time to tend young crops, while the Western Abenaki know it as the Hoer Moon."
Resting Cat Stuffie
10/06/25 08:12 Filed in: Cats
Early Photography Facts
09/06/25 07:51 Filed in: History | Photography
How was photography developed? Who was involved and what facts surround the first photograph? Read the article and see…
"In the 1820s, French inventor Nicéphore Niépce was experimenting with using light to create and copy lithographs, and found success with bitumen of Judea, a kind of photosensitive asphalt. After spreading a mixture of the asphalt and lavender oil on a pewter plate and exposing it to sunlight, he found that the parts exposed to light would harden, and the parts that were in shadow would wash away easily.
Niépiece decided to expose one of his plates to a camera obscura — a device that projects real-time (but impermanent) images onto a surface. Using this method, he captured the scene outside his second-story window in 1826. Titled “View From the Window at Le Gras,” it’s now considered the first known photograph.
But because this photographic method, which he called heliography, relied on asphalt hardening, it took a really long time to capture. The exact exposure time of the first known photograph is lost to history, but experts estimate eight hours on the low end. If you ask the University of Texas Harry Ransom Center, the current stewards of the heliograph, it likely took several days.
The first practical photograph, the daguerreotype, which was exposed onto plates of silver, came along more than a decade later in the late 1830s. It was popular in portraiture and a significant improvement on the heliograph, although it still required its subjects to sit for the better part of a minute, so people had to hold very still.
"In the 1820s, French inventor Nicéphore Niépce was experimenting with using light to create and copy lithographs, and found success with bitumen of Judea, a kind of photosensitive asphalt. After spreading a mixture of the asphalt and lavender oil on a pewter plate and exposing it to sunlight, he found that the parts exposed to light would harden, and the parts that were in shadow would wash away easily.
Niépiece decided to expose one of his plates to a camera obscura — a device that projects real-time (but impermanent) images onto a surface. Using this method, he captured the scene outside his second-story window in 1826. Titled “View From the Window at Le Gras,” it’s now considered the first known photograph.
But because this photographic method, which he called heliography, relied on asphalt hardening, it took a really long time to capture. The exact exposure time of the first known photograph is lost to history, but experts estimate eight hours on the low end. If you ask the University of Texas Harry Ransom Center, the current stewards of the heliograph, it likely took several days.
The first practical photograph, the daguerreotype, which was exposed onto plates of silver, came along more than a decade later in the late 1830s. It was popular in portraiture and a significant improvement on the heliograph, although it still required its subjects to sit for the better part of a minute, so people had to hold very still.
Strawberry Pickers and Parterre Garden
08/06/25 07:06 Filed in: Berlin
We are finally getting a taste of summer sun and heat. Bob has the yard and garden looking much nicer after a long spring and winter where it is less inviting to view. Our strawberries look great this year and taste yummy. We can even share with neighbors.
Enjoy the view of the parterre with strawberry pickers, Bob and his sidekick, Vada.
Enjoy the view of the parterre with strawberry pickers, Bob and his sidekick, Vada.
Silence Do-Good or Ben Franklin
07/06/25 08:31 Filed in: History
Oh, how little do we know about the famous and historical figures. Read this about Ben Franklin.
"Among all the Founding Fathers, Benjamin Franklin had the most interesting extracurricular activities. Before he studied electricity or invented bifocals, America’s first postmaster general had a habit of writing essays for his brother’s Boston newspaper under the pseudonym “Silence Dogood.” The 16-year-old posed as a widow because the writing he submitted under his own name was rejected by the New-England Courant, which his older brother James published. Silence had much to say about a variety of subjects, with her commentary touching on such subjects as religion and politics, and she was an instant hit with the weekly paper’s readers — she even received marriage proposals.
Fourteen of these essays were published beginning in 1722, but all good things must come to an end. After slipping Silence’s correspondence under the Courant’s door for several months, Franklin eventually revealed his true identity. His brother was none too pleased with this deception, having warned the younger Franklin against growing too vain in the wake of the essays’ warm reception, and the fallout played a part in Franklin’s departure for Philadelphia — the city where he lived for the rest of his life."
"Among all the Founding Fathers, Benjamin Franklin had the most interesting extracurricular activities. Before he studied electricity or invented bifocals, America’s first postmaster general had a habit of writing essays for his brother’s Boston newspaper under the pseudonym “Silence Dogood.” The 16-year-old posed as a widow because the writing he submitted under his own name was rejected by the New-England Courant, which his older brother James published. Silence had much to say about a variety of subjects, with her commentary touching on such subjects as religion and politics, and she was an instant hit with the weekly paper’s readers — she even received marriage proposals.
Fourteen of these essays were published beginning in 1722, but all good things must come to an end. After slipping Silence’s correspondence under the Courant’s door for several months, Franklin eventually revealed his true identity. His brother was none too pleased with this deception, having warned the younger Franklin against growing too vain in the wake of the essays’ warm reception, and the fallout played a part in Franklin’s departure for Philadelphia — the city where he lived for the rest of his life."
D-Day in World War II 81st Anniversary
06/06/25 16:28 Filed in: History
D-Day Landing on the beaches of Normandy is said to have been planned for actually the day before on the 5th of June, 1944. Why did it change? Read about this fact here.
"Allied leaders originally set a date of June 5, 1944, for D-Day. But something very British managed to delay the invasion: the weather. Foul weather over the English Channel meant that it was too rough for ships to sail, so the invasion was postponed until the day after. It was a nervous, pensive wait for everyone involved, not least for the soldiers waiting to cross the Channel. Then came news from the meteorologists, who forecast a brief window of calmer weather for June 6. There were a limited number of dates with the right tidal conditions for an invasion, so if the operation didn’t go forward during the break in the weather on June 6, it would have had to wait until June 19-21 (when, as it turned out, there was a storm that would have made invasion impossible). The green light was finally given, and D-Day took place on June 6."
"Allied leaders originally set a date of June 5, 1944, for D-Day. But something very British managed to delay the invasion: the weather. Foul weather over the English Channel meant that it was too rough for ships to sail, so the invasion was postponed until the day after. It was a nervous, pensive wait for everyone involved, not least for the soldiers waiting to cross the Channel. Then came news from the meteorologists, who forecast a brief window of calmer weather for June 6. There were a limited number of dates with the right tidal conditions for an invasion, so if the operation didn’t go forward during the break in the weather on June 6, it would have had to wait until June 19-21 (when, as it turned out, there was a storm that would have made invasion impossible). The green light was finally given, and D-Day took place on June 6."
Strawberry Jam Time 2025
04/06/25 08:03 Filed in: Family | Berlin Community
We spent the day yesterday morning doing our annual strawberry jam from local strawberries. Bob has done a good job this year cultivating and improving our own crop of strawberries in the beds next to the house. This year the berries came from Grandpa's out by Highway 20 halfway to Albany. A different strawberry variety, much more dense berry. Possibly less sweet yet still good. We got 9 pint jars, 7-12 oz. jars, and 3-8 oz jars for 19 jars this year.
Text Placeholder
02/06/25 08:40 Filed in: Culture
We see this text in several spots on the internet. It is typically a placeholder for website or internet text. So what does it mean? It's all Greek to me…
The use of classical-language placeholder text in web design is called “greeking,” from the expression, “It’s all Greek to me.” In other words, it’s incomprehensible. Here’s the text of a standard Lorem ipsum passage (when longer text is needed, it just repeats):
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum.
The use of classical-language placeholder text in web design is called “greeking,” from the expression, “It’s all Greek to me.” In other words, it’s incomprehensible. Here’s the text of a standard Lorem ipsum passage (when longer text is needed, it just repeats):
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum.
Adams and Jefferson
01/06/25 09:56 Filed in: History
There has been a lot written and discussed about John Adams and Thomas Jefferson's friendship versus political rivalry. Both died on the same day though at different hours. One thing that was not mentioned that I have read is that both men took a piece of Shakespeare's chair as a souvenir. Read the story…
"In April 1786, Thomas Jefferson and John Adams, who were close friends despite their political differences, took a horse and carriage on a weeklong tour of England. Both were great admirers of William Shakespeare, and one of their first stops was the Bard’s hometown of Stratford-upon-Avon. According to Abigail Adams, Jefferson was so moved that he kissed the ground of the house where Shakespeare was born — although he also complained about the entrance fees, and Adams called the house “small and mean.”
Among the many relics at the house was Shakespeare’s own chair, where the poet and playwright supposedly sat and wrote his great works. When the founding fathers left, they sliced off a piece of the chair to take home as a souvenir. (A chip of Shakespeare’s chair — which may or may not be the one that Jefferson and Adams shaved — is currently on display at Monticello.)
In their defense, this was a fairly normal thing to do at the time. As Adams wrote in his diary, “We cutt [sic] off a Chip according to the Custom.” Before the ubiquity of gift shops and commemorative snow globes, tourists would scavenge for whatever souvenirs they could find, often pilfering little bits of significant objects or buildings. In fact, Jefferson’s own gravestone had to be removed and replaced because too many visitors wanted to take a piece home."
"In April 1786, Thomas Jefferson and John Adams, who were close friends despite their political differences, took a horse and carriage on a weeklong tour of England. Both were great admirers of William Shakespeare, and one of their first stops was the Bard’s hometown of Stratford-upon-Avon. According to Abigail Adams, Jefferson was so moved that he kissed the ground of the house where Shakespeare was born — although he also complained about the entrance fees, and Adams called the house “small and mean.”
Among the many relics at the house was Shakespeare’s own chair, where the poet and playwright supposedly sat and wrote his great works. When the founding fathers left, they sliced off a piece of the chair to take home as a souvenir. (A chip of Shakespeare’s chair — which may or may not be the one that Jefferson and Adams shaved — is currently on display at Monticello.)
In their defense, this was a fairly normal thing to do at the time. As Adams wrote in his diary, “We cutt [sic] off a Chip according to the Custom.” Before the ubiquity of gift shops and commemorative snow globes, tourists would scavenge for whatever souvenirs they could find, often pilfering little bits of significant objects or buildings. In fact, Jefferson’s own gravestone had to be removed and replaced because too many visitors wanted to take a piece home."
