Did You Know?
Did You Know This Popular Spice Isn’t Popular in the Insect Kingdom?
In Did You Know This Seasoning Repels Insects, Lightens Hair, and Freshens Breath?, I promised more information about an environmentally friendly pesticide in the Spring. Guess what? Here in Texas, Spring is here. (Rather, it will be next week when our temps jump back...
Did You Know Sniffer Dogs Were Almost Used to Hunt for Jack the Ripper?
With spring break just around the corner, and summer not far behind that, people are beginning to think about traveling. The Problem When I was 23, I traveled overseas alone for the first time. Thanks to the research and planning I did before leaving, my trip...
Did You Know Crows Rub Ants On Their Feathers and Skin?
Last week we talked about zebras. This week let’s stay in the animal kingdom and check out the intelligent, though often misunderstood, crow. The Bird Crows have long been found in symbolism and folklore. They have been both revered and feared thanks to their...
Did You Know Zebras are Black with White Stripes Not White with Black Stripes?
Of all the things you might expect to see in Texas, Zebras aren’t at the top of the list. In fact, they don’t even make the list. Yet, there’s a Zebra living on a local farm not far from me, and since yesterday was National Zebra Day, I decided to share some...
Did You Know It Takes About One Hour For A Snowflake To Make It To The Ground?
Two weeks ago, in DYK The U.S. Began as a Nation of Tea Drinkers, I mentioned that winter had finally arrived in Texas. And arrive it has with lots of snow! What Is Snow Snow! The thing every Southern teacher and student longs to see when winter arrives. But...
Did You Know He Was One of Notre Dame’s Greatest Football Players?
Since I’ve spent much of the new 2025 helping my baby sister and her husband pack and move—talk about déjà vu, I'm just thankful it's them and not me—I haven’t had much time for my normal DYK research. And with Notre Dame playing Ohio State in the National...
Did You Know The U.S. Began As A Nation of Tea Drinkers?
Here in Texas winter has finally arrived. Perfect timing, since January is National Hot Tea Month. Tea History British colonists brought the habit of tea drinking with them when they migrated to North America. However, in protest of all things English in the...
Did You Know You Don’t Have To Fear Annual Goals?
2024 is over, and we’ve entered a brand-new year. Did you set goals for 2025? I did, but I’m doing things a little differently this year. The Review Before setting 2025 writing goals, I first reviewed the ones I set last year. Like 2023, many of my 2024 writing...
Did You Know Northern Cardinals Were Named After Roman Catholic Cardinals?
Unless you’ve lived your life inside a cave or outside much of North America, you’ve probably seen a Northern Cardinal. The Basics The Northern Cardinal is a mid-sized, non-migratory songbird. The males are vivid red with a black mask, an orange beak, and a...
Did You Know Your Family’s Christmas “Traditions” May Just Be Customs?
Christmas is only days away. Are you ready? Customs vs Traditions There are many ways people celebrate Christmas. Some things they do consistently year after year, like decorating a Christmas tree and exchanging Christmas presents, reading the Bible’s account...