Calm Before the Storm
During a hurricane, an eerie calm occurs when you are in this part of the storm.
Answer: What is eye? You might even see sunlight during the eye.
August 3 is a great day to eat this green-on-the-outside, red-on-the-inside melon, often served as dessert at backyard barbecues.
Answer: What is watermelon? It’s National Watermelon Day.
This phrase is used to describe a person who is realistic and practical.
Answer: What is down-to-earth? Down-to-earth is often used to describe a person of wealth who appears unaffected by it.
This powdered gelatin product was a mainstay of 1960s aspics, like the iconic Perfection Salad.
Answer: What is Jell-O? The 1964 edition of The Joy of Cooking devoted an entire chapter to Jell-O salads, but the popularity of gelatin aspics declined by the mid-1970s.
This Hasbro doll was introduced in 1973 and was advertised as “the doll that eats, drinks, and wets.”
Answer: What is Baby Alive? The doll swept the nation with its realism and would even get a voice in later versions (much to the annoyance of parents everywhere).
This shaking occurs before a tsunami.
Answer: What is earthquake? If the earthquake is far out to sea, you might not feel it on land. Tsunami waves can travel at 500 miles per hour.
The kids either love or hate August as they head back to this place.
Answer: What is school? August is recognized as Back to School Month.
This word is a temporary end to hostilities in war.
Answer: What is cease-fire? The term can also be a military order to the soldiers to hold their fire.
This ooey-gooey, dippable cheese became a popular favorite after it was featured in the Switzerland exhibit of the 1964 New York World’s Fair.
Answer: What is fondue? The Swiss traditionally eat this treat with crusty bread and a side of wine or tea.
Kids in the 1970s didn’t have to worry about feeding or walking this pet, invented by Gary Dahl.
Answer: What is a pet rock? The fad of pet rocks was fading by the late ’70s, though you can sometimes still find pet rocks for sale today.
If, during a storm, you hear from your safe space what sounds like the roar of an approaching train, assume one of these has touched down.
Answer: What is tornado? The sound has also been described as the roar of a grizzly bear.
Bozo is celebrated during this international week.
Answer: What is International Clown Week? It is observed August 1–7.
When someone has had way too much to drink, we say they are “four sheets to” this.
Answer: What is the wind? The phrase is believed to come from nautical terminology in which the sheets being referred to are ropes that control the sail. If four of them are loose, or to the wind, the boat will be unsteady, like someone who is intoxicated.
During the 1960s, Swedish meatballs became a wildly popular appetizer, and the most popular gravy choice was this canned soup.
Answer: What is cream of mushroom? During the 1960s, Scandinavian design and food were very popular in America.
This Atari video game released in 1972 was based on the sport of tennis.
Answer: What is Pong? In just two years, Atari had sold over 8,000 Pong games.
This is the common or slang name for a tornado.
Answer: What is twister? Tornadoes have been described as “pillars of twisting air” that can travel at around 200 miles per hour.
August 22 is a great day to take this purring pet to the vet.
Answer: What is cat? It’s National Take Your Cat to the Vet Day.
Moving this is doing everything possible to make something happen.
Answer: What is heaven and earth? When you make an extraordinary effort to make something happen, you are said to be moving heaven and earth.
This Hormel canned meat product gained popularity during the 1960s as a breakfast side dish and in sandwiches.
Answer: What is Spam? The meat product became a staple for troops serving in World War II, and its popularity spread across the globe.
Kids in the ’70s loved to play with this flexible latex doll from the Kenner Company.
Answer: What is Stretch Armstrong? The toy has made several comebacks throughout the years, including as recently as 2017.
These large ice pellets can rattle you and your pets.
Answer: What is hail? In early summer, warm temperatures cause instability, while the upper atmosphere is cold enough to produce hail. Hail can fall at close to 100 miles per hour.
On August 22, we celebrate these difficult-to-say, alliterative sayings, such as “She sells seashells by the seashore.”
Answer: What is tongue twister? It’s International Tongue Twister Day
You’ll have more energy if you get a second one of these.
Answer: What is wind? It’s a renewed energy, often associated with an endurance task. For example, marathon runners can get a second wind, or college students pulling all-nighters before exams can get a second wind.
Sales of this donut-shaped cake pan soared in the late 1960s and early ’70s, after the “Tunnel of Fudge” cake recipe won second place in the 1966 Pillsbury Bake-Off.
Answer: What is the Bundt pan? The pan was invented in the 1950s, but sales were dismal until Ella Helfrich devised her Tunnel of Fudge recipe using a Bundt pan.
Famously, these toys of the ’70s “wobble, but don’t fall down.”
Answer: What is a Weeble? Inspired by the kids’ show Romper Room, Weebles were brightly colored characters that appealed to children and parents alike for their durability