"D" Nature of Things
This Black & White spotted dog are associated with firehouses.
What is Dalmatian?
Dalmatians once served as sentinels during war before becoming a firehouse mascot.
Many children's stories and fairy tales begin with these four words.
What is "once upon a time"?
This beginning ensures the stories remain timeless.
This is Florida's nickname.
What is the Sunshine State?
Parts of the state are sunny 75 percent of the year.
This happens to the days during spring.
What is grow longer?
In the spring, the sun slowly begins to rise earlier and set later as we move into summer.
His teachers told him he was not smart enough to learn anything, yet he is credited with inventing the lightbulb.
Who is Thomas Edison?
He made 1,000 unsuccessful attempts before finally succeeding with the invention.
When people go to Hawaii, they sometimes swim with these sea creatures.
What are dolphins?
Dolphins are mammals, not fish. Did you know the killer whale is part of the dolphin family?
Fairy tales often end with this line.
What is "and they lived happily ever after"?
Parents don't want to send children off to sleep with a bad ending.
When you think of citrus production in Florida, you probably think of this fruit.
What is orange?
Oranges account for around 90 percent of Florida citrus production.
What are birds nest?
Different birds build different types of nest. Black birds build classic bowl shaped nest and a morning dove will quickly throw together a flimsy platform of twigs.
This early auto manufacturer went broke five times before succeeding.
Who is Henry Ford?
He invented mass production.
This large flying insect has not two but four wings and a body that can measure more than five inches.
What is a dragonfly?
It can fly up to 35 miles per hour.
If someone wants something that seems unattainable, we might say, "In you wildest [missing word]."
What is dreams?
When people dream, they sometimes work out a path to the unattainable or how to attack a challenge.
It is the capital of Florida.
What is Tallahassee?
Before the capital moved to Tallahassee, the legislature divided its time between St. Augustine and Pensacola.
Ponds begin to fill with tadpoles, which are these immature amphibians.
What are frogs?
They are born in water and move to land when they mature.
This star of The Sound of Music and Mary Poppins failed her first screen test with MGM studios.
Who is Julie Andrews?
They told her she wasn't photogenic enough for acting.
The state tree of Missouri is a spring-blooming tree with pink, red or white blooms.
What is dogwood?
You can easily recognize an out of season dogwood by its split bark, which resembles alligator hide.
Love and marriage go together like this.
What is a horse and carriage?
This is from the Frank Sinatra song "Love and Marriage".
Name one of the two states with larger populations than Florida.
What is California or Texas?
In 2014, Florida surpassed the population of New York.
Aside from spring rains, this is another cause of river flooding.
What is melting ice?
Flooding sometimes occurs when ice is melting at the same time as a spring downpour.
Norma Jean Baker, known by this screen name, was told in a modeling audition to either work as a secretary or get married.
Who is Marilyn Monroe?
She went beyond modeling into an acting career and starred in films such as Some Like It Hot.
This flower goes by several names, is prevalent in the spring, and is the subject of a William Wordsworth poem that starts, "I wandered lonely as a cloud..."
What is daffodil?
You might hear them called jonquils, buttercups, or narcissus, which is their botanical name.
These words are expressed as numbers and mean every hour of every day, continuously.
This is the proper name for sea cows, which populate the water in and around Florida.
What are manatees?
They are mammals that spend their entire life in the water.
These butterflies begin their migration north.
What are monarchs?
They overwinter in Mexico. In the spring, they begin their journey to the United States and Canada.
A newspaper editor fired this man, stating he "lacked imagination and had no good ideas." The man went on to be a huge success and created the "happiest place on Earth."
Who is Walt Disney?
In fact, Disney had his share of failures and was once quoted, "You may not realize it when it happens, but a kick in the teeth may be the best thing in the world for you."