Double Talk
The Big Apple, followed by the state in which you can find it
What is New York, New York? The city’s original name was New Amsterdam.
On road trips or sitting on the bus to summer camp, kids would sing a song about beer that started with this number.
What is 99? The title is “99 Bottles of Beer” and it begins:
“Ninety-nine bottles of beer on the wall, 99 bottles of beer. Take one down, pass it around, 98 bottles of beer on the wall...”
On July 1, 1961, Princess Diana was born and later became the Princess of Wales when she married the heir to the British throne. This was her title and name before she married then-Prince Charles.
What is Lady Diana Spencer? She was known as “The People’s Princess” and tragically passed away in an automobile accident on August 30, 1997.
Drying white clothes outdoors on a sunny day has this additional effect.
What is whitening or bleaching? The early morning sun has a bleaching effect. Dry colors in the shade to avoid fading.
When you whip cream too long, you get this.
What is butter? After margarine was introduced, a law was passed in the Vermont, South Dakota, and New Hampshire legislatures that required margarine to be dyed pink to differentiate it from butter. The battle went all the way to the Supreme Court, which struck down the “pink laws.”
Part of a ballerina’s costume
What is tutu? The word comes from the French cucu, which means “bottom.” They first appeared in 1832 at a ballet in Paris.
“I’m a man of means by no means” is a line from this popular 1965 song by Roger Miller.
What is “King of the Road”? The song tells of a man who’s left the traditional way of life behind for the freedom of the open road.
On July 30, 1965, President Lyndon Johnson signed into law this act that provides health insurance to Americans aged 65 and older.
What is Medicare? The act amended the Social Security Act, which became law in 1935.
To avoid static cling in the winter, take the clothes out of the dryer before they reach this state.
What is bone dry (or similar)? Hang up clothes when they are slightly damp. You can “iron” them with your hands to remove any wrinkles.
This is the name of a bright yellow, smooth, waterproof coat that people wear in the rain.
What is slicker? The original coats in the 1800s were made of sailcloth and covered in linseed oil to make them waterproof.
Baby’s first word (typically)
What is mama (or dada)? Infants typically spend most of their time with their mothers and fathers, and both names are easy words to learn. Many cultures use short, repeating words for mother and father.
When hiking in a national park, you might run into this bear who warns, “Only you can prevent wildfires.”
Who is Smokey? The Smokey Bear campaign was inaugurated in 1944, making Smokey and his message 80 years old.
The hottest days of summer in the northern hemisphere occur between July 3 and August 11 and are colloquially known as this.
What are the dog days of summer? In addition to heat, these days bring high humidity.
If you don’t want to dry a small garment in the dryer, you can use this salad prep item to remove much of the water.
What is salad spinner? This cuts your drying time in half
When you see a yellow sign, you generally think of this.
What is caution? Yellow is the universal color of caution, just as red is the universal color for “stop.”
Jokes young kids tell
What is knock-knock? These jokes are timeless, and some are really cute.
The best view of this natural light display in Earth’s polar regions would be far from the lights of civilization.
What are the aurora borealis (or the northern lights)? The lights are caused by the interaction between charged particles (electrons and protons) and Earth’s magnetic field.
This is the easiest way to retain hydration in a garden’s soil during the brutal heat of July.
What is mulching? Adding a top layer of mulch also controls weeds.
If you want to spend less time ironing, do this before placing clothes into the dryer
What is shake them out? Start by unraveling clothing before placing them in the washer and remove your laundry as soon as the washer stops. Drying on the lowest setting also helps remove wrinkles.
This is the yellow “split” on which ice cream sits.
What is banana? Don’t forget the rest of the toppings—nuts, hot fudge, whipped cream, pineapple, strawberries, and a cherry.
A high-energy, physically demanding dance that became a popular music-hall dance in the 1840s, continuing in popularity in French cabaret to this day.
What is the can-can? Originally danced by couples, it is now traditionally associated with a chorus line of female dancers.
This overnight train chugs through a vast swath of Middle America on its north-south route and is memorialized by Arlo Guthrie’s 1972 hit tune of the same name.
What is the City of New Orleans? Amtrak still runs the route with the same name. The 900-mile (1,448-kilometer) trip takes 19 hours and has 23 stops along the full route.
July’s full moon is known as this.
What is the (full) buck moon? The moon gets this name from the male deer (buck), which in July is in its final month of antler growth. The antlers regrow each year, often slightly bigger than the year prior.
Turning brightly colored clothes inside-out and washing them in cool water will help to keep them from doing this.
What is fading or bleeding? This technique prolongs the lifespan of your garments.
These wasps often build their nests underground.
What are yellow jackets? They get their name from their yellow and black stripes and are also known as meat bees.