Rhymes
Hummingbirds
Herbs & Spices
Newspapers
Labor Day
100
When it’s raining and pouring what’s the Old Man doing?
Snoring!
The old nursery rhyme is believed to be a cautionary tale to remind us that when it's raining and pouring, don't drink so much that you bump your head or you could end up dead from brain trauma!
100
True or False: Hummingbirds lay the smallest eggs of any bird.
True!
Their eggs measure less than 1/2 inch long but may represent as much as 10 percent of the mother’s weight at the time the eggs are laid. A hummingbird egg is smaller than a jelly bean!
100
This herb is found in a lot of Italian dishes as it complements oregano quite well. In addition, it is used in making pesto. Can you name it?
Basil
Most kitchens have the sweet basil variety that is great in Italian cooking. This herb also is a great one to include in your herb garden as the green vibrant leaves provide the flavor that accompanies oregano and thyme, two other great herbs for Italian dishes.
100
Who was a newspaper editor and printer for the Pennsylvania Gazette?
Benjamin Franklin
At the age of 23, Franklin became a newspaper editor and printer, publishing the Pennsylvania Gazette and later creating and publishing Poor Richard’s Almanack under the pseudonym “Richard Saunders.” He was part of the committee that drafted the Declaration of Independence and was a delegate at the U.S. Constitution. Franklin also served as the first ambassador to France and helped negotiate the Treaty of Paris (1783) with England. He was a founder of the University of Pennsylvania and late in life petitioned Congress on behalf of the Pennsylvania Abolition Society to end slavery.
100
Why color are you not supposed to wear after Labor Day?
White
It's theorized that those on vacation during the hot summer months left their "city clothes" behind in favor of "light, whiter, summer outfits." Once autumn arrived, those leisure clothes were put away and "more formal city clothes" were once again worn.
200
What did Peter Piper pick?
A peck of pickled peppers!
A peck is an old English weight measurement. The lyrics would suggest that Peter Piper was a rather lazy worker who boasted that he had picked more pepper than he actually had.
200
What does a hummingbird's main diet consist of?
Nectar and bugs!
A hummingbird must consume approximately one-half of its weight in sugary nectar daily, and the average hummingbird feeds five to eight times per hour. In addition to nectar, these birds also eat many small insects and spiders, and may also sip tree sap or juice from broken fruits.
200
What is the name of this item, which also goes by the name Chinese parsley and coriander, that is both a spice and an herb?
Cilantro
Coriander, also called Chinese parsley or cilantro, is an edible spice and herb whose fresh leaves and dried seeds are the most commonly used parts. It is an annual plant that grows up to 20 inches tall and is indigenous to southern Europe, northern Africa and southwestern Asia.
200
Where was the first American Newspaper published?
Hint: It's a city in Massachusetts.
Boston
In Boston in 1690, Benjamin Harris published Publick Occurrences Both Forreign and Domestick. This is considered the first newspaper in the American colonies even though only one edition was published before the paper was suppressed by the colonial officials, possibly due to censorship and control issues. It followed the two-column format and was a single sheet, printed on both sides.
200
When is Labor Day celebrated?
The First Monday in September
While the very first Labor Day in 1882 took place on a Tuesday, it eventually shifted to Monday after the holiday was adopted by the states. Labor Day is also observed on a Monday so that employees can enjoy a three-day weekend. Other federal holidays that fall on the first day of the week include Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Presidents Day, Juneteenth, Indigenous Peoples' Day and Memorial Day.
300
How much wool did Baa Baa Black Sheep have?
Three bags full!
While it primarily revolves around the titular black sheep being questioned about how much wool it has, there have been different interpretations of "Baa Baa Black Sheep" over the years. One such interpretation is that the rhyme revolves around the Crusades and the wool tax that King Edward I had implemented.
300
The average weight of a hummingbird is less than what coin?
A Nickle!
The average ruby-throated hummingbird weighs just 3 grams. In comparison, a nickel weighs 4.5 grams. It would take more than 150 ruby-throated hummingbirds to weigh one pound.
300
This herb is known to soothe burns, induce sleep, reduce anxiety and stress as well as treat aching muscles and joints.
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Lavender
The name lavender originates from the Latin verb "lavare," which means "to wash." Its word origin holds true in the ways that we use lavender today. Because of its clean scent, this herb is an extremely popular ingredient in products we use to bathe, including shampoo, facial cleansers, and hand soap. It's also used in cleaning products for our homes. In addition, it's one of the most popular essential oils.
300
True or False: The New York Times is the top U.S. newspaper by circulation.
False, it's the Wall Street Journal!
The Wall Street Journal is America’s largest newspaper by paid circulation with more than 2.2 million subscribers. Building on its heritage as the leading source of business and financial news, the Journal has expanded its core content offering in recent years to include coverage of the arts, culture, lifestyle, real estate, sports and personal health.
300
Which US President made Labor Day a federal holiday?
a. Rutherford B. Hayes
b. Theodore Roosevelt
c. William McKinley
d. Grover Cleveland
d. Grover Cleveland
On June 28, 1894, President Grover Cleveland made Labor Day official by signing it into law, designating the first Monday in September to always be Labor Day. The day honors the American labor force and the upholding of laws that make work conditions healthier and safer.
400
What poor thing did I lose when somebody sneezed?
My poor meatball!
The original nursery rhyme was actually "On Top of Old Smokey"!
As the tune suggests, Old Smokey is a high mountain, likely in southern Appalachia. Historical possibilities include Clingmans Dome, which was named “Smoky Dome” by local Scots-Irish inhabitants. But exactly which mountain the song points to, if there’s one specific one, has been lost to history.
400
What is a hummingbird's maximum forward flight speed?
a. 1 mph
b. 30 mph
c. 100 mph
d. 300 mph
b. 30 mph!
Hummingbirds can reach up to 60 miles per hour in a dive, and they have many adaptations for unique flight. The advent of high-speed motion photography has allowed scientists to accurately measure and study wing movements that are way too fast for the human eye to see. Hummingbirds flap their wings from about 10 to more than 80 times per second while hovering. They flap their wings even faster during the courtship display dives used by the males of some species.
400
What is the national spice of Hungary?
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Hint: It is often sprinkled on deviled eggs.
Paprika
Paprika is made from dried capsicum peppers. It can be mild or sweet. It's also used to color or decorate foods such as deviled eggs due to its distinctive orange red color.
400
Who invented the printing press in 1440?
a. Johann Carolus
b. Johannes Gutenberg
c. William Bolts
d. Warren Hastings
b. Johannes Gutenberg
Gutenberg was a German craftsman and inventor who originated a method of printing from movable type. Elements of his invention are thought to have included a metal alloy that could melt readily and cool quickly to form durable reusable type, an oil-based ink that could be made sufficiently thick to adhere well to metal type and transfer well to vellum or paper, and a new press, likely adapted from those used in producing wine, oil, or paper, for applying firm even pressure to printing surfaces. None of these features existed in the European technique used up to that time for stamping letters on various surfaces or in woodblock printing. Gutenberg’s printing press was considered a history-changing invention, making books widely accessible and ushering in an “information revolution.”
400
What sport traditionally begins on or around Labor Day?
Football
The football season starts on or around Labor Day and many teams play their first game of the year during Labor Day weekend.
500
An old lady swallowed a fly, then a spider, what came next?
A spider!
Followed by a bird, a cat, a dog, a goat, a cow and last but not least: a horse! While we often talk about what the old lady, we never ask why she swallowed the fly in the story!
500
How many beats per minute is a typical hummingbird's heart rate?
Bonus: How many beats per minute is a typical human's?
An average hummingbird’s heart rate is more than 1,200 beats per minute.
Birds are built for a high-energy lifestyle. Their hearts pump more oxygen-rich blood per minute than those of mammals. The energy demands of flight require it. And smaller animals lose body heat more rapidly, burning the oxygen in their blood faster than larger animals.
Bonus: In comparison, a human's average heart rate is only 60 to 100 beats per minute at rest.
500
This spice is the second most popular in the world after black pepper, typically used in curry and chili powders.
Cumin
Cumin is a type of flowering plant that belongs to the carrot family. It originates from Middle East and Mediterranean region. Cumin grows in tropic and sub-tropical climates, in areas characterized by long, hot summer. Cultivation of cumin started 2000 years BC. Ancient Egyptians used cumin for the process of mummification. This plant was very popular and valued in the past. It was even used as a currency for paying taxes. Cumin is the second (right after the black pepper) most popular spice in the world today. Besides as an ingredient of various dishes, cumin is often used as cure in folk medicine.
500
One of the first types of newspapers produced was the ancient Roman "Acta Diurna", which translates, in English, to what?
"Daily Acts"
The Acta Diurna, or “Daily Acts,” of ancient Rome were daily-published notices by the government to keep the public informed of goings-on. These notices were not published on paper but were carved into rock, stone, and metal and placed in public spaces.
500
Where are some of the most popular places people travel for Labor Day?
Some popular travel destinations are:
- Columbus, Ohio
- Raleigh, North Carolina
- Tampa, Florida
- North Kingstown, Rhode Island
- Jacksonville, Florida
- Cambridge, Massachusetts
- San Francisco, California
- Reno, Nevada