Geographic Terms
This is an article of clothing or the first word of a weekend spot on the coast for many residents of the Boston area.
What is cape? Cape Cod is a sandy peninsula that scientists say was created during the ice age. The Cape’s first true settlers were from the Wampanoag tribe that lived on the land for thousands of years prior to the arrival of Europeans.
When someone earns a living, they are said to bring home this pork product.
What is bacon? The popular expression is “bring home the bacon.
When hammering a nail, stick it between this laundry item to protect your fingers.
What is a clothespin? Fun fact: From 1852 to 1887, the U.S. patent office issued 146 different patents for clothespins.
Goliath
Who is David? The story comes from the Bible when David beat Goliath, and the phrase “David vs. Goliath” is used today to mean facing great odds.
In the United States, Thanksgiving falls on the last Thursday in November or the fourth Thursday in November.
What is fourth Thursday in November? In 1941, Congress set the date as the fourth Thursday of the month.
This is the equivalent of states in Canada.
What are provinces? Canada also has three territories, which are under more direct control of the federal government than the provinces are. Recently, the territories have begun to develop their own governing bodies.
This is a baker’s dozen.
What is 13? Medieval English bakers gave their customers 13 loaves of bread when they ordered a dozen so they wouldn’t be accused of shortchanging their customers.
If you ever have trouble identifying keys that look alike, use this cosmetic paint to color code your keys.
What is nail polish? Use one color for house keys, another color for chests, etc.
Dr. Watson
Who is Sherlock Holmes? Dr. John H. Watson is a surgeon, and he met Sherlock Holmes in London, where they teamed up to solve crimes.
Eating turkey or just eating too much makes you sleepy after Thanksgiving dinner.
What is eating too much? It’s true that turkey contains tryptophan, which can induce sleepiness, but you would have to eat a lot of turkey for the tryptophan to kick in. Who doesn’t eat too much on Thanksgiving?
This is a body of water in the middle of a desert.
What is oasis? They are usually created by underground aquifers that reach the surface of the ground. The Sahara Desert has around 90 oases.
Gossip is heard through this plant in the vineyard.
What is grapevine? The telegraph was called the grapevine telegraph, and that is where “heard it through the grapevine” originated.
The easiest way to clean a blender is to add a little of this to water and then “blend.”
What is dishwashing soap? Fill the blender with water only to halfway, or you’ll have an overflow reminiscent of an I Love Lucy episode.
Garfunkel
Who is Simon? Best known for the tune “Bridge Over Troubled Water,” the duo split in 1970, with each member becoming a solo performer.
If you’re making mashed potatoes for a crowd, the easiest way to peel them is to first soak the potatoes overnight or run them through the dishwasher rinse cycle (with no detergent).
What is run them through the dishwasher rinse cycle? HGTV says running them through the rinse cycle loosens the peels so peeling is much quicker and easier.
These are engineered waterways that can carry ships and barges.
What are canals? Canals can be used to create city networks, such as in Venice, Italy. They can also be created for transporting goods by linking any of the following: rivers, lakes, and/or oceans. The Panama Canal was built to shorten the trip between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.
We warn people with big mouths not to spill these dry goods when we tell them a secret.
What are beans? The phrase originated in Greece where black and white beans were used in voting, where the outcome had to be unanimous. If the counter spilled the beans and one bean of the other color was spotted, voting was halted.
When your showerhead clogs with minerals, you can use the white version of this salad ingredient to dissolve the buildup.
What is vinegar? The easiest way to do this is to add a few tablespoons of vinegar to a shower cap and attach it using string or a rubber band.
Cagney
Who is Lacey? The 1980s TV drama Cagney and Lacey features two female detectives. Mary Beth Lacey is played by Tyne Daly, and Christine Cagney is played by Sharon Gless
Turkeys can fly, or they cannot fly.
What is can fly? Wild turkeys can fly for short distances, such as up into the treetops for safety.
This naturally occurring boundary or ridge separates the eastern rivers from the western rivers in the Americas. In Canada and the United States, the rivers west of this divide eventually empty into the Pacific Ocean, and the rivers east of this divide empty into the Atlantic or Arctic Oceans or the Gulf of Mexico.
What is the continental divide? It runs all the way from Canada through South America.
Some people are as slow as this thick syrup.
What is molasses? When you get stuck driving behind people who are going 15 miles under the speed limit, they are moving as slow as molasses.
This is the easiest way to iron a shirt’s placket with buttons.
What is iron it inside out? Turn the shirt inside out to avoid the buttons.
Mork
Who is Mindy? The late 1970s show Mork and Mindy stars Robin Williams and Pam Dawber. Mork is an alien from the planet Ork.
Canada’s Thanksgiving is celebrated on the same day as American Thanksgiving, or it is celebrated in October.
What is celebrated in October? Canada celebrates Thanksgiving the second Monday in October. It became a national holiday in 1957.