Here's A Bit Of Trivia...!

Since it's Monday, I want to start your week off with a few unique questions you may or may not know the answers to.

I figure that it's a good way to get the old gray matter warmed up. Besides,it beats the heck out of hearing about all the bad things going on in the world!

Ready...? Then here we go!!

Why wasn't the Bill of Rights originally included in the Constitution?

A lot of folks asked the same question when the framers first drafted the Constitution. President George Washington asked Congress to consider adding some amendments "providing for essential civil liberties" to address this oversight. The result was a draft that included 12 amendments, 2 of which were ultimately voted down. Ratification of the remaining 10 took place in 1791. See the complete text of the original 12 amendments.

Why do people say, "Don't look a gift horse in the mouth"?

The saying, which generally means "Don't be ungrateful," seems to stem from the practice of giving horses as gifts. To check the age of a horse, you normally look into its mouth. This would be considered quite rude if the horse was being given to you as a gift.


Where does one find a black-tailed deer in the United States?

The black-tailed deer, a subspecies of the mule deer, is primarily found in the Pacific Northwest. Stockier than the white-tailed deer, it is mostly yellow to reddish brown in summer, and the upper side of its tail is black.

What's the deal with unbleached versus bleached flour?

Bleached and unbleached flour are interchangeable in any recipe. The only difference is that bleached flour is a little whiter, which some people prefer. Unbleached flour isn't any more nutritious, as many people think.

Is it true that when the Moon is tipped on its side, it is going to rain or snow?

According to folklore, if the new crescent Moon holds its points upward, able to contain water, you can expect a dry spell. If it stands on its points, expect precipitation to spill out.


Is it colder at the North Pole or the South Pole?

The South Pole. Why? Because the South Pole is surrounded by a large land mass covered by a thick ice sheet. The North Pole rests in the middle of the Arctic Ocean which acts as an effective heat reservoir, warming the cold atmosphere in the winter and drawing heat in the summer.

Can you tell me the origin of the saying "by hook or by crook"?

Reapers' hooks and shepherds' crooks are the instruments referred to here. In Old England, forests were the private property of the king, and permission to cut wood was rarely given. Commoners could take deadwood, though, and they increased their bounty by bringing down branches from the trees in any way they could--including by hook or by crook.


How can we keep our cat away from our Christmas tree?

Folks have suggested a lot of things over the years, and you may have to try several until you find a method that fits your cat's personality. The most direct route may be to keep your cat out of the room where the tree is. If that's not possible, try lining the tree's lower trunk with aluminum foil. Some cats hate the sound and feel of it and won't try to climb up with the foil there. Another trick may be to keep a pot of ryegrass or catnip near the tree to act as a diversion. Cats may respond to loud noises or the popular method of spraying water at them when they begin to attack the tree, but we've found that their little cat brains forget this message pretty quickly, and they're soon back to cause trouble again.

Well, that's enough to keep you all busy for a while, don't you think? Maybe later I can come up with something else!

Now, my friends, it's coffee time on the patio...quick, before it rains again!