Activity

Can we use something other than puzzle pieces? We like “found” objects when possible, or stuff lying around that we can re-purpose.

Sorry to have missed you all. We were on the road from 12 to 12!

Jan. 19: Jasmine. Jasminum is a genus of shrubs and vines in the olive family (Oleaceae). It contains around 200 species native to tropical and warm temperate regions of Eurasia, Africa, and Oceania. Jasmines are widely cultivated for the fragrance of their flowers. Only one of the 200 species is native to Europe.
Jasmine can be either deciduous (leaves falling in autumn) or evergreen (green all year round), and can be erect, spreading, or climbing shrubs and vines.
Jasmine petals are infused with black, green or white tea to make a healthy drink in China, Japan and Korea. It has several amazing health benefits!

Jan. 18 makeup (I was traveling). More flowers: Today’s is the carnation: Dianthus caryophyllus, commonly known as the carnation or clove pink. It is probably native to the Mediterranean region, but its exact range is unknown due to extensive cultivation for the last 2,000 years.
Carnations were mentioned in Greek literature 2,000 years ago, and the term dianthus was coined by Greek botanist Theophrastus, and is derived from the Ancient Greek words for divine (“dios”) and flower (“anthos.”

[The petals are sometimes used for medical purposes, such as for upset stomach and fever.

The flower with the world\’s largest bloom is the Rafflesia arnoldii. This rare flower is found in the rainforests of Indonesia. It can grow to be 3 feet across and weigh up to 15 pounds! It is a parasitic plant, with no visible leaves, roots, or stem.

1/19 – Goats have accents.
Researchers at Queen Mary University of London found that though goats don\’t have their own language, they do seem able to pick up accents from one another. You can listen to some of them here.

1/19 Raccoons have five toes on their front and back paws. Their forepaws are particularly dexterous and actually look and work like slender human hands. They use their nimble finger-like toes to hold and manipulate food, as well as a range of objects, including latches, lids, jars, boxes, and doorknobs. That’s why they seem to be able to get into pretty much anywhere and are easily able to lift the tops off garbage cans and open all sorts of containers.

1/19-45% of dogs sleep in their owners bed.

1/19 Worms Will Become Paralyzed if Exposed to Light for Too Long. .

1/19 Worms Breath Through Their Skin and Have No Lungs.

January 19: elephants are the only animals with FOUR knees! Who knew?!

1/19 – Yodeling will not cause an avalanche. A sudden deluge of snow, an increase in wind speed or even the overzealous footstep of a skier can trigger a sudden cascade. A loud burst of yodeling cannot trigger does not have that much of an effect.

Mom once long ago tried helping a very young human keep his Seeval! It as a wild animal got out! And Mom thinks this exact Seeval went into a Zoo

Here are two photos of Servals! They weigh 25 to 40 pounds!

My fact of the day is about the African Serval! Servals have long ears and they can jump very high and they communicate with their pee! Sonewahat like male house cats !

The black-footed cat is perhaps the smallest species of wild cat in Africa, black-footed cats average only 2.4 lb. to 4.2 lb. when fully grown

The Iberian ribbed newt uses its own bones as weapons.
The Iberian ribbed newt or Spanish ribbed newt (Pleurodeles waltl) Iberian ribbed newts protect themselves by pushing their own bones through their skin. The newt\’s abdomen contains special tubercles that allow its ribs to poke out through its skin when the newt is frightened. As an added bonus, its skin secretes a toxic chemical, turning this unassuming little creature into a killer of anything that tries to bite it. Basically, this little guy is real-life Wolverine.

1/19 What do crows eat?
Crows are omnivores and will eat just about anything that they can find such as animal-based meal items including amphibians, reptiles, insects, eggs, and invertebrates such as worms. As for plants, they consume seeds, fruit, nuts, and grains. making them opportunistic feeders. They eat both, plant matter and meat belonging to other animals.

1/19
Stubbs the cat served as mayor of Talkeetna, Alaska for 20 years, from 1997 to 2017, before he passed away. The town’s new mayor is Denali. He is also a cat.
Looks to me like the voters in Talkeetna are pretty smart!

1/19-My Dad found this in the Old Farmer\’s Almanac- The male ruffed grouse spend their lives within 300 yards of their drumming log.

Zebra stripes are unique to each zebra.

Native to small ranges within China\’s mountain forests, golden snub-nosed monkeys are an endangered species.

Factoid 1/19: Here\’s a mind-blowing thing about soil – yes good old SOIL – Soil seems like it is inert, but it is actually teeming with life. In fact, healthy soil is considered a living system! There are more living organisms in 1 Tbsp of soil than there are People on Earth. Just think about it……wow.

Mango, my sweet, I will say goodbye for tonight, until next time. I am not going to stay over. Think I will head home and hang out with my dad. by the fireplace
Good night everyone & thanks, Pete, for another great meal.