May 31, 2024

In the baseball department, Connecticut is home to the Hartford Yard Goats of the Eastern League. This team is an AA affiliate of the Colorado Rockies. There is the Connecticut Tigers who play in the New York-Penn League. This team is affiliated to the Detroit Tigers. And then there is the Bridgeport Bluefish and the New Britain Bees. Both of which play in the Atlantic League.

- cogcnv.org (Central Naugatuck Valley)

May 30, 2024

Yard Goats "honors Hartford's rich railroad history." It is a slang term for "an engine that switches a train to get it ready for another locomotive to take over." A press release issued by the Rock Cats on Wednesday afternoon provided further detail. "A Minor League Baseball player is like that humble Yard Goat," it reads. "Not a glamorous job but working day in and day out away from the big city lights to assure that the Major League affiliate is kept on track."

- milb.com (March 18, 2015)

May 29, 2024

The Philodendron cordatum (hederaceum) is a lovely trailing houseplant with heart-shaped emerald green leaves. It can be found on many favorite houseplant lists because it is easy to care for and can tolerate an array of lighting conditions. It is an epiphytic plant native to Central America and the Carribean, and in its natural habitat would be found climbing up trees in the forest canopy. Like most Philodendron plants, the heart leaf thrives in bright but indirect light. However this plant will also adapt to low and medium light spaces. Growth will be slower in these conditions but the plant should remain healthy!

- greeneryunlimited.co (July 17, 2020)

May 28, 2024

February 23rd is National Dog Biscuit Day, also known as International Dog Biscuit Appreciation Day. The history of canine treats shows that earlier versions were quite a bit different than today’s variety. Dog treats used to include stale, moldy bread, rotting leftovers and rock-hard biscuits made out of grain. But American James Spratt changed that on a trip to England in the mid-1800s when he saw hungry, stray dogs scavenging for leftover food. It wasn’t long before he developed a cake-like biscuit comprised of meat, grains and vegetables called “Meat Fibrine Dog Cakes”. Then in 1908, the F. H. Bennett Biscuit Co. of New York developed hard-baked, bone-shaped biscuits comprised of various minerals, cow’s milk and meat products, the Milk-Bone.

- puppyup.org (February 23, 2019)

May 27, 2024

This handsome Iris species belongs to an ancient group, dating to the seventeenth century, that was the ancestor to our modern Tall Bearded Iris. Early American settlers grew Iris pallida types because they were easy to transport across the Atlantic and the continent. They are tough, drought resistant, long-lived, and resistant to borers and disease. Jefferson grew Iris at Monticello, but it is not clear whether or not this species was among them.

- monticello.org (Thomas Jefferson, Monticello; Charlottesville, VA)

May 26, 2024

Originally hunting dogs, Jack Russel’s are built to be fast, agile and curious and they have plenty of stamina. They enjoy the outdoors and can play for hours on end, often expecting you to join in on the action. These dogs need plenty of exercise and firm, consistent training to keep them happy, entertained and well behaved.

- woofpurnayvet.com

May 25, 2024

Known as the Kola Superdeep Borehole, the deepest hole ever dug reaches approximately 7.5 miles below the Earth’s surface (or 12,262 meters), a depth that took about 20 years to reach.

- Scientific American (February 22, 2020)

May 24, 2024

The word “bicycle” comes from the French word “bicyclette”. Before this name, bicycles were known as “velocipedes.”

- fancyapple.com

May 23, 2024

Research on cold-water immersion has found evidence that it helps reduce the degree of exercise-induced muscle damage that can occur after physically challenging activities. Less damage leads to less inflammation, which in turn reduces soreness and helps restore physical performance the next day. These benefits may be the result of rapid constriction of the blood vessels due to the cold water. The cold can trigger responses in your body, such as decreased metabolic activity, alterations in hormone production and blood flow, and activation of the immune system.

- Mayo Clinic Health System (January 30, 2024)

May 22, 2024

The average sailboat cruises at about 4-6 knots, (4-7 mph or 7-11 km/h) and has a top speed of 9 knots (10 mph or 17 km/h). It's just not that fast. That isn't to say there aren't any quick boats: they can be incredibly fast. Especially the multihulls, which have to displace a lot less water. They can go up to 50 knots (almost 60 mph or 93 km/h). Most sailboats are slow is because they are small (under 20') - and the hull speed is directly related to the length of the boat. Longer sailboats are faster.

- improvesailing.com

May 21, 2024

Bicycle helmets are 85-88 percent effective in mitigating head and brain injuries, making the use of helmets the single most effective way to reduce head injuries and fatalities resulting from bicycle crashes. Despite the fact that 70 to 80 percent of all fatal bicycle crashes involve head injuries, only 18 percent of all bicyclists wear bicycle helmets.

- U.S. Department of Transportation: Federal Highway Administration (June 16, 2023)

May 20, 2024

Tar and chip driveways are made by applying a layer of hot tar to the existing driveway. Then a layer of stone chips is spread over the surface of the tar, which is compacted into the tar, creating a durable and long-lasting surface. Driveways are also less susceptible to damage from freezing temperatures than asphalt driveways. But they can be more challenging to repair than asphalt driveways if they sustain damage. An asphalt driveway is made from a mixture of gravel, sand, and asphalt cement.

- pickettspaving.com (Oct 19, 2022)

May 19, 2024

Window watching is always an expectation for dogs that it's good for them to look out of the window. Unfortunately, it gives our dogs a chance to reinforce the bad behavior of becoming more protective. Your dog sees an intruder (people, dogs, squirrels, or the mailman). Your dog then continues to bark, and the trigger goes away. Dog's do not realize that the mailman would leave anyway and has other deliveries. Then your dog stops barking or comes to get you to show you that they did a great job. If dogs don't have a job, they will create one. No, it is never doing dishes or folding laundry. It is constantly barking, new bad habits that can feed into the protection cycle. The more the dog window watches or hours spent in the backyard on "protection" duty causes the annoying behavior to strengthen.

- a-zdogs.com (Oct 13, 2021)

May 18, 2024

According to a new, unusually large study of sibling relationships by psychologists from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, whether you are an older or youngest sibling has almost no effect on your personality or intelligence.

- Journal of Research in Personality (October 2015)

May 17, 2024

Since 1959, Brimfield, Massachusetts has been the Antique and Collectibles Capital of the United States. Today, there are 21 independent shows and thousands of dealers. As the premiere hot spot for antiquing and collecting in America, Brimfield attracts people from around the world. Rare and unusual items can be found as buyers search through history’s great marketplace. There is excitement among shoppers getting caught up in the spirit of antiquing and the thrill of the hunt. All booths offer a diversified range of antiques and collectibles.

- brimfieldantiquefleamarket.com

May 16, 2024

Birds not only need the water to drink, but they also need it to keep their feathers clean. Songbirds average around 1,500 to 3,000 feathers, while birds of prey have between 5,000 and 8,000 feathers. Each feather has a part in a bird’s life, and they are essential in terms of warmth, flight, courtship, protection and even defense. This is why it’s important to provide a place for birds to preen.

- OKState.edu (April 28, 2024)

May 15, 2024

Research shows that in the 19th century, aristocratic collectors coveted rarities—such as fossils, illuminated books, and other objects—and displayed them, then later donated the items to museums. For the aristocrats, it was a way to show off their good taste and status in society.

- news.miami.edu (September 3, 2021)

May 14, 2024

The male mallard duck, called a drake, sports a glossy green head, a white ring around its neck and a rich, chestnut-brown breast. The mottled brown female mallard looks downright dull next to the male's showy feathers. The mallard duck's outer feathers are waterproof, thanks to oil that’s secreted from a gland near the tail. Beneath this tightly packed waterproof layer of feathers lies a soft, warm layer of feathers called down. Twice a year, mallards molt, or shed, their flight feathers, temporarily grounding the birds for several weeks until the feathers grow back.

- National Geographic Kids

May 13, 2024

Recent research suggests there really are benefits to being near water, or in what experts call "blue spaces." For instance, a study published in July in Scientific Reports found that people who lived near blue spaces had lower risks for mental health issues.

- Today.com (Aug. 29, 2022)

May 12, 2024

The current mill rate for the town is 22.00 which will take effect July 1, 2024. Mill Rate - A mill is equal to $1.00 of tax for each $1,000 of assessment. To calculate the property tax, multiply the assessment of the property by the mill rate and divide by 1,000.

- madisonct.org & ct.gov

May 11, 2024

"(not house pictured) Airbnb has an assortment of Madison (Middle Beach Road area) beach houses available for rent, ranging from $300 to $1,648 a night."

- Airbnb (May 25, 2024)

May 10, 2024

The term for the Northern Lights, 'aurora borealis', was derived from Roman goddess of dawn, Aurora, and the Greek name for the north wind, Boreas. There is some debate however, as to who was the first to name them—French astronomer Pierre Gassendi (1592–1655) or Italian astronomer Galileo Galilei (1564–1642).

- Australian Government: Bureau of Meteorology (October 7, 2016)

May 09, 2024

Due to the softness of pure / fine silver, it can not be used in its purest form for jewelry. Therefore, to give strength and durability to the pure silver, it is alloyed with other harder metals, usually copper. A mixture of 92.5% of pure silver and 7.5% of copper is known as Sterling Silver. Sterling Silver is one of the most familiar and used form of silver alloys. Purity - 925 points (92.5% pure silver).

- Sarraf Jewelry, Inc

May 08, 2024

Our survey shows that 33% of our respondents work remotely, and 33% work in a hybrid work environment. However, 36% of respondents would prefer working from home full-time instead of having a hybrid schedule, and 41% of respondents would be willing to consider a full-time, remote position if they were looking for a new position.

- USA Today, Mehdi Punjwani & Sierra Campbell (April 3, 2024)

May 07, 2024

Dogs don’t sweat in the same way as we humans do to cool down. Instead, they rely more on panting to regulate their body temperature when they get hot. As dogs pant, hot, moist air is transferred across the mucous membranes in their nose, mouth and lungs. As this moisture evaporates, it creates a cooling effect.

- petplan.co.uk (April 21, 2022)

May 06, 2024

Dew forms as temperatures drop and objects cool down. If the object becomes cool enough, the air around the object will also cool. Colder air is less able to hold water vapor than warm air. This forces water vapor in the air around cooling objects to condense. When condensation happens, small water droplets form—dew.

- Education.NationalGeographic.org

May 05, 2024

Screens first came to be during the 1880s. American Farmer is one of the first places that mentions window screens: “woven wire for window screens.” However, the first patent for the invention of the window screen was filed by Bayley and McCluskey on July 7, 1868. It is reported that cheese clothes and even woven horsehair served as window screen construction materials until they started using galvanized steel during the 1920s and later aluminum and woven fiberglass.

- Metro Screenworks (December 12, 2018)

May 04, 2024

A review of 38 studies found that adult friendships, especially high-quality ones that provide social support and companionship, significantly predict well-being and can protect against mental health issues such as depression and anxiety—and those benefits persist across the life span.

- Pezirkianidis, C., et al., Frontiers in Psychology, Vol. 14, 2023; Blieszner, R., et al., Innovation in Aging, Vol. 3, No. 1, 2019

May 03, 2024

The global market for second-hand books stands at $24.03 billion as of 2022, growing by 5.5% since 2021.

- wordsrated.com (June 13, 2023)

May 02, 2024

About 25% of all vet hospital visits for dogs stem from a problem with their coat or their skin. The remaining percentage of visits to the veterinary clinic is because of cuts, abrasions, immunizations, and illness.

- Brandywine Valley SPCA (September 9, 2019)

May 01, 2024

Experts suggest walking 6,000 steps a day to improve health and 10,000 steps a day to lose weight.

- Weil, Richard, MEd, CED. “Walking.” MedicineNet. Accessed: December 26, 2012.