Senior Center Without Walls

Monthly Newsletter

September

2019

The Woman in the Moon

On the 15th day of the eighth month on the Chinese lunar calendar

comes the second-grandest festival in all of China: the Mid-Autumn

Festival, also known as the Harvest Moon Festival. This year, it falls

on September 13.

Worshipping the moon has long been a part of Chinese culture. One

legend states that the festival began when the Chinese emperors of the Zhou dynasty

worshipped the moon to ensure an abundant harvest the following year. Still another

legend tells the story of Chang’e, the Chinese goddess of the moon.

Long ago, 10 suns ruled the sky, but they were so powerful that they burned Earth,

scorching crops and causing much suffering. The mighty archer Hou Yi shot down

nine suns and saved Earth. For his triumph, the Western Queen Mother gave Hou Yi

a bottle of elixir that granted immortality. Hou Yi liked the idea of immortality,

but he wanted to stay at home with his wife Chang’e more. When Hou Yi’s greedy

archery student Pang Meng attempted to steal the elixir, Chang’e drank it rather than

let Pang Meng have it. The elixir made Chang’e fly to the moon, where she has

forever remained. It was Hou Yi, Chang’e’s husband, who began the tradition of

worshipping the moon. Children in China are told that Chang’e still lives on the

moon. They look to the full moon and try to find her shape on it, much like we

attempt to discern the Man in the Moon.

On the night of the full moon, families gather together for a merry feast. It is

traditional to give, receive, and eat mooncakes, those dense, sweet pastries filled with

red bean or lotus seed paste. Cakes are often imprinted with Chinese characters

referencing the holiday and its legendary characters. Another common tradition

is to light paper lanterns and release them into the night sky. It is also the perfect

night to yearn for family and friends who live far away, much like Hou Yi’s pining

for his beloved wife.

Cathy Barnes

cbarnes@frederickcountymd.gov

Senior Centers Without Walls

Senior Services Division of Frederick County 1440 Taney Avenue

Frederick, MD 21702 301-600-1234-Mondays only

Happy Cat

Month

Sewing Month

International

Enthusiasm

Week

September 1–7

Labor Day

(U.S.)

September 2

International

Day of

Democracy

September 15

World

Alzheimer’s

Day

September 21

Love Note Day

September 27

World Heart

Day

September 29

Into the Wild

Humans have settled 77% of Earth’s

surface, so what places are left

unexplored? This September, Wilderness

Month, we will take a look at some

of the world’s wildest places.

Antarctica definitely tops the list of one of the

wildest and most remote places on Earth, but who

would want to go there? For those interested in cold

and inaccessible places, far from the touch of

civilization, there is the Kamchatka Peninsula in

Russia’s Far East. It is Russia’s land of fire and ice,

thanks to its proximity to the Arctic and its many

volcanoes. It harbors an abundance of wildlife,

including brown bears, wolves, reindeer, mountain

sheep, whales, sea eagles, and the breeding grounds

of the spoon-billed sandpiper.

The peninsula was off-limits to outsiders until

1990 due to its strategic importance to Russia’s

submarine bases.

Papua New Guinea also remains one of the world’s

least-explored places. Scientists believe that many of

the world’s undiscovered plants and animals live deep

within the rugged, inaccessible jungles of the

country’s interior. Due to a lack of infrastructure,

travel to and around Papua New Guinea is

extremely limited.

For those looking for an otherworldly experience,

there is the barren yet beautiful Atacama Desert of

Chile. This high mountain desert gets almost no

rainfall. Its 40,000 square miles is covered in salt

basins, sand, and lava. In fact, it is so devoid of life

that NASA uses it to replicate conditions on Mars. It

is so far from light pollution and radio interference

that it is one of the best places in the world to spy on

the universe, which is why two major observatories

have been constructed here.

How much longer will such wild and untouched

corners of Earth exist? No one knows. But there

is still ample time to protect these pristine natural

jewels. It may be as easy as following the old

explorer’s mantra: “Take only pictures, leave

only footprints.”

Tolkien’s Literary Magic

Those familiar with the work

of author J. R. R. Tolkien know that

September 22 is Hobbit Day, com-

memorating the birthday of both Bilbo and his

nephew Frodo Baggins. For this reason, the entire

week containing September 22 is celebrated as

Tolkien Week. For those unfamiliar with Tolkien’s

fantasy writings, the words hobbit, orc, Mordor, and

Silmarillion may have no meaning at all. Tolkien,

after all, invented all these fantastic words during the

creation of his magical world of Middle Earth.

The development of the world and legend of Middle

Earth grew from Tolkien’s desire to manufacture a

mythology for England, one of elves and faeries.

Some might say that he saw this through to

extraordinary ends, going so far as to invent an entire

pantheon of gods and new languages for his magical

races of creatures. Bilbo’s adventures with dwarves

and dragons and Frodo’s saga with the Ring of

Power have become the pinnacle of high fantasy

literature.

Greek to Me

“Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night

stays these couriers from the swift completion of

their appointed rounds.” While this saying is not the

official motto of the U.S. Postal Service, many

recognize this as the postal worker’s creed thanks to

its inscription on the James A. Farley Post Office

building in New York City, which was opened on

September 7, 1914.

The famous motto comes from the classical Greek

work Histories by the Greek historian Herodotus.

While detailing the Persian Wars, Herodotus refers

to the mounted courier service of the Persian

Empire, known as the angarium. One of the architects

of the Farley Post Office building was the son of a

classics scholar, and he enjoyed reading Greek. When

he happened upon the phrase, he decided to

incorporate it into the building. Professor George

Herbert Palmer of Harvard University was enlisted

to translate Herodotus’ words into the motto that is

so well known today.

A Path Away from Pollution

The third Monday in September marks

the start of Pollution Prevention Week. In

1990, the U.S. Congress passed the

Pollution Prevention Act, charging the

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) with the

responsibility of implementing the act. Over the

past 30 years, the EPA and companies have teamed

up to develop methods and technologies to

dramatically reduce pollutants and contaminants in

our environment.

The top three biggest sources of pollution are

transportation (cars and planes), food production,

and energy production. Electric car companies

like Tesla have created vehicles that emit no

pollution into the air. With the advent of renewable

sources of electric energy and the development of

more efficient batteries that allow for long-range

travel, electric cars may become the primary mode of

transportation around the world. Airplanes can emit

less pollution if they are designed to be more

efficient, fly more efficient flight paths, and use

alternative fuels.

Farm pollution, particularly the runoff of fertilizers

from agricultural land, harms waterways and

oceans. Animal waste, too, leaches into soil and

water. Farms prevent pollution by applying fertilizers

in proper amounts at specific times of the year and

using no-phosphorous fertilizers.

They can also do their best to prevent water runoff

and stabilize soil to minimize landslides. Forested

buffer zones near waterways can also catch and filter

runoff before it even reaches the water.

Burning fossil fuels to produce energy releases

both carbon and other pollutants like mercury and

methane into the environment. Alternative energy

sources like solar and wind power help reduce

pollution, but there are other solutions.

Technologies exist to separate carbon dioxide from

emissions, capture it before and after combustion,

and then safely store it so that it never enters the

environment. These excellent innovations could

help clean up our Earth.

All we need is the will to do the hard work.

Out of the Tiffany Blue

Long before those blue boxes from

Tiffany & Co. promised jewelry, the

store was a stationery emporium. It was founded on

September 18, 1837, by Charles Lewis Tiffany and

John B. Young in Brooklyn, Connecticut. In 1838,

the storefront moved to Broadway in Lower Manhat-

tan, and the store shifted its focus to luxury goods

like ladies’ silks, satins, and bonnets. In 1845,

Charles Tiffany himself selected the color of rob-

in’s egg blue for its Blue Book, an annual catalog of

its handcrafted jewels. In 1867, Tiffany’s was recog-

nized at the Paris World’s Fair for its exquisite silver

craftsmanship, launching it as an international brand

and esteemed design house. By 1870, Tiffany & Co.

had risen to become the preeminent purveyor of sil-

ver, jewelry, and timepieces in America.

As the World Gurns

On September 20, the Egremont Crab

Fair will get underway on the West

Cumbrian coast of England. This

harvest festival was first held in 1267 when the Lord

of the Barony of Egremont began the tradition of

giving away crab apples to the village serfs. Today,

the tradition continues with the Parade of the Apple

Cart, where apples are thrown to crowds lining

Main Street. Over the centuries, there have been

many contests held during the fair: horse races,

hound dog trials, singing, teacake eating, pipe

smoking, wrestling, and, of course, gurning.

Gurning, which means “to snarl like a dog, look

savage, or distort the countenance,” remains the

highlight of the festival. During the Gurning World

Championships, contestants don a horse collar, or

braffin, and compete to see who can pull the ugliest

facial expression.

Remembering School Days Let’s Reminisce Introduction Although our school days may have been many years ago, they are still times well-remembered. In this activity we reminisce and discuss, using all our senses as we do. Uh oh, I hear the school bellringing! It’s time to go to class—we don’t want to be late! Part 1: Sharing School Days Memories After reading each of the memories, ask the discussion questions to encourage people to sharetheir recollections. At

the conclusion, ask what other memories they may have.•• Feeling sad about the end of summer vacation but

feeling excited about getting ready for the new school year. What fun it was to buy such things as new clothes and shoes and supplies like notebooks, pencils, erasers, rulers, and brand-new boxes of crayons. What kinds of school supplies do you recall gathering together for the start of school? What were some things you looked forward to at the start of the new school year? (Perhaps seeing your friends again) What were some things you did not look forward to? (Perhaps meeting your teacher)

•• School lunches packed by Mom in brown paper bags or lunch boxes or eating cafeteria food. Drinking milk from

pint bottles or cartons. Do you remember your school lunches? Are there any foods you recall especially liking to eat for lunch?

•• Strict teachers who rapped rulers across the knuckles of misbehaving students or had them stand in the corner

wearing a dunce cap. Do you recall any of your teachers—their names, what grade they taught, what they were like? Did you ever get into trouble with your teachers?

•• Peeling Elmer’s glue off your fingers. The smell of Elmer’s paste and, for some, the taste of it! Do you recall using

Elmer’s glue? Did you enjoy getting it all over your hands and then peeling it off?

•• Bloomer-style gym uniforms for the girls. Do you recall your gym uniform? How about the guys? What kind of

uniform did you wear for gym? What are some of your recollections of gym class? Did you have to climb ropes?

•• Recess with jungle gym or monkey bars to climb on and dodgeball and hopscotch to play. Scraped knees and

elbows were a badge of honor. What were some of the games you played during recess? Did you like climbing on the monkey bars?

•• Sitting at wooden desks with attached seats and a bin for books. Do you recall sitting at your desk? Did you or

anyone else write on your desk? Did you ever stick chewed gum underneath it?

•• The pride in being chosen to be a safety patrol and getting to wear the belt and badge. Were you ever a safety

patrol at school? Did you have any other responsibilities that made you feel important?

•• Dancing around the Maypole while holding on to ribbons and weaving them in and out. Did you ever dance

around a Maypole in celebration of May Day? Do you remember it as being fun?

•• Walking to school, riding a bike, or taking the school bus. How did you get to school? If you walked, how far did

you walk? Did you walk with other children or alone?

•• The sound of children laughing and talking in the hallways or on the playground. Did you have good friends at

school? Can you recall any of their names or something about them?

•• Homework and studying for tests. Were you good about doing your homework? Was it hard for you to study for

tests? Would you say you were a good student, a fair student, or a poor student? Do you wish you had studied harder?

•• At one time reading was considered the most important subject in school, followed by grammar, arithmetic,

social studies, hygiene and health, and religion. Do you recall having a favorite subject at school? Was there a subject you were particularly good at or not so good at?

•• Schools have changed over the years from one-room schools to those with large buildings and many students. It

is not uncommon for a high school (grades 9–12) to have over 700 students attending. Can you recall any of the schools you attended? What did they look like? Were they big or small? Did you ever attend a one-room school? What do you remember most about them?

Part 2: School Trivia

•• There was a time when female teachers were not allowed to be married. When WWII began, the resulting shortage

of teachers meant this rule had to be relaxed. Do you remember if your female teachers were married or single?

•• McGuffey Readers were widely used as school textbooks for grades 1–6 from the mid-1800s to the mid-1900s. Dick

and Jane books to help teach reading were used from the 1930s to the 1960s. Do you remember any of these books? Were there other books you remember using in school?

•• The Pledge of Allegiance was recited each morning in U.S. schools. Today, it is up to each state and school whether

they do or don’t. Can you recite the Pledge of Allegiance by heart?

•• In 1918, children in every U.S. state were required to complete elementary school. Today, most states require

children remain in school until they are 16 years old. How old were you when you stopped going to school? Did you have the chance to go to college?

•• An increasingly popular alternative to attending a traditional school is homeschooling. This is where parents edu-

cate their children at home. Requirements vary from state to state. Do you think homeschooling is a good idea? Would you have liked to be homeschooled?

•• In the 19th century, it was common practice to give a teacher an apple. Today, children still give teachers presents,

but they are most often chocolates or gift cards. Part 3: Games We Played If possible, bring in some of these games, such as jacks and marbles. Ask volunteers from staff to help demonstrate such games as jump rope, hopscotch, and Blind Man’s Bluff. Read these brief instructions on how to play and encourage people to share their recollections. Click on the links for a video demon-stration of how to play the game. 1. Jacks – Scatter the jacks on a surface, toss the ball in the air, and pick up one jack while catching the ball as it bounces—that’s “onesies.” Then on to “twosies” where you pick up two jacks and, if you’re really good, on to “threesies” and more. 2. Hopscotch – Draw the hopscotch design of eight or 10 squares on the sidewalk. Throw a stone or other object in the first square and hop over it to the next squares. Turn around, hop back, and pick up the marker while balanced on one foot. The marker is tossed into square two, and the same rules apply until all the squares have been marked. 3. Red Rover – In this game, two teams line up opposite each other holding hands, no more than 30 feet apart. The first team calls a player from the opposite team by chanting, “Red Rover, Red Rover, send (player’s name) on over!” The person called runs to the other line and attempts to break the chain of linked hands. 4. Blind Man’s Bluff – One player who is the “blind man” is blindfolded and spun around in circles. The other players call out or even touch the “blind man” and dodge away before the blind man touches them. Whoever gets touched gets to be blindfolded and be the blind man. 5. Jump rope – Who doesn’t love to jump rope? The more you practiced, the more skilled you became. Double-Dutch was where two jump ropes were used. It was not unusual for rhymes to be said while jumping, such as: Banana, banana, banana split, What did you get in arithmetic? Banana, banana, banana for free, What did you get in geometry? 6. Dodgeball – Basically in this game kids try to hit each other with a dodgeball, always aiming below the waist. The game can be played in a circle with children in the outer circle throwing balls and trying to hit those in the inner circle trying to dodge the balls. Or it could be played with two lines facing each other and kids on both teams throwing balls at each other. Part 4: Sing a Song Lead the group in singing “School Days.” You were my queen in calico School days, school days I was your bashful barefoot beau Dear old golden rule days And you wrote on my slate, “I love you, Joe” Reading and writing and ’rithmetic When we were a couple of kids. Taught to the tune of the hickory stick Part 6: Serve a Snack End the activity on a delicious note.

Classroom HijinksHeading back to school after what seems an all too short summer

vacation is no laughing matter for many children. But for those of us whose school days are long over (but not forgotten), it can be a time to reminisce and chuckle.

Let the Jokes Begin!

Teacher: When I was your age, I thought nothing of walking five miles to school.

Student: I agree, I don’t think much of it either.

* * *

Teacher: How do you like going to school?

Student: The going is fine. The coming home is good, too. It’s the

in-between that I can’t stand.

* * *

Teacher: I hope I didn’t see you looking at Fred’s test!

Student: I hope you didn’t see me either.

* * *

Teacher: You copied from Fred’s test, didn’t you?

Student: How do you know?

Teacher: Fred’s test says, “I don’t know,” and yours says, “Me neither.”

* * *

Student: I don’t think I deserved a zero on that test.

Teacher: Me neither, but a zero was the lowest score I could give you.

* * *

Teacher: Why are you late to class?

Student: Sorry. I overslept.

Teacher: You mean you sleep at home, too?

* * *

Teacher: I hear you skipped school yesterday to play football.

Student: No I didn’t, and I have the fish to prove it!

* * *

Student: Teacher, would you ever punish me for something I didn’t do?

Teacher: Of course not.

Student: Good, because I didn’t do my homework.

* * *

Teacher: Fred, what’s the definition of infinity?

Student: Tonight’s homework assignment.

* * *

Teacher: So you say that the dog ate your homework?

Student: Yes.

Teacher: And where is your dog right now?

Student: At the vet. He doesn’t like homework any more than I do.

* * *

Teacher: Where is your homework?

Student: It blew away while I was on my way to school.

Teacher: And why are you late?

Student: I had to wait awhile for a heavy gust of wind.

Teacher: Fred, go to the map and find North America.

Student: Here it is!

Teacher: Excellent. Now class, who discovered America?

Students: Fred did!

* * *

Teacher: Can you count to ten?

Student: Yes. One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten.

Teacher: Go on from there.

Student: Jack, queen, king, ace.

* * *

Teacher: How do you find the square root of 144?

Student: I usually ask someone smarter than I am.

* * *

Teacher: Name two pronouns.

Student: Who? Me?

* * *

Teacher: I wish you would pay a little attention.

Student: I’m paying as little as I can!

* * *

Student: Teacher, I ain’t got a pencil.

Teacher: Don’t say “ain’t got.” I don’t have a pencil. You don’t have a

pencil. We don’t have any pencils. They don’t have any pencils.

Student: My gosh, what happened to all the pencils?

* * *

Teacher: Sometimes I think you come to school just to cause trouble.

Student: No, I don’t, but I figure as long as I’m here…

* * *

Teacher: Can anyone tell me what we learned in school today?

Student: Not enough since we have to come back tomorrow.

* * *

Teacher: Why are you late to class?

Student: Because of the sign.

Teacher: What sign are you talking about?

Student: The one that says, “School Ahead, Go Slow.”

* * *

Teacher: If I had seven oranges in one hand and eight oranges in the

other, what would I have?

Student: Big hands?

* * *

Teacher: What is the chemical formula for water?

Student: HIJKLMNO.

Teacher: What kind of answer is that?

Student: You told us yesterday it was H to O.

Manly Trivia by LeAndra Smith, ADC, CDP

In this trivia activity, we will test our knowledge of topics that might be of interest to men.

1. At what degree is east on a compass? Answer: 90 degrees. South is 180 degrees. North is 0 or 360 degrees, and west is 270 degrees. 2. American playwright Arthur Miller is best known for writing a play that was first performed

on Broadway in 1949. What play was it? Answer: Death of a Salesman. The play became one of the most famous American plays of its time. 3. What country is bordered by the most countries? Answer: China has 14 countries sharing its border. Can you name them all? Afghanistan, Bhutan, India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Mongolia, Myanmar, Nepal, North Korea, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan, and Vietnam. 4. The Ford Edsel was a notable failure in the 1950s automobile market. What Chrysler model had a similar fate in the 1950s? Answer: The Chrysler DeSoto. The cost to the company for ending the DeSoto marque was more than $2.2 million. 5. In an automobile, what is the emissions control device that reduces toxic pollutants in exhaust gas? Answer: The catalytic converter. Although first patented in 1930, the first production model was not created until 1973. 6. Finish the film title to this western: The Man Who Shot __________________. Answer: Liberty Valance. Lee Marvin played Liberty Valance in the film. 7. Who played Senator Stoddard in that same film? Answer: James Stewart. John Wayne also starred in the movie as Tom Doniphon. 8. What movie made John Wayne a star? Answer: Stagecoach. Wayne had been in film for nearly 10 years before starring in Stagecoach. The 1939 film began his career as a leading man. 9. Finish the line of this hit song from the 1940s: “He was a famous trumpet man from out ____.” Answer: Chicago way. It is the first line to the song “Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy” by the Andrews Sisters, recorded in 1941. 10. What type of wood creates smoky flames and burns quickly: hardwood or softwood? Answer: Softwood. Examples of softwood trees are juniper, spruce, pine, and cedar. Hardwood trees include oak, ash, maple, beech, and mahogany. 11. What part of a car engine changes linear motion into rotational motion? Answer: The crankshaft. When fuel combusts in a cylinder, the force exerted on the piston advances the connecting rod (linear motion). The connecting rod turns the crankshaft, which produces the rotational motion needed for the tires to move. 12. What author of westerns was the first person to catch a 1,000-pound fish on a fishing pole? Answer: Zane Grey. He caught the enormous blue marlin off the coast of Tahiti on May 16, 1930. 13. What type of map shows a comprehensive detail of an area, including elevation levels as well as natural and fabricated features? Answer: Topographic map. This type of map is used in a variety of different ways, including surveying, land development, camping, fishing, hunting, and mining. 14. What U.S. National Park has the world’s most wide-ranging geothermal area? Answer: Yellowstone. The geothermal areas of Yellowstone include geyser basins, mud pots, hot springs, and fumaroles (openings where hot sulfurous gases surface).

15. True or false? Trout is the only fish that can be caught with a fly rod. Answer: False. A fly rod can be used for catching a variety of fish, including salmon, pike, carp, snook, bonefish, and tarpon. 16. What is the only poisonous lizard native to the United States? Answer: The gila monster. It makes its home in the southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico. It is a protected animal in Arizona.

17. What general in World War II had the nickname “Old Blood and Guts”? Answer: General George S. Patton. His men gave him the name because Patton did not mince words and generously used profanity during his speeches. 18. When World War II started in Europe in 1939, what two Asian countries were already at war? Answer: Japan and China. They had been at war since 1937. 19. What does the German word blitzkrieg mean? Answer: “Lightning war.” It was a new method of warfare in World War II that utilized tanks, planes, and infantry together with the intent of a quick victory. 20. Who was the Italian dictator that joined Hitler in June 1940? Answer: Benito Mussolini. Mussolini wanted to expand into an empire; however, his invasions of North Africa and Greece both failed. 21. What is the name for the German submarines used in World War II? Answer: U-boat, an abbreviation for Unterseeboot, or “undersea boat.” 22. Fustanella is another name for what type of men’s clothing? Answer: The kilt. Men in Balkan countries traditionally wear the fustanella. 23. What is another name for a shoelace tie? Answer: Bolo or bola. It is a western-style tie using a cord-like material and usually has metal-tipped ends. 24. What is the protective garment used to cover the legs when riding a horse or a motorcycle? Answer: Chaps. Chaps made of heavy material such as Kevlar are also used when wielding a chainsaw. 25. A stithy is another name for what common blacksmith tool? Answer: An anvil. It is the surface used to strike metal objects when shaping them. 26. What geometrically named tool would a carpenter use to mark exact angles? Answer: The square. Oddly enough, this tool is in the shape of an L, not a square. 27. In what country was the first Alfa Romeo made? Answer: Italy. The car manufacturer was founded by Frenchman Alexandre Darracq with Italian investors. Their first plant was located in Milan, Italy. 28. What golfer has the nickname “The Golden Bear”? Answer: Jack Nicklaus. Nicklaus won 18 major PGA championship victories and had 19 second-place finishes in his career. 29. What kind of gun is used for pheasant hunting? Answer: Shotgun. A shotgun shell is filled with BB-sized pellets. 30. What professional ice hockey player is known as “The Great One”? Answer: Wayne Gretzky. He is the only National Hockey League player to score over 200 points in one season. Either a goal or an assist counts as one point. He played in the NHL for 20 seasons, from 1979 to 1999.

Grow Oyster Mushrooms from a Kit Easy-to-find and inexpensive, oyster mushroom kits are like a garden, science, and art project rolled into one.

What you’ll need to grow oyster mushrooms: •• Oyster mushroom kit (We used the blue oyster kit, but there are also white and pink oyster mushroom kits.) •• Large mixing bowl •• Spritzing bottle filled with water •• Scissors How to start growing mushrooms from a kit: (You should also consult the directions included with the kit.) 1. Open the mushroom kit box, following the pattern printed on the box. 2. Use scissors to make an X-shaped slit in the plastic bag holding the block of mushroom material. 3. Remove the bag from the box and soak overnight in a bowl of room-temperature water. 4. Dry the outside of the plastic bag and put it back in the box with the X-slit facing up. 5. Keep the box in a place where room temperature is between 60 and 75 degrees and there is indirect sunlight. 6. Each day, spritz water on the exposed part of the mushroom material (where the X-slit is). 7. Watch as small mushrooms form and grow. 8. Harvest or cut off mushrooms at their base when they are about 2“ tall or have been growing for about a week. How do mushrooms grow? •• Mushrooms begin to grow when a mushroom spore (similar to a seed) finds itself in the right growth conditions. Mushroom spores grow underground and need oxygen, food, and water to grow. •• When the spores receive the right amount of oxygen, food, and water, they form mycelium, which is a root-like, white filament that spreads out underground. Mycelium continually produces enzymes that break down wood and other soil matter. This provides the mycelium with energy or food to continue to form more mycelium. •• Rain can spur mycelium to produce “fruit,” which are the mushrooms we see. They pop up from underground but are still attached to the mycelium, just like a plant that grows from a seed is always attached to its roots. •• To harvest a mushroom, you cut it at the base but leave the bottom of the stem and attached mycelium underground if you want it to stay intact to produce more mushrooms. (Mycelium also adds nutrients to the soil and the plants and trees around it, which is another reason to leave it intact.) •• Oyster mushroom mycelium can “eat” a huge variety of things, including petroleum. In general, though, it prefers woody material, which is why oyster mushrooms are often found growing on trees. They are not very picky about temperature, light, and humidity, making them easier than most varieties to grow indoors at home.

How do mushroom kits work? •• Oyster mushroom kits, which you can buy at nurseries, online, and even at Target, are filled with a block of oyster mushroom mycelium. The mycelium for the kit is created when oyster mushroom spores are placed in a substrate or substance with water and oxygen. Under the right conditions, the spores become oyster mushroom mycelium. Often the substrate for the spores and mycelium is recycled and free. “Waste” products like the hulls of rice or seeds, corn cobs, and used coffee grounds are all good food for oyster mushroom mycelium. Oyster mushroom mycelium can even digest and recycle petroleum and some plastic, but those are not used in home-growing kits. •• In oyster mushroom grow kits, the mycelium is molded into an easy-to-ship square or rectangle. Then, the mycelium’s growth is stopped—no more food or water is added to the mycelium. It is then sealed in plastic, so it’s cut off from oxygen and can easily be boxed and shipped. •• The mycelium will remain dormant until it gets more oxygen and water. (If you want to grow mushrooms, you shouldn’t give the mycelium more food because then it will keep growing more mycelium rather than producing mushrooms.) When mycelium receives water and oxygen but not food, a signal is sent to it that it should grow or fruit a mushroom. •• When you are ready to grow mushrooms from a purchased kit, cut open part of the plastic the mycelium is packaged in to provide it with air and soak the bag in water. That signals to the mycelium that it’s time to fruit mushrooms. •• Some types of mycelium need specific air temperatures and humidity levels to produce mushrooms. Oyster mushrooms are very forgiving. Average indoor home temperatures are just fine for oyster mushrooms. They do best when there is some light but not direct sunlight. They can grow near a window that doesn’t receive direct sun or in a darker area of the house—even in a cabinet. •• Oyster mushroom kits need to be sprayed with water daily so they don’t dry out. After just a few days, the tiny pinheads of mushrooms appear. After a week to 10 days, mushrooms begin growing right out of the hole in the plastic bag, breaking the bag if they need more room. Using harvested oyster mushrooms: •• It is never recommended to eat wild or homegrown mushrooms raw. Cooked oyster mushrooms have a very pleasant and mild taste, especially when sautéed or added to soup. •• You can also make unique mushroom prints. Oyster mushrooms have white spores, so try making the prints on black paper. •• Textured mushroom gills make great stamps. Use them to create unique wrapping paper. Brush the underside of a mushroom with a light coat of acrylic craft paint and gently press it onto craft paper. Repeat several times and then switch mushrooms and colors. Use paint colors that reflect the season or a specific holiday, such as red and goldfor Christmas.

Hatha Chair Yoga Using a chair for support, try these classic hatha yoga postures or poses. (Hatha yoga means doing physical yoga as opposed to doing good deeds or meditating.) These six poses are a great way to warm up or cool down before a longer exercise routine. Bow Pose

•• Place your left hand on the back of the chair. Pick up your right ankle as shown in the photo.

Take several seconds to try balancing in this position. If you feel comfortable, slowly begin to kick your right leg back behind you, keeping your knee bent, and your hand on the ankle. Lean forward just a few inches, but keep your head and chest lifted so you feel an arch in your lower back.

•• After 5–10 seconds, return to the starting position, holding your ankle with your leg by your

side. Then slowly lower the leg.

•• Repeat the pose with the left leg and hand.

Half Moon Pose

•• Stand behind a chair and hold onto the back of the chair with both hands. Then, reach your left arm up overhead

and to the right. Lift up from the ribcage so you feel the stretch along the left side of your body.

•• Return to center and reach the right arm up and over to the left side. Push your hips to the right to increase the

stretch along your right side.

•• Bring both hands back to the chair and slowly look toward the ceiling, doing a gentle back bend.

•• Bend forward slightly, tuck your chin, and look down toward your knees to counter the backbend.

Awkward Pose

•• Hold onto the back of the chair and lift up onto the balls of your feet.

•• Keep your heels raised off the floor as you bend the knees as if you’re coming into a sitting position. You don’t have

bend down too far to get the leg-strengthening benefits of this posture.

•• Straighten your legs and slowly drop your heels to the floor.

Eagle Pose

•• Place both hands on the back of the chair. Bring your feet together and bend your knees.

•• Bring your right leg over your left. Bend your knees as if you’re sitting down. As you move deeper into the pose,

stick your buttocks out behind and arch your back slightly. Try to begin to wrap the right leg under the left calf. Hold the position for about 10 seconds.

•• Come back to the center and then switch to do the pose with your left leg wrapped over your right leg.

Standing Head to Knee

•• Hold on to the chair with one hand and pull your left knee up toward your chest with the other hand. If you are

comfortable, bring your forehead toward your lifted knee, resting your forehead on your knee if possible.

•• Lift your head up slowly and come back to the center before trying the pose with your right leg.

Warrior Pose

•• Hold onto the back of the chair with both hands. Without moving your hands, take a step to the right with your

right foot and bend your right knee. Make sure you can keep your left foot on the floor. If you can’t, take a smaller step. Your toes should be pointed toward the sides of the room rather than forward toward the chair. Try to keep your weight in the center of your body so you aren’t putting all your weight on your right leg. Hold the posture for 5–10 seconds.

•• Come back to center and change sides by stepping your left foot out to the left.

Tips

•• Sometimes one side of the body is stronger or more flexible than the other. Don’t expect to be able to do yoga

poses exactly the same on both sides. It is important to always try the pose on both sides to retain a sense of balance in the body.

•• Always take a break or modify a yoga exercise if you are feeling any discomfort.

Paired Up-card game Based on the traditional Mexican card game Parear (Spanish for “pair” or “set”), Paired Up is a quick-moving card game of chance and strategy. A player wins by having collected the most pairs after five rounds of play. Number of players: 2–6 Object of the game: Win Paired Up by collecting more pairs of cards than your opponents. In the event of a tie, pairs of cards with the highest face value win. Materials: •• Traditional deck of playing cards (jokers removed) •• Paper and pencil How to play: 1. Shuffle the deck. Deal five cards facedown to each player. Players pick up the cards and hold

them throughout the game.

2. Four cards are dealt faceup in a row in the center of the table so they are easily visible. The

dealer keeps the remainder of the deck to use during the game.

3. The player to the left of the dealer goes first. Play continues in a clockwise direction.

4. If a player has a card that matches one of the cards on the table, they place their card on top

of the matching one, then take both cards and keep them in a stack separate from the cards

they were dealt. Suits do not matter in the game, only the number or face on the card.

5. If the player does not have a card that matches any of the faceup cards, they must take

one card from their hand and add it to the row of faceup cards in the center of the table.

6. When deciding what card to put down, players should consider that getting a pair is their first

priority, but they should also consider keeping cards with high face values in case they are

needed for a tiebreaker. (Kings, queens, and jacks are worth 10 points each. Aces are worth

only one point.)

7. A player may play only one card per turn, even if they have more than one card that matches

a card on the table.

8. When a player makes a pair and removes it from the center of the table, the dealer replaces

it with one from the deck. There can be more than four cards faceup on the table, but never

fewer than four cards.

9. After five rounds, all players will be out of cards. The player who has acquired the most pairs

wins the game.

10. A tie after five rounds of play is not uncommon. When this happens, players count the face

value of all their cards. Kings, queens, and jacks are worth 10 points each. Aces are worth

one point. The player with the highest score is the winner.

Yardstick Box Transform a yardstick into a unique and handy box. You will need:

• Wooden yardstick

• Hand saw

• Sandpaper

• Wood glue

• 2 colors of acrylic paint and

painting supplies

• 2 small bowls or cups for

diluting paint

• 6 1/4" X 6 1/4" piece of heavy cardboard

Directions: 1. Using a hand saw, cut four 6" pieces from a yardstick. Sand the cut edges to remove any splinters.

2. Dilute 2 colors of acrylic paint by mixing 1 tablespoon of paint with 1 tablespoon of water.

3. Use one of the paint washes to color the front and edges of the yardstick segments. Let the paint

dry for 15 minutes.

4. Use the second color to paint one side of the cardboard and the unpainted side of the yardstick

pieces. Let the paint dry for another 15 minutes.

5. Apply wood glue to the bottom edge of one of the yardstick segments and glue it onto the

cardboard square, aligning it along an edge. Leave 1/4" of cardboard exposed on the opposite edge of

the cardboard as shown in the last photo above. (This is where you will glue the last yardstick

segment.)

6. Add glue to the bottom edge and one of the side edges of another section of the yardstick as

shown in the first photo below.

7. Attach the second yardstick segment using a butt joint as shown in the center photo above.

8. Glue on the next yardstick segment following steps 6 and 7.

9. Apply glue to the exposed edge of the segment attached first as shown in the last photo above.

10. Glue the fourth yardstick segment onto the cardboard and allow the project to dry for about 45

minutes before using.

Tip:

Pay attention to how you are gluing on the yardstick sections so all the lines and numbers are facing

the same way.

Variations:

• Put the project together, let the glue dry, and then paint the box.

• Use balsam wood instead of cardboard for the base of the box.

Rock and Roll Hall of Fame ACROSS DOWN 1. Band performance 2. Mick Jagger’s group 4. Ohio city 3. Social activities 7. Keyboard player 5. Percussionist 8. New member 6. Music groups 10. “The King” 9. Songwriter 12. Curator’s building 10. Museum displays 14. Crooner 11. Performer 15. Band frontman, sometimes 13. Room with many books 16. Liverpool quartet 17. Cast ballots 18. Movie area 19. Past

Finding Car Parts Radio attachment– antenna Circuit protector - fuse Wheel shaft– axle Bonnet - hood

Juice source – battery Car starter - ignition Auto stopper – brakes Mileage counter - odometer

Front auto protector – bumper Bump absorbers - shocks Brake pedal neighbor – clutch They make tracks - tires

Where Are They Now? (solution) Originated Now 1. Dodgers Brooklyn Los Angeles

2. Giants (baseball) New York San Francisco 3. Jazz New Orleans Utah

4. Braves Boston Atlanta 5. Lakers Minneapolis Los Angeles

6. Cardinals (football) Chicago Arizona

7. Pistons Fort Wayne Detroit 8. Grizzlies Vancouver Memphis

9. Rams Cleveland Los Angeles 10. Colts Baltimore Indianapolis

11. Athletics Kansas City Oakland 12. Warriors Philadelphia Golden State

13. Senators-Twins Washington Minnesota 14. Royals-Kings Rochester Sacramento

15. Rockets San Diego Houston 16. Texans-Chiefs Dallas Kansas City

Back to School pencil eraser

Homework teacher

science student

English recess

paper lunch

music writing

history

library

Good Harvest A. Crop B. Gather

C. Silo D. Autumn

E. Watermelon F. Onion

G. Potato

H. Hops I. Fruit

J. Vegetables K. Tractor

L. Field M. Corn

N. Straw O. Wheat

P. Pumpkin Q. Farmer

R. Plow