Nobody knew better than Reeve how hard it was to find quality daycare for a shy, sensitive sea cucumber
Cora was quite critical of Alexander's friends
Galapagos tortoise rides are the new must-have for chi-chi birthday parties
Living next to a pet sanctuary was new for the Boyles
This was the weekend the Claytons' social calendar was always full
Art and photos by Jane Hart
NOVEMBER 6: NATIONAL SAXOPHONE DAY
National Saxophone Day is on the birthday of Antoine-Joseph (known as Adolphe) Sax, the inventor of the saxophone, November 6, 1814. Sax invented the saxophone in 1841 and patented it in 1846. Born in Dinant, now known as Belgium, he is also famously known for several near-death experiences as a child, including but not limited to falling down 3 flights of stairs; a gunpowder explosion; and swallowing pins in watered-down sulphuric acid, thinking it was milk. Happily, he survived to invent the saxophone, which became a great modern contribution to the music world. Before coming up with the saxophone, he also created various brass instruments that bore his name, including the saxtuba, saxotromba, and the saxhorn. Those instruments didn’t catch on and quickly faded into non-existence. But the saxophone lives on today.
This soulful instrument has a rich history and musical range. It is loved for what it brings to both jazz and classical music. It has two unique features: it is the only instrument to be created by one person and it is the only brass instrument in the woodwind family.
Sax constructed saxophones in several sizes in the early 1840s. On June 28, 1846, he received a 15-year patent for the instrument. His dream for the saxophone was for it to perform low to high ranges in an orchestra. His patent encompassed 14 different versions of the fundamental design, split into 2 categories of 7 instruments each, and ranging from sopranino to contrabass. When the patent expired in 1866, Millereau Co. created and patented a version of the saxophone with a forked F sharp key and Goumas patented one with the clarinet-inspired Boehm fingering system. Later, in 1881, Sax extended his original patent and made some adjustments to expand the instrument’s octave range. Today, only 4 of the 14 saxophones created by its inventor are used: the soprano, the alto, the tenor, and the baritone.
Over the years, many great saxophone masters have graced the world with their music, including: Stan Getz, Sonny Rollins, Lester Young, John Coltrane Charlie “Bird” Parker, Kenny G., and Jimmy Dorsey.
NOVEMBER 7: INTERNATIONAL MERLOT DAY
International Merlot Day celebrates one of the world’s most popular red wines.
The word “merlot” is thought to be a diminutive of merle, the French word for blackbird, which probably refers to the color of the grape the wine comes from. It was first produced in Bordeaux, France. Indeed, more hectares in Bordeaux are devoted to growing Merlot than any other grape. In Italy, Merlot is the 5th most planted grape. France and Italy are not the only sources of Merlot. The grape is the 2nd most widely planted grape in Israel. Besides Bordeaux, Italy, and Israel, other Merlot-producing regions include: the US (California and Washington), Chile, Australia, Canada, South Africa, Greece, and Mexico
Wine experts describe the flavor of Merlot as a dark-fruit flavor. Think black cherry, blackberry, plum, and raspberry. These fruity flavors are layered with herbal tones as well as undertones of vanilla and mocha. However, it is a dry wine, so dry that some consider it bitter. The bitter taste comes from the skin of the grapes. Never had Merlot? Besides celebrating this deep red wine, International Merlot Day is a day to encourage those who’ve never tried it, to do just that.
NOVEMBER 8: ABET AND AID PUNSTERS DAY
Abet and Aid Punsters Day is all about loosening up and laughing with each other. It is a celebration with the simple aim of sharing puns and punny jokes. Punsters hope that everyone will join in the celebrations and forget their worries for a day. Don’t roll your eyes! Just join in the laughter — and come up with your own bad puns. The worse they are, the better they are (we’re looking at you, Art Brady!).
According to literaryterms.com, a pun is “a joke based on the interplay of homophones — words with the same pronunciation but different meanings. It can also play with words that sound similar, but not exactly the same. The joke’s humor (if any) comes from the confusion of the two meanings.” Puns, also known as paronomasia, intentionally use homophonic, homographic, metonymic, or figurative language. An example: The tallest building in town is the library — it has thousands of stories. The meaning of a pun may be specific to a particular language or culture.
Puns have a long history in human writing. They originated in ancient Egypt, where the Egyptians used them to develop myths and interpret dreams. In Shen Dao, China, they used puns for communicating royal decrees. In ancient Mesopotamia, around 2500 BC, punning was used by scribes to represent words in cuneiform. Even the Hebrew Bible contains puns. The Roman playwright Plautus was famous for his puns and word games. The Mayans also used puns in their hieroglyphic writing and their modern languages.
There’s no real proof of how Abet and Aid Punsters Day came about, however enthusiasts believe that the day may have originated in the 1970s. Whatever the date of its inception, Abet and Aid punsters day is a day to make bad puns, and to encourage others to do the same.
NOVEMBER 9: NATIONAL CHAOS NEVER DIES DAY
On Chaos Never Dies Day, go a little crazy finding ways to embrace the chaos of the world. Chaos can mean different things to different people. For some, it’s a schedule-packed day navigating a large and bustling city. For others, it’s weekly family dinners. For Kendal, it’s knowing full well that the pilates class is in conflict with the book group — for which you have prepared a succinct insight — which is squeezed tightly against the call from a granddaughter who wants to tell you about her new puppy, but still you think you can make it before catching the afternoon van to Stop & Shop because you’re having drinks with the friends you’ve invited to the FDR and need those nice, crunchy crackers, and squeezing in a fast trot to the liquor store for wine before the bus leaves — and, besides, you wanted to visit a friend in Clearwater. Whatever your specific chaos, the key to enjoying life is embracing the confusion and facing it head-on. That’s where Chaos Never Dies Day comes in — it’s completely dedicated to enjoying the chaos in the world around us!
Chaos is a state of disorder or confusion. It appears in every facet of the human experience — and has done so since before the term even came about. In Greek mythology, Khaos is one of the primordial gods born before the universe itself. So, basically, chaos, and all its confusion and disorder, predates the universe, making it an integral part of life.
While the specific origins of Chaos Never Dies Day are unknown, what is known is that chaos is an inevitable part of life. Even as people propagate the idea of slowing down, taking a break, and taking some time for yourself, these won’t stop the inevitable chaos in your life. “Relaxation” products — that came about when the self-help movement recognized there was money in them thar exhausted human beings — help take a load off, but that doesn’t mean the chaos stops once that luxuriating soak in the tub is achieved. There’s no real way to escape the day-to-day crazy; better to stop trying to run from it and, instead, find ways to temper chaos and make it fun.
National Chaos Never Dies Day is a day of realization and coming to terms with the reality that chaos never dies. The day is intended as a day to help us deal with the chaos. A day to let a sense of calm wash over us despite it all. A day to live our lives as well as we can, even though we know there will always be things we can't change. Chaos never dies, we will not let it get us down. As soon as we accept that life is chaotic, the less we let it rule over us. Take a deep breath and say, “OK, things can get a bit nuts, but that’s OK.” And note: there’s always International Moment of Frustration Scream Day on October 12. Perhaps make that a monthly “celebration”?
NOVEMBER 10: AREA CODE DAY
“Operator. Can I help you.” Thus began the wonderful world of telephony, lo, these many, many, many decades ago. In the beginning of the world with telephones, things were easy. You didn’t even call a number, you just spoke to your operator and asked them to connect you with someone in town. Need the doctor? Not only could you ask to be connected, but might inquire which one she’d suggest.
Eventually, the phone system expanded beyond local networks and started connecting towns, counties, states, and nations. The first step was putting in a number system so that each person could dial another directly. Ah, problem: not enough numbers. Enter the Area Code.
Area Code Day celebrates the solution that has become a part of our everyday existence. First devised in the 1940s in the AT&T and Bell laboratories, the idea was slowly but surely expanded on and developed until it went into effect in 1947 named the North American Numbering Plan (NANP) and covering 25 different regions, including North America and the Caribbean. It solved the issue of not enough phone numbers for both the USA and Canada and beyond. AT&T went on managing the NANP, finally discontinuing it after the administration was handed over to the American Numbering Plan Administrator (NANPA) service, led by the Federal Communications Commission in the US.
Through NANP, states and provinces were assigned single codes, all of which had a 0 in the middle. Some creative ideas were implemented to help make dialing easier, including how numbers were distributed. Areas with larger populations were assigned area codes with lower numbers at the beginning and end. Why? In those days of rotary dialing, it was decided that people in denser populated areas should be able to dial faster. How to do that? Use numbers closer to zero so they had a shorter pull time.
Over time, as the number of households with telephones grew and the possibility of calling beyond one’s own country expanded, the concept of using area codes also grew — and modified. Most countries in the NANP are divided into numbering plan service areas. The number prefix that each area has is called the “numbering plan area code.” “Area code,” for short. Initially the first number of the three-digit code could be 2 through 9, the second digit had to be a 0 or 1, and the third digit could be any number. But no code was to end in 0 — until the toll-free code 800 was introduced.
As population continued to expand — and, with it, the number of telephones — so did area codes, which needed to be broadened to meet greater demand. In 1995, the center digit, which up to that point could only be 0 or 1, was expanded to be any number but 9. Next step: “national access codes” (also known as “country codes”), making calling abroad easier. Area codes are often preceded by the national access code, which is 1 in the US, and 0 in many other countries.
NOVEMBER 11: ORIGAMI DAY
On National Origami Day, sit down and find your zen by practicing this ancient art. Originally called “orikata,” meaning “folded shapes,” the word transitioned to origami in 1880. Origami originated in Japan as early as 105 AD. The earliest set of written origami instructions didn’t come out until 1764. Folding images from paper became a vital skill for aristocrats and high-ranking Japanese soldiers. Because paper was very expensive, only those in the upper class practiced origami. By using such a valuable material as mere decoration, wealthy families could demonstrate their access to such luxuries. As time marched on and, Japan’s industrial revolution began during the late 19th century’s Meiji period, paper prices decreased and origami spread throughout Japanese society. Origami became a regular feature of familial ceremonies such as weddings and birthdays. Today, anyone with access to paper and a flat surface is welcome to give it a go.
International interest in origami was spurred by Akira Yoshizawa, who was a grandmaster origamist. He developed current standards for origami practices and, in doing so, served as a cultural ambassador of Japan. Yoshizawa designed countless origami patterns, and became known as the “Father of modern origami.”
With origami, a square piece of paper is folded into a 3-dimensional shape or image. Only one tool: the paper itself. (Note: origami’s modern cousin, kirigami, allows the use of scissors and glue.) It can feel much like a logic problem or a brainteaser. How to get the most realistic result by simply manipulating folds, tucks, and turns. Most common is the use of standard 6-inch square paper to make origami. The most popular things to make include the fortune teller, crane, lotus flower, jumping frog, butterfly, swan, hat, and heart. Besides providing an outlet for creativity, there are other benefits of origami: it encourages relaxation (see above: National Chaos Never Dies Day), strengthens eye-hand coordination, and develops fine-motor skills. Additionally, origami enhances math skills and supports mental concentration.
New Yorker Lillian Oppenheimer, who was born 1898, introduced origami to the US and Great Britain, founding organizations in each country so fellow paper-folding lovers could gather and share their art. Today, her organization — OrigamiUSA — is alive and well in America. Each year, they hold a 2-week convention where origamists from across the US come together to accomplish massive artistic feats using only paper.
NOVEMBER 12: INTERNATIONAL TONGUE TWISTER DAY
International Tongue Twister Day is celebrated every second Sunday in November, this year on November 12. According to the dictionary, a tongue twister is “a sequence of words or sounds, typically of an alliterative kind, that are difficult to pronounce quickly and correctly, as, for example, tie twine to three tree twigs.”
Tongue twisters have technically been around since the 19th century when John Harris published Peter Piper’s Practical Principles of Plain and Perfect Pronunciation, which included a twisty tongue tango for every letter of the alphabet. The book was published to help children learn fundamentals of speech mechanics. However, in addition, old Peter Piper garnered quite a lot of attention and inspired a lot of lore. It turns out Peter Piper was based on French horticulturalist Pierre Poivre, whose last name actually means “pepper” in French. Pierre was said to be exploring the viability of growing American spices in the French Mediterranean.
Researchers at MIT have identified the most difficult tongue twister (researchers at MIT must have a lot of time on their hands). It has nothing to do with Peter Piper Picking Pickled Peppers, she who sells seashells by the seashore, or even the Q&A about “how much wood would a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood?” The most difficult tongue twister is the announcement that “The sixth sick sheikh’s sixth sheep’s sick.” Guinness World Records featured it as the most difficult tongue twister in the English language in 1974, the last year they tracked tongue twisters.
Tongue twisters offer benefits outside of just being fun. Among them are:
They strengthen the muscles used for speech, leading to clearer pronunciation and speech patterns.
They highlight which sounds are difficult for you to say so that you can work on those sounds.
They are a great warmup exercise before giving a speech, teaching a class, or doing a presentation.
To practice tongue twisters, try some with just a few words. The key: practicing saying the same phrase a certain number of times. Repeat “six sticky skeletons” 3 times in a row. Or “she sees cheese” 5 times.
Want some fun tongue twisters? Read on:
She sees cheese.
Chop shops stock chops.
If a dog chews shoes, whose shoes does he choose?
Seventy-seven benevolent elephants
A loyal warrior will rarely worry why we rule.
There was a minimum of cinnamon in the aluminum pan.
How can a clam cram in a clean cream can?
A pessimistic pest exists amidst us.
Photo by Edward Kasinec
Many Kendalites are also Puzzlers. Recently, those in Robert Fulton and in Clermont have sent in impressive results from hours of observation, analyzing, fitting (and not a wee bit of colorful language).
Robert Fulton: a 3,000 Piece Beauty
Photo by Caroline Persell
Clermont: 1,000 Pieces of Determination
Photo by Cynthia Ferguson
Photos by Peter Sibley
Lynn and Art Brady took a trip to the Kensico Dam one beautiful fall day.
A bit of perspective on the dam’s size . . .
. . . and length
Photos by Art Brady
This is what a snail drinking from a bubble looks like.
Contributed by Simone
WASHINGTON POST NEOLOGISM CONTEST
The Washington Post has published the winning submissions to its annual neologism contest, in which readers are asked to supply alternative meanings for common words.
And the winners are:
1. Coffee (noun), the person upon whom one coughs.
2. Flabbergasted (adjective), appalled over how much weight you have gained.
3. Abdicate (verb), to give up all hope of ever having a flat stomach.
4. Esplanade (verb), to attempt an explanation while drunk.
5. Willy-nilly (adjective), impotent.
6. Negligent (adjective), describes a condition in which you absentmindedly answer the door in your nightgown.
7. Lymph (verb), to walk with a lisp.
8. Gargoyle (noun), olive-flavoured mouthwash.
9. Flatulence (noun), emergency vehicle that picks you up after you are run over by a steamroller.
10. Balderdash (noun), a rapidly receding hairline.
11. Testicle (noun), a humorous question on an exam.
12. Rectitude (noun), the formal, dignified bearing adopted by proctologists.
13. Pokemon (noun), a Rastafarian proctologist.
14. Oyster (noun), a person who sprinkles his conversation with Yiddishisms.
15. Frisbeetarianism (noun, back by popular demand): The belief that, when you die, your soul flies up onto the roof and gets stuck there.
16. Circumvent (noun), an opening in the front of boxer shorts worn by Jewish men.
Contributed by Barbara Bruno
Sleepy Hollow is Halloween country writ large. As soon as the calendar flips over to October 1, large groups of tourists arrive for guided tours of the Sleepy Hollow Cemetary. The Blaze (of pumpkin and pumpkin-like sculptures) starts early and stays into November. Neighborhoods and shops start decorating for the big day. And it all culminates (as it did this past weekend) in block parties and the grand parade down Main Street.
If you’re not a fan of the concept or practice of the Halloween celebration, zoom-scroll down past this section. If you are, however, a Halloween junkie (or even someone with a vague appreciation) this section is for you.
Photos by Harry Bloomfeld
Photos by Gerry Mahoney
It was a dark and stormy day . . . and, suddenly, witches on the Hudson!
Photos by Mimi Abramovitz
In the ‘Hood . . .
Just goes to prove the old adage: Don’t drink and fly . . .
Photos by Mimi Abramovitz
On the Town . . .
Beware the passing cars, as well
Inside the stores, too — this one in Town
Young Halloween Artists Were Offered Opportunities on Shop Windows (again, just a few)
He who leads it all off . . . the Headless Horseman rides again
Curiously, DeeDee’s on-line dating profile wasn’t getting much action
It wasn’t just fleas this time; Bowser had a confirmed case of barflies
After excruciating delays, Hooke-Lyons and Zinker finally sealed the dea
Dottie had a thing about green frames
The new backup singers were perfect for Grandma’s worldwide farewell tour
Art and photos by Jane Hart
Lost in Meditation
I was happy to give up computer work
using my left brain
immersed in Fortran
trying to make my programs work
had to be 100% correct
no room for error
unforgiving
stress created
I find creativity
making art
using my right brain
intuition takes over
lose all track of time
lost in meditation
introspection
self awareness
self discovery
beautiful sculptures produced
accomplishment
peacefulness
happiness
Meandering Sculpture
OCTOBER 30: NATIONAL CANDY CORN DAY
Halloween is to candy corn as Easter is to chocolate bunny. October 31 is the spooky day when we celebrate ghosts and goblins with Trick-or-Treat. So it is only right that October 30 is the day we prep for it by celebrating candy corn.
Multicolored candy corn — with its broad yellow end, tapered orange middle, and white tip — is made from sugar, corn syrup, confectioner’s wax, coloring, and binders. Originally called “Chicken Feed,” it was invented in the 1880s by George Renninger, a Wunderle Candy Company employee. Wunderle started producing the candy in 1888. The Goelitz Confectionery Company (now called Jelly Belly) picked it up in 1898. When candy corn first came to be, the US was still largely a rural society, and that’s who candy corn was marketed to: rural residents. While Jelly Belly still makes candy corn, Brach’s Confections is now the largest manufacturer of candy corn, producing approximately 7 billion pieces of candy corn per year, making up 85% of the entire candy-corn industry at Halloween.
Though the Halloween season sparked the creation, Brach’s has expanded its candy corn sales by creating different versions for different seasons: “Indian corn,” popular around Thanksgiving, has a chocolate brown rather than yellow base; Christmas has “reindeer corn” with a red end and green center is popular; “cupid corn” comes around Valentine's Day; there’s “bunny corn” at Easter; and for Independence Day, “freedom corn.” In recent times, in addition to visual variations are, new flavors have been developed: caramel apple, green apple, s’mores, pumpkin spice, and carrot cake.
As of 2016, annual production in the United States was 35 million pounds, or almost 9 billion pieces of candy. With that kind of success, no wonder the National Confectioners Association deemed October 30, “National Candy Corn Day.”
OCTOBER 31: NATONAL MAGIC DAY
Halloween’s all about illusion. We dress up as something not ourselves. So, no wonder the day has also been named National Magic Day (which is part of National Magic Week, as well).
Magic is all about the creation of illusions — spooky and otherwise. Magicians — also known as “illusionists” — use natural means for creating seemingly impossible or for supernatural feats. There are lots of categories within the overall genre. They include:
Stage illusions: a kind of large-scale performance on a stage.
Parlor magic: a performance before a medium-scale audience such as an auditorium.
Micromagic: performed close up using coins, cards, and other small items. It's also known as close-up or table magic. This type of performance occurs in an intimate setting.
Escapology: In this type of performance, the artist escapes from a dangerous situation such as being submerged underwater while handcuffed or dangling from a burning rope.
Pickpocket magic: A distraction type of performance, the artist, makes watches, jewelry, wallets, and more disappear through misdirection. The audience witnesses the entire event.
Mentalism: This type of performance stuns the audience with the artist’s powers of intuition, memory, memory, deduction, and other feats of the mind.
Many magicians take their talents and combine them. Whether they burst into the Big Time, take the show to the streets, or entertain children, they hone their skills in a variety of ways. Others travel with fairs or demonstrate their skills with corporate or trade shows. Audiences also enjoy comedy and magic together.
Throughout history, people have “done magic.” Magic shows have their origins in ancient Egypt when the first conjuring act was recorded. Magic has played a relatively large role in history, especially in Western societies — from the first magic tricks and acts to the more notorious hunting of witches in the 17th century when magic was considered demonic. In the mid-19th century, magic shows became a fun social event, culminating with masters like Harry Houdini, who ruled the magic scene until his death in 1926. One of the most reknowned magicians of his time — especially for his escapology — Houdini developed a range of stage magic tricks and made full use of the variety of conjuring techniques, including fake equipment and collusion with individuals in the audience. His show-business savvy was as exceptional as his showmanship. The Houdini Museum is located in Scranton, Pennsylvania. In 1938, a Chicago member of the Society of American Magicians went to Mrs. Houdini to obtain official permission for an observance in honor of Harry Houdini. The result: October 31 was proclaimed National Magic Day in Harry Houdini’s memory.
NOVEMBER 1: PRIME MERIDIAN DAY
Prime Meridian Day celebrates the imaginary line that divides Earth into the East and West Hemispheres. It’s also a time to learn more about the prime meridian.
A map or globe display lines of latitude and longitude. These lines were developed to make it easier to find certain places. Lines of latitude provide a coordinate that is north or south of the equator. Lines of longitude give coordinates east or west of the prime meridian. A Greek astronomer named Hipparchus, who lived from 190 – 120 BC, first used lines of latitude and longitude to locate a specific location.
The prime meridian (which is 0 degrees longitude) could have been set anywhere. For many years, governments of different countries disagreed on its location. Mapmakers in France, for example, marked the prime meridian in Paris, while the Chinese government published maps with 0 degrees longitude going through Beijing.
In October 1884, US President Chester Arthur called for an International Meridian convention in Washington, DC, to agree upon “a meridian to be employed as a common zero of longitude and standard of time reckoning throughout the world.” There, on November 1, 41 representatives from 25 countries agreed on the official location of the prime meridian (0 degrees longitude): the Royal Observatory in Greenwich, England — the site of the large Airy Transit Circle telescope. The treaty adopted at the conference also set the International Date Line at 180° longitude in the Pacific Ocean. In all, there are 24 meridians, 1 every 15°, with an hour time difference. Despite this agreement, it took several years for every country in the world to agree on the official location for the prime meridian.
NOVEMBER 2: COOKIE MONSTER DAY
Cookie Monster Day celebrates the popular Sesame Street character Cookie Monster. Cookie Monster was dreamted up by Muppet creator Jim Henson. But Cookie (as he is known by his friends) was an actor even before debuting on Sesame Street in 1969. He actually got his big break in 1966 as a “Wheel-Stealer” on an unaired General Mills commercial for a snack food. The following year the monster was featured in an IBM training film that included a self-destructing “coffee break machine.” On October 8, 1967, this skit appeared on The Ed Sullivan Show. The Cookie Monster prototype next appeared as Arnold in three commercials for Munchos, a potato snack from Frito-Lay. Henson could have kept making more commercials with the popular monster, but brought him to Sesame Street instead. There he found a home.
When Cookie Monster first appeared on Sesame Street, his role was undefined. He didn’t even have a name. But by the second season he came into his own, and became one of the most popular characters on the show. He is known for his blue fur, googly eyes, simple language (“Me want cookie!”), and appetite to eat everything — not just cookies. There has been some concern that Cookie Monster encourages unhealthy eating, but Cookie Monster himself has even rapped about eating healthy food. However, the song he is most known for is “C is for Cookie.”
Cookie was played by Frank Oz until 2001, when David Rudman started doing most of the puppet’s portrayals.
Cookie Monster Day is celebrated on November 2, the day in 1969 when Cookie Monster was first introduced on Sesame Street. If you would like to hear Cookie’s “C is for Cookie” song, click here And if you want to hear Cookie rap for nutrition, click here.
NOVEMBER 3: WORLD JELLLYFISH DAY
World Jellyfish Day celebrates a beautiful, mysterious, and sometimes dangerous invertebrate. The day also encourages us to learn more about these unique aquatic animals.
Jellyfish are made up of about 95% water. They’re actually not fish at all, but invertebrates (meaning: without bones). Yes, they have a nerve network, but no central nervous system or brains. Also, they are without a circulatory system or a respiratory system. A jellyfish’s umbrella-shaped, jelly-like body — known as a bell — contains its stomach. Dangling from the bell are tentacles with cnidocytes, a type of exploding cell.
Jellyfish range in size: The Irukandji jellyfish weighs less than a tenth of an ounce, with a bell two-tenths of an inch in diameter. On the other hand, the lion’s mane jellyfish can weigh over 440 pounds and have a bell diameter of more than 6 ½ feet. No matter their size, because of these stinging tentacles any jellyfish is best appreciated from a distance.
Found in all 5 oceans around the world, most jellyfish eat plankton, fish larvae, and fish eggs. Their prey are sharks, sea turtles, dolphins, and tuna and other fish. Jellyfish migrate together in blooms, moving from the bottom of the ocean to its surface. Many, but not all, bloom in the spring, reproduce in the summer, and die in the fall. Some have a lifespan of a few hours, others can live for a few years. Many are dangerous to humans, with one of the most dangerous being the sea wasp, a box jellyfish.
Jellyfish have been around for a very long time — even longer than dinosaurs. Scientists’ theory that jellyfish originated some 500 million years ago was proven right with the 2007 discovery of perfectly preserved 505-million-year-old jellyfish fossils in Utah. Jellyfish’s mostly see-through bodies, wiry tentacles, and lack of bodily organs confounded early scientists – back when categories were only plants, animals, and humans — so much they couldn’t even classify them,. They didn’t seem to fit any one of those groups, and were classified as simply “incomplete” and ignored.
However, in 1859, Charles Darwin proposed his theory of evolution — “all living things show a variation in physical traits over time as a process of natural selection” — and jellyfish got some recognition. In 1866, the German zoologist and naturalist Ernst Haeckel wrote a book, Generelle Morphologie der Organismen (or, in English, General Morphology of Organisms). In it, he illustrated the evolution of many organisms — jellyfish included — to show how primitive animal forms gradually came to be versions known in modern times. His theory was that jellyfish had split from the rest of the organisms at an earlier date, which was the reason they looked so different from other species. And the research continued. In that process, at least in the scientific community, Jellyfish lost their “fish” designation, since they have no bones at all, much less a backbone. Scientists now sometimes refer to them as jellies.
Today, jellyfish are looked upon, all over the world, as somewhat of an invasive species, since they need very little oxygen to live and spread. They can survive in any water, enjoy a broad diet, reproduce very quickly, and shrink when food reserves reduce, only to revive themselves when food is available again. There are over 200 species of them — and some of them are even edible. They come in an array of colors, including, but not limited to, pink, yellow, blue, and purple. Jellyfish are usually luminescent, which makes them especially beautiful. On the down side, some jellyfish stings are very painful and others can be deadly.
NOVEMBER 4: KING TUT DAY
King Tut Day celebrates the day of the 1922 discovery, by archaeologist Howard Carter, of King Tut’s tomb in Egypt’s Valley of the Kings. Carter had first arrived in Egypt in 1891, but didn't start an in-depth search for King Tut’s tomb until after World War I. One reason the tomb hadn’t yet been found was because the steps to it had been covered and hidden with debris from the close-by tomb of Ramses VI. After discovering Tut’s tomb, Carter and another archaeologist, Lord Carnarvon, entered its interior chambers 3 weeks later, to find it remarkably intact. In the four-room tomb thousands of objects were discovered. These included a stone sarcophagus containing 3 other coffins inside of each other. Sort of a Russian doll of a coffin. Inside the final coffin — this one made of gold — was King Tut’s mummy. Most artifacts found in the excavation are now stored in the Cairo Museum. King Tut’s mummified body, still lies in his coffin.
King Tut’s full name was Tutankhamun. He was the 12th pharaoh of the 18th Egyptian dynasty, and reigned from roughly 1332 to 1323 BC, assuming power at the age of 9. His original name was Tutankhaten, which means “the living image of Aten,” but, after assuming the throne, he changed it to Tutankhamun, which means “the living image of Amun.” The difference? In Egyptian mythology “Aten” was merely the sun disk god. “Amun,” on the other hand, was a major god, sometimes called “King of the Gods.” Tut’s father was Akhenaten. He instituted a monotheistic religion where the only god that could be worshiped was Aten. During his father’s rule, focus was primarily on the religious transition, relegating foreign and other domestic affairs to the rear. After a 17-year rule, his son took over the throne. As King Tutankhaten, he worked to reverse his father’s policies and restore order, in a hope that all the gods would once again smile on Egypt.
It is not definitively known what led to Tut’s early death at 20. A long-held theory was that political rivals had killed him by striking him in the head. When found, there was damage to his skull. But a body scan in 2006 revealed the damage had happened after his death. Research suggests that he probably died from gangrene after suffering a broken leg. A 2010 study found that he had malaria and was disabled, which may have meant that he had to walk with a cane and was more susceptible to falls. Well, we at Kendal can all appreciate that.
NOVEMBER 5: ZERO TASKING DAY
Zero Tasking Day is celebrated on the first Sunday in November every year — November 5, this year — the same day that Daylight Savings Time ends. Suddenly, we have a whole extra hour. It’s temping to get a few extra tasks in. Zero Tasking Day encourages us to ditch that attitude.
Daylight savings was created to enable individuals who follow a clock-based schedule to get as many things done with the seasons’ ensuing changes (shorter days, longer nights). The clock would be changed on the same day at the same time to be an hour ahead. That way, people would have more hours during the day.
Daylight Saving Time ends on this day, when we turn our clocks back and “gain” an hour. Author Nancy Christie had the idea that instead of using the gained hour for more work and stress, we should instead be using it to “take a breath, relax, reenergize, refresh and deload.” According to Christie, we shouldn't be playing catch-up on tasks. Instead, we should do nothing — nothing except a little soul searching and reflection. She said we should stop and breathe and marvel at our own existence. We should reflect on and look at the world around us and place ourselves within it with a sense of peace. We should use the day to strengthen ourselves and be kind and nurturing to ourselves, so we are better able to help others, and so we will be more equipped to reach our own goals. Definitely sounds like a plan.
All summer long, Susan Yao has nurtured a pumpkin — from a tiny cutting to a fine example of pumpkin-hood. Last week, Susan’s pumpkin came indoors. Named, suitably, Jack O’Lantern, he weighed in at an impressive 23.5 pounds — and graced the Sip and Snack table for all to see. Now he holds Visiting Pumpkin status in the Bistro!
From the Garden of Susan Yao
And the count is in: 23 ½ pounds!
A humming bird has been visiting Carolyn Reiss all summer long. Happily, we now have a video of a brief stopover.
Workman Busy at Kendal
Beckoning Vista, by Edward Kasinec
Hudson River School, by Edward Kasinec
Shelf Fungus at Rockwood Park, by Harry Bloomfeld
Foot Massage, Please, by Edward Kasinec
A Dark Passage, by Edward Kasinec
And Further On into the Park, by Carolyn Reiss
On route 35 en route to a Ridgefield chocolate shop, Cynthia Ferguson came across a nursery with Halloween on its mind.
And a closer look . . .
Mimi and Bob Abramowitz and Birgitta Hockstader drove up to Union Church in Pocantico Hills to see the breathtaking Chagall windows.
The Good Samaritan
Once all villagers decided to pray for rain. On the day of prayer all the people gathered, but only one boy came with an umbrella. That’s Faith
When you throw babies in the air, they laugh because they know you will catch them. That’s Trust
Every night we go to bed without any assurance of being alive the next morning, but we still set alarms to wake up. That’s Hope
We plan ahead, something weeks and months, in spite of zero knowledge of the future. That’s Confidence
We see the world suffering, but we still get married and have children. That’s Love
An old man's shirt read, "I am not 80 years old: I'm sweet 16 with 64 years of experience." That’s Attitude
Contributed by Jane Hart
This is what two hours’ worth of lightning on one picture looks like.
Contributed by Simone
Sunday, October 15, was the day of the Activity Fair, when committees, interest groups, and the like came to showcase what they do and how they do it. It was fun. It was interesting. And it had cookies. Win, win, win.
Photos by Art Brady
Residents! You can now go beyond bocce and corn-ball throwing and the activities of Game Nights. A new sport at Kendal has stimulated the competitive juices of many of our residents. It is Lanternfly Killing.
Lanternflies originated in China, but began to spread worldwide recently, first being observed in the US in 2014. They have continuously increased in number and spread throughout our country since. No organization or government agency has developed a successful method of widely limiting or decreasing their number, and many have recommended destroying individuals, when encountered. These invasive insects spread havoc on farm crops and common forest trees by sucking out essential sap and depositing a toxic substance on their leaves.
Adult lanternflies are about an inch long with black bodies. Their wings are a striking red with small black spots (like the glow of an oil lantern). This summer they have become common around Kendal. They seem to enjoy sunning themselves on our patios and paths and sidewalks. Squashing them requires certain sharp reflexes, as they are very sensitive to perturbations of the air around them. If you don't strike them by surprise, they will take a flying six-foot leap.
Most folks stomp on them; some use fly swatters.
The competition, of course, consists of comparing how many lanternflies you have destroyed in a day versus the number killed by friends and neighbors. Those who object to killing any of nature's creatures can be consoled that decreasing the numbers of these buggers is very good for the environment.
Paraprosdokian: "A figure of speech in which the latter part of a sentence or phrase is surprising or unexpected; frequently used in a humorous situation"
Example: "Where there's a will, I want to be in it."
1. I didn’t say it was your fault, I said I was blaming you.
2. Women will never be equal to men until they can walk down the street with a bald head and a beer gut and still think they are sexy.
3. Behind every successful man is his woman. Behind the fall of a successful man is usually another woman.
4. A clear conscience is the sign of a fuzzy memory.
5. You do not need a parachute to skydive. You only need a parachute to skydive twice.
6. Money can’t buy happiness, but it sure makes misery easier to live with.
7. I used to be indecisive. Now I’m not so sure.
8. You're never too old to learn something stupid.
9. To be sure of hitting the target, shoot first and call whatever you hit the target.
10. Nostalgia isn’t what it used to be.
11. Change is inevitable, except from a vending machine.
Contributed by Barbara Bruno
© Kendal on Hudson Residents Association 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022 all rights reserved. Please do not reproduce without permission.
Photographs of life at Kendal on Hudson are by residents.