Need a Bathroom?

In our busy world of travel and errands, there’s a universal question that we all must eventually face, especially if we’re the parent of little ones: Where’s the bathroom? Pulling over for a little “hike” in the woods is fine for many of us, but what if there are no woods nearby or your stop requires a little more, ahem, pampering?

Well, if your smartphone accompanies you on your jaunts, there’s an app for that! Airpnp uses your geographic location to give you a list of places to potty, from freebies at coffee shops and stores to private homes that rent out their bathrooms. Private homes that rent out their bathrooms?!

graphic, Airpnp

Yes, that’s right, people actually rent out their bathrooms. Listings on the site include photos, hours of service, and fees, and many boast family-friendly atmospheres or luxurious soaps. The founders, natives of New Orleans, created the app when they realized they could help frustrated revelers find a bathroom during the city’s annual Mardi Gras festivities. Co-founder and “PEO” Max Gaudin says, “You can use Airpnp on your phone via the browser, on your computer, or download our iOS app.” Their playful tagline reads “Urine good hands.” For those of us who sometimes have to really, really GO, this app could turn out to be ….? What would you end the sentence with? Dashing?

  1. Winnie Nielsen says:

    This is really cool! I have never heard about renting out your home bathroom but I bet in places with big events, it could be a huge success. Looks like from the map that if you are in ND, SD, Montana or Idaho, your best bet it it find a path off the road or hope for a gas station!

  2. Ah the memories of bathrooms needed and not found ! My most memorable stop was while on Safari in Kenya. We were in the middle of nowhere on the African savannah, ( that would be a 4 hour drive from anywhere “civilized” ). Our native Kikuyu driver would let us stop by the side of the 2 track dirt path if we needed ” to go”. I was the only woman in our party. He said just to yell ” bush bush” if we needed to pull over. Not a lot of privacy, just miles of dried pampas grass. I spotted a few boulders and yelled ” bush bush” and jumped out. He warned me ” i’ts lion country miss” and I just laughed and hightailed it into the tall grass. then…..I stepped on a SLEEEPING LION ! God’s truth! and then to make it worse the whole pride of lions woke up and peered sleepily at me, blinking in the sun ! I did a cartoon like high stepping motion backwards to the Land Rover, white as a sheet. From then on I was ordered to “go” behind the vehicle right on the road. It is silent out there the savannah only a bit of breeze. I asked the ” boys” in my party not to look backward and make some noise as it sounded like Niagra Falls if you get my drift. They took it upon themselves to sing water songs like ” singing in the Rain” , ” splish splash” and “raindrops keep falling on my head” . They thought this was hysterical and frankly their laughing “drowned” out all other noise anyway. Yep ,won’t ever forget that ” call of nature” !!

    • MaryJane says:

      Lisa the Lioness … not! Wow, cool story.

    • Karlyne says:

      Lisa, what a story! I cannot even imagine it!

    • Megan says:

      Unforgettable, that is for sure! What an adventure! 🙂

      • thanks Megan,
        Yep, I’m working on my book and this story in a longer form will be in for sure.
        I’m sorta used to lions as my close friend Herb worked at the Central Park NY zoo and was in charge of the ” big cats”. I got to go in with him and be up close and personal with the “cats” . They purr too , but like motorboats ! Sheba the teenaged tigress was so adorable but got too playful one day and put her paws on Herb’s shoulders and knocked him clean down to the floor. He said that would be my last visit in with Sheba. And on it goes with the big and little cats in my life.

    • Sandi says:

      Lisa, I couldn’t help it! I had to laugh. Your description caused me to see it plainly in my mind’s eye and I burst out laughing when you said, ” I did a cartoon like high stepping motion backwards to the land rover.” What an experience!!

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You’re amazing!

I already know you’re amazing, but here are some honest-to-goodness, scientific-y facts about the human body that make us humans even more awe-inspiring.

Did you know …

* There are over 100,000 miles of blood vessels in an adult human? If all your blood vessels were laid out end-to-end, they would go around the Earth four times.

800px-Nasa_blue_marble

Photo, NASA/ GSFC/ NOAA/ USGS via Wikimedia Commons

* Your intestinal tract, the system responsible for eating and digesting food, is over 30 feet long. (How in the world does it all fit??)

* Nerve impulses travel back and forth to the brain at speeds up to 250 miles per hour (nearly as fast as the fastest race car on record).

* Humans have the ability to read up to 1,000 words a minute.

* Our eyes are so sensitive that, if our surroundings were completely flat, we could see the flicker of a candle at night from 30 miles away.

800px-PikiWiki_Israel_15577_Light_in_Darkness

Photo by israel Silberberg via Wikimedia Commons

* The adult body is made up of more than 7,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 (7 octillion) atoms. (One question: Who counted?)

* Humans have about the same number of hairs on their bodies as chimpanzees. (Ours are just so fine, you can barely see them, thank goodness.)

* Adult humans have about 2.5 trillion red blood cells in our bodies, but the average red blood cell lives only for about 120 days, so our bone marrow produces about two and a half million new ones every second. That’s like reproducing the entire population of Chicago every second.

* There are more living organisms on the skin of one human being than there are human beings on the Earth.

* Each of our bodies has 230 movable joints.

* Our hearts beat about 30 million times each year and our lungs breathe about 192 million gallons of air a year—all without even thinking about it.

Yep, we’re amazing.

Le Printemps by Pierre Auguste Cot (1873) via Wikimedia Commons

  1. Winnie Nielsen says:

    The Human Body is truly an amazing collection of working parts. When you stop and think about all of the vital and intricate systems, it is mind boggling how we manage to stay healthy and thrive despite all the crazy things we do to ourselves both knowingly and unknowingly!

  2. Cindi says:

    hee hee, I’m not so sure about the 230 movable joints in this body!

  3. CJ Armstrong says:

    Yes, we certainly are amazing! And it’s all because of our AMAZING CREATOR!
    CJ

  4. OOOOHHHH BABY! yes we are amazing aren’t we? thanks MaryJane for the reminder of how special we are

  5. bonnie ellis says:

    230 joints in the human body (no wonder they hurt) arthritis, ugh! Those are amazing facts.

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the birds and the …

trinkets? We’ve all heard that some birds, especially crows, are attracted to trinkets. But to hear that a murder of crows (no, not that kind of murder … murder is the term for a group of crows) recognize that trinkets can be a gift of gratitude to us humans … well, that’s a strange bird (or birds, as the case may be)!

Kuznetsova by Repin, 1901

In Seattle, Washington, little 8-year-old Gabi Mann seems to have a flock of admirers, right in her own backyard. It all started when Gabi was just 4 years old, and the neighborhood crows, ever alert, noticed that Gabi tended to drop yummy things to eat. Gabi noticed too, and by the time she started school, she also started sharing bits of her packed lunch with the crows while waiting for the bus. Then, she and her mom started regularly feeding the crows in the backyard. That’s when they began noticing little presents left behind on the feeder … beads, rocks, buttons, and more.

gabi-birds2

Photo, Lisa Mann

So many presents that they now fill a 32-compartment bead storage box that Gabi treasures.

But the strangest present came recently when Gabi’s mom, Lisa, lost her lens cap while shooting photos of birds in their neighborhood. She found it on the rim of the backyard birdbath. When she checked their “bird cam” to see if it was, indeed, the crows who returned it, she saw that one actually spent time washing it off in the birdbath before laying it carefully on the rim for Gabi to find. Now that’s something to crow about!

Gabi and her mom, Lisa. Photo, Lisa Mann.

Read the whole story here.

  1. Winnie Nielsen says:

    I love this story! When I was growing up, my neighbor, who was an Agriculture extension agent, found a baby crow who had fallen out of the nest and the mother was dead. He brought it home and raised it in his backyard. We called him Jim Crow. Now Jim Crow loved to be petted on his head and back, but he also had a bad habit of chasing after my bare feet! He was quite tame and grew to be HUGE!! Often, he sat on the railing of my kitchen porch and called for me to come outside and pet him. Such smart birds. Sadly, Jim Crow was not adored by other neighbors and would harass their pets and squawk on their porches. One day, someone shot him and left him on my neighbor’s porch. We were so sad!! How could they do that to our friend? I am happy to know that Gabi’s crow friends were welcomed and had a safe haven in her yard.

  2. Cindi says:

    I love this story!! As part of a group of wonderful people that watch the osprey nests up in Sandpoint (and other places), there is always a crazy conversation going on about “The Corvids” (I said that in a deep ominous voice, by the way). Some people regard them as a nuisance and are always trying to shoo them away. I find them remarkable, unbelievably intelligent and they do very much like pretty, shiny trinkets. After the osprey leave for the season, they come in and tidy up the nest and bring little pieces of shiny paper and whatnot to decorate and enjoy until they too go off for the winter. What an incredible honor this family must feel to have some as their friends.

  3. Lovely story. when I was about 8 we saved a baby crow from the jaws of a dog and promptly named him Jonah as e nearly was swallowed whole. He became very tame and my mother left the kichten window open so he could come and go as he pleased. Yep you guessed it, ALL the kitchen silver stolen and once he even got in the dining room and stole real sterling silver!
    We had just built a patio,( a new concept in the early 50s ) and my mother was showing off by having her first la-di-da cocktail party there. Jonah was trained not to land on food or steal it but oh those canapes that the guests had in their hands , now that was FAIR GAME ! My mother was mortified, the guests hysterical and Jonah wasn’t sorry at all.

  4. Deborah McKissic says:

    I like this story..there was a story in the farmers almanac about crows in Japan…how smart crows really are..these crows would watch traffic lights and when they were red they would drop nuts to be cracked on the road and when the lights turned green the cars would run over them and crack them and when the lights were red again the crows would retrieve them..now, that is smart! We have two huge crows that frequent our neighborhood…my grandson and I named them “Harry” and Marv” from the movie “Home Alone” …the bad guys names, ha ha..as these two crows are always up to something and make so much noise that we always know when they are in our yard….hmm…my grandson collects coins..maybe we should feed them more and they will bring us treasures? hmm….

  5. Theresa Taylor says:

    Thanks for sharing this beautiful story!

  6. Marianne Regan says:

    Thanks for sharing this story. It added a smile to my day.
    Marianne

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folding paper

I recently discovered a trailer for an amazing-looking documentary about origami, Between the Folds. I’ve watched a few minutes of it and plan to watch the whole thing the next time I have an hour to spare. In the meantime, I thought I’d share it with you. This isn’t your normal YouTube video about folding paper cranes, and in case you’re wondering if origami can capture your attention for a whole hour, here’s your chance …

Watch the full documentary here.

“Much of the beauty that arises in art
comes from the struggle an artist wages
with his limited medium.”
– Henri Matisse

  1. Winnie Nielsen says:

    This trailer draws me right in. I never thought of origami as mathematics but I see how it is just that. It is fascinating as well to think that one fold in a piece of paper changes it’s memory and that property leads to more changes. What a great science lesson for a Saturday morning!

  2. This is so awesome, I have trouble doing the regular origami, but this goes beyond.

    It is worth the time to watch this documentary on it,

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photo-of-the-day

  1. Winnie Nielsen says:

    Look at those Jubilee Hats! I love those turn of the century styles for when it was time to get dressed up. Being out of the house for just about anything was an occasion to be properly dressed. I wonder what I would look like in an outfit like one of these?

    My book Jubilee Trail came in the mail and I can’t wait to get started as soon as I finish the book I am reading. Because of the title, I intend to add it to my Jubilee badge work for the beginner level if it turns out to fit in.

  2. Karlyne says:

    Who are they?!? Do we know?

  3. Cindi says:

    Wish I should share some of the pictures I found in my grandmother’s house. Turn of the century ladies roughing it on the west coast ~ or maybe they weren’t “roughing it” and that was just the way it was. Standing in front of a tent, in a rowboat, sitting on logs waiting to be shipped, even one holding a very unhappy bird ~ all with hats in place and blouses neatly tucked in. They fire up my imagination!

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Celebrating Women

Sunday, March 8, was International Women’s Day, helping to kick off Women’s History Month in March. Women’s Day has been celebrated in America since 1909 and in Austria, Denmark, Germany, and Switzerland since 1911. In 1975, the United Nations finally declared it an international holiday.

Companies and organizations around the world and the web are celebrating women, and here are a few of the sites I thought you’d enjoy.

Biographile, Random House’s nod to literary biographies, celebrates with “quotes from 9 literary ladies.”

women

Maya Angelou, Charlotte Bronte, Virginia Woolf, Toni Morrison, and Margaret Atwood, Biographile.com

Microsoft reminds us that girls like science, too, with their latest commercial:

Visit Microsoft’s Women In Tech site for more information.

The initiative, a collaboration between the Clinton Foundation and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, posted this celebrity-, fun- (and fact-) filled video:

Google featured a doodle of women astronauts, engineers, scientists, and judges, linking to #DearMe, asking women to create a GIF that answers the question: “What advice would you give your younger self?”


What will you do to celebrate Women’s History Month?

  1. Winnie Nielsen says:

    I did not know that March was Women’s History Month both internationally and here at home. How did I miss this? These short video clips capture a few real and persistent issues that girls and women still face today. While we have made great strides in the past 100 years, much work is left to do. I remember from my teen years all of the issues that the last video, Dear Me, talked about. Teenage angst and insecurities can cripple a person for life. That constant telling oneself that you are not good enough or smart enough ends ups making you believe that is the truth and retreating from the fight. In my mind, it underscores the value of good teachers, great organizations like Girl Scouts, summer camps, and opportunities to experience new things and a safe environment to test your skills and reach for bigger goals. Plus as parents, we have such a huge impact on our children’s lives that it is scary to think about. Raising my two girls was such a blur in my life of work, home, and family that sometimes I wish I could go back and redo parts of it. Since that won’t happen, I am reminded how I can pay it forward to someone else and try and lift another young girl up with encouragement and help. Oh my but there is a lot of work to do out there!

  2. You couldn’t give me 5 million dollars to be 13 again! But that was the year I discovered Chemistry in a big way due to a fabulous teacher with the unfortunate name of Donald Rudolph Eckelhoffer. He instilled in me my love of science. But that also was the year I wanted to try out for the school play. I asked his advice and he said stick with chemistry. But I bowed to my peers and never had that ” spark” again for chemistry. I was afraid of being labelled a science snerd. Such is life and the wanting to ” fit in” that we all have at that age.
    I want to mentor young women to get into gardening or better yet farming. I have done so in the past through a teaching program at the museum I volunteered with, and also the master gardener program. But alas the ability to get young people away from their i-phones and such is almost unsurmountable. I lost my pupils by age 12 to the l lure of video games and the internet ( and not the good kind of learning internet, but the stupid stuff they are bombarded with- fashion, mindless entertainment etc ) I haven’t been able to find anyone young even willing to get their feet muddy much less dig in the dirt, and I live in a rural area. I do visit with my favorite old order ( horse and buggy) Mennonite family and I give the children my heirloom seeds and suggest ways they can make their market gardens.
    I wish I could do more.

  3. Deborah McKissic says:

    These videos are just inspiring, thanks, MaryJane. As a mother of three daughters and soon to be 6 grandchildren, so far, three are granddaughters, I like to inspire each of them (grandsons, too) to go for whatever they believe they can do. My oldest daughter, now a mom of 4, graduated college with a degree in environmental science and also one in research/genetic science. She worked with Walter Reed research Institute in her early years after graduation..and, new to research, she discovered a missing link to a vaccine that had been worked on for over ten years by other scientists…oh, my…as parent I was so proud..she was honored for her discovery..and, did much more research in other areas, and now, a stay at home mom, she will return to work one day, but inspires her four children to do whatever they believe they can..because, she was inspired…my other daughters also work in fields of science…the other day I was at my doctors office and she (yes, SHE) told me she was the first doctor in her family..her husband is my cardiac surgeon, and she has two daughters that are both in college to become…yes, doctors…how inspiring is that? I think as women we all need to support each other in whatever field we choose..to do what makes us happy…what is calling our name…we are all different and we should support each other in our beliefs and what makes us happy and what we are striving to do…I think jealousy kicks in…I think we need to care more…about each other….

  4. Cindi says:

    Wow, after reading these comments I think there are some pretty remarkable women right here!!

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baby animal name quiz

In keeping with the proverbial madness of the March hare (which, by the way, refers to the phenomenon of bunnies acting bonkers during their spring breeding season) …

Photo by Hardyplants via Wikimedia Commons

I thought it would be fun to quiz you on a few obscure names for animal babes. Take a gander at the list of names, below:

1. Eyas
2. Shoat
3. Leveret
4. Cygnet
5. Sac Fry
6. Yowie

Now, try to match each name to the young animal it refers to:

A. Pig
B. Hawk
C. Swan
D. Salmon
E. Rabbit
F. Sheep

You’ll find answers beneath each photo that follows, so don’t peek till you’ve made your matches.

Photo by Dominicus Johannes Bergsma via Wikimedia Commons

Eyas [ahy-uhs] is a nestling hawk or falcon (eyas is a variant of the Middle French niais, meaning “nestling”).

Photo by a United States Department of Agriculture employee via Wikimedia Commons

Shoat [shoht] is a young pig that has recently been weaned from its mother’s milk.

Photo by JJ Harrison via Wikimedia Commons

Leveret [lev-er-it] is a young rabbit or hare, specifically one that is less than a year old.

Photo by Uwe Kils via Wikimedia Commons

Cygnet [sig-nit] is a young swan.

Photo by Fernando de Sousa via Wikimedia Commons

Sac fry [sack fry] is a newly hatched salmon that remains safely hidden in the gravel habitat of its streambed nest until its yolk sac (or “lunch box,” as scientists commonly call it) is depleted.

Photo by Keven Law via Wikimedia Commons

Yowie [yow-ee] is the diminutive version of the old Scottish term yowe, which means ewe. So, “yowie” describes a little ewe.

As a side note, you might be interested to know that “yowie” also refers to a mythical hominid reputed to live in the Australian wilderness—you know, like our Mr. Bigfoot, only he appears to have less hair …

Photo by Somersetpedia.paul via Wikimedia Commons

One last word to the wise: if you holler “yowie!” to summon a lamb, someone may rush to your aid, thinking you’ve dropped a hammer on your toe.

Just sayin’.

  1. Winnie Nielsen says:

    I only knew the term cygnet and the rest were names I ‘ve never heard before. How do these terms get established? And by whom? Yep, If I hear someone holler yowie , I’m thinking I better go check out who got hurt.

  2. Cathy R says:

    Thanks MaryJane, that was fun. Only knew cygnet, sac fry, and shoal. The pictures you chose are adorable. And thanks for all the interesting posts, very enjoyable and I’ve learned a lot about things I would have never researched! Blessings to all of you!

  3. Karlyne says:

    “Yowie” and “eyas” – got me on those two! We have lots of hawks around, so I’ll be looking for the li’l eyas’…

  4. jaylyn m. says:

    I didn’t know any of them! Thanks for schoolin’ me! And now, to use one in a sentence: I found a leveret hiding in the grass last spring. I picked it up, gave it some snuggles, then let it go. He snacked out of our garden the rest of the year, but I didn’t mind.

  5. Bonnie Mason says:

    I’m a crossword puzzle enthusiast and pride myself on knowing many unusual words – but….
    I got hawk/eyas – guessed on salmon/sac fry (just sounded like it fit) and guessed on swan/cygnet – –
    but the others stumped me – – yes, cute pictures – – but have you ever seen an ugly baby
    picture of any species ? ? 🙂

  6. Well that was fun and interesting! I got 3 of the 6 correct, YAY me!
    I really enjoyed that.

    Darlene

  7. bonnie ellis says:

    That was a real teaser, I only knew the cygnet and the shoat. Keep ’em coming kid.

  8. Denise says:

    Got them but then I had heard them all before except the hawk. So that was a matter of it being the only one left. Fun way to keep the brain in shape!

  9. Cynthia says:

    Fun! How about a post of the names of animal groups, like herd, colony, swarm…and some of the more unusual ones?

    • MaryJane says:

      Like a tower of giraffes or a skein of geese? I read a book to my grandgirls last night about animals in groups. The book is a recent gift from a dear friend. Yes, good idea.

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a tangled web

The Internet is certainly an interconnected web of wonders. Have you ever sat down at your computer to do a quick search for something, then hours later, you emerge from the fog of wandering through an endless trail of treats you didn’t even know you were seeking? If you have the patience, the rewards can be, well, rewarding.

That happened to me recently, while working on an article for the next issue of our magazine. We mentioned a local art venue, Artisans at the Dahmen Barn, in Uniontown, Washington. The Dahmen barn is a beautiful old barn in a tiny farming town about 15 miles outside Moscow, Idaho, that’s been known for decades for its whimsical wagon-wheel fence, assembled by owner and artist Steve Dahmen over a 30-year period. Today, the fence exhibits over 1,000 wheels.

In 2004, the barn was falling into disrepair, so Steve and his wife Junette, also an artist, donated the barn to their community to be made into an art center, providing studio space for artists to work in and sell their creations, a place for local artists and fine craftspeople to sell their work on consignment, a venue for local performing and exhibiting artists, and creative experiences for children and adults through classes and workshops. Read about the transformation of the barn here.

d-barn-1

When working on the article, I poked around their website to do a little research, and saw they are planning an Annual Art Demonstration Day on Saturday, April 11. This year’s theme is books—books of all types, things made from books, or information about books. And that led to an amazing video from bookmaker Randi Parkhurst. I don’t see that Randi is slated to appear at the event, but someone else’s rabbit trail must have led to her video to provide inspiration for those interested in books, or art, or lessons in patience … you see how the tangled web is woven. Anyway, watch this lovely video to the end, and your patience will be rewarded, I promise!

  1. Cindi says:

    That is the most wonderful wagon wheel fence I have ever seen! The weather vane on top of the barn is fun, too. I love stories of rescue and restoration of amazing buildings like this. And books! Maybe I will mosey on over for that Art Demonstration Day ~ but first, off to watch that video and enter my own absorbing internet fog of wandering.

  2. Cindi says:

    Oh my gosh that video was Amazing!! Mary Jane, how is it that you so often touch on those things that I enjoy? It’s almost like we’re… well, sisters! hahaha 🙂

  3. Donna Johnston says:

    GLAD TO SEE YOU ON FACE BOOK…MISS MY EMAILS

  4. Winnie Nielsen says:

    Watching this video was mesmerizing to me. The six minutes flew by so quickly I could hardly believe it. Plus, that Dahmen Barn is beautiful and a work of art in and of itself. I think it makes the perfect art haven for people of all ages!

  5. Karen(old cowgirl) Montoya says:

    I always love and appreciate the work of other artists. Yes, I even get a little jealous of some because I was not able to get the training in art that I wanted.
    This person is just WOW. He or she is the ultimate artist.
    Thank you for sharing it with us.
    I learn a lot from you.
    I am also the Mother of Diana Gibson who has been in contact with you. I am so very proud of her.
    Hugs from this Farm/Ranch women #5275
    Kay

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carton contest

Does your child’s school need a little incentive to grow—or launch—their gardening curriculum?

Photo by Walton LaVonda, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, via Wikimedia Commons

If so, here’s a great way to get started: The Carton 2 Garden Contest, sponsored by Evergreen Packaging and Kids Gardening.

Photo, carton2garden.com

“Show us your students’ creativity by re-purposing milk and juice cartons from your school cafeteria to either build or enhance your school garden. Educators can engage students in a hands-on experience, creating teachable moments on environmental stewardship, sustainability, and living healthy,” explains the Carton 2 Garden website. “The best use of cartons in your school garden gives your school the chance to win a prize valued up to $2,500 for building or enhancing its garden.”

Photo by Michael Quinn, Grand Canyon National Park, via Wikimedia Commons

Photo, carton2garden.com

The Carton 2 Garden Contest is open to any public, private, or charter K-12 school in the United States. Entries must be submitted by April 22, 2015, so you’ll need to start gathering cartons in a jiffy.

Twenty schools with the most unique carton creations will be announced on May 22, 2015, to win award packages. Sixteen winners in eight different regions will receive award packages, each valued at over $1,000, and four national winners will be selected to receive award packages, each valued up to $2,500 to start or help sustain a school garden.

Each school’s entry must use at least 100 cartons, which will be judged according to their quality, sustainability, and creativity. Here’s a little video to kindle inspiration.

And here are links to help turn your inspiration into action:

  • Request an entry kit HERE.
  • Click HERE to read our Frequently Asked Questions.
  • Read the official Contest Rules HERE.
  • Find classroom activities to complement your project HERE.
  • Get inspiration from past winners HERE.

 

  1. Winnie Nielsen says:

    School gardens are gaining in popularity down here in Gainesville. The kids love to do the work and see their little patch of vegetables and flowers grow. It also offers a perfect segway into biology and botany science units for Spring curriculums. The cool thing about this Carton Garden project is that any classroom could probably find space beside sunny windows to grow things. In northern tier states, it would be impossible to really have a garden before school was out. With the carton idea, growing plants can be year around if you have a space and light to make it happen. Oh, the fun possibilities for classrooms of all ages!

  2. What a totally wonderful project for any school. Was very impressed with the creativity and also the usefulness of the projects. what a great contest!

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Just nosing around the Internet

While you may not turn into Pinocchio every time you tell a lie, savvy sleuths may be able to tell you’re not being honest by merely observing your nose.

1280px-Pinocchio_Store_(9686306103)

The real Geppetto, photo by Leandro Neumann Ciuffo via Wikimedia Commons

Body-language experts say that when you tell a lie, chemicals are released in your body that cause the tissues inside your nose to both warm up and swell. This phenomenon is aptly called “The Pinocchio Effect.” While the swelling is usually too small to notice visibly, it can result in itchiness that leads to touching or even scratching the nose.

“A good liar will have you thinking that maybe the dog did eat the homework.” – Anonymous

 

  1. Winnie Nielsen says:

    How interesting is this bit of physiology today. It might make a useful tip to keep in mind when listening to politicians speak!

    • MaryJane says:

      Right. When I’m outside–anytime but summer–I always have a slight drizzle in one nostril that I attend to constantly. I’m going to get an inferiority complex.

  2. Good liars are good poker players and successful con men as well. The scientifically based TV show a few seasons back called ” Lie to me” was all about this.

  3. Cindi says:

    Oh my gosh what a precious birthday message for you!!! That made me smile so big I couldn’t see. As for the itchy nose… very interesting! Now I am armed when my little con artist grandsons try to give me a line of malarkey just so they can have a good laugh ~ hahahaha! I do love that they call it the Pinocchio effect. So original.

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