Poison ivy is a woody vine known for its ability to produce urushiol, a skin irritant that can cause an itchy rash. To avoid poison ivy, you need to know how to spot it: watch out for a plant that has compound leaves with three almond-shaped leaflets and whitish berries. Remember: “Leaflets three, let it be!” Poison ivy is generally light to dark green in color, but it turns bright red in the fall. Its leaflets have a smooth surface and relatively toothless edges. Where does it grow? Discuss
Month: August 2022
coppice
Definition: (noun) A thicket or grove of small trees or shrubs, especially one maintained by periodic cutting or pruning to encourage suckering, as in the cultivation of cinnamon trees for their bark.
Synonyms: thicket, brush, copse, brushwood.
Usage: They determined on walking round Beechen Cliff, that noble hill whose beautiful verdure and hanging coppice render it so striking an object from almost every opening in Bath.
Discuss
O Henry
She plucked from my lapel the invisible strand of lint (the universal act of woman to proclaim ownership). Discuss
Afghanistan Gains Independence from United Kingdom (1919)
After becoming the major power on the Indian subcontinent in the late 18th century, the British Empire sought to secure northern approaches to India against expanding Russian influence in the region. In doing so, Britain essentially transformed Afghanistan into a buffer state, subjecting it to several wars before finally relinquishing control of its foreign affairs. Subsequent tensions between Afghanistan and Pakistan can be traced to what border drawn by the British during this period? Discuss
Jeshn
Jeshn is a celebration of Afghanistan’s independence from British control that has been observed throughout the country but with special ceremonies in Kabul. The Treaty of Rawalpindi, signed on August 8, 1919, gave Afghanistan the right to conduct its own foreign affairs. It was the formal conclusion of the Third Anglo-Afghan War, which actually ended in May 1919, but August is a slack agricultural period and therefore a time when more people can celebrate a holiday. The holiday has been observed with parades, dancing, games, music, and speeches by government figures. Discuss
John Dryden (1631)
Dryden was an English poet, dramatist, and critic who so dominated the literary scene in Restoration England that the era is called the “Age of Dryden.” His Heroic Stanzas, commemorating the death of Oliver Cromwell, brought him fame in 1659, and his poetry celebrating the Restoration earned him the title of poet laureate in 1668. His later work includes poems Absalom and Achitophel and Mac Flecknoe. What controversial grammar rule—still debated today—is credited to Dryden? Discuss
a lot on (one's) plate
A lot to do. Watch the video
The Sistine Chapel
The Sistine Chapel is located in the Palace of the Vatican, the official residence of the Pope in Vatican City. It was built between 1473 and 1481 and is known for its artwork—especially the ceiling paintings by Michelangelo. Attracted to ambitious sculptural projects—which he did not always complete—Michelangelo agreed to the project reluctantly. His confidence grew in time, and he devoted his last 30 years to The Last Judgment fresco in the chapel. For whom is the Sistine Chapel named? Discuss
amylum
Jimi Hendrix Headlines Woodstock (1969)
Although a number of the world’s most popular musicians were invited to perform at the Woodstock Music and Art Fair in 1969—including The Who, the Grateful Dead, and Janis Joplin—Jimi Hendrix was considered the main attraction. He was originally scheduled to perform last on Sunday night but did not end up taking the stage until Monday morning. Despite having gone without sleep for days, he went onstage and delivered a historic performance that featured his controversial rendition of what song? Discuss