Moose

Hi Puzzlers,

It’s that time of year again here in New England when the moose begin to come out. Growing up in the Great North Woods area, or “Moose Country” as the locals like to say, has given me many opportunities to see moose. They are magnificent creatures.

Moose are the tallest mammal in North America measuring 6-7 feet from shoulder to feet! Female moose can weigh 800 to 1,300 pounds with males weighing 1,200 to 1,600 pounds. All moose have a bell sway, which is a flap of skin beneath their throats. It looks like a Goatee to me. The adult male or Bull Moose has antlers that stretch out to 4-5 feet. If you are ever lucky enough to find one of these antlers in the woods they make great serving trays/platters. Very rustic!

To maintain its body weight the adult moose must consume over 9,700 calories a day. All moose are herbivores and enjoy dining on twigs, leaves and the buds of hard and soft wood trees and shrubs. Moose also like to feed on aquatic plants like water lilies. So if you ever drive by a pond and see a moose in it, don’t be surprised when it sticks its head under the water to find a yummy snack. They can also completely submerge themselves under the water for as long as 30 seconds and can swim as fast as six miles an hour.

Moose have terrible eyesight but their excellent hearing and sense of smell guide them through the forest each day where they can travel up to ten miles a day. They are most active at dusk and dawn, so be careful driving. Remember moose mate in the fall and males can become aggressive. Should you see one, stay in your car and let him pass. Moose can run as fast as 35 miles an hour and trot at 20 miles an hour!

If you are planning a visit to the Great North Woods I would highly recommend booking a Moose Tour!

Happy Puzzling!

Artist Mort Künstler

Hi Puzzlers,

We would like you to meet artist Mort Künstler. “He's the premier historical artist in America - and now he focuses mainly on the American Civil War.

When Mort Künstler began his current emphasis on Civil War art in the early 1980s, he had already accomplished more than what a half-dozen artists could hope to accomplish in a collective lifetime. From portraits of prehistoric American life to the odyssey of the space shuttle, Mort Künstler had painted America's story - and was already renowned as "the premier historical artist in America.

When he placed his focus on Civil War art, Mr. Künstler quickly established himself as the country's most-collected Civil War artist, and earned unprecedented acclaim within the genre of Civil War art.

"Mort Künstler is the foremost Civil War artist of our time -- if not of all time," says Dr. James I. Robertson Jr., the dean of Civil War historians and the author of the celebrated biography, Stonewall Jackson. "To study his paintings," says Robertson, "is to simply see history alive." Pulitzer Prize-winning historian James McPherson concurs. "Of all the artists working in the Civil War field," he observes, "none captures the human element, the aura of leadership, the sense of being there and sharing in the drama, quite like Mort Künstler. He has that enviable talent of being able to re-create history on canvas and to translate events into art."

Click hear to read more about Mort.

Happy Puzzling!

Happy St. Patrick's Day

Hi Puzzlers,

Happy St. Patrick’s Day! As a special treat I would like to share some highlights from my interview with an “Irish Girl”. She wishes to remain anonymous but I thought you would still like to hear what she had to say about this famous holiday.

First I was told that St. Patrick’s Day is actually a religious holiday in Ireland and St. Patrick is the patron saint for Ireland. He was born in Roman Britain and at the age of 16 he was kidnapped by Irish bandits who took him back to Ireland as a slave.

He later escaped by boarding a ship that was going back to Britain. Once home he studied to become a priest an in 432, Patrick, now a bishop, went back to Ireland to save the pagan Irish.

One of his favorite teaching tools was the shamrock. He used the shamrock and it’s three leaves to teach the concept of the Holy Trinity (the father, son and Holy Spirit). St. Patrick died on March 18, 461 AD after teaching for almost 30 years.

St. Patrick’s Day is said to be a one-day break from Lent, allowing the consumption of alcohol. Well, now we know how drinking got into the celebration!

My Irish girl also told me that the official color of Saint Patrick was blue, not green. She learned this when she met Lord Mayor Briscoe of Dublin when she was younger and inquired why he was dressed in blue.

Globally, St. Patrick’s Day is now more of a celebration of Irish culture than a religious holiday. Many cities around the world celebrate with parades and festivities. The first Irish parade was held in Boston MA in 1737, by the Irish Society of Boston. Ireland’s own first parade wasn’t until 1931 in Dublin.

Yes, you know I had to ask, being a foodie and all, about the traditional dinner of Corned Beef & Cabbage. My Irish girl said the Irish would more likely be eating boiled bacon and cabbage. Irish bacon is more like Canadian bacon. The Irish call our American bacon “streaky bacon.”

Well she was right the Irish used to eat what was called a ham (Gammon) or bacon joint, which was served with cabbage and potatoes. Cows at the time were used for milk and only royalty was feed beef. Irish immigrating to America began eating corned beef because it was affordable and considered a poor mans food. Yummy! I'm lovin' this poor man food. It is one of my favorite meals!

“Beannactai Na Feile Padraig!”
Translation: “Blessing on the feast of St. Patrick!”

Happy Puzzling!

Need to Know Everything

Hi Puzzlers,

It still amazes me how educational puzzles are. I always relate a puzzle with fun, relaxation and bonding time with my daughter. The educational aspect of puzzling rarely enters my mind except when I am asked a question such as, “What are the State Bird and Flower of Hawaii?” Yeah, I know-a strange question from a 13 year old, but Hawaii is her “have to go” spot. And, showing her friends her Mom does NOT know everything is fun for a 13 year old!

Now, I could have looked it up instantly on the Internet but remembered I had the State Bird & Flowers puzzle in the trunk of my car. I always keep a few puzzles in my trunk, along with catalogs, for people I meet who don’t know about our puzzles.

I ran out to the car, got the puzzle and came back in announcing loudly “The state bird of Hawaii is the Hawaiian Goose and the state flower is the Yellow Hibiscus. See-I do KNOW EVERYTHING!” Much laughter ensued and we all began looking at the puzzle. The girls then proceeded to quiz each other to see who could remember the most. All I could remember was that New Hampshire’s State flower is the Lilac.

Soon popcorn was popping, ice teas were in hand and the puzzle pieces were being sorted. Each girl picked a state and tried to find the pieces for that state. Once they got it done they loudly announced in a mimicking voice, “The state bird for Montana is the Western Meadowlark and the state flower is the Bitterroot! See I KNOW EVERYTHING!” It always got a laugh.

Ahh! What a fun educational night!

Happy Puzzling!

P.S. Now I make sure I have puzzles like Trees of North America or State Flags & Capitols on hand just in case I need to know EVERYTHING!

2010 Winter Olympics

Hi Puzzlers,

WOW! The Olympic games sure had a lot of action-packed drama. I love seeing all the athletes compete and also enjoyed watching the cameras as they panned the crowds for the athletes’ parents. I could feel the pride of those parents as they watch their child, and in a few cases children, compete - sharing the triumphs and defeats. Yes, I did get quite emotional a few times especially during figure skater Joannie Rochette’s performance. What strength!

Legends state it was Hercules who started the Olympic Games. The Games were played every four years for approximately 1200 years until Roman emperor Theodosius I banned the pagan Games in 393 AD.

Approximately1500 years later on November 25, 1892 a Frenchman named Pierre de Coubertin pitched his idea to bring back the Olympic Games at a meeting of the Union des Sports Athletiques in Paris; his “the cause of Peace will have a new and strong ally” speech did not inspire people to action. Two years later Pierre, being well connected and persistent, organized a meeting that brought together 79 delegates from nine countries. The auditorium they met in, was decorated to suit the Olympic theme and this time Pierre des Coubertins revival cry was heard.

He then was elected to “construct an international committee to organize the Games. This committee became the International Olympic Committee - Demetrious Vikelas from Greece was elected to be the first president and Athens was chosen as the location for the revival of the Olympic Games!”

In 1908 Coubertin created the Olympic Creed, which states, “ The most important thing in the Olympic Games is not to win but to take part, just as the most important thing in life is not the triumph but the struggle. The essential thing is not to have conquered but to have fought well.”

Well said!

Happy Puzzling!