Canada Geese Facts

Walking home from Hanni's Halloween parade I noticed a flock of Canadian geese flying in a perfect V formation. When I got home I did a google search on Canadian geese. The following information is from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Region 3 Midwest Internet Service).

Q: How big is a Canada Goose?

A: A full grown Canada Goose will have a wing span of 6 feet and weigh from 7-10 lbs

Q: How high do they fly?

A: On daily feeding flights they usually fly from 100 to 1,000 feet depending on wind and disturbance from people. When migrating they fly much higher, finding an altitude with a wind that is going their direction. Geese have been seen as high as 9,000 feet.

Q: Why do geese fly in a V formation?

A: The air to the side of a flying goose is smoother to fly in than the more turbulent air right behind. A goose flying back of another goose would be like a person trying to swim behind a motor boat.

Halloween Facts

Since 1995, trick or treating in the town of Sandusky Ohio, has been against the law for anyone older then 14.

It is very rare for a full moon to occur at the same time as Halloween. It has only occurred in- 1925, 1944, 1955, and 1974. The next time it is said to occur is October 3, 2020.

The word Halloween appeared in the Dictionary in the 1700's.

According to ancient superstitions, if you stare into a mirror at midnight on Halloween, you'll see your future spouse.

Finally... The pumpkin is one of the best sources of Vitamin A.

Salem Witch Burnings?

Q: Did you realize that no witches were burned in Salem?

Yes. Everyone knows about the burning times, the period of history when witchcraft hype gripped parts of Europe and North America. Popular media has created the image of witches being burned at the stake, which still persists today. In fact, though many of the accused, men and women, were actually hanged (or executed by other means).

Salem Witch Trial Victims:

June 10, 1692
Bridget Bishop

July 19
Rebecca Nurse
Susanne Martin
Elizabeth Howe
Sarah Good
Sarah Wildes

August 19
George Jacobs Sr.
Martha Carrier
George Burroughs
John Proctor
John Willard

September 19
Giles Corey (pressed to death)

September 22
Martha Corey
Margaret Scott
Mary Eastly
Alice Parker
Ann Pudeator
Wilmont Reed
Samuel Wardwell
Mary Parker

And of course, the final irony of the Witch Burnings is that just because these people were accused of witchcraft, did not make them all witches. It's believed that most of those who died were actually upstanding Christians, just like their accusers.

So when talking about history, make sure to use "Salem Witch Trials" rather than the "Witch Burnings at Salem."

Check the Twisty!

Someone sent me an email concerning the freshness of store bread. If you really want to know how old or how long the bread has been sitting on the store shelf; just look at the color of the twisty. According to the claim: Monday=Blue, Tuesday=Green, Thursday=Red, Friday=White, and Saturday=Yellow. Note, the colors go alphabetically:Blue, Green, Red, White, and Yellow. I did some investigation and to my surprise Monday's bread twisty was Blue and Tuesday's color was Green. I also checked this claim out on Snopes; yeah it's no urban legend, it's true.