Why Is that? Short Answers to Everyday Questions. Did you ever wonder how to stack firewood or when to tell if a turkey is done? Here you will find curious food origins, nature mysteries, and old weather sayings.
This page has some of the answers and other everyday questions that you may have been wondering about. These are quick, fun facts that I hope will make learning about these enjoyable and easy.
Stacking Firewood
How should you stack your firewood?
This is a question that is asked when you use wood. It should be stacked in a way that allows air to circulate and dry and season the wood properly. Caution should be taken that when stacked it is done so that when you are taking some away that it doesn’t tip or slide down. If you use wooden pallets for the bottom, this allows you to have a good base and also keeps the wood off the ground, and gathering further moisture. You want your wood to be seasoned and not to gain more moisture.
The reason that you want seasoned wood is because if it is what they call “green,” it can allow creosote to build up in the chimney and could start a chimney fire.
Here is an Everyday Question?
What’s the difference between a cantaloupe and a muskmelon?
Many people are surprised to learn that these are actually different melon groups. There are several types of melons that are grown, and these two mentioned come from two different melon groups.
The cantaloupe which is a member of the Cantalupensis Group, is named after Cantalupo, a former papal villa located near Rome. These are grown mostly in Europe and Asia and seldom grown in North America.
In the United States, what we call a “cantaloupe” is usually the muskmelon. This is a member of the Reticulatus Group and has a netlike ribbed rind and sweet, smelling orange flesh.
Weather
When the leaves seem to be staying on the trees longer in the autumn, is this an indication that winter weather is coming?
There is an old weather proverb that says, “If autumn leaves are slow to fall, prepare for a cold winter.” But this could also mean that maybe in your area you just haven’t had wind strong enough to loosen them from the branches.
Is it true that you can tell how high the snow will be by looking at how high the bees build their nests? It is questions like this that make us wonder.
It has been said that “when the hornets build their nests near the ground, you can expect a cold and early winter.” This is based on that animals have a sense of upcoming weather patterns before we humans do. Some say that the higher the nests are built, the more snow we will get. Have seen some nests high in trees, and it seemed that year we had a lot of snow. But can’t really say if the bees knew more about the weather or not.
This has not been proven scientifically, but bees will choose their hive height which is based on, protection, available cavities, and being safe from predators. But these sayings usually come from generations of observing the weather, so they keep getting repeated.
Why these feel true, is that in some years, especially in rural areas, they have been observing the behavior of animals being different during the seasons, although it is not scientific, it is a charming piece of traditional weather folklore.
Rural weather sayings and seasonal observations have been passed down for generations in farming communities.
Is there such a thing as a cold-air funnel?
Yes, there is an official term for a funnel cloud, which is a relatively small and weak tornado. This can develop from a small thunderstorm or shower, and the air aloft is cold. This is rare, and these funnels are much less violent than the usual tornado.
Does it snow a lot in the Antarctic?
Believe it or not, but Antarctica is considered to be one of the driest spots on Earth. Most people picture Antarctica buried in endless snowfall, but it is actually so dry that scientists classify it as a desert. But, because of these two inches of snow each year, and they have been piling up for centuries, it is thought that the snow over there is over two miles deep, thus making it a glacier.
Why do my palms sweat when I am nervous?
Sweat comes from the sympathetic nervous system in our bodies. And this system reacts when adrenaline is released. Thus, when we get nervous, our palms may get sweaty.
When and why did the word southpaw originate?
Not sure if this is an everyday question or not. It originated in the late 19th century, by Finley Peter Dunne, who was a Chicago sportswriter. It is a term that usually describes a left-handed person. It was mainly used in sports like baseball or boxing. It started in early baseball fields, because a left-handed pitcher faced south when throwing the ball.
In Chicago, a batter would be facing east, and a left-handed pitcher faced west and would release the ball on the south side of his body. The “paw” was referring to his hand. And over time, it was used to refer to a left-handed person.
Food
How can you tell if a turkey is done without cutting into it?
This is one of the most common questions new cooks ask during the holidays. First, you can try the wiggle test by grabbing one of the legs and seeing if it moves freely when you rotate the drumstick. If it does not move freely, then the turkey is not done. You can also take a fork with long tongs and insert it into the deepest part of the leg. If the juices are clear and not pink in color, then the turkey is done. This has been made easier over time, for a lot of turkeys come with a pop-up indicator what when popped up indicates that the bird is done.
Why is it called hamburger when it is made from beef?
Has nothing to do with “ham”; it came from Hamburg, Germany. And during the 19th century it was Hamburg-style minced beef, which they called Hamburg Steak. It was seasoned minced beef and was shaped into a patty. German Immigrants and sailors came to America, and brought the Hamburg Steak with them. After a while, it evolved into what we now call a “hamburger”.
Hope that some of these quick answers have satisfied your curiosity and given you an “aha” moment. Questions like this can be fascinating, and when you find the science behind them or the logic, it all makes sense. Keep exploring, asking questions, and you will find the fun facts about the everyday world around you – there is always something new to learn every day.
Wondering about other food related topics, you can go to my Cooking, Food and Wine page. These questions remind us that learning can come from the simplest observations in our everyday life. Some question ideas were inspired by information and topics found in The Old Farmer’s Almanac.
If you have questions or would like more information about anything you see here, please feel free to contact us. We’re always happy to connect.