Author Archives: Cris

Radish

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Radish

These radish facts are radical.

  • A radish is a savoury vegetable and the root of the plant Raphanus sativus, and there are many cultivated varieties of the vegetable.
  • Radishes are from the family Brassicaceae, the family of mustard and cabbages, and they generally have a sweet, peppery flavour, and are crunchy when raw.
  • Radishes grow quickly and some varieties can be harvested after as little as three weeks, although other varieties can take some months to grow.
  • Although there is no historical record of the origin of radishes, it is believed that they are native to Southeast Asia due to the plant growing in the wild there.
  • Radishes are coloured red, white, green, pink, purple, yellow or black depending on the variety, and they generally have white coloured flesh.

Red, Radish, Food, Culinary, Vegetable, Vegetation, Ten Random Facts, Australia, Bundle

  • Radishes are typically spherical or cylindrical in shape, and range from 2.5 to 60 centimetres (1 to 23.6 inches) in length, with leaves ranging from 10 to 60 centimetres (4 to 24 inches) in height.
  • Radishes are often eaten raw, as a side vegetable or in salads, and they can be made into juice or condiments like pickles, while the leaves can also be eaten, and are often used in soup.
  • Radish seeds can be used for sprouting purposes, and the seeds can also be made into oil.
  • In 2007, 6.35 million tonnes (7 million tons) of radishes were produced around the world.
  • Radishes are high in vitamin C and are good sources of folate and potassium.
Bibliography:
Radish, 2014, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radish
Radish, n.d, Good Food, http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/glossary/radish

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Verbena

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Verbena, Pink, White, Flowers, Plant, Vegetation, Ten Random Facts, Cluster

Make your garden a bloom of delight with verbena.

  • Verbenas are a group of 250 species of plants that flower, and are either grown as annuals or perennials depending on the location and species.
  • Verbenas are from the family Verbenaceae, the family of vervains, that are mostly flowering plants found in tropical areas.
  • A ‘verbena’ plant is also known by the common name ‘vervain’.
  • Verbenas originate mostly from North and South America, as well as from Europe, and they tend to be mainly found in tropical and subtropical habitats.
  • Verbenas have flowers coloured pink, red, blue, purple or white that consist of five petals, that generally grow in clusters on spikes.

Verbena, Pink, White, Flowers, Plant, Vegetation, Ten Random Facts, Cluster

  • Verbenas are mainly grown for decorative purposes, and they grow best in complete sunlight.
  • Verbenas have been used historically as an ingredient for medicinal purposes, such as herbal tea; while oil can also be extracted from the plant.
  • Verbenas generally have long flowering periods, and they can be found flowering in all months, with the exception of winter.
  • Verbenas grow to be roughly 0.3 to 0.9 metres (1 to 3 feet) in height, and they usually have a spreading habit, making them suitable for hanging baskets.
  • The leaves of verbenas often have a light to heavy covering of hair, while the fruit splits into four parts, each containing one seed.
Bibliography:
Genus Verbena, PlantNET, n.d, http://plantnet.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au/cgi-bin/NSWfl.pl?page=nswfl&lvl=gn&name=Verbena
Plant Profile: Verbena, 2014, Gardening Australia, http://www.abc.net.au/gardening/stories/s1866736.htm
Verbena, 2014, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Verbena
Verbena, 2015, Better Homes & Gardens, http://www.bhg.com/gardening/plant-dictionary/annual/verbena/

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Military Decoration

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Military Decoration, Australia, War, Medals, Green, Red, Yellow, Blue, Metal, Small, Large

Military decorations look quite prestigious.

  • Military decorations are ornamental items that also represent status or achievement, awarded to and warn by members of the military.
  • Military decorations are often given as a token of recognition for courage, service and bravery during a certain situation, such as participation in a war.
  • Honours and awards, similar to military decorations can be awarded to members of the general public for their bravery and service, notably fire fighters and police.
  • The ancient Romans, Egyptians and Celts awarded military decorations to their soldiers and military leaders.
  • The Polish award named the ‘War Order of Virtuti Militari’, the Latin term for ‘military virtue’, first bestowed in 1792, is among the earliest and most senior military decorations still available for nomination.

Military Decoration, Australia, War, Medals, Green, Red, Yellow, Blue, Metal, Small, Large

  • Military decorations are sometimes illegally replicated, sold and worn, and the offence can lead to serious consequences like jail.
  • Bravery, campaign and service awards, are common military decorations awarded today, and orders of merit can also be awarded, although they are not necessarily restricted to the military.
  • Military decorations often come in the form of ribbons, badges or medals, and multiple decorations are often worn at a time.
  • Awardees of military decorations are typically nominated by someone not directly related to the recipient, typically submitted to the government’s military department by other military personnel.
  • Military decorations come in a variety of colours, shapes and sizes, and stars, crosses and circles are common shapes.
Bibliography:
Military Awards and Decorations, 2014, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Military_awards_and_decorations
Military Honours and Awards, n.d., The British Monarchy, http://www.royal.gov.uk/MonarchUK/Honours/MilitaryHonoursandAwards/MilitaryHonoursandAwards.aspx

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Elephant Shrew

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Elephant Shrew

What do you get when you cross an elephant with a shrew? An elephant shrew!

  • Elephant shrews are mammals of small size, that can be found in Africa’s southern areas in a variety of habitats.
  • An ‘elephant shrew’ is sometimes called a ‘jumping shrew’, and it is also known by the native name ‘sengi’.
  • Elephant shrews are a family with the scientific name Macroscelididae, that is split into four genera and includes 19 species.
  • Elephant shrews have an unusually long nose, said to be like an elephant’s trunk, and they have a body similar to a shrew, although they are not closely related to either mammals.
  • Elephant shrews range from 10 to 30 centimetres (4-12 inches) in length and weigh between 50 to 680 grams (2 to 24 ounces), depending on the species.
Elephant Shrew, Mammal, Black, Brown, Small, Ten Random Facts, Africa
An Elephant Shrew
Image courtesy of Kim/Flickr
  • Elephant shrews dig burrows or live in other naturally formed holes, typically by themselves or in pairs.
  • The diet of elephant shrews typically consists of spiders, insects, earthworms and centipedes, and they catch their food via a lengthy tongue.
  • Elephant shrews typically live for two to five years and are preyed on by lizards, large birds and snakes.
  • The fur of elephant shrews typically ranges from black, grey, brown, tan or white in colour, and the colours vary in different species.
  • Female elephant shrews, on average, give birth to two young at a time, and can breed multiple times a year.
Bibliography:
Elephant Shrew, 2013, A-Z Animals, http://a-z-animals.com/animals/elephant-shrew/
Elephant Shrew, 2014, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elephant_shrew
Elephant Shrew, n.d, African Wildlife Foundation, http://www.awf.org/wildlife-conservation/elephant-shrew


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Cranberry Sauce

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Cranberry Sauce

Always have cranberry sauce with your turkey.

  • Cranberry sauce is a culinary condiment or sauce used to flavour other food dishes.
  • ‘Cranberry sauce’ is also known as ‘cranberry jelly’, and it is bought in cans or jars from supermarkets, or made at home.
  • The primary ingredients of cranberry sauce are sugar, cranberries and water, and sometimes other ingredients and flavourings are added.
  • Cranberry sauce is typically made by mixing together and boiling the ingredients, as in jam making, causing the elements to combine and thicken and the cranberries to burst.
  • Cranberry sauce can be a semi-liquid or a jelly-solid, and it is usually served scooped out of a jar with a spoon, or sliced.

Cranberry Sauce, Red, Traditional, Liquid, Plate, Ten Random Facts, Condiment

  • Cranberry sauce is traditionally eaten on either Thanksgiving or Christmas, often accompanying a turkey dish, and it is also sometimes served with other meats.
  • The general taste of cranberry sauce varies from country to country; American versions are generally sweet, while European versions tend to be a bit sour.
  • The earliest known recorded mention of cranberry sauce was in 1663, in a cookbook; more than 40 years after the first Thanksgiving dinner in the United States.
  • Commercialised cranberry sauce became available in cans in 1912 and were popularised in the 1930s with the introduction of Ocean Spray’s version.
  • Cranberry sauce is high in vitamin E, fibre and manganese, and it also contains significant quantities of sugar.
Bibliography:
Cranberry Sauce, 2014, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cranberry_sauce
Hallowell B, The History Behind 5 Thanksgiving Traditions Americans Love, 2013, The Blaze, http://www.theblaze.com/stories/2013/11/28/5-thanksgiving-traditions-americans-love-a-brief-history-of-turkey-wishbones-football-and-more/
Why Canned Cranberry Jelly Became a Thanksgiving Icon, 2014, The Kitchen, http://www.thekitchn.com/why-canned-cranberry-jelly-became-a-thanksgiving-icon-food-history-213299

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Paper Knife

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Paper Knife

One of the most decorated desk items – the paper knife.

  • A paper knife is an item used in a similar way to a typical knife, but is used to cut open folded papers, like envelopes and pages in a book.
  • ‘Paper knives’ are also known as ‘letter openers’, although originally they differed in appearance and purpose.
  • Paper knives typically consist of a blade and a handle, sometimes made of one material; and the blade is generally flat and blunt.
  • Paper knives became popular by the 1800s, when it became the norm to own the object as a standard desk item.
  • A paper knife commonly has a blade made from metal, like stainless steel, however the whole letter opener can also be made from ivory, wood or plastic, that is thinned out in the blade area to make it suitable for slitting paper.

Paper Knife, Letter Opener, Metal, Ten Random Facts, Invention, Desk, Stationary, Koala, Wood

  • Paper knives were used in Europe from the 1700s to open book pages that were not cut during the manufacturing process, and they replaced pen knives that were typically used to sharpen a quill, as pen knives would cut the paper inaccurately due to their very sharp blade.
  • Martin Luther King, Jr. was stabbed by Izola Curry, using a paper knife in 1958, ten years before he was assassinated, and the knife had to be surgically removed.
  • Paper knives were not used to open envelopes until the mid to late 1800s, and they were manufactured specifically for this purpose with a narrower and pointier blade than the original paper knives.
  • The handle of a paper knife is commonly ornamental, featuring an aesthetic pattern or sculptured depiction.
  • The primary concept of a paper knife has been translated into electronic machinery, that functions in much the same way.
Bibliography:
Kane K, A Paper Knife was not a Letter Opener, 2013, The Regency Redingote, http://regencyredingote.wordpress.com/2013/05/24/a-paper-knife-was-not-a-letter-opener/
Paper Knife, 2014, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paper_knife

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