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Pelargonium

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Pelargonium

The sweet-smelling pelargoniums are confusing.

  • Pelargoniums are a group of 200-250 species of flowering perennial plants, from the Geraniaceae family, the family of geraniums.
  • ‘Pelargoniums’ are also known as ‘storksbills’ and ‘geraniums’, and although they are commonly confused with and called ‘geraniums’, they are different to the species of the same name.
  • Pelargoniums are native mostly to South Africa, although some species are native to Australia, the Middle East, New Zealand and other parts of Africa.
  • ‘Pelargoniums’ is derived from the word ‘stork’ in Greek, ‘pelargos’, while the common name for the plant, ‘storksbill’ refers to the seed head’s shape.
  • Pelargoniums have flowers that can be white, cream, pink, mauve, purple, orange and red in colour, and they bloom mainly in spring and summer.

Pelargonium, Flower, Red, Pink, Stalksbills, Cluster, Leaves, Fence, Plant, Ten Random Facts, Australia

  • Pelargoniums are evergreen and can also survive in drought and strong sunlight, and the shape and texture of the leaves vary significantly, depending on the species.
  • Pelargoniums have 5-petalled flowers, which are distinguished by colours and patterns; with two petals at the top and three below.
  • Some species of pelargoniums have useful perfume-smelling scents, including mint, rose, fruits and spices.
  • Most pelargonium flowers and leaves can be eaten, and they are used in the flavouring, of primarily, desserts.
  • Pelargonium oil, extracted from scented leaves, is sometimes used as a relaxing agent, while parts of the plant can be used to treat sicknesses and injury.
Bibliography:
Pelargonium, 2013, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pelargonium
Plant Profile: Pelargoniums, 2011, Gardening Australia, http://www.abc.net.au/gardening/stories/s1866723.htm

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Parrotfish

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Parrotfish

Parrotfish do not fly!

  • Parrotfish are mainly found in reefs or coastal areas and include 90 species of fish, that are native to the tropics and sub tropics of the seas around the globe.
  • Parrotfish were previously from the family Scaridae, however, they have been reclassified and now belong to the family Labridae , which is the family of wrasses, and are now known as the sub-family Scarinae.
  • ‘Parrotfish’ are named as such, due to the beak-like mouth the fish have, and are used to chomp on hard objects, especially coral from which they extract algae.
  • Parrotfish can grow to be 30 to 130 centimetres (one to four feet) in length, and have a lifespan of  up to seven years.
  • Usually at night, some parrotfish species encase themselves in a mucus covering, which protects the fish from predators, probably by blocking its odour and acting as an alarm.

Parrotfish, Blue, One, Single, Swim, Sea, Egypt, Fish, Reef, Ten Random Facts, Flickr

Parrotfish
Image courtesy of Rob/Flickr
  • Parrotfish diets consist mainly of vegetational matter, usually algae growing on coral, although sometimes other marine animals are eaten.
  • Parrotfish produce up to 90 kilograms (198 pounds) of sand a year, from ground, indigestible coral that exits the fish as sand.
  • It is common for female parrotfish to change gender and become males during their life, and females can lay 100s of floating eggs at a time, that deposit on coral.
  • Parrotfish change colours while growing, often starting dull and becoming bright and colourful, sometimes imitating other fish.
  • The meat of parrotfish is considered a luxury in some countries, and in a few historical cases, it was served only to the king.
Bibliography:
Parrot Fish, 2013, National Geographic, http://animals.nationalgeographic.com.au/animals/fish/parrot-fish/
Parrotfish, 2013, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parrotfish

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Knitting Needles

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Knitting Needles

Knit one, purl one!

  • Knitting needles are tools that are used in hand-knitting to make garments or other knitted items, with yarn, and are believed to have their origin in Egypt in the 11th century.
  • ‘Knitting needles’ are also known as ‘knitting pins’ and there are three main types of knitting needles: single-pointed, double-pointed and circular.
  • Knitting needles are typically long sticks with a blunt spike at one or two ends, and the size of the knitted stitches depends on the size of the diameter of the needle, as well as the thickness of the yarn.
  • A pair of knitting needles are typically used to create stitches of yarn and hold stitches of yarn together, and using various techniques which include different movements and placement of the needles as well as the yarn, one can create different patterns in the knitted garment.
  • Knitting needles are generally classified by their diameter, generally ranging from 2 to 25 millimetres in the metric system, although larger and smaller gauge needles are available.

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  • Single pointed knitting needles have one pointed end and one end with a knob to stop stitches coming off, and range between 25-40 cm (10-16 inches) in length and are usually purchased as a pair.
  • Double-pointed knitting needles have two pointed ends that are often used for circular knitting or for knitting cables, and are usually purchased in sets of 4 to 6 needles and are generally between 13-20 cm (5-8 inches) long.
  • In 1918, circular knitting needles were patented, and these types of needles have a flexible line joining the two pointed ends, therefore requiring only one piece of equipment, but also allowing knitting ‘in the round’ which is a continuous form of knitting that produces a tube.
  • The largest knitting needles used for knitting in the world, were 6.5 centimetres in diameter and 3.5 metres in length, used by Julia Hopson from the United Kingdom, who stitched 100 stiches with them in 2006.
  • Knitting needles are typically made from wood, steel or aluminium, plastic or glass, while some antiques are made of ivory, shell or tusks as well as wood and metal.
Bibliography:
Knitting Needle, 2013, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Knitting_needle
Parkes C, Tools of the Trade: Knitting Needles, 2013, Knitter’s Review, http://www.knittersreview.com/article_tool.asp?article=/review/profile/010405_a.asp

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Sausage

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Sausage

Will these sausage facts make you lose your appetite?

  • Sausages are edible food products typically made of encased ground meat and often include seasonings, and thousands of years ago were originally used as a way to preserve meat, typically with salt.
  • Sausage casings were first made using cleaned intestines and hollow stomachs from the animals that were killed for their meat – generally sheep, cows, goats and pigs although other animals have been used.
  • ‘Sausage’ comes from the old French word ‘saussiche’, which has its origin in the Latin word ‘salsus’, which means ‘salted’.
  • Modern sausage casings are often manmade and the options include cellulose, collagen and plastic, although plastic casings are not usually used due to health concerns.
  • Sausage varieties can be made with different methods of salting, cooking, drying and smoking, or they can be raw and are edible due to a fermentation process.

Sausage, Long, Uncooked, Raw, Pink, Beef, Pile, Meat, Ten Random Facts, Australia

  • Some countries in Europe are the home of thousands of different sausage varieties that range in size, shape, taste, or other attributes.
  • Sausages can be made without a casing, and can be made vegetarian, with nuts, soya products, vegetables and tofu, and include ingredients that hold the sausage together when cooked.
  • Sausages generally have a significant fat content that makes up 20 to 50 percent of its weight, and they usually need at least 20% fat to stay moist after cooking.
  • Sausages are called many different names, depending on their method of production and their ingredients, and they include ‘hot dogs’, ‘salami’, ‘saveloys’, ‘pepperoni’, ‘bratwurst’, ‘cabanossi’ and many others.
  • Sausage casings are generally filled with meat, and then twisted at intervals to section off the big long casing tube, often into the size of an individual portion.
Bibliography:
Sausage, 2003, Encyclopedia.com, http://www.encyclopedia.com/topic/sausage.aspx
Sausage, 2013, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sausage

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Yahtzee

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Yahtzee

“The classic shake and score dice game!” – Yahtzee slogan.

  • Yahtzee is a dice game that is primarily based on luck and probability and it was first trademarked on 19 April, 1956 by the E.S. Lowe Company.
  • Yahtzee is based on a number of historical dice games, including Yacht, Yogi, Generala, and Cheerio, and has had a few names in the past including ‘Yatzie’.
  • Yahtzee is played by rolling five dice, up to three times per turn, and creating combinations that score points.
  • Not including bonuses, the largest scoring combination is a ‘Yahtzee’, occurring when five of the same number is rolled in a turn.
  • Yahtzee remains popular and 50 million copies of the game are sold every year, and approximately 100 million people play the game around the world.

Yahtzee, Dice, Sheet, Grandad, Scores, First round, Second Round, 1,1,2,2,3 Ten Random Facts, Game, Dice

  • It is said that Yahtzee was invented by a rich Canadian couple who used to play the game on their yacht, who then wanted to give some sets to their friends who enjoyed the game, and so they approached Edwin Lowe, who made them 1,000 sets for the rights of the game.
  • In 1973, the rights for Yahtzee were bought from the E.S. Lowe Company by the Milton Bradley Company, and Hasbro later became the owners.
  • There are thirteen dice combinations listed on the scoresheet, and the largest possible score without bonuses is 375 points, while with bonuses the largest score exceeds 1000.
  • Many games have been derived from Yahtzee, with the first being ‘Triple Yahtzee’, and another variation was ‘Word Yahtzee’.
  • Yahtzee was not popular when it was first marketed, until parties based around the dice game were held.
Bibliography:
Yahtzee, 2013, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yahtzee
Yahtzee History, 2013, Yahtzee Online, http://www.yahtzeeonline.org/yahtzee-history.php

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Aquilegia

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Aquilegia

Pretty bird-like aquilegias bob all day in the wind.

  • Aquilegias are perennial, ornamental flowering plants that include 60 to 70 species and belong to the Aquilegia genus.
  • ‘Aquilegia’ flowers and plants are also known as ‘granny’s bonnets’ and  ‘columbines’, and are from the family Ranunculaceae, which is the family of buttercups.
  • Aquilegias are native to meadows and woodlands in cooler areas north of the equator.
  • The common name ‘columbine’ comes from the Latin word for ‘dove’, while the genus name, ‘aquilegia’, comes from the word ‘aquila’, which is Latin for ‘eagle’, and both are a reference to the unusual shape of the flower.
  • Aquilegias grow to be 38 to 51 centimetres (15 to 20 inches) in height, and are usually grown from seed.

Columbine, Flower, Purple, Lilac, Shade, Bud, Open, Plant, Flower, Aquilegia, Ten Random Facts, Australia

  • The indigenous Americans used small portions of some species of aquilegia flowers, as sweet additions to some meals, and sometimes used the roots medicinally.
  • Aquilegia plants have long-spurred flower petals that often resemble birds and are full of sweet nectar.
  • Aquilegias are highly toxic if the roots or seeds are consumed, and can cause fatalities.
  • Aquilegia flowers are typically red, purple, blue, white or yellow in colour, and depending on the species bloom in spring and/or summer.
  • Aquilegia plants are generally hardy, preferring partly shady conditions, and they have bluish green, maidenhair fern-like foliage.
Bibliography:
Aquilegia, 2013, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aquilegia
Plant Profile: Aquilegia, 2013, Gardening Australia, http://www.abc.net.au/gardening/stories/s1866504.htm

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