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| September Fun Facts Sept 26, 1985 Shamu's Birthday The first Baby Shamu, born on September 26, 1985 and named Kalina, was the first-ever orca calf to thrive in captivity. (Ten orca calves had been born in captivity before 1985, but five were stillborn and the others all died within two months of their births.) The first Grandbaby Shamu, a male known as Keet, was born in February 1993 and the first Great Grandbaby Shamu, a female named Kalia, was born on December 21, 2004. The first ever calf to be born to captive-bred parents, a female named Halyn, was born on October 9, 2005. |
| Whales Whales hold several world records. Whales are the largest water mammals (bigger than sharks or dolphins.) Grey whales migrate further than any other mammal (about 10,000 miles a year.) The blue whale is the earth's largest animal (even bigger than elephant). A blue whale can grow to hundred feet long and weigh up to 150 tons. Can you imagine a whale as long as a ten-story building is tall? More September Facts Sept 20, 1904 - Orville Wright Made First Complete Circle in an Airplane Orville made the first complete circle in history, covering 4,080 feet in about a minute and a half. actual photo Sept 25, 1690 - Anniversary of the first US Newspaper The first US newspaper was entitled Public Occurrences, and came out in 1690. It only printed one issue however, as it was shut down by colonial officials, possibly due to censorship and control issues. It followed the two column format, and was a single sheet, printed on both sides. Sept 23, 1846 - Planet Neptune Discovered Sept 19, 2006 - Talk Like A Pirate Day! - I like that one! first complete circle in history by a heavier-than-air machine, covering 4,080 feet in about a minute and a half. |
October Facts National Adopt A Shelter Dog Month Whether it's a cute little puppy, or an older dog who needs a home, when you get your dog from a shelter, you save a life. (Always spay or neuter your dogs (and cats too) There are enough animals who need homes. Let's not make any more My dog, Happy comes from the Shelter Precious was on her way, but I took her first Thor wasn't from a shelter, but was the last of his litter, so I have him too! October 3, 1990 - East & West Germany Reunite October 8, 1871 - Great Chicago Fire Began Oct 7-13 is now National Fire Prevention Week October 12, 1999 - World Population Reaches SIX Billion! October 14, 1926 - Winnie The Pooh is published October is the Month of the Dinosaur Named from two Greek words meaning "terrible lizard," dinosaurs first appeared about 220 million years ago, and then disappeared rather suddenly 63 million years ago. Dinosaurs capture our imagination in many different ways. Their giant size, their scary looks, and the mystery of their extinction are but a few of the dinosaur wonders worth investigating |
| October 31 - Halloween Halloween originated under the name of Samhain as a Pagan festival among the Celts of Ireland and Great Britain. Irish and Scottish immigrants carried versions of the tradition to North America in the nineteenth century Tricks??? The custom of Halloween was brought to America in the 1840's by Irish immigrants fleeing their country's potato famine. At that time, the favorite pranks in New England included tipping over outhouses and unhinging fence gates Trick or Treating In 9th Century Europe, a custom called "Souling" was practiced on November 2. Peasants went from house to house to beg for "soul cakes" for good luck, and also as offerings for the dead. Jack-O-Lanterns Irish Children would carve out turnips or potatoes, and light them for their Halloween gatherings. They remembered "Jack", an Irish Villain, who was so bad that God didn't want him, and neither did the Devil. He wandered the world looking for a place to rest with his lit candle as warmth Halloween Masks People believed demons brought bad things, like droughts, to ruin their crops. They would wear masks to scare off the demons. As winter came, the food was stored inside, where everyone was warm, with the ghosts and demons outside. Often, they would wear their masks outside, after dark so that the evil demons would not recognize them. |
| November Facts Nov 4, 1922 - King Tut's Tomb Discovered Queen Nefertiti had six daughters; King Tut married one of them, his half sister. Ankhesenamon was thirteen years old when she became the wife of Tutankhamun when he was only nine years old. Tutankhamun only ruled about 10 years. The teenage queen apparently suffered two failed pregnancies: the miscarriage of a 5-month-old female fetus and a stillborn baby girl. (Both were mummified and buried in Tut’s tomb.) King Tut died around 1325 B.C. at the age of about 18, leaving behind a mystery of his death. English archaeologist Howard Carter & his excavation team in 1922 badly mangled the mummy of Tut. A bone fragment detected in his skull during a 1968 X-ray was caused not by a blow, but by the embalmers or by Carter’s rough treatment November 6, 1860 - Abe Lincoln elected President November 2, 1734 - Daniel Boone's Birthday American trailblazer Daniel Boone (1734 - 1820) explored the Appalachian mountains, now known as Kentucky, and opened up a westward trail for thousands of settlers that followed him into what is now Missouri. Although television portrayed Boone in a coonskin cap, it is more likely that he wore a black felt hat, and had a pigtail of his own hair (not of a racoon.) November 2, 1920 - Over 8 Million American Women vote for the first time November 9, 1989 - Fall of the Berlin Wall Thanksgiving Day Although the Pilgrims of Plymouth considered it a harvest celebration (not a religious day of thanksgiving), most historians point to their October, 1621 feast as America's First Thanksgiving |
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