Q. Some animal species seem like they wouldn’t give much thought to the collective nouns we silly humans assign them. “A bloat of hippopotamuses?  Stand there for a minute.” 🦛🦛🦛 Birds seem like they would care. What are some collective nouns for birds, and how do we think they would

Q. Happy National Dog Day! This one’s for you, Chloe. Ever the Queen. 🐶👑 Many of us try our hands at drawing our beloved pups in pencil, pastel, paint. Some of us have little to no success. Which lucky dogs have been captured by artists of renown? . A. Bring

Q. For me, it’s the crackle of the kitchen radio, the  clack of Dad’s typewriter, the steam hiss of Mum’s vintage iron, the minor third trill ring of a rotary phone call that best be for me. What are some nostalgic sounds that you miss from your childhood? How many

Q. It’s summer, it’s school vacation, and some of us are merrily embarking – or not-so-merrily being dragged – on camping trips. One delicious highlight/distractor for all? S’mores. Where did these gooey campfire treats originate? . A. In 1927, Loretta Scout Crew published the first known recipe for s’mores in

Q. First came the telegenic majesty of the Olympics. Let’s jog by the Louvre. Let’s volley on a makeshift beach by the Eiffel Tower. Let’s straddle impeccably groomed horses over jumps at the Palace of Versailles. (⛔️ Let us all, however, keep our swim trunks hidden until we are well

Q. We’re lost in new worlds, we’re learning, we’re finally hearing from long-distance loves, we’re plotting the next stage of our lives. How have artists captured the wonder of reading over the centuries? . A.   Anonymous. A Man Reading. 1660 . Johannes Vermeer. Woman Reading a Letter. 1663 .

Q. The cleverest of fruit can, with the slightest of tweaks, serve double duty in explaining our moods. What are some common English idioms – current and past – built around fruit? . A. Pleasant Enough Apple of your eye Now this is a person who makes you proud; tops

Q. In kindergarten, one of our favourite games 👀 was ‘horsey’. We’d be cantering around, hands slapping onto hot pavement, neighing when the mood hit. It’s hard not to be reminded of horsey hijinks when watching Olympics steeplechase. Well, add in a shake of extreme athleticism, some steely-eyed competitors, and

Q. It’s hothothot this B.C. long weekend. Whom do we have to thank for inventing this beautifully juicy relief on a stick? . A. Most credit 11 year old Frank W. Epperson of Oakland, California for the invention of the popsicle. After an intense day of outdoor play, Frank retired inside

Q. Few would be surprised to learn that people despise household chores – some have their particular nemeses, some hate the whole lot. I mean, it’s in the word. Cambridge Dictionary defines a ‘chore’ as ‘a job or piece of work that is often boring or unpleasant but needs to