Halloween is a cross-quarter day

The 4 cross-quarter days fall between equinoxes and solstices. Halloween is the spookiest one – derived from a sacred festival of ancient Celts and Druids – coming as days grow short and nights long in the Northern Hemisphere. Source: https://earthsky.org/astronomy-essentials/halloween-derived-from-ancient-celtic-cross-quarter-day…

Moon and Gemini stars at dawn August 26 and 27

The moon has now waned to a slim crescent phase. It’s near the stars Castor and Pollux – the legendary Gemini “twins” – on August 26 and 27, 2019. Source: https://earthsky.org/tonight/see-moon-gemini-stars-before-dawn…

How To Make Compost

We probably don’t need to tell you the benefits of compost for your soil. With a few easy steps you can grow bigger healthier plants and save your scraps from being turned into garbage. Plus, composting gives you the opportunity to see exactly what is going into your fertilizer. So enrich your soil, plants, and life…Continue Reading
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Large 2019 dead zone in Gulf of Mexico

This year’s Gulf of Mexico dead zone of oxygen-depleted waters is the 8th largest ever recorded. Source: https://earthsky.org/earth/dead-zone-gulf-of-mexico-2019…

The Beauty of Japan’s Lonely Vending Machines

Jacopo Prisco, writing for CNN: Vending machines are a mainstay of Japanese culture. There are over 5.5 million in the country — one for every 23 people, the highest ratio in the world. They’re ubiquitous and almost always outdoors, making them immediately stand out to anyone visiting Japan. They sell nearly everything — including some rather peculiar items. Most are stocked…

Toys ‘R’ Us, Back From the Dead, Will Open US Stores in 2019

Maybe American kids will only have to live through one Christmas without Toys “R” Us. About a year after shuttering U.S. operations, the remnant of the defunct toy chain is set to return this holiday season by opening about a half dozen U.S. stores and an e-commerce site, according to a report. From the report: Richard Barry, a former Toys “R”…