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Aug

Name That Finger: Digit-al Wordplay

by Meredith Mullins on August 31, 2020

A pentadactyl adventure
© Meredith Mullins

The Cultural Traditions of Finger Names Around the World

The finger has a long history. No, not THAT finger—that one that always seems to come to mind first.

The finger in the broader, pentadactyl sense. The five fingers of the hand.

We humans aren’t the only folks in the world with fingers. Many in the animal kingdom have five-fingered limbs, from monkeys and apes to rats and bats to pandas and birds. Read more...

Meredith Mullins 2 Comments

Cultural Heritage & Traditions/Language & Culture/Wordplay/Worldwide Sites

Aug

Blue Spaces Cure the Blues

by Joyce McGreevy on August 24, 2020

A blue lake under a blue sky, Elk Lake, Oregon, inspires the author to reflect on personal and cultural beliefs about water, including the blue mind and blue spaces theory. (Image © Rayna Bevando)

Celebrating Earth’s water can inspire us to find the flow in life.
© Rayna Bevando

Personal & Cultural Beliefs About Water

In this high-heat, high-stress summer, how are people finding relief? Emails from friends around the world offer a common response. Read more...

“. . .the great thing about the island is that you’re almost always in sight of the sea.” —Waiheke, New Zealand
“ . . .it’s cold getting in, but your body soon adjusts, and you feel your mood lifting with the waves.”—Cork, Ireland
“ . . .in the evenings, we stroll, following the flow of the Arno and stopping at bridges to admire the reflected city.”—Florence, Italy

Joyce McGreevy 2 Comments

Cultural Heritage & Traditions/Nature Discovery/Worldwide Sites

Aug

Cultural Encounters: Ice Cream Around the World

by Meredith Mullins on August 17, 2020

The Inside Scoop on a Global Favorite

I scream. You scream. We all scream for ice cream.

Have you belted out those lyrics . . . or do you remember, in your childhood, having a Pavlovian response to the seductive call of an ice cream truck bell or jingle?

My ice cream truck tune still occasionally pops up from my subconscious childhood playlist and reminds me of the truck getting closer and closer to our house. Read more...