March’s full Moon goes by the name Worm Moon, which was originally thought to refer to the earthworms that appear as the soil warms in spring. This invites robins and other birds to feed—a true sign of spring! An alternative explanation for this name comes from Captain Jonathan Carver, an 18th-century explorer, who wrote that this Moon name refers to a different sort of “worm”—beetle larvae—which begin to emerge from the thawing bark of trees and other winter hideouts at this time.
Daily Calendar for Tuesday, March 7, 2023
Question of the Day
How many gallons of oil are in a barrel?
A barrel of oil contains 42 gallons.
Advice of the Day
Thomas Jefferson washed his feet in cold water every morning to prevent colds.
Home Hint of the Day
If you can easily push a knife blade into the wood of a beam in your house, that wood has dry rot (caused by a fungus) and should be replaced.
Word of the Day
Cat Nights
This term harks back to the days when people believed in witches. An old Irish legend says that a witch could turn into a cat and regain herself eight times, but on the ninth time, August 17, she couldn’t change back, hence the saying: “A cat has nine lives.” Because August is a “yowly” time for cats, this may have prompted the speculation about witches on the prowl in the first place.
Puzzle of the Day
What goes up the hill, down the hill, and yet stands still?
A road
Born
- Henry Draper (astronomer) –
- Luther Burbank (horticulturist) –
- Joseph Maurice Ravel (composer) –
- Anna Magnani (actress) –
- James Broderick (actor) –
- Willard Scott (weatherman) –
- Janet Guthrie (first woman to race in the Indy 500) –
- Daniel J. Travanti (actor) –
- Peter Wolf (musician) –
- Franco Harris (football player) –
- Bryan Cranston (actor) –
- Ivan Lendl (tennis player) –
- Wanda Sykes (comedienne & actress) –
- Tiny Tymm (21-millionth Canadian) –
- Rachel Weisz (actress) –
- Jenna Fischer (actress) –
- Laura Prepon (actress) –
Died
- The Earl of Aberdeen (Canadian Governor General 1893 - 1898) –
- Ray Arcel (boxing trainer) –
- Stanley Kubrick (film director) –
- Paul Winfield (actor) –
- Debra Hill (producer) –
Events
- Queen’s University held its first classes, Kingston, Ontario–
- Alexander Graham Bell received a patent for his telephone–
- Toronto Stock Exchange incorporated–
- Dr. John Kellogg served the world’s first cornflakes to his patients at the Battle Creek (MI) Sanitarium–
- First coin-operated locker patented–
- The world’s first jazz recording was released by the RCA Victor Company–
- President Woodrow Wilson authorized the Distinguished Service Medal to be given for outstanding service in the U.S. Army–
- U.S. troops captured the key Remagen Bridge across the Rhine (WW II)–
- Melvin C. Garlow became the first pilot to log more than one million miles in jet airplanes–
- The Who’s Pinball Wizard” was released in Britain. It was the first selection from the rock opera “Tommy” to be publicly aired”–
- Comet Kohoutek was discovered by Czech astronomer Lubos Kohoutek–
- Phil Mahre won alpine skiing’s World Cup championship. He was the third person to ever win three consecutive titles–
- Major U.S. recording artists combined their talents and released We Are the World. Proceeds from recording sales were to be donated to African famine relief–
- The Violent Femmes (an alternative rock band) played at Carnegie Hall–
- At the 82nd Annual Academy Awards, Kathryn Bigelow won the Oscar for Best Director for Hurt Locker. It was the first time a woman won the award.–
- Barefoot water skier, Fernando Reina Iglesias, set a new record. Towed by a helicopter off the coast of Mexico, he reached a speed of 153 mph.–
Weather
- Brilliant nationwide aurora borealis–
- This day was a day Iowans won’t soon forget. A major ice storm coated much of the state with two to three inches of ice. Seventy-eight downed utility towers along one 17-mile stretch cost three electric companies $15 million. The total damage from the storm was over $50 million.–