Author: Lisa Mungovan

A man in Menlo Park California, writes inspiring messages in his front yard that are quacking people up. Jim Preston uses rubber duckies, to spell out phrases like “Be Strong”, or “No Fear”. Along with words of hope and encouragement, he’ll wish people “Happy Birthday,” by request. Maybe it should say “Quackie Birthday!”

Last week in Florida, a big chunk of ice made a hole in the roof of a house. It went through the edge and landed back outside, so there were no injuries, but nobody knows where it came from! It just fell out of the sky. They won’t need to buy ice for awhile!

Earth takes about 365 days, or one Earth year, to make 1 trip around the Sun. Mercury only takes 88 days, while a Martian year lasts 687 days. Pluto is so far away, that it hasn’t completed a trip around the Sun since it was first discovered, in 19 30! Pluto takes 248 Earth years, to orbit the Sun.

Today is World Lindy Hop Day. The Lindy Hop is a dance from the 19 twenties. If you don’t know anyone that can teach you, look it up and try it! Eat some cheesecake while you dance, because it’s also Blueberry Cheesecake Day. Dessert while dancing sounds sweet.

Break out your cape and plastic fangs, because today is Dracula Day! The famous vampire drank blood, but you can celebrate with fruit punch instead. It’s also Paper Airplane Day. Make a whole fleet of folded aircraft, and see which designs fly straightest, farthest, or loopiest. Find directions for different planes at Foldnfly.com!

Don’t forget to watch the Moon after midnight, as it will look bigger, brighter, and reddish in color. It’s a supermoon, meaning it’s at its closest distance to Earth, and there will also be a lunar eclipse. In California, the eclipse will be around 4 in the morning, but it’ll be around 9 at night in Australia.

Firefighters often get called, to rescue cats from trees. But in England, firefighters had to help get a horse out of a tree! Eddie is a 28-year-old horse, who got wedged between the trunks of a group of trees. It must have looked like a shady spot to sit down, until he got trapped!

Kevin Mahan is chief photographer for a TV station, so he’s always got his camera handy. He also has a video camera on his bike helmet. While he was riding his bike recently, he noticed birds overhead, before hearing the click of a hawk’s talons, as it tried to grab his helmet camera.

Today is Tap Dance Day, but don’t worry if you don’t have tap shoes. You can make your own, using hot glue, and 20 pennies! Glue 6 pennies to the bottom of each shoe on the toe area, and another 4 to the heel. Let them dry for an hour, and you’ll be ready to tap!

A towel is the most important thing an interstellar hitchhiker can have, according to “The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy.” Today is Towel Day! Don’t panic, just carry a towel. It’s also Geek Pride Day. For example, be proud of being a Star Wars geek who knows the name of every single character!