2025 · Autumn · DIY

DIY-Woodland Pumpkin Sign (1)

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I decided to make a Woodland sign since I still had another unused pumpkin wood sign. Recently, I ordered some rub-on transfers from Amazon. And they are perfect for making signs and ornaments with them, after coloring the pumpkin wood sign completely in white chalk paint. Once the paint was dry, I rubbed on the transfer sticker. As a finish, I used antique wax to stain the sign. Now, the wax is dry. And the sign hangs on our living room wall.

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2025 · National Day Calendar

Skyscraper Day 2025 🌆

Skyscrapers have become pretty commonplace in modern times, and Skyscraper Day is our golden opportunity to appreciate these architectural marvels and feats of engineering. Skyscrapers grace our big cities with their bold presence, defining our skylines with mighty buildings that literally seem to scrape the sky. But skyscrapers have only been around for about 130 years. The world’s first skyscraper was completed in 1885 in Chicago, and it stood only 138 feet tall, a mere 10 stories that would not even be considered a skyscraper today. But the name stuck, and initially, any building that towered high over the surrounding structures was dubbed a skyscraper. Over time, our ability to engineer and construct skyscrapers improved drastically, and now a building must have at least 40 floors to be classified as a skyscraper at all. In crowded urban areas where land space is at a premium, skyscrapers allow us to build upwards rather than outwards, converting a single allotment of land area into 40 or more floors of potential living space.

:https://nationaltoday.com/skyscraper-day/

2025 · Wildlife Wednesday

European Mantis (Mantis religiosa)

The European mantis is a large insect in the family of the Mantidae (‘mantids’), which is the largest family of the order Mantodea (mantises). Their common name, praying mantis, is derived from the distinctive posture of the first pair of legs that can be observed in animals in repose. It resembles a praying attitude. Both males and females have elongated bodies with two pairs of wings. The most striking features that all Mantodea share are a very mobile, triangular head with large compound eyes and their first pair of legs (the ‘raptorial legs’), which are highly modified for the efficient capture and restraint of fast-moving or flying prey. In Germany, the European Mantis is listed as Gefährdet [endangered] on the German Red List based on an assessment from 1998. It is not supposed to be caught or held as a pet. At a global level, it is assessed by the IUCN as of least concern.

European Mantis