Paula Johnson

by Paula Johnson How and why do places get their names? Naming places, especially on maps, is ages old and came from people as bards, storytellers and poets who travelled in ancient times. In the age of exploration and more modern times … [Read more...] about Bits & Pieces: Toponyms

by Paula Johnson What do you fear the most? Having fears is very normal. The fight or flight response choices when humans are faced with a decision, action, reaction or any fearful situation is an automatic bodily response. This … [Read more...] about Bits & Pieces: Fear

by Paula Johnson There is nothing better than a good hat. It can complete an otherwise ordinary getup into a fabulous outfit. That goes for both men and women. Easter is just around the corner, and I can remember getting dressed up … [Read more...] about Bits & Pieces: Hats

by Paula Johnson These past 2 months I have watched more Star Trek than in my entire life “in toto.” I finally told the farmer the other day, that I prefer Picard to Kirk episodes. I have even watched the Wil Wheaton (played Wesley … [Read more...] about Bits & Pieces: Tidbits

As a child, I was fairly well self-contained – didn’t require a lot of entertaining or supervision. My maternal grandfather made me a two-story doll house with a set of drawers underneath that I called the basement, and an attic with a … [Read more...] about Bits and Pieces: Cinderella

Lemon Blueberry Bread fresh from the oven by Paula Johnson My cousin, Sue, used to be the Cake Lady of Warren County, Illinois. She made multi-layer wedding cakes, specialty birthday and occasion cakes and scores of cupcakes. She told … [Read more...] about Bits & Pieces: Lemon Blueberry Bread

by Paula Johnson Let’s start March with a little Trivia Quiz. This is John’s birthday month, so here is a little early gift, bro! Questions: 1. What is the rarest eye color? 2. On a wooden pencil, what does HB mean? 3. Which … [Read more...] about Bits and Pieces: Some Trivia for March

by Paula Johnson Last week I received a trivia email asking me to identify which state had popcorn as its official state snack food. I have heard of state birds, state flowers and state trees, but never heard of a state snack … [Read more...] about Bits and Pieces: State Snack Foods

by Paula Johnson Names are an interesting thing. Some names are a continuation within a family, like George Foreman who named his five sons after himself: George, Jr. (II) through George VI. Some names might reflect an ancestor in the … [Read more...] about Bits and Pieces: Famous Landmarks and Their Names

by Paula Johnson The other day I ran across information about the “Loneliest Road in America.” I have been down many roads across the country, and I wondered if it was one that I had travelled. As I read further, it turned out that … [Read more...] about Bits & Pieces: The Loneliest Road in America

by Paula Johnson Rodent! The actual word can be disgusting and squeamish. How did something so dangerous to humans become something important to humans? Lab mice and rats have become not only important in science, but some lab workers … [Read more...] about Bits and Pieces: A New Life for Lab Rats