Well, we are all experiencing February together. There are lots of words that describe February, many of them not fit public consumption. Cold, miserable, snow covering a brown dead landscape. Yep, February is pretty much the depths of civilization. Except Down Under where it is hot and miserable.
So rather than suffer, let’s have some fun. Answer these questions and feel better instantly!

1) these two giants in world history were born on this date (Feb. 12) in 1809. Name these two men.

2) You could expect that the lowest temperature ever recorded in Iowa was in February. The place was Elkader, The date was Feb. 3, 1996. What was the temp within 5 degrees?

3) George Washington was either born on Feb. 11th or Feb. 22nd. Why is that?

4) Some folks get out and get exercise during the coldest part of winter. Such as Winter Olympians. What year were the first official Winter Olympics Games held?

5) Valentine’s Day is one of the major fests in February. Who was Valentine anyway?

6) Most people know that leap years occur in every year divisible by 4. That is not totally true, since the solar year is not exactly 365.25 days long. So what are the exceptions?

7) President’s Day is celebrated in February. Four presidents have been born in February. Can you name 3?

8) Well, one good thing about February, we gain sunlight. How much more sunlight per day do we have on March 1 than on Feb. 1? Within 10 minutes.

9) On Feb. 1, 1960 four African-American students sat at a Woolworth’s lunch counter and were refused service. They then refused to leave sparking the first sit-in demonstration. What city did this take place in?

10) One bright light that entered the world in February was an American inventor who eventually lay claim to over 1200 patents. Who was he?

Nothing like exercise in the winter even if it is only the mind.
Answers? Can you wait til next month? NO?

1) Just a couple years ago we celeebrated the 200th birthdays of Charles Darwin and Abraham Lincoln.

2) -47 degrees F

3) The British Empire adopted the Gregorian calendar 20 years after Washington was born. Under the calendar at the time, the Julian calendar he was

born on Feb. 11 which was adjusted to Feb. 22 under the Gregorian calendar.

4) 1924 in Chamonix, France

5) Valentine appears to be the name shared by 14 martyrs of the Roman Catholic Church. Valens in Latin means strong or brave.

6) Try to stay with me. Years divisible by 100 are not leap years unless they are also divisible by 400. Thus 1900 was NOT a leap year, whereas 2000 WAS a leap year. There is more to setting the clock than you thought.

7) George Washington, William Henry Harrison, Abraham Lincoln and Ronald Reagan.

8) Based on Iowa City sunrise/sunset tables. There is 39 more minutes of sunlight in the morning and 26 more in the evening for a total of 65 more minutes of sunlight! YAY!

9) Greensboro, North Carolina.

10) Thomas Edison