#74 - Redbud Tree aka Judas Tree

I snapped a picture of this beautiful trio of redbud trees during my lunch walk today. Aren't they gorgeous?!

Today I learned an interesting fact about them. They are also called "Judas trees" because it's said that  Judas hanged himself from a redbud tree after betraying Jesus. The flowering redbud is said to "blush with shame". Poor little tree, why should it blush with shame? It did nothing wrong!

#17 - Strange Facts about Mercury

 Modern Periodic Table by moderngenes on Etsy

Today we know that mercury is poisonous. I work in a lab and we had to surrender our mercury thermometers several years ago in exchange for alcohol based thermometers. In 2002, the U.S. Senate passed legislation to phase out the manufacturing of mercury-based thermometers. Household thermometers are no longer made with mercury.

Yesterday while reading on the elliptical at the gym, I learned that mercury was once used to heal skin sores! Doctors would put mercury on the sore as a treatment. A book I was reading (Manufacturing Depression: The Secret History of a Modern Disease by Gary Greenberg) was giving a brief history of some medical developments and among them was the fact that mercury was used to help heal sores from syphilis! Patients with sores were treated by coating their underwear with mercury as well as putting mercury directly on the sores.

In some countries, a mercury compound called Mercurochrome is still used to treat minor skin cuts and scrapes.

Even today, mercury is still used in dental fillings. I knew this but had forgotten. It makes me worry about my dental fillings. Eeek!

Mercury is still used in many mascaras!! I had no idea I could be putting mercury on my eyelashes! Note to self...check into this!! In 2008, Minnesota became the first state to ban intentional use of mercury in cosmetics. The U.S. federal government has not yet followed suit to ban mercury use in cosmetics. 

So to my amazement, even though we aren't putting mercury directly on ourselves to treat skin conditions and disease, we're still using mercury in products that touch our skin or go in our mouths! :(

#7 - Weird Ice Cream Law in Lexington

Ice Cream Soap Set by bubblegenius on Etsy

Random weird fact: Did you know it's illegal to carry an ice cream cone in your back pocket in Lexington, KY?

Why? Because in the old days people would put an ice cream cone in their back pocket to lure a horse away from it's home. Then when they were accused of stealing they horse, they would claim the horse wasn't stolen...it simply followed them home!

How funny! I'll be sure to keep the ice cream cones out of my pockets. :) I don't think that'll be a hard law to follow. ;)

#6 - Four Leaf Clovers

According to Irish tradition, each leaf of a clover has a meaning.  The first is faith, the second is hope, the third is love and the fourth is luck. Only about 1 in 10,000 clovers have four leaves. So it's thought that finding one with four leaves (especially by accident) makes one lucky. It's unknown whether the fourth leaf is a genetically or environmentally caused mutation.

Irish tradition also says clover leaves represent the Holy Trinity. The first leaf being the Father, the second the Son, and the third the Holy Ghost. The fourth leaf is said to be God's Grace.


Need some luck? Check out these cool handmade four leaf clover items!!

By Green Ribbon Gems on Etsy

By DDivyne on Etsy

Clovers can have more than four leaves, of course. One with 56 leaves was found in Japan!! Many people believe finding a four leaf clover is lucky while finding a clover with more than four leaves is unlucky. Others believe the more leaves...the more luck.

Really lukcy OR unlucky?!

56 leaf clover from Japan (source: National Geographic)