Reading List
pieces&
Bits
“And Then There Were None,” by Agatha Christie. If
you’re ready to celebrate Halloween, get in the spooky
spirit with this classic mystery novel. Ten strangers are
summoned as weekend guests to a private island off the
coast of Devon. The millionaire host is a stranger to all, but
all the guests have something in common: a wicked past
they’re unwilling to reveal and a secret that will seal their
fate.
“Their Eyes Were Watching God,” by Zora Neale
Hurston. Fair and long-legged, independent and
articulate, Janie Crawford sets out to be her own person,
no mean feat for a black woman in the ‘30s. Janie’s quest
for identity takes her through three marriages and into a
journey back to her roots.
Did you know?
• Autumn is caused by the Earth’s tilt, not our
distance from the sun. When the northern
hemisphere tilts towards the sun, we get warmer.
When it tilts away, we get colder. Fall and spring
are the times of transition.
• Fall colors are caused by the amount of sugar
in leaves. The more red in the leaf, the more
sugar that leaf is storing. That is why Maple
trees are so vibrant. Evergreens don’t change
because their leaves have a thick wax covering
that protects the chlorophyll (green) in the leaves.
However, global warming could affect fall foliage.
Scientists think that the rich reds, oranges, and
yellows of fall may be one of the many casualties
of global warming. Leaves change color in
part because of cues taken from dropping
temperatures. As temperatures remain warmer
through fall and winter nights, they could delay
the beloved fall color shift.
• Weight gain around this time of year may not
be from all the food. Researchers have found
that lack of vitamin D reduces fat breakdown
and triggers fat storage. So, the lack of sunlight
has more to do with the extra gain than all the
pumpkin spice lattes.
• Ancient people wore Halloween costumes to
hide from ghosts. The Celtic tradition believed
that ghosts roamed the earth on Halloween.
Wearing a disguise would help you these spirits.
TRY IT
REDECORATE
With most, if not all, of our time being spent at home
these days, why not freshen up your space? With
the IKEA PLACE application for your smart phone,
you can virtually see a 3D, true to scale furniture in
your space. The application includes most of IKEA’s
catalogue, like sofas and chairs, and helps you to
better understand the furniture’s size, design and
functionality in your home.
STARGAZE
Have you ever wondered what constellations
you’re staring at in the night sky? The STAR WALK
stargazing application. It’s an interactive guide to
the night sky, following your every movement in
real-time and allowing you to explore over 200,000
celestial bodies and get access to information about
anything you find.
How to ... Leaf-Peep this autumn
Some of the area’s best leaves can only be seen when you
get off the major highways and head to the winding country
roads, many of which feature romantic covered bridges, local
farm stands, pumpkin patches and small-town fall festivals that
celebrate the change of season. The best way to navigate these
small roads is with a GPS system, but low-tech travelers should
stock up on local maps to help them navigate the back roads.
While the specific dates may vary slightly each year, Mother
Nature’s autumn show kicks off at the Canadian border and
makes its first appearance in the northern states like Maine,
New Hampshire and Vermont in early September. As the month
progresses, the colors move southbound and wind their way
down south where the final colors fade away in early November.
Prerogative Magazine 49