Find out about the origins of May Day

Posted by Jane

Most people living in the United States know little about the International Workers’ Day of May Day. For many others there is an assumption that it is a holiday celebrated in state communist countries like Cuba or the former Soviet Union. Most Americans don’t realize that May Day has its origins here in this country and is as “American” as baseball and apple pie, and stemmed from the pre-Christian holiday of Beltane, a celebration of rebirth and fertility.

Read more in The Brief Origins of May Day

Listen to In Our Time

Posted by Jane

Find yourself stuck inside with a bit of time on your hands? In Our Time continues to be an excellent informational resource, study aid and an enlightening, entertaining way to delve into the minutiae of any subject. So why not teach yourself a lesson with In Our Time’s majestical knowledge juggernaut!

Delve deeply into English Literature, History or Science

Listen to the podcasts and read about the topics.

Visit Our Time from the BBC

Get into tie-dying

Posted by Jane

Ordinarily, when you think of tie-dye you probably think of 90s ravers or children under 10, but there’s nothing ordinary about the time we’re living in.

Since lockdown started it seems that tie-dye has made a comeback and it seems that everyone, from the Beckham family and Victoria Secret Angel, Alessandra Ambrosio, to influencers across the UK, have been sharing the fruits of their labour online.

For more information read Tie-dying has become the latest self-isolation Instagram trend, this kit has everything you need

Find out how Cheddar Cheese is made

Posted by Jane

Cheddar is the most popular type of cheese in the UK. The cheese originates from the village of Cheddar in Somerset, south west England. Cheddar Gorge on the edge of the village contains a number of caves, which provided the ideal humidity and steady temperature for maturing the cheese.

Cheddar Gorge Cheese company explains

There are a great many pretenders, but only one genuine Cheddar – and we are very proud to say, we make the only authentic cheddar cheese in the world; and this, is how we do it

Traditional cheddar cheese – still produced by hand in the village of Cheddar, Somerset, with raw milk from one local farm. Both an art and a science, we are producing & thereby preserving the only truly authentic cheddar cheese in the world. Long-matured in cloth to produce that special taste, texture, aroma, mouthfeel and long lasting flavour. Our cheese is unique and we’re proud to keep the tradition alive.

Cheddar Gorge Cheese company has written about How we make our cheese

And if you are in the UK and want to try out their cheese they have some special Isolation Packs

What Is The Longest English Word?

Posted by Jane

What is the longest English word? Lexico (Oxford Dictionary) tells us that the answer to the question,

You’re unlikely to come across these words in genuine use: they’re generally just provided as answers to questions about the longest words in the English language.

So what is the answer?

Find out HERE

Run 5K in just 9 weeks

Posted by Jane

Couch to 5K is a running plan for absolute beginners. It was developed by a new runner, Josh Clark, who wanted to help his 50-something mum get off the couch and start running, too.

The plan involves 3 runs a week, with a day of rest in between, and a different schedule for each of the 9 weeks.

Couch to 5K is for everyone. Whether you’ve never run before or if you just want to get more active, Couch to 5K is a free and easy way of getting fitter and healthier.

Find out more about Couch to 5K from the NHS (in the UK)

Use self-isolation to develop professional skills

Posted by Jane

As the Coronavirus pandemic continues to change the ways in which we live and work, it’s vital to remember this is a temporary situation. This mindset affirms one thing: that we will one day return to normal. In the interim, as we experience travel bans, self-quarantines, shelter-in-place mandates, and other disruptions to everyday life, the one common denominator is time. Regardless of our work situation, we will still have a day to fill and, if business slows, an opportunity for self-improvement.

If we look at this current crisis with a glass-half-full mentality, we’re presented with the opportunity to plan and act on the self-improvement plans that we could have only dreamed of in the past. It’s time to focus on the things we can control and not let fear of the unknown consume us. Here are some recommended approaches to self-development:

Find out more in USE SELF-ISOLATION TO DEVELOP PROFESSIONAL SKILLS from Training Magazine

Watch an Opera

Posted by Jane

During this extraordinary and difficult time, the Met hopes to brighten the lives of our audience members even while our stage is dark. Each day, a different encore presentation from the company’s Live in HD series is being made available for free streaming on the Met website, with each performance available for a period of 23 hours, from 7:30 p.m. EDT until 6:30 p.m. the following day. The schedule will include outstanding complete performances from the past 14 years of cinema transmissions, starring all of opera’s greatest singers.

Visit the Metropolitan Opera