15 July: Mount Etna

This date in 1669 marked the official end of an eruption of Mount Etna which had started on 11 March, damaging several towns and villages. This eruption is considered the most significant of Etna’s historic eruptions. 10 things you might not know about Etna:

1. First of all, where is it? Mount Etna is located on the east coast of Sicily between the cities of Messina and Catania.

2. It is one of the tallest active volcanoes in Europe, and the tallest peak in Italy south of the Alps. Its height isn’t constant, however. Eruptions at the summit can change the height. In September 2024, its height was 3,403 m (11,165 ft). That’s two and a half times the height of Mount Vesuvius. Etna covers an area of 1,190 km2 (459 sq mi) with a basal circumference of 140 km (87 miles).

3. There are two theories about where the name Etna came from. One is that it derives from the Greek for “I burn” and the other is that it came from a Phoenician word meaning 'furnace' or 'Chimney'. In Italy it’s often referred to by the alternative name of Mongibello or Montebello, which translates to “beautiful mountain”, or Mungibeddu in Sicily.

4. Mount Etna erupts on average once a year. At time of writing the most recent eruption mentioned began on 1 January 2026. The first written record of Etna erupting dates back to between 60 and 30 BC and was created by a Greek historian called Diodorus Siculus.

5. The volcano is also mentioned in Roman mythology as it was said to be the location for the blacksmith’s forge of Vulcan, the god of fire. According to the myth, eruptions happened when Vulcan found out that his wife, Venus, had been unfaithful and he would go to his workshop and take out his anger on his metalwork.

6. Despite being an active volcano, it attracts many tourists. It’s possible to go horse riding, quad biking or mountain biking on the sides of the volcano, although only as part of a guided tour.

7. You can even go Skiing. There are two ski resorts on Etna: one at the Sapienza Refuge, with a chairlift and three ski lifts, and a smaller one on the north, at Piano Provenzana near Linguaglossa, with three lifts and a chairlift. A bit risky though: in 2002 a massive eruption wiped out a ski lift, two hotels, and some shops.

8. Lava flows have created numerous caves which over the years have been put to various uses including as an air raid shelter in WWII and for producing enough ice to export to Malta and Naples, and create hundreds of jobs. Today the caves are a tourist attraction and guided tours are available. The snow cave used for ice production is the most visited.

9. Minerals spewed out by volcanoes make for very fertile soil and Etna is no exception. Grapes for some of Italy’s best wines are grown here. Over 150 wineries are found on the slopes.

10. Mount Etna has been a UNESCO World Heritage site since June 2013.

I also write novels and short stories. If you like superheroes, psychic detectives and general weirdness you might enjoy them. 

Check out my works of fiction at https://juliehowlinauthor.wordpress.com/my-books/

14 July: Gerald Ford Quotes

Born this date in 1913 was former US President Gerald Ford. 10 quotes:

1. Never be satisfied with less than your very best effort. If you strive for the top and miss, you'll still 'beat the pack.'

2. A government big enough to give you everything you want is a government big enough to take from you everything you have.

3. I hope never to see the day that I cannot admit having made a mistake.

4. The American dream does not come to those who fall asleep.

5. If compassion and mercy are not compatible with politics then something is the matter with politics.

6. Real assistance is to help people to help themselves. We can't do everything for everybody, but there is room for all who try to make it.

7. It's more like it is now than it ever has been.

8. I know I am getting better at golf because I am hitting fewer spectators.

9. I strongly support the feeding of children.

10. The harder you work, the luckier you are, and I worked like hell.

I also write novels and short stories. If you like superheroes, psychic detectives and general weirdness you might enjoy them. 

Check out my works of fiction at https://juliehowlinauthor.wordpress.com/my-books/

13 July: Don't be Cruel

On this date in 1956 Elvis Presley's Don't Be Cruel was released. 10 facts about it.

1. The song was written by Otis Blackwell, who also wrote Return To Sender and All Shook Up, among several other Elvis hits. It was recorded just 11 days before it was released. Elvis recorded Hound Dog and Any Way You Want Me in the same recording session.

2. It was released as a single with Hound Dog.

3. In the US, both sides reached number one, the only single ever to achieve that.

4. In the UK, Don't Be Cruel was the B side to Hound Dog. It was 1978 before Don’t Be Cruel became a hit in its own right, when it was re-released after Elvis died.

5. Performers on the single included Scotty Moore on lead guitar, Bill Black on double bass, D. J. Fontana on Drums, Shorty Long on Piano, with the Jordanaires providing backing vocals.

6. Bill Black went on to have a hit with an instrumental version in 1960.

7. There has also been an R&B version by Barbara Lynn and a country version by the Judds. In 1988 it was covered by the band Cheap Trick.

8. The Quarrymen, who would become The Beatles, are said to have performed the song regularly in their early days, although they never recorded it at that time.

9. The song was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2002.

10. In 2004, it was ranked No. 197 in Rolling Stone's list of 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.

I also write novels and short stories. If you like superheroes, psychic detectives and general weirdness you might enjoy them. 

Check out my works of fiction at https://juliehowlinauthor.wordpress.com/my-books/

12 July: 193

12 July is the 193^rd day of a non-leap year. Here are 10 fun facts about the number.

1. A quote from Desmond Morris, British zoologist and ethologist: "There are 193 species of Monkeys and apes, 192 of them are covered with hair."

2. The year 193 was a common year starting on Monday, known at the time as the Year of the Consulship of Sosius and Ericius.

3. As of 2023, 193 countries were members of the United Nations.

4. 193 Ambrosia is a main belt asteroid discovered by J. Coggia in 1879, and named after either Ambrosia, the food of the gods in Greek mythology, or Ambrosia, one of the Hyades.

5. In Saskatchewan, Canada there is a rural municipality called Eyebrow No. 193.

6. The A193 is a road in England which runs from the A1068 in Bedlington to the A167(M) in Newcastle city centre.

7. The Trial of the 193 was a series of criminal trials held in Russia in 1877–1878 under the rule of Tsar Alexander II. The defendants were 193 socialist students and other "revolutionaries" charged with populist "unrest" and propaganda against the Russian Empire.

8. London bus route 193 runs from: Queen's Hospital to Essex Gardens.

9. The Knights Templar existed for 193 years.

10. In numerology, the energy of 193 is focused on building a secure future on a solid foundation, not only for itself but to benefit humanity. While it will map out and follow steps to reach its goal, it is more than capable of taking a creative approach when plans have to change.

I also write novels and short stories. If you like superheroes, psychic detectives and general weirdness you might enjoy them. 

Check out my works of fiction at https://juliehowlinauthor.wordpress.com/my-books/

11 July: John Quincy Adams Quotes

This date in 1767 was the birth date of US President John Quincy Adams. 10 things he said.

1. If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader.

2. Try and fail, but don't fail to try.

3. To believe that everyone is honest is folly, but to believe that no one is honest is worse.

4. Idleness is sweet, and its consequences are cruel.

5. Individual liberty is individual power.

6. Whoever tells the best story wins.

7. Every temptation is an opportunity of our getting nearer to God.

8. The laws of man may bind him in chains or may put him to death, but they never can make him wise, virtuous, or happy.

9. The four most miserable years of my life were my four years in the presidency.

10. I would much rather be found guilty of making a serious mistake in judgment, than to be accused of being even a little bit insincere.

I also write novels and short stories. If you like superheroes, psychic detectives and general weirdness you might enjoy them. 

Check out my works of fiction at https://juliehowlinauthor.wordpress.com/my-books/

10 July: Paprika

As today is National herbs and spices day, here are 10 things you might not know about paprika.

1. Paprika is made by grinding the pods of the pepper plant capsicum annuum, a species which includes both sweet peppers and spicier ones. Hence there are many varieties of paprika. Potatoes, Tomatoes, and Aubergine (eggplant) are its distant cousins.

2. The first recorded use of the word paprika in English dates back to 1830, in The Times. "A' borsos levecskét – the pepper soup, or paprika soup, made of the capsicum annuum of Linne ... a favourite dish among the Magyars, Turks, and Servians".

3. In 1937, the Hungarian chemist Albert Szent-György won the Nobel Prize for research on the vitamin content of paprika. There is more Vitamin C in paprika than in an equivalent amount of citrus fruit.

4. It’s also rich in antioxidants, so has been used in the manufacture of medicines and cosmetics.

5. A nitrogen compound called capsaicin gives paprika its pungency, while carotenoid, an antioxidant, gives it the rich Red colour.

6. The plants from which paprika is made are native to South America and were likely brought back to Europe by Christopher Columbus. The spice became popular in Spain and Portugal and then spread with Spanish and Portuguese explorers to the Balkans and even to India, Asia and the Middle East.

7. It is the national spice of Hungary, which has a paprika museum in the town of Kaloscsa.

8. It is an essential ingredient for the Hungarian dish, goulash, as well as being used to make edible oils, meat products, and Cheese.

9. Smoked paprika is a thing, prepared by smoking peppers over an oak fire rather than simply drying them. In Spain, smoked paprika is called pimenton.

10. The rose paprika of Hungary, made from pods with a sweet flavour and aroma, is generally considered to be the finest variety. Another of Hungary’s eight different varieties is Koenigspaprika (king’s paprika), and is made from the whole pepper, not just the pods.

I also write novels and short stories. If you like superheroes, psychic detectives and general weirdness you might enjoy them. 

Check out my works of fiction at https://juliehowlinauthor.wordpress.com/my-books/

9 July: The Hayward Gallery

This date in 1968 was the official opening of the Hayward Gallery on London’s South Bank. 10 things you might not know:

1. The address of the gallery is Southbank Centre, Belvedere Road, London, SE1 8XX. The nearest tube stations are Waterloo and Embankment.

2. Its close neighbours in the Southbank Centre include the Queen Elizabeth Hall/Purcell Room, the BFI Southbank repertory cinema, the Royal Festival Hall and the National Theatre.

3. The gallery is named after Sir Isaac Hayward who was the leader of the London County Council when the gallery was built.

4. It was designed by a group of young architects which included Dennis Crompton, Warren Chalk, and Ron Herron, who were part of the architectural collective, Archigram. It was built by a company called Higgs and Hill.

5. It is the only gallery in the world to be built in the Brutalist style of architecture, which was popular in the 1960s.

6. Another thing which makes it different is that it doesn’t have its own permanent art collection but rather hosts a series of temporary exhibitions.

7. The Hayward Gallery’s main focus is modern art; has a reputation for taking risks and showing art that is not necessarily mainstream, but is more experimental. Well known names who have featured in the Hayward’s exhibitions include Pablo Picasso, Salvador Dali, Andy Warhol, Yoko Ono, Antony Gormley, Tracey Emin, Damien Hirst, and Grayson Perry. That said, artists from before the modern era, such as Leonardo da Vinci, have on occasion been shown here as well.

8. The founding director was Joanna Drew. At time of writing the position is held by Sally Tallant, who took over from Ralph Rugoff in 2026.

9. The original plan for the Hayward Gallery included five main art spaces. There are two levels of indoor galleries and three outdoor sculpture courts. It has a large, glass-fronted foyer designed by Haworth Tompkins and added in 2003. A new glass pavilion, designed by Dan Graham, was also added above a new cafe.

10. Not based anywhere near London? The gallery has formed a partnership with Google Arts & Culture to create virtual exhibitions that can be accessed from anywhere in the world.

I also write novels and short stories. If you like superheroes, psychic detectives and general weirdness you might enjoy them. 

Check out my works of fiction at https://juliehowlinauthor.wordpress.com/my-books/