Thursday, May 14, 2015

I Wonder ...

I wonder about lots of things, and can often find the answers to my questions through books, Google, the library Reference desk, asking some of my wise friends, etc. But lately I've been coming across some questions that I can't find the answers to. I started writing down my questions; maybe someday I will find answers.

  • Is there a word for people that can't stand the feel of straps (or anything else) between their toes? I'm looking for new summer sandals, and because I'm one of those people, my sandal choices are very limited. I can't explain what an awful feeling this is to me; it doesn't hurt, but I just hate it. My search for sandals got me wondering what this might be called.
  • You know those lovely, sparkly light reflections you see undulating on the bottom of a pool? What are they called and where are they reflected from? I've always been fascinated by them but have never known for sure what they're called. I read a poem once that led me to believe the word was coruscations, but I haven't been able to confirm this with a dictionary or physics professor. The dictionary talks about a sudden flash of light, but that's not how I would define these constant shimmerings. 
  • Why do rainbows have an arced bow shape? I understand that raindrops act as prisms, refracting light to gives us the ROYGBIV colors, but I've never understood why rainbows are bowed; why aren't they just straight lines across the sky? Trying to find the answer to this question (in a way I could understand) raised more questions: 
          How many rainbows can appear at once and how do multiple rainbows happen?
          Why are the colors on the outermost rainbow of a double rainbow reversed?
  • This winter, I had many tufted titmice at the feeders. They often fed upside down or sideways, so I wonder how the tufted titmouse, nuthatches, and woodpeckers swallow "up" when they are hanging upside down.
What are some of the things you wonder about? I wonder about that, too!

8 comments:

  1. Love your WONDERS. I wonder how the Indians lived on the same land we did and got by. Our winters are so cold.
    I have the same TOE issues.
    I want a toe ring, but that would NEVER work

    ReplyDelete
  2. I search high and low for sandals without toe straps. I can't stand that feeling ever! I wonder all the things you wonder. They're great questions and if you ever find the answers, please share.
    My thoughts on the pool water is the peaks of water catch the light and reflect on the bottom and, because water is always moving, the light undulates. However, the shimmer needs a beautiful name to go with the beautiful phenomena it is. I love watching pool water when the sun is reflecting on it. It's mesmerizing.

    ReplyDelete
  3. What great questions!!! When Brian was a little boy, he prefaced nearly every question to me with, "I'm wondering . . . " Often, a trip to the library was necessary. (Pre-Google) I think the outside of a double rainbow is reversed because it is a reflection of the original (darker) rainbow. (I think I learned that at one point, but I'll be darned if I can remember where.)

    ReplyDelete
  4. (I love flip-flops and don't mind things between my toes at all. But I HATE shoes.)

    ReplyDelete
  5. I always have my iPhone in my pocket. It is amazing how often I pull it out to answer a question.

    ReplyDelete
  6. I bet a good librarian can answer all of your questions! I have to admit I'm not a very curious person so I don't wonder about a whole lot. LOL

    ReplyDelete
  7. what a delightful topic! could the rainbow arc have something to do with the earth being a sphere? I'm wondering right this second how it managed to be FRIDAY already!

    ReplyDelete
  8. I'm wondering if that darn phone call that you're helping us with will happen! Great post Bonny!

    ReplyDelete

Thank you for visiting and taking the time to comment! :-)