Weekend Trivia: Saturday

11 years ago

Phew. We are supposed to hit 104 degrees F today. I have filled all the birdbaths with fresh water, hosed down some of the hosta I planted recently, and have two sprinklers going. Now, I am watching the Tour de France. That has been my morning routine for the last week. Cannot wait to see the riders pedal by in person when they head to Brive-la-Gaillard!

So, having just been told that I need to repeat all that horrid gum work I had done several years ago, my question today has to do with dentistry. In the 1790s, John Greenwood adapted something to power his drill. Do you know what he used? Oh, and it wasn't a bike.

Stay cool everyone. Thinking of TM at the farmer's market and hoping he is under a cover of some sort if his temps are even close to ours. Wear those hats and sunscreen!

Cynthia

Comments (12)

midnightsmum (Z4, ON)
11 years ago
We hit 34C yesterday - whew, indeed!! That is VERY high for us, and the 30C has been sustained over several days. We got some rain in the night - not sure how much, but the streets are dry already.

Cyn, I'm thinking of an earthier solution....maybe I'm way off base??

Nancy.
cyn427 (z. 7, N. VA)
Original Author
11 years ago
I have a couple of errands to run, but after that, I plan to be a homebody today. Spent part of yesterday looking for a simple dress to take to France that I can wear constantly. Wish I liked to sew. It would really be so easy to run a couple of seams. Too bad I sold my sewing machine years ago. Seemed silly to keep it when I never used it. Oh well. Could have saved both time and money.

Earthy doesn't work, Nancy. At least, I can't make the connection. Sorry.

Cynthia
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aftermidnight Zone7b B.C. Canada
11 years ago
Today's question has me thinking of Kay Starr one of my all time favorite singers back in the 50's. One of her songs in particular has a few words in it that might hint as to what I think the answer might be.

Annette
cyn427 (z. 7, N. VA)
Original Author
11 years ago
Uh oh. Seems I am suffering from heat dementia. You will both need to be more explicit. I am not familiar with any Kay Starr songs, although I would probably recognize them if I heard them. Did she do one about the .bluebirds or something over the White Cliffs of Dover? Guess since I asked the question, it is okay for me to google her songs! Ha. I will be back after I do that. :)
thinman
11 years ago
The thing that comes to mind for me has also been used to power a wood lathe. There used to be a show on PBS called The Woodwright's Shop, with Roy Underhill. Roy would build all these different projects out of wood using the same tools used centuries ago. If there was any power used on any of the tools, it came from him. I watched it a lot.

TM

P.S. Thanks for thinking about me at the market, Cynthia. Luckily, it is only in the seventies today, so we didn't cook. Lots of customers and I sold all my flowers, in spite of heavy competition from two other sellers.
aftermidnight Zone7b B.C. Canada
11 years ago
Hey TM, I used to watch that show too, it was one I faithfully watched every week. I wish there were more shows like that on TV today, fat chance :(. I'm not surprised you sold out, your bouquets are sooooo pretty.

Cyn, I think you're thinking of Vera Lynn, she sang The White Cliffs of Dover' to the troops overseas. If you Google Kay's songs the one I'm referring to should pop up right a way.

Annette
cyn427 (z. 7, N. VA)
Original Author
11 years ago
we are now at 105 degrees-that is the air temp, not the heat index. I don't even want to know what that number is!

Congrats TM on selling out! I agree with Annette, your bouquets are all so lovely!

So, one more hint (there was sort of a hint in the first post and in one of the others)...the thing Greenwood used to adapt as a power source belonged to his mother.

Cynthia
midnightsmum (Z4, ON)
11 years ago
Ahhhh...I think I have what you are talking about sitting right here next to me, though it's ancient and manual workings are gone!!! lol. Grandma would know, though, wouldn't she??

TM, glad you had cool weather - while we are not as hot as yesterday, it is HOT!!!! Lawns, unless perpetually waters are brown and August-like!! Yuck, this is toooo much!! Did you, when in Seattle, visit the Little Red Barn?? It had wonderful old lathes and machines with storey-and-a-half belts on them. When Boeing had no orders for planes, he built custom, high-end boats, and when there was no call for them, bedroom furniture. The machinery was impressive!!

Nancy.

Naqncy
thinman
11 years ago
I'm pretty sure the answer is a treadle-powered sewing machine. That was my first thought, and when Cynthia mentioned sewing, that sounded like a clue to me.

TM
midnightsmum (Z4, ON)
11 years ago
Yep, that is where I was going!!

Nancy.
aftermidnight Zone7b B.C. Canada
11 years ago
Oh darn I thought it was a spinning wheel :(.

Annette
cyn427 (z. 7, N. VA)
Original Author
11 years ago
**** for TM and Nancy!

Yes, Greenwood did adapt the treadle sewing machine to create a foot-powered dental drill. Interestingly, he was George Washington's dentist. I, for one, am grateful for all the innovations to dentistry (since I always seem to need so doggone much work).

This will be my last trivia until the first Saturday in August. I may be able to find you as I travel (hope, hope the new iPad will let me check in while I am away, but can't count on coming up with much trivia unless I ask you to guess how much chocolate, pate, etc we are consuming---or how many kilos I gain ;(

I am leaving explicit watering directions and birdbath/bird feeder directions for Chuck, so I hope I find everything in the yard flourishing when I get home.

A bientot mes amis,
Cynthia