WNCTIMES Blog

We Watch We watched as Italy sent their military in to pick up the bodies of the dead. We watched as the number of dead went up in other countries. We watched as people wore masks on the street. We watched as people were ordered to say home. We watched as they showed us empty streets. We watched. We watched as we were told it was a hoax. We watched as we were told it would go away one day, like a miracle. We watched as we were told the numbers were low and needed to stay low. We watched as we we...

Fort Fisher Aquarium So much information and so fun to learn! Check it out now and when this   difficult time is over, you can make plans to take a trip in person! Let's lerarn about the sea turtle Womble! How did Womble end up at the aquarium? Why did Womble eat the balloon? What sorts of things could you use instead of plastic bags? What could you use to replace balloons as decorations at parties? How could you convince your parents to use less plastic? What Can You Do? Refuse Refuse...

Summary: Analysis of Paleolithic-era teeth from a 28,500-year-old fossil site in the Czech Republic provides supporting evidence for two groups of canids -- one dog-like and the other wolf-like - with differing diets, which is consistent with the early domestication of dogs. Date:  February 19, 2020 Source: University of Arkansas Analysis of Paleolithic-era teeth from a 28,500-year-old fossil site in the Czech Republic provides supporting evidence for two groups of canids -- one dog-like an...

Friday the 13th! Why is it a dreaded day? Where did the fear come from? Well, the History.com provides some information on the dreaded number. 13 has a long history as a sign of bad luck. The ancient Code of Hammurabi, for example, reportedly omitted a 13th law from its list of legal rules. Though this was probably a clerical error, superstitious people sometimes point to this as proof of 13's longstanding negative associations. Fear of the number 13 has even earned a psychological term: tr...

Multiplication Dice Game Objective: To be the player with the highest total score after six rolls of the die. What you need: One die. I won't lie, we love it when each player has their own colored die, which is why we own a gazillion dice and why we own these awesome vintage colors dice. Pen and paper (or go to the link provided below to print one) At least 2 enthusiastic players Gather your materials!See above for the list. Multiplication Dice Game rules Who goes first?Everyone rolls a die. The...

Scientists monitor brains replaying memories in real time Our brains use distinct firing patterns to store and replay memories Date: March 5, 2020 Source: NIH/National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke Summary: In a study of epilepsy patients, researchers monitored the electrical activity of thousands of individual brain cells, called neurons, as patients took memory tests. They found that the firing patterns of the cells that occurred when patients learned a word pair were replayed...

ROXBORO, N.C. (AP) — For her 100th birthday, Ruth Bryant crossed a significant item off her bucket list. She went to jail.  The Person County Sheriff's Office helped fulfill Bryant's unusual wish when two deputies showed up at her assisted living facility to serve her a warrant charging her with indecent exposure, news outlets reported.  The two deputies handcuffed Bryant to her walker and placed her in a patrol car, giving her the full experience with lights and sirens flashing and bl...

Turkey Tetrazzini by MAKINZE GORE MAR 2, 2020 YIELDS:8 SERVINGS PREP TIME:0 HOURS 15 MINS TOTAL TIME:1 HOUR 10 MINS INGREDIENTS Cooking spray 1 lb. spaghetti 6 tbsp. butter, divided 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 lb. sliced baby bella mushrooms 1/2 c. white wine 1/4 c. all-purpose flour 2 1/2 c. low-sodium chicken broth 1 c. heavy cream Kosher salt Freshly ground black pepper 2 lb. leftover roast turkey, chopped (about 5 cups) 1 c. shredded white cheddar 1 c. frozen peas 1 tsp. dried oregano 1 c. pan...

  I hope you guys love this recipe! It's: Simple Hearty Wholesome Coconut-infused Perfectly sweet Satisfying Healthy & Delicious  This would make a dreamy weekend breakfast, or even one you could make ahead of time and reheat throughout the week for a quicker meal option! It's especially ideal throughout the winter, especially when hosting guests – it's the ultimate warming, comfort food. If you aren't into coconut, don't worry! Simply swap out the coconut milk for almond, and the ...

Total: 1 hr 45 min Prep: 40 min Inactive: 40 min Cook: 25 min Yield: 6 pizzas Ingredients For the dough: 1 1/4 cups warm (100 to 110) water 2 packages dry yeast 1 tablespoon honey Good olive oil 4 cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for kneading Kosher salt 4 cloves garlic, sliced 5 sprigs fresh thyme 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes For the topping: 3 cups grated Italian fontina cheese (8 ounces) 1 1/2 cups grated fresh mozzarella cheese (7 ounces) 11 ounces creamy goat cheese, such as mon...

Special occasions call for special desserts, and this fruit tart is one you'll want to consider. Not only is it beautiful and delicious, but it takes just 40 minutes to make. Homemade pastry dough is baked, filled with a sugary sour cream filling, sprinkled with toasted coconut, and loaded with fresh fruit--your guests will be sure it came from a bakery!  Source: Diabetic Living Magazine Recipe Summary Active: 30 mins Total: 40 mins Servings: 12 Nutrition Profile: Egg Free Low-Calorie Veget...

​Dump-and-Bake Spring Pasta  This Yummy Recipe: The Seasoned Mom  The most delicious, fresh and healthy Dump and Bake Spring Pasta that's packed full of nutritious vegetables and kids love it! Course Dinner Cuisine American Prep Time 10 minutes Cook Time 45 minutes Total Time 55 minutes Servings 4 servings Calories 246.6 kcal Ingredients 1 cup diced cooked chicken* 1 14 ounce can quartered artichokes, drained 1 cup diced fresh asparagus about 10 spears ½ cup grated carrots I used a bag...

Date: February 24, 2020 Source: University of Wyoming Summary: Scientists found that cloud seeding in the Idaho mountains produced a total of about 235 Olympic-sized swimming pools' worth of water Two University of Wyoming researchers contributed to a paper that demonstrated, for the first time, direct observation of cloud seeding using radar and gauges to quantify the snowfall.  Traditionally, cloud seeding -- used to increase winter snowpack -- has been evaluated using precipitation gauge...

Minimal preparation makes this dish easy. I use precut broccoli and boneless, trimmed pork chops to save time. Sometimes I throw in multicolored carrots for extra prettiness. Try it served over rice or noodles. —Billie Pock, Spring Creek, Nevada Baked Teriyaki Pork & Veggies Recipe photo by Taste of Home FEATURED IN 66 Easy Baked Dinners to Make Tonight Total Time Prep: 15 min. Bake: 30 min. Makes 4 servings Ingredients 2 cups fresh broccoli florets 1 pound fresh baby carrots, halved lengthw...

​Jonathan Creek snowfall! Amazing view of beautiful snow covered mountains!

Spring Into New Recipes! Slow Cooker Potato Leek Soup We may not think of spring and soup together, but why not? Easy, quick to fix, just put it in the slow cooker and go do whatever you planned outdoors!  Often touted as "the soup onion," leeks usually play second fiddle in recipes for this classic soup. This potato leek soup is heavy on the leeks, with just enough potato to give the soup its signature creamy texture. This is a recipe you can assemble in the slow cooker and leave for the w...

  When the stock market crashed in 1929 leaving shattered lives and a fatigued economy throughout the United States, Asheville carried the heaviest burden of all. Yet like many American cities, Asheville celebrated a booming economy in the 1920s, blissfully ignoring an awaiting financial doom.    Confidence soared in Asheville as a thriving downtown quickly filled with shops and buildings to become known as the hub of Western North Carolina. The Pack Memorial Public Library moved ...

October 9, 2019 Source: University of Texas at San Antonio Summary: New research looks into the impact police stops have on the mental health of youth. Researchers reveal that youth experiencing intrusive police stops are at risk of heightened emotional distress. The researchers found that youth who were stopped more often by police officers were more likely to report emotional trauma. New research looks into the impact police stops have on the mental health of youth. Assistant profess...

LONDON (AP) — Surgeons at King's College Hospital in London removed a brain tumor from a woman who played the violin during the procedure. Doctors for violinist Dagmar Turner, 53, mapped her brain before the surgery to identify areas that were active when she played the instrument and those responsible for controlling language and movement. Doctors then woke her in mid-procedure so she could play to "ensure the surgeons did not damage any crucial areas of the brain that controlled Dagmar's delic...

Brother Wolf Animal Rescue in Asheville! Our Mission Brother Wolf Animal Rescue provides the resources and lifesaving programs to build No-Kill communities. History Brother Wolf Animal Rescue was founded in 2007 by a small group of volunteers and fosters led by Denise Bitz and Joelle Warren. At that time, the local county shelter was euthanizing most of the animals who walked through its doors. Brother Wolf was founded with the goal of creating a No-Kill community. Through adoption and pet reten...