GRAD PARTY GAB

THE NEFF ZONE -- BY JIM NEFF

CADILLAC NEWS -- MAY 17, 2025

This is the season for graduation parties. That means you may be exercising your gift for gab multiple times in the coning weeks. Luckily, there's plenty of semi-useful information available to fend off conversational black holes. 

For example, what do you call the current phase of the moon? If you responded with “Flower Moon” you are correct. The more detailed explanation is in a Country Living article: “Why Full Moon Names Can Get a Little Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious.” 

Moon monikers fall into two categories. “You have your common names for lunar events—think eclipses, full moons that pass by particularly close or far from Earth, and bonus full moons that occur within a single calendar month or season. Then you have the monthly moon names popularized by The Old Farmer’s Almanac derived from Native American, Colonial American, or other traditional North American sources passed down through generations.” 

The Almanac names are more fun. I like the ones that have to do with animal habits: wolf moon, worm moon, buck moon, and surgeon moon. The moon that lends itself to a lot of adult beverage consumption is the harvest moon. It's also know as the  corn moon, barley moon, or wine moon. More moons at: https://www.countryliving.com/life/g64593591/full-moon-names-and-meanings/. 

Moon naming goes back a long way, but a discovery nearby is even more historic. “Beneath the tranquil surface of Grand Traverse Bay lies a secret far older than any shipwreck. The bay is now drawing attention for a prehistoric twist hidden beneath its waves. It's a mysterious arrangement of large stones resting on the lake bed. Dubbed 'Michigan’s Stonehenge,' the site is stirring fresh curiosity. The stones range from basketball-sized to as big as compact cars, forming a serpentine trail that defies natural explanation.” See photos at: https://www.thebrighterside.news/global-good/9000-year-old-stonehenge-like-structure-found-hidden-in-lake-michigan/. 

Food is sure to be a component of any party, but there are a few old standbys that will probably be missing. HistoryFacts.com notes: “Here are seven old-fashioned desserts that were once commonly served, but are rarely seen today. While some of these foods may seem familiar as the recipes have been updated over the years to accommodate modern tastes, others are reminders of different times in history when people made do with what they had.” (https://historyfacts.com/arts-culture/article/desserts-people-used-to-eat/)

Pies dominate this list. 'Mincemeat pie was a finely chopped mixture of meat — traditionally mutton — along with dried fruit and spices. Shoofly pie was a molasses-based pie with a crumbly, streusel-like topping. Vinegar pie mimicked the tartness of lemons and could be made all year long by substituting apple cider vinegar for citrus.'

Buttermilk pie, chess pie, water pie, and vinegar pie were all in a unique category. “As one of several so-called 'desperation' or 'make-do' pies, they could be made from a handful of staples that home cooks usually had on hand.” 

If you need treats for the kidlings, there is a way to get 70,000 of these. “A Kentucky woman said her young son was playing with her phone during the weekend and secretly placed an Amazon order for 70,000 Dum-Dum lollipops -- a total purchase of about $4,200. She was shocked to discover thirty cases of Dum-Dums on her doorstep, each containing 2,340 pieces of candy.”

Initially, the mom thought she might be on the hook to go into the lollipop sales  business. Luckily, after some negotiations, Amazon agreed to refund the entire purchase.” (https://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2025/05/06/boy-orders-30-cases-Dum-Dums-Amazon/3191746542540/)

If you just want something to look at that requires no words, a website called MossandFog.com has just the thing. “Aren’t dogs amazing? There’s always something more we can learn from them, be inspired by, or just laugh about. In terms of their agility, some dogs can go to superhero lengths to catch balls and frisbees, and make it look effortless. Photographer Claudio Piccoli has mastered this as an art, and has incredible images of dogs captured mid-leap.”

This is one of those times when you have to see it to believe it. Be ready to smile at: https://mossandfog.com/amazing-midair-dog-leaps-captured-by-claudio-piccoli/. There's nothing like some flying Fidos to brighten your day. 

Finally, baseball season is in full swing and every MLB game begins with someone tossing the ceremonial first pitch. “The Cutest first pitch we've ever seen” is at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=09ODGgVQIa0. Whether you're a baseball fan or not, you'll chuckle to yourself all day long.  

Jim Neff is a local columnist. Read Neff Zone columns online at CadillacNews.com and NeffZone.com/cadillacnews.