nPostednon February 10, 2015
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nWhatnprotects you from rain AND sun? What can protect you from wind or cannget totally (and literally) out of hand in the wind? What do MarynPoppins and British gentlemen always carry?
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nOfncourse we are talking about one of the most useful of inventions—thenumbrella, also known as a sunshade, brolly, or parasol.
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Didnyou know that umbrella gets its name from the Latin word for shade,numbra?
Didnyou know that umbrella gets its name from the Latin word for shade,numbra?n
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nThenfirst umbrellas were created as protection from the sun, probably innChina in the 11th Century B.C.E.
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n(There are ancientnsculptures and other evidence for early umbrella use in ancient,nIndia, Egypt, and other locales, too, and it is possible that therenwere several separate inventions of portable sunshades.)
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nBacknin those early times, umbrellas-as-sunshades were generally used onlynby the richest and most powerful – and they were often held orncarried by a servant!
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Somentime in the late 1600s and early 1700s, waterproof umbrellas thatncould shield people from rain started to catch on.
Somentime in the late 1600s and early 1700s, waterproof umbrellas thatncould shield people from rain started to catch on. n
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nIn Britain,nphilanthropist Jonas Hanway is considered the first gentleman toncarry an umbrella everywhere, rain or shine; and his constant use ofnthe accessory created a sensation. However, his practice caught on,nand soon enough almost all British gentlemen ALWAYS carried annumbrella. It became a sort of badge of Britishness and ofngentlemanhood!
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Sincenthe late 1700s, we have more often used the word umbrella forndevices especially made to be protection from rain, and the wordnparasol for devices especially made to be protection from sun.nHowever, this is a modern distinction.
Sincenthe late 1700s, we have more often used the word umbrella forndevices especially made to be protection from rain, and the wordnparasol for devices especially made to be protection from sun.nHowever, this is a modern distinction. n
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nAlso, manynumbrellas can be used against rain OR sun!
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| Christo and Jeanne-Claude erected 1,760 blue umbrellas in Japan… |
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n…and 1,340 yellow umbrellas in California.
n nChristo’s projects cost 26 million dollars!
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| A less expensive project covered part of Talca, Chile, with 400 red umbrellas. |
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| This looks like a similar art installation… But it’s really just a lot of people with umbrellas in Hong Kong! |
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nAlsonon this date:
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nPlimsoll Day
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nJell-OnWeek
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nScientistnPer Teodor Cleve’s birthday
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nAnniversarynof a riot over a silent film
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nPlannahead:
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nChecknout my Pinterest boards for:
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nFebruaryn holidays
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nHistoricaln anniversaries in February
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nAndnhere are my Pinterest boards for:
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nMarchn holidays
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