βOn this day, Great Lent begins in the Eastern Orthodox Catholic Church; it always falls on the 7th Monday before Orthodox Easter. Also called Clean Monday or Pure Monday, this religious observance is a day of fasting and spiritual purification and reflection, similar to Ash Wednesday of the Western Church.
The first week of Great Lent is also called Pure Week. Great Lent lasts for 40 days and ends on Lazarus Saturday, the day before Orthodox Palm Sunday. The next week is Holy Week, and ends on Easter, the day of Christ’s resurrection.β
Question of the Day
I have a sick bonsai tree and need help.
We’re out of our depth when it comes to discussing bonsai, so we can offer just the basics. Watering depends very much on the type of bonsai, but as a general rule, water once a day for a well-drained pot. The appearance of liverwort on the soil means either poor drainage or overwatering. Dry soil and brown moss are signs of underwatering. Fertilizer should be used sparingly. Check the wiring on the tree and remove it before it starts biting into the bark. We suggest checking the Internet for more information. There should be expert sources out there to help you.
Advice of the Day
Remove felt-tip ink stains from kitchen counters by rubbing them with alcohol.
Home Hint of the Day
Sometimes the tiny screws on your glasses won’t stay tight. Unscrew them, dab with a drop of shellac or super glue (available at hardware stores), and put them back in. Tighten the screws firmly, and they shouldn’t come loose again.
Word of the Day
Right ascension
The celestial longitude of an object in the sky, measured eastward along the celestial equator in hours of time from the vernal equinox; analogous to longitude on Earth.