Dale: What goes up when the rain comes down?
Gail: An umbrella!
Little Umbrella
I have a little umbrella.
It helps me stay dry.
And on a very windy day,
It even helps me fly!
Open it. Close it.
Oh what fun it can be.
Jumping over puddles,
My little umbrella and me!
by Author Unknown
Shane: If six children and two dogs were under an umbrella, how come none of them got wet?
Shannon: Because it wasn’t raining.
“A rainy day is the only chance an umbrella gets to shine.” -Author Unknown
The word ‘umbrella’ comes from the Latin word ‘umbros’ meaning ‘shade’ or ‘shadow.’
Judy: Why do people carry umbrellas?
Jude: Because umbrellas can’t walk by themselves.
Umbrellas were originally used to shade people from the Sun, like modern parasols, and not to protect people from the rain as they are today. In ancient Greece, umbrellas became a fashion accessory used by men though not women, probably because men tended to be out under the Sun more.
Mark Twain (pseudonym of Samuel Langhorne Clemens (1835 - 1910)) once told a story of trying to get rid of a wreck of an old umbrella. First he threw it in a trash can, but someone recognized it as his, and returned it. Then he dropped it down a deep well, but someone repairing the well saw the umbrella, and returned it. He tried several other methods, but always the umbrella came back. “Finally,” said Mr. Twain, “I lent it to a friend, and I never saw it again.”
Gail: An umbrella!
Little Umbrella
I have a little umbrella.
It helps me stay dry.
And on a very windy day,
It even helps me fly!
Open it. Close it.
Oh what fun it can be.
Jumping over puddles,
My little umbrella and me!
by Author Unknown
Shane: If six children and two dogs were under an umbrella, how come none of them got wet?
Shannon: Because it wasn’t raining.
“A rainy day is the only chance an umbrella gets to shine.” -Author Unknown
The word ‘umbrella’ comes from the Latin word ‘umbros’ meaning ‘shade’ or ‘shadow.’
Judy: Why do people carry umbrellas?
Jude: Because umbrellas can’t walk by themselves.
Umbrellas were originally used to shade people from the Sun, like modern parasols, and not to protect people from the rain as they are today. In ancient Greece, umbrellas became a fashion accessory used by men though not women, probably because men tended to be out under the Sun more.
Mark Twain (pseudonym of Samuel Langhorne Clemens (1835 - 1910)) once told a story of trying to get rid of a wreck of an old umbrella. First he threw it in a trash can, but someone recognized it as his, and returned it. Then he dropped it down a deep well, but someone repairing the well saw the umbrella, and returned it. He tried several other methods, but always the umbrella came back. “Finally,” said Mr. Twain, “I lent it to a friend, and I never saw it again.”
It’s raining umbrellas!
Bella Had a New Umbrella
Bella had a new umbrella
Didn’t want to lose it,
So when she walked out in the rain
She didn’t ever use it.
Her nose went sniff,
Her shoes went squish,
Her socks grew soggy,
Her glasses got foggy,
Her pockets filled with water,
And a little green froggy.
All she could speak
Was a weak ‘kachoo!’
But Bella’s umbrella
Stayed nice and new.
by Eve Merriam
“I used the money I had been saving for a rainy day to buy an umbrella.” -David Hugh Beaumont (born 1966)
Keith: Why would anyone need a chicken-proof umbrella?
Kevin: To use in case of fowl weather.
The average life span of cheap umbrellas is one-and-a-half years.
Marla: So what kind of umbrellas do people carry on rainy days?
Marlo: Wet ones.
Why are many umbrellas black? When umbrellas first came into popular use in the 18th century, they were made of oil-soaked cotton cloth stretched over whalebone. Oil was applied to the cotton fabric to make it waterproof. It also gave the cloth a black coloration. While this type of umbrella was waterproof, it was not very durable. Soon, better umbrellas were made, and since the color black was associated with effective waterproofing, most of the newer models were dyed black. However, for safety purposes, brightly colored umbrellas, being more visible to motorists, may possibly decrease the likelihood of collisions with pedestrians. Clear umbrellas are also a good choice as they give their holders the ability to see through them.
“You will need three umbrellas: one to leave at the office, one to leave at home, and one to leave on the train.” -James L. Blankenship
Bella Had a New Umbrella
Bella had a new umbrella
Didn’t want to lose it,
So when she walked out in the rain
She didn’t ever use it.
Her nose went sniff,
Her shoes went squish,
Her socks grew soggy,
Her glasses got foggy,
Her pockets filled with water,
And a little green froggy.
All she could speak
Was a weak ‘kachoo!’
But Bella’s umbrella
Stayed nice and new.
by Eve Merriam
“I used the money I had been saving for a rainy day to buy an umbrella.” -David Hugh Beaumont (born 1966)
Keith: Why would anyone need a chicken-proof umbrella?
Kevin: To use in case of fowl weather.
The average life span of cheap umbrellas is one-and-a-half years.
Marla: So what kind of umbrellas do people carry on rainy days?
Marlo: Wet ones.
Why are many umbrellas black? When umbrellas first came into popular use in the 18th century, they were made of oil-soaked cotton cloth stretched over whalebone. Oil was applied to the cotton fabric to make it waterproof. It also gave the cloth a black coloration. While this type of umbrella was waterproof, it was not very durable. Soon, better umbrellas were made, and since the color black was associated with effective waterproofing, most of the newer models were dyed black. However, for safety purposes, brightly colored umbrellas, being more visible to motorists, may possibly decrease the likelihood of collisions with pedestrians. Clear umbrellas are also a good choice as they give their holders the ability to see through them.
“You will need three umbrellas: one to leave at the office, one to leave at home, and one to leave on the train.” -James L. Blankenship
“Spin the parasol three times and repeat after me: I shield in the name of fashion. I accessorize for one and all. Pursuit of truth is my passion. This I vow by the great parasol.” -Gail Carriger
The word ‘parasol’ is a combination of ’para’ from the Latin word 'parare' meaning ‘to shield from’ and ’sol’ meaning ‘sun.’
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l i v e ☆ l a u g h ツ l o v e ♥ g r o w ☼ l i v e ☆ l a u g h ツ l o v e ♥ g r o w ☼
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Spin and Twirl
Spin, spin the parasol
Spin it, and it flies away -
When it stops,
It’s somehow on the ground.
Twirl, twirl the umbrella,
Water droplets fly everywhere.
Twirl it, twirl it,
And then twirl it once more!
Parasol or umbrella,
Twirl or spin,
Collapse them and stow them away,
To twirl or spin on yet another day.
by David Hugh Beaumont (born 1966): “More Boring Poetry”
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l i v e ☆ l a u g h ツ l o v e ♥ g r o w ☼ l i v e ☆ l a u g h ツ l o v e ♥ g r o w ☼
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National Umbrella Day is observed on 10 February of each year. If it doesn’t rain on that day, it’ll be a big disappointment to many of us!
“Have you noticed that some people are not good at saving money, but somehow always manage to save an umbrella for a rainy day?” -David Hugh Beaumont (born 1966)
The word ‘parasol’ is a combination of ’para’ from the Latin word 'parare' meaning ‘to shield from’ and ’sol’ meaning ‘sun.’
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l i v e ☆ l a u g h ツ l o v e ♥ g r o w ☼ l i v e ☆ l a u g h ツ l o v e ♥ g r o w ☼
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Spin and Twirl
Spin, spin the parasol
Spin it, and it flies away -
When it stops,
It’s somehow on the ground.
Twirl, twirl the umbrella,
Water droplets fly everywhere.
Twirl it, twirl it,
And then twirl it once more!
Parasol or umbrella,
Twirl or spin,
Collapse them and stow them away,
To twirl or spin on yet another day.
by David Hugh Beaumont (born 1966): “More Boring Poetry”
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l i v e ☆ l a u g h ツ l o v e ♥ g r o w ☼ l i v e ☆ l a u g h ツ l o v e ♥ g r o w ☼
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National Umbrella Day is observed on 10 February of each year. If it doesn’t rain on that day, it’ll be a big disappointment to many of us!
“Have you noticed that some people are not good at saving money, but somehow always manage to save an umbrella for a rainy day?” -David Hugh Beaumont (born 1966)
Your own personal portable cloud-on-a-stick parasol is a great accessory for carrying around on sunny days, and will help keep the Sun off your head. This one is made from fluffy cotton and a broken umbrella.
A successful steel-ribbed umbrella was invented by Samuel Fox in 1852, although some earlier steel-ribbed umbrellas may have existed. The first working folding umbrella was introduced by Bradford Philips in 1969.
Norman: Did you hear about the responsible umbrella manufacturer?
Norma: Yes, they say he is saving his money for a sunny day.
Umbrellas are among the things of which you should always have at least two, in case you lose an umbrella or need to loan one to a friend. The two best times to buy an umbrella are before you need one and when it is not raining. When it starts raining, umbrellas sell quickly, even at inflated prices, and you might not be able to find one to buy.
“I walked around for a few hours. Around one-thirty it started raining lightly. Almost immediately the umbrella sellers turned up on the street corners. You’d have thought they had existed previously in spore form, springing miraculously to life when a drop of water touched them.” -Lawrence Block (born 1938): “Out on the Cutting Edge” (1989)
Marshall: What is big and gray and protects people from the rain?
Marsha: An umbrellaphant!
Umbrellas and Parasols Facts
- Umbrellas help keep the rain off people.
- Umbrellas are made of waterproof material.
- Parasols help keep the sunlight off people.
- Parasols are often not made of waterproof material.
“One thing we have never been able to save for a rainy day is an umbrella.” -Herbert V. Prochnow (Herbert Victor Prochnow, Senior (1897 - 1998))
The rain it raineth on the just
And also on the unjust fella;
But chiefly on the just, because
The unjust steals the just’s umbrella.
-Charles Bowen (Charles Synge Christopher Bowen, also known as Baron Bowen (1835 - 1894)): as published in Walter Sichel: “Sands of Time” (1923)
A successful steel-ribbed umbrella was invented by Samuel Fox in 1852, although some earlier steel-ribbed umbrellas may have existed. The first working folding umbrella was introduced by Bradford Philips in 1969.
Norman: Did you hear about the responsible umbrella manufacturer?
Norma: Yes, they say he is saving his money for a sunny day.
Umbrellas are among the things of which you should always have at least two, in case you lose an umbrella or need to loan one to a friend. The two best times to buy an umbrella are before you need one and when it is not raining. When it starts raining, umbrellas sell quickly, even at inflated prices, and you might not be able to find one to buy.
“I walked around for a few hours. Around one-thirty it started raining lightly. Almost immediately the umbrella sellers turned up on the street corners. You’d have thought they had existed previously in spore form, springing miraculously to life when a drop of water touched them.” -Lawrence Block (born 1938): “Out on the Cutting Edge” (1989)
Marshall: What is big and gray and protects people from the rain?
Marsha: An umbrellaphant!
Umbrellas and Parasols Facts
- Umbrellas help keep the rain off people.
- Umbrellas are made of waterproof material.
- Parasols help keep the sunlight off people.
- Parasols are often not made of waterproof material.
“One thing we have never been able to save for a rainy day is an umbrella.” -Herbert V. Prochnow (Herbert Victor Prochnow, Senior (1897 - 1998))
The rain it raineth on the just
And also on the unjust fella;
But chiefly on the just, because
The unjust steals the just’s umbrella.
-Charles Bowen (Charles Synge Christopher Bowen, also known as Baron Bowen (1835 - 1894)): as published in Walter Sichel: “Sands of Time” (1923)
A friend is someone who has an umbrella when it is raining . . .
“All men are equal - all men, that is to say, who possess umbrellas.” -E. M. Forster (Edward Morgan Forster): “Howards End” (1910)
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l i v e ☆ l a u g h ツ l o v e ♥ g r o w ☼ l i v e ☆ l a u g h ツ l o v e ♥ g r o w ☼
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The Gingham Umbrella
Alphonso, Alphonso, Alphonso and Arabella
They happened to meet
A man in the street,
Who carried a gingham umbrella.
Alphonso possessed neither manners nor grace,
He made at this person a hideous face;
But how different the conduct of sweet Arabella,
Who praised with politeness the gingham umbrella.
The man was a nobleman, deeply disguised;
The compliment courteous he pointedly prized;
‘Sweet creature,’ he said, ‘come away from this feller,
And take both my heart and my gingham umbrella!’
The very next morning they met in the church,
And foolish Alphonso was left in the lurch;
And they said, ‘In the future you’ll know how to tell a
Great lord from a loon, by his gingham umbrella!’
by Laura Richards (Laura Elizabeth Richards (1850 - 1943))
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l i v e ☆ l a u g h ツ l o v e ♥ g r o w ☼ l i v e ☆ l a u g h ツ l o v e ♥ g r o w ☼
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“It is the habitual carriage of the umbrella that is the stamp of Respectability. The umbrella has become the acknowledged index of social position . . . Crusoe was rather a moralist than a pietist, and his leaf-umbrella is as fine an example of the civilized mind striving to express itself under adverse circumstances as we have ever met with.” -Robert L. Stevenson (Robert Louis Balfour Stevenson (1850 - 1894)) and J. W. Ferrier: “Philosophy of Umbrellas” (1871)
Marissa: What goes up a chimney down, but can’t go down a chimney up?
Clarissa: An umbrella!
Umbrella Etiquette
- Let others stand under your umbrella with you, including people and animals, if your umbrella is large enough, and if the others are not too peculiar.
- Shake the water off your umbrella before entering a building or vehicle, and then either place it inside a plastic bag, in an umbrella stand, or in another place where the water that runs off it will not create a dangerous slippery-slidey floor.
Otis: Why did your sister cut a hole in her new umbrella?
Doris: Because she wanted to be able to tell when it stopped raining.
“Going around under an umbrella interferes with one’s looking up at the sky.” -Jerzy Kosinski
“All men are equal - all men, that is to say, who possess umbrellas.” -E. M. Forster (Edward Morgan Forster): “Howards End” (1910)
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l i v e ☆ l a u g h ツ l o v e ♥ g r o w ☼ l i v e ☆ l a u g h ツ l o v e ♥ g r o w ☼
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The Gingham Umbrella
Alphonso, Alphonso, Alphonso and Arabella
They happened to meet
A man in the street,
Who carried a gingham umbrella.
Alphonso possessed neither manners nor grace,
He made at this person a hideous face;
But how different the conduct of sweet Arabella,
Who praised with politeness the gingham umbrella.
The man was a nobleman, deeply disguised;
The compliment courteous he pointedly prized;
‘Sweet creature,’ he said, ‘come away from this feller,
And take both my heart and my gingham umbrella!’
The very next morning they met in the church,
And foolish Alphonso was left in the lurch;
And they said, ‘In the future you’ll know how to tell a
Great lord from a loon, by his gingham umbrella!’
by Laura Richards (Laura Elizabeth Richards (1850 - 1943))
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l i v e ☆ l a u g h ツ l o v e ♥ g r o w ☼ l i v e ☆ l a u g h ツ l o v e ♥ g r o w ☼
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“It is the habitual carriage of the umbrella that is the stamp of Respectability. The umbrella has become the acknowledged index of social position . . . Crusoe was rather a moralist than a pietist, and his leaf-umbrella is as fine an example of the civilized mind striving to express itself under adverse circumstances as we have ever met with.” -Robert L. Stevenson (Robert Louis Balfour Stevenson (1850 - 1894)) and J. W. Ferrier: “Philosophy of Umbrellas” (1871)
Marissa: What goes up a chimney down, but can’t go down a chimney up?
Clarissa: An umbrella!
Umbrella Etiquette
- Let others stand under your umbrella with you, including people and animals, if your umbrella is large enough, and if the others are not too peculiar.
- Shake the water off your umbrella before entering a building or vehicle, and then either place it inside a plastic bag, in an umbrella stand, or in another place where the water that runs off it will not create a dangerous slippery-slidey floor.
Otis: Why did your sister cut a hole in her new umbrella?
Doris: Because she wanted to be able to tell when it stopped raining.
“Going around under an umbrella interferes with one’s looking up at the sky.” -Jerzy Kosinski
We know you can’t wait for it to rain, so that you can try out your new umbrella, with that great new umbrella smell! More fun follows . . . on MFOL!
