This informative post will be published on Saturday in place of my regular one.  You are invited to participate with the opening question.

Brain Teaser Question

Mr. and Mrs. Johnson have five daughters.  Each of their daughters has one brother.  How many children do Mr and Mrs. Johnson have.

(answer found at the end of this post)

Featured Facts

Nicknamed the Centennial State, Colorado is admitted to the American Union as the 38th state on August, 1, 1876, one hundred years after the signing of the Declaration of Independence.

Here are a few interesting facts about Colorado:

• Capital City: Denver (also most populous city)
• State Bird:  Lark Bunting
• State Flower:  Rocky Mountain Columbine
• Motto:  Nil Sine Numine (Nothing Without Providence)

Of America’s 50 states, Colorado is the 8th largest by land size.  Anchored by the Rocky Mountains, its dynamic landscape offers countless landmarks, both natural land man-made. 

Compared to the rest of the country, Colorado contains the most peaks over 14,000 feet (there are 58).  The state offers the highest average elevation of any in the United States.  Nearly 75 percent of Colorado is over 10,000 feet above sea level.

Nicknamed the “Mile High City”, Denver’s elevation is exactly 5,280 feet (one mile) above sea level.  The city enjoys approximately 300 days of sunshine each year.

Established in 1932, the Great Sand Dunes National Park recognizes the tallest sand dune formations in the United States.  Star Dune, the highest in the park, stands nearly 700 feet tall.

Located in Colorado Springs, the United States Air Force Academy has been open since 1954.  It remains one of the top learning institutions for the American military along with those of the Army (West Point), Navy (Annapolis, Maryland), and Coast Guard (London, Connecticut).  

Here are some final notes of interest:

• At his request, William F. Cody (Buffalo Bill) is buried near the community of Golden, atop Lookout Mountain.
• Completed in 1929, the Royal Gorge Bridge spans the Arkansas River.  It is one of world’s highest suspension bridges.  Used mostly for pedestrian traffic, the bridge is 1,260 feet long.
• Denver’s Union Station dates back to 1881.  With recent renovations, it has become one of America’s most modern transportation hubs.

top left and clockwise: State capitol building; state flower, Rocky mountain columbine; state bird, lark bunting; chapel at air force academy; lookout mountain GRAVESITE of buffalo bill; royal gorge bridge; denver’s union station; great sand dunes national park.   (Courtesy of Pinterest)

Answer to Brain Teaser Question