Joshua tree This is a large treelike plant, Yucca brevifolia, found in the Southwestern United States. It has sword-shaped leaves and greenish-white flowers and gets its name from a Biblical allusion (Joshua 8:18). The branches of the Joshua tree extend widely and they reminded early settlers in the Southwest of the Biblical passage: “And the Lord said unto Joshua, Stretch out the spear that is in thy hand toward [the city of] Ai.”

Along the same lines of Jim's.... In the heyday of sailing ships, all war ships and many freighters carried iron cannons. Those cannons fired round iron cannon balls. It was necessary to keep a good supply near the cannon. However, how to prevent them from rolling about the deck? The best storage method devised was a square-based pyramid with one ball on top, resting on four resting on nine, which rested on sixteen. Thus, a supply of 30 cannon balls could be stacked in a small area right next to the cannon. There was only one problem...how to prevent the bottom layer from sliding or rolling from under the others. The solution was a metal plate called a 'Monkey' with 16 round indentations. However, if this plate were made of iron, the iron balls would quickly rust to it. The solution to the rusting problem was to make 'Brass Monkeys.' Few landlubbers realize that brass contracts much more and much faster than iron when chilled. Consequently, when the temperature dropped too far, the brass indentations would shrink so much that the iron cannonballs would come right off the monkey. Thus, it was quite literally, 'Cold enough to freeze the balls off a brass monkey.' (All this time, you thought that was an improper expression, didn't you.)

Also, it's traditional in Massachusetts to sow peas on Patriots Day and eat them on the Fourth of July.

The Spanish claimed that San Francisco has seven hills, but it actually has 40 or more. <Nob Hill, Russian Hill, Twin Peaks, Mount Davidson, Telegraph Hill, Rincon Hill, and Mount Sutro make up the seven original hills of San Francisco.> I lived on Buena Vista Hill for a while, and it did not make this list.