Answer of the Day
How old was Grandma Moses when she began to paint? American painter Anna Mary Robertson Moses, aka Grandma Moses, was born on this date in 1860. Having lived all her life in New York's farm country, Grandma Moses took up painting when she was in her 70s and too frail to do the manual work of the farm. She painted scenes of farm life in a style called naive or primitive. The first exhibition of her work was held in a drugstore; she was 78 years old. Before she became famous, she charged $2 for a small painting, $3 for a large one. In 2006, her Sugaring Off sold for $1.2 million. When she was 100, she illustrated the Christmas favorite "A Visit from St. Nicholas." Grandma Moses died a year later.

Quote
"Life is what we make it, always has been, always will be." — Grandma Moses

Word of the day

(© )

Today's History

Tasmanian Wolf

• Brazil: the largest country in South America declared its independence from Portugal (1822)
• Peking Protocol: ended the Boxer Rebellion in China (1901)
• Miss America: the first competition began, as a two-day beauty contest, in Atlantic City, New Jersey (1921)
• Tasmanian wolf: the last known thylacine, Benjamin, died in Hobart Zoo, though there may be survivors in the wild (1936)
• London Blitz: heavy bombing of the UK by the Nazi Luftwaffe began during WWII (1940)
• ESPN: the popular all-sports network made its debut on cable TV (1979)

Today's Birthdays

Buddy Holly

• Elizabeth I (1533-1603): England's "Virgin Queen"
• Taylor Caldwell (1900-1985): novelist; also, writers Elinor Wylie (1885-1928) and Edith Sitwell (1887-1964)
• Buddy Holly (1936-1959): rock and roller, "Peggy Sue"; also, musicians Arthur Ferrante (89), Sonny Rollins (80), Gloria Gaynor (61), Chrissie Hynde (59), Benmont Tench (57) and Michael Feinstein (54)
• Evan Rachel Wood (23): actress, Once and Again, The Wrestler; also, actors Anthony Quayle (1913-1989), Peter Lawford (1923-1984), Julie Kavner (59), Michael Emerson and Corbin Bernsen (both 56), W. Earl Brown (47), Tom Everett Scott (40), Shannon Elizabeth (37) and Oliver Hudson (34)