Salamanders are a group of amphibians with a lizard-like appearance, with slender bodies, blunt snouts, and short limbs. They can range in size from minute salamanders of 27 mm (1+1⁄8 in) to the Chinese giant salamander which can reach 1.8 m (6ft) and weigh up to 185lbs! Most salamanders are between 10 and 20 cm (4 and 8 in).
Okay, why am I talking about salamanders? Well, salamander diversity is the highest in eastern North America, with approximately 56 different species in North Carolina alone, some only in specific isolated habitats! As someone who just came back from Western NC, you can’t visit any nature center without learning about salamanders.
Spotted Salamander, art by me
More information on Salamanders can be found here.
Does anyone have any fun plans for the day? Maybe grill something? Go to the pool if the weather is nice? Perhaps you got to sleep in or plan on taking a nap later this afternoon. While some believe labor day should be a day of labor, it’s actually a day to celebrate and recognize the contributions and achievements of the American people.
Did you know?
Labor day officially became a federal holiday in June 1894. Before that, it was recognized by labor activists and individual states. The first Labor Day holiday was celebrated on Tuesday, September 5 in 1882 in New York City. When the first proposal for the holiday was outlined, it was suggested that the day should be observed with a street parade – leading many Americans to celebrate with parades, picnics, and parties.
Unfortunately, Labor Day came about due to some of the worst working conditions during the height of the Industrial Revolution. The average American was working 12-hour shifts, seven days a week for a basic way of life. Children as young as 5 were forced to work in mills, factories, and mines across the country for cheap. Workers were faced with unsafe working conditions, no access to fresh air, sanitary facilities, and breaks. Labor unions were starting to appear and began to grow more prominent and vocal in protesting against poor conditions and begged employers for better hours and pay. A lot of violence broke out during these events, one of the most famous being the Haymarket Riot of 1886, where policemen and workers were killed. It wasn’t until the strike of the Pullman Palace Car Company in May of 1894 that led Congress to passing a law making the first Monday of September a federal holiday.
While a lot of things have gotten better (we no longer have children working and being maimed in factories), we are still a long way from a perfect worker’s paradise. We still have individuals getting underpaid and overworked, older individuals who have to come out of retirement in order to make ends meet, people demanding a better work/life balance so they can enjoy the free time they do have, young people working side hustles so they can supplement their income… the list goes on. I won’t go into more detail as this isn’t that type of blog; but I want you to think about those who gave up for the life we have now and those who continue to give up for a better future.
Just a Little Bit of Everything 