Spelling Bee

A spelling bee is a contest in which contestants are eliminated as soon as they misspell a word, but isn't it more fun to think of a buzzy little bee flying around with a smile on her face while spelling?

Urban and Urbane

Words of the Day = urban and urbane

I woke up yesterday thinking of two similar words:  urban and urbane.  Oh, how adding an "e" changes the meaning of some words, like this one.  Urban means "in, relating to, or characteristic of a town or city."  Example:  We live in an urban area.  Actually, I live in a suburban area in St. Louis County, not quit inside the city limits of St. Louis (see the other illustration).  Urbane is an adjective meaning being polite and refined.  Example:  She was always well informed and brought an urbane authority to everything she did.