Good 52º clear sunny morning.
Yesterday about 7:45 in the morning the guys from the tree trimming company came. They contract with the power company and trim under poles and lines. Almost a year ago they cut down a pine tree that was growing under the lines and next to a pole on my property. They didn't dispose of the cut up tree and left it. I called the power company to complain as the tree was all brown and a fire hazard. Finally the company came back and since the cut up tree was way down on my property next to property line, they managed to get it all in a pickup and dumped it in my burn pile. Now when it's burn pile time, Mike will deal with it. Having a former fireman do my burn pile is so safe and awesome!!! Get well Mike, I miss you!
Again, yesterday it started out dark cloudy and gloomy........
later.... by early afternoon, the clouds left and we had a nice breeze and then it started heating up. We topped at 93º.
Picture of the Day.... AND btw, it's National Hot Dog Day!! 
Interesting about octopuses... (The usual plural in English is "octopuses", but the Greek plural form "octopodes" is sometimes used, though less frequently than in the past. The form "octopi", as if the word were a Latin second-declension noun, is generally considered incorrect, but is in fact used. ** I always thought octopi was the correct way!)
The octopus is a soft-bodied, eight-limbed mollusc of the order Octopoda. Around 300 species are recognised, and the order is grouped within the class Cephalopoda with squids, cuttlefish, and nautiloids. Like other cephalopods, the octopus is bilaterally symmetric with two eyes and a beak, with its mouth at the center point of the eight limbs (traditionally called "arms", also mistakenly called "tentacles"). The soft body can rapidly alter its shape, enabling octopuses to squeeze through small gaps. They trail their eight appendages behind them as they swim. The siphon is used both for respiration and for locomotion, by expelling a jet of water. Octopuses have a complex nervous system and excellent sight, and are among the most intelligent and behaviorally diverse of all invertebrates.
Octopuses inhabit various regions of the ocean, including coral reefs, pelagic waters, and the seabed; some live in the intertidal zone and others at abyssal depths. Most species grow quickly, mature early and are short-lived. During breeding, the male uses a specially adapted arm to deliver a bundle of sperm directly into the female's mantle cavity, after which he becomes senescent and dies. The female deposits fertilised eggs in a den and cares for them until they hatch, after which she also dies. Strategies to defend themselves against predators include the expulsion of ink, the use of camouflage and threat displays, their abilities to jet quickly through the water and hide, and even through deceit. All octopuses are venomous, but only the blue-ringed octopuses are known to be deadly to humans.
The octopus has three hearts in total with one of the hearts functioning as the systematic heart that pumps oxygenated blood to the other body parts. Two of the three hearts are referred to as brachial hearts and pump blood to the gills. Unlike most vertebrates with iron-rich hemoglobin packed in their blood, octopuses have copper-rich hemocyanin that dissolves directly into their blood making their blood to appear blue. Hemoglobin is more efficient than hemocyanin as an oxygen transporter. Thus, the three hearts compensate by pumping blood around the body at a faster rate to supply the needed oxygen for the octopus’ active lifestyle.
From Mr. Food....
Forget washing a bunch of pots and pans tonight. Chicken Cacciatore One Pot requires only, you guessed it, one pot! Cleanup is a cinch and whether you choose to serve it over pasta or rice, you'll have a new dinner favorite on your hands for sure!
Forget washing a bunch of pots and pans tonight. Chicken Cacciatore One Pot requires only, you guessed it, one pot! Cleanup is a cinch and whether you choose to serve it over pasta or rice, you'll have a new dinner favorite on your hands for sure!
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt, divided
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into cubes
- 4 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
- 1 pound fresh mushrooms, quartered
- 1 green bell pepper, chopped
- 1 onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 3/4 cups beef broth
- 1 (28-ounce) jar spaghetti sauce
- 1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- In a shallow dish, combine flour, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and the black pepper. Roll chicken in flour mixture, coating completely.
- In a soup pot over high heat, heat 3 tablespoons oil until hot; brown chicken on all sides 5 minutes. Remove chicken from pot; set aside. Add mushrooms, green pepper, onion, garlic, and remaining oil to pot and cook 5 minutes, or until onions are tender, stirring occasionally.
- Add remaining ingredients, including remaining salt; return chicken to pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer 30 minutes, or until chicken is fork-tender, stirring occasionally.
Today is a special anniversary, Ron (LASD ret) and Monika Wisberger are celebrating. HAPPY ANNIVERSARY KIDS!
Historically this date...........
1938 – Douglas Corrigan takes off from Brooklyn to fly the "wrong way" to Ireland and becomes known as "Wrong Way" Corrigan.
1955 – Disneyland is dedicated and opened by Walt Disney in Anaheim, California.
1975 – Apollo-Soyuz Test Project: An American Apollo and a Soviet Soyuz spacecraft dock with each other in orbit marking the first such link-up between spacecraft from the two nations.
1981 – A structural failure leads to the collapse of a walkway at the Hyatt Regency in Kansas City, Missouri killing 114 people and injuring more than 200.
And births this date include....
1899 – James Cagney, American actor (d. 1986)
1912 – Art Linkletter, Canadian television host (d. 2010)
1917 – Phyllis Diller, American comedienne (d.2012)
.... what a nut she was!
1935 – Diahann Carroll, American actor
1935 – Donald Sutherland, Canadian actor
... Dude, cut the hair!
.... wondered WHAT Charles ever saw in her. She's weird. But, then, so is he!!!
1951 – Lucie Arnaz, American actress
1952 – David Hasselhoff, American actor and musician
The sunset last night was pretty.........
All I know. Nuff said. Happy Hump Day. Ciao.
xo Sue Mom Bobo
National Hot Dog Day in July celebrates a summertime staple on a bun. Enjoy one piping hot and add some relish and mustard to go! One thing we want to know – is it a sandwich or not?
Celebrated every year during National Hot Dog Month, this day pays homage to the frankfurter, the footlong or wienie, wiener, wienerwurst or even red hot. They taste just as great no matter what we call it.
Over 25 million hot dogs are sold at baseball stadiums each year.
We make them a variety of ways. They’re portable and easy to make. While many of us prefer them grilled or toasted over a fire, we also boil, pan-fry, and rotisserie-cook them. The list of toppings are numerous – from the basic ketchup, mustard or relish to onions, mayonnaise, cheese bacon, chili and sauerkraut – the list keeps growing. Adults and children alike love them, too.
On May 31, 2012, a world record was set for the most expensive hot dog. The “California Capitol City Dawg” sold for $145.49 at Capitol Dawg in Sacramento, California. The “California Capitol City Dawg” features:
- A grilled 18″ all-beef, in natural casing frank from Chicago
- served on a fresh-baked herb and oil focaccia roll spread with white truffle butter, then grilled
- topped with whole grain mustard from France, garlic and herb mayonnaise
- sauteed chopped shallots, organic mixed baby greens, maple syrup
- marinated/fruitwood smoked uncured bacon from New Hampshire
- chopped tomatoes, sweetened dried cranberries, chopped tomato
- expensive moose cheese from Sweden
- basil olive oil/pear-cranberry-coconut balsamic vinaigrette and ground peppercorn
- Proceeds from the sale of each 3 lb. super dog were donated to the Shriners Hospitals for Children.
7-Eleven sells the most grilled hot dogs in North America – 100 million annually.
HOW TO OBSERVE NATIONAL HOT DOG DAY
Share your favorite toppings. Do you like yours blackened or just done? Tell us where the best hot dogs near you are. Give the restaurant or vendor a shout out. What makes them special? Is it their toppings? Do they use a better frank? We want to know.
HISTORY OF NATIONAL HOT DOG DAY
The National Hot Dog and Sausage Council created National Hot Dog Day. The day was established in 1991 to coincide with a hot dog lunch on Capitol Hill every year on a Wednesday in July.
