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Sunday, December 20, 2020

Weather/Fog ~ Picture of the Day ~ Buffalo ~ Roasted Asparagus and Mushroom Carbonara ~ Brian ~ National Sangria Day

 




 
Good 44º cloudy morning. 
 
 
Yesterday, again, the fog was heavy and at the same time we were getting a light rain....



Later the fog and dark clouds stayed and we topped at 51º.
 

Picture of the Day 😁
 

 
 
 
Interesting about buffalo...
 

The buffalo is an American species of bison also called the American bison, simply bison or the American buffalo. The animal roamed North America in vast herds by 9000 BCE (Before Common Era, equivalent to BC, meaning Before Christ) described as the great bison belt, a tract of grassland that ran from Alaska to the Gulf of Mexico, east to the Atlantic seabord as far north as New York and south to Georgia and, according to some sources, down to Florida.

Due to a combination of commercial hunting and indiscriminate slaughter for only the hides in the 19th century, plus the introduction of bovine diseases from domestic cattle, the buffalo nearly became extinct. Historical records and statistics show that a population in excess of 60 million in the late 18th century was reduced to just 541 animals by 1889. Recovery efforts expanded in the mid-20th century and have resulted in a resurgence of wild bison, largely restricted to a few national parks and reserves.

A bison has a shaggy, long dark-brown winter coat, and a lighter-weight, lighter-brown summer coat. Male bison are considerably heavier than females. They are herbivores, grazing on the grasses and wedges of the North American prairies.

Stretching back many millennia, Native American tribes have had cultural and spiritual connections to the American bison. It is the national mammal of the United States of America.

 

How Did They Get To Catalina Island?

You might wonder how or why there are bison, also known as the American Buffalo, on Catalina Island. There are many stories about how they came to be but the most told tale is that they were brought over for the filming of Zane Grey's The Vanishing American in 1924. Fifteen head of bison were used to portray scenes of the American West. As the story goes, the parts of the film that contained the bison ended up on the editing room floor. However, with limited means to remove and wrangle the bison, Mr. William Wrigley, owner of Catalina Island, allowed the transplants to stay. 


Where do they roam?

88% of Catalina Island is protected through the Catalina Island Conservancy. This land trust was set up in the early 1970s and includes 62 miles of beaches and coves and over 165 miles of trails and roads, including the 38.5 mile Trans Catalina Trail which traverses the entire island. 


How many bison are on Catalina Island now? 

The Catalina Island Conservancy takes the responsibility of maintaining a healthy herd of no more than 150 individual bison. 


How do you see the bison?

You can see bison while driving, touring, hiking or biking within Catalina Island's interior. The Catalina Island Conservancy offers a Jeep EcoTour, the Catalina Island Company offers several tours that go into the interior including a specific Bison Tour and Catalina Island Adventure Tours offers several interior tours.


Bison can not come into the city of Avalon, but often do wander into Two Harbors and campgrounds in the interior. If you encounter a bison while hiking, camping or biking, please remember that they are free-roaming and undomesticated. They can act out if they feel threatened or provoked and interactions may cause serious injury. Exercise extreme caution.


How are bison celebrated on Catalina Island?

Enjoy a Buffalo Milk, pick up a stuffed bison or enjoy a bison burger on Catalina Island.

 

 
  • Roasted Asparagus and Mushroom Carbonara

    Prep Time:10 minutes Cook Time:40 minutesTotal Time:50 minutes Servings: 4
    Roasted asparagus and mushrooms in a creamy and cheesy egg sauce with plenty of fresh cracked black pepper.
  •  
  •  
  • 1 pound asparagus, trimmed and cut into bite sized pieces
  • 8 ounces mushrooms, quartered
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 8 ounces fettuccine (or pasta of choice) (gluten free for gluten free)
  • 4 ounces bacon cut into 1 inch pieces or 4 ounces pancetta, diced
  • 1 clove garlic, chopped
  • 2 eggs
  • 1/2 cup (2 ounces) parmigiano reggiano (parmesan), grated
  • plenty of fresh cracked black pepper
  • salt to taste
  • 1 tablespoon parsley, chopped

Toss the asparagus and mushrooms in the oil, salt and pepper, place on a baking sheet in a single layer and roast in a preheated 400º oven until they start to caramelize, about 20-30 minutes, mixing half way through.
 
Start cooking the pasta as directed on the package.
 
Cook the bacon in a pan, pour off all but a tablespoon of the grease from the pan, add the garlic, cook for 30 second and turn off the heat.
 
Mix the egg, cheese, pepper and salt and parsley in a bowl.
 
Drain the cooked pasta reserving some of the water.
 
Mix the pasta, egg mixture, asparagus and mushrooms into the pan with the bacon, adding reserved pasta water as needed
 
 
 
Historically this date......
1968 – The Zodiac Killer kills Betty Lou Jenson and David Faraday in Vallejo, California. Suspect unknown. Suspect never caught.


1987 – History's worst peacetime sea disaster, when the passenger ferry Doña Paz sinks after colliding with the oil tanker Vector 1 in the Tablas Strait in the Philippines, killing an estimated 4,000 people (1,749 official).



 
1989 – United States invasion of Panama: The United States sends troops into Panama to overthrow government of Manuel Noriega. This is also the first combat use of purpose-designed stealth aircraft.


 
1991 – A Missouri court sentences the Palestinian militant Zein Isa and his wife Maria to death for the honor killing of their daughter Palestina.


 
2007 – Elizabeth II becomes the oldest ever monarch of the United Kingdom, surpassing Queen Victoria, who lived for 81 years, 7 months and 29 days.




And births this date include....
1898 – Irene Dunne, American actress (d. 1990)
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghWGcK_v29DSShHJyThu9A7rhI6W8394LeCYA9orbrbyTv1tYz3mFWSYs2pY1wXrwqMuACup0priFqgVpueLjAcyKa3ga37ur9eivCWEfDBVJ_DaDxfCUzrZhB4dsvISZkS6VeSa90AEFy/s1600/irene-dunne-1MA28909943-0003.jpghttps://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo4dbOtCfs7XT_aDl21OIIHY-rrQvK8aCXpTBDnnNRlxy-BoJ9i22xR8B9snUIi4HgTMmkEnfcdWVUQOqeROYWf_J9pYjan8Rb2dqDdqS08ArbGuZSK93VQkzUnI_GEF1tZHk1JOBTG5eF/s1600/y-favorite-wife-cary-grant-irene-dunne-gail-patrick-1940MA28909943-0004.jpg


 
1908 – Dennis Morgan, American actor (d. 1994)
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi72MUBDucD0DzzleudfCYk7M-zRhHkoe277dVY8DvbpICbgsN9i5iyFzEDHvdgTRq0PpL9Ufh2MUD58ne9jz1QpfjHqB5SWXLirZ7-SD_cjaV3tzd5IL2i_1ctZQ0KLYHJx07Z4lzN9GnC/s1600/dennisgingerMA28909943-0005.jpg
               ...with Ginger Rogers.

 
 
1927 – Charlie Callas, American comedian (d. 2011)
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEippMvDt7zfZ9XL5P2HBrNjczCYMvp0EdIcWCXAtTWf_96B0mvvL2i2B2Fy4y_cudR3HKG1PWm7r_AA0rQ63dWUt5rben8Ns435I4qJ6YG73UsV6gs4MTsMTgxqOXpdFHXqlqU3oMwttQ4h/s1600/cr_mega_921_Callas-CharlieMA28909943-0006.jpg
 https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbgnwZ4-FhWZ-i4sq5G0QVfJ7-7yWSeAZBeNWbw-btJH0-6aFy-NzEFBRG0B2OO83Scq65OwV2fICzkjeEbIX1WQFJiSX4taMpnFKAUbzNktwmZNllxU4Hf3dIt-5A7P_banIaLwlnKOjd/s1600/Charlie-CallasMA28909943-0007.jpg
 
 
Instead of going to Costco and standing in line forever I made my order over the internet. I had the order delivered to Brian's State Farm office. Friday I went to pick it up and Brian was all dressed up for Christmas!
 



Tomorrow is the shortest day and longest night for the year. Then the days start to get longer. YIPPEE!
 
All I know. Nuff said. I hope your Sunday is a good day. Ciao.
xo Sue Mom Bobo
 

Across the nation each year on December 20th, National Sangria Day recognizes a wine and fresh fruit combination that brings a fresh celebration to the table. 

Sangria is a beverage made with wine and sweetened with fresh fruit and fruit juices. Other ingredients can include herbs, spices, carbonation, and liquor. The combinations are endless, giving sangria a place in the cocktail rotation year-round. Refreshing and light during hot summer months, bright and sparkling during the winter ones, this fruity punch is quite versatile.

Sangria made with white wine is called Sangria Blanca.

Use fresh fruit in season for the best flavors. Once mixed, sangria should be chilled and the fruits allowed to marinate for a few hours or overnight. When making sangria, if you use 100% juice, you’ll gain the maximum benefits, too. Eating the fruit versus all the sweet cakes and pies over the holidays will be healthier. Get the benefits of red wine, but drink in moderation and sangria will be worth all the celebration. 

HOW TO OBSERVE

Include sangria with your holiday celebrations. Add flavors that compliment your meals and bring sparkle to your evenings. Hostesses may offer more than one sangria to please the many palates of our guests, too. With so many recipes, it’s easy to please. Don’t hesitate to sample a few ahead of time. We offer a few different recipes to try. Share your favorites this holiday season. And then be sure to find more for the rest of next year, too!

Red Sangria

Winter Sangria