Blue Sky ~ Picture of the Day ~ The Shoebill ~ Spicy Hot Baked Zucchini Fries ~ Bruiser ~ Spencer Norman ~ Marie Vincent ~ International Beer Day

 

Good 52º clear blue sky morning. Yay! 

 

 

Yesterday started off clear and blue sky....... with just a hint of haze up on my mountain... it stayed clear and sunny all day. We topped at 97º.

 

 

 

 

Picture of the Day....

 

 

 

Interesting about Shoebill birds..........

 

The Shoebill (Balaeniceps rex) also known as whalehead, is a very large stork-like bird. It derives its name from its enormous shoe-shaped bill. 

It has a somewhat stork-like overall form and has previously been classified with the storks in the order Ciconiiformes based on this morphology. However, genetic evidence places it with the Pelecaniformes. The adult is mainly grey while the juveniles are browner. It lives in tropical east Africa in large swamps from Sudan to Zambia.

The Shoebill is distributed in freshwater swamps of central tropical Africa, from southern Sudan through parts of eastern Congo, Rwanda, Uganda, western Tanzania and northern Zambia. The species is most numerous in the West Nile sub-region and adjacent areas of the south Sudan; it is also significant in wetlands of Uganda and western Tanzania.

The Shoebill is noted for its slow movements and tendency to stay still for long periods, resulting in descriptions of the species as "statue-like". They are quite sensitive to human disturbance and may abandon their nests if flushed by humans. However, while foraging, if dense vegetation stands between it and humans, this wader can be fairly tame. The Shoebill is attracted to poorly oxygenated waters where fish frequently surface to breathe. Exceptionally for a bird this large, the Shoebill often stands and perches on floating vegetation, making them appear somewhat like a giant jacana.

 

 

For those of you with a garden filled with zucchini... here's another yummy recipe... from Mr. Food...

Your gang will love these spicy hot baked zucchini fries. We bet they won't even care that they're eating healthy vegetables!

 

• 3 medium-sized zucchini (about 1 pound total)
• 1 1/2 cups crushed nacho-flavored chips
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 2 eggs
• Cooking spray

1. Preheat oven to 450º. Coat a baking sheet with cooking spray; set aside.
    
2. Cut each zucchini in half crosswise then cut each half lengthwise into french-fry-like strips.
    
3. Place the chips, garlic powder, salt, and cayenne in a shallow dish; mix well. In another shallow dish, whisk the eggs. Coat each zucchini strip in the egg mixture and coat completely with the chip mixture; place on prepared baking sheet.
    
4. Spray fries with cooking spray and bake 15 minutes, or until crispy. Serve immediately.

**

Serve Fiery Zucchini Fries with your favorite dipping sauce. And... if you don't like the "hot" cayenne part, just use  the garlic powder.

 

 

 

Three special birthdays today..... the first one... today I celebrate Bruiser's birthday. For almost 5 years I saw him in my pasture from being very small. On bad weather days I'd see him go in the dog door at the barn into a stall that a former dog of ours lived in. Bruiser is (my best guess) 12 years old.

 

 

Also today is Spencer Norman's birthday. Spencer is the hubby of my pal Erika. HAPPY BIRTHDAY SPENCER!!!

 

 

And friend and former Temple City neighbor Marie Vincent is celebrating. HAPPY BIRTHDAY MARIE!

 

 

 

 

Historically this date.....

1776 – The signing of the United States Declaration of Independence took place.

1923 – As vice president, Calvin Coolidge becomes the 30th President of the United States after the death of Warren G. Harding

1934 – Gleichschaltung: Adolf Hitler becomes Führer of Germany.

1964 – Vietnam War: Gulf of Tonkin incident – North Vietnamese gunboats allegedly fire on the U.S. destroyers USS Maddox and USS Turner Joy.

1990 – Iraq invades Kuwait, eventually leading to the Gulf War.

 ..........and my Brian joins the Marines!

 

And births this date include...

1924 – Carroll O'Connor, American actor (d. 2001)

 

1932 – Peter O'Toole, Irish actor (d. 2013)

 

1945 – Joanna Cassidy, American actress

 

 

 

All I know. Nuff said. Happy TGIF. Ciao.

xo Sue Mom Bobo 

The first Friday in August brings a toast to ales, lagers, and pilsners that put the international in International Beer Day. 

Perhaps there’s a porter or a Belgian in your glass. Whether yours is fermented or not, dark or pale, hoppy, bitter, smooth, raise your mug. Lift it high among friends around the world, thanking those who work brewing delicious beer in your local area. Why? Because International Beer Day brings the world together, celebrating the beers of all cultures on one remarkable day.

Did you know, this is a day for beer lovers everywhere. In backyards, taverns, pubs, and breweries all over, people celebrate beer’s greatness while showing gratitude to their bartender and waitstaff. 

 

HOW TO OBSERVE INTERNATIONAL BEER DAY

“A fine beer may be judged with only one sip… but it’s better to be thoroughly sure.” – Czech Proverb

Better yet, don’t miss it. Enjoy a glass with friends. Try a new beer. If you don’t know what to try, here are some suggestions.

• Attend a tasting – Yes, like wine tastings, there are beer tastings, too.
• Get a flight – Many pubs and breweries offer a flight with of few ounces of 4-5 beers to taste.
• Take a quiz – There are several flavor profile quizzes online to help you choose your next beer. You can also take a quiz to find out just how much you know about beer, too like this one at Fun Trivia.
• Ask the bartender – They can guide you based on your flavor preferences. Then be sure to thank and tip them, especially if they provided sound advice.
• Tour a brewery – Brewery tours offer samples. Not only will you find a beer you like, but most breweries have a rich history. Even younger breweries include fascinating stories about their founders or their recipes.

HISTORY OF INTERNATIONAL BEER DAY

Our research shows the origin of International Beer Day dates back to 2008. Because August is hot in many parts of the world, the first Friday of August was chosen. Visit the IBD site for more information.