Clouds ~ Thunderstorm Predictions ~ Picture of the Day ~ Prairie Dogs ~ Jiffy Corn Casserole ~ Bruiser ~ Purple Heart Day

 

Good 59º clear sunny morning. 

 

 

Yesterday morning I was wondering why the sun wasn't shining on my mountain. Well, duh, the sky filled with clouds and were blocking the sun....

 

 

 

Predictions for "possible" thunderstorm last night, but they didn't happen. 

 

Now more predictions....

 

Thunder storms and lightening this time of year causes a lot of forest fires!

 

After we got some breeze, the clouds dissipated... and we topped at 102º.

 

 

 

Picture of the Day ... good set up!

 

 

 

Interesting about Prairie Dogs....

 

Prairie dogs are herbivorous burrowing rodents native to the grasslands of North America. The five species are: black-tailed, white-tailed, Gunnison's, Utah, and Mexican prairie dogs. They are a type of ground squirrel, found in North America. In Mexico, prairie dogs are found primarily in the northern states, which lie at the southern end of the Great Plains: northeastern Sonora, north and northeastern Chihuahua, northern Coahuila, northern Nuevo León, and northern Tamaulipas. In the United States, they range primarily to the west of the Mississippi River, though they have also been introduced in a few eastern locales. They are also found in the Canadian Prairies. Despite the name, they are not actually canines.

Prairie dogs are named for their habitat and warning call, which sounds similar to a dog's bark. The name was in use at least as early as 1774. The 1804 journals of the Lewis and Clark Expedition note that in September 1804, they "discovered a Village of an animal the French Call the Prairie Dog"

 

The black-tailed prairie dog was first described by Lewis and Clark in 1804. Lewis described it in more detail in 1806, calling it the "barking squirrel".

 

On average, these stout-bodied rodents will grow to be between 12 and 16 inches long, including the short tail, and weigh between 1 and 3 lb. Sexual dimorphism (Sexual dimorphism is the condition where the two sexes of the same species exhibit different characteristics beyond the differences in their sexual organs.) in body mass in the prairie dog varies 105 to 136% between the sexes. Among the species, black-tailed prairie dogs tend to be the least sexually dimorphic, and white-tailed prairie dogs tend to be the most sexually dimorphic. Sexual dimorphism peaks during weaning, when the females lose weight and the males start eating more, and is at its lowest when the females are pregnant, which is also when the males are tired from breeding.

 

Prairie dogs are chiefly herbivorous, though they eat some insects. They feed primarily on grasses and small seeds. In the winter, lactating and pregnant females supplement their diets with snow for extra water. They also will eat roots, seeds, fruit, and buds. Grasses of various species are eaten. White-tailed prairie dogs have been observed to kill ground squirrels, a competing herbivore.

 

The information page: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prairie_dog

I got this from, is super long with tons of information. If you want more, go there.

 

 

 

Here's a great easy side dish to serve with your steak, chicken legs, salmon filet, or whatever....... It's not "cornbread" it's a casserole...

Jiffy Corn Casserole

 

 

1 8oz box Jiffy cornbread mix

1 15oz can whole kernel corn, drained

1 15 oz can creamed corn, not drained

1 cup sour cream

1/2 cup melted butter

 

Mix all ingredients and pour into (greased or sprayed with cooking spray) 8x8 casserole dish.

Cook uncovered at 350º for 55-60 minutes

 

Adding a little cheddar cheese or mozzarella would also be good. And if you like a little spice, add in a can of diced green chilis ....

 

 

 

 

Historically this date........

1782 – George Washington orders the creation of the Badge of Military Merit to honor soldiers wounded in battle. It is later renamed to the more poetic Purple Heart.

1959 – The Lincoln Memorial design on the U.S. penny goes into circulation. It replaces the "sheaves of wheat" design, and was minted until 2008

1965 – The infamous first Reyes party between Ken Kesey's Merry Pranksters and motorcycle gang the Hells Angels takes place at Kesey's estate in La Honda, California introducing psychedelics to the gang world and forever linking the hippie movement to the Hell's Angels.

1970 – California judge Harold Haley is taken hostage in his courtroom and killed during in an effort to free George Jackson from police custody.

.............Jackson a Black Panther and horrible person! .....

2007 – Barry Bonds of the San Francisco Giants breaks baseball great Hank Aaron's record by hitting his 756th home run.

 

 

 

And births this date include...

1944 – David Rasche, American actor

 

 

1960 – David Duchovny, American actor

 

 

1975 – Charlize Theron, South African model and actress

 

 

 

 

 Watching TV last night and Bruiser sleeping in my slippers!

 

 

 

All I know. Nuff said. Happy Hump Day. Ciao.

xo Sue Mom Bobo

 

Purple Heart Day on August 7 commemorates the creation of the oldest American military decoration for military merit. The Purple Heart honors the men and women who are of the Military Order of the Purple Heart. During the American Revolutionary War, the Badge for Military Merit decorated six known soldiers.

General George Washington created the Badge of Merit in 1782. The honor was to be presented to soldiers for “any singularly meritorious action.” Its design included a purple, heart-shaped piece of silk bound with a thin edge of silver. Across the face, the word Merit was embroidered in silver. While the badge symbolized the courage and devotion of an American Patriot, no one knows who designed the award.

Until Washington’s 200th birthday, the Purple Heart persisted as a Revolutionary War footnote. Through the efforts of General Douglas MacArthur, the U.S. War Department created the Order of the Purple Heart. Today the medal bears a bust of George Washington and his coat of arms.

While an accurate and complete list of names no longer exists, National Geographic recently estimated that nearly 1.9 million Purple Hearts have been awarded since its creation. It’s the oldest U.S. military honor still bestowed upon service members today. Until 1944, the Purple Heart recognized service members’ commendable actions as well. Then in 1944, the requirements limited the award to only those wounded or killed in combat.

Purple Heart Firsts

• William Brown and Elijah Churchill received the Badge of Military Merit during the Revolutionary War when the award first replaced the Fidelity Medallion.
• Army General Douglas MacArthur received the first modern-day Purple Heart.
• Army Lt. Annie G. Fox received the Purple Heart during World War II for her actions during the attack on Pearl Harbor.

HOW TO OBSERVE

Honor everyone who has received a Purple Heart. Learn more about the Military Order of the Purple Heart.  

PURPLE HEART DAY HISTORY

Since 1932, Purple Heart Day has been celebrated on both Washington’s birthday and Valentine’s Day. Some states and cities observed Purple Heart Day in their own way at different times throughout the year.  Each declaration encouraged citizens to support wounded veterans with the purchase of a purple viola.

No matter when the day was observed, it recognizes the merit, and more importantly, the men and women killed and wounded in combat who earned the badge of honor. As the day evolved, it more commonly was observed on the day of the Purple Heart’s creation.