Good 52º clear sunny morning. Yesterday we topped at 92º.
Yesterday Brian, Sami, and Dash participated in the Merker/Belnap Memorial Run.
Everyone meets at the Grants Pass YMCA. 5K run, 5K walk, and 1 mile run/walk. On July 4, 2016 Darren Merker's son Ryan, his high school friend Max Belnap and Max’s father John took off in a Cessna 172F from Brookings to Josephine County and never returned. Both the boys were on the Grants Pass track team. This Memorial Run raises money for scholarships for the Grants Pass High School students in Ryan, Max, and John's names.
Also yesterday just before 11am, Kristen texted me that they just had an earthquake. WOW, just the day after I posted on my blog about the San Andreas Fault!
From local LA news....
A preliminary-magnitude 6.4 earthquake struck Thursday morning in the Mojave Desert's Searles Valley, the U.S. Geological Survey said.
People throughout Southern California reported feeling the powerful quake, whose epicenter was located about 62 miles north-northwest of Barstow.
A preliminary-magnitude 6.4 earthquake struck Thursday morning in the Mojave Desert's Searles Valley, the U.S. Geological Survey said.
People throughout Southern California reported feeling the powerful quake, whose epicenter was located about 62 miles north-northwest of Barstow.
The USGS downgraded the temblor's magnitude, which was originally reported as 6.6.
Picture of the Day.... OMGOSH, carrots! How weird!
Interesting about goats.........
Goats are fascinating creatures. Unfortunately, they are too often overlooked, probably because they are not as iconic as other domesticated animals like horses and cows, and not as exotic as the creatures usually featured in nature documentaries (crocodiles! lions! scorpions! honey badgers!). Yet the humble goat can do very impressive things, like climb up mountains via sheer cliffs that would leave all but the most expert human climbers — with all their high tech equipment.
A lesser-known talent of some goats is the ability to climb trees, even fairly tall ones, and stand on small branches that look like they can barely hold their weight. This is particularly common in Morocco, where food can be scarce and argan trees produce a fruit that is particularly appealing to goats.
But how can goats climb so easily? The obvious answer is that they've evolved for it these types of difficult climbs and precarious jumps, and have an innate sense of balance that clearly surpasses ours, or that of most other species. These talents probably evolved primarily to climb mountains, where large population of mountain goats can evade predators and move around quickly to find spots where food grows or where there is salt to lick. They are helped by their hoofs, which have two toes that can spread out to create a more secure footing, and two vestigial toes higher up their legs, called dewclaws, that can be used as leverage to climb up a mountain side or a tree branch.
Check this recipe.... I posted this 4 years ago...
Peanut Butter Pound Cake
1¼ cups butter
2 cups granulated sugar
6 eggs
½ cup creamy peanut butter
2 cups all purpose flour
¼ cup finely chopped roasted peanuts
Preheat oven to 350º.
Cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.
Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
Blend in the peanut butter, then the flour. Pour the batter into 2 lightly greased loaf pans and place in oven.
After 15 minutes of baking, sprinkle the chopped nuts onto the batter to create a crunchy topping.
Bake a total of 50-60 minutes, or until centers test done with a toothpick or cake tester.
Historically this date......
1937 – Spam, the luncheon meat, is introduced into the market by the Hormel Foods Corporation.
1945 – World War II: Liberation of the Philippines declared.
1971 – Right to vote: the Twenty-sixth Amendment to the United States Constitution, lowering the voting age from 21 to 18 years, is formally certified by President Richard Nixon.
1973 – Catastrophic BLEVE (Boiling Liquid Expanding Vapor Explosion) in Kingman, Arizona, following a fire that broke out as propane is being transferred from a railroad car to a storage tank, kills 11 firefighters.
2012 – The Shard in London is inaugurated as the tallest building in Europe, with a height of 310 meters (1,020 ft).
And births this date include...
1928 – Katherine Helmond, American actress (d.2019)
1950 – Huey Lewis, American singer (Huey Lewis and the News)
I watched some of the Boston Pops 4th of July show. Not impressed. Too much talking and didn't care for the singers. Also LOVED the Boston Pops when Arthur Fiedler was conductor, not so much any more.
Then I watched some of the Capital 4th. There were a zillion fireworks!! There were so many that there was so much smoke in the sky you could hardly see the fireworks!
Finally I watched the NY Macy's 4th of July fireworks. That was the best! The fireworks were set off from boats in the water and on top of the Brooklyn Bridge. Music was wonderful and the fireworks coordinated with the music!
All I know. Nuff said. Happy TGIF. Ciao.
xo Sue Mom Bobo
On July 5, National Hawaii Day recognizes the 50th state to be granted statehood.
Eight islands make up The Aloha State, the largest of which is named Hawaii. The islands of Maui, Oahu, and Kauai are the next in size followed by Molokai, Lanai, Nihau, and Kahoolawe.
Nearly 2,000 years ago, Polynesians navigated the Pacific ocean in double-hulled vessels from the west. Captain James Cook sailed to the islands in 1778 and would later meet his death on the big island.
For generations, Hawaii ruled by the hand of the Kamehameha dynasty. King Kamehameha is still honored in Hawaii today.
In 1874, a new king was elected to the throne. King Kalākaua was known as the Merrie Monarch. Kalākaua also developed a reputation as a diplomat as he set out to tour the globe in 1881. As a result, Kalakaua would become the first monarch to travel around the world. It would take the Hawaiin leader an entire year to complete the voyage.
While Hawaii is the 50th state to join the Union, it has long been a strategic military installation. Its location in the Pacific has been vital to U.S. Naval operations for decades. On December 7, 1941, the surprise Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor shocked the nation and propelled the United States into World War II.
The islands’ beauty and traditions consistently draw visitors for rest and relaxation. Hawaii’s pristine beaches, majestic volcanoes, and exotic atmosphere speak to a richly diverse heritage that is welcoming and fascinating. Dance, music, and song taught from one generation to the next keep traditions alive in a lush environment surrounded by ancient history.
