Yesterday ~ Picture of the Day ~ Oregon City Outdoor Elevator ~ Easy Bake Mozzarella Bites ~ National Rubber Ducky Day

Good 36º dark cloudy drizzly morning. 

Yesterday it rained on and off and we topped at 45º. 

Picture of the Day ... Hmmmmmm...  shared by my NY friend, Vivia

Interesting about this outdoor elevator...

The Oregon City Municipal Elevator is a 130-foot elevator which connects two neighborhoods in Oregon City in the U.S. state of Oregon. It is the oldest and the only outdoor municipal elevator in the U.S. and one of only four in the world. “Elevator Street” remains the only “vertical street” in North America

The upper portion contains an observation deck which accounts for its flying saucer appearance.

The city of Oregon City includes dramatic changes in elevation. The city's central business district is sandwiched between the Willamette River and a basalt cliff, and is only several blocks wide.

The Oregon City Municipal Elevator has been in operation for over 100 years. The original elevator was constructed in 1915. It was powered by hydraulics and took about three minutes to reach the top of the bluff. It was constructed in this area as a means of transportation for the residents in the city.

The alternative option before the build would have been walking the stairs from the base to the top of the cliff which consisted of 722 steps. In 1925 it was converted to electric power that was being generated by the water flowing from the Willamette River.

In January, 1954, the firm of Stevens and Thompson submitted a new design proposal that could be built within the bond amount. The new design produced a low bid of $116,000 and a contract was awarded to James and Yost, Inc. The new elevator was dedicated on May 5, 1955, and the City Commission accepted it on July 13, 1955. At that time, 2,000 elevator passes were printed. Even though the elevator ride has always been free, the distribution of these passes as a keepsake has continued as a City tradition. The existing elevator took over 751 tons of concrete and steel to construct, is 130 feet high, and passengers can zip to the top in 15 seconds. Additionally, passengers now walk through a 35-foot long tunnel under the tracks rather than over the tracks.

It was included on the National Register of Historic places in 2014. It was carrying an average of 500 people per day as of 1989, and by 2018 it had grown to nearly 1,100. Ridership is as high as 1,800 people per day during the city's summer tourist season.

Easy Bake Mozzarella Bites

Here is a great and easy appetizer....

1 8oz can Pillsbury refrigerated crescent dough sheet

8 mozzarella sticks, unwrapped and cut into thirds

3 T. melted butter

2/3 cup Progresso Italian style panko crispy bread crumbs

Heat oven to 375º.

Unroll dough sheet, press into rectangle, 12x8 inches. Using pastry cutter, cut rectangle into 6 rows to make 24 (2") squares.

Place mozzarella sticks in center of each rectangle, bring dough up and around cheese sticks, press edges to seal.

Place melted butter in small bowl. Place bread crumbs in another small bowl. Dip each stick in the butter, shake off excess. Roll in bread crumbs to coat. Place about 1" apart on ungreased large cookie sheet.

Bake 11-13 minutes, or until golden brown. Serve warm.

**Serve with warm marinara sauce or ranch dressing, or both.

Change the flavor of these snacks by using other varieties of cheese sticks.

Historically this date.....

1822 – The design of the Greek flag is adopted by the First National Assembly at Epidaurus.

1968 – Johnny Cash performs live at Folsom Prison

1993 – Space Shuttle program: Endeavour heads for space for the third time as STS-54 launches from the Kennedy Space Center.

2001 – An earthquake hits El Salvador, killing more than 800.

And births this date include...

1884 – Sophie Tucker, Russian-born singer and performer (d. 1966)

1919 – Robert Stack, American actor (d. 2003)

1931 – Charles Nelson Reilly, American actor (d. 2007)

1934 – Rip Taylor, American actor (d.2019)

1943 – Richard Moll, American actor

1961 – Julia Louis-Dreyfus, American actress

1962 – Trace Adkins, American country music singer-songwriter

1966 – Patrick Dempsey, American actor

 

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

xo Sue Mom Bobo

According to a 1973 Sesame Street calendar, Rubber Duckie’s Birthday is January 13th so around the country it’s National Rubber Ducky Day! A friend of Ernie and Big Bird, Duckie made his debut in a February 1970 episode.

The rubber ducky (also spelled duckie) has come a long way from his first concept as a chew toy for children. While the origin of the first rubber ducky is uncertain, many rubber molded toys came about when rubber manufacturing developed in the late 1800s. They produced a variety of toys from dolls and various animal shapes, including the rubber duck. 

In 1928, Landon Smart Lawrence received the earliest patent fora rubber duck toy. His clever design weighted the toy so that when it tipped it returned to an upright position. The sketch included with the patent was that of a duck.

During World Wars I and II, rubber was a valuable commodity. Rationing became mandatory and by the 1940s with the advent of plastic, the rubber ducky began being produced in vinyl and plastic.

Russian Sculptor Peter Ganine sculpted many animal figures. One, a duck, he later designed and patented into a floating toy which closely resembles the rubber ducky we have become familiar with today.

Sales of the iconic yellow rubber ducky we’ve come to know today soared in Britain in 2001. Why? A British Tabloid, The Sun, reported Queen Elizabeth II had a rubber duck in her bathroom that wore an inflatable crown.

The rubber ducky became a Toy Hall of Fame inductee in 2013. Founded in 1998, the Hall of Fame has only inducted 52 other toys.