Weather ~ Christmas Pictures ~ Gorillas ~ Chicken Fajita Bubble Up Bake ~ Trish Bowler ~ National Fruitcake Day

 

 

Good 35º foggy morning. 

 

It rained all day Christmas and Christmas night it poured all night.

We've had so much rain that my creek is finally full of water!  

 

Here are some pictures from Christmas at Brian and Jen's ..... with Sami, Tucker, Grandma Jean, and Dash.....

 

Dash got presents too.... and he opened them himself!

 

 

Picture of the Day 

 

 

 

 

Interesting about gorillas....

 

 

According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List, both the eastern and western gorillas are classified as critically endangered, indicating they are both facing an extremely high risk of extinction in the wild. Threats to gorilla survival include habitat destruction and poaching for the bushmeat trade.

Statistics reported as of 2016 by the IUCN, estimate that the mountain gorilla is the most severely endangered with about 880 left in the wild and none in zoos.

The IUCN is an international organization working in the field of nature conservation and sustainable use of natural resources, founded in 1948, serving worldwide.

Gorillas are ground-dwelling, predominately herbivorous apes that inhabit the forest of central Sub-Saharan Africa. The genus ‘Gorilla’ is divided into two species: the eastern gorillas and the western gorillas, with four or five subspecies.

The DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) of gorillas is highly similarly to that of humans, from 95 to 99%.

The distribution of gorillas is patchy with the two species separated by the Congo River and its tributaries. The western gorilla lives in the west part of central Africa, while the eastern gorilla lives in the east part of central Africa. Habitats range from montane forest to swampland.

Gorillas are considered highly intelligent and can laugh, grieve, develop strong family bonds, make use of tools, and think about the past and future.

 

Gorillas move around by knuckle-walking, although they sometimes walk upright for short distances typically while carrying food or in defensive situations. A 2018 study investigating the hand posture of 77 mountain gorillas at Bwindi Impenetrable National Park (8% of the population) found that knuckle walking was done only 60% of the time, and they also supported their weight on their fists, the backs of their hands/feet, and on their palms/soles (with the digits flexed). Such a range of hand postures was previously thought to have been used by only orangutans. Studies of gorilla handedness have yielded varying results, with some arguing for no preference for either hand, and others right-hand dominance for the general population.

 

Wild male gorillas weigh 300 to 500 lb, while adult females weigh 150–250 lb. Adult males are 4 ft 7 in to 5 ft 11 in tall, with an arm span that stretches from 7 ft 7 in to 8 ft 6 in. Female gorillas are shorter at 4 ft 1 in to 4 ft 11 in, with smaller arm spans.

 

Chicken Fajita Bubble Up Bake

 

1 can Pillsbury Grands (Southern Style Buttermilk)

1 .85 oz pkg Old El Paso chicken taco seasoning mix

2 T. vegetable oil

1 cup coarsely chopped red bell pepper

1 cup coarsely chopped green bell pepper

1 cup coarsely chopped onions

2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 3/4" pieces

2 cups (8oz) shredded Colby-Monterey Jack cheese blend

Sour cream, sliced green onions, chopped tomatoes, chopped fresh cilantro leaves, lime wedges......... if desired

 

Heat oven to 350º. Lightly spray 13x9 baking dish with cooking spray.

 

Separate the 8 biscuits and cut each into 6 pieces. Place in bowl and sprinkle with 1 T. taco seasoning mix. Toss thoroughly to coat. Set aside.

 

 

 

In a non-stick skillet heat 1 T of the oil over medium heat. Add peppers and onions stirring occasionally and cook 4-7 minutes until tender and starting to brown. Remove from heat and pour into medium bowl.

 

 

 

In skillet add remaining oil and chicken. Cook chicken over medium-high heat 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until browned and no longer pink in center. Drain.

 

Return pepper mixture to skillet with chicken. Sprinkle with remaining taco seasoning mix. Stir thoroughly to coat and cook 1-2 minutes until heated through. Stir in 1 cup of cheese.

 

 

Spoon mixture into baking dish. Top evenly with biscuit pieces. Bake 20-25 minutes until golden brown. Sprinkle remaining 1 cup of chese and bake until melted. Serve with remaining ingredients as toppings.

 

 

 

Special birthday today.... great friend Trish Bowler, wife of the infamous John Bowler (LASD ret) is celebrating. HAPPY BIRTHDAY TRISH!! xo

 

 

 

Historically this date......

1968 – Apollo Program: Apollo 8 splashes down in the Pacific Ocean, ending the first orbital manned mission to the Moon.

1978 – Spain becomes a democracy after 40 years of dictatorship.

1979 – The Soviet Union invades the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan.

2001 – The People's Republic of China is granted permanent normal trade relations with the United States.

 

And births this date include..

1901 – Marlene Dietrich, German actress and singer (d. 1992)

1948 – Gérard Depardieu, French actor

 

 

1971 – Savannah Guthrie, American television journalist

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

All I know. Nuff said. Have a happy Sunday. Ciao.

xo Sue Mom Bobo

 

Across the United States, fruitcake lovers young and old, commemorate National Fruitcake Day each year on December 27th.

Made with chopped candied or dried fruit, nuts, and spices and sometimes soaked in spirits, fruitcake has been a holiday gift-giving tradition for many years.

Dating back to ancient Rome, one of the earliest known recipes lists pomegranate seeds, pine nuts, and raisins mixed into barley mash. Records indicate that in the Middle Ages, makers added honey, spices, and preserved fruits. Recipes for fruitcakes vary from country to country, depending on available ingredients and tradition.

In the 16th century, two achievements crystallized to make fruitcakes more affordable and accessible. First, sugar from the American Colonies became abundant. Second, it was discovered that high concentrations of sugar could preserve fruits. These two actions resulted in excess candied fruit. Consequently, fruitcake making grew.

• Typically, Americans produce fruitcakes abundant in fruit and nuts
• In America, mail-order fruitcake began in 1913. 
• Charities often sell commercial fruitcakes from catalogs as a fundraising event. 
• In 1935, the expression “nutty as a fruitcake” was coined. The phrase came about as a result of excess nuts some Southern bakeries added to their fruitcakes due to their access to cheap nuts.  
• Most mass-produced fruitcakes in America are alcohol-free.
• Some traditional recipes include liqueurs or brandy. Bakers then complete the fruitcake by covering it with powdered sugar.
• Some fruitcake makers soaked their fruitcakes in brandy-soak linens believing the cakes improve with age.