Weather ~ Picture of the Day ~ Didgeridoo ~ Sweet Potato Pancakes ~ George Collins ~ Gingerbread House Day

 

 

Good 36º cloudy foggy morning. 

 

 

Yesterday, as usual, we started off with a heavy fog. It stayed dark without a ray of sunshine all day. We topped at 49º.

 

 

 

Picture of the Day ... 

 

 

 

 

Interesting about this wind instrument.....

 

 

The didgeridoo is a wind instrument, played with continuously vibrating lips. The didgeridoo was developed by Aboriginal peoples of northern Australia at least 1,500 years ago, and is now in use around the world, though still most strongly associated with Indigenous Australian music. The instrument is known by different names by the different tribes namely; the yiḏaki, mandapul, mako, etc.

 

A didgeridoo is usually cylindrical or conical, and can measure anywhere from 3 to 10 ft long. Most are around 4 ft long. Generally, the longer the instrument, the lower its pitch or key. However, flared instruments play a higher pitch than unflared instruments of the same length. There are at least 45 names for the didgeridoo, several of which suggest its original construction of bamboo, such as bambu, bombo, kambu, and pampu.

Didgeridoos can be painted by their maker or a dedicated artist using traditional or modern paints while others retain the natural wood grain design.

The didgeridoo is played with continuously vibrating lips to produce the drone while using circular breathing. This technique requires breathing in through the nose whilst simultaneously expelling stored air out of the mouth using the tongue and cheeks. By use of this technique, a skilled player can replenish the air in their lungs, and with practice can sustain a note for as long as desired. Recordings exist of modern didgeridoo players playing continuously for more than 40 minutes.

 

 

From Mr. Food

 

A platter of crispy sweet potato pancakes is always welcome for holiday entertaining. This healthy pancake recipe is our twist on the spuds, making great use of sweet potatoes as a tasty alternative. We especially love this recipe as the weather starts to get chilly, but don't be afraid to make these tasty bites any time of the year!

 

• 1 1/2 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and shredded
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• Vegetable oil for frying

 

 

1. In a large bowl, combine all ingredients except oil; mix well. Form into 12 pancakes.
    
2. In a deep skillet, heat about 1/4 inch of oil over medium-high heat. Fry pancakes in batches 3 to 4 minutes per side, or until golden. (If you like them crisper, fry until they're flecked with brown.) Drain on a paper towel-lined platter and cover with foil. Repeat with remaining pancakes, and serve hot.

**Want to make these ahead of time? Just heat in a 350º oven for 15-20 minutes or until heated through.

 

 

 

Special birthday today, George Collins (LASD ret.) is celebrating. Happy Birthday George! xo

 

 

 

 

Historically this date.....

1787 – Pennsylvania becomes the second state to ratify the United States Constitution, five days after Delaware became the first.

 

1901 – Guglielmo Marconi receives the first transatlantic radio signal (the letter "S" [***] in Morse Code), at Signal Hill in St John's, Newfoundland.

 

1911 – Delhi replaces Calcutta as the capital of India

 

1917 – In Nebraska, Father Edward J. Flanagan founds Boys Town as a farm village for wayward boys.

 

1941 – World War II: The United Kingdom declares war on Bulgaria. Hungary and Romania declare war on the United States. India declares war on Japan.

 

1941 – Adolf Hitler declares the imminent extermination of the Jews at a meeting in the Reich Chancellery

 

 

 

 

1985 – Arrow Air Flight 1285, a McDonnell Douglas DC-8, crashes after takeoff in Gander, Newfoundland, killing all 256 people on board, including 236 members of the United States Army's 101st Airborne Division.

 

 

 

 

 

Births this date include.....

 

1881 – Harry Warner, Polish-American businessman, co-founded Warner Bros (d. 1958)

 

 

1893 – Edward G. Robinson, American actor (d. 1973)

 

 

1900 – Sammy Davis, Sr., American actor and dancer (d. 1988)

 

 

1915 – Frank Sinatra, American singer, actor, and producer (d. 1998)

 

 

1923 – Bob Barker, American game show host and producer

 

 

1938 – Connie Francis, American singer and actress

 

 

 

 

1940 – Dionne Warwick, American singer and television personality

 

1952 – Cathy Rigby, American gymnast

 

 

 

 

 

 

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

xo Sue Mom Bobo

 

Gingerbread House Day on December 12th recognizes a family tradition for many around the country.

A favorite food of an Armenian monk, Gregory of Nicopolis, brought gingerbread to Europe around 992 AD and taught French Christians to bake it. Since gingerbread was often used in religious ceremonies, monks baked to be sturdy to molded into images of saints.

We can thank the Brothers’ Grimm for a gingerbread house, though. Through their tale of Hansel and Gretel, they introduce an evil witch who lives in a house made of gingerbread. It didn’t take long for the German gingerbread guilds to pick up the idea. Soon, they put gingerbread houses to a more festive use making snowy cottages made from the spicy-sweet treat.

Today, we can spend the day baking, cutting, and building to our heart’s delight. Kits take some steps out of the process so we can get right down to constructing our winter wonderlands.

HOW TO OBSERVE

Gather the family together, bake up some gingerbread and start building and decorating your very own gingerbread house.  Give the recipe below a try.....

Gingerbread House