Weather ~ Picture of the Day ~ Different Things About China ~ Chinatown Meatballs ~ Saint Nicholas Day ~ National Microwave Oven Day

 

Good 39º foggy morning. 

 

 

Yesterday, again, we started off 27º and everything frozen. Was hoping for clear sky and sunshine. We did get clouds, white ones, and blue sky coming through and sunshine! Then by noon it all changed to dark clouds and gloomy. 

And we topped at 46º. 

 

 Grants Pass had heavy fog again....

 

Picture of the Day.....

 

Tightwad is a village in Henry County, Missouri, United States. Its population was 64 at the 2010 United States Census. Tightwad is located along Missouri Route 7.

Tightwad was originally called Edgewood, for the woods near the original town site.

The village's unusual name is said to stem from an episode in which a store owner cheated a customer, who was a postman, by charging him an extra 50 cents for a better watermelon. Some sources claim the transaction involved a rooster rather than a watermelon.

 

 

 

Interesting about some things in China....

Table Manners Are a Bit Different In China

Table manners between Americans and Europeans can be different, but they would agree that burping, spitting, and other behaviors are not welcome while eating. In Asia, a loud belch is perceived as a sign of appreciation, and normal behavior when you are eating a meal in China. It is actually the highest form of flattery—it means you like the food! “The host considers the noise a compliment,” says Patricia Napier-Fitzpatrick, founder and president of the Etiquette School of New York. Slurping your noodles pays the same respect.

China Only Has One Time ZoneChina is a huge country with only one time zone! That means that in some parts of China, the sun doesn't rise until 10:00 in the morning. In the past, China has five different time zones. This lasted until 1949 when Communist leaders decided having one time zone for the entire country was a good idea. Since then, everyone in China is using official Beijing time.

 

Reproduction Is LimitedChina is the only country in the world where the reproduction is limited. The population in the People's Republic of China is around 1.4 billion, so reproduction was restricted to one child per couple.  The one-child policy was part of a birth planning program designed to control the size of the rapidly growing population.  It was introduced in 1979, and modified beginning in the mid 1980s to allow rural parents a second child if the first was a daughter. This  lasted three more decades before the government announced in 2015 a reversion to a two-child limit. To enforce existing birth limits, provincial governments require the use of contraception, abortion, and sterilization to ensure compliance, and imposed enormous fines for violations.

 

 

 

 

From Mr. Food

 

This Asian spin on classic meatballs is the perfect dish for you and your gang to wake up those taste buds. Chinatown Meatballs are the perfect combination of sweet and sour that'll be your new favorite dish!

 

• 1 (10-ounce) jar sweet and sour sauce
• 1/4 cup light brown sugar
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 (35-ounce) package frozen meatballs
• 1 1/2 cups frozen mango chunks
• 1 1/2 cups frozen pineapple chunks
• 3/4 cup frozen diced bell peppers and onions
• 1 1/2 cups uncooked Jasmine rice, prepared according to package directions

 

1. In a large skillet, combine sweet and sour sauce, brown sugar, soy sauce, and ginger. Add remaining ingredients except the rice, and stir until well mixed.
2. Turn heat to medium-high, cover, and cook 20 to 25 minutes, or until meatballs are heated through, stirring occasionally. Serve over rice.

 

 

Historically this date....

1768 – The first edition of the Encyclopedia Britannica is published.

1790 – The U.S. Congress moves from New York City to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

1865 – The Thirteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution is ratified, banning slavery.

 

1877 – The first edition of the Washington Post is published.

 

1877 – Thomas Edison, using his new phonograph, makes one of the earliest recordings of a human voice, reciting "Mary Had a Little Lamb".

 

1884 – The Washington Monument in Washington D.C. is completed.

 

1897 – London becomes the world's first city to host licensed taxicabs.

 

 

And births this date include....

1900 – Agnes Moorehead, American actress (d. 1974)

 

1920 – Dave Brubeck, American pianist and composer (d. 2012)

 

 

 

 

1924 – Wally Cox, American actor (d. 1973)

 

 

 

1928 – Bobby Van, American singer (d. 1980)

 

 

 

1948 – JoBeth Williams, American actress

 

 

 

 

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

xo Sue Mom Bobo

 

On December 6th, Saint Nicholas Day recognizes the third-century saint who became an inspiration for the modern-day Santa Claus.

St. Nicholas is known for selling all his possessions and giving his money to the poor. Raised as a devout Christian, St. Nicholas dedicated his whole life to serving the sick and suffering.

Legendary stories about St. Nicholas later become part of the inspiration for the modern-day Santa Claus. For example, during the third century, a daughter’s chances of marriage increased when her father offered a large dowry to prospective husbands. One story tells of a poor father with three daughters. He had no dowry to offer.

Traditionally, shoes were left by fires at night so they could dry. On three separate occasions, Ol’ St. Nicholas provided a dowry for each girl. It is said, he made gold appear in their shoes, drying by the fire.

While St. Nicholas Day is not to be confused with Christmas, there are similarities. Traditions include leaving gifts in shoes (or stockings) or the exchange of small gifts. Another tradition suggests leaving treats for good boys and girls. However, the naughty ones receive a twig or chunk of coal.

Interesting facts associated with St. Nicholas:

• He is the patron saint of a great many causes. Some of the causes include sailors, travelers, clergy, school children, and thieves, to name a few.
• He was born in the village of Patar, which was located on the southeastern coast of modern-day Turkey.
• Buried in a tomb in Myra, water believed to have healing powers formed in his grave. It is called the Manna of Saint Nicholas.
• December 6th is also known as The Feast of St. Nicholas and is widely celebrated in Europe.

ST. NICHOLAS DAY HISTORY

St. Nicholas Day is celebrated worldwide on the anniversary of his death, December 6th. 

Today is also............

 

On December 6th, National Microwave Oven Day honors one appliance that changed the way we use the kitchen. 

Quite by accident, self-taught American engineer Percy Spencer discovered a way to heat food safely with microwaves. While working with an active radar in 1945, he noticed a candy bar in his pocket was melting. The high-powered microwave beams created a heating effect ideal for cooking. Spencer deliberately attempted cooking popcorn with the microwaves. Next, he tried cooking an egg. The egg test was less successful than the popcorn. It exploded in his fellow engineer’s face! However, we can cook eggs in microwave ovens. Try poaching one. 

Spencer, employed by Raytheon, continued experimenting with different methods of heating food safely with microwaves.

• Raytheon filed a United States patent application for Spencer’s microwave cooking process on October 8, 1945.
• In 1947, Raytheon built the first commercially available microwave oven. It was called the “Radarange.”
• An estimated 90% of homes in the United States have a microwave in them.

HOW TO OBSERVE 

The microwave oven is more than an elaborate popcorn popper. Use this celebration to explore the many uses of the microwave oven. We’ve provided a few suggestions to get you started, but we also encourage you to share your favorites, too!

• make crispy bacon (and you won’t get burned either)
• melt chocolate for all that holiday dipping
• heat rice or bean-filled hot pads for achy muscles
• steam vegetables
• soften brown sugar
• dry herbs
• loosen labels from jars

While testing these ideas out, take some time to clean your microwave, too. Steam a wet cloth for a minute on high and let stand for another minute. The steam softens any build-up. Then, wipe your microwave down with a little hot soapy water to remove any greasy splatter.