Good 26º clear sky frozen morning.
Yesterday started off frozen and we warmed to 66º.
Picture of the Day... the "backside" of Mount Rushmore... LOL
Interesting about "The Big Apple"....
New York was the Big Orange before it was the "Big Apple."
How it got that name can be summed up like this: In 1624, a Dutch ship arrived at the foot of lower Manhattan, where colonists set up a town they named after Holland’s largest city, New Amsterdam.
By 1664, New Amsterdam fell into the hands of the British (Peter Stuyvesant signed over the colony, now a city, without a fight), who renamed it New York in honor of the Duke of York.
Case closed? Not exactly. In 1673, the Dutch regained control of New York, sailing triumphantly into the harbor with a fleet of 21 ships. Dutch captain Anthonio Colve took over the colony of New York from England and renamed it New Orange, its official name for about a year, to honor the Prince of Orange, King William III. The new Dutch of New Orange rule did not last for long, however, because the English and French were teaming up to destroy Dutch trading routes. Facing defeat by the combined forces of these two formidable empires, the Dutch returned the island to England in 1674.
As the New York Times’ Sam Roberts put it in a 2009 podcast, New York “was the Big Orange before it was the Big Apple.”
More Info: www.huffingtonpost.com.au
Shared by Ann Ramirez (LASD ret)... sorry, no picture
Quick easy and great for a breakfast buffet
Use a “jumbo” size muffin tin. I used a non-stick and didn’t have to grease the tin. There’s enough oil in the biscuits.
1 can refrigerated “grand” size biscuits
1 cup whipped cream cheese, blended with
1 cup cherry preserves
2/3 cup there-about equal parts ground almonds and sugar
Preheat oven to 375º
Flatten out biscuits to fit into the cups of the tin. Sprinkle 1 side with the almond sugar and press into the dough. Place the flattened biscuits into the tin, sugar side down. Fill the biscuit cup, halfway, with the cherry cream cheese. Bake for about 17-19 minutes, until golden brown.
Today, February 25, 1974, 46 years ago, was my first date with Jerry. He treated me to steak and lobster dinner. We totally enjoyed the evening and each other. Instant love. From that day on we were always together. We married on June 14th the next year.
Yesterday was a special anniversary for friends Arlon and his bride JoAnne Webb. They celebrated their 58th!! HAPPY ANNIVERSARY KIDS!!
Arlon was a graduate from Woodrow Wilson High in El Sereno.
Arlon was a graduate from Woodrow Wilson High in El Sereno.
Historically this date......
1919 – Oregon places a 1 cent per U.S. gallon tax on gasoline, becoming the first U.S. state to levy a gasoline tax.
1932 – Adolf Hitler obtains German citizenship by naturalization, which allows him to run in the 1932 election for Reichspräsident.
1991 – Gulf War: An Iraqi scud missile hits an American military barracks in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia killing 28 U.S. Army Reservists from Pennsylvania.
.........Rest in peace soldiers. God Bless you.
And births this date include...
1913 – Jim Backus, American actor (d. 1989)
All I know. Nuff said. Happy Mardi Gras Tuesday. Ciao.
xo Sue Mom Bobo
The last day of Carnival and the day before for Ash Wednesday, Fat Tuesday is the intertwining of a period festivals and feasts that lead to a time of fasting and reflection. Also known as Shrove Tuesday and Mardi Gras, this enduring celebration has many traditions and deep roots around the world.
Mardi Gras (French for Fat Tuesday) dates back to an ancient Roman festival honoring the deities Lupercalia and Saturnalia which took place in mid-February. When Christians arrived in Rome, they incorporated the festival into Lenten preparations.
For centuries, this solemn feast prepared Christians for the season of Lent and used up valuable meat and supplies they would be abstaining from in the days to come. Traditions surrounding the day have changed through the ages. Through time and culture, the practices of Lent and Carnival, Mardi Gras, and Shrove Tuesday have varied and become incorporated into regional customs.
In the United Kingdom, Shrove Tuesday is also known as Pancake Day. Pancakes are the perfect menu item when the future includes abstaining from fats, eggs, and sweets! In Russia, they celebrate the entire week during Shrovetide as Pancake Week.
Carnival & Mardi Gras
While the French didn’t originate the medieval feast, they did put their stamp on it. From parades to beignets and colorful masks, the last day of Carnival is full of elaborate costumes and lavish food sure to hold the revelers over through a long fast. During the 16th century, their ancestors celebrated Boeuf Gras (fatted calf) which included a tradition of parading a bull decorated with flowers through the city. The decorated animal is followed through the streets by a retinue of colorfully dressed attendants and bands playing unusual instruments. There was even a Boeuf Gras Society in Mobile, Alabama at one time. (See history below for more information.)
New Orleans holds the crown for Carnival and Mardi Gras celebrations in the United States. While the city is filled with French flavor and style, its culture is an eclectic infusion of many cultures. Colorful King Cake and thick, savory muffuletta sandwiches only suggest the indulgence possible on Fat Tuesday. Regional specialties like Etouffee, Po’boys, and jambalaya all add to the atmosphere of the day.
And while we satisfy our cravings, let’s not forget our beverages. Signature creations from New Orleans hit the spot. Be sure to try the Sazerac made with absinthe or the citrus cocktail Arnaud’s Special. For a smooth drink with some punch mix up a Vieux Carré made with whiskey, cognac, and sweet vermouth. But you don’t have to have a cocktail to enjoy the feast! Fat Tuesday has plenty of beverages full of refreshing flavor. Coffees, sodas, and shakes of every flavor can be found.
FAT TUESDAY HISTORY
The roots of the celebration have been woven together for centuries from medieval spring festivals and feasts that were based on the Christian calendar. Fat Tuesday is celebrated around the world in its various forms all of which harken back to these roots of spring festivals and religious fasting in preparation for the Holy day of Easter.
Credit for bringing Mardi Gras to America goes to French explorers Pierre Le Moyne Sieur d’Iberville and Jean Baptiste Le Moyne Sieur de Bienville. In 1699, d’Iberville reached the mouth of the river on Shrove Tuesday near what is now Louisiana and named it Pointe du Mardi Gras.
Thanks to their establishment of Fort Louis de la Mobile, modern-day Mobile, Alabama lays claim to the first Mardi Gras celebration on American soil in 1703.
When de Bienville established Nouvelle Orleans in 1788, Mardi Gras celebrations reportedly began immediately. In 1875, Louisiana declared Fat Tuesday an official holiday.
