Weather ~ Picture of the Day ~ The Willow Ptarmigan ~ Athenian Pasta Salad ~ Jon Harting ~ Linda Kuehl ~ Young Baby Deer ~ National Refreshment Day

 

Good 46º clear sunny morning. 

 

Yesterday we topped at 90º.

 

 

Pictures of the Day... odd public benches, unknown what country they are in...

 

 

 

Interesting about the Willow Ptarmigan....

 

The willow ptarmigan was adopted as the state bird of Alaska in 1955 and was chosen by Alaskan school children.

 

The willow ptarmigan is a master of disguise.  It changes the color of its feathers to white during the winter (to match the snow) and light brown in the summer months (to blend in with the ground). It's a ground-dwelling bird that can be found in the Alaskan tundra.

It is snowy white in winter and an intricate mix of reds and browns in summer. This rotund grouse of subarctic tundra lives year-round in areas where most bird species can survive only during the warmer months. Ptarmigan are well suited to brutally cold winters, using heavily feathered feet to walk over deep snow, and excavating snow burrows.

It is also known as the willow grouse and in Ireland and Britain, where the subspecies L. l. scotica was previously considered to be a separate species, as the red grouse. It is a sedentary species, breeding in birch and other forests and moorlands in northern Europe, the tundra of Scandinavia, Siberia, Alaska and Canada, in particular in the provinces of Newfoundland and Labrador and Quebec. 

 

The willow ptarmigan has a varied and seasonal diet. The bird is herbivorous for most of its life and subsists on various plant materials. As juveniles, they may feed on insects due to an inability to digest plant material caused by underdeveloped cecums. In the summer, their diet is highly varied and may consist of berries, flowers, leaves, twigs and seeds.

 

In Alaska, the main dietary item of the adults at all times of year is willows such as the Alaska willow Salix alaxensis, with leaves being eaten in summer and buds, twigs and catkins supplying the birds' main nutritional needs in winter and early spring. In the early twenty-first century, there has been an increase in shrub expansion in arctic Alaska that is thought to be greatly affecting the willow ptarmigan's winter diet. Because of the way they browse, Ptarmigan help shape the landscape of the area. After heavy snowfalls, the birds cannot access the shorter shrubs as they are blanketed with snow, so they will eat the taller species that poke through. In one study it was found that 90% of the buds of the Alaska willow within their reach had been browsed. This will stunt the willows and create a feedback cycle extending through the entire ecosystem. However, in winters with below average snowfall, the browsing of Ptarmigans will not have such a drastic effect as their feeding will be spread out across a range of lower plant species. It is also believed that the greening of parts of the Arctic is affecting Willow Ptarmigan populations by altering the shape and size of the shrubs they are able to feed on.

 

 

 

 

 

 

From Mr. Food

 

Have you noticed how the tastes of Greece are getting so popular? Now you know what one of our all-time favorite summer lunches is. (In fact, we like it in the spring, fall, and winter too!)

 

• 1 pound twist or any medium pasta shape
• 1/2 cup finely chopped red onion
• 1 cup ripe olives, chopped
• 8 ounces (about 2 cups) crumbled feta cheese
• 1/4 cup finely chopped green bell pepper
• 2 small tomatoes, chopped
• 3/4 cup vegetable oil
• 6 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 2 teaspoons Dijon-style mustard

 

 

1. In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta to desired doneness; drain, cool and place in a large bowl.
    
2. Add onion, olives, feta cheese, green pepper, and tomatoes.
    
3. In a small bowl, whisk together remaining ingredients; pour over pasta and toss gently.
    
4. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

 

 

 

Two special birthdays today... Jon Harting, Wilsonite, is celebrating. HAPPY BIRTHDAY JON!!

 

 

 

 

This is Jon with his Linda when they came up from California to buy Jerry's John Deere.

 

 

 

 

 

Also celebrating is Linda Kuehl, daughter-in-law of friends Patty (& the late Cliff) Kuehl... HAPPY BIRTHDAY LINDA!!

 

Historically this date.....

1933 – Wiley Post becomes the first person to fly solo around the world traveling 15,596 miles in 7 days, 18 hours and 45 minutes.

1934 – Outside Chicago's Biograph Theater, "Public Enemy No. 1" John Dillinger is mortally wounded by FBI agents.

1991 – Jeffrey Dahmer is arrested in Milwaukee after police discover human remains in his apartment.

2011 – Norway is the victim of twin terror attacks, the first being a bomb blast which targeted government buildings in central Oslo, the second being a massacre at a youth camp on the island of Utøya.

And births this date include...

1890 – Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy, American Kennedy family matriarch (d. 1995)

1908 – Amy Vanderbilt, American etiquette authority (d. 1974)

 

 

 

1923 – Bob Dole, American politician, 1996 Republican Presidential candidate

1943 – Bobby Sherman, American singer and actor

....and was an LAPD reserve officer

1947 – Albert Brooks, American comedian

1955 – Willem Dafoe, American actor

 

 

Here are a couple of young fawns coming by the house.... following their mom to my backyard where I have tubs of water for them to drink...

All I know. Nuff said. Have a good Thursday. Ciao.

xo Sue Mom Bobo

 

National Refreshment Day on the fourth Thursday in July celebrates fun at the hottest time of the year. The day toasts those moments of ice, cold refreshment, especially a nice cold beer. These are the simple pleasures that we all love and cherish.

Whether you’re at the beach or wrapping up a long day of work, it’s nice to know there’s a glass waiting for you somewhere. The dog days of summer call for coolers full of ice. Long weekends and vacation days beckon, too. Take a day and celebrate.

HOW TO OBSERVE 

Turn the fan on high, grab your bathing suit, and ice down the beer.  Make the most of the dog days and raise a glass to Refreshment!  Give a shout-out to your favorite brewery or craft beer. You can also try something new. Have you ever tried these?

• Mojito – This refreshing cocktail includes refreshing mint combined with rum, lime and soda water.
• Cucumber and vodka – Cilantro and cucumber slices perk up a splash of vodka.
• Sangria – A variety of sangria recipes offer a bright and sparkling refresher.

NATIONAL REFRESHMENT DAY HISTORY

Traveler Beer Company founded National Refreshment Day in May 2015 to highlight the refreshing flavors of summer. The Traveler Beer Company was a craft beer venture based in Burlington, Vermont. 

In 2015, the Registrar at National Day Calendar declared the celebration to be observed annually on the fourth Thursday in July.