Weather/Smoke ~ Picture of the Day ~ Colorado State Bird ~ Mom's Go-To Weeknight Goulash ~ National Airborne Day

 

Good 59º no smoke morning! Yippeeeeee.....

 

Yesterday we topped at 105º.

 

 

Picture of the Day.... perfect timing....

 

 

 

Interesting about the state bird of Colorado....

male at the top, female at the bottom...

 

 

Lark Bunting...

The bird  is a medium-sized American sparrow native to central and western North America. It is also the state bird of Colorado since 1931.

 

The Lark Bunting seems like a humble bird, with its black feathers and white markings on the wings. But the male's courtship performance is a spectacular sight. They fly up from the grassy plains where they live while singing a beautiful song.

Lark Buntings are small songbirds, with a short, thick, bluish bill. There is a large patch of white on the wings and they have a relatively short tail with white tips at the end of the feathers. Breeding males have an all black body with a large white patch on the upper part of the wing. Non-breeding males and females look similar and are grayish brown with white stripes.

Measurements:

• Length: 5.5-7.1 in 
• Weight: 1.3-1.5 oz 
• Wingspan: 9.8-11.0 in 

 

The Lark Bunting is the most prevalent of the passerine species found in the grasslands of North America. Their breeding habitat is prairie regions in central Canada and the mid-western United States. These birds migrate in flocks to winter southern Texas, Arizona and the high plateau of northern Mexico in the fall.

 

The birds typically nest in dispersed colonies. Males fly up over their territory and sing while descending to declare ownership of a nesting territory. The song consists of a mix of whistles and trills. The call is a soft hoo.

The nest is an open cup on the ground in a grassy area.

Lark Buntings primarily forage on the ground, mainly eating insects in summer and seeds in winter; they sometimes take short flights in pursuit of insects. Outside of the nesting season, they often feed in flocks.

 

 

From Mr. Food

 

 

Mom's Go-To Weeknight Goulash is super easy and budget-friendly, making it a great weeknight dinner recipe! This family-friendly dinner is made with ground beef, elbow macaroni, a couple of veggies and your family's favorite spaghetti sauce. Everything cooks together in one skillet, and, right before it's served, it's topped with some yummy cheese. The results are delicious!

 

• 1/2 pound elbow macaroni
• 1 1/2 pounds ground beef
• 1/2 green bell pepper, chopped
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 1 (26-ounce) jar spaghetti sauce
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 cup (4 ounces) shredded Colby-Jack cheese

 

1. Cook macaroni according to package directions; drain and set aside.
2. Meanwhile, in a large skillet over high heat, brown beef, bell pepper, and onion 6 to 8 minutes, stirring until meat crumbles and is no longer pink. Drain and return to skillet.
3. Add macaroni, spaghetti sauce, garlic powder, salt, and pepper; mix well. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook 5 to 7 minutes or until heated through. Sprinkle with cheese and heat 1 more minute, or until cheese is melted.

 

 

 

Historically this date....

1927 – The Dole Air Race begins from Oakland, California, to Honolulu, Hawaii, during which six out of the eight participating planes crash or disappear.

1960 – Joseph Kittinger parachutes from a balloon over New Mexico at 102,800 feet (31,300 m), setting three records that still stand today: High-altitude jump, free-fall, and highest speed by a human without an aircraft.

1989 – A solar flare from the Sun creates a geomagnetic storm that affects micro chips, leading to a halt of all trading on Toronto's stock market.

 

 

 

And births this date include....

1928 – Eydie Gormé, American singer (d.2013)

1930 – Robert Culp, American actor (d. 2010)

 

 

 

 

1930 – Frank Gifford, American football player and announcer (d. 2015)

 

1933 – Julie Newmar, American actress

1946 – Lesley Ann Warren, American actress

1953 – Kathie Lee Gifford, American singer and actress

........... same birthday as her husband!

1958 – Madonna, American singer and actress

1960 – Timothy Hutton, American actor

 

 

1962 – Steve Carell, American actor, comedian, voice artist, producer, writer, and director

 

 

 

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

xo Sue Mom Bobo

National Airborne Day on August 16th honors the military’s airborne divisions of the Armed Forces.    

August 16, 1940, marks the date of the first official Army parachute jump at Ft. Benning, Georgia. The successful jump validated the innovative concept of inserting U.S. ground combat forces behind a battle line by parachute. These sky soldiers represent some of the most prestigious and expertly trained forces in the United States Army. 

In the U.S. Army currently, two airborne divisions operate. The 82nd Airborne Division out of Ft. Bragg, North Carolina began as an infantry division. During World War I, the 82nd Division activated on 25 August 1917 at Camp Gordon. In 1918, they earned the nickname All American for the composition of their division. Since the soldiers came not only from all across the country, but several were immigrants, too. The 82nd Division represented all of America as few other divisions did at the time.

The second and still active airborne division had a short-lived beginning. During World War I, the 101st Airborne Division organized for a short while on November 2, 1918. However, the war ended shortly after. During World War II, the Screaming Eagles re-activated on August 16, 1942, at Camp Claiborne, Louisiana. They currently make their home at Ft. Campbell, Kentucky.

Both units have served around the world in combat, peacekeeping, and humanitarian missions.

NATIONAL AIRBORNE DAY HISTORY

President George W. Bush proclaimed National Airborne Day on August 14, 2002. On August 3, 2009, the US Senate of the 111th Congress recognized National Airborne Day with Senate Resolution 235.