Weather ~ Picture of the Day ~ Animal Survival ~ Savory Holiday Pinwheels ~ Forefathers' Day

 

 

Good 36º SUPER foggy morning. 

 

Yesterday we started frozen, 30º, then we had rain on and off. We topped at 40º.

 

 

Picture of the Day ... best friends

 

 

Interesting about animal survival....

 

Have you ever wondered how animals survive bouts of extreme weather? Where do they go?

 

When a big storm or frigid weather approaches, humans head indoors to the safety of their homes. We bundle up if we have to brave the elements and take the necessary precautions in anticipation of any potential aftermath.

 

But have you ever wondered how animals, such as squirrels, butterflies, snakes, birds, or even larger ones like deer, survive nasty bouts of weather? Luckily, the answer is “pretty well” in most cases because they have developed ingenious ways to take even the worst Mother Nature can throw their way.

 

Smaller animals have an advantage when it comes to taking shelter from a storm. They can hide out in microhabitats such as thick underbrush or other vegetation. Woodpeckers and chickadees are among some of the birds that will find holes in trees while other animals seek refuge in cavernous rocks or nooks and crannies offered by man-made structures.

 

If they are burrowers, such as moles, badgers, groundhogs, and some squirrels and snakes, they head underground. Birds will often hang out on the leeward side of large trees during particularly windy weather, which not only shelters them from the brunt of gale-force winds, but also keeps them fairly dry during severe rainstorms.

Low-lying micro-habitats are also a great way to stay warm when the bitter cold sets in since the temperature is actually several degrees warmer closer to the ground, especially when the sun is out. Animals instinctively know to take advantage of this.

 

There is a reason humans wear down jackets. Feathers, although light, trap air and create excellent insulation. Birds will puff out their feathers, the more the better, and this trick allows them to trap their body heat while keeping even the coldest of Arctic chills out.  During the next cold spell, check out how much bigger the local birds look.

 

 Most animals (hibernators or not) instinctively fatten up prior to winter as a way to both stay warm and survive. This allows them to use the energy from the fat they stored when they are unable to find food.

Animals are survivors because they have evolved to adapt. They instinctively know how and when to seek protection, including in severe weather. While these instincts will not always save these animals, they certainly give them an advantage.

 

 

 

 

With all the holiday entertaining that we’ll be doing in the weeks ahead, the last thing we need is some kind of complicated recipe. That’s where this easy-as-can-be recipe for Savory Holiday Pinwheels comes in. You see, by starting off with a few supermarket shortcuts from the dairy and freezer aisles, we can have fresh-baked treats on the table in minutes. And are these tasty!

 

 

 

• 1 egg
  
  1 T. water
  4 ounces cream cheese, softened  
  3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese 
  3/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
  3 T. diced roasted red pepper, drained well
  3/4 t. garlic powder
  1 sheet refrigerated puff pastry 
  1/3 cup real bacon bits 
  1/4 cup thinly sliced scallions 

 

• Preheat oven to 375º. Coat 2 baking sheets with cooking spray.
•  

• In a small bowl whisk egg and water; set aside. In a medium bowl, combine cream cheese, cheddar and mozzarella cheeses, roasted peppers, and garlic powder; mix well.
•  
• Unfold pastry sheet and place lengthwise on a flat surface. Brush edges with egg mixture. Spread cheese mixture evenly over puff pastry. Sprinkle bacon and scallions evenly over cheese mixture. Tightly roll up pastry jelly roll-style. Cut into 16 (1/2-inch) slices and lay flat on baking sheets. Brush with remaining egg mixture on sides and tops.
•  
• Bake for 18 to 22 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm.
•  

Test Kitchen Tip: Yes, you can make these ahead of time and simply warm them up just minutes before serving.

 

 

 

 

 

Historically this date.......

1864 – Savannah, Georgia falls to General William Tecumseh Sherman, concluding his "March to the Sea".

 

1937 – The Lincoln Tunnel opens to traffic in New York

 

 

1944 – World War II: Battle of the Bulge – German troops demand the surrender of United States troops at Bastogne, Belgium, prompting the famous one word reply by General Anthony McAuliffe: "Nuts!"

 

1956 – Colo, the first gorilla to be bred in captivity, is born at the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium in Ohio.

 

1963 – The cruise ship Lakonia burns 180 miles (290 km) north of Madeira, Portugal with the loss of 128 lives.

 

1964 – The first test flight of the SR-71 (Blackbird) took place at Air Force Plant 42 in Palmdale, California.

 

2001 – Richard Reid attempts to destroy a passenger airliner by igniting explosives hidden in his shoes aboard American Airlines Flight 63.

 

 

And births this date include.... 

1912 – Lady Bird Johnson, First Lady of the United States (d. 2007)

1936 – Hector Elizondo, American actor

 

1945 – Diane Sawyer, American journalist

1948 – Steve Garvey, American baseball player

OMG.... "Mr. Clean" became Mr. LayMultipleWomenandHaveChildrenWithAllofThem!! What a story.

 

 

1949 – Maurice Gibb, English musician (The Bee Gees) (d. 2003)

1949 – Robin Gibb, English musician (The Bee Gees) (d.2012)

 

 

 

 

 

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

xo Sue Mom Bobo

 

Each year, Forefathers’ Day commemorates the landing of the Pilgrim Fathers in Plymouth, Massachusetts, on December 21, 1620. The Old Colony Club of Plymouth, Massachusetts, introduced the observance in 1769. The town observes the holiday on December 22nd (unless on Sunday, then on the following Monday).

Carrying on the traditions established in 1769, the Old Colony Club recognizes the forefathers with several events. The celebration begins at 6:00 AM with a march by members to the top of Cole’s Hill next to Massasoit’s statue. Next, they read a proclamation honoring the forefathers, followed by a ritual firing of the club’s cannon.

The Old Colony Club and the Mayflower Society both include a succotash dinner as part of their celebration. Sauquetash was recorded as a part of the first celebration. Unlike later versions of succotash, in Plymouth, succotash is served as a broth containing large pieces of fowl and meat that are sliced at the table. And the Old Colony Club did not call the Forefathers “pilgrims” either. The name didn’t come along until much later. 

Well into the 1800s from New England to Los Angeles, churches and other organizations celebrated the day with meals they called “New England” dinners. Speeches reflected on the lessons the years since the Plymouth settlers arrived. Others recounted their history.

Descendants of the Mayflower formed the Old Colony Club and established Forefathers’ Day on December 22, 1769, “to honor the forefathers.” When adjusting the date to the Gregorian calendar, the anniversary of the landing was mistakenly calculated to be December 22nd instead of December 21st. 

Two noted celebrations occurred 100 years apart. The first in 1820 when the Pilgrim Society held its first celebration at First Parish Church. Daniel Webster spoke movingly about the pilgrims. It was Webster’s moving speech that put Plymouth Rock into the patriotic spotlight. On Forefathers’ Day that year, he made it a landmark like had never been before.

The largest Forefathers’ Day celebration took place in 1920 when President Woodrow Wilson proclaimed the day as Pilgrims’ Day on December 21st, reflecting the more accepted conversion to the Gregorian calendar.