Weather ~ Picture of the Day ~ Basketball History ~ Fiesta Pull-Apart Bread ~ National Arbor Day

  

Good 39º cloudy morning. 

 

 

Yesterday we had some rain and topped at 60º.

 

 

Picture of the Day... This is interesting... how to make someone look like they are floating....

 

 

 

Interesting about basketball history....

In December 1891, James Naismith, a Canadian professor of physical education and instructor at the International Young Men's Christian Association Training School (now Springfield College) in Springfield, Massachusetts, was trying to keep his gym class active on a rainy day. He sought a vigorous indoor game to keep his students occupied and at proper levels of fitness during the long New England winters. After rejecting other ideas as either too rough or poorly suited to walled-in gymnasiums, he invented a new game in which players would pass a ball to teammates and try to score points by tossing the ball into a basket mounted on a wall. Naismith wrote the basic rules and nailed a peach basket onto an elevated track.

 

Naismith initially set up the peach basket with its bottom intact, which meant that the ball had to be retrieved manually after each "basket" or point scored. This quickly proved tedious, so Naismith removed the bottom of the basket to allow the balls to be poked out with a long dowel after each scored basket.

 

 

Basketball was originally played with a soccer ball. These round balls from "association football" were made, at the time, with a set of laces to close off the hole needed for inserting the inflatable bladder after the other sewn-together segments of the ball's cover had been flipped outside-in. These laces could cause bounce passes and dribbling to be unpredictable. Eventually a lace-free ball construction method was invented, and this change to the game was endorsed by Naismith. (Whereas in American football, the lace construction proved to be advantageous for gripping and remains to this day.) The first balls made specifically for basketball were brown, and it was only in the late 1950s that Tony Hinkle, searching for a ball that would be more visible to players and spectators alike, introduced the orange ball that is now in common use. Dribbling was not part of the original game except for the "bounce pass" to teammates. Passing the ball was the primary means of ball movement. Dribbling was eventually introduced but limited by the asymmetric shape of early balls. Dribbling was common by 1896, with a rule against the double dribble by 1898.

 

^{To read a whole lot more about basketball history, go here:}

^{https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Basketball}

 

 

 

 

From Mr. Food

 

We've got a pull-apart bread that's got a tasty twist, and it pairs perfectly with an ice cold margarita! Our Fiesta Pull-Apart Bread has a flavorful combo of cream cheese, taco seasoning, and green chilies that will have your taste buds dancing in delight! It's a perfect treat for celebrations, and easy enough to make anytime you want it.

 

• 1 round loaf hearty white or sourdough bread, unsliced
• 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
• 2 tablespoons taco seasoning mix
• 1 (4.5-ounce) can chopped green chilies, drained well
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
• 2 cups Mexican cheese blend
• Queso cotija cheese for sprinkling (see note)

 

1. Preheat oven to 375º. Tear a piece of aluminum foil large enough to loosely wrap the whole bread.
2. Using a serrated knife, make a series of parallel cuts in the bread about 1-inch apart and about 2-inches deep. Then rotate the bread and cut it in the opposite direction until you end up with a crisscross pattern (see photo). Place the bread on the foil, and set aside.
3. In a medium bowl, combine remaining ingredients except queso cotija cheese; mix well. Evenly spread cream cheese mixture into all the bread cuts, being careful not to break the bread apart. If you get some of the cheese filling on the crust, wipe it off with a paper towel. Wrap the bread loosely in foil.
4. Place the wrapped loaf on a baking sheet and bake 15 minutes, then uncover it and continue to bake 10 to 15 minutes or until the cream cheese is melted. Sprinkle with cotija cheese and serve warm.

*****Not sure what cotija cheese is? Cotija is a Hispanic-style cheese named after the town of Cotija in Mexico. This hard, crumbly cheese is usually made from cow's milk. It is similar to feta which can be a substitute in the rare case that you cannot find this at your local market.

 

 

 

Historically this date....

1945 – World War II – Fuehrerbunker: Adolf Hitler marries his longtime partner Eva Braun in a Berlin bunker and designates Admiral Karl Dönitz as his successor. Both Hitler and Braun will commit suicide the next day.

1945 – The Dachau concentration camp is liberated by United States troops.

1945 – The Italian commune of Fornovo di Taro is liberated from German forces by Brazilian forces.

1967 – After refusing induction into the United States Army the day before (citing religious reasons), Muhammad Ali is stripped of his boxing title.

1986 – A fire at the Central library of the City of Los Angeles Public Library damages or destroys 400,000 books and other items.

1992 – Los Angeles riots: Riots in Los Angeles, California, following the acquittal of police officers charged with excessive force in the beating of Rodney King. Over the next three days 53 people are killed and hundreds of buildings are destroyed.

2004 – Oldsmobile builds its final car ending 107 years of production.

2011 – Wedding of Prince William, Duke of Cambridge and Kate Middleton.

 

And births this date include....

1917 – Celeste Holm, American actress (d.2012)

 

1951 – Dale Earnhardt, American race car driver (d. 2001)

 

1954 – Jerry Seinfeld, American comedian

 

1958 – Michelle Pfeiffer, American actress

 

1958 – Eve Plumb, American actress

 

1970 – Andre Agassi, American tennis player

 

 

 

 

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

xo Sue Mom Bobo

Trees afford us many pleasures. In the spring, their buds let us know warmer weather is on the way. Their summer leaves provide ample shade on a hot day. Have you ever joyfully jumped into a pile of crisp colorful leaves in the fall? And in the winter, tree branches offer shelter to wildlife for our viewing pleasure. Each year in April, National Arbor Day encourages us to celebrate and plant trees. The observance takes place each year on the last Friday in April.  

Trees are more than signals of the changing season. They provide vital protection for the Earth’s topsoil from erosion, oxygen, and homes for wildlife. Trees also are a renewable resource that provides a variety of materials for building, fuel, and office supplies. When we plant trees in our yard, we improve our enjoyment of our outdoor living spaces and our overall quality of life. 

HOW TO OBSERVE 

• Celebrate the day by planting a tree today.
• Join a tree-planting event near you or organize one in your community.
• Consider the trees you plant, too. While you may look for fast-growing trees so that you may enjoy the tree during your lifetime, planting a slower-growing tree is an investment in the future. Generations to come will enjoy the shade and beauty of the tree long after we’re gone. And leaving something as precious as a tree behind is quite an investment.

NATIONAL ARBOR DAY HISTORY

On April 10, 1872, journalist and newspaper editor J.Sterling Morton established Arbor Day in the state of Nebraska with hopes that it would spread across the country. This first celebration challenged the people of Nebraska to plant as many trees as they possibly could. Since the pioneers missed the trees and forests of the east, they answer the challenge by planting more than 1 million trees that very first year. 

To learn more about the history of National Arbor Day, visit the website at www.nationalarbordayfoundation.com.

Arbor Day FAQ

Q. What’s the difference between deciduous trees and coniferous trees?
A. The trees with broad leaves that change color with the seasons are deciduous trees. Coniferous trees have needs, not leaves and stay green all year long.

Q. Should I plant a fruit tree or a shade tree?
A. Choosing the right tree for your space is important. Will you benefit from the shade? Will you enjoy the fruit or the wildlife that eats it? Cost and hardiness also are a factor. Visit Arborday.org for a guide to choosing the right tree for you.