Weather ~ Picture of the Day ~ Mail History ~ Texas Broccoli and Rice Casserole ~ Dan and Judi Patz ~ National I Love Horses Day ~ My Horse,Sheriff's Mounted,Sheriff's Boys Band

  

Good 55º clear sunny morning. 

 

Yesterday we topped at 97º.

 

 

Picture of the Day...Oh no. It's a mouse!

 

 

Interesting about mail....

The mail or post is a system for physically transporting postcards, letters, and parcels. A postal service can be private or public, though many governments place restrictions on private systems. Since the mid-19th century, national postal systems have generally been established as a government monopoly, with a fee on the article prepaid. Proof of payment is usually in the form of an adhesive postage stamp, but a postage meter is also used for bulk mailing. With the advent of email, the retronym "snail mail" was coined.

 

Postal authorities often have functions aside from transporting letters. In some countries, a postal, telegraph and telephone (PTT) service oversees the postal system, in addition to telephone and telegraph systems. Some countries' postal systems allow for savings accounts and handle applications for passports.

 

The Universal Postal Union (UPU), established in 1874, includes 192 member countries and sets the rules for international mail exchanges as a Specialized Agency of the United Nations.

 

The word mail comes from the Middle English word male, referring to a travelling bag or pack. It was spelled in that manner until the 17th century and is distinct from the word male. The French have a similar word, malle, for a trunk or large box, and mála is the Irish term for a bag. In the 17th century, the word mail began to appear as a reference for a bag that contained letters: "bag full of letter" (1654). Over the next hundred years the word mail began to be applied strictly to the letters themselves and the sack as the mailbag. In the 19th century, the British typically used mail to refer to letters being sent abroad (i.e. on a ship) and post to refer to letters for domestic delivery. The word Post is derived from Old French poste, which ultimately stems from the past participle of the Latin verb ponere 'to lay down or place'. So in the U.K., the Royal Mail delivers the post, whilst in North America both the U.S. Postal Service and Canada Post deliver the mail.

 

The term email, short for "electronic mail", first appeared in the 1970s. The term snail-mail is a retronym to distinguish it from the quicker email. Various dates have been given for its first use.

 

 

^{The practice of communication by written documents carried by an intermediary from one person or place to another almost certainly dates back nearly to the invention of writing. However, the development of formal postal systems occurred much later. The first documented use of an organized courier service for the dissemination of written documents is in Egypt, where Pharaohs used couriers to send out decrees throughout the territory of the state (2400 BCE). The earliest surviving piece of mail is also Egyptian, dating to 255 BCE.}

 

^{Modern mail is organized by national and privatized services, which are reciprocally connected by international regulations, organizations and international agreements. Paper letters and parcels can be sent to almost any country in the world relatively easily and cheaply. The Internet has made the process of sending letter-like messages nearly instantaneous, and in many cases and situations correspondents use email where they previously would have used letters. The volume of paper mail sent through the U.S. Postal Service has declined by more than 15% since its peak at 213 billion pieces per annum in 2006.}

 

^{In the United States, private companies, such as FedEx and UPS, compete with the federal government's United States Postal Service, particularly for package delivery. Different mailboxes are also provided for local and express service. (The USPS has a legal monopoly on First Class and Standard Mail delivery.)}

 

^{If you want to read a whole lot more about mail, go here:}

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

 

 

 

From Mr. Food

 

They say everything's bigger in Texas, which must be why this casserole is so big on taste! Our Texas Broccoli and Rice Casserole is creamy, cheesy, and oh-so-easy. It's perfect alongside anything from Texas brisket to your favorite chicken dinner!

 

• 3/4 cup chopped celery
• 1/2 cup finely chopped onion
• 1/2 stick (1/4 cup) butter
• 1 (12-ounce) package frozen chopped broccoli, thawed and drained
• 1 (10-3/4-ounce) can cream of mushroom soup
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 1 cup (4 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese
• 3 cups cooked rice

 

 

1. Preheat oven to 350º. Coat a 1-1/2-quart baking dish with cooking spray.
    
2. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, melt butter; saute celery and onion 3 to 5 minutes or until tender. Transfer to a large bowl.
    
3. Mix in remaining ingredients then place the mixture in baking dish.
    
4. Bake 40 to 45 minutes or until heated through and bubbly.

 

 

Special anniversary today...

Dan (LASD ret) and Judi Patz are celebrating Anniversary 50! HAPPY ANNIVERSARY KIDS!!

 

 

 

Historically this date.....

1870 – Reconstruction era of the United States: Georgia becomes the last of the former Confederate states to be readmitted to the Union.

 

1916 – In Seattle, Washington, William Boeing and George Conrad Westervelt incorporate Pacific Aero Products (later renamed Boeing).

 

2003 – AOL Time Warner disbands Netscape Communications Corporation. The Mozilla Foundation is established on the same day.

 

 

And births this date include...

1935 – Ken Kercheval, American actor  (d.2019)

 

 

1935 – Alex Karras, American football player and actor (d 2012)

 

 

 

 

1939 – Patrick Wayne, American actor

 

 

1944 – Jan-Michael Vincent, American actor (d.2019)

So many problems with drinking.

 

 

1951 – Jesse Ventura, American professional wrestler and politician

 

1963 – Brigitte Nielsen, Danish-born actress

 

Five husbands and 3 "partners". Busy!

 

 

 

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

xo Sue Mom Bobo

On July 15 we recognize the love of one magnificent creature.  Today is National I Love Horses Day!

With over 200 breeds, these spirited animals give humans much to love.  Their loyalty and devotion throughout history may only be a portion of the reasons to love them. Not just a means of transportation, horses cleared fields, fought wars, and moved cattle. Beyond their utility, their companionship was indispensable long lonely trails. Cattlemen, pioneers and more recognize horses as cornerstones of survival in a burgeoning nation.

The tallest horse breed is the Shire.  The stallions of this draft horse breed tower at 17 hands above the tiny Falabella, which grows to only eight hands and is the smallest breed of horse.

The phrase “Don’t look a gift horse in the mouth,” is a reminder to be grateful for the gifts, opportunities or kind gestures that come our way. The phrase comes from inspecting a horse’s teeth to determine its health and value. If the horse was a gift, such an inspection would be considered an insult.

The quarter horse, named for its speed on a short track, is one the of three fastest breeds of horses.  Thoroughbreds follow quarter horses for longer distance, but Arabians outlast both breeds for endurance on the longest races.

A horse can see almost 360° at once. Because of this, it’s difficult to sneak up on a horse. Their only blind spots are directly behind them and in front. However, don’t approach a horse from behind; their powerful hind legs can do serious damage if they decide to defend themselves with a kick. Because horses have such an excellent range of vision, they can be easily distracted or startled. Trainers will place blinders or blinkers on their harness to block the horse’s view from the side. The small piece of leather helps the horse to focus their vision forward.

Just like human hair and fingernails, a horse’s hooves are made of the same protein – keratin. Farriers specialize in caring for horses’ hooves. They not only fit horses with shoes, but they trim their hooves and make recommendations for hoof care and foot health. Since horses spend an enormous amount of time on their feet, the care a farrier provides is instrumental to their overall health.

HOW TO OBSERVE NATIONAL I LOVE HORSES DAY

Celebrate by visiting a local stable for a horseback ride. Seek a view of wild horses in a national park. Spend time riding your own horse if you have one.

Years ago I bought an Appaloosa horse from a deputy.

 

I wanted to be in the Sheriff's Mounted Patrol.

 

 

Chief was a great horse but I found out he was so frightened of sirens. I was riding him and a siren went by and it was "high ho silver and away!!!!" OMGOSH! So, I didn't think that would work and found a deputy who wanted to buy him and barrel race him. That worked great, as Chief won many barrel races!

 

And speaking of the Sheriff's Mounted, when I was in high school I played the glockenspiel in the Sheriff's Boys Band.

 

                                           ^not me

(And yes, politically incorrect as there were 5 of us girls...two carried the banner and three of us played the glockenspiel!) As for parades, we marched behind the Sheriff's Mounted.

 

 

Back then they didn't have anyone coming along and picking up the horse poop, so we marched right through it! YUCK! Our white boots became brown boots!