Good 51º clear morning.
Yesterday we topped at 91º.
Picture of the Day... best friends!
Interesting about bats
Bats are mammals of the order Chiroptera; with their forelimbs adapted as wings, they are the only mammals naturally capable of true and sustained flight. Bats are more maneuverable than birds, flying with their very long spread-out digits covered with a thin membrane or patagium. The smallest bat, and arguably the smallest extant mammal, is Kitti's hog-nosed bat, which is 1.14–1.34 inches in length, 5.91 inches across the wings and 0.07–0.09 oz in mass. The largest bats are the flying foxes and the giant golden-crowned flying fox, Acerodon jubatus, which can weigh 4 lbs and have a wingspan of 5 ft 7 inches.
There are more than 1,300 bat species distributed across six continents; about 50 bat species live in national parks across the United States, and Indonesia hosts 219 bat species — more than any other country. Bats make up one-fifth of the mammal population on Earth, according to Bat Conservation International.
Bats live almost everywhere, except for some islands, and the Arctic and Antarctica. They prefer warmer areas that are closer to the equator, and they can be found in rain forests, mountains, farmland, woods and cities
Bats roost in trees, caves, mines and barns — any place that provides shelter from the weather, protection from predators and seclusion for rearing their young. They generally live together in groups called colonies, which can contain anywhere from 100 to several thousand individuals.
Many bats are insectivores, and most of the rest are frugivores (fruit-eaters). A few species feed on animals other than insects; for example, the vampire bats feed on blood. Most bats are nocturnal, and many roost in caves or other refuges; it is uncertain whether bats have these behaviors to escape predators. Bats are present throughout the world, with the exception of extremely cold regions. They are important in their ecosystems for pollinating flowers and dispersing seeds; many tropical plants depend entirely on bats for these services.
Bats provide humans with some benefits, at the cost of some threats. Bat dung has been mined as guano from caves and used as fertilizer. Bats consume insect pests, reducing the need for pesticides. They are sometimes numerous enough to serve as tourist attractions, and are used as food across Asia and the Pacific Rim. They are natural reservoirs of many pathogens, such as rabies; and since they are highly mobile, social, and long-lived, they can readily spread disease. In many cultures, bats are popularly associated with darkness, malevolence, witchcraft, vampires, and death.
From Mr. Food
We have potatoes so often that it's nice to make something a little different for company. Well, with this easy-to-make recipe for Company Potatoes, you'll have a rich-tasting side dish of cheesy potatoes that'll make any guest feel special.
- 2 cups (8 ounces) grated Cheddar cheese
- 2 cups (8 ounces) grated Swiss cheese
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
- 4 to 5 large baking potatoes, peeled and coarsely grated
- 1 cup half-and-half
- 2 scallions, sliced
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- Paprika for garnish
- Preheat oven to 425º. Coat a 9- x 13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
- In a medium bowl, combine Cheddar and Swiss cheeses and parsley; mix well and set aside.
- In a large bowl, combine remaining ingredients except paprika. Add 3 cups cheese mixture and stir until well combined. Pour into baking dish.
- Cover and bake 30 minutes. Uncover and sprinkle with remaining cheese mixture and paprika. Bake 20 to 25 additional minutes, or until golden and bubbly.
Special Anniversary today... Chuck and Linda Kuehl are celebrating #21. Happy Anniversary kids!! xo
Historically this date........
1929 – Babe Ruth becomes the first baseball player to hit 500 home runs in his career with a home run at League Park in Cleveland, Ohio.
1934 – The first civilian prisoners arrive at the Federal prison on Alcatraz Island.
1942 – Actress Hedy Lamarr and composer George Antheil receive a patent for a Frequency-hopping spread spectrum communication system that later became the basis for modern technologies in wireless telephones and Wi-Fi.
1965 – Race riots (the Watts Riots) begin in the Watts area of Los Angeles, California.
1972 – Vietnam War: the last United States ground combat unit leaves South Vietnam.
And births this date include...
1923 – Stan Chambers, American journalist (d. 2015)
1933 – Jerry Falwell, American pastor and evangelist (d. 2007)
1950 – Steve Wozniak, American computer scientist and programmer, co-founded Apple Inc.
1953 – Hulk Hogan, American wrestler and actor
All I know. Nuff said. Have a good Thursday. Ciao.
xo Sue Mom Bobo
National Son’s and Daughter’s Day on August 11th brings parents and their children together for quality time. On this day, be with the joys of your life.
Let your children know that you are glad they are part of your life. While listening to the events of their day, share family stories. Find out about their hopes and dreams. Learn what inspires them. Teach them something new, or maybe there’s something they can teach you. Enjoy every day you have with them and spend as much quality time as you can.
Time with our children can be fleeting. Not only do they grow quickly, but their interests and needs change, too. Whether we realize it or not, sons and daughters look up to us. They emulate our behavior – the good and the bad. As much as times change, children don’t. We craved our parent’s approval and acceptance. Our children do, too.
Every child is different. Their personalities uniquely fitted to them. While one child devours books, another may deconstruct every electronic device in the house. The chatterbox keeps us awake on long road trips and the night owl keeps us alert to everything under the stars. No two are the same. That’s exactly how it’s supposed to be. Celebrate them and the parts they play in your family.
NATIONAL SON’S AND DAUGHTER’S DAY HISTORY
The earliest record National Day Calendar could find of an August 11th observance of this day took place in 1988. It’s mentioned in a Nanaimo (British Columbia, Canada) Daily News article dated August 12, 1988. While we were unable to identify the creator of National Son’s and Daughter’s Day, we did find other earlier events with this name.
According to an article in the August 20, 1944, St. Joseph News-Press/Gazette, in 1936, J Henry Dusenberry first pursued the idea of a Sons’ and Daughters’ Day. The thought occurred to him after hearing a child ask why there was no such occasion. Through his efforts, the day started in Missouri and spread. Parents placed a flower representing each of their children in a vase and put the vase in a prominent room in the house. Throughout the day, parents thought about their children as they gazed at the flowers, especially those who no longer lived in the house. By 1945, the celebration reached its peak at 22 states with organizations participating in the event.
In the following years, organizations such as the Lions Club and women’s auxiliaries would host Sons and Daughters Day in their municipalities. However, these observances would change from year to year.
Then, in 1972, Florida Congressman Claude Pepper submitted a request for the establishment of a Sons’ and Daughters’ Day on behalf of Georgia Paul of Del Rio, Texas. According to the Del Rio News-Herald dated October 28, 1972, the request suggested the proclamation would observe the day on last Sunday in January annually. However, neither the House nor the Senate signed a bill or joint resolution to declare the day.
