Weather ~ Picture of the Day ~ United States Dollar ~ Asparagus Quiche ~ National Utah Day ~ National Macaroon Day

  

Good 42º scattered clouds morning. 

 

 

Yesterday we topped at 86º.

 

 

Picture of the Day

 

Interesting about the US dollar..............

 

 

The United States dollar (symbol: $; code: USD; also abbreviated US$ to distinguish it from other dollar-denominated currencies; referred to as the dollar, U.S. dollar, American dollar, or colloquially buck) is the official currency of the United States and several other countries. The Coinage Act of 1792 introduced the U.S. dollar at par with the Spanish silver dollar, divided it into 100 cents, and authorized the minting of coins denominated in dollars and cents. U.S. banknotes are issued in the form of Federal Reserve Notes, popularly called greenbacks due to their predominantly green color.

 

The monetary policy of the United States is conducted by the Federal Reserve System, which acts as the nation's central bank.

The U.S. dollar was originally defined under a bimetallic standard of 371.25 grains (24.057 g) (0.7735 troy ounces) fine silver or, from 1837, 23.22 grains (1.505 g) fine gold, or $20.67 per troy ounce. The Gold Standard Act of 1900 linked the dollar solely to gold. From 1934, its equivalence to gold was revised to $35 per troy ounce. Since 1971, all links to gold have been repealed.

 

The U.S. dollar became an important international reserve currency after the First World War, and displaced the pound sterling as the world's primary reserve currency by the Bretton Woods Agreement towards the end of the Second World War. The dollar is the most widely used currency in international transactions, and a free-floating currency. It is also the official currency in several countries and the de facto currency in many others, with Federal Reserve Notes (and, in a few cases, U.S. coins) used in circulation.

 

As of February 10, 2021, currency in circulation amounted to US$2.10 trillion, $2.05 trillion of which is in Federal Reserve Notes (the remaining $50 billion is in the form of coins and older-style United States Notes).

 

^{To read a lot more, go here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_dollar}

 

 

 

 

From Mr. Food

 

Get a taste of the spring with our recipe for Amazing Asparagus Quiche. This quiche is good enough to take along to a picnic, serve to Mom at a surprise brunch, or make any time you're craving a flavorful breakfast quiche! It really is amazing!

 

 

• 1 refrigerated rolled pie crust (from a 15-ounce package)
• 1 1/2 cups shredded white Cheddar cheese
• 1 1/2 cups shredded Swiss cheese
• 11 spears fresh asparagus, cut into 4-inch lengths, lightly blanched
• 3 eggs
• 1 cup half-and-half
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

 

 

1. Preheat oven to 350º. Unroll pie crust and place in a 9-inch pie plate.
    
2. In a medium bowl, combine the cheeses; mix well and sprinkle evenly over pie crust. Place asparagus spears over cheese in shape of sunburst. (See photo.)
    
3. In a small bowl,whisk eggs, half-and-half, onion powder, and pepper until thoroughly combined. Pour over asparagus.
    
4. Bake 40 to 45 minutes, or until firm and a wooden toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 5 minutes, then slice and serve.
    

 

***Frozen asparagus spears work just as well.

 

 

Historically this date............

526 – A devastating earthquake strikes Antioch, Turkey, killing 250,000.

... unbelievable!

1935 – A 7.7 Mw earthquake destroys Quetta in modern-day Pakistan: 40,000 dead.

1970 – The Ancash earthquake causes a landslide that buries the town of Yungay, Peru; more than 47,000 people are killed

 

 

 

Obviously not a good day for earthquakes!!!

1971 – In accordance with the Uniform Monday Holiday Act passed by the U.S. Congress in 1968, observation of Memorial Day occurs on the last Monday in May for the first time, rather than on the traditional Memorial Day of May 30.

 

1985 – United States–Canada tornado outbreak: Forty-one tornadoes hit Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, and Ontario, leaving 76 dead.

 

 

And births this date include..

1930 – Clint Eastwood, American film director and actor

 

 

1934 – Jim Hutton, American actor (d. 1979)

1943 – Sharon Gless, American actress

 

1943 – Joe Namath, American football player

 

1949 – Tom Berenger, American actor

 

1965 – Brooke Shields, American actress and supermodel

 

 

 

 

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

xo Sue Mom Bobo

On May 31st, we celebrate The Beehive State on National Utah Day!

Utah became the 45th state on January 4, 1896, and is home to The Great Salt Lake, a deeply rooted Native American heritage, and a far-reaching desert history.

Travel in the footsteps of Utah’s namesake, the Utes, or the Shoshone, Navajo or Goshute. Follow the trails of early explorers or Mormon settlers. They all lived among the natural arches and bridges formed long ago. These architectural wonders of nature are a cornerstone of Utah.

Find treasure everywhere you look. From the sunrise to the spiraling cliffs and the bejeweled night sky. Catch an unobstructed view of the Milky Way for miles or schedule a trip just in time for a meteor shower. Since Utah has significantly less light pollution, night star viewing is spectacular!

Discover why some still believe the world flat by visiting Bonneville Salt Flats. Home of land speed records and a barren environment, the salt flats were once part of a much larger lake. The Great Salt Lake is one of its remnants.

HOW TO OBSERVE National Utah Day

Join National Day Calendar as we celebrate the 45th state to join the union. Explore the history and people of Utah. Follow the trails of the pioneers and discover a wealth of heritage in one place. 

And it's also..............................

Each year on May 31, National Macaroon Day is observed.  This day celebrates the macaroon, a small coconut cookie.

The coconut macaroon is most commonly found in the United States. Most varieties of coconut macaroons are dipped in milk chocolate, dark chocolate or white chocolate.  Almonds, pecans, cashews or other nuts are sometimes added to the cookie.

HOW TO OBSERVE

Following are two macaroon recipes for you to try and enjoy!

Coconut Macaroons
Chocolate Dipped Macaroons

Weather ~ Picture of the Day ~ Brush Hog ~ Apple Pie Pork Chops ~ National Mint Julep Day

  

Good 49º clear morning. 

 

 

Yesterday we stayed clear and topped at 94º.

 

 

Picture of the Day...have you ever been here to see this?

 

 

Interesting about brush hogging.........

 

 

A bush hog or "brush hog" is a type of rotary mower. Typically these mowers attach to the back of a farm tractor using the three-point hitch and are driven via the power take-off (PTO). It has blades that are not rigidly attached to the drive like a lawnmower blade, but are on hinges so if the blade hits a rock or stump, it bounces backward and inward, and then centrifugal force makes it go outwards again.

 

The rotary blades are not sharpened in the same way as a conventional mower blade. They are usually quite dull so they whack through dense plant growth, whereas a sharp blade often gets stuck or slowed. The blades are very heavy, up to an inch thick, so the centrifugal force pulling out is stronger than the forces of the vegetation bouncing in. They are made of heat treated high carbon steel that can withstand strikes with hard objects such as rocks and stones.

Types of brush hog

Two archetypes of this type of mower are the Bush Hog which is made by Bush Hog, Inc. of Selma, Alabama and the Flex-Wing by RhinoAg of Gibson City, Illinois. The formal name for this type of implement is a rotary cutter or rotary mower, although it differs from mowers in that it does not cut with a sharp blade, but rather severs with an intentionally very dull wedge-like blade.

Several other manufacturers make these types of mowers including:

• Bush-Whacker
• DR Power Equipment
• Hardee By EVH Manufacturing Co.
• King Kutter
• Land Pride
• RhinoAg^[
• Woods Equipment
•  

There are two types of attachment for a rotary mower, either using the three-point hitch or via a draw bar. The height of the cut on models attached on the three-point hitch is adjusted using the hitch control lever. This adjusts the height of the front of mower. For more radical height adjustment the rear wheel can also be adjusted. Typically the mowers in this category range from 3.3 to 22 feet mowing widths.

 

A rotary mower that applies chemical while cutting was patented by Tom Burch of Boone, N.C. and was later sold to Diamond Mowers Inc. of Sioux Falls, S.D. under the name Wet Blade.

 

On draw bar models the height of the cut is determined using hydraulic rams on the mower itself; this requires remote hydraulics on the tractor. These mowers in this category range from 3.3 to 22 feet mowing width. Draw bar mowers which are able to mow larger widths up to 20 feet  are available. These are multi-spindle and hinged so that the side wings can move over varied terrain. Also these wings can be folded up into a vertical position to reduce width for transport on roadways.

Safety

The blades on a rotary cutter can have top speeds of over 150 miles per hour. Therefore the kinetic energy enables the blades to cut through saplings and small trees up to several inches/centimeters in diameter. Consequently, these mowers can be very dangerous and contact with the blades would cause severe bodily injury or death.

 

These cutters also pose a thrown object hazard. Objects such as rocks, stones and roadside debris can be thrown in excess of 300 feet.

Sizing

Larger rotary cutters require more powerful tractors to effectively operate. Tractor dealers can recommend the right size brush hog for any of their tractors, or tractor and brush hog sizing charts are available on the Internet. Calculators used to estimate the time required to mow different size areas with different size cutters are also available and can be used to help decide which brush hog is the best investment for different situations.

 

 

From Mr. Food

 

Apples and pork chops are a classic combination that taste great, so of course we had to come up with a recipe that featured this duo. Our Apple Pie Pork Chops are full of flavor!

 

• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 6 (1-inch) pork loin chops (about 3 pounds total) (see Note)
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1 (21-ounce) container apple pie filling
• 1/2 cup water

 

1. In a shallow dish, combine flour, salt, and pepper; mix well.
    
2. Dip pork chops in flour mixture, coating completely.
    
3. In a large deep skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add chops and brown 4 to 5 minutes per side. Stir in pie filling and water. Cook 3 to 4 minutes, or until no pink remains in chops.
    
4. Serve with sauce spooned over the top.

 

***To get nice, thick pork chops, ask your butcher or the meat cutter at the grocery store to cut them fresh for you.

 

 

 

Historically this date.........

1806 – Andrew Jackson kills Charles Dickinson in a duel after Dickinson had accused Jackson's wife of bigamy.

1842 – John Francis attempts to murder Queen Victoria as she drives down Constitution Hill, London with Prince Albert.

 

 

1859 – Westminster's Big Ben rang for the first time in London.

 

 

1883 – In New York City, a rumor that the Brooklyn Bridge is going to collapse causes a stampede that crushes twelve people.

 

 

1899 – Female Old West outlaw Pearl Hart robs a stage coach 30 miles southeast of Globe, Arizona.

 

 

1922 – In Washington, D.C. the Lincoln Memorial is dedicated.

 

 

1958 – Memorial Day: the remains of two unidentified American servicemen, killed in action during World War II and the Korean War respectively, are buried at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Arlington National Cemetery

 

1998 – A magnitude 6.6 earthquake hits northern Afghanistan, killing up to 5,000.

 

 

2005– American student Natalee Holloway disappears while on a high school graduation trip to Aruba, and caused a media sensation in the United States.

 

 

2013 – Nigeria passes a law banning same-sex

marriage.

 

 

And births this date include....

1927 – Clint Walker, American actor (d. 2018)

... he sure WAS a hunk!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1936 – Keir Dullea, American actor

 

 

1936 – Ruta Lee, Canadian actress

 

 

 

1944 – Meredith MacRae, American actress (d. 2000)

.... sad sad sad .... brain cancer.

 

 
1958 – Michael Lopez-Alegria, astronaut

 

 

1964 – Wynonna Judd, American country singer

 

 

 

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

xo Sue Mom Bobo

National Mint Julep Day on May 30th each year sets up a refreshing toast to summer. Each year, people around the country gather for a glass of mint julep! This refreshing southern classic is a traditional drink of the Kentucky Derby.

A classic mint julep is made with a mint leaf, bourbon, sugar, and water. In the Southern states, where mint julep is more associated with the cuisine, spearmint is the mint of choice. Preparation of the drink may vary from one bartender to another.

• Some believe the mint julep originated in the southern United States sometime during the 18th century.
• The term “julep” is generally defined as a sweet drink, particularly one used as a vehicle for medicine.
• During the 19th century, Americans also enjoyed a gin-based julep.
• Each year, Churchill Downs serves almost 120,000 mint juleps over the two-day period of the Kentucky Oaks and the Kentucky Derby.
• May 2008 – Churchill Downs unveiled the world’s largest mint julep glass (6-foot  tall).

HOW TO OBSERVE

Enjoy a mint julep on this nice spring day!

 

Here is a recipe....

 

https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/mint-julep-recipe-1945324