Weather ~ Picture of the Day ~ Unicycles ~ Dodge City Pulled Brisket ~ John and Trish Bowler ~ National Groundhog Day

  

Good 39º some rain possible morning.

 

 

Yesterday we topped at 56º.

 

 

Picture of the Day....funny police vehicle 😮

 

 

Interesting about unicycles.........

 

A unicycle is a vehicle that touches the ground with only one wheel. The most common variation has a frame with a saddle, and has a pedal-driven direct-drive. A two speed hub is commercially available for faster unicycling. Unicycling is practiced professionally in circuses, by street performers, in festivals, and as a hobby. Unicycles have also been used to create new sports such as unicycle hockey. In recent years, unicycles have also been used in mountain unicycling, an activity similar to mountain biking or trials.

History

US patents for single-wheeled 'velocipedes' were published in 1869 by Frederick Myers and in 1881 by Battista Scuri.

 

Unicycle design has developed since the Penny Farthing and later the advent of the first unicycle into many variations including: the seatless unicycle ("ultimate wheel") and the tall ("giraffe") unicycle. During the late 1980s some extreme sportsmen took an interest in the unicycle and modified unicycles to enable them to engage in off-road or mountain unicycling, trials unicycling and street unicycling.

 

Unicycles compared to other pedal powered vehicles

Bicycles, tricycles and quadracycles share (with minor variations) several basic parts including wheels, pedals, cranks, forks, and the saddle with unicycles. Without a rider, unicycles lack stability – however, a proficient unicyclist is usually more stable than a similarly proficient rider on a bicycle as the wheel is not constrained by the linear axis of a frame. Unicycles usually, but not always, lack brakes, gears, and the ability to freewheel. Given these differences, the injuries that can occur from unicycle use tend to be different from that of bicycle use. In particular, head injuries are significantly less likely among unicycle use compared to bicycle use.

 

Construction

Unicycles have a few key parts:

• The wheel (which includes the tire, tube, rim, spokes, hub and axle)
• The cranks (which attach the pedals to the wheel hub)
• The hub (connects the spokes to a central point and also transfers pedaling power to the wheel)
• Pedals
• Fork-style frame
• Seatpost
• Saddle (the seat of the unicycle)

The wheel is usually similar to a bicycle wheel with a special hub designed so the axle is a fixed part of the hub. This means the rotation of the cranks directly controls the rotation of the wheel (called direct-drive). The frame sits on top of the axle bearings, while the cranks attach to the ends of the axle, and the seatpost slides into the frame to allow the saddle to be height adjusted.

 

If you want to read a lot more, go here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unicycle

 

From Mr. Food

 

SERVES

8

COOK TIME

2 Hr 30 Min

Our Dodge City Pulled Brisket gets its name from Dodge City in Kansas, which is home to the saloon that was featured in the long-running TV series, Gunsmoke. It's a brisket that's slow-cooked with lots of onions and beef broth until it's fall-apart tender. The results are smokin' good!

 

• 1 (4-pound) fresh beef brisket, cut into large chunks
• 2 onions, thinly sliced
• 2 (10-1/2-ounce) cans onion soup
• 4 cups water
• 1 (11.25-ounce) package Texas toast, prepared according to package directions

 

1. In a soup pot over high heat, combine brisket, onions, soup, and water. Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer 2 to 2-1/2 hours, or until meat is fork-tender.
2. Shred meat with forks and mix well. Serve over warm Texas toast.

 

Special Anniversary today... pals John (LASD ret) and Trish Bowler are celebrating their 61st. HAPPY ANNIVERSARY KIDS!!!

 

 

 

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

1653 – New Amsterdam (later renamed The City of New York) is incorporated.

 

 

1848 – California Gold Rush: The first ship with Chinese immigrants arrives in San Francisco, California.

 

1887 – In Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania the first Groundhog Day is observed.

 

1976 – The Groundhog Day gale hits the north-eastern United States and south-eastern Canada.

 

1987 – After the 1986 People Power Revolution, the Philippines enacts a new constitution.

 

 

And births this date include... 

 

1937 – Tom Smothers, American musician and comedian (d.2023)

 

 

 

 

1947 – Farrah Fawcett, American actress (d. 2009) 

 

 

 

Here is a picture I took of her in Acapulco when I was working for Fabergé and we represented her line of hair products... 

 

 

 

 

1948 – Ina Garten, American author and TV personality 

 

 

 

 

1954 – Christie Brinkley, American model

 

 

 

 

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

xo Sue Mom Bobo

National Groundhog Day on February 2nd each year asks one question. Will he see his shadow? Ok, well maybe it asks another question. Will there be six more weeks of winter?

Groundhog Day is observed on February 2nd, each year in the United States and Canada.  For a nice welcomed break during the winter, on this day the groundhog awakens from his nap and goes outside to see if he can see his shadow.  It is believed by many that if the groundhog sees his shadow that there will then be six more weeks of winter. If this is so,  he then retrieves back into his den and goes back to sleep.  If he is not able to see his shadow, the groundhog remains outside to play and people celebrate believing that spring is just around the corner.

The tradition of predicting the length of the remaining winter is intertwined with the Christian holiday, Candlemas. Clergy would bless candles symbolizing the ‘light of the world’ to give to their congregations.  Another tradition associated with this day is eating crepes.  Germans practiced the art of predicting the winter with a hedgehog until their arrival in the United States when they settled in the hills of Pennsylvania, and the groundhog became the official predictor.

Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania has been chosen as the site for the annual Groundhog day event.  Thousands of people come to the town of Punxsutawney on Groundhog Day for this day of celebration.

Although already a well known day, Groundhog Day received widespread attention as a result of the 1993 film Groundhog Day, which was set in Punxsutawney and portrayed Roger Rininger as the groundhog.

HOW TO OBSERVE

Check if the groundhog has seen its shadow. You can also watch the movie Groundhog Day. Read the Farmer’s Almanac to find out the likelihood of an early spring. Share your predictions on whether Punxsutawney Phil will see his shadow.

NATIONAL GROUND HOG DAY HISTORY

An early American reference to Groundhog Day can be found in a diary entry, by storekeeper James Morris, dated February 4th, 1841, of Berks County, Pennsylvania.