Yesterday ~ Picture of the Day ~ Benjamin Franklin's Inventions ~ Icebox Strawberry Shortcake Bars ~ Spencer & Erika Norman ~ National Eat Your Vegetables Day

Good 44º cloudy morning. 

Yesterday we started off not as gloomy, and with a tad of sky showing....

Then about noon it started raining, but the blue sky was right up there! 

By late afternoon we topped at 65º.

Picture of the Day ... look close! 

Interesting about Benjamin Franklin's inventions......

Franklin’s Lighting Rod Prevented Many Fires

During the 18th century, lightning was responsible for many fires, especially to churches, since lightning bolts were attracted to the tallest objects around. In Italy, 3,000 people died when one hit a church basement that had gunpowder in it. Franklin determined that if a metal rod could be fixed to the top of a building and wired to the ground with a cable, it could protect the structure from a lightning strike. He sent the news of this idea of this new protective rod to Europe, where it was used in French cathedrals and churches.

Franklin Invented Swim Fins

Franklin was a young man with a good physique, at least according to him, and he credited his good health to being a swimmer. It must have been from an early age because his first invention at age 11 was placing holes through a pair of planks that were oval in shape and using them as swim fins on his hands and later trying them on his feet. His early advocacy of swimming back in the 1700s earned him a spot in the International Swimming Hall of Fame.

Motorists Can Thank Him For The OdometerMail delivery was a problem back in colonial America. Letters between cities were carried by whoever was available, and post offices were little more than sacks of mail stashed in the back room of your local tavern. Many colonists would make up to 5 copies of a letter and send them in five different directions just to make sure one of them made it to its destination.  When Ben Franklin was appointed postmaster in Philadelphia, he checked the distances between the postal stations by placing a device with gears on his horse carriage’s rear-wheel where 1.6 kilometers equaled 400 revolutions. While modern odometers are more advanced, an example of the one invented by Franklin is at the Phillips Museum of Art in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.

Older People Are Probably Wearing His Invention

As he reached old age, Ben Franklin found himself becoming both near- and far-sighted. Outdoors, he needed a set of long distance lenses, but when he examined something close-up, he would need to swap out his outdoor glasses for a pair with different lenses. It quickly became a frustrating ritual, so Franklin simply cut the two glasses in half and joined them together in one frame, creating the first bifocals.

Versions of the Franklin Stove Are Still Used Today

In the days of Benjamin Franklin, fireplaces were used to warm a house during the cold winters in Pennsylvania. But the problem was people were cutting down all the forests and ended up having to travel a long distance to find trees to use as firewood. Franklin was determined to combat the growing energy crisis by finding a more efficient way to heat colonial homes. He solved these problems by enclosing the fire in a cast-iron box positioned in the center of the room. The stove radiated heat from all four sides, and users could control the rate at which wood burned by adjusting the stove's airflow. Safely enclosed, the stove also eliminated the risk of fires being ignited by stray sparks. Versions of Franklin's original design are now a staple of cabins and cottages around the world.

For more information:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benjamin_Franklin

From Mr. Food

If you're looking for a nostalgic strawberry shortcake recipe, our Icebox Strawberry Shortcake Bars will make you feel like a kid again. The creamy fruit taste is perfect for an outdoor summer picnic, a get-together, or as a romantic dessert. It's a strawberry-licious treat that's sure to impress!

 

• 2 cups plus 2 tablespoons finely crushed sugar cookies, divided (see Note)
• 7 tablespoons butter, melted
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
• 1 pound strawberries, washed, hulled, and sliced

 

1. Preheat oven to 325º. Coat a 9- x 13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
2. In a small bowl, combine 2 cups cookie crumbs and the butter; mix well. Press firmly into the bottom of the baking dish.
3. Bake 20 minutes or until golden. Let cool completely.
4. In a large bowl, beat heavy cream and sugar until stiff peaks form. Beat in cream cheese just until it's evenly mixed. With a rubber spatula, gently stir in strawberries. Evenly spread over the crust.
5. Top with remaining 2 tablespoons cookie crumbs and refrigerate 4 hours, or until ready to serve.

 

***Keep it simple and pick a box of your favorite store-bought sugar cookies for this recipe!

Go ahead and add some fresh berries and fresh mint as garnish for an even classier feel to this decadent dessert!

Special anniversary today, friends Erika and Spencer Norman are celebrating number 59! HAPPY ANNIVERSARY KIDS!! xo

Historically this date....

1885 – The Statue of Liberty arrives in New York Harbor.

1898 – The United States Navy Hospital Corps is established.

.... or as that IDIOT Ovamit would say... United States Navy Hospital Corpse!  such a total jerk. educated? HA!

1933 – Union Station Massacre: in Kansas City, Missouri, four FBI agents and captured fugitive Frank Nash are gunned down by gangsters attempting to free Nash.

1987 – With the death of the last individual of the species, the Dusky Seaside Sparrow becomes extinct.

1994 – Following a televised low-speed highway chase, O.J. Simpson is arrested for the murders of his wife, Nicole Brown Simpson, and her friend Ronald Goldman.

And births this date include....

1742 – William Hooper, American signer of

 the United States Declaration of Independence (d. 1790)

1867 – John Robert Gregg, American inventor (d. 1948)

       ...ahhhh yes, took that shorthand class!

1923 – Elroy Hirsch, American football player (d. 2004)

........old "Crazylegs"!!!

1943 – Newt Gingrich, American politician and author

1943 – Barry Manilow, American singer-songwriter and producer

1960 – Thomas Haden Church, American actor

All I know. Nuff said. Happy Hump Day. Ciao.

xo Sue Mom Bobo

National Eat Your Vegetables Day is observed annually on June 17.  June is National Fresh Fruit and Vegetables Month, and National Eat Your Vegetables Day is one more opportunity to remind everyone to continue with this part of a healthy diet.

Vegetables are an essential part of a healthy lifestyle.

As part of the main meal or as a snack, vegetables can be enjoyed in a variety of ways.  Each vegetable has its own nutritional content though generally, they contain a little protein or fat and varying proportions of vitamins such as Vitamin A, Vitamin K and Vitamin B6, provitamins, dietary minerals and carbohydrates. They also contain a variety of other phytochemicals, some of which have antioxidant, antibacterial, antifungal, antiviral and anticarcinogenic properties. Many vegetables also contain fiber which is important for gastrointestinal function. Another benefit is the essential nutrients that vegetables contain that are necessary for healthy hair and skin.

When eating a diet consisting of the recommended amounts of fruits and vegetables, it may help lower the risk of heart diseases and type 2 diabetes.  These diets may also help to decrease bone loss and protect against some cancers.  The potassium provided may help prevent the formation of kidney stones.

It is recommended by the USDA Dietary Guidelines for Americans, to consume 3 to 5 servings of vegetables per day.  This recommendation may vary, however, depending on age and gender.  For most vegetables, one serving is equivalent of 1/2 to 1 cup and can be eaten either raw or cooked.

HOW TO OBSERVE

Make sure you consume your recommended daily allowance of vegetables.

Gloom ~ Picture of the Day ~ Anne Frank ~ Cracker Onion Pie ~ Global Garbage Man Day

Good 48º cloudy morning. 

Yesterday started, again, dark and cloudy and gloomy.... and lasted all day. We warmed to 62º. 

Picture of the Day .... LOL. Shared by my NY friend Vivia.

Interesting.....

5 Things You Didn't Know About Anne Frank 

 




 

On June 12, 1942, Anne Frank received a diary as a gift for her birthday, which she wrote in while she and her family were hidden in an attic from the Nazis. Here we round up 5 important facts that you probably didn't know about Anne Frank and her diary...

Miep Gies, a secretary at the factory where the Franks hid for two years, was a supporter of the family and regularly visited with Anne. After the raid on August 4, 1944, Gies went up to the attic and found Anne's diary strewn across the floor. She collected the papers but never read them, instead storing them safely and returning them to Otto Frank after the war. It's a good thing she didn't read them, too: Gies later confessed that had she read the pages, she would have burned them because they implicated her and everyone else involved in a crime that could have cost them their lives.

Frank noted in her diary that she would someday like to become a famous writer, but she unfortunately never knew that she did exactly that through the diary of her daily life, hopes and thoughts. She also included in her diary that she wanted to learn different languages and study art history, see beautiful dresses and do exciting things. For example, her diary entry on March 16, 1944 said that writing gave her an outlet to avoid her suffocating confinement.

Margot Betti Frank, Anne’s older sister, was known to keep a diary. However, although Anne’s was kept safe by a family friend after the Franks were arrested by the Nazis and taken to prison camps, Margot’s diary disappeared and never turned up.

Despite being a prolific writer and deep thinker, Frank was still just a young girl, and therefore, some of the entries depict the natural thoughts and curiosities of a young girl discovering her own anatomy. Because of a brief passage where Frank wonders about her own body, the book has been regularly banned from school reading lists. But that's not even the silliest reason for banning the book: schools in Alabama once banned it for being a "downer." Yikes.

The first version (A) began in the autograph book that she received for her 13th birthday and spilled over into at least two notebooks. However, since the last entry in the autograph book is dated December 5, 1942 and the first entry in the first of these notebooks is dated December 22, 1943, it is assumed that other volumes were lost. Anne rewrote her diary in 1944 after hearing a call on the radio for people to save their war-time diaries in order to help document the suffering of the Nazi occupation once war was over. In this second version, known as B, Anne omits parts of A, while also adding new sections. This second version includes entries for the period between 5 December 1942 and 22 December 1943.

Anne Frank died at 15 years old. 

From Mr. Food

Half dip, half side dish, our Cracker Onion Pie is a favorite no matter how you serve it! With a crispy cracker crust, and a cheesy onion filling, you can bet that this pie won't be left untouched!

 

• 1 1/2 cups finely crushed saltine crackers
• 3/4 cup butter, melted, divided
• 2 large onions, thinly sliced (see Note)
• 4 eggs
• 1 cup milk
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 cup (2-ounces) shredded sharp cheddar cheese

 

1. Preheat oven to 350º.  Coat a 9-inch pie plate with cooking spray.
2. In a medium bowl, combine cracker crumbs and 1/2 cup melted butter. Press into bottom and up sides of pie plate, forming a crust. Refrigerate until ready to fill.
3. In a large skillet over medium heat, saute onions in remaining 1/4 cup butter 10 to 12 minutes or until tender. Carefully pour onion mixture into crust.
4. In a medium bowl, whisk eggs, milk, salt, and pepper until well beaten; slowly pour over onions. Sprinkle cheese evenly over top.
5. Bake 40 to 45 minutes or until golden and center is set. Let stand 5 minutes, then cut into wedges and serve.

 

****We like to use Vidalia onions in this pie for an unbeatable sweet onion flavor!

• Want some great tips and tricks on slicing and dicing onions? Be sure to check out our How To Cut an Onion page!

Historically this date....

1903 – The Ford Motor Company is incorporated.

1961 – Rudolf Nureyev defects from the Soviet Union.

1981 – US President Ronald Reagan awards the Congressional Gold Medal to Ken Taylor, Canada's former ambassador to Iran, for helping six Americans escape from Iran during the hostage crisis of 1979–81; he is the first foreign citizen bestowed the honor.

And births this date include...

1829 – Geronimo, Apache leader (d. 1909)

1890 – Stan Laurel, English actor and comedian (d. 1965)

1970 – Phil Mickelson, American golfer

All I know. Nuff said. Happy Tuesday. Ciao.

xo Sue Mom Bobo

OMGOSH, I goofed. This isn't until tomorrow!!!

On June 17th during Global Garbage Man Day, the nation and the world take time to recognize the dedicated efforts of the men and women who keep our communities clean.

We describe the experts who collect the garbage, recyclables, and castoffs from our homes and neighborhoods by several names. Whether they are the sanitation specialists or waste management professionals, we appreciate their arrival on a regularly scheduled basis.

The role of waste management goes far beyond garbage collection. In each community, they provide a variety of services and programs designed to protect and reduce the impact we have on our environment. The observance also celebrates the great strides the industry and the experts are taking to make a better world for all of us.

 

GLOBAL GARBAGE MAN DAY HISTORY

John D. Arwood founded National Garbage Man Day in 2011 to honor the men and women working hard in the industry to keep communities safe and clean. Recognizing efforts around the world, the celebration became Global Garbage Man Day.

Weather ~ Picture of the Day ~ California State Flag ~ Slow Cooker Creamy Chicken Pot Pie ~ Julie Moran ~ National Smile Power Day

Good 57º dark cloudy morning. 

Yesterday some sun and blue sky! We topped at 77º. 

Picture of the Day

Interesting....

The California state flag consists of a white background with a grizzly bear above the words “California Republic” and a red stripe; in the upper hoist corner is a single red star. The flag was designed by William Todd (nephew of Mary Todd Lincoln, wife of Abraham Lincoln), and officially adopted as the state flag of California in 1911. The bear on the original flag was modeled after the last California grizzly bear in captivity. The bear, named "Monarch", was captured in 1889 by newspaper reporter Allen Kelley, at the behest of William Randolph Hearst.

Slow-Cooker Creamy Chicken Pot Pie

Just when you thought you couldn't love your slow cooker any more than you already do, we go and bring you this biscuit-topped beauty that delivers big pot pie flavor with little hassle. There's chicken pot pie, then there's this easy, creamy version that basically makes itself!

from Pillsbury Kitchens...

2 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1" pieces

1 cup heavy whipping cream

1/4 cup all purpose flour

1 0.87oz pkg  chicken gravy mix

1/2 t. salt

1 12oz bag frozen mixed vegetables, thawed

1 16.3 oz Pillsbury Grands buttermilk biscuits 

Spray 5qt oval slow cooker with cooking spray. Place chicken in slow cooker. 

In small bowl mix whipping cream, flour, gravy mix, gravy mix seasoning, and salt. Pour over chicken. Cover and cook on low setting 4 hours. 

Heat oven to 350º. Stir thawed mixed vegetables into slow cooker. Cover and cook 20 minutes. Remove slow cooker bowl. 

Separate dough into 8 biscuits. Top mixture in slow cooker with biscuits. Bake in oven 40 minutes, or until biscuits are a golden brown and cooked through. 

Special birthday today........ Julie Moran, manager at Ace Hardware in Rogue River. HAPPY BIRTHDAY JULIE!!!!

Picture taken several years ago... L-R Andy, Tall Paul, Bobby, Julie, Big Dan, and Uncle Jimmy.

Historically this date....

1775 – American Revolutionary War: George Washington is appointed commander-in-chief of the Continental Army.

1836 – Arkansas is admitted as the 25th U.S. state.

1846 – The Oregon Treaty establishes the 49th parallel as the border between the United States and Canada, from the Rocky Mountains to the Strait of Juan de Fuca.

1864 – Arlington National Cemetery is established when 200 acres  around Arlington Mansion (formerly owned by

Confederate General Robert E. Lee) are officially set aside as a

military cemetery by U.S. Secretary of War Edwin M. Stanton.

1896 – The deadliest tsunami in Japan's history kills more than 22,000 people.

1916 – U.S. President Woodrow Wilson signs a bill incorporating the Boy Scouts of America, making them the only American youth organization with a federal charter.

1978 – King Hussein of Jordan marries American Lisa Halaby, who takes the name Queen Noor.

2012 – Nik Wallenda becomes the first person to successfully tightrope walk over Niagara Falls.

And births this date include....

1908 – Sam Giancana, American mobster (d. 1975)

1917 – Lash LaRue, American actor (d. 1996)

1937 – Waylon Jennings, American singer-songwriter and musician (The Highwaymen) (d. 2002)

1954 – James Belushi, American actor

1958 – Wade Boggs, American baseball player

   .... quite the controversial guy!

1963 – Helen Hunt, American actress

1964 – Courteney Cox, American actress, director, and producer

1970 – Leah Remini, American actress

1973 – Neil Patrick Harris, American actor, singer, and director

All I know. Nuff said. Happy Monday. Ciao.

xo Sue Mom Bobo

On June 15th each year, National Smile Power Day shares one powerful expression.  

From the good morning greeting and the first “How may I help you?” present yourself with a smile. No matter where you are employed, job seeking, retired, or looking for new horizons starting the day with a smile is certainly more empowering than a pout or grump. Starting with a smile first is easier than trying to get there later in the day. 

When you smile at someone, you are telling them that they are valued and worth the smile that you just gave them. Smiles are morale boosters and confidence builders.

Research has proven that smiling really does increase attractiveness and likability between humans. Smiling creates greater trust and increased interpersonal cooperation. Smiling at someone can help them to relax and relieve their stress while at the same time, it will make you feel right. Even if you do not feel like it, smiling will lift your mood and can make you a  happier person.

HOW TO OBSERVE

Challenge yourself to smile more often today. Use a smile to disarm a tense situation, or simply smile during your daily tasks. Are you having trouble smiling? Try these tips to help you smile more:

• Think of a few happy moments that automatically generate a smile for you. You know, those moments where you belly laughed until your stomach hurts or a time when you were so pleased with yourself your face hurt from smiling. Keep those memories handy and use them to help you smile more often.
• Save a couple of short jokes that are just so silly you can’t help but smile. Tell them to others, too. The best ones are simple children’s jokes or riddles that play on words. 
• Learn Spoonerisms. This fun way of swapping letters in two words in a phrase to make new words make people stop and think. And then they smile and so will you! An example of a Spoonerism is instead of ordering peas and carrots at a restaurant you say, “I’ll have the keys and parrots.”
• Make a list of the things you’re grateful for. Which ones make you smile? Keep the list handy and refer to it often. Add to it and feel your smiles add up.