Weather ~ San Gabriel Mission Fire ~ Picture of the Day ~ Romania ~ Cold Fudge Cake ~ National French Fry Day

Good 51º clear sunny morning. 

Yesterday stayed warm and sunny and we topped at 92º. 




San Gabriel Mission Fire.............

A fire early on Saturday, July 11, morning destroyed the roof and badly damaged the interior of San Gabriel Mission, a Catholic church in California that is more than 200 years old and considered to be the “birthplace” of the Los Angeles region.

The mission was founded in 1771 by the Franciscan fathers under the leadership of the Rev. Junipero Serra, a Spanish priest who helped colonize California. Construction of the church started in 1775 and ended in 1805, said Terri Huerta, director of development and communications at the mission.

Ms. Huerta said the fire broke out one day after $200,000 in renovations had been completed. The walls had just been painted and the pews, which are more than 110 years old, had been refurbished.

“For one day, it was beautiful,” Ms. Huerta said.

The mission, which had been closed because of the pandemic, planned to resume services next week. 

The cause of the fire is still being investigated. 

I had several friends who were married there. 

Picture of the Day 

Interesting about Romania...

Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central, Eastern, and Southeastern Europe. It shares land borders with Bulgaria to the south, Ukraine to the north, Hungary to the west, Serbia to the southwest, and Moldova to the east and has its opening to the Black Sea. It has a predominantly temperate-continental climate. With a total area of 92,046 square miles, Romania is the 12th-largest country in Europe and the 7th most populous member state of the European Union, having approximately 20 million inhabitants. Its capital and largest city is Bucharest. 

The Palace of the Parliament is the seat of the Parliament of Romania, located atop Dealul Spirii in Bucharest, the national capital. The Palace has a height of 276 ft, a floor area of 3,930,000 sq ft and a volume of 90,000,000 cu ft. The Palace of the Parliament is the heaviest building in the world, weighing about 4,098,500,000 kilograms. (1kg = 2.2 pounds!!)

As of 2008, the Palace of the Parliament is valued at $3.4 billion, making it also the most expensive administrative building in the world. The cost of heating and electric use and lighting alone exceeds $6 million per year, comparable to the total cost for powering a medium-sized city.

The building was also erected on the site of some monasteries that were demolished and on the site of Uranus Hill that was leveled. In this area were previously located the National Archives, Mihai Vodă Monastery, Brâncovenesc Hospital, as well as about 37 old factories and workshops. Demolition in the Uranus area began in 1982. 2.7 sq miles of the old city center was demolished, with 40,000 people being relocated from this area. The works were carried out with forced labor of soldiers and so the cost was minimized.

Between 20,000 and 100,000 people worked on the site and project, operating in three shifts of 5,000 soldiers of the Romanian People's Army and huge numbers of "volunteers". Thousands of workers died in connection with the construction of the House of the Republic / People's House, some sources mention a figure of 3,000 people lost.

If you want to read more about Romania, go here:

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

From Mr. Food

Let's take a trip down memory lane with an easy dessert recipe that tastes like home. Our Cold Fudge Cake is Patty's favorite childhood dessert and, after one creamy bite, you'll see why. So, layer on the sweet flavors and get ready for a dessert that you'll want to turn into a family tradition.

 

• 3/4 cup (1-1/2 sticks) butter, melted
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup chopped walnuts, divided
• 2 (4-serving-size) packages instant chocolate pudding mix
• 3 cups milk
• 12 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 1 cup confectioners' sugar
• 1 (16-ounce) container frozen whipped topping, thawed, divided

 

1. Preheat oven to 350º.
2. In a medium bowl, combine the melted butter, flour, and 3/4 cup nuts. Press mixture into a 9- x 13-inch baking dish.
3. Bake 10 to 12 minutes, or until a firm crust forms; let cool.
4. In a medium bowl, whisk together pudding mix and milk until thickened; set aside. In another medium bowl, combine cream cheese, confectioners' sugar, and half the whipped topping; mix well.
5. Using a wet table knife, spread cream cheese mixture over top of cooled crust. Spoon chocolate pudding mixture over top of cream cheese mixture then top with remaining whipped topping. Sprinkle remaining walnuts on top.
6. Cover and chill overnight, or at least 6 hours. Refrigerate any leftovers.

Historically this date......

1923 – The Hollywood Sign is officially dedicated in the hills above Hollywood, Los Angeles, California. It originally reads "Hollywoodland " but the four last letters are dropped after renovation in 1949.

1990 – An earthquake with its epicenter in Afghanistan results in the greatest number of fatalities in a mountaineering accident in High Asian mountains when an avalanche kills 43 climbers in Camp I on Pik Lenina (Lenin Peak).

And births this date include....

1928 – Bob Crane, American actor (d. 1978)

.... murdered. Interesting read. Weird. Surprised me!

1940 – Patrick Stewart, English actor

... Captain Picard!

1942 – Harrison Ford, American actor

1950 – George Nelson, American astronaut

1988 – Steven R. McQueen, American actor

........grandson of Steve!

1988 – He Pingping, Chinese world's shortest man (d. 2010)

       How about that for a name!

 

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

xo Sue Mom Bobo

National French Fry Day on July 13th recognizes a staple food on menus across the country. It comes in so many different cuts and styles, there’s a favorite for everyone to enjoy! 

French fries, also known as chips, fries, finger chips, or French-fried potatoes, are batons of deep-fried potatoes. No matter what we call them, they’re common fixtures at fast-food restaurants and are loved by all ages!

A wide selection of condiments such as ketchup, ranch dressing, vinegar, mayonnaise, honey mustard, cheese, and many more complement French fries. As a healthier alternative, sweet potatoes also make delicious fries and accompany many dishes on menus around the country. Other varieties are baked and come in unusual shapes such as curls, waffles, crinkle, or tornado cut. 

Beyond the condiments, chefs and home cooks sprinkle seasonings to add flavor and spice to their fries. Whether you add a little garlic and onion powder or spice it up cajun style, a potato crisped just right will satisfy a combination of tastes. We top them with chili or nacho cheese and jalapeños, too. Depending on the type of fries, we might top them with even more ingredients and call them all sorts of things.

The expression “French Fried Potatoes” first occurs in print in English in the 1856 work Cookery for Maids of All Work by E. Warren.

It is believed by some that the term “French” was introduced to the potatoes when the American soldiers arrived in Belgium during World War I and consequently tasted Belgian fries. Since French was the official language of the Belgian Army at that time, it is possible the American soldiers began calling the fried potatoes “French” fries.

 

Enjoy some French fries. Share them seasoned or dipped. Order them cut and shaped how you like them! 

Weather ~ Picture of the Day ~ Most Common Birth-date ~ Loaded Ranch Dip ~ Dave and Nancy Perry ~ National Different Colored Eyes Day

Good 50º clear sunny morning. 

Yesterday again it was clear and sunny. We topped at 96º.

Picture of the Day .... comfy cat....

And here's my Bruiser doing the same thing !!

Interesting about the most common birth-date...

If you were born on September 9, you are far from alone. According to data from the National Center for Health Statistics and the Social Security Administration, September 9th is the most common birthday in the United States, followed closely by September 19th. Of the top 10 most common birthdays, nine of them happen to be in September — with all of them falling between Sept. 9 and Sept. 20. The data was collected by looking at the average number of births per day from 1994 to 2014 - for Sept. 9, that came out to 12,301 births. That's a lot of Virgos.

Holidays: People generally seem to have time for baby making during their time off. Several of the most-common birth dates, in September, correspond with average conception periods around Christmas. Sept. 9 is most-common in this dataset, though other days in that month are close. Sept. 19 is second. Following a customary gestation period, many of these babies would, in theory, have been conceived on Dec. 17 and 27, respectively.

While they’re making babies during the holidays, many people aren’t really having them then. The least-common birthdays in this dataset were Christmas Eve, Christmas and New Year’s Day. Dates around Thanksgiving aren’t as common. July 4 is also at the bottom of the list. Conversely, Valentine’s Day ranks relatively high, as you can see in the graphic, as are the days just before a new tax year begins.

In our house, I was born on VJ Day, Sept 2nd. My daughter born on Halloween, October 31st, and my son on Valentine's Day, February 14th. My grandson Jackson and my step-son Aaron both born on Tax Day, April 15th! 

From Mr. Food

I posted this a couple years ago. 

This ranch dip is fully loaded! Yogurt and cream cheese make this dip extra-creamy, while all of the mix-ins and toppings add a whole lot of flavor. Loaded Ranch Dip is great for a summer barbecue or a backyard get-together, especially since it makes enough to feed a crowd!

• 2 cups plain yogurt
• 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
• 2 (1-ounce) packages Ranch dressing mix
• 1/2 red bell pepper, chopped
• 1/2 cup frozen corn, thawed
• 1 1/4 cups shredded cheddar cheese
• 1/4 cup crumbled crispy-cooked bacon
• 1 scallion, thinly sliced 

1. In a large bowl, with an electric mixer, beat yogurt, cream cheese, and ranch mix until smooth. Stir in bell pepper and corn.
2. Top with cheese, bacon, and scallion. Refrigerate 1 hour or until ready to serve.

Special Anniversary today, pals Dave and Nancy Perry are celebrating #41! HAPPY ANNIVERSARY KIDS!

                                                ^With their pup Decker

Historically this date.....

1804 – Former United States Secretary of the Treasury Alexander Hamilton dies a day after being shot in a duel.

1917 – The Bisbee Deportation occurs as vigilantes kidnap and deport nearly 1,300 striking miners and others from Bisbee, Arizona.

 .... Interesting, as my mother lived in Bisbee at the time. She was 12 and my grandfather was a mining engineer at the Lavendar Pit Mine. Never heard this discussed.

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

1962 – The Rolling Stones perform their first ever concert, at the Marquee Club in London.

2007 – U.S. Army Apache helicopters perform air strikes in Baghdad, Iraq; footage from the cockpit is later leaked to the Internet.

And births this date include....

1854 – George Eastman, American inventor (d. 1932)

Thank God for George, or what would I take pictures with???

This was my first camera...

1864 – George Washington Carver, American botanist (d. 1943)

 

Yeah George....peanut butter is one of my favorite foods!!! Thanks for working on that and getting it going.

Wow, two Georges inventing two of my favorite things!

1908 – Milton Berle, American comedian (d. 2002)

1948 – Richard Simmons, American fitness trainer (and now total recluse!)

1951 – Brian Grazer, American film producer

.....somebody ought to buy this guy a hairbrush!

1951 – Cheryl Ladd, American actress

1957 – Rick Husband, American astronaut (d. 2003)

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

xo Sue Mom Bobo

On July 12th, National Different Colored Eyes Day recognizes those who have two different colored eyes. Many people captivate us with their eye color; others do so because they have two different colored eyes. This day celebrates them in all their uniqueness!

Having two different colored eyes is a condition called heterochromia. Three types of heterochromia exist:

• Complete heterochromia – one iris is a different color from the other.
• Partial heterochromia or sectoral heterochromia – part of one iris is a different color from the rest of the iris.
• Central heterochromia – an inner ring is a different color than the rest of the iris. 

The concentration and distribution of melanin determine the eye color, specifically the color of the irises. The affected eye may be hyperpigmented (hyperchromic) or hypopigmented (hypochromic). Additionally, the excess of melanin indicates hyperplasia of the iris tissues, whereas a lack of melanin indicates hypoplasia.

Most cases of heterochromia are hereditary, caused by a disease or syndrome, or due to an injury. However, just one eye may change color following certain diseases or injuries.

Two syndromes that may cause different colored eyes are mosaicism and chimerism. Mosaicism involves two or more populations of cells within a single individual. Chimaerism occurs when two or more fertilized eggs merge, producing a single individual.

Other symptoms associated with heterochromia include patches of lighter skin or deafness. Infants who develop different colored eyes after birth should be evaluated by their pediatrician to be sure no additional care is necessary. When eye color changes occur due to injury or are sudden, seek a doctor’s care. Sometimes the condition can be severe.

A few celebrities are known to have two different colored eyes include David Bowie, Christopher Walken, Dan Aykroyd, Jane Seymour, and Mila Kunis.

HOW TO OBSERVE

The eyes are the windows to the soul. Do you know anyone with differing eye colors? Those who have two different eye colors, share your fascinating eyes. Post on social media using #DifferentColoredEyesDay.

NATIONAL DIFFERENT COLORED EYES DAY HISTORY

Jeanne Quinn of B Able, Inc. founded National Different Colored Eyes Day to raise awareness and to celebrate the unique qualities of those with different colored eyes. Depending on the degree of heterochromia, many may go through life with little to no effect. Still, others may have complications from a confusing condition that has impacted them all their life. Perhaps they never had any answers, but their eye colors always held the clue.