Weather/Fog/Sunshine ~ Geese ~ 211 ~ Picture of the Day ~ Bing Cosby ~ Stuffed Mushrooms ~ Dennis Howell/Temple Gang ~ National Inventors' Day

  

Good 35º SUPER foggy again morning.

 

Yesterday we started out SUPER foggy, here

 

 

and in Grants Pass. That's the Safeway market .......

 

The Geese were on my barn roof....

 

Finally by 9am the fog lifted.....

 

We got sunny and had a clear sky and topped at 80º.

 

 

2-11 is today's date, but 211 is a police code for robbery.

211A means robbery alarm and 211S means silent robbery alarm

 

 

Picture of the Day.... Polar Bears living in an abandoned building in Russia.....

 

 

 

Interesting about Bing Cosby....

 

Harry Lillis "Bing" Crosby Jr. (May 3, 1903 – October 14, 1977) was an American singer and actor. The first multimedia star, he was one of the most popular and influential musical artists of the 20th century worldwide. He was a leader in record sales, radio ratings, and motion picture grosses from 1926 to 1977. He made over 70 feature films and recorded more than 1,600 songs.

 

His early career coincided with recording innovations that allowed him to develop an intimate singing style that influenced many male singers who followed, such as Perry Como, Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Dick Haymes, Elvis Presley, and John Lennon.

 

 

^{Crosby influenced the development of the post World War II recording industry. After seeing a demonstration of a German broadcast quality reel-to-reel tape recorder brought to America by John T. Mullin, he invested $50,000 in California electronics company Ampex to build copies. He then persuaded ABC to allow him to tape his shows. He became the first performer to prerecord his radio shows and master his commercial recordings onto magnetic tape.}

 

^{Through the medium of recording, he constructed his radio programs with the same directorial tools and craftsmanship (editing, retaking, rehearsal, time shifting) used in motion picture production, a practice that became industry standard. In addition to his work with early audio tape recording, he helped finance the development of videotape, bought television stations, bred racehorses, and co-owned the Pittsburgh Pirates baseball team, during which time the team won two World Series (1960 and 1971).}

^{Crosby was born on May 3, 1903 in Tacoma, Washington, in a house his father built at 1112 North J Street.}

^{In 1906, his family moved to Spokane in Eastern Washington state, where he was raised. In 1913, his father built a house at 508 E. Sharp Avenue.} 

^{The house sits on the campus of his alma mater, Gonzaga University. It functions today as a museum housing over 200 artifacts from his life and career, including his Oscar.}

^{On October 14, 1977, the legendary crooner dropped dead at La Morajela golf course near Madrid. Crosby was on the putting green following the completion of a round of golf when he collapsed and died instantly from a massive heart attack. According to reports, his last words were, "That was a great game of golf, fellas. Let's go have a Coca-Cola."}

 

^{If you want to read a lot more about Bing, go here:}

^{https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bing_Crosby}

 

 

Here are some Stuffed Mushrooms... easy to make and good as French Onion Soup! I posted this recipe a few years ago...

These French Onion Stuffed Mushrooms are baked to an absolutely perfect combo of crunchy inside and cheesy, velvety outside.

 

Ingredients:

• 1 pound large fresh mushrooms
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1/2 cup finely chopped onion
• 1 packet onion soup mix
• 1 tablespoon water
• 1/4 cup plain bread crumbs
• 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
• 3 slices Swiss cheese, each slice cut into 4 squares

 

1. Preheat oven to 375º. Gently clean mushrooms by wiping them with damp paper towels. Remove stems from 12 mushrooms; set aside caps. Finely chop mushroom stems and remaining whole mushrooms.
2. In a large skillet over medium heat, melt butter; cook onion 3 minutes, or just until soft. Stir in chopped mushrooms, onion soup mix, and water and cook 4 to 5 minutes, or until tender. Remove from heat and add bread crumbs and black pepper; mix well.
3. Using a teaspoon, stuff mushroom caps with stuffing mixture. Place on ungreased baking sheet.
4. Bake 12 minutes. Remove from oven, top each with a piece of cheese, and return to oven 5 minutes, or until cheese is melted and mushrooms are heated through. Serve immediately.

 

Special Birthday today..... Dennis Howell (LASD ret) is celebrating.

 

Dennis worked at Temple with Jerry. HAPPY BIRTHDAY DENNIS!

^Back in 1987 some of the Temple Station Guys.... L-R Bob St.Claire, Jerry, Don Johnston, Dennis Howell, and Ed Bennett. If I remember, this was at the Northwoods Inn.

 

 

Historically this date........

1752 – Pennsylvania Hospital, the first hospital in the United States, is opened by Benjamin Franklin.

1916 – Emma Goldman is arrested for lecturing on birth control.

 

1942 – The first gold record is presented to Glenn Miller for "Chattanooga Choo Choo".

.....is that the cat who chewed my new shoes?

2011 – The first wave of the Egyptian revolution culminates in the resignation of Hosni Mubarak and the transfer of power to the Supreme Military Council after 18 days of protests.

 

And births this date include...

1847 – Thomas Alva Edison, American inventor (d. 1931)

 

1919 – Eva Gabor, Hungarian-born actress (d. 1995)

..... only 5 husbands, unlike her sister Za Za with 9 !

 

1926 – Leslie Nielsen, Canadian actor (d. 2010)

... In 'Airplane' when Nielsen was asked "Surely you can't be serious?" and he responds, "I am serious, and don't call me Shirley." LOVE IT LOVE IT!

 

1936 – Burt Reynolds, American actor (d.2018)

Lots of physical and financial problems! Neither he nor his wives ever stayed married.

 

1953 – Jeb Bush, American politician and 43rd Governor of Florida

1964 – Sarah Palin, American politician and 9th Governor of Alaska

 

1969 – Jennifer Aniston, American actress

 

 

 

 

 

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

xo Sue Mom Bobo

 

National Inventors’ Day honors inventors of the past, the creators of the present, and encourages the architects of the future. On February 11th, National Inventors’ Day celebrates the genius behind design. It also dives into the history behind some of our most unusual inventions.

What do Ermal Fraze, Thomas Adams, Melitta Bentz, Patricia Beth, and Stephen Perry all have in common? They are recognized annually on February 11th, along with the Wright brothers, Thomas Edison, George Washington Carver, and Elisha Otis.

Thanks to inventors, we can safely ride in an elevator, have a well-lit room at the flip of a switch, speak to someone on the other side of the world or efficiently pump lotion from a bottle. Many inventors go their whole life without recognition for their creations, while others are household names. Nearly everything around us results from someone tinkering in their garage, laboratory, or basement trying to find a solution to a problem.

Some inventions may be happy accidents by an observant person; the microwave oven, penicillin, sticky notes, and bubble wrap may never have made their way into their current use if it were not for sharp or persistent inventors.

The proverb “Necessity is the mother of invention” says a lot about how inventors look at life. They are a progressive, forward-thinking bunch. Where would we be without pacemakers, traffic signals, rubber bands, or coffee filters?

Though there are some inventions that we may be better off without. A DVD re-winder doesn’t quite fit the necessary criteria. Or, they are otherwise too impractical. For example, tugging around a stroller fridge for your watermelon along with the cooler and beach umbrella seems to be a bit of overkill. Still, without inventors, the world would be downright dull and much more challenging.

Inventors should keep track of their ideas, processes, ingredients, and components. Protect your inventions and get your unique creations patented.

HOW TO OBSERVE

Inventors around the country, take a bow. Keep tinkering. Keep seeking a cure, a fix, and improvements to our everyday life. Take time to recognize an inventor and encourage them to keep creating the next great invention. Other inventive ways to celebrate the day include:

• Read about inventors and inventions that changed the way we look at the world today. We recommend Mistakes that Worked by Charlotte Jones, The Idea Factory: Bell Labs and the Great Age of American Innovation by Jon Gertner, and Five Notable Inventors by Wade Hudson.
• Learn about the patent process and how to protect your ideas. Put your ideas to work for you!
• Watch documentaries about your favorite inventions. You might find out something about the inventor you never knew!

NATIONAL INVENTORS’ DAY HISTORY

In 1983, President Ronald Reagan proclaimed the first National Inventors’ Day and takes place every year on Thomas Edison’s birthday.

Weather ~ Picture of the Day ~ Horse Saddle History ~ Meatball Soup ~ National Umbrella Day

  

Good 33º foggy morning. 

 

Yesterday we stayed clear and sunny and topped at 72º.

 

Picture of the Day...how to stay cool when it's hot!

 

 

Interesting about the horse saddle history....

 

Of course, most of you know about saddles, what they are used for, how to secure them, and may even be experts are choosing the proper saddle for horse and rider alike, along with recommendations as to who delivers the best quality of workmanship. Horses aren’t the only ones wearing them, but they are definitely the saddle-makers’ best customers. But, how many of you could describe the history of these useful articles? Where does this important piece of equipment come from?

Some believe that a mere blanket, attached with some form of girth-length material, was the first type of saddle used. This is definitely logical, as horse riders may have been quite fed up of the damage to their clothes and the light pain to their skin they had to endure while riding, and searched for a solution. A blanket is an obvious choice, and some people still use this when they wish to ride bare but won’t accept the pain of skin-to-fur contact. 

Humans rode horses bareback for thousands of years before saddles were invented – surely immediately after this gorgeous wild beast was domesticated, so around 4000 BC. The furthest documented saddles were probable fringed pieces of cloth, and started showing up around 700 BC. As with anything else, though, this newfound but now necessary piece of equipment became a way to show off status by adding gold, jewels, elaborate details and showmanship.

Surprisingly, nomads were the first to design a saddle with a frame and make it more solid by adding details, such as the girth, a pommel and cantle, leather thongs, a crupper, a breastplate and a shabrack. They are believed to be form around 500 BC as per dating specialists.

Several others followed suit, each and everyone developing their own type, but all having very similar designs due to the shape of the horse and the type of security and comfort needed. However, the Han dynasty of China, around 200 BC, were the first to design a model that were made of material covering a wood frame. In the West, the Romans were the first to create the four horn saddle, which was solidified with wood as well. This sort of saddle greatly improved comfort for both horse and rider because it properly distributes the rider’s weight instead of having the person’s seat bones digging into the horse’s back. This also allowed the creation of the stirrups which would have otherwise been useless, since the pressure would’ve been entirely concentrated on the horse’s sides. Of course, this was a major milestone for the saddle as it promoted a very large level of security for riders.

However, most other major developments came about during the Middle Ages, since the need for comfort during war with an excess of weight due to armor and weapons made the regular saddle known to them useless. A higher cantle and pommel allowed the rider to be more secure in the seat and a stronger wood frame permitted to carry a heavier weight. 

Eventually, during modern times, a three-point saddle was created for dressage riders and cowboys needed their own design as well. Other cultures continued developing the saddle to what it is known nowadays. Those that needed to jump had to change the level of the cantle and pommel; lowering them allowed for more movement. The flap was also created to allow the rider to lean closer to the horse for jumping.

 

 

From Mr. Food

 

March will be Frozen Food Month. Yes, an entire month dedicated to all the tasty, time-saving and money-saving items that fill our freezers. So whether it’s rise & shine items that we serve for breakfast, prepped and ready veggies, or a ready-in-no-time main dish, there’s no better time to stock your freezer than this month. To celebrate, we suggest you try this warm-you-up favorite that’s easy and the taste is absolutely soup-er!

 

• 6 cups chicken broth
• 2 cups frozen turkey or beef meatballs, cut in half
• 1 cup frozen diced peppers and onions
• 3/4 cup frozen chopped spinach
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 1/2 cooked rice (see Tip)
• Shredded parmesan cheese for sprinkling

 

1. In a soup pot, combine chicken broth, meatballs, peppers, and onions, spinach, garlic powder, salt, and pepper; bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 15 minutes.
    
2. In a soup pot, combine chicken broth, meatballs, peppers, and onions, spinach, garlic powder, salt, and pepper; bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 15 minutes.
   

 

***Did you know you can even find cooked white rice in your grocery store’s freezer case that will help make this recipe even easier to throw together? To make this a family favorite, just switch up your favorite frozen vegetables and serve with baked up hot, crusty rolls from the freezer case.

 

 

Historically this date.....

1863 – The fire extinguisher is patented.

I have one that was Jerry's... made in the early 1900's... that looks something like this:

 

Between 1900 and 1920, fire grenades resembling light bulbs could be purchased with a special bracket. This bracket had a spring device and a fusible link. When the fusible link melted, the spring would cause a metal arm to shatter the grenade and release its contents into the fire. Fire grenades of this era came in a metal case, such as the Shur Stop Kit that contained six grenades.

1962 – Captured American U2 spy-plane pilot Gary Powers is exchanged for captured Soviet spy Rudolf Abel.

1981 – A fire at the Las Vegas Hilton hotel-casino kills eight and injures 198.

2005 – North Korea announces that it possesses nuclear weapons.

 

And births this date include....

1893 – Jimmy Durante, American actor and comedian (d. 1980)

 

 

1906 – Lon Chaney Jr., American actor (d. 1973)

 

1930 – Robert Wagner, American actor

Three wives, married Natalie Wood twice, then Marion Marshall, and last Jill St. John....

 

 

 

 

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

xo Sue Mom Bobo

 

National Umbrella Day casts a little shade on February 10th. The day honors one of the world’s most useful inventions, the umbrella!

Not only does the umbrella help keep us dry from the rain, but it also protects us from the heat of the sun. Umbrellas can also be used as a fashion accessory. While the umbrella is primarily practical, they also decorate cocktails. These brightly colored paper umbrellas make for fun party favors especially when visiting sunny locations.

Umbrellas have also found their way into the art world. Their color and shape make sharp silhouettes. They also serve as the canvas for art. In movies, umbrellas play a role, too. For example, they played vital parts in both Singing in the Rain in 1952 and in Mary Poppins in 1964.

Interesting Umbrella TidBits:

The word umbrella comes from the Latin word umbra, meaning shade or shadow.  Brolly is a slang word for umbrella, often used in Britain, New Zealand, Australia, and South Africa.  Bumbershoot is a fanciful Americanism for an umbrella from the late 19th century.

The basic umbrella was invented over four thousand years ago. There is evidence of umbrellas in the ancient art and artifacts of Egypt  Assyria, Greece and China.

We can credit the Chinese for being the first to protect us from the rain. Their paper parasols received a layer of wax followed by lacquer that made the umbrella repelled the elements.

One of the first umbrella shops in existence opened in 1830 at 53 New Oxford Street in London, England. The shop, operated by James Smith and Sons, still operates regular hours at the same location today.

In 1928, Hans Haupt’s pocket umbrellas appeared. In 1969, Bradford E. Phillips, the owner of Totes Incorporated of Loveland, Ohio, obtained a patent for the first “working folding umbrella.”

Umbrellas have also been fashioned into hats as early as 1880 and as recently as 1987.

Photographers use umbrellas with a reflective inside as a diffusion device when employing artificial lighting and as a glare shield and shade, most often in portrait situations.

 

NATIONAL UMBRELLA DAY HISTORY

While the origins of the utilitarian holiday remain a mystery, it’s been celebrated since at least 2004. However, another celebration on the calendar promotes opening umbrellas indoors. The entire month of March recognizes the umbrella, too!