Weather ~ Picture of the Day ~ Sandbox ~ Pushcart Onion Sauce ~ National Leave the Office Early Day

  

Good 52º scattered clouds morning.

 

Yesterday we started with a few light clouds and many contrails! The light cloud cover stayed and we topped at 88º.

 

 

Picture of the Day ... friend and former fireman Mark Moran posted this on his Facebook page.... happy deer on his porch!

 

 

Interesting about a sandbox....

 

 

A sandpit (most Commonwealth countries) or sandbox (US and Canada) is a low, wide container or shallow depression filled with soft (beach) sand in which children can play. Sharp sand (as used in the building industry) is not suitable for such use. Many homeowners with children build sandpits in their backyards because, unlike most playground equipment, they can be easily and cheaply constructed.

 

German sand gardens were the first organization of children's play in public spaces. The German "sand gardens" were an 1850 offshoot of Friedrich Fröbel's work on kindergartens. Sand gardens were introduced to America by Marie Elizabeth Zakrzewska, starting in her home city of Boston. Inspired by the German sand gardens she observed while visiting Berlin in the summer of 1885. Joseph Lee is considered the "founder of the playground movement."

 

The "pit", or "box" itself is simply a container for storing the sand so that it does not spread outward across lawns or other surrounding surfaces. Boxes of various shapes are often constructed from planks, logs, or other large wooden frames that allow children easy access to the sand and also provide a convenient place to sit. Small sandpits are also available commercially. These are usually made from plastic or wood and are often shaped like an animal or other objects familiar to children.

 

They sometimes also have lids to cover the sand when not in use, so that passing animals cannot contaminate the sand by urinating or defecating in it. Having lids also prevents the sand in outdoor sandpits from getting wet when it rains, although some dampness is often desirable as it helps the sand hold together. Prefabricated sandpits may also be used indoors, especially in day care facilities. Materials other than sand are also often used, such as oatmeal, which are necessarily non-toxic and light enough to easily vacuum up.

 

Sandpits can have a solid bottom or they can be built directly onto the soil. The latter allows free drainage (which is useful if the top is open) but can lead to contamination of the sand with soil if the children dig down to the ground.

 

The sand gets dirty over time and is eventually replaced. Many schools and playgrounds in North America have replaced sand around play structures with a wood chip mixture, as it is cheaper. It also prevents health risks, such as ringworm, that would potentially come from traditional sandboxes, due to other animals, such as raccoons, being able to use the sandpits, and spreading parasites.

 

 

 

From Mr. Food

 

Pushcart Onion Sauce is an easy version of the traditional topping that's served up at New York City hot dog stands. Take your taste buds to the Big Apple with the very first bite! We love our Pushcart Onion Sauce recipe because it's that all-American hot dog cart flavor from the comfort of home. You'll love it too, especially when it upgrades any cookout menu in a matter of seconds!

 

• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 2 onions, cut in half then into 1/4-inch slices
• 1/3 cup ketchup
• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• Dash of hot pepper sauce
• 1 cup water

 

1. In a medium skillet over medium heat, heat oil until hot; add onions and saute 8 to 10 minutes or until golden and tender.
    
2. Add ketchup, chili powder, cinnamon, salt, and hot pepper sauce; mix well. Stir in water and bring mixture to a boil.
    
3. Reduce heat to low and simmer, uncovered, 8 to 10 minutes or until mixture is heated through.

 

***This Pushcart Onion Sauce is really great spooned over cooked hot dogs, but try it with other foods, too! You'll be amazed at how fast they disappear!

 

 

 

Historically this date.......

1835 – P. T. Barnum and his circus start their first tour of the United States.

 

1886 – The U.S. President Grover Cleveland marries Frances Folsom in the White House, becoming the only president to wed in the executive mansion.

 

1896 – Guglielmo Marconi applies for a patent for his newest invention, the radio.

 

1924 – The U.S. President Calvin Coolidge signs the Indian Citizenship Act into law, granting citizenship to all Native Americans born within the territorial limits of the United States.

 

1953 – The coronation of Queen Elizabeth II, who is crowned Queen of the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Her Other Realms and Territories & Head of the Commonwealth, the first major international event to be televised.

 

1997 – In Denver, Colorado, Timothy McVeigh is convicted on 15 counts of murder and conspiracy for his role in the 1995 bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. He was executed four years later.

 

2004 – Ken Jennings begins his 74-game winning streak on the syndicated game show Jeopardy!

 

2012 – The former Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak is sentenced to life imprisonment for his role in the killing of demonstrators during the 2011 Egyptian revolution.

 

 

 

And births this date include...

1731 – Martha Washington, American wife of George Washington, 1st First Lady of the United States (d. 1802)

 

 

1904 – Johnny Weissmuller, Romanian-American swimmer and actor (d. 1984)

 

1937 – Sally Kellerman, American actress and singer (d.2022)

 

1938 – Ron Ely, American actor

 

 

1941 – Stacy Keach, American actor and producer

 

 

 

1944 – Marvin Hamlisch, American composer and conductor (d. 2012)

 

1948 – Jerry Mathers, American actor and director

(I met him once at the Pomona Gun Show. Adam Henry! So in love with himself!)

1955 – Dana Carvey, American comedian, actor, and singer

 

 

 

 

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

xo Sue Mom Bobo

 

Everyone is sure to enjoy marking National Leave the Office Early Day on their calendar. Observed each year on June 2nd (unless June 2nd falls on a weekend, at which time it would be acknowledged on the closest working day) the observance is an incentive to many who often work more than 40 hours each week.

About a third of Americans work more than 40 hours per week. Some work even more than that. Those who are self-employed or who work two jobs, likely work 60-80 hours per week. Those types of hours don’t leave much for family, self-care, or home maintenance. Stress piles up and so do the phone calls from mom, the grandkids, and maybe the gym wondering where you’ve been. Maybe your best pals want to meet for a drink but you’ve been stuck behind a desk or on the road working.

This holiday reminds you to take a little time for yourself every once in a while.

HOW TO OBSERVE

On this day, upon completion of all the necessary day’s work and the needed approval, it is suggested that you can then leave work early to enjoy the rest of the day with fun activities of your choosing. 

NATIONAL LEAVE THE OFFICE EARLY DAY HISTORY

Employee Productivity Specialist, Laura Stack, created National Leave The Office Early Day as a reminder to employees to take time for themselves.

Weather ~ Picture of the Day ~ Olives ~ Moussaka ~ National Olive Day

  

Good 46º sunny morning. 

 

 

Yesterday was totally clear and sunny......

 

We topped at we topped at 87º.

 

 

Picture of the Day...perfect timing

 

 

Interesting about olives...........

 

Fossil evidence indicates the olive tree had its origins some 20–40 million years ago in the Oligocene, in what is now corresponding to Italy and the eastern Mediterranean Basin. The olive plant later was first cultivated some 7,000 years ago in Mediterranean regions.

The edible olive seems to have coexisted with humans for about 5,000 to 6,000 years, going back to the early Bronze Age(3150 to 1200 BC). Its origin can be traced to the Levant based on written tablets, olive pits, and wood fragments found in ancient tombs.

 

The olive tree on the island of Brijuni (Brioni), Istria in Croatia, has a radiocarbon dating age of about 1,600 years. It still gives fruit about  66 lb per year, which is made into olive oil.

An olive tree in west Athens, named "Plato's Olive Tree", is thought to be a remnant of the grove where Plato's Academy was situated, making it an estimated 2,400 years old. The tree comprised a cavernous trunk from which a few branches were still sprouting in 1975, when a traffic accident caused a bus to uproot it. Following that, the trunk was preserved and displayed in the nearby Agricultural University of Athens.

 

 

In 2013, it was reported that the remaining part of the trunk was uprooted and stolen, allegedly to serve as firewood. A supposedly older tree, the "Peisistratos Tree", is located by the banks of the Cephisus River, in the municipality of Agioi Anargyroi, and is said to be a remnant of an olive grove that was planted by Athenian tyrant Peisistratos in the sixth century BC. Numerous ancient olive trees also exist near Pelion in Greece. The age of an olive tree in Crete, the Finix Olive, is claimed to be over 2,000 years old. This estimate is based on archaeological evidence around the tree.

The olive tree of Vouves, also in Crete, has an age estimated between 2000 and 4000 years.

 

From Mr. Food

 

This Greek favorite has a few shortcuts, which land it on your table in no time! Easy Moussaka, with tender layers of eggplant, ground beef and a creamy custard topping, makes 'em shout "Opa!" every time you serve it!

 

• 2 pounds ground beef
• 1 small eggplant, peeled and diced (about 4 cups)
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, divided
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 cups spaghetti sauce
• 5 tablespoons butter
• 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 3 cups milk, warmed

 

 

1. Preheat oven to 350º. Coat a 3-quart baking dish with cooking spray.
    
2. In a large skillet, sauté the ground beef over medium-high heat 7 to 8 minutes, or until crumbly and only slightly pink; drain off any excess liquid.
    
3. Add the eggplant to the skillet and sauté 5 to 6 minutes, until the eggplant begins to soften. Add the garlic, cinnamon, 1 teaspoon salt, and the pepper; mix well. Add the spaghetti sauce and cook 4 to 5 more minutes, until hot; place mixture in the baking dish.
    
4. In a medium sauce pan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the flour and stir until smooth, 3-4 minutes. Add the warm milk to the flour mixture, 1 cup at a time whisking continuously until smooth. Bring to a boil, stir in remaining salt and cook for 2-4 minutes or until thickened. Pour over meat mixture.
    
5. Bake 40 to 45 minutes, or until the custard-like top is set.

 

 

Historically this date.....

1812 – War of 1812: The U.S. President James Madison asks the Congress to declare war on the United Kingdom.

1813 – James Lawrence, the mortally-wounded commander of the USS Chesapeake, gives his final order: "Don't give up the ship!"

 

 

1974 – The Heimlich maneuver for rescuing choking victims is published in the journal Emergency Medicine.

2009 – General Motors files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. It is the fourth largest United States bankruptcy in history.

And births this date include...

1926 – Andy Griffith, American actor, singer, director, producer, and writer (d. 2012)

 

1926 – Marilyn Monroe, American model, actress, singer, and producer (d. 1962)

 

1934 – Pat Boone, American singer-songwriter, musician, and actor

 

 

1937 – Morgan Freeman, American actor and director

 

1953 – Ronnie Dunn, American singer-songwriter and guitarist (Brooks & Dunn)

 

1973 – Heidi Klum, German model, actress, fashion designer, and producer

 

 

All I know. Nuff said. Have a good Wednesday first day of June. Ciao.

xo Sue Mom Bobo

National Olive Day is observed annually on June 1.  The olive, one of the world’s oldest fruits, is part of a traditional meze/tapas culinary experience that brings families and friends around the table to share time together rather than in a kitchen. The olive branch is a symbol of peace, hope, love and friendship and celebrating National Olive Day is a fun way to acknowledge the joy this little fruit provides.

Olives are used in many ways. We find them in cocktails and loaves of bread. We eat them whole as snacks, use them as toppings, include them on relish trays and even use them as a garnish for many foods. They are one of the most versatile foods we eat.

**Where I grew up in El Sereno we had olive trees... a couple on the parkway that I used to climb and one on the side of the house and one in the backyard. They were green olives.

 

Daddy would pick the olives when ripe and then, because they are extremely bitter and non palatable at that stage, he'd soak them in a stoneware crock with a water/lye bath. Then he'd rinse them well and soak them in a brine for a couple of weeks and then can them. They still had the pit in them. Gosh they were GOOD!!!