Weather ~ Picture of the Day ~ Balloon History ~ Tasty Rollups ~ National Apple Betty Day

  

Good 47º foggy morning. 

 

 

Yesterday we started foggy. Later it all cleared up and no clouds. We topped at 84º.

 

 

Picture of the Day 😊

 

 

Interesting about balloons..........

 

A balloon is a flexible bag that can be inflated with a gas, such as helium, hydrogen, nitrous oxide, oxygen, and air. For special tasks, balloons can be filled with smoke, liquid water, granular media (e.g. sand, flour or rice), or light sources. Modern day balloons are made from materials such as rubber, latex, polychloroprene, or a nylon fabric, and can come in many different colors. Some early balloons were made of dried animal bladders, such as the pig bladder. Some balloons are used for decorative purposes or entertaining purposes, while others are used for practical purposes such as meteorology, medical treatment, military defense, or transportation. A balloon's properties, including its low density and low cost, have led to a wide range of applications.

 

The rubber balloon was invented by Michael Faraday in 1824, during experiments with various gases. He invented them for use in the lab.

 

Decoration

Balloons are used for decorating birthday parties, weddings, corporate functions, school events, and for other festive gatherings. The artists who use the round balloons to build are called "stackers" and the artists who use pencil balloons to build are called "twisters." Most commonly associated with helium balloon decor, more recently balloon decorators have been moving towards the creation of air-filled balloon decorations due to the non-renewable natural resource of helium limited in supply. The most common types of balloon decor include arches, columns, centerpieces, balloon drops, sculptures, and balloon bouquets. With the increased aptitude for balloon twisting as well as balloon stacking, the rise of the deco-twister manifests itself as the combination of stacking techniques as well as twisting techniques to create unique and interesting balloon decor options.

 

Party Balloons

Party balloons are mostly made of a natural latex tapped from rubber trees, and can be filled with air, helium, water, or any other suitable liquid or gas. The rubber's elasticity makes the volume adjustable.

 

Often the term "party balloon" will refer to a twisting balloon or pencil balloon. These balloons are manipulated to create shapes and figures for parties and events, typically along with entertainment.

Filling the balloon with air can be done with the mouth, a manual or electric inflater (such as a hand pump), or with a source of compressed gas.

 

When rubber or plastic balloons are filled with helium so that they float, they typically retain their buoyancy for only a day or so, sometimes longer. The enclosed helium atoms escape through small pores in the latex which are larger than the helium atoms. However, some types of balloons are labelled "helium-grade". These balloons are often thicker and have less porosity. Balloons filled with air usually hold their size and shape much longer, sometimes for up to a week.

 

However, a rubber balloon eventually loses gas to the outside. The process by which a substance or solute migrates from a region of high concentration, through a barrier or membrane, to a region of lower concentration is called diffusion. The inside of balloons can be treated with a special gel (for instance, the polymer solution sold under the "Hi Float" brand) which coats the inside of the balloon to reduce the helium leakage, thus increasing float time to a week or longer.

 

Beginning in the late 1970s, some more expensive (and longer-lasting) foil balloons made of thin, unstretchable, less permeable metallised films such as Mylar (BoPET) started being produced. These balloons have attractive shiny reflective surfaces and are often printed with color pictures and patterns for gifts and parties. The most important attributes of metallised nylon for balloons are its light weight, increasing buoyancy, and its ability to keep the helium gas from escaping for several weeks. Foil balloons have been criticized for interfering with power lines.

 

Flying machines

Balloons filled with hot air or a buoyant gas have been used as flying machines since the 18th century. The earliest flights were made with hot air balloons using air heated with a flame, or hydrogen as the lifting gas. Later, coal gas and later still helium were used. An unpowered balloon travels with the wind. A balloon which has an engine to propel it is called a dirigible balloon or airship.

 

History

Humans have intentionally filled bladders, especially actual animal bladders, with air since prehistory. In Ancient Greece, these had a number of recorded uses. The Aztecs inflated cat intestines to make shapes to present as sacrifices to the gods. By the 18th century, people were inflating balloons of cloth or canvas with hot air and sending it aloft, the Montgolfier brothers going so far as to experiment with first animals in 1782, and then, when altitude did not kill them, human beings in 1783.

 

The first hydrogen-filled gas balloon was flown in the 1790s. A century later the first hydrogen-filled weather balloons were launched in France.

 

The first modern rubber balloons on record were made by Michael Faraday in 1824. He used these to contain gasses he was experimenting with, especially hydrogen. By 1825 similar balloons were being sold by Thomas Hancock, but like Faraday's they came disassembled, as two circles of soft rubber. The user was expected to lay the circles one on top of the other and rub their edges until the soft, gummy rubber stuck, leaving the powdered inner part loose for inflation. Modern, preassembled balloons were being sold in the US by the early 20th century.

 

Types of balloon

• Balloon (aeronautics)
  • Gas balloon
  • High-altitude balloon
  • Hot air balloon
  • Observation balloon
  • Research balloon
  • Solar balloon
• Tethered balloon or moored balloon or captive balloon, a balloon that is restrained by one or more tethers attached to the ground and so cannot float freely
• Tethered helium balloon
  • Weather balloon
• Toy balloon

 

 

 

From Mr. Food

 

Mama always said to eat your veggies. And what better way than in these tasty spinach roll-ups? We pumped up the flavor by adding a Ranch-style dressing mix and a jar of those crunchy little bacon bits.

 

• 1 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and well drained
• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 1 (8-ounce) container sour cream
• 3 scallions, thinly sliced
• 1 (.4-ounce) envelope Ranch-style dressing mix
• 1 (3-ounce) package bacon bits
• 9 (10-inch) flour tortillas

 

1. In a large bowl, combine all ingredients except tortillas; stir well.
    
2. Spread mixture on tortillas, distributing evenly. Roll up jelly roll fashion; wrap each in plastic wrap.
    
3. Chill 4 to 6 hours. Cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices and serve.

 

 

 

Historically this date........

1857 – The City of Anaheim is founded in California.

1864 – The Indian city of Calcutta is almost totally destroyed by a cyclone; 60,000 die.

.........OMG!

1905 – Wilbur Wright pilots Wright Flyer III in a flight of 24 miles in 39 minutes, a world record that stood until 1908.

1944 – Royal Canadian Air Force pilots shoot down the first German jet fighter over France.

1945 – Hollywood Black Friday: A six-month strike by Hollywood set decorators turns into a bloody riot at the gates of Warner Brothers' studios.

1947 – The first televised White House address is given by U.S. President Harry S. Truman.

 

 

And births this date include..

1829 – Chester A. Arthur, 21st President of the United States (d. 1886)

 

 

 

1922 – Bil Keane, American cartoonist (d. 2011)

 

One of my all time favorite cartoons!

 

1923 – Glynis Johns, British actress

 

1924 – Bill Dana, American actor (d.2017)

 

 

 

 

 

"my name José Jiménez....

 

 

 

 

1925 – Gail Davis, American actress (d. 1997)

 

1938 – Teresa Heinz Kerry, American philanthropist

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1951 – Karen Allen, American actress

 

 

 

1962 – Michael Andretti, American race car driver

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1975 – Kate Winslet, English actress

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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

xo Sue Mom Bobo

On October 5, fall ushers in National Apple Betty Day with a sweet aroma of apples baked in cinnamon and oats.

Similar to what is known as apple crisp, crumble or cobbler, the American variant known as the Betty or Brown Betty dates from colonial times. Most  Apple Betty recipes call for cinnamon, sugar, and butter to make the crumbs that top sliced apples. Sometimes oats or flour are added, too.

As the temperatures begin dropping outside, apple Betty recipes warm the home and fill it with delicious fragrances. Apple Betty recipes allow a child’s hand to help prepare the dessert, making it a family event. The season is ideal for this treat, too. Tart apples just off the tree call out for autumn recipes like these.

Apple Brown Betty was one of the favorite desserts of Ronald and Nancy Reagan in the White House.

HOW TO OBSERVE

Enjoy these Apple Betty recipes:

Apple Brown Betty Recipe - BettyCrocker.com

Apple Brown Betty Recipe | Taste of Home

My late oldest sister would have loved this, her name was Betty! 

Weather ~ Picture of the Day ~ Worlds Tallest Buildings ~ Flavorful Turkey Breast ~ Becky Lundell ~ National Golf Lover's Day ~ National Vodka Day ~ National Taco Day

  

Good 48º foggy morning.

 

 

Yesterday we had clouds........ and topped at 77º.

 

 

 

Picture of the Day .... Evolution of the New York skyline....

 

 

Interesting about the world's tallest buildings..........

 

Tall buildings, such as skyscrapers, are intended here as enclosed structures with continuously occupiable floors and a height of at least 1,120 ft. Such definition excludes non-building structures, such as towers.

History

Historically, the world's tallest man-made structure was the Great Pyramid of Giza in Egypt, which held the position for over 3800 years until the construction of Lincoln Cathedral in 1311. The Strasbourg Cathedral in France, completed in 1439, was the world's tallest building until 1874.

 

The first skyscraper was pioneered in Chicago with the 138 ft  Home Insurance Building in 1885. The United States would remain the location of the world's tallest building throughout the 20th century until 1998, when the Petronas Towers were completed. Since then, two other buildings have gained the title: Taipei 101 in 2004 and Burj Khalifa in 2010. Since the beginning of the 21st century, the Middle East, China, and Southeast Asia have experienced booms in skyscraper construction.

 

Ranking criteria and alternatives

The international non-profit organization Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat (CTBUH) was formed in 1969 and announces the title of "The World's Tallest Building" and sets the standards by which buildings are measured. It maintains a list of the 100 tallest completed buildings in the world. The organization currently ranks Burj Khalifa in Dubai as the tallest at 2,717 ft. However, the CTBUH only recognizes buildings that are complete, and some buildings included within the lists in this article are not considered finished by the CTBUH.

 

In 1996, as a response to the dispute as to whether the Petronas Towers or the Sears Tower was taller, the council listed and ranked buildings in four categories:

• height to structural or architectural top;
• height to floor of highest occupied floor;
• height to top of roof (removed as category in November 2009); and
• height to top of any part of the building.

All categories measure the building from the level of the lowest significant open-air pedestrian entrance.

Spires are considered integral parts of the architectural design of buildings, changes to which would substantially change the appearance and design of the building, whereas antennas may be added or removed without such consequences. The Petronas Towers, with their spires, are thus ranked higher than the Willis Tower (formerly the Sears Tower) with its antennas, despite the Petronas Towers' lower roofs and lower highest point.

 

Until 1996, the world's tallest building was defined by the height to the top of the tallest architectural element, including spires but not antennae. In 1930, this definitional argument led to a rivalry between the Bank of Manhattan Building and the Chrysler Building. The Bank of Manhattan Building (i.e. 40 Wall Street) employed only a short spire, was 927 ft tall, and had a much higher top occupied floor (the second category in the 1996 criteria for tallest building). In contrast, the Chrysler Building employed a very large 125 ft spire secretly assembled inside the building to claim the title of world's tallest building with a total height of 1,046 ft, although it had a lower top occupied floor and a shorter height when both buildings' spires were excluded.

 

To read a lot more and see photos, go here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_tallest_buildings

 

 

 

 

Flavorful turkey breast..........

 

3 pound boneless turkey breast

1 can whole cranberry sauce

1 envelope dry onion soup mix

½ cup orange juice

 

 

 

Mix cranberries and onion soup mix. Pour the orange juice in the crockpot. Put turkey breast in crockpot. Slather on the cranberry onion soup mix. Cook on low for 6-7 hours. 

 

If turkey breast is frozen, cook on high for 2 hours and then on low for 4-5.

 

I have made this a number of times and it's really GOOD!!!!

 

 

 

Special birthday today, Becky Lundell, wife of the infamous Wilsonite Greg Lundell (my high school pal), is celebrating today. HAPPY BIRTHDAY BECKY!! xo

 

 

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

1963 – Hurricane Flora, kills 6,000 in Cuba and Haiti.

 

 

1965 – Becoming the first Pope to ever visit the United States of America and the Western hemisphere, Pope Paul VI arrives in New York.

 

 

1988 – U.S. televangelist Jim Bakker is indicted for fraud.

 

And births this date include...

1822 – Rutherford B. Hayes, 19th President of the United States (d. 1893)

 

1895 – Buster Keaton, American comedian (d. 1966)

1923 – Charlton Heston, American actor (d. 2008)

 

 

 

 

 

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

xo Sue Mom Bobo

National Golf Lover’s Day on October 4th provides an opportunity for golf enthusiasts to swing down the fairway at least one more time during the season.   

While celebrating the day, you might notice it is sometimes also referred to as National Golf Day. Since 1952, the PGA has held a charity event each year for National Golf Day, which is held on different days each year.

The modern game of golf may have originated in 15th century Scotland. However, it is unclear and very much debated as to its ancient origins. 

The world’s oldest golf tournament is The Open Championship. Its first tournament played on October 17, 1860, at Prestwick Golf Club in Ayrshire, Scotland.Golf in the United States:

• 1779 – The Royal Gazette of New York City posted an advertisement for golf clubs and golf balls.
• 1796 – The Georgia Gazette publishes notice of an annual general meeting for a golf club in Savannah. 
• Golf became firmly established in the late 19th century.
• 1894 – Delegates from the Newport Country Club, Saint Andrew’s Golf Club, Yonkers, New York, The Country Club, Chicago Golf Club, and Shinnecock Hills Golf Club met in New York City to form what became the United States Golf Association (USGA)
• 1910 – There were 267 Clubs affiliated to the USGA.
• 1922 – Walter Hagen became the first native-born American to win the British Open Championship,
• 1932 – There were more than 1,100 Clubs affiliated to the USGA.
• 1980 – Over 5,908 Clubs affiliated to the USGA.
• 2013 – Over 10,600 Clubs affiliated to the USGA.

HOW TO OBSERVE 

In many parts of the country, golfers hit the links all year long. However, in the more northern regions, courses will close due to cooler temperatures preventing golfers from chasing the elusive hole-in-one. While you can, get out and golf a round or two. Invite friends to join you. Visit a course you’ve never been to before. Challenge yourself to a more difficult course. Improve your handicap or offer to teach someone the game. 

 

You can explore Golf History. 

 

NATIONAL GOLF LOVER’S DAY HISTORY

National Day Calendar® continues researching the origins of this sports holiday. However, it’s interesting to note that the first U.S. Men’s Open Golf Championship was held on this day in 1895. 

 

It's also.....

National Vodka Day recognizes a popular beverage used in a variety of cocktails and mixed drinks. Explore your options on October 4th and raise a toast to the celebration. 

Makers distill a variety of substances to make vodka. As a result, diverse types of vodka fill the shelves at the liquor store. Grain, potatoes, fruits and sugar vodkas fit a variety of mixing needs behind the bar or in the kitchen, too.  

Traditionally, prepared vodkas had an alcoholic content of percent by volume.  In the United States, products sold as vodka must have an alcoholic content of 30 percent or more.

Enjoy vodka on the rocks or in cocktails and mixed drinks. There are so many to choose from as the list below suggests: 

• Caesar
• Bloody Mary
• Screwdriver
• Moscow Mule
• White Russian
• Black Russian
• Tonic
• Vodka Martini

Makers have expanded the variety of flavors making endless possibilities when it comes to cocktails, mixed drinks, and other beverages the whole year-round.

HOW TO OBSERVE

Mix up your favorite vodka cocktail and share while you savor an autumn afternoon. Remember always to drink responsibly and never drink and drive. 

NATIONAL VODKA DAY HISTORY

Celebrated since at least 2009, National Vodka Day has been mentioned by Wine Enthusiast Magazine and has also been noted on news websites such as CBS.  

 

And lastly it's also...

Get one, two, or three on National Taco Day. On October 4th, the day recognizes the savory tortilla stuffed with fillings. It doesn’t have to be Tuesday, so get out an enjoy your favorite.

The history of tacos predates the arrival of Europeans in Mexico. Anthropological evidence shows the native people living in the lake region of the Valley of Mexico traditionally ate tacos filled with small fish.  At the time of the Spanish conquistadors, Bernal Diaz del Castillo documented the first taco feast enjoyed by Europeans. Hernan Cortes arranged this meal for his captains in Coyoacan. It is unclear why the Spanish used the word taco to describe this native food. One suggested origin is the word ataco, meaning stuff or to stuff.

In 1964, Roberto L. Gomez established The National Taco Council. The council sent a 55-pound taco to President Johnson in 1967.

Whether you prefer soft or hard-shelled tortillas, most agree tacos satisfy a snack craving. However, they also make delicious meals. Consider that many are filled with seasoned, lean meats and vegetables, tacos go beyond delicious. Fish tacos and shrimp tacos with grilled seafood add a whole other flavor profile. Ask for grilled chicken and hold the cheese.

Many restaurants offer specials on this food holiday, too.

 

HOW TO OBSERVE

Go out for tacos or make them at home. There are many traditional varieties of tacos.

So..........go play golf, have a Bloody Mary, and a taco!