Sky Watch ~~ Good Morning Glory

Taken on January 20 the Barn across our Creek @ 6 am! ~~~~~~~~~Some music to start with ~~~~~~~~~

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GOOD MORNING GLORY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Some Lyrics:

(T. Texas Tyler)

Beautiful morning glory

Kissed and caressed by the dew

Beautiful morning glory

Good morning glory to you.

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Some Food: Morning Glory Muffins

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Music and a Video: The Cloud Appreciation Society: Morning ...

Here is where you go to JOIN!

How to participate in Sky Watch

1. Post your sky picture on your blog

2. Come to http://strollingthroughgeorgia.blogspot.com/ and sign in on Mr. Linky

3. Enjoy the beautiful sky pictures of the other bloggers. There is a new Mr. Linky each week so you always have to sign up on the current one. Please do not sign your name on Mr. Linky unless you have a sky picture posted on your blog. ~~~~~~~~~

~~~~~~~~~~~~ MORNING SKY ALERT:

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Got this today in e-mail Felt I should pass it on!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Set your alarm for dawn.

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On Friday morning, February 1st, Venus and Jupiter converge in the southeastern sky less than 1 degree apart; they will beam through the rosy glow of dawn like a pair of celestial headlights. It's a spectacular view worth waking up early to see. The February 1st alignment kicks off four mornings of beautiful views as the crescent Moon moves in to join Venus and Jupiter over the weekend.

Visit http://spaceweather.com for sky maps and photos.

A Plethora of events coming up just around the corner

Super Bowl XLII between the New England Patriots and New York The ADS are Usually really good; February 3 Super Bowl & Super Tuesday • Super Bowl XLII: From Tom Brady's "zen-like approach to life" to Eli Manning's bond with his mother, get the inside story on the stars of this Sunday's Super Bowl. Then see why one Phoenix monastery is opening its doors to Super Bowl fans. Get the complete play-by-play from Phoenix on The New York Times N.F.L. blog "The Fifth Down."

• Election Package: Super Tuesday is coming! The Presidential candidates are prepared, their schedules are booked solid and fundraising is at an all-time high. More than 20 states are lined up to vote on Feb. 5 and over 40 percent of the delegates from each party will be chosen on this date (California and New York have the most at stake). Election news hounds: follow the candidates on the trail with the NYTimes.com political blog The Caucus and metro blog City Room. have the most at stake). Election news hounds: follow the candidates on the trail with the NYTimes.com political blog The Caucus and metro blog City Room. February 5 Super Tuesday In the United States, Super Tuesday commonly refers to the Tuesday in early February or March of a presidential election year when the greatest number of states hold primary elections to select delegates to national conventions at which each party's presidential candidates are officially nominated. More delegates can be won on Super Tuesday than on any other single day of the primary calendar, and accordingly, candidates seeking the presidency traditionally must do well on this day to secure their party's nomination. In 2008, Super Tuesday is February 5; 24 states will hold primaries or caucuses on this date, with 52 percent of all pledged Democratic Party delegates and 41 percent of the total Republican Party delegates at stake.[1]

Also on February 5 Pancake Day is celebrated on Shrove Tuesday, which is the day before Lent In the United Kingdom of Great Britian, Northern Ireland and several other countries around the world, Pancake Day is celebrated with fun, games, and of course a lot of eating. However, the most well known activity on this day is the Pancake Day race at Olney in Buckinghamshire, England which has been held since 1445. It all began when a woman was cooking pancakes on Shrove Tuesday to use up all of her perishables before Lent. While she was still cooking she heard the chiming of the bells summoning her to church. Not wanting to be late, the woman ran to church with her apron on and the frying pan still in her hand. Little did she know that this would start a tradition that would be around for over 500 years! To get started you can begin with our basic Buttermilk Pancake Recipe and add whatever you want to it or on top of it.pancake pancakes pancake recipes pancakes recipes pancake recipe pancakes recipe recipe recipes food cooking pancake day Shrove Tuesday Tuesday Shrove tradition traditions Lent Ash Wednesday

Ash Wednesday The dates of Ash Wednesday and Easter Sunday 2008 Feb 6 Mar 23Thomas Stearns Eliot (1888-1965) his poem: Ash Wednesday

Chinese New Year/ Lunar New Year February 7, 2008. Lets Party 4706 Year of the Rat Always FOOD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Groundhog Day February 2 Punxsutawney Phil is the only true weather forecasting groundhog. The others are just impostors Looking for answers to your Groundhog Day questions? You've come to the right spot! Click here to learn about various aspects of the Groundhog Day holiday, and how we've been celebrating it in Punxsutawney since 1886.

In the United States the tradition derives from a Scottish poem: As the light grows longer The cold grows stronger If Candlemas be fair and bright Winter will have another flight If Candlemas be cloud and snow Winter will be gone and not come again A farmer should on Candlemas day Have half his corn and half his hay On Candlemas day if thorns hang a drop You can be sure of a good pea crop This tradition also stems from similar beliefs associated with Candlemas Day[3] and Groundhog Day. Candlemas, also known as the Purification of the Virgin or the Presentation, coincides with the earlier pagan observance Imbolc.

The name Punxsutawney comes from the Indian name for the location"ponksad-uteney" which means "the town of the sandflies."The name woodchuck comes from the Indian legend of "Wojak,the groundhog" considered by them to be their ancestral grandfather.

How Did the Groundhog Get a Day of His Own?

Thirty days hath September,

April, June, and November;

All the rest have thirty-one,

Excepting February alone

Which hath but twenty-eight, in fine,

Till leap year gives it twenty-nine.

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Leap year 2008 (MMVIII) is the current year Leap years are needed so that the calendar is in alignment with the earth's motion around the sun. Leap Year 2008: History & Facts ~~~~~~~

How to know if a year will be a Leap Year: Leap Years are any year that can be evenly divide by 4 (such as 2004, 2008, etc) except if it can be evenly divide by 100, then it won't be (such as 2100, 2200, etc) except if it can be evenly divide by 400, then it will be (such as 2000, 2400) WHY??????????????????????????????

ABC wed = "B"

Mrs. Nesbitt runs the ABC Wednesday.

Each wed its a letter.

My First ABC venture ;)

~~~~~~~~~~Broken~~~~~~~~~

ICE

Purrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr fect and GEORGE ous

And another thing ~~~ Brassica oleracea

Our company left today, however two of their pieces of luggage remain…

We had a blast and I got to play a game a really neat one- called Apples to Apples,

Over Christmas our daughters and son in law showed it to us and I really liked it so much I went out and bought the game...knowing our company was to be here and I would have another chance to play it.

;)

Tee Hee MORE Ice on the Koi Pond...sure looks like a pointing finger to me ;)

Apples to Apples® is the wild, award-winning card and party game that provides instant fun for four to ten players! It’s as easy as “comparing apples to apples”…just open the box, deal the cards, and you’re ready to play! Select the card from your hand that you think is best described by a card played by the judge. If the judge picks your card, you win that round. And everyone gets a chance to be the judge! Each round is filled with surprising and outrageous comparisons from a wide range of people, places, things, and events. Fast moving and refreshing, Apples to Apples is perfect for any get-together with family and friends! The game was chosen by Mensa International in 1999 as a "Mensa Select" prizewinner, an award given to five games each year. PLUS I got to totally “PLAY” in my kitchen it was soooooo much fun… Of course several trips to the grocery, but then I enjoy that as well. The last time I found something unusual. Tried some new recipes that worked out rather well. We did have the Pheasant Saturday evening ;) More about that another time… I can only imagine the thrill that my Sweetie felt as we partook of what he had hunted… Keeps its Orange Color Even When Cooked! Michael Dickson’s dream has finally paid off: his yellow cauliflower will be hitting store shelves later this year. Orange Cauliflower Developed at Cornell's Experiment Station is High in Vitamin Aby John Zakour and Linda McCandless

The grocer told me there was even a Purple one! Purple cauliflower, which gets its deep lavender color from anthocyanins, the antioxidant in red wine, has a milder flavor than white cauliflower — it's sweeter, nuttier and without the bitterness sometimes found in white cauliflower. Steamed, simmered or roasted, it retains its lavender beauty, especially with a little lemon or vinegar splashed on before cooking (though some purple varieties can turn green if overcooked). ~~~~~~~

A purple variety of asparagus called Purple Passion is another on the color chart at Johnny's. The spears are purple in the garden. Once cooked, they turn traditional green. Johnny's also sells Kinbi, a yellow carrot. Today there's no excuse for a dull vegetable garden. On the web: · Johnny's Selected Seeds: www.johnnyseeds.com · Burpee: www.burpee.com · Park Seeds: www.parkseed.com.

~~~~~~~~~~ Then I found this. Does it not sound yummy? November 8, 2006 Recipe: Roasted Cauliflower, Parsnip and Leek Filling for Crepes Time: 1½ hours 2 pounds (1 small or half a large) cauliflower, broken into small florets, stem and leaves discarded 6 tablespoons melted butter 1/3 cup olive oil ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 2 teaspoons dry (powdered) mustard 2½ teaspoons salt 2 small leeks or 1 large leek, white and light green parts only ¾ pound (about 3 medium) parsnips, quartered lengthwise, tough core discarded 3 large egg yolks 2 tablespoons heavy or light cream or whole milk 3 cups vegetable or chicken broth 3 tablespoons flour. 1. Place a roasting pan in oven and preheat to 425 degrees. Place cauliflower in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, mix 3 tablespoons butter, the olive oil, pepper and mustard. Drizzle about two-thirds of mixture over cauliflower; mix well. Sprinkle with 1½ teaspoons salt.

2. Spread cauliflower evenly in heated roasting pan and bake for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, halve leeks almost to root end, leaving root end in one piece. In a large bowl, combine leeks, parsnips, remaining 1 teaspoon salt and remaining butter-oil mixture. Mix well. Turn cauliflower over in pan, then add parsnips and leeks. Roast for 20 minutes, turning vegetables halfway through. Reduce heat to 325 degrees and roast until golden brown and tender, 20 to 30 minutes.

3. Transfer vegetables to a cutting board and chop into ¼- to ½-inch pieces. Set aside. In a medium bowl, combine egg yolks and cream or milk and set aside.

4. In a small saucepan, bring broth to a simmer. In another small saucepan over medium-low heat, whisk remaining 3 tablespoons butter with flour. Continue whisking for about 3 minutes; mixture should bubble gently but not brown. Remove from heat and slowly add broth, whisking to incorporate. Continue until all broth is used and sauce is smooth and creamy. Return to low heat and cook until slightly thickened, 2 to 3 minutes. Whisk into bowl of egg yolks and cream. Return to pan over medium-low heat just until steaming, 2 to 3 minutes; do not boil. Reserve 1 cup sauce for garnishing filled crepes. Add chopped vegetables to remaining sauce.

Yield: Filling and sauce for 12 crepes.

Peanut butter w/ Red-bellied Woodpecker, Melanerpes carolinus

Peanut butter slathered on the trunk of the Pin Oak, Abraham gave me the idea and it works. How neat it is that?

The Red-bellied Woodpecker, Melanerpes carolinus, is a medium-sized woodpecker of the Picidae family. Adults are mainly light grey on the face and underparts; they have black and white barred patterns on their back, wings and tail. Adult males have a red cap going from the bill to the nape; females have a red patch on the nape and another above the bill. The reddish tinge on the belly that gives the bird its name is difficult to see in field identification. They are 9 to 10.5 inches long, and have a wingspan of 15 to 18 inches. These birds search out insects on tree trunks. They may also catch insects in flight. They are omnivores, eating insects, fruits, nuts and seeds.

SOUND they make

Cool Facts:

The Red-bellied Woodpecker competes vigorously for nest holes with other woodpeckers, in one case even dragging a Red-cockaded Woodpecker from a nest cavity and killing it. But it is often evicted from nest holes by the European Starling. In some areas, half of all Red-bellied Woodpecker nesting cavities are taken over by starlings.

Stores food in cracks and crevices of trees and fence posts. The woodpecker does not appear to defend its caches from other birds or mammals. The male Red-bellied Woodpecker has a longer bill and a longer, wider tongue tip than the female. These adaptations may allow the male to reach deeper into furrows to extract prey and may allow the sexes to divide up the resources in one area.

Sky Watch ~ Moon Glow

It must have been Moonglow,

Way up in the blue,

It must have been Moonglow,

That led me straight to you

Moonglow" is a 1934 popular song with music by Will Hudson and Irving Mills and words by Eddie De Lange. It was first recorded by the Dorsey Brothers Orchestra and Ethel Waters in 1934, and has been recorded many times since.

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That Moonglow gave me you ;)

*** This “Moon” shot was taken on January 12, 2008 ***

What do you See?

I see a cartoonist’s rendition of an eye with eyelashes!

Upside down … side ways …

Full Circle

My continued fascination with ICE ;)

A Break in the Ice ~ OR ~ Phasianus colchicus

As in Waddle I do now?

The adult male Ringneck pheasant is called a rooster, males being highly ornate with bright colours and adornments such as wattles and long tails. They are very easy to identify. Female pheasants are called hens. The females look like the color of dead grass and leaves; they are well camouflaged with their surroundings.

Life of a Pheasant.

Some History on the Pheasant.

This site Offers MORE recipies as well ;)

Archeological evidence suggests that large pheasants lived in southern France in the Miocene period, some 13 million years ago. The Greeks knew the bird in the 10th Century B.C. and we have adopted their name for the species, Phasianus ornis (phasian bird), derived from the Phasis River (now Rion) near the Caucasus Mountains. The Chinese knew the pheasant some 3,000 years ago, but the Romans are considered responsible for the spread of pheasants in Western Europe. When Julius Caesar invaded England in the first century B.C., the pheasant followed.

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Goo Gobs of Photos here: Every Jan 21 my Sweetie and some of his “MAN FRIENDS” go Bird hunting for Pheasant. This is always exciting because I get to “fix” or “try” a new recipe. The fun part is picking the BUCKSHOT out… Because of the buckshot, the recipe has to be conducive to torn bits of the bird and not the fabulous presentation of a complete body, if you get my drift. Recipes Galore HERE! AND More here!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! There are 35 species of pheasant in 11 different genera. The best-known is the Common Pheasant (Phasianus colchicus) which is widespread throughout the world in introduced feral populations and in farm operations. Various other pheasant species are popular in aviaries, such as the Golden Pheasant (Chrysolophus pictus).

Now to get this weekends menu completed ~ out of town friends spending the weekend WHAT FUN!

I have been STEWING over the menu for weeks! Their timing could not have been more perfect…

My Sweetie is in the Group Photo…he is the most HANDSOME one and another HINT, he is wearing Orange… ~~~~ ;) There that should be easier for you all to pick him out!