~★~♥~♥~★~ El Morno! ♥~★~★~♥ ~
July 23, 2011

★~ Today’s Quote: Never approach a bull from the front, a horse from the rear, or a fool from any direction. Will Rogers

★~ National Day of the Cowboy:

El Morno, Buckaroos! Let’s hear a big Yeehaw for the Cowboy! Today we celebrate those macho men of the Wild Wild West who moved and protected herds of cattle, and their rugged lifestyle that made them the stuff of American legends. We also tip our hats to honor rodeo athletes, Western musicians, cowboy poets, Western artists, ranchers, and all others who continue to contribute to the cowboy and Western culture in America today.

In 1950 to the strains of Back in the Saddle Again, by Ray Whitley and Gene Autry, TV viewers were treated to the first performance of The Gene Autry Show. The singing cowboy made the move from Hollywood films to the tube on this night in 1950. Autry and his sidekick, Pat Buttram, maintained law and order in the U.S. Southwest for six years. And they did it in a most entertaining manner. Gene sang just like he did in the movies and his horse, Champion, would do some amazing horse tricks, and Pat Buttram would invariably get into silly situations.

To get into the spirit of the day, pull on your boots, hop on your horse, and ride off into the sunset.

★~ National Hot Dog Day:

It’s summer and nothing goes better with summer than hotdogs. We are going to grill ours over the grill on bent clothes hangers. Yes, of course we could put them on the grill, but that is just not the same. The one gadget that we will probably never own is a hot dog toaster. I am not going to suggest what you should put on your hot dog – I am just going to let your conscience be your guide.

★~ Vanilla Ice Cream:

Poor “Just Vanilla” – the often-overlooked ice cream flavor, overshadowed by more complex flavors and used as a meaningless base for more interesting toppings. It’s time to recognize vanilla for her contributions to the ice cream world and to honor her à la mode!

★~ Today in History:

♥~ Leo –  The lion. roars starting today until–Aug 22. Leo is the ruling celestial body of the sun and they are bossy too.

♥ ~ 1715 – The first lighthouse in America was authorized for construction at Little Brewster Island, Massachusetts.

♥~ 1827 – The first swimming school in the U.S. opened in Boston, MA. Actually, the first lesson proved interesting: A student was suspended from a pole on a rope while “learning the use of his limbs.” Famous people who were former students: John Quincy Adams, James Audubon.

♥~ 1829 – The first typewriter was patented — by William Austin Burt of Mt. Vernon, MI. It didn’t work out as well as other practical models developed years later. The first problem was, people couldn’t get used to calling it a Burtwriter…

♥~ 1903 – In Detroit, Henry Ford sold his first production car, the Model A. The car featured a twin-cylinder internal combustion engine.

♥~ 1966 – Frank Sinatra hit the top of the pop album chart with his Strangers in the Night. It was the first #1 Sinatra LP since 1960. The album’s title song had made it to number one on the pop singles chart on July 2nd.

♥ ~ 1969 – Three Dog Night received a gold record for the single, One. It was the first of seven million-sellers for the pop-rock group.

♥ ~ 1976 – Ever year since 1976 Australia has held there international tree climbing championships this weekend in Sydney. This competition is designed to simulate working conditions of arborists who work in the field.

♥ ~ 1982 – Diet Coke was introduced. It is the world’s most popular soft drink.

♥ ~ 1995 – Two American amateur astronomers first reported the discovery of the comet bearing their names: Hale-Bopp. The comet enters the inner solar system every 3,000 years or so

★~Born Today:

♥~  1888 – Raymond Chandler:  Detective author: The Big Sleep, The Long Goodbye, Farewell, My Lovely, The Lady in the Lake, The High Window. It’s less commonly known that his first writing was not detective fiction, but poetry

♥~ 1946 – Andy Mackay musician: saxophone, woodwinds: group: Roxy Music: Virginia Plain, Pyjamarama, Do the Strand, Editions of You, In Every Dream a Heartache, Street Life, A Hard Rain’s A-Gonna Fall, All I Want is You, Out of the Blue, Dance Away, Angel Eyes, Jealous Guy; solo: LPs: In Search of Eddie Riff, Resolving Contradictions

♥~ 1947 – David Essex (Cook) singer: Rock On, Lamplight, I’m Gonna Make You a Star; actor: Godspell, Evita, That’ll be the Day

♥~ 1950 – Belinda Montgomery actress: Miami Vice, Man from Atlantis, Doogie Howser, M.D., Stone Fox, Tell Me That You Love Me

♥~ 1951 – Edie McClurg actress: WKRP in Cincinnati, The Hogan Family, Planes, Trains and Automobiles, A River Runs Through It, Eating Raoul

♥ ~ 1961 – Woody Harrelson Emmy Award-winning actor: Cheers [1988-89]; White Men Can’t Jump, Natural Born Killers, Indecent Proposal, The Cowboy Way

♥~ 1965 – Slash (Saul Hudson) musician: guitar: group: Guns N’ Roses: Welcome to the Jungle, November Rain, Sweet Child o’ Mine, Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door, Nightrain

♥ ~ 1967 – Philip Seymour Hoffman Academy Award-winning actor: Capote; The Talented Mr. Ripley, Scent of a Woman, The Getaway, Twister, Boogie Nights, The Big Lebowski, Patch Adams, Magnolia, State and Main, Almost Famous

♥~ 1968 – Stephanie Seymour super model

♥~ 1989 – Daniel Radcliffe actor: Harry Potter film series, The Tailor of Panama, David Copperfield; Broadway: Equus, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying [2011]

★~ Did You Know: 

♥~ The first known lighthouse was the Pharos of Alexandria, Egypt. Constructed between 300 and 280 BC by Ptolemy I and his son Ptolemy II, it stood about 450 feet high. This lighthouse was one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. It was destroyed in stages by invaders and earthquakes, being completely destroyed in the 1300’s.

♥~   The first U.S. lighthouse was built in Boston, Massachusetts in 1716.

♥~ The oldest existing lighthouse in America is Sandy Hook, NJ (1764) which is still in operation.

♥~  Newest Shoreside Lighthouse – Charleston, SC (1962)

♥~   The tallest lighthouse is Cape Hatteras, NC (196 ft. built in 1872).

♥~  Highest Lighthouse (above sea level) – Cape Mendocino, CA (515ft.)

♥~  First American-built West Coast Lighthouse – Alcatraz Lighthouse     (1854)

♥~  First Lighthouse to use electricity – Statue of Liberty (1886)

♥~  First Great Lighthouses – Buffalo, NY & Erie, PA (1818)

♥~  The most expensive lighthouse built in America is St. George Reef, off Crescent City, CA. It took ten years to construct (1882-1892) and cost $715,000.00. The Coast Guard abandoned it in 1972.

♥~  There were many female lighthouse keepers (U.S. Lighthouse Society has files on 80), but most obtained their position when their spouses or male relatives died or became incapacitated

★~ Today’s Giggle:

The cowboy was trying to buy a health insurance policy. The insurance agent was going down the list of standard questions.

“Ever have an accident?”

“Nope, nary a one.”

“None? You’ve never had any accidents.”

“Nope. Ain’t never had one. Never.”

“Well, you said on this form you were bit by a snake once. Wouldn’t you consider that an accident?”

“Heck, no. That dang varmint bit me on purpose.”

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El Morno has almost turned into El Noono. Storms, internet issues, and a general Saturday laziness slowed me down.But I’m here now, and ready to celebrate Cowboys, Hotdogs, and Vanilla ice-cream. I’m so happy the food of the day is”real food” today. I will be back later to muse a little about Penuche fudge day which was yesterday

What are your plans for the sensational Saturday? Leave a comment if you have time–Odd Loves Company.