Today’s offering is a great light summer dessert recipe: No Bake Peaches & Cream Dessert!
No Bake Peaches ‘n Cream Dessert is packed full of fresh peaches, a peach infused creamy filling with a sweet Pecan Cookie Crust.
Ingredients
2 1/2 cups peaches peeled, diced
1/2 tbsp lemon juice
1/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 cups crushed pecan sandies cookies approx 15 cookies
3 tbsp butter melted
1 tbsp corn starch
1 tsp vanilla
1 8 oz tub cool whip
Instructions
Combine the diced peaches, lemon juice and sugar. Let sit for 1 hour.
Combine the crushed cookies and melted butter. Press into the bottom of a 9×9 inch pan. Refrigerate until needed again.
Once the hour is up, you should have at least 1/2 cup of ‘syrup’. It’s okay if you have more. If you don’t have 1/2 cup, let it sit a little longer until you have 1/2 cup.
Whisk the cornstarch into the peach syrup. Microwave for 1 minute. The syrup will thicken. Cool to room temperature.
Fold the thickened syrup into the cool whip. Add the vanilla and diced peaches. Stir until complexly mixed.
Spread onto the crust and garnish with more cookie crumbs if desired.
While you’re out at the beach this summer, why not collect pieces of driftwood to make your own Christmas Tree! I will be attempting this (on a smaller scale) with tree branches since the woods are full of them!
Materials
thick pieces of driftwood in various lengths for example 4″ to 4′
a central support rod like rebar, shower curtain
a strong base to hold up the central support rod like a small branch stump
a drill with a bit that’s a little larger than the diameter of the central support rod
How to Make a Driftwood Christmas Tree:
The concept for this type of tree is pretty simple:
Arrange your driftwood from longest to shortest having enough pieces to reach your desired height.
Drill holes in the mid-point of each piece of driftwood, making sure the holes are large enough for your center rod to go through.
Prepare the central support rod by drilling an appropriately sized hole in the small branch stump and then inserting the rod inside.
Starting with your longest, spear each piece of driftwood until you are done. And voila, you have a tree! You can even add a starfish to the top and some twinkle lights!
Today is the anniversary of the plane crash that killed John F. Kennedy Jr., his wife and sister-in-law. Like most tragedies involving celebrities, this incident has sparked controversies and conspiracy theories. I am presenting 2 articles—one from History.com and one from Biography.com. detailing the “official” story. At the end of those pieces, I also provide a link to site disputing a lot of the “reported” facts. The author reveals some very interesting details.
FROM: HISTORY.COM
On July 16, 1999, John F. Kennedy, Jr.; his wife, Carolyn Bessette Kennedy; and her sister, Lauren Bessette, died when the single-engine plane that Kennedy was piloting crashed into the Atlantic Ocean near Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts.
John Fitzgerald Kennedy, Jr., was born on November 25, 1960, just a few weeks after his father and namesake was elected the 35th president of the United States. On his third birthday, “John-John” attended the funeral of his assassinated father and was photographed saluting his father’s coffin in a famous and searing image. Along with his sister, Caroline, he was raised in Manhattan by his mother, Jacqueline. After graduating from Brown University and a very brief acting stint, he attended New York University Law School. He passed the bar on his third try and worked in New York as an assistant district attorney, winning all six of his cases. In 1995, he founded the political magazine George, which grew to have a circulation of more than 400,000.
Always in the media spotlight, he was celebrated for the good looks that he inherited from his parents. In 1988, he was named the “Sexiest Man Alive” by People magazine. He was linked romantically with several celebrities, including the actress Daryl Hannah, whom he dated for five years. In September 1996, he married girlfriend Carolyn Bessette, a fashion publicist. The two shared an apartment in New York City, where Kennedy was often seen inline skating in public. Known for his adventurous nature, he nonetheless took pains to separate himself from the more self-destructive behavior of some of the other men in the Kennedy clan.
On July 16, 1999, however, with about 300 hours of flying experience, Kennedy took off from Essex County airport in New Jersey and flew his single-engine plane into a hazy, moonless night. He had turned down an offer by one of his flight instructors to accompany him, saying he “wanted to do it alone.” To reach his destination of Martha’s Vineyard, he would have to fly 200 miles—the final phase over a dark, hazy ocean—and inexperienced pilots can lose sight of the horizon under such conditions. Unable to see shore lights or other landmarks, Kennedy would have to depend on his instruments, but he had not qualified for a license to fly with instruments only. In addition, he was recovering from a broken ankle, which might have affected his ability to pilot his plane.
At Martha’s Vineyard, Kennedy was to drop off his sister-in-law Lauren Bessette, one of his two passengers. From there, Kennedy and his wife, Carolyn, were to fly on to the Kennedy compound on Cape Cod’s Hyannis Port for the marriage of Rory Kennedy, the youngest child of the late Robert F. Kennedy. The Piper Saratoga aircraft never made it to Martha’s Vineyard. Radar data examined later showed the plane plummeting from 2,200 feet to 1,100 feet in a span of 14 seconds, a rate far beyond the aircraft’s safe maximum. It then disappeared from the radar screen.
Kennedy’s plane was reported missing by friends and family members, and an intensive rescue operation was launched by the Coast Guard, the navy, the air force, and civilians. After two days of searching, the thousands of people involved gave up hope of finding survivors and turned their efforts to recovering the wreckage of the aircraft and the bodies. Americans mourned the loss of the “crown prince” of one of the country’s most admired families, a sadness that was especially poignant given the relentless string of tragedies that have haunted the Kennedy family over the years.
On July 21, navy divers recovered the bodies of JFK Jr., his wife, and sister-in-law from the wreckage of the plane, which was lying under 116 feet of water about eight miles off the Vineyard’s shores. The next day, the cremated remains of the three were buried at sea during a ceremony on the USS Briscoe, a navy destroyer. A private mass for JFK Jr. and Carolyn was held on July 23 at the Church of St. Thomas More in Manhattan, where the late Jackie Kennedy Onassis worshipped. President Bill Clinton and his wife, Hillary Rodham Clinton, were among the 300 invited guests. The Kennedy family’s surviving patriarch, Senator Edward M. Kennedy of Massachusetts, delivered a moving eulogy: “From the first day of his life, John seemed to belong not only to our family, but to the American family. He had a legacy, and he learned to treasure it. He was part of a legend, and he learned to live with it.”
Investigators studying the wreckage of the Piper Saratoga found no problems with its mechanical or navigational systems. In their final report released in 2000, the National Transportation Safety Board concluded that the crash was caused by an inexperienced pilot who became disoriented in the dark and lost control.
From: Biography.com
JFK Jr. got his pilot’s license only a year prior to the crash
On the morning of July 16, Kennedy reconciled with Bessette over the phone, writes C. David Heymann in American Legacy: The Story of John & Caroline Kennedy. The plan for the evening was to fly to Hyannis Port, Massachusetts, via a stop at Martha’s Vineyard to drop off Lauren. Kennedy and Bessette were scheduled to attend the wedding of Kennedy’s cousin, Rory Kennedy.
Kennedy and Lauren left Manhattan for the Essex County Airport in New Jersey – where Kennedy’s high-performance Piper Saratoga light plane was waiting – a little after 6:30 p.m. Carolyn arrived separately, sometime after 8 p.m. Coinciding with sunset, the Federal Aviation Administration cleared the plane for takeoff at 8:38 p.m.
Kennedy, who attained his pilot’s license a year previous, was in the pilot’s seat of the plane he purchased less than three months prior. The Bessette sisters sat side by side behind him. Following takeoff, Kennedy checked in with the control tower at Martha’s Vineyard, but the plane was reported missing after it failed to arrive on time.
The weather and Kennedy’s ‘failure to maintain control of the airplane’ were factors in the accident
Following an exhaustive search, fragments of the plane were discovered on July 19. A day later divers found the remains of the shattered plane strewn over a broad area of seabed. The search ended July 21, when the three bodies were recovered from the ocean floor.
The National Transportation Safety Board determined pilot’s error was the probable cause of the crash, due to Kennedy’s “failure to maintain control of the airplane during a descent over water at night, which was a result of spatial disorientation. Factors in the accident were haze and the dark night.” Autopsies conducted on the evening of July 21 revealed the victims had died upon impact.
And now for the alternate theory…
One of the interesting details that was reported early was a witness describing seeing a bright flash in the sky (a bomb perhaps?) and that of a beacon being spotted in a totally different location from where the plane was eventually found. (Perhaps to ensure that rescue would be too late?) Both accounts have “disappeared”. There are additional questions and problems with the generally accepted “official” story detailed in this person’s article. He includes a conversation with the local (?) newspaper that carried the report of the bright flash of light in the sky–and his inability to obtain any information from the newspaper about the witness. This is a long article with a lot of contradicting details and explanations.
A must-have herb in a culinary garden, oregano is easy to grow and perfect for beginners. Started in spring, oregano grows well in containers or even as ground cover along a path. Here’s how to plant, grow, and harvest oregano—plus how to use oregano!
Belonging to the mint family, or Lamiaceae, oregano is a woody perennial plant. It’s a robust herb with a peppery bite and a minty aroma. In the Greek language, the word oregano means “joy of the mountain” and it’s certainly a popular herb for any Mediterranean cuisine.
Oregano adds savory flavor to pizza, tomato sauce, and really anything tomato as well as cooked summer vegetables such as zucchini and eggplant, a Greek salad, kabobs, roasted potatoes, white beans, a vinaigrette, and any egg dish.
The perennial herb produces long trailing stems which looks pretty spilling over a container or as a bright green leafy ground cover, especially along a path. White flowers bloom in late summer.
Oregano also makes a good companion plant in the vegetable garden.
Planting
Oregano loves the sun, so ensure that your placement has full sun for strong flavor. Offer partial shade if growing in hot climates.
Plant anytime in the spring, once you’re well past chance of frost. Some folks plant later in the season for assured warm weather. The soil should be around 70ºF.
For a head start, plant the seeds/cuttings 6 to 10 weeks before the last spring frost. (See local frost dates.)
Oregano can easily be started from seeds, though you can also use cuttings from an established plant.
Before planting, mix in several inches of organic matter such as compost. If you’re growing in containers, use a quality potting mix.
Plant 8 to 10 inches apart. The plants will grow 1 to 2 feet tall and spread about 18 inches.
Growing
Allow oregano plants to grow to about 4 inches tall and then pinch or trim lightly to encourage a denser and bushier plant. Regular trimming will not only cause the plant to branch again, but also avoid legginess.
Oregano doesn’t need quite as much water as most herbs. As the amount of watering depends on many variables, just water when the soil feels dry to the touch. Remember that it’s better to water thoroughly and less often.
If you have a container, water until the water comes out of the drainage holes in the bottom of the container.
At the end of the season, you can move pots indoors for the winter; cut dead stems in the spring before new growth. In warmer climates, protect plants with mulch.
To ensure the best-quality plants, thin out plants that are 3 or 4 years old in the early spring. Oregano is self-seeding, so the plants will easily grow back.
You can divide the plants in late spring if you want to put one indoors.
Recommended Varieties
Greek oregano (Origanum vulgare var. hirtum) for cooking.
Common oregano for decoration (its white-lavender flowers look pretty in the garden and are also used in wreaths).
Harvesting
Harvest the leaves with sharp shears as you need them, once the plant is several inches tall. This will encourage new growth. Just don’t harvest more than one-third of the plant at a time.
The most flavor-filled leaves are found in mid-summer, right before the flowers bloom.
You can freeze the leaves to use during the winter. Oregano leaves store well and are easily dried. Keep them in an airtight container once dried.
Gardening Products
Wit and Wisdom
Oregano tea relaxes nerves and settles an upset stomach.
Fresh oregano is a great antibacterial agent and loaded with antioxidants as well as an excellent source of fiber, vitamin K, iron, vitamin E, and calcium. It was once used in many old-fashioned herbal remedies.
Oregano plants are said to symbolize “substance.”
Cooking Notes
Crush or chop oregano leaves by hand before adding them to a dish in order to release the flavorful essential oils contained within. For cooked dishes, it’s best to add oregano leaves at the end of cooking process or they won’t hold up well.
Philadelphia has a well-earned reputation as a great sandwich city. How many other cities, after all, can lay claim, as Philadelphia does, to the invention of three iconic sandwiches? According to Visit Philadelphia, the city’s sandwich trinity is comprised of the hoagie, the roast pork sandwich, and the Philly cheesesteak, with their respective creations most likely occurring in that order. The roast pork sandwich, for instance, had its genesis in Italy, but the Philadelphia version was created by Domenico Bucci in 1930 in a South Philly eatery that’s now named for his son: John’s Roast Pork.
The hoagie is the only one of the three iconic sandwiches without a verifiable origin story. One theory, related by Visit Philadelphia, credits its birth around the turn of the 20th century to Italian-American dock workers at the Hog Island shipyard who reportedly referred to their oversized sandwiches as “hoggies”; a name that evolved into hoagies. If this is true, then members of Philadelphia’s thriving Italian-American community were responsible for inventing all three of the city’s iconic sandwiches. Italian migration to the city spiked during the latter half of the 19th century, notes The Encyclopedia of Greater Philadelphia, with many newcomers settling in South Philadelphia where at least two of the three sandwiches were born.
As for the Philly cheesesteak, its origin elicits almost no arguments. Just about everybody in Philadelphia — outside rival cheesesteak restaurants — agrees about who invented this comfort food masterpiece and when.
It all started in 1930, when Pat Olivieri began operating a hot dog cart near the Italian Market in South Philadelphia, Philadelphia Magazine relays its oral history of the city’s most famous sandwich. As the story goes, one lunchtime that same year, Olivieri was in the mood for something else to eat and sent his brother to a local butcher shop for meat. Olivieri cooked the chopped beef on his cart’s grill, scooping it into an Italian roll with onions, according to Pat’s King of Steaks website (the namesake restaurant that Olivieri subsequently established across from the old hot dog stand). A passing cab driver was intrigued and asked for the same thing. Per the restaurant’s site, the cab driver reportedly said, “Hey … forget ’bout those hot dogs, you should sell these,” after scarfing the sandwich down.
From this propitious incident, a legend was born … or was it? The origin story for the Philly cheesesteak is noticeably absent of one crucial ingredient: Cheese. As Philadelphia Magazine explains, the Philly steak sandwich didn’t include cheese until the 1940s when a boozy restaurant manager at Pat’s King of Steaks named “Cocky Joe” Lorenza decided to add some provolone. That’s when the authentic Philly cheesesteak was born.
Nowadays, observes Visit Philadelphia, there are several acceptable Philly cheesesteak cheese options, including Cheeze Whiz and American cheese. Each has its share of diehard partisans, but given the history, provolone remains the most traditional option.
By Chris Sands/Aug. 26, 2022
Pat’s note: Hubby prefers a chicken cheesesteak and I prefer a regular one minus the cheese, sauce and onions…LOL. Plain Jane out.
Of all the colors you’d associate with a goblin, I bet pink wasn’t one of them. However, this color goes come from a trait that’s much more in line with a mythical demon from the middle- ages. Goblin sharks have wrinkled, translucent skin, and through this, it’s their blood that gives them a murky, pink or purplish-grey tinge.
They grow into their noses
When they’re little, they’re equipped with disproportionately huge noses. While they never fully reach healthy proportions, this nose doesn’t grow as fast as the shark’s body does, so it does start to look a little better on them. Still, these are some ugly fish. With the weird jaws and the wrinkly skin, the oversized schnoz doesn’t do them any favors in the looks department.
Fortunately for the shark, it’s very dark in the deep, and the nose is packed with an array of electroreceptors called ampullae of Lorenzini that help it identify tiny little heartbeats of tiny little food items in the inky blackness.
They have atrophied bodies
These sharks seem to have small fins, weak skeletons, and poorly-developed muscular and visual systems. Indeed, most of what we might consider useful adaptions in an animal are missing from this one. And yet, it is supremely well adapted. This shark has been living in the deep ocean, relatively unchanged for over 125 million years.
Along with its heartbeat-detecting snout, the goblin shark has rapidly-extendible jaws that attach to an expandable, muscular mouth and throat. The ugly, ragged teeth are also not as haphazard as they seem. They’re perfect for impaling deep-sea, slippery fish.
They’re probably ambush predators
These adaptations suggest that the best way for this shark to hunt is to quietly approach prey in the dark and rapidly lunge at it with open jaws. From studying the jaws specifically, it seems that they’re able to lock down under pressure, in a retracted position, storing elastic energy in special ligaments that can be released to catapult the mouth forward, around the prey.
These jaws are said to be possibly up to nine times more protrusible than in other sharks and can be re-opened and closed again in a unique hunting pattern that’s not seen in other species.
It’s thought that this is the best way for the shark to compensate for its terrible body and inability to swim fast to catch prey.
The goblin shark has many teeth arranged in multiple rows
The upper jaw contains anywhere between 35 and 53 rows of teeth. Then there’s the lower jaw which has 31 to 62 rows of teeth. The teeth located in the main part of the jaw are narrow and long and are even more so the closer they are to the midpoint of the jaw. These teeth are also finely grooved and pointy to ‘spear’ prey, not actually crush it. It’s thought that goblin sharks will then swallow prey whole.
We don’t really know much more about it
As with so many creatures of the deep, what we know about the Goblin shark comes mostly down to a handful of dead specimens and scant footage. This means that behavioral information is sorely lacking, as is anything involving where they go and what they do. We can assume a lot from the physiology of specimens that are collected, but there are still plenty of secrets to be discovered about this elusive, deep-water shark.
They’re not caught very often
And these specimens are few and far between because somehow, the goblin shark avoids even being picked up as by-catch by trawling fisher nets. Examples have been found scattered all over the world, usually caught alone, leading researchers to assume that these sharks are solitary. Population numbers are impossible to estimate, and their geographical range is still uncertain.
This is a truly deep-sea animal
The goblin shark has been caught in depths of between 890 and 3,150 feet and as deep as 4,300 feet. A goblin shark tooth has been located lodged in an undersea cable at a depth of 4,490 feet. Adults are known to inhabit the deeper waters than juveniles and there have been reports of the odd goblin shark found in shallow inshore waters of 130 feet. The odd one has also been caught in fishing nets in the Gulf of Mexico and in the Sri Lanka region.
In 2003, there was a mystery gathering just off the coast of Taiwan
One strange event that might hold clues to goblin shark behavior was a peculiar moment in 2003 where it’s said that between 100 and 300 individuals were caught by fishermen around the same time. Was this a mating group, or a feeding frenzy? Or could it have had something to do with the corresponding earthquake, flushing them out of their submarine canyon habitats? It certainly creates more questions than it answers, and, frustratingly, a more recent paper claims that only 14 goblin sharks were caught during the event.
Even so, the species had never been found in the area previously and has never been seen there again. So as usual, the shark manages to keep its secrets.
The goblin shark diet sometimes includes man-made items
Sadly, there has been evidence of Goblin Sharks eating garbage that is found near the ocean floor – the natural habitat of this water creature.
They’re listed as Least Concern, but should they be?
The IUCN has classified goblin sharks as unworthy of any protective intervention, and this is usually a good thing. The fact that they don’t seem to be scooped in nets very often might suggest that they’re relatively safe from commercial fishing. Even marine biologists hardly ever receive specimens for study. However, so little is known about these animals that it might be a little hasty to assume they’re doing just fine. Then again, the deep is a habitat that weathers all kinds of environmental shifts far above it, remaining relatively stable in terms of temperature and salinity. Whether oxygen levels are stable this deep, on ecological timescales, we don’t know, but so far, for the last 125 million years or so, goblin sharks have been doing just fine.
We just have to hope that our fisheries aren’t wiping out their only remaining food sources.
Emotional, intuitive, and practically psychic; ruled by the moon and characterized by the crab, Cancer has so much going on in its watery depths. Cancer signs may seem prickly and standoffish at first meeting, once they make the decision to become friends with someone, that person has a friend for life.
Most Cancer signs have been called psychic at some point, and with good reason—Cancer can often intuit relationships, ideas, and motivations before anyone has actually spoken. That can make for challenging interactions with this sign—Cancer hates small talk, especially when it contains white lies (like saying, “How nice to see you!” when it’s clear that both parties would rather avoid each other). That’s why social gatherings can be overwhelming for Cancers. They’d much rather spend time in small groups where everyone is on the same page.
In romance, Cancer is a giving and generous lover and expects the same in return. The Crab is above mind games and hates the thrill of the chase—if you love someone, why not say it now? It’s not uncommon for Cancer to fall into committed love after just a few days or weeks, and even though that decision is sudden, it can easily last a lifetime. Cancers tends to be happiest when they’re part of a pair, and the best relationship brings out their greatest traits. But even though a Cancer thrives in a duo, he or she also has an independent streak, and needs plenty of time to do things solo. This sign has an active internal life, and is often are happy living in the realm of imagination. Sometimes Cancers need help from one of the more grounded signs to make their dreams a reality.
Cancer loves creating and needs some type of creative outlet, whether it’s painting, writing, or even just reading. Cancer also loves connecting to a higher power, and may find comfort in religion or spiritual practices. And even though Crabs can be intense, they also have a funny side with a wry sense of humor, and they’re adept at observing and mimicking people around them.
Finally, Cancer is incredibly loyal, sometimes to a fault. Cancers will go to the ends of the earth and even against their own beliefs to help someone they love. Learning how to step up for what they believe in—even if it means turning down or against a friend—is a lifelong lesson for Cancer. As the emotional heart of the Zodiac, this sign teaches everyone else that, while there’s so much in life that we may not be able to see, we should still pay attention to the unseen because it does exist—and we do need it!
Cancer’s Love Style
Sensual, passionate, and super in tune with their bodies, Cancers are highly attuned to love and physical sensation—as long as they can trust enough to let down their barriers and allow another person into their world.
Cancer Friendship Style
Cancers may turn down the first invite you give them. They may even turn down the fifth. But once they finally say yes, know that you may have found a real friend. While Cancers, like their spirit animal the Crab, are known for their thick outer shell, trust that the standoffishness is all an act.
Cancer Career, Money & Success Traits
Cancer’s greatest career strength: Intuition. Affiliated with Artemis, goddess of the hunt, Cancer knows which way the wind will blow, work-wise, before there’s a memo or email.
Cancer’s Greatest Gifts
With off-the-charts emotional intelligence, Cancer quickly cuts through the BS and noise to the heart of an issue. Crabs don’t need all the facts and figures to know the right course of action, and their ability to trust intuition without judgment can aid them well. This gift is one that other Zodiac signs can learn from and be inspired by.
Today is the anniversary of a gruesome murder in a small town in Missouri. “Despite there being dozens of witnesses, no one has ever been arrested or charged…” This story was written in 2021 and I do not believe anything has or will change since.
True Crime
Bully’s murder remains a secret in Missouri town for 40 years
by: Kevin S. Held
Posted: Jul 13, 2021 / 12:35 PM CDT
Updated: Jul 13, 2021 / 01:31 PM CDT
This is an archived article and the information in the article may be outdated. Please look at the time stamp on the story to see when it was last updated.
SKIDMORE, Mo. – Tucked away in the northwest corner of Missouri is a small, dusty town 46 miles north of St. Joseph with a decades-old secret.
This past weekend marked the 40th anniversary of the killing of Ken Rex McElroy of Skidmore. And despite there being dozens of witnesses, no one has ever been arrested or charged in connection with McElroy’s murder.
In short: no one saw anything.
Ken McElroy died in a hail of gunfire on the morning of July 10, 1981, while sitting in his truck outside a local tavern. He was known as the town bully, but they may be putting it mildly.
In the decades preceding his murder, McElroy terrorized the denizens of Skidmore. He was accused or suspected of dozens of crimes, including theft, livestock rustling, burglary, arson, assault, rape, and child molestation. He was charged 21 times in theft cases but was said to have avoided conviction through witness intimidation, either by direct confrontation or by parking his truck outside their home.
McElroy raped a 12-year-old girl and, to avoid statutory rape charges, he divorced his wife at the time and married the child when she was 14 – and pregnant with their baby. McElroy burned down the girl’s home and shot her family’s dog to force her parents to agree to the marriage. He torched the home and shot the dog—again—after the girl went into hiding with her and McElroy’s baby.
In July 1976, McElroy pulled a shotgun on farmer Romaine Henry and shot the man in the stomach. Henry survived and McElroy was charged with assault with intent to kill. However, when the matter came to trial, McElroy’s attorney produced a pair of witnesses who testified they were hunting with McElroy that day and he was nowhere near the scene of the shooting. McElroy was found not guilty.
In 1980, McElroy shot the 70-year-old town grocer in the neck following a months-old dispute over an accusation about a piece of stolen candy. The grocer lived and McElroy was again arrested and charged with attempted murder. McElroy was convicted of assault but let out of jail awaiting appeal. He went about making public threats against the grocer while armed with a rifle.
On the morning of July 10, 1981, several townspeople met with the Nodaway County sheriff at a local hall to discuss what could be done about McElroy. The sheriff suggested they form a neighborhood watch and advised the group not to confront the man. Meanwhile, McElroy and his wife arrived at the D&G Tavern for a morning drink.
After the sheriff left town, the group walked from the hall and went down the street to the tavern. McElroy eventually left the tavern and got into his pickup truck with his wife, but the mob of people followed the pair outside. According to reports, some 50 people were outside the tavern when the shooting started.
McElory was struck by two different firearms and died behind the wheel of his truck. McElroy’s wife was not injured and escaped the vehicle. According to a report, no one called an ambulance.
Local authorities, including a coroner’s jury and a local grand jury, and even the FBI, investigated the killing but to no avail. McElroy’s wife named one person as a possible gunman, but no one could—or would—identify who fired the shots. She eventually filed a wrongful death against the town, the county, and some citizens but the matter was settled out of court.
McElroy’s wife—whom he victimized as a child—remarried and moved to Lebanon, Missouri. She died of cancer on Jan. 24, 2012; it was her 55th birthday.
The case inspired a book, In Broad Daylight by Harry McLean, and a 1991 TV movie of the same name starring Brian Dennehy. A&E, Rolling Stone, Playboy, 60 Minutes, and other media outlets covered the story in print or television. In 2019, the McElroy killing was the subject of a docuseries on SundanceTV. Buzzfeed’s Unsolved Network produced a 24-minute true crime documentary on the shooting.
Today is National Sugar Cookie Day, so I brought my favorite sugar cookie recipe!
FULL DISCLAIMER: I never frost my cookies; i use colored sugars. But this cookie has a nice firm and crunchy texture that would definitely lend itself to icing if desired.
I have over a hundred cookie cutters in shapes for every holiday and some for every day. I make these cookies several times a year. The recipe makes a huge can of cookies and you’ll want to store them in a can to keep their crispness.
Ultimate Sugar Cookies
1 ¼ cups sugar
1 crisco stick
2 eggs
¼ cup light corn syrup
1 Tablespoon clear vanilla
1 Tablespoon butter flavoring
3 cups flour
¾ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
Colored decorative sugars
Combine the sugar and butter in a large bowl. (A mixer can be used, I use my hands.) Add eggs, syrup and flavorings. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Gradually add the flour mixture to the creamed mixture.
Gather the dough and shape into a log and wrap in waxed paper. I usually chill the dough overnight but it should be chilled for at least an hour.
Cut dough in to hunks and roll out dough on a floured surface. Cut into shapes and sprinkle colored sugars onto cookies before baking. Bake at 350* for 5 to 9 minutes depending on the thickness of the rolled dough shapes.
/growing-oregano-plants-1402818-11-ce2a0899a12e4767a5ec71340464f508.jpg)
Sew Colorful 