Happy Birthday Theodor Suess Geisel—Dr. Suess!

I found an interesting article about Dr. Suess since today is his birthday! He was born February 2, 1904 and he passed away September 24, 1991.  Today is also National Read Across America Day! This article details 20 interesting facts about Dr. Suess.

From Parade.com:

20 Dr. Seuss Facts You Didn’t Know

1. Dr. Seuss was voted “Least Likely to Succeed” by his classmates at Dartmouth College (1921–25).

2. And to Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street, his first children’s book, was rejected 27 times before getting published in 1937.

3. Dr. Seuss is credited with inventing the word “nerd,” which first appeared in If I Ran the Zoo in 1950.

4. Green Eggs and Ham was written on a $50 bet when his publisher challenged him to write a book using 50 words or less.

5. Celebrities who’ve voiced or acted as characters in TV shows and movies based on Dr. Seuss books and stories include Boris Karloff and Jim Carrey (How the Grinch Stole Christmas), Mike Myers (The Cat in the Hat), Danny DeVito (The Lorax) and Jim Carrey, again (Horton Hears a Who!).

6. The Dr. Seuss National Memorial Sculpture Garden in Springfield, Massachusetts, features sculptures of him and many of his characters.

7. Dr. Seuss comes by his love of verse from his mother, who used to make up rhymes based on pie flavors for him when he was a child.

8. Before finding success as a children’s author, Dr. Seuss earned his livelihood creating ads for an advertising agency.

9. At one point, Dr. Seuss’ father ran the local zoo, which is when Dr. Seuss began sketching animals.

10. Seuss added ‘Dr.’ to his name for his father, who had hoped he would become a medical doctor.

11. Dr. Seuss liked that “Soose” rhymed with Mother Goose, so he adopted that pronunciation, rather than “Soice,” which is the correct German pronunciation.

12. From 1943 to 1946, Geisel served as a captain (and ultimately lieutenant colonel) in the animation department of the Army’s 1st Motion Picture Unit and was sent to Hollywood to produce World War II propaganda cartoons featuring the military misadventures of Private Snafu.

13. After WWII, Seuss and his wife, Helen, lived in an old observation tower on a mountain outside La Jolla, California.

14. Dr. Seuss’s personalized license plate read “GRINCH.”

15. After publishing The Cat in the Hat and How the Grinch Stole Christmas in 1957, Dr. Seuss began receiving thousands of fan letters—so many that the Random House mailroom began weighing rather than counting the letters. In one year, they reported that Dr. Seuss received 9,267 pounds of mail.

16. The title character of Yertle the Turtle was based on Adolf Hitler.

17. Seuss was awarded the Pulitzer Prize in 1984, the first person to win for writing children’s books.

18. After graduating from Dartmouth, he enrolled at the University of Oxford but dropped out in 1927.

19. Dr. Seuss had no biological children. His second wife, Audrey Dimond, had two daughters.

20. His influence even reached the scientific community, where an Ecuadorian jumping spider is named after The Lorax. The Lapsias lorax has yellow markings near its mouth, which resemble the mustache of its literary counterpart.

SOURCE: PARADE.COM

DIY: Spring Cleaning for Your Garden & Lawn: Part 1

Spring is the perfect time to begin lawn and garden projects!  This article from thegardeningcook.com shows you how to get started.

From thegardeningcook:

These early spring garden projects will get a jump start on your garden and will get you outside too! From lawn care ideas to tips for growing perennials in the spring, i’ve got you covered. I know that in most parts of the country, the ground is still covered with snow, but as any good gardener will tell you, “it’s never too early to start thinking about spring gardening!” Spring is just around the corner and daylight savings on the horizon, so now is the time to think of getting our gardens ready. Are you like me in the late winter?  As soon as the sun starts to shine and the temps go up a bit, I seem to feel that urge to get out there and do something. Many times though, it’s far too early to plant anything. However, there are lots of things that you can do to get ready. 

Get your garden ready now with these early spring garden projects

NOW is the time to get started on some very early spring gardening tasks.  These are my tried and true early spring garden projects that will make sure I get these results year after year.

1. Prepare for early lawn care

This is at the top of my early spring garden projects for a reason.   A lush, green lawn is such an important part of a great garden.  We all enjoy entertaining in the summer, and a wonderful lawn adds so much to the atmosphere of your garden setting.  Early spring is the time to take stock of the condition of your lawn after a winter of it not growing.  It will show what needs to be done to get it ready for spring when you can easily see the problems lurking there. I have a lot of lawn area and the back yard has quite a few weeds growing.  It definitely needs some TLC in the spring. I’ll start by raking my lawn early in the spring to remove dead grown and winter debris.  This brings light as well as air to the soil, which encourages the grass to grow.  Now is the perfect time to care for your lawn.  Don’t wait until the heat of summer hits.  When you are hosting a barbecue party in summer and your lawn is lush and green, you’ll be glad you started now.

2. Clean and repair birdhouses

Some birds visit us all year round here in NC and many really start visiting when the weather starts to turn warm.  Now is the time to check the birdhouses.  Make sure they are firmly mounted. Clean bird feeds and fill them with fresh seed, once they are dry.   Consider creating a pile of nesting materials in your yard where the birds can easily take stuff to make their nests. This little bird house needs a makeover this year.  It belonged to my mother who died last year and I will treasure it once I fix the damaged parts.

Now is the time to clear away the junk

One of my most needed early spring garden projects is cleaning up after winter.  Winter can be hard on a garden.   All sorts of garden debris and other refuse seems to gather everywhere around the yard.

3. Clear away refuse

Check the drainage ditches and walk around your yard to see what can be gathered and put out for garden refuse pick up. Our local authority allows me to put yard debris out every week and I have a whole row of old trash cans just waiting for this job.  Plants and lawns grow best in soil that drains well, so gather up those leaves, gather the weeds, and clean out the drainage ditches!  If you have a compost pile, even better.  I use a rolling compost pile. It is not very pretty, as this picture shows, but it is VERY easy to turn and all that yard refuse will turn into “black gold” that will work miracles in my garden and on my lawns. This pile is just LOADED with rich hummus under all the refuse.  Dumping my winter time yard refuse on this pile makes the clean-up part quite easy.

4. Tend to the bird baths

My bird baths are often discolored by the end of the winter.  They all need a good cleaning and scrubbing and then need to be refilled with water.

5. Think spring bulbs

Many spring bulbs start sending up leaf shoots during some warm winter days and then suffer a bit from a cold snap by getting brown edges to the leaves. The bulbs are just fine, they need the cold before they start sending up the flowers, but you can trim the leaves a bit to tidy things up.   While you are at it, make a sketch of where the spring bulbs are and put it in your gardening planner.  Once they have stopped growing, it will be hard to know where to plant your perennials without a sketch showing you where the bulbs are underground.

6 Check your mulched areas

This job is at the top of my must-dos of early spring garden projects. I have 9 large garden beds so I spend a lot of time (and money) on mulching every year.  And no matter how nicely the mulched areas looked last fall, there are still areas where the mulch has degraded or (it sometimes seems) just plain disappeared!  Add composted leaf mulch to the bare areas so that the weeds that we all know are lurking there won’t be able to grow as easily.

7 Check your outdoor seating areas

Last year, I bought new patio cushions for my seating area which rests under a huge Magnolia tree. By mid-winter, the cushions were a green mess and I honestly thought I would need to throw them away. But I threw them in the washing machine with some spray on stain remover (it took two washes) and they look almost like new.  Note to self:  Next year, put the patio cushions in the shed in the fall!  One of my summer projects for this seating area is going to be to sand the seat and bench and give it a fresh coat of paint in a dark green color. Stay tuned for the transformation.

8 Touch up yard decorations

Of all of my early spring garden projects, this one is my favorite.  I love to add decor to my garden.  Do you have some yard decorations that will need a touch up to look their best for spring and summer?  I have an old mail box that I salvaged from a make-over that I did last summer.  I plan to use to hold my gardening tools, and have a garden decoration too.  It’s very rusty, but will make a great project for early spring when I can’t actually be gardening. I plan to paint it and stencil on the side. It will make a lovely yard decoration when done.

9 Cut back ornamental grasses

I let my Japanese Silver grass get very tall in the winter because it sends up beautiful plums above the plant. But early spring is the time to cut it right now to about 6 inches to encourage lush growth during the spring and summer. If I leave this plant for even a few more weeks, ALL of these fronds will be covering my garden bed.  Now is the time to prune them.

SOURCE: THEGARDENINGCOOK.COM

Nevada State Mammal” Big Horn Sheep

The bighorn sheep is a majestic species of animal native to western North America. They are considered a “big game” trophy in many parts of the world and have been hunted by humans for their meat and fur since ancient times. Bighorn sheep are not only the largest sheep in North America, they are also wild. In this article, you’ll learn 8 facts about bighorn sheep.

8 Facts about bighorn sheep

These magnificent mammals are some of the first animals that come to mind when we think of the North American West and they were once a major source of food and income for humans living in areas where they reside.

1 The bighorn sheep is one of two wild sheep species in North America with large horns

Bighorn sheep are not the only wild sheep in North America with large horns. The other is the Dall sheep, which is found in Alaska and Canada. But unlike the Dall sheep, bighorn sheep are found throughout western North America, with populations in the US states of Arizona, California, Colorado, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, and Washington as well as the Canadian provinces of Alberta, British Columbia, and Saskatchewan.

2 The bighorn sheep has 3 subspecies

The Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep, the desert bighorn sheep, and the Sierra Nevada bighorn sheep are each a part of the single bighorn sheep subspecies. Each subspecies has adaptations to help it survive, such as fur color and terrain.

The Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep is the largest of the 3 subspecies and has adaptations to survive its harsh surroundings. These sheep have large hooves that help them traverse rocky, mountainous terrain with ease. Additionally, they are able to eat plants found in these areas, such as grasses and shrubs. As a result, they have longer coats to help insulate them from the cold.

The desert bighorn sheep has adaptations to survive in its hot and arid climate. These sheep have shorter, coarser fur that can withstand intense heat, as well as large noses to help them avoid breathing in dust. They also tend to travel only at night when it is cool and avoid areas where there is a lot of vegetation.

The Sierra Nevada bighorn sheep has adaptations to survive its high, dry climate. These sheep have longer fur that helps insulate them from the cold, as well as large hooves that can help them traverse challenging terrain. Additionally, these sheep are also able to eat plants in their environments, such as fungi and woody shrubs.

3 Rams and ewes have differently shaped horns

Rams are male sheep and ewes are female sheep. A rams’ horns are thicker and curve forward and ewes have more slender horns that stick straight out from their heads. This difference is important for the sheep population to survive because rams use their horns as a defense against predators and competition from other males, as well as for fighting and courting females.

4 Bighorn sheep can climb steep cliffs without much effort

Bighorn sheep are known for their ability to climb steep cliffs with relative ease. They have strong neck muscles, and their hooves are able to cling to even the roughest of surfaces. These traits help them find food during certain times of the year when food may be scarce, such as in the winter months or in more arid regions. This adaptation also helps them to evade predators.

5 Bighorn sheep have 4-part stomachs

Bighorn sheep are ruminants, meaning that they have a four-part stomach. After their first meal, which usually consists of grass and other plants, bighorn sheep chew their cud – or regurgitated food – before digesting it again. Their digestive system is specially designed to let them eat and process fiber-rich vegetation from harsh environments.

6 Rams spend most of their lives in a bachelor flock

Rams leave their mother’s ewe group a few years after being born to go join a herd of rams. This is known as a bachelor flock. This bachelor herd can be anywhere from two rams to over 10 and they only leave the herd during mating season. The rams spend most of their lives in this bachelor flock.

7 Rams fight over who is allowed to mate with the ewes

It can be hard for rams younger than 7 or 8 years to mate. Bighorn sheep have a hierarchy that favors older rams with bigger horns, making it difficult for younger rams to find a mate. During the mating season, known as the rut, rams will compete against each other for dominance and the right to mate with ewes. This competition can take up to a month, with rams fighting aggressively using their horns to battle it out. Only one ram will be selected to mate with the ewes, and after mating, the victorious rams will return to their bachelor herds.

Despite these challenges, many younger rams are able to successfully find a mate during the rut. Ultimately, it all comes down to size and dominance – larger and older rams are more likely to win in the mating battles and are therefore more likely to find a mate. However, even small rams can get lucky if they manage to outsmart or intimidate their larger competitors.

8 The skulls of bighorn sheep are made for head-to-head combat that males engage in

The bighorn sheep is a species of large, sturdy-looking mammal with thick fur and huge curved horns. These horns can measure up to three feet in length, allowing the bighorns to engage in head-to-head combat with one another. The skulls of the males are particularly suited for this; they have thick bones that can withstand the repeated battering that occurs during fights. This is an important aspect of bighorn sheep adaptation, as competition for females is fierce among males.

SOURCE: WILDLIFEINFORMER.COM

National Pistachio Day!

Pistachios are rich in various nutrients and may support weight loss, gut health, blood sugar management, and heart health. They can be enjoyed in many recipes. Pistachio nuts are not only tasty and fun to eat, but also highly nutritious. In fact, these edible seeds of the Pistacia vera tree contain healthy fats and are a good source of protein, fiber, and antioxidants. Pistachio intake can be traced back nearly 300,000 years. Nowadays, they’re very popular in many dishes, including ice cream and desserts.

Here are 9 evidence-based health benefits of pistachios.

1 Loaded with nutrients

Pistachios are very nutritious, with a 1-ounce (oz), or 28-gram (g), serving of about 49 pistachios containing the following nutrients:

Calories: 159

Carbs: 8 g

Fiber: 3 g

Protein: 6 g

Fat: 13 g

Potassium: 6% of the Daily Value (DV)

Phosphorus: 11% of the DV

Vitamin B6: 28% of the DV

Thiamine: 21% of the DV

Copper: 41% of the DV

Manganese: 15% of the DV

Notably, pistachios are one of the most Vitamin B6-rich foods available. Vitamin B6 is important for several bodily functions including blood sugar regulation and the formation of hemoglobin, a molecule that carries oxygen in red blood cells. Pistachios are also rich in potassium, with 1 oz containing more potassium than half of a banana.

2 High in antioxidants

Antioxidants are molecules that help prevent cell damage and play a key role in reducing the risk of certain health conditions, such as cancer. Pistachios are a great source of antioxidants. They may also contain a higher amount than other varieties of nuts and seeds, according to some older studies. Pistachios are especially rich in lutein and zeaxanthin, two important antioxidants for eye health. These compounds help protect your eyes from damage caused by blue light and age-related macular degeneration, a condition in which your central vision is impaired or lost. They’re also rich in polyphenols and tocopherols, two types of antioxidants that may help protect against cancer and heart disease.

3 Low in calories yet high in protein

While nuts have many health benefits, they’re typically high in calories. If you’re managing your calorie intake, this could make it more difficult to fit them into your diet.  However, pistachios are among the lowest-calorie nuts. Each oz (28 g) of pistachios contains 159 calories, compared with 185 calories in walnuts and 196 calories in pecans. Protein also comprises about 14% of their calorie content, making pistachios second only to almonds when it comes to protein content. Plus, pistachios are rich in essential amino acids, which must be obtained through diet because your body cannot produce them.

4 May aid weight loss

Despite being an energy-dense food, pistachios are a great weight-loss-friendly food. Pistachios are rich in fiber and protein, both of which may contribute to weight loss by increasing feelings of fullness and helping you eat less. A 2020 review of 11 studies found that regular consumption of pistachios may be linked to a reduction in body mass index (BMI), which is used to estimate body fat. However, pistachios were not associated with changes in body weight or belly fat. A 2020 study also found that participants who ate pistachios experienced reductions in blood pressure, ate fewer sweets, and increased their fiber intake, all factors that may contribute to weight loss.  Another factor possibly contributing to pistachios’ weight loss properties is that their fat content might not be fully absorbed. Part of their fat content may be stuck within their cell walls, preventing it from being digested in the gut.  Lastly, in-shell pistachios may be good for mindful eating, as shelling the nuts takes time and slows the eating rate. A 2011 study found that individuals who ate in-shell pistachios consumed 41% fewer calories than those who ate shelled pistachios.

5 Promote healthy gut bacteria

Pistachios are high in fiber, with one serving containing 3 g. Fiber moves through your digestive system mostly undigested, and some types of fiber are digested by the good bacteria in your gut, acting as prebiotics. Gut bacteria then ferment the fiber and convert it into short-chain fatty acids, which may have several health benefits, including a reduced risk of developing digestive disorders, cancer, and heart disease. Butyrate is perhaps the most beneficial of these short-chain fatty acids.  In one 2014 study, eating pistachios increased the number of butyrate-producing bacteria in the gut to a greater extent than eating almonds.

6 May lower cholesterol and blood pressure

Pistachios may reduce your risk of heart disease in various ways. For instance, they could help lower blood cholesterol and improve blood pressure. Many studies on pistachios and blood lipids involve replacing part of the calories in a diet with pistachios. Up to 67% of the studies in a 2016 review found reductions in total and LDL (bad) cholesterol and increases in HDL (good) cholesterol. Meanwhile, none of these studies observed that eating pistachios harmed the blood lipid profile. Pistachios may also lower blood pressure more than other nuts. A 2015 review of 21 studies found that eating pistachios reduced systolic blood pressure by 1.82 millimeters of mercury (mmHg) and decreased diastolic blood pressure by 0.8 mmHg.

7 May promote blood vessel health

The endothelium is the inner lining of blood vessels. It’s important that it works properly, as endothelial dysfunction is a risk factor for heart disease. Vasodilation is the widening or dilating of blood vessels. Endothelial dysfunction is characterized by reduced vasodilation, which leads to decreased blood flow and increased blood pressure. Nitric oxide is a compound that plays an important role in vasodilation. It causes blood vessels to dilate by signaling the smooth cells in the endothelium to relax. Like most nuts, pistachios are a source of the amino acid L-arginine, which is converted into nitric oxide in the body. Therefore, these tiny nuts may play an important role in promoting blood vessel health. A 2014 study in 42 people who consumed 1.5 oz (40 g) of pistachios a day for 3 months showed improvements in markers of endothelial function and vascular stiffness. Proper blood flow is important for many bodily functions, including erectile function. In a 2019 study, regular consumption of nuts, including pistachios, was associated with improvements in sexual desire and orgasmic function in males.

8 May help lower blood sugar

Despite having a higher carb content than most nuts, pistachios have a low glycemic index. This means they don’t cause large blood sugar spikes. Research suggests that eating pistachios may help promote blood sugar regulation.  A 2020 review of six studies concluded that pistachios could significantly reduce fasting blood sugar and improve insulin resistance in people with type 2 diabetes, prediabetes, or metabolic syndrome. A 2024 study also found that eating 57 g of pistachios after dinner may be a good nighttime snack for people with prediabetes. Eating pistachios between dinner and bedtime had similar effects on glycemic, lipid, and blood glucose levels as traditional care.  Pistachio nuts are also rich in antioxidants, carotenoids, and phenolic compounds, all of which are beneficial for blood sugar regulation.

9 Delicious and fun to eat

Pistachios can be enjoyed in a variety of ways, such as:

on their own as a convenient, tasty snack

a garnish on pizzas, salads, fish, and desserts

in baking, such as in cheesecakes

in pesto or nut butters.

SOURCE: HEALTHLINE.COM

What Shall We Bake Today?

Today’s offering is a cookie I never heard of before—Hot Chocolate Cookies!

(There are many recipes for this cookie, but this one uses mini marshmallows while other recipes use what looks to be freeze dried marshmallow bits.  Many commenters to those recipes note the inability to find those bits anymore.)

Ingredients  

1/2 cup unsalted butter

3/4 cup chocolate chips

3/4 cup brown sugar

2 eggs

2 teaspoon vanilla

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup hot chocolate mix

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup of tiny or mini marshmallows

1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Instructions 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a metal cookie sheet with parchment paper.

In a large microwave-safe bowl, add butter and chocolate chips.

Melt in the microwave for 30 seconds, being careful not to burn the chocolate chips. Add 10 seconds at a time until all of the chocolate is melted. Let cool for 3 minutes.

Add sugar to chocolate and mix until smooth. Add egg one at a time and mix with each one. 

Add vanilla extract and mix. 

In a small bowl, add flour, hot chocolate mix, baking powder, baking soda, and salt and whisk until combined.

Add the flour mixture to the chocolate mixture and mix just until all the flour is incorporated. Let the batter sit for about five minutes to let it absorb the flour. Fold in marshmallows and chocolate chips. 

Scoop batter onto a cookie sheet and bake for 10 minutes. 

Remove from oven and add a few mini marshmallows on top to make the cookies look prettier.

After about 10 minutes, move the cookies over to a wire rack to cool.

ENJOY!

You Look Like You Love Me

Every once and again, a song catches your fancy and forms an earworm.  This duet by Ella Langley and Riley Green has done just that.  “Excuse me…”

    Ella Langley:
    I was all but 22 / I think at the time / I’d been out on the road / Lonely at night / And it’d been a while / So it was on my mind.

    Well, I saw him walk in / With his cowboy hat / And I thought to myself / I could use some of that / His boots like glass on a sawdust floor / Had moves like nothin’ I’d ever seen before.

    So I walked right up / And I pulled him to the side / I handed him a beer and looked him right in the eye / And I said Baby, I think you’re gonna wanna hear this / Then I told him …

    Chorus:
    Excuse me / You look like you love me / You look like you want me / To want you to come on home / And baby, I don’t blame you / For lookin’ me up and down across this room / I’m drunk and I’m ready to leave / And you look like you love me.

    Riley Green:
    Well, I was down at the local beer joint with a few of the guys / When this cute little country girl caught my eye / And boy, let me tell you / She was the prettiest thing I’d ever seen in a pair of boots / Well, she walked right up to me, handed me a beer / Gave me a look like, let’s get outta here / And that’s when I realized that she was every cowboy’s dream come true / She told me this right here, she said …

    Repeat Chorus

    Alright, now.

    So if you ever see a man in a cowboy hat / And you think to yourself / I could use some of that / Don’t waste your time / Just give ’em this here line / Goes a little like this.

    Repeat Chorus

    Nebraska State Mammal: White Tail Deer

    SO many states have the white-tailed deer as their state mammal, and I am not going to repeat the basic facts about them over and over again.  I decided to take a look at BAMBI (a baby white tail deer) and see what we may not have known about the movie.

    From Mental Floss:

    It’s pretty commonplace for at least one parent to meet a tragic end in a Disney movie, but the death of Bambi’s mother is definitely one of the most heartbreaking, even more than 70 years later. It took Walt Disney and his animators a while to figure out how they wanted to show that pivotal scene; they considered letting viewers see the actual shot before deciding to go with a more subtle approach. That’s just one fact you might not have known about the classic animal film—read on for 12 more.

    1 LIKE MANY DISNEY MOVIES, BAMBI WAS BASED ON A BOOK.

    The novel, Bambi: A Life in the Woods was intended for adults, not children. If audiences thought the death of Bambi’s mother was a bit harsh, they obviously hadn’t reviewed the source material: Among other things, Bambi’s father shows him the corpse of a man who had been shot by his fellow hunter to show that humans weren’t immortal.

    2 BAMBI AUTHOR FELIX SALTEN MADE ALMOST NOTHING FROM THE MOVIE.

    Felix Salten sold the American film rights to director Sidney Franklin for a mere $1000. Franklin, in turn, sold it to Disney, writing to him, “I would want it to be one of the greatest things ever attempted and done.” Disney paid homage to Franklin in the credits.

    3 THE BOOK WAS BANNED IN GERMANY.

    The Nazis believed Salten’s book could be viewed as an allegory for the plight of Jewish people in Europe. They banned it in 1936.

    4 THE ANIMATORS STUDIED DEER EXTENSIVELY TO GET THE MOVEMENTS JUST RIGHT.

    Artists spoke to animal experts, spent time at the Los Angeles Zoo, and watched nature films. They even got up close and personal with two deer donated to the studio. But animators really showed their dedication to the craft when they observed a deer corpse in various stages of decomposition for several evenings to see how the muscles and tendons really worked. “Unfortunately, each time he contracted or extended any part of the cadaver a rich aroma was pumped into the air,” animators Frank Thomas and Ollie Johnston recalled.

    5 THE ANIMATION WAS EXTREMELY TEDIOUS.

    Artists had to make sure that each spot on Bambi’s back was replicated perfectly in every frame. The attention to detail meant that animators were able to complete less work on a daily basis than they had on previous movies.

    “I wouldn’t hurry. I wanted it right. I wanted those animal characters in Bambi to be actors, not just cute things. I wanted acting on a plane with the highest acting in the finest live-action pictures,” Walt later explained. Bambi also used an oil painting technique that previous Disney pictures hadn’t, which also added to the timeline. According to Walt:

    “We took some of our top artists who worked in oils for their own enjoyment in their leisure time. They taught their technique to the watercolor men. There’s a vast difference in the two techniques, but I was set on oil painting, because of its quality. I figured oils would give a sheen to the forest and accentuate the depth. It worked, too, but perfecting a technique takes time.”

    6 WALT’S OWN DAUGHTER PROTESTED THE DEATH OF BAMBI’S MOTHER.

    When Diane Disney complained about the needless death, her dad explained that he was just following the book. She proceeded to point out other instances where his movies had veered off from the original material, and besides, she said, he was Walt Disney and could take whatever liberties he liked.

    7 “MAN IS IN THE FOREST” HAD DOUBLE MEANING.

    It’s uttered in the movie to warn of approaching humans, of course, but to Disney animators, it also meant something else: Walt was coming down the hallway, and anyone who was slacking needed to shape up immediately.

    8 THE MOVIE IS RATHER ECONOMICAL WITH ITS DIALOGUE.

    Although the animals in the movie speak, they don’t speak much; there are fewer than 900 words in the whole film.

    9 SOME OF BAMBI ‘S ANIMATION SEQUENCES WERE REUSED IN OTHER MOVIES.

    Over the years, Disney has often employed an animation technique called “rotoscoping,” where animators trace over the frames of old footage to use it in a different environment. Check out this video for a few examples of how animation from Bambi and other early films ended up in later movies.

    10 THE STUDIO CONSIDERED A BAMBI “ROAD SHOW.”

    Instead of a standard release, the road show would have placed the movie in theaters specially outfitted with advanced sound systems and limited the number of daily showings. 

    11 BAMBI LATER BECAME A CAREER MARINE.

    In 1940, six-year-old Donnie Dunagan was picked for the role of a lifetime: Disney hired him to provide the voice for the lead role in his newest animated feature, Bambi. Dunagan retired from acting after that, and became a decorated career Marine—and its youngest-ever drill instructor, in fact. He served in the Vietnam War and was wounded three times.

    Dunagan didn’t want to give recruits or commanding officers any extra reason to harass him, so he kept his mouth shut about his child acting past for the duration of his entire career. He says it didn’t come up until he was two months away from retirement, and, swamped with other things, balked at completing a task an officer had asked him to do.

    “General, when do you think I’m going to have time to do that?” Dunagan asked. And that’s when the general revealed that he had some very interesting intel:

    “He looked at me, pulled his glasses down like some kind of college professor. There’s a big, red, top-secret folder that he got out of some safe somewhere that had my name on it. He pats this folder, looks me in the eye and says, ‘You will audit the auditors. Won’t you, Maj. Bambi?'”

    12 THESE DAYS, DUNAGAN EMBRACES THE PAST.

    “I love it now,” he has said. “When people realize, ‘This old jerk, he’s still alive and was Bambi.’ And I wouldn’t take anything for it, not a darn thing for it.”

    Dunagan says kids still ask him to say some of Bambi’s most famous lines: “At first I had to modify my long developed adult voice and get all the Marine tones out of it, in order to say ‘bird,’ ‘flower,’ and so on. With some practice I have been able to do it!”

    SOURCE: MENTALFLOSS.COM

    George Washington & Donald Trump

    A while back, Filly posted a link to a post written by Erik Carlson on the similarity between these two great men.  It was chilling.  I saved the link (posted at the bottom if you want to read it all) to bring it on Washington’s birthday. 

    From: badlands.substack.com:

    This assassination attempt reminds me of an American legend, or rather, the hand of God protecting Trump and the miracle of him surviving this attack, reminds me of a legendary story.

    This story involves an incident that occurred only 30 miles from Butler, Pennsylvania in the area known today as Pittsburgh. It occurred on July 9, 1755, 269 years and four days ago, and involved America’s founding president, George Washington.

    From the August 15, 2013, article by Dr. Bo Wagner published in the Cleveland Corner:

    On July 9, 1755, there was a battle that took place during the French and Indian War, the battle of Monongahela. During the two-hour battle, 23-year-old Colonel George Washington had ridden back and forth on the battlefield, delivering the general’s orders to other officers and troops. The Indians had been specifically targeting the officers. Of the 86 British and American officers, 63 were casualties. Washington was the only officer on horseback not shot down. Following the battle, Washington wrote a letter to his brother in which he said:

    “By the all-powerful dispensations of Providence, I have been protected beyond all human probability or expectation; for I had four bullets through my coat, and two horses shot under me, yet [I] escaped unhurt, although death was leveling my companions on every side of me!”

    Did you get that? After the battle, he took off his coat and found four bullet holes through it… but no bullets in him. Do you know what you call that? A miracle!

    Fifteen years later he was back in that area, and an old, respected Indian chief sought out Washington. When he found him, he explained that he had been the one leading the Indians against them in the battle fifteen years earlier. He then revealed to Washington what had occurred behind the scenes during the conflict.

    He said: “I called to my young men and said, mark yon tall and daring warrior [Washington]? …Himself is alone exposed. Quick, let your aim be certain, and he dies. Our rifles were leveled, rifles which, but for you, knew not how to miss. ’twas all in vain, a power mightier far than we shielded you. Seeing you were under the special guardianship of the Great Spirit, we immediately ceased to fire at you… I have come to pay homage to the man who is the particular favorite of Heaven, and who can never die in battle.”

    Those Indians, who could not miss anyone else, specifically aimed at George Washington and fired at him over and over and over again, and for some reason, the bullets never would hit him! They would go through his coat, which was on his body, but somehow, they never made it to his body, they just ceased to exist in the 1/8 of an inch between his coat and his body. That old Indian chief was right; Washington was the particular favorite of Heaven. God raised him up specifically to lead our nation against Britain in our hour of greatest need.

    From the New York Post on July 14, 2024, the day following the failed assassination attempt on Trump’s life:

    A grateful and at times defiant Donald Trump told The Post Sunday he’s “supposed to be dead” as he recalled the harrowing moment a would-be assassin shot at him at a Pennsylvania campaign rally.

    The former president shared the “very surreal experience” that nearly ended his life during an interview aboard his private plane en route to Milwaukee for the GOP National Convention.

    “The doctor at the hospital said he never saw anything like this, he called it a miracle,” said Trump, who was sporting a large, loose white bandage that covered his right ear. His staff insisted that no photos be taken.

    “I’m not supposed to be here, I’m supposed to be dead,” Trump said. “I’m supposed to be dead.”

    I believe both men have been chosen by God and protected by God. One was chosen to make America, and the other to make America great again.

    https://badlands.substack.com/p/donald-trump-and-george-washington

    What Shall We Bake Today?

    Today is National Sticky Bun Day!  I found a great recipe for “old fashioned” sticky buns.

    Ingredients

    For the Dough:

    6½ tablespoon granulated sugar

    5½ tablespoons unsalted butter at room temperature

    1 teaspoon salt

    1 egg slightly beaten

    1 teaspoon vanilla extract

    3½ cups bread flour

    2 teaspoons instant yeast

    1 cup + 2 tablespoons whole milk at room temperature

    For the Cinnamon Sugar:

    6½ tablespoons granulated sugar

    1½ tablespoons ground cinnamon

    For the Caramel Glaze:

    1 cup unsalted butter at room temperature

    ½ cup granulated sugar

    ½ cup light brown sugar

    ½ teaspoon salt

    ½ cup light corn syrup

    1 teaspoon vanilla extract

    ½ cup coarsely chopped pecans

    Instructions

    Cream together the sugar, butter, and salt on medium-high speed in an electric mixer with a paddle attachment. Whip in the egg and vanilla extract until smooth. Then add the flour, yeast, and milk. Mix on low speed until the dough forms a ball. Switch to the dough hook and increase the speed to medium, mixing for approximately 10 minutes (or knead by hand for 12 to 15 minutes), or until the dough is silky and supple, tacky but not sticky. You may have to add a little flour or water while mixing to achieve this texture. Lightly oil a large bowl and transfer the dough to the bowl, rolling it around to coat it with oil. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Let the dough rise at room temperature for approximately 2 hours, or until the dough doubles in size.

    Meanwhile, make the Caramel Glaze: In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, and salt, and cream together for 2 minutes on high speed with the paddle attachment. Add the corn syrup and vanilla extract, and continue to cream for about 5 minutes, or until light and fluffy.

    Transfer the dough to the counter. Roll out the dough with a rolling pin, lightly dusting the top of the dough with flour to keep it from sticking to the pin. Roll it into a rectangle 18 inches wide by 9 inches long. Sprinkle the cinnamon sugar over the surface of the dough (use it all!), and roll the dough up with the long side facing you, creating a cinnamon-sugar spiral as you roll. With the seam side down, cut the dough into 12 even pieces.

    Coat the bottom of a 9×13-inch baking dish with the caramel glaze, then sprinkle the pecans evenly over the surface. Lay the pieces of dough cut-side-up on top of the caramel glaze, evenly spaced throughout the pan. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and allow to rise at room temperature for 75 to 90 minutes, or until the pieces have grown into one another and have nearly doubled in size.

    Make-Ahead Note: Instead of the second rise, you can place the shaped buns in the refrigerate for up to 2 days, pulling the pan out of the refrigerator 3 to 4 hours before baking to allow the dough to proof at room temperature.

    Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and adjust the oven rack to the lowest shelf.

    Bake the sticky buns for 30 to 40 minutes, or until golden brown. Cool the buns in the pan for 5 to 10 minutes, and then remove them by flipping them over onto another pan or serving platter. Carefully scoop any run-off glaze back over the buns with a spatula. Wait at least 20 minutes before serving. The sticky buns are best eaten the day of baking but can be stored, covered, at room temperature for up to 2 days (see notes below on reheating).

    Notes

    While you may substitute all-purpose flour for the bread flour, know it will produce a slightly different texture than what you see here.

    The corn syrup is a key ingredient in getting the exact right texture for the caramel glaze and I don’t recommend making any substitutions.

    Make-Ahead Note: You can prepare the sticky buns through placing the rolls into the pan, then cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days before baking. Bring to room temperature prior to baking as directed in the recipe.

    It’s a complicated recipe, but the results speak for themselves!!

    ENJOY!