When I was young, my generation was led to believe that storks delivered babies. Now I question, why would a stork have been entrusted to deliver babies, and not a peacock or an ostrich? How did a story like this originate? Aah, this is where the wonderful internet comes in! Storks have white feathers, and this color translates to pureness and goodness. Storks stay faithful to one’s partner, they mate for life (cool idea), and are very (trustworthy) attentive parents. They make their nests on chimneys and roofs, (ahh, I’ve seen pictures of storks floating a blanket-wrapped baby down the chimney) and they don’t fear humans unless they are disturbed. Some storks start a 9-month migration in the summer, flying from Europe to Africa, circling back and returning to where they started exactly 9-months later in the spring to have their chicks. Plus, the stork was a sweet, very useful image for modest and prudish Victorians embarrassed about explaining the facts of life. The image IS very sweet. OK, storks delivering babies is what came to mind when I read the following: Britain has confirmed the birth of the first babies that were conceived using an experimental technique combining DNA from three people instead of just two, an effort to prevent children from inheriting severe, rare genetic diseases such as muscular dystrophy, epilepsy, heart problems and intellectual disabilities. For a family to be eligible, they must have no other available options for avoiding passing on genetic disease. These babies will be closely monitored in their future development. I liked it better when I could believe in the stork.
An Indiana family was looking through their grandfather’s belongings when they found a hand grenade. The pin was pulled on the explosive device, and it detonated. One man died, and his two children, a 14-yr-old son and 18-year-old daughter were wounded by the shrapnel and hospitalized. Some veterans actually brought back explosives as souvenirs from World Wars I and II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, and the Gulf War. If you find something like this, please call 911.
Friday nights in downtown Lake Jackson just became more fun. The Shop Local Expo is planning great things for Friday nights at South Parking Place Pavilion starting June 2nd 5-10 pm. Entertainment, Food Trucks, Craft/Business Vendors and more. The family events are designed to help promote our downtown and locally owned businesses. www.TxShopExpo.com or text 979-388-5268. Come out and support downtown or promote your own business. Always looking for new sponsors, vendors, entertainment, and food trucks.
What do you call a magic dog? A labracadabrador. (Teller gave me this joke.)
Disney officials canceled plans to build a nearly $900 million office campus in Orlando, which would have relocated 2,000 high-paying jobs from Southern California to Florida, about 20 miles from the Magic Kingdom. They cited “new leadership and changing business conditions.” Hundreds of Disney workers have already relocated and will be given the option of moving back to California.
Rock ‘n Roll bands for people my age.
1. The Grateful we’re not Dead.
2. Earth, Wind and Fiber
3. Crosby, Stills, Nash and not so Young.
(You smiled, didn’t you?)
If you are looking for something to celebrate, May 25th is National Wine Day. Autumn would love nothing better than to pour you a glass at The Wine Revue on Thursday evening, or any evening that you want to celebrate. National Hamburger Day is May 28th. National Mint Julep Day is May 30th. There is nothing else I can say. It’s a really busy time of the month and there’s always something to celebrate.
RECENT BIRTHDAYS: Guitarist Sonny Curtis of Buddy Holly and The Crickets is 86. Musician David Byrne of Talking Heads is 71. Singer Enya is 62. Stage & film star Carroll Baker is 92. Actor Anthony Geary of General Hospital is 76. Actor Annette Bening is 65. Actor Rupert Everett is 64. Singer Melissa Etheridge is 62. Actor-director Clint Eastwood is 93. Singer Gladys Knight is 79. Seven-time Grammy Award-winner, Knight recorded hits through the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s with her family group Gladys Knight & the Pips, which included her brother Merald “Bubba” Knight and two cousins. Musician Jerry Douglas of Alison Krauss and Union Station is 67. Actor Brandon Cruz of The Courtship of Eddie’s Father is 61.
Singer, actor, composer Pat Boone is 89. He was a successful pop singer in the United States during the 1950s and early 1960s, sold more than 45 million records, had 38 Top 40 hits, and appeared in more than 12 Hollywood films. Actor Morgan Freeman is 86. Guitarist Ron Wood of the Rolling Stones is 76. Country singer Ronnie Dunn of Brooks and Dunn is 70. Actor Lisa Hartman Black is 67. Singer John Fogerty is 78. Founded the band Creedence Clearwater Revival, was lead singer, lead guitarist, and principal songwriter. CCR had nine top-10 singles and eight gold albums between 1968 and 1972 and inducted into Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1993.
Jim Brown died at 87. He led the Browns to the 1964 NFL championship and was one of the greatest athletes of the 20th century. He was inducted into the 1971 Pro Football Hall of Fame, retired as the NFL’s all-time leading rusher (12,312 yards) after earning eight unanimous first-team all-pro selections and nine Pro Bowl honors during nine NFL seasons. A four-time NFL MVP and eight-time rushing champ, he averaged 104.3 rushing yards per game, and never missed a game. During the summer of 1966, Brown surprised the world with his abrupt retirement while he filmed The Dirty Dozen – the classic movie that launched a successful acting career that spanned decades and included more than 50 film and TV roles.
This is just an average… Americans use about 500 million drinking straws every day, every single day. That’s enough to fill up 125 school buses a day, or 45,625 school buses a year! Those little dinky drinking straws may not seem like a lot of plastic but IT IS. The next time you sit down at a restaurant and the server says they will be right back with water, ask for NO STRAW. If you forget and the server brings you a drink and a straw, then hand it back to them and say you’re going straw-free, or better yet, bring your own reusable straw if you feel like you shouldn’t put your lips on a glass. It is our responsibility as human beings to make a difference and it’s going to take every single one of us at this point.
A very kindhearted motorist stopped his truck on a highway in Florida, turned on his flashers, got out and attempted to save a turtle on the road. But in the process, started a chain reaction causing a several vehicle pile-up, which included an 18-wheeler. No one was hurt and the turtle was saved. Not the best idea on a busy highway.
Last week, I was driving down the street of my subdivision peering out the window at what people had put out for BIG trash day. Wait!! I questioned what I had just driven past. Was that a Christmas tree? That evening on the way home, I slowed down and got a better look. Yes, it was a very nice-sized, very dead Christmas tree at the end of May. Brown needles still clinging to branches, but a sad sight, nevertheless. I just love to daydream about the story behind something like that. Why did they still have that tree? Did they keep the tree up because someone was still coming home? Was it stuck away in the garage all this time and they forgot about it? Were they saving it for a dunes trip? Perhaps it belonged to someone that loves Christmas and thinks it’s bad luck to throw it out. The good news is perhaps it will be delivered to the mulch center and put through the woodchipper. (Please remove lights first.)
I’m a very successful magazine collector. ☹ I love to read them, but hardly ever have the time to sit down and really peruse a magazine from cover to cover… but I always think I will have time one day, so I save piles of them for that special day. Well, one special day recently, I was flipping through a 2021 Texas Monthly and I saw a recipe for Hot Pepper Jelly. I love to cook, and I love recipes. As I read the article, it mentioned… “hot pepper jelly is said to have originated in Lake Jackson in the seventies, but recipe variations go back much further.” Well, I need to know more about this jelly originating in Lake Jackson. Wow. Just like Sweeties! If you happen to have knowledge of this LJ story, please let me know because I’m curious. The recipe is below, or you can pull it up online. This jelly might be a little hot for me, but I think it could be tweaked by leaving out the habanero and in place, adding one more jalapeno and lathering it on a block of cream cheese. The strawberries were an interesting ingredient.
HOT PEPPER JELLY
½ shallot, diced
1 habanero pepper, seeded, diced
1 bell pepper, seeded, diced
1 jalapeño pepper, seeded, diced
1 serrano pepper, seeded, diced
1 tablespoon butter
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes, or more to taste
½ cup brown sugar
¼ cup apple cider vinegar
½ lemon, juiced
¼ cup strawberries, chopped (or substitute a mixture of 1 tablespoon cornstarch and 2 tablespoons water)
In a small saucepan, stir shallot, peppers, butter, red pepper flakes, sugar, and vinegar over medium heat until sugar is dissolved, and butter is melted. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Simmer for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the jelly has reduced and somewhat thickened. Add lemon juice and chopped strawberries (or cornstarch mixture) and cook over low heat until the strawberries are broken down and jelly thickened, about 25–30 more minutes. Remove from heat and cool. The jelly will continue to thicken as it cools, but if it’s still a little watery you can return to the heat for a few more minutes (or add more cornstarch). Store in a lidded glass jar in the refrigerator for as long as three months. I can see it poured over a block of cream cheese. Don’t forget to wear gloves.
A recent survey showed that 23% of Americans confuse Memorial Day with Veteran’s Day, which happens to honor all military veterans who have served in the U.S. Armed Forces. Only 43% of Americans knew that Memorial Day honors the United States men and women who lost their lives for our country while serving in the military. Originally known as Decoration Day, it originated in the years following the Civil War and didn’t become an official federal holiday until 1971. Many Americans observe Memorial Day by visiting cemeteries, decorating graves with flowers, flags and prayers, memorials, family gatherings and parades. Some still believe that it just marks the beginning of the summer season, great sales at Lowe’s or Home Depot, plus a paid day off from work. Did you know that each year on Memorial Day a national moment of remembrance takes place at 3:00 p.m. Have a great week-end, but please don’t forget the men and women that fought for your freedom so you can drink beer, BBQ and be with your family.
Lisa
Send comments to Lisa Baker at lisa@thesourceweekly.com
