The challenge did get me to write about things I wouldn't normally write about, like Jello shots and yuca frita, reality T.V., Cuba and others like this "Z" post. Take a look at the bottom of the page for the full lineup of pieces I've done for the A-Z Challenge and in the meantime, check out this last post...
Zephyr
As with many of the other letters in the alphabet, like "X," "Q," and "V," the letter "Z" was a hard one. As I began to think about "Z" words, I started humming the first line to Madonna's Ray of Light:
Zephyr in the sky at night, I wonder....
Zephyr, huh? What exactly is it? Just another one of those words Madge has taught me now, like 'reductive.' I had to look it up:
zephyr - a breeze from the west; a gentle breeze; any of various lightweight fabrics and articles of clothing. (Merriam Webster)
Well, I don't think Madonna meant the last definition, so I would imagine the zephyr she's talking about is that gentle, westerly wind. Pretty cool name for a wind, huh? It was apparently named for Zephyrus, the Greek god of the west wind. Why the Greeks had a God of the west wind is anybody's guess, but I don't think I've ever heard that word used in a sentence, other than in the song.
I performed a search for images for zephyr, and all I got was a bunch of pictures of gliders, motorcycles, a couple of Greek pieces of art and something I'd forgotten about: the Zephyr automobile.
A 1952 Ford Zephyr Six
Zebras
My second topic for the "Z" post is an animal I've long admired: the zebra. Zebras are beautiful, horse-like equines that live in the plains of Africa. Unlike their more commonly domesticated cousins, zebras are too wild to ride. Imagine seeing that, though? That would be cool!
Here are a couple of zebra facts from National Geographic:
- The stripes on a zebra are as unique as fingerprints. No two are alike, though each of the three species of zebras has the same general pattern of design.
- The zebras' stripes are there as a sort of camouflage. Predators may mistake a single animal for several and leave them be.
- Zebras spend their time in herds, grazing and even grooming one another.
- The zebras' most common predators are lions and hyenas. Since they're familial, other zebras will come to the defense of a wounded compadre, circling it to ward off its attackers. Awwww!!!!
Zabaglione
What the heck is zabaglione? I found this word on a crossword puzzle website and had to look it up. It turns out that zabaglione is an Italian dessert, though I, of Italian descent, have never come across it, not even in Italy. The website, Simply Recipes, talks about the zabaglione:
Zabaglione is a simple Italian dessert made of egg yolks, sugar, and Marsala wine. It is usually served warm, though it can be served cold, or as a sauce, or even frozen. The Gourmet Sleuth writes,”Zabaglione is said to have been invented in the 16th Century in Florence, Italy in the court of the Medici. This dessert is classified as a “caudle” rather than a custard. A “caudle” is a sauce used as a custard to fill pies or tarts. The original pre-sixteenth century version was a drink made or wine or ale thickened with egg yolks.
Sounds pretty yummy if ya like a warm, custardy-type dessert. It looks good, too!
So there you have it, my final 2013 April A-Z Blogger's Challenge post. It's been fun, but I have to admit I'm glad it's done because I've got other things to concentrate on. Stay tuned for that, and check out all of my other A-Z Challenge posts:
