Floating Pinwheel

 

It’s the largest human-made excavation; the world’s deepest open-pit mine. You can see it from all over the Salt Lake Valley, and when you fly in or out of Salt Lake Airport, it’s impossible to miss. People have been digging copper ore here since 1848. I’ve heard it called Bingham Canyon Mine, and Kennecott Copper Pit. It’s owned by the Rio Tinto Group now, and the British/Australian Corporation intends to keep it running through 2038, maybe longer. But they won’t just abandon the mine when they’re done. They mean to restore and rehabilitate much of this area. In fact, they’ve already been doing so for decades now. One example is the East Waste Rock Reclamation project. They’re reshaping millions of cubic yards of dumped rock, covering it with topsoil and planting native grasses and shrubs for storm erosion management. The pit itself is simply too big to fill in, but the end plan involves stabilizing and securing what’s left.

Eighteen Friendship Stars

 

Which restaurants do you miss most? First on our list is Thaiphoon. They had great pad Thai and evil jungle prince, but we still dream about their short ribs and wasabi mashed potatoes. Training Table was never wheelchair friendly, and toward the end their food and service were truly abysmal. But I miss their hickory sauce and their blue bacon and mushroom Swiss burgers. For a while, I tried making corn tamalitos like Chevy’s, but never quite managed it. We used to pick up pies at Marie Callender’s for Thanksgiving, then return the tins for a refund. We liked pretty much everything from McGrath’s Fish House. We never visited the downtown location of Snappy Service Lunch, but Larry H. Miller did. When the owner lost his lease, Larry arranged for him to relocate inside Jordan Commons. Snappy used to split hotdogs before grilling, and serve them between grilled bread slices. I miss that, too.

Orange Pinwheel

 

“To err is human; to forgive, divine.” – Alexander Pope (1711). October 7 is National Forgiveness Day, a day for forgiving others and for seeking to be forgiven. Forgiveness allows us to release anger, bitterness, and resentment, which can otherwise dominate thoughts and emotions, and prevent personal growth. By forgiving others, you open the door to healing, compassion, understanding and inner peace. Forgiving someone who has hurt you doesn’t require you to let them hurt you again, but it does allow you to move forward and relieve yourself of the burden of victimhood. Forgiveness isn’t just a charitable act towards others; it is a gift to yourself. By letting go of past hurts, you gain freedom, serenity, and the ability to live fully in the present. If you don’t manage it today, you can try again July 7 (Global Forgiveness Day), the first Sunday in August (International Forgiveness Day), or October 10/11 2027 (Yom Kippur). 

Rail Fence Block

 

I’m bringing chili to a neighborhood party this month, and I’m really looking forward to it. John and Heather have been on strict diets for weeks now, and I’m trying to use the food they’re not eating before it spoils. Cooking just isn’t the fun, creative outlet it once was. I’ve several chili recipes, but this is the biggest crowd pleaser:

 

Wendy’s Chili Copycat

 

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 pounds ground beef

3 stalks celery, chopped

1 onion, chopped

1 bell pepper, chopped

3 (14-ounce) cans stewed tomatoes

1 (14-ounce) can tomato sauce

1 (10-ounce) can ROTEL

1-2 cups water

2 (1.25-ounce) packages chili seasoning

1 (14-ounce) can kidney beans, undrained

1 (14-ounce) can pinto beans, undrained

Salt and pepper to taste

1-2 tablespoons vinegar

 

Brown beef in oil; drain. Sauté celery, onion and pepper until tender. Stir in remaining ingredients except vinegar. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer at least an hour. Add vinegar before serving. 

Sixteen Friendship Stars

 

“Covenants are not big or small. Let us never speak of a temple as big or small, elaborate or plain. Let us always only speak with love and gratitude for ‘holiness to the Lord, the house of the Lord.’” – Elder Gerrit W. Gong

“Consider this: Christ’s work in your life and His love for you are bigger than your present story. He can fix what feels badly broken.” – Sister Tamara W. Runia

“Your testimony may be different from mine or that of other family members or fellow Saints. Trust it, nurture it and bear it, because it is uniquely yours.” – Elder Gérald Caussé

“I invite you to prayerfully ponder Isaiah’s teachings and more intentionally embrace the divine purpose of the law of the fast in a higher, holier way as part of our worship.” – Elder Ulisses Soares

“Work leads to prosperous, just and equitable societies. Gambling, even for fun, leads in the opposite direction.” – President D. Todd Christofferson

Three Pumpkin Blossoms

 

As the story goes, Tolkien’s first draft of Fellowship of the Ring was rejected by his editor because it contained the word “dwarfs,” while according to the Oxford English Dictionary, the proper plural of dwarf is “dwarves.” Supposedly, Tolkien’s reply was, “Don’t correct me. I WROTE the Oxford English Dictionary.” It’s an amusing tale, and well worth repeating when you’re in a pub and everyone has had a pint or two, even though it probably never happened. Which isn’t to say the author and philologist never had to answer for his unusual spelling. At times he claimed he used the term “dwarfs” to distinguish his fierce, stout characters from Snow White’s silly companions. Sometimes he admitted he’d accidentally misspelled the word and had to “go with it.” Occasionally he’d add the actual historical plural was “dwarrows.” For the record, Tolkien didn’t single-handedly “write” the OED. But he contributed to entries and etymologies.

English Wedding Ring

 

Spoiler Alert. If you haven’t seen the sequel to Practical Magic, and these things matter to you, stop reading now. Personally, I don’t believe knowing something about the movie you haven’t yet seen or a book you haven’t yet read spoils the experience, but I’m in the minority. Besides, you’ve had three weeks to catch Practical Magic 2, so how committed are you to being surprised by every little detail? Early in the movie, Sally Owens and her daughter Kylie are in Kylie’s bedroom, and there’s a gorgeous quilt on the bed. There are lovely things ALL OVER their home, but the camera seems to focus on this. The quilt has an old block pattern: English Wedding Ring. It’s foreshadowing that Kylie’s wedding is her story’s happy ending, and she needs a trip to England to make it happen. Somewhere in all those end-credit names is someone as obsessed as I am with traditional quilt blocks.