Six Chains

 

Four Gold Stars

 

Slow Cooker French Toast Casserole

 

1 loaf stale bread, cut into 1-inch cubes (When using whole wheat, I omit crusts)

6 large eggs

2 cups milk

1/3 cup maple syrup (Not “pancake syrup”)

1 tablespoon vanilla

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons cinnamon, divided

1/4 teaspoon fresh ground nutmeg

1/2 cup chopped pecans (I’ve also used walnuts)

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup butter, cut into small piece

 

Coat slow cooker pot with cooking spray. Arrange bread cubes and nuts in pot. Whisk together eggs, milk, syrup, vanilla, salt, 1 teaspoon cinnamon and nutmeg. Pour custard mixture over bread. Gently fold to coat. Let soak an hour or two. (My slow cooker has a removable insert, so I cover it and stick it in the fridge.) In a small bowl, stir together brown sugar and remaining cinnamon. Cut in butter. Sprinkle butter mixture over custard. Cover and cook on low 4 hours. Serves 6 to 8.

Hoppy to Meet You

 

This week I read a story about a 24-hour laundromat on Delancy Street in New York City. The owner, Bea Kowalski, said the establishment was oddly warm, even at 3:00 in the morning, when none of the machines were running. She never knew why until a short time ago, when she had repairmen in to fix a few of the dryers. The men pulled off the back panel of dryer #9 and discovered thirty-one cottontail rabbits living in the exhaust ductwork. They’d built tunnels connecting all fourteen industrial-sized dryers, and had been happily living there at least two years. Animal control officials relocated the rabbits to a wildlife sanctuary in Dutchess County, about eighty miles away. Bea reports her laundromat feels chillier without the squatting bunnies. I tried to share this story with my piano students, but none of them had ever seen a laundromat, or a dryer big enough for thirty-one rabbits.

Two Kitty Cats

It’s no secret today is the day your 2025 income taxes are due. Hopefully, you filed some time ago and didn’t wait until the last minute. If you file early and there’s a refund, you’ll get it sooner. If you’ve made a mistake, you get extra time to correct it before the deadline. And filing earlier gives bad guys less of a chance to steal your identity and file in your name. Today’s also Rubber Eraser Day. We all make mistakes. It’s nice they don’t all have to be permanent. April 15 is Take a Wild Guess Day; a day to throw caution to the wind and go with your instincts. It’s also Titanic Remembrance Day. The ill-fated ship hit an iceberg at 11:40 p.m. April 14, 1912. But it didn’t sink for two hours, so today’s the 114th anniversary – a good day to debate if there was room on the door for Jack.

Nature's Landscape

 

Judy-Lynn del Rey was born in 1943 with achondroplastic dwarfism – meaning she had a normal-sized torso and small limbs. She spent her teens haunting libraries, especially the fantasy and sci-fi sections. In her early 20’s, she became an office assistant at Galaxy Science Fiction. She quickly worked her way up to associate editor, and then was hired by Ballantine Books. One of her first moves was to dump John Norman’s Gor series (She was right. They’re awful.) She published the Star Wars novel before the movie came out. That same year, Judy-Lynn launched Del Rey Books. She published Terry Brooks’ Sword of Shannara, promoted William Goldman’s The Princess Bride, and introduced the world to Anne McCaffrey's White Dragon. Arthur C. Clarke called her the most brilliant editor he’d ever encountered. Next time you read fantasy or watch a Star Wars film, or quote Princess Bride, you’re living in a world she helped to build.

Center Pieces

 

“Abiding in Christ isn’t an occasional, casual act. It’s a constant, conscious and sacred choice. It is allowing His holy teachings to abide in us, elevating our thoughts and governing our words in every setting, purifying and consecrating our actions unto Him.” – Elder Ulisses Soares

"To the Savior, we’re never lost in the crowd. He knows how to reach us — through a hymn, a smile, a kind word, and sometimes through people we least expect. – Elder Clement M. Matswagothata

“Discipleship was never meant to be a comfortable circle of familiar friends focused on their own interests. Rather, our congregations are a beautiful mosaic — enriched by diverse backgrounds, cultures and experiences.” – Elder Gérald Caussé

“I wonder what it’s like for a loving Heavenly Father to send His most precious belongings, His children, away from their heavenly home, knowing they must pass through challenges of mortality. I suppose His comfort is knowing they do not travel alone.” – Elder Gary E. Stevenson

Five Chains

 

Last night we watched the crew of the Artemis II return to earth after eleven days in space. It was a lot like watching paint dry, which is exactly how I remember the Apollo moon missions some 50 or 60 years ago. That’s kind of how NASA rolls. If absolutely nothing has happened for two hours or more, things are going well. If things go badly, they go badly pretty fast. Just like with the Apollo missions, I’m obsessing about the onboard menu. Only this time, it isn’t Tang and Space Food Sticks. The crew of the Artemis II enjoyed BBQ beef brisket, mac & cheese, and broccoli au gratin. Because stored water still tastes stale, they had several add-water-and-stir beverage options. They ate lots of tortillas, because other breads leave crumbs floating around. The crew tasted and approved all the dishes before they left, which is probably another big improvement over the Apollo fare.