Pink Bunny

 

Chances are, somewhere on your car’s dashboard, there’s a little icon that looks like a gas pump with an arrow. The arrow either points to the right or the left, showing which side of your car should be nearest the gas pump when you go to refill your tank. The guy you should thank for this: James Moylan. James was an engineer working for Ford Motor Company in the 80’s. He came up with the idea after a frustrating experience at a gas station. He realized lots of people – especially those in borrowed or rented vehicles – have to guess which side the gas cap is on when they pull up to the station. If they guess wrong, they inconvenience everyone to reposition. The 1989 Ford Escort and Mercury Tracer were among the first cars to feature the helpful little icon. Today, gas tank indicators are standard in nearly every new car worldwide.

Snail's Trail

 

In 1846, an explorer collected a desert snail in Egypt and sent it back to London for the museum's collection. Presumed to be just an empty shell, it was mounted on a piece of cardboard for exhibition. It sat there, apparently lifeless, until 1850. One day, a curator named William Baird noticed something odd. There was a bit of moisture on the cardboard near the snail's shell, suggesting it might not be dead after all. Baird carefully removed the snail from the card and placed it in a bowl with a little warm water. To the astonishment of the museum staff, the snail slowly emerged from its shell. It had survived the entire time without food or water in a state of deep torpor. The snail was given a new home in a glass jar and became a minor celebrity. It lived for another two years on a diet of fresh cabbage leaves.

Thirty-Five ABC Blocks

 

Our daffodils bloomed early this year. They were lovely in late February, but they’re long gone now. The tulips we bought three years ago have been fruitful and multiplied, and they’re putting on a really impressive show. That’s surprising, because I know squirrels LOVE to munch on tulip bulbs, and we have so many hungry squirrels. The tulips may have survived because we planted them side by side with flowers the squirrels don’t like. Daffodils have lycorine, a toxin that squirrels tend to avoid. Allium – those tall flowers that look like balls on sticks – aren’t toxic, but they have a bitter taste and pungent aroma that squirrels dislike. Other flowers that drive away squirrels are hyacinth, anemone, Dutch iris, star of Bethlehem, lily of the valley, winter aconite, grape hyacinth, snowdrop, Siberian squill, glory-of-the-snow and fritillaria. I'm told onion and garlic will keep the squirrels away, too. It's worth trying.

A New Turning Point

 

“In moments of pain, loneliness, or confusion, we know that our Heavenly Father and His Beloved Son are aware of our circumstances and that They yearn to bless us.” – President Henry B. Eyring

"From the beginning of time God has taught his children to put him first in their lives. Jesus Christ is the perfect example of how to put God first in our lives.” – Elder Jorge T. Becerra 

“In a spiritual context, enduring is far more than merely persevering tenaciously to complete demanding duties or challenges.” – Elder David A. Bednar

“When we minister, we are helping to answer each other’s prayers. We are the Savior’s hands.” – Kristin M. Yee

"It isn't really where we serve, but how, that matters to the Lord. He needs you, and He needs me. Life is better, everything is better, when we are about His business.” – Elder Patrick Kearon

Four Chain Blocks

 

Cherry Pie Bars

 

3 cups flour

1 tablespoon sugar

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup cold butter, cubed

1 egg

1/2 cup cold water

1 tablespoon vinegar

6 cups pitted cherries

1 cup sugar

1/4 cup cornstarch

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

 

In a large bowl, sift together flour, sugar and salt. Cut in butter until it resembles small peas. In a smaller bowl, whisk together egg, water and vinegar. Combine with flour mixture until dough forms. Divide dough in half, flatten into discs, wrap and chill 30 minutes. Meanwhile, combine remaining ingredients in a saucepan. Cook over medium heat until thickened, about 10 to 12 minutes. Cool. Roll out half the dough to line bottom of 9x13” baking dish. Spread cherry filling over bottom crust. Roll out remaining dough and place over filling. Seal edges and cut some slits to release steam. Bake at 375F for 45 minutes. Cool before cutting into bars.

Forty-Nine Flags

 

I read Robert Louis Stevenson’s Treasure Island in my early teens. It left me with a burning desire to become a pirate. I knew this career might mean I’d end up with an eye patch, a peg leg or a hook. But those were small concerns compared with the promise of treasure and the lure of the open sea. Alas, my buccaneer dreams never saw fruition. Maybe I was just born too early. Since the fall of 2011, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology has offered a pirate certificate for undergraduate students who complete specific physical education courses, including archery, fencing, pistol shooting, and sailing. MIT is quick to point out the certificate is not a stand-alone credential and does not grant license to engage in piracy or related activities. The pirate program has a waitlist, but well over 300 students and alumni are already proud recipients. Matt Damon received an honorary certificate after the movie, The Martian.

Spring Checkerboard

 

If you’ve read Cheaper by the Dozen, or seen the 1950 movie, you know about Frank Gilbreth. But you don’t know Lillian’s story. Lillian and Frank were married in 1904. Together, they raised a dozen children. They also pioneered a field that is now known as industrial and organizational psychology. They studied how people do things in the workplace, and formulated ways to make work more effective. Frank’s focus was on mechanics; Lillian’s was on people: fatigue, error and human behavior. Frank died of a heart attack in 1924, leaving Lillian to support twelve children. Their clientele, assuming Frank was the brains of the operation, disappeared. So, Lillian turned her attention to productivity in the home. Lillian interviewed thousands of housewives to understand their needs. She invented the foot-pedal trash can. She rearranged refrigerator shelving to make it more ergonomically efficient. She designed the “kitchen work triangle” – stove, sink and fridge – still used in homes today.