Maple Star Variation

 

When I think of Mary Steenburgen, I think of Time After Time (1979), One Magic Christmas (1985), Back to the Future III (1990), and Elf (2003). I’d seen some of her work since then, but none of it left as big an impression as those four movies. Last week I learned at age 54 the Oscar-winning actress had undergone what should have been an unremarkable surgery on her arm. When the general anesthesia wore off, she heard music in her head. They were tunes she’d never heard before, and they never stopped. At first, it was debilitating. She couldn’t focus. Acting was next to impossible. Mary called a musician friend and asked for help transcribing the music she was hearing. That summer she wrote hundreds of songs. In 2019, She won best original song for "Glasgow (No Place Like Home)" in the movie Wild Rose. Mary Steenburgen is living proof we’re never finished becoming who we are.

Nine Flags

 

Shortly after World War II, many places in the U.S. experienced a housing boom. McCall, Idaho was one of these places. The trouble was McCall was also dealing with a beaver boom. Beavers toppled newly planted orchards and built dams which flooded new basements. When beavers set up housekeeping in the wilerness, they improve the ecosystem. When they move into subdivisions, they can be terrible neighbors. So, Idaho Fish and Game decided to move 76 beavers to the back woods. By dropping them from a plane. They built special beaver parachute boxes designed to securely land the semi-aquatic rodents and burst open, so they'd essentially hit the ground running. Their test “pilot,” nicknamed Geronimo, was safely dropped so many times, he actually liked it and would waddle back to his beaver box for another ride. All but one of the 76 urban beavers were relocated without incident to the Chamberlain Basin, where their descendants are probably still redecorating. 

Song Bird

 

More thoughts on motherhood:

“Kids humble us. The other day on the flight home, Olympia insisted on running up and down the aisle. When I finally got her to sit still, she threw up all over me.” – Serena Williams

"Twelve years later the memories of those nights, of sleep deprivation, still make me rock back and forth a bit. You want to torture someone? Hand them an adorable baby they love who doesn't sleep." – Shonda Rhimes

“Motherhood is tough. If you just want a wonderful little creature to love, you can get a puppy.” – Barbara Walters

"Becoming a mom to me means you’ve accepted for the next 16 years of your life, you’ll have a sticky purse." – Nia Vardalos

"Sleep at this point is just a concept, something I'm looking forward to investigating in the future." – Amy Poehler

“When my kids become wild and unruly, I use a nice, safe playpen. When they’re finished, I climb out.” – Erma Bombeck.

Forty-Two Echoes

 

More work than most slow cooker meals, but worth it.

 

Slow Cooker Kung Pao Chicken

 

1 1/2 pounds chicken, cubed

3 tablespoons oil, divided

1/3 cup water

1/3 cup soy sauce

1/3 cup rice wine vinegar

1/4 cup brown sugar

2 tablespoons hoisin

4 cloves garlic, crushed

1 teaspoon grated ginger

6 dried red chili peppers

2 tablespoons cornstarch

1 bell pepper, coarsely chopped

1 zucchini, cubed

1/3 cup peanuts

 

Heat half the oil over medium-high heat; brown chicken. Place in slow cooker with dried chilies. Combine water, soy sauce, vinegar, brown sugar, hoisin sauce, garlic, and ginger in bowl. Stir until combined. Pour over chicken and peppers in slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for 4 hours. Whisk cornstarch into 2 tablespoons water; add to chicken. Cover and cook 10 minutes. Meanwhile, sauté pepper and zucchini in remaining oil. Add peppers, zucchini and peanuts to slow cooker and stir. Serve over hot rice.

Woven Heart

 

The butterfly effect is a way to describe how small events can have far-reaching and unexpected consequences. It was made popular by Edward Norton Lorenz, a meteorologist who discovered rounding a single variable in a weather simulation (like from 0.506127 to 0.506) produces a completely different forecast. In 1990, the Mars Climate Orbiter crashed because one NASA team used imperial calculations while another team used metric. Why is the US not on board with the metric system? Blame it on pirates. In 1779, the newly United States used different weights and measures, complicating interstate trade. Thomas Jefferson arranged for scientist Joseph Dombrey to bring examples of the new metric system from France. A storm blew Dombrey’s ship off course and into the hands of privateers in the Caribbean, where he died. Without this precious cargo, Congress refused to adopt the new system. Was the storm that doomed Dombrey caused by a butterfly’s flapping wings? I guess we’ll never know.

Square Knot

 

“The Savior invites all to serve him with all your heart. When we choose to do each thing the Lord has asked us to do—such as keeping the commandments, partaking of the sacrament, worshipping in the temple, and serving others—with a sincere heart and with real intent, each act of service and worship becomes a powerful spiritual experience that strengthens our faith and testimony and fills our hearts with joy and love for God and our fellow man. The prophet Alma’s question still echoes today: ‘Have ye spiritually been born of God? Have ye received his image in your countenances? Have ye experienced this mighty change in your hearts?’ Brothers and sisters, I invite you to give your whole heart to the Savior today. Let each act of worship and service be sincere and intentional. Set aside the distractions of the world and strive to have meaningful time for the Lord every day of your lives.” – Elder Ronald M. Barcellos

Five Dancing Stars

Just before he was hanged, French aristocrat and Royalist Marquis de Favras read his death warrant. According to Victor Hugo, his last words were, “Permit me to point out that you have made three mistakes in spelling.” François-Marie Arouet was a French Enlightenment writer who went by the nom de plume Voltaire. He was often critical of religious dogma. As he lay on his death bed, his priest asked if he rejected Satan. “My good man,” Voltaire exclaimed, “now is not the time to make new enemies.” As Spanish Prime Minister Ramón María Narváez lay dying, he was asked if he forgave his enemies. “I don’t need to forgive them,” he replied, “I’ve had them all shot.” In November, 1900, Oscar Wilde was ill and impoverished in a hotel in Paris. Unhappy with his surroundings, he declared, “This wallpaper is killing me. Decidedly one of us will have to go.”