Cross Roads

Stitching Corner in South Orem is a block from the apartments we managed when John was at Brigham Young University. I believe when we were there the building housed a Kawasaki dealership. I wish it had been a quilt shop back then. I might have become a quilter years ago. The book they chose was The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett. This shop had a lot for Heather to do. There was a fishing game where she won a pack of fancy buttons. In the back room she helped herself to three of her favorite treats: fresh popcorn, chocolate chip cookies and a green snow cone. Since she was occupied, I had some time to shop. I bought fabric to make a Buggy Barn quilt called Barn Raising. I’m pretty sure I’ve got the pattern at home. Even if I don’t, I’m sure I can use this fabric to make something fun.

All Aboard

Thimbles and Threads is the nearest quilt shop to my Draper home. When we lived there, I could walk the dog to Thimbles and Threads and leave him waiting patiently at the gate while I ran in for a pack of needles or a spool of thread. He knew he’d get a treat from The Dog’s Meow next door before we headed home. The book they chose was Agatha Christie’s Murder on the Orient Express. Their store was decorated with old suitcases, as if we were all about to take an exotic trip. Downstairs there was a large locked suitcase and a bowl of keys. If you chose the right key and opened the suitcase, you could take home one of the prizes inside. The lock looked very small to me, so I picked the tiniest key. It fit! I won a small package of fat quarters!

Queenie Beanie's Scraps

The book Village Dry Goods chose for the shop hop was The Persian Pickle Club by Sandra Dallas. I read this book about six years ago and thoroughly enjoyed it. The story is about a circle of quilters in Kansas during the depression. The ladies called themselves Persian Pickle quilters after another name for a paisley print. I found the book to be a nice combination of humor, pathos and suspense. Village Dry Goods is on Main Street in Brigham City, just north of the almost-finished LDS temple. When we were there the front spire had been completed and work was being done on the back spire. This temple, the fourteenth in Utah, was announced in October General Conference the first year we were in England. A ground breaking ceremony was held last July. I’m not sure when the Brigham City temple will open, but it doesn't look far away.

Oh the Places You'll Go

June 15 through 18 was the Wasatch Front Quilt Shop Hop. I was sorry to miss the shop hop the last two years, so this year we timed our home leave so we could participate. If you visit all the shops during the four-day event, you can have your “passport” stamped at each one. Then you turn in your stamped passport to be eligible for a drawing to win some fun prizes. This year the shop hop theme was “The Greatest Quilt I Ever Read.” Each of the shops involved chose a favorite book and designed a block and a quilt to go with it. Whimsy Cottage chose Green Eggs and Ham by Dr. Seuss. They named their block “Oh the Places You’ll Go” after another Dr. Seuss book. The last time I visited Whimsy Cottage, they were at 23rd East and Phylden Drive. They’ve since moved north of the hole that used to be Cottonwood Mall.

Log Cabin

Yes, I did post a log cabin block back in March, but I couldn’t resist posting another on Log Cabin Day. Besides, this technically isn’t a log cabin block. It’s four log cabin blocks. On June 25, 1986 Virginia Handy of Michigan founded the Log Cabin Society. Her goal was to preserve existing log cabins and to promote awareness and education about the lifestyle they represent. A few hundred years ago, life in a log cabin was a very back-to-basics experience. An open fireplace provided heat and cooked meals. You could cool and ventilate the one-room or two-room space by opening doors and windows. Plumbing was a nearby stream and an outhouse in back. It’s a simpler way of life, but it’s not for me. I’m far too fond of modern conveniences like indoor plumbing and electrical lighting.

Flying Squares

I’m deep in jet lag today. The thing I hate is that it comes and goes. I’ll think, “I’m getting better now. The worst is over.” Then it sneaks up and hits me in the back of the head with a 2x4. I’ve tried everything I’ve heard will work. I try to adjust my internal clock a day or two before leaving. After I arrive I force myself to stay awake until it’s bedtime where I am. I drink a lot of water, because dehydration supposedly makes jet lag worse. As far as I can see, nothing really works. I’m still groggy and stupid. I wake up starving in the middle of the night and have no appetite at mealtimes. I can’t fall asleep at bedtime, but the moment I sit down I’m out like a light. If this post is a little incoherent, I apologize. I’m sure I’ll be myself again in another day or two. Or three.

Traveler's Star

When I was little, I used to watch horrible cartoons. I liked Mr. Peabody, Commander McBragg, Snaggle Puss, Dastardly and Muttley, Beanie and Cecil, The Flintstones and The Jetsons. You can catch most of them on YouTube today...if you really want to. The animation was pathetic and the puns were even worse. There was one cartoon with a turtle; I can’t remember its name. The turtle had a serious wanderlust, and he’d go to a wizard to be sent on one magical journey after another. Inevitably the dim-witted turtle got himself into a terrible predicament and shout, “Help me, Mr. Wizard!” The wizard would bring him back saying, “Twizzle, twazzle, twuzzle twome. Time for this one to come home.” Yes, it’s lame. But it rhymes. I could use a spell like that today. It would be much faster and simpler than two long airplane flights and a taxi ride. Not to mention cheaper.

Spinning Star

Five years ago this very week the Sandy Arts Guild staged the musical The Scarlet Pimpernel. It was one of the most polished, professional theatrical productions I’ve ever experienced. The costumes and scenery were stunning. The cast and crew were very talented and dedicated to presenting an excellent show. I think the only things that detracted from the outdoor performance were a spotty sound system and rain. I never actually got to see the show. My son Josh and I were in the orchestra pit as cellist and pianist. It was a delight to play this beautiful, evocative music. Though the production ran through the end of June and much of July, I never once tired of it. Tonight my son will play that music again, as Murray Arts in the Park presents The Scarlet Pimpernel. I won’t have the pleasure of playing in the orchestra this time, but I will get a chance to see the show.

Sun's Rays

Welcome to the longest day of the year, the beginning of summer. The word solstice comes from the Latin words sol meaning sun, and sistit meaning stand still. So solstice is the day when the sun gets stuck in the sky. If you’re near the Arctic Circle you won’t see the sun set at all tonight. Today’s a great day to make a list of the things you hope to do this summer. Maybe you’d like to visit a zoo or theme park. Maybe you want to see a baseball game or parade. Maybe this is the summer you’ll finally read War and Peace. I’d actually recommend that last one. I read it in winter, which was a mistake. I should have saved it for when the A/C is out. Post your list somewhere in plain sight and refer to it often. Summer will be gone before you know it.

Hens and Chicks

One of my favorite things to do in Utah is visit Deseret Book. I’ve never met a book store I didn’t like, but this place is so much more. In addition to wholesome books, they carry family-friendly games, artwork, music and DVDs. Many branches have a Lion House Bakery where you can sit and enjoy a chicken salad or pick up rolls for dinner. When I miss Deseret Book, I make this recipe:

Almost Lion House Chicken Salad

4 cups chicken breasts (fresh is better than frozen)
1 cup celery, finely minced
1/2 cup onion, finely minced
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup mayonnaise (any brand will do, but nothing can touch homemade)
Pepper to taste

Simmer chicken in about 6 cups of water for 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from water and allow to cool. Shred between 2 forks. Put chicken in a bowl and add remaining ingredients. Stir until well blended. Serve chilled with a warm, fresh roll and dill pickle.

Father's Choice

When I was born, babies were Mom’s territory. Dads seldom changed diapers. They were rarely even present at birth. When my kids were little that had changed a bit. Dads were expected in delivery rooms, and they occasionally did diapers. John didn’t, and I was okay with that. We set up a clear division of labor early in our marriage. I get diaper duty, and he disposes of dead pets. Major league center fielder Jimmy Piersall was ahead of his time in 1968 when he told reporters how to diaper a baby. “Spread the diaper in the position of the diamond with you at bat. Fold second base down to home and set the baby on the pitcher's mound. Put first base and third together, bring up home plate and pin the three together. Of course, in case of rain, you gotta call the game and start over again.” Happy Father’s Day!

Lady of the Lake

When my children were in their teens we took vacations at Bear Lake. My brother-in-law worked for a family that owned a large cabin here. He spent the weekend before Labor Day fixing up the cabin and getting it ready for winter. He very generously let us tag along. My boys learned to waterski behind his boat. We rode wave runners and paddle boats. We saw musicals at the Pickleville Playhouse. We toured Minnetonka cave and the Paris Tabernacle. We rode horses at Beaver Creek and rented four-seater bikes at KOA. It was a great way to say goodbye to summer. That cabin belongs to a different family now. Even if it didn’t, our family has grown far too large to stay there today. We could barely squeeze into it back then. Maybe it’s true what they say; that you can’t go back. But you can always treasure your memories.

Corn and Beans

I was sorely tempted to post a recipe for Succotash with today’s block. But I think you’ll enjoy this more. I like to bring it to picnics and pot luck suppers. It’s always the most colorful dish on the table!

Black Bean Corn Salad

2 14-ounces cans of black beans, rinsed and drained
4 cups frozen corn kernels
1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 firm tomato, seeded and chopped
1 red onion, chopped
2 teaspoons cumin
2 teaspoons hot sauce (I prefer Cholula)
The juice of two fresh limes
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl. Let stand at least 15 minutes for corn to thaw and flavors to combine, then gently toss and serve.

Fish on a Dish

My husband loves fly fishing, primarily because if he does it right, he doesn’t have to eat what he catches. Here’s one of the few ways he actually likes eating fish:

Salmon Cakes

1 large can red salmon
3 to 4 slices whole wheat bread (Don’t use the heel!)
2 eggs, slightly beaten
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
3 to 4 tablespoons unsalted butter

Drain salmon and remove bones and skin. Place in a large bowl and flake with a fork. Grate the bread into crumbs and add to salmon.  Combine remaining ingredients except butter in the bowl with the salmon and stir until it resembles a lumpy dough. Shape into six patties. Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat and fry salmon cakes about 2 minutes on either side. Serve immediately with lemon, tartar sauce, or sweet chili sauce.

Flying Free

June 14, 1777, the second Continental Congress voted to adopt the Stars and Stripes as our country’s flag. At the time, it had 13 red and white stripes and a circle of 13 stars on a blue field. If you display a flag, you should be aware of these rules:
1. Never let a flag touch the ground.
2. Always display a flag with the blue field to the upper left.
3. Raise a flag briskly at sunrise and lower it slowly at sunset.
4. Don’t fly a flag in bad weather.
5. Don’t fly a flag at night without a light.
6. The flag is flown at half staff 30 days to observe a death. On a ship, it’s called “half mast.”
7. The American flag flies above state and other flags.
8. Fold a flag to store it.
9. When your flag is worn, retire it. Old flags should be burned, not binned.

Spools

The first purchase I made as a married person was a sewing machine. I thought I should have one, if only to raise my hems so I wouldn’t trip, or to mend rips in my husband’s clothes. Later it was called into service for Halloween costumes. But until my mother convinced me to take a quilting class with her nearly six years ago, I never really enjoyed using a sewing machine. I own four now: a Janome Jem Gold that’s in storage because it’s wired for 120 volts, an antique Singer treadle that came off the line in 1896, a vintage Singer slant-needle that’s as old as I am, and a British Janome Jem Platinum that scarcely rests for more than a day at a time. Today is Sewing Machine Day. Celebrate by dusting off your sewing machine, and by teaching a young person how to use it.

Bear Paw

Utah’s second largest freshwater lake, Bear Lake, lies on the border between Utah and Idaho. It is called the Caribbean of the Rockies because at certain times of the day it looks as if someone used a turquoise Crayola crayon on the water. My ancestors settled this area in the 1870's. Which reminds me. I should check the Laketown cemetery to see if I have relatives there. Back then this really was a place where you’d run into bears on a regular basis, not to mention Shoshone and other Native Americans. Today it’s a great place to go fishing or waterskiing, to ride a horse or a bicycle-built-for-four, to catch a campy play or a Wild West cookout, or to taste a fresh raspberry shake. It’s also a terrific place to reconnect with your family.

Bonny Scotland

Every summer for years we went to the Utah Scottish Festival. We enjoyed the taste of fresh pasties and ginger beer. We liked seeing all the pipe bands and hearing the Wicked Tinkers play. We’ve even bought kilts, sgian dhubs (little black knives that hide in your socks) and sporrans (furry man bags) there. All the while, we wondered what it would be like to really visit Scotland. Almost two years ago we did just that. We took a bus trip to Edinburgh to see the famous Tattoo. We saw the statue of Greyfriar’s Bobby. We explored Holyrood Palace. We stayed at a lovely hotel in Glasgow, and we spent several pleasant hours at the Glasgow Science Centre. We had a grand time, though I don’t think we’ll go back again. Today we’re tickled pink to be headed back to the Utah Scottish Festival! See you there!

Duck Tracks

Donald Duck’s official birthday is June 9, 1934. That would make him 77 today. He seems to be holding up rather well. Donald’s sailor hat and coat, his unintelligible speech and his famously short fuse are recognized all over the world. He has his own office at Disneyland Paris. We knocked on the door when we were there, but Donald must have been out. Incidentally, the other Disney characters all seem to have different names in France. Buzz Lightyear is Buzz Leclair, Goofy is called Dingo, Chip and Dale are Tic and Tac. But Donald Duck is Donald Duck just about everywhere. He has an Uncle Scrooge, a cousin Gus the Goose, and three nephews: Huey, Louie and Dewey. I’m not sure where Professor Ludwig Von Drake fits in. But everyone knows Donald’s sweetheart is Daisy Duck. Happy Birthday, Donald!

Pinwheel Cat

June is Adopt-a-Cat month. In my experience, though, you don’t adopt cats. They adopt you. This year we seem to have an invisible cat. We haven't seen it, but it has left mice (or parts of them) on our doorstep. And it’s been using our yard as a litter box. I saw a T-shirt the other day that quoted the book of Genesis, sort of: “Thou shalt have dominion over all the beasts...except, of course, cats.” Cats don’t have owners, they have staff. When they rub affectionately against your legs, they’re not caressing you. They caress themselves against you. I’ve read that when the writer Edward Lear moved, he had his new house built to match the old one in every detail, so his cat Foss wouldn’t be confused. He understood that all homes are really owned by the cats that live there. They generously allow us to share their homes with them. This clever block design was created by Kim Noblin at http://quilting.bellaonline.com

Rocky Mountain Puzzle

I miss living in the mountains. After all this time I still get disoriented because I can’t see the Wasatch Mountains to the east or the Oquirrhs to the west. Harrogate is one of the highest settlements in England, between 300 and 600 feet above sea level. Our home in Utah has an elevation of more than 4500 feet. The tallest peaks in the United Kingdom are scarcely that high. Last April we took a Sunday drive over the Pennines to visit friends. It was a lovely trip. But I didn’t see anything that I’d call a mountain. We’re all packed as I write this, waiting for the arrival of the taxi that will take us to the airport. But chances are by the time you read this, I’ll already have been flying for several hours. And when we finally get a chance to sleep again, we’ll be in the shadow of the everlasting hills.

Lost Gosling

We’ve promised ourselves that out next pleasant sunny day we’d head to York. We want to cruise the River Ouse, but only if the weather cooperates. We found ourselves with a sunny day a week ago, but it was far too chilly and windy for boating. Instead we visited the York Castle Museum. The entrance fee was steep, but well worth it. Inside we walked through a Victorian street complete with functioning period shops. We bought sugar mice at the sweet shop and instantly regretted it. We walked through the castle prison and were entertained and informed by ghosts of people incarcerated and executed there in the 1700's. At the museum café John bought chocolate chip and macadamia nut cookies, and we went outside to enjoy them. A family of geese dropped by to help us finish them. It was a fun way to end our outing. The river cruise can wait for another day.

Crystal Star

I know I just posted a recipe two days ago. But how could I resist sharing my Applesauce Cake recipe on Applesauce Cake Day?

Applesauce Cake

2 cups flour (I like to use a combination of white and wheat)
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon cloves
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 cup raisins
1 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 cup melted butter
2 cups applesauce

Sift together the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Add raisins, chopped walnuts, melted butter, and applesauce. Stir by hand until well blended. Pour batter into greased and floured 9-inch square pan. Bake at 350 for 45 to 50 minutes. Cool completely. It’s delicious with cream cheese frosting, but unfrosted it still makes a wonderful snack cake.

Kansas Dugout

Today is National Donut Day. Winder Dairy used to deliver my milk twice a week. They came very early on Mondays and Thursdays. It was a wonderful convenience, because with four teenagers in the house we always seemed to be out of milk. Sometimes as a special treat I’d add a box of cake donuts to our order. The year before ZCMI closed, Heather had a standing homework assignment to walk up to the bakery counter, look the attendant in the eye (a real challenge) and ask for a chocolate donut. Instead of teaching her to make eye contact and speak clearly, it taught the employees to reach for a donut when they saw her coming. Donuts are clearly an American thing. There are a few places here that advertise “American Donuts,” but what they offer bears little resemblance. Oh, for a hot glazed Krispy Kreme right now.

Rocky Road

The second day of June is National Rocky Road Day. If you own an ice cream freezer you can follow this recipe. Or you could grab a cone at your favorite ice cream shop. Ben and Jerry’s doesn’t carry Rocky Road. But I’m sure pecans and marshmallows would be wonderful stirred into their Chocolate or Fudge Brownie.

1 can sweetened condensed milk
1/2 cup cocoa
3 cups cream
1 tablespoon vanilla
1/2 cup chopped pecans (almonds are good, too)
1 cup miniature marshmallows

In a medium saucepan over low heat, cook and stir condensed milk and cocoa until smooth and slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat , and allow to cool slightly. Stir in heavy cream, light cream, and vanilla. Cool completely. Pour mixture into the canister of an ice cream maker, and freeze according to directions. Stir in nuts and marshmallows at the end of the freezing process.

Bow Ties

Today is Dare Day; a day to challenge yourself. If there's something you really want to do, but you're suffering from cold feet, here is your moment.

Somebody said that it couldn’t be done, but he with a chuckle replied
That maybe it couldn’t, but he would be one who wouldn’t say so till he’d tried.
So he buckled right in with the trace of a grin on his face. If he worried he hid it.
He started to sing as he tackled the thing that couldn’t be done, and he did it.
There are thousands to tell you it cannot be done, there are thousands to prophesy failure;
There are thousands to point out to you one by one, the dangers that wait to assail you.
But just buckle it in with a bit of a grin, just take off your coat and go to it;
Just start to sing as you tackle the thing that couldn’t be done, and you’ll do it.
- Edgar A. Guest