Wings in a Whirl

There are 48 days left until spring. We came home from our last vacation 44 days ago. (Memo to me: never go on another holiday during the autumn or the spring. The times I really need to get out of Dodge are the middle of the summer and the middle of winter.) To be fair, it hasn’t been the worst winter on record…yet. We haven’t had a ton of snow, and there have only been a few nights (so far) when I’ve worried about frozen pipes. But the ice and the nasty air have kept us from enjoying our favorite walks. And I’m hungry for color – any color other than grey. It doesn’t help to remember that at this very moment Disneyland is full of cyclamen blooming in scarlet, white, salmon, fuchsia and lavender. It’s at least 25 degrees warmer there, and all the cast members are huddled in their winter jackets, complaining about the cold.

Hugs and Kisses

Valentine’s Day is a stupid holiday. Who'll believe your “I Love You” Mylar balloon on February 14 if you ignore them the rest of the year? On the other hand, forgetting Valentine’s Day may not be your best strategy. If you want to show someone you care but don’t want to spend $50+ for roses, here are a few less expensive ideas: Wake up early and make breakfast. If you’re a terrible cook, make a bagel-and-cream-cheese run. Compliment their appearance. (Warning: saying “You look great today” doesn’t fly if you don’t actually LOOK at them.) Surprise them with a clean car or a full gas tank.  Watch TV together; whatever THEY want to see, just once without complaining. Take an interest in something they’re passionate about. Frame and display a nice photo of the two of you. Compose a facebook status about how amazing they are. Make a card. Use crayons, scissors and glue, stickers, glitter, the whole nine yards!

Nest and Fledgling

Slow Cooker Chili

1 tablespoon oil

1 1/2 pounds ground sirloin

1 medium onion, coarsely chopped

1 green pepper, chopped

1 cup chopped carrot

3 to 6 tablespoons chili powder

1/4 teaspoon coarse sea salt

1 to 4 garlic cloves, crushed

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

1 cup water

2 cans kidney beans or black beans, rinsed and drained

2 cans diced tomatoes, undrained

1 bottle tomato sauce (We like Paul Newman’s Sockarooni best.)

Brown beef in oil and drain. Put beef and all remaining ingredients into slow cooker; stir. Cover and cook on low for 6 to 8 minutes. This is a practically foolproof recipe that lends itself well to variations. For example, last Sunday I doubled it to fill my biggest Crock-pot. I added a cup of heirloom cherry tomatoes and three gold bell peppers, and left out the carrots. We served it with shredded cheddar and sour cream, and fresh-from-the-oven cornbread.

Mr. Roosevelt's Necktie

Barbara Bush may not agree with Bill Clinton’s political views, but the former first lady says she has deep personal affection for the former Democratic president. "I love Bill Clinton," she said during a C-Span interview. "Maybe not his politics, but I love Bill Clinton." She explained that she and her husband, former President George H.W. Bush, have become close with Clinton as a result of their combined charitable efforts, including fundraising campaigns after the Indian Ocean tsunami, Hurricane Katrina and the devastating earthquake in Haiti. "Bill visits us every summer," Mrs. Bush said. "We don’t agree politically, but we don't talk politics." She added that her husband has become something of a father figure to the 42nd president, whose father was killed in a car accident sixty-eight years ago. Further proof, if we needed any, that it’s possible to disagree with someone without being disagreeable.

Antique Album

In a few hours the winner of the 2014 Caldecott Award will be announced. I’ve followed these awards for decades, and I’ve collected almost every book that’s ever received one. I have a few favorites among the picture books that are in the running this year, but I won’t risk betting that any of them will actually win. The Caldecott isn’t a popularity contest. If it were, Ylvis’ What Does the Fox Say? would take the medal. Yes, it’s a real book, and no, it’s not one I’d choose. I like “The Day the Crayons Quit” by Drew Daywalt and Oliver Jeffers. But it probably won’t win, either. Over the years a lot of wonderful picture books have been passed over by the ALA, like Madeline, Stone Soup, McElligot’s Pool, Bartholemew and the Oobleck, Frog and Toad are Friends, Strega Nona, and The Garden of Abdul Gasazi. No matter; I have room on my shelf for those, too.

Buried in Berries

Most toddlers have a favorite bedtime story; one they ask for again and again. I've read Bruce Degen's Jamberry so many times our copy wore out and had to be replaced. Like Goodnight Moon, Green Eggs and Ham and Where the Wild Things Are, it’s embedded permanently in my brain. I couldn’t forget the words if I tried: “One berry, two berry, pick me a blueberry. Hatberry, shoeberry in my canoe berry. Under the bridge and over the dam looking for berries; berries for jam.” I guess it’s only natural that when I picked up the strawberry printed fabric for the 2009 quilt challenge, that book was the first thing on my mind. I wanted to make a dozen snail’s trail blocks with strawberries, blueberries, raspberries and blackberries swirling together like fruit in a blender. But I didn’t find the last two berry prints in time. I’ve always wondered if I my original plan would have won a blue ribbon. Guess I’ll never know.