Four Carrie Nation Blocks

The term “spoiler” is a relatively new concept. When I was younger everyone watched a TV show at the same time or they simply missed it. Then VHS recorders came along, and you had to rush to view what you’d taped before someone let slip who shot J.R. As if somehow your experience was “spoiled” if you knew what was coming. I know people who avoid the Internet – and even their friends – so they won’t hear about Infinity War or Game of Thrones before they actually get around to seeing them. As it happens, they needn’t bother. Two researchers from UC San Diego have proved spoilers don’t spoil anything. They had test subjects read short stories like Chekov’s “The Bet” and Christie’s “A Chess Problem.” Some knew the end in advance; some didn’t. Those who’d been told actually reported having a better experience than those who hadn’t. So you can stop protecting your own ignorance. Vader’s Luke’s father. You’re welcome.

Eight-Point Star

I love pesto. I love what it can do with crostini, poached eggs, fresh tomatoes, steamed veggies, pizza, sandwiches and of course pasta. Our favorite use for fresh home made pesto is to toss it with hot, al dente penne, walnuts, halved grape tomatoes and lots of grated parmesan. This salad comes in at a close second:

Pesto Salad

2 pounds orecchiette (The name means "Little Ears.")

1 1/2 to 2 cups fresh pesto

1 pound cherry tomatoes, halved

2 cups crumbled feta

Fresh basil, for serving

In a large pot of salted boiling water, cook orecchiette according to package directions until al dente. Drain, then transfer to a large serving bowl. Add pesto and toss until coated. Add tomatoes, feta, and extra basil leaves; toss gently. This recipe makes enough for a crowd, but it can easily be downsized.

Sixteen Cotton Reels

She was born on Independence Day, 1971 in the San Francisco Zoo. She was given the name Hanabi-ko, which means “Fireworks Child.” But most of the world knew her as Koko the gorilla. While still an infant, she was chosen to participate in a sign language research project. Koko died peacefully in her sleep two weeks before her forty-seventh birthday. In a statement about her passing, The Gorilla Foundation said, “Her impact has been profound and what she has taught us about the emotional capacity of gorillas and their cognitive abilities will continue to shape the world.” Throughout her life, Koko has been making headlines. She learned to communicate and connect with humans. She used a camera to take a selfie in the mirror. She learned to play the recorder. She adopted a kitten and when it died, mourned its loss. Now the rest of us will have to mourn hers.

Carrie Nation

Her first husband died young, a victim of alcoholism. Their only child, a daughter, had several birth defects, which Carrie believed was another result of her husband’s drinking. Instead of blaming him for his own addiction, Carrie Nation blamed society. She began protesting outside saloons and other drinking establishments; at first singing hymns accompanied by a hand organ, and later by what she called, “hatchetations.” Nearly six feet tall and weighing 175 pounds, she must have been a force to reckon with. She was also outspoken – and ahead of her time – in the fight against tobacco and the use of corsets. Carrie Nation died in 1911, but she was still very well known three decades later when the pattern for this block, formerly known as the “Double Four-Patch,” appeared in the Kansas City Star’s quilt column carrying her name.

Four Evening Stars

Last week we dined at Taqueria 27 for the first time. We sampled tacos with shrimp, with mushrooms, with duck confit, and with carnitas. It was all amazing; modest portions with spectacular flavor. But what impressed us most was our drinks came without straws. At so many eateries, out of concern for the environment, we ask not to be given straws and are handed them anyway. Here, they aren’t even offered. T27 is part of a small but growing number of establishments that refuse to distribute plastic straws. Among them are Tsunami, Stein Eriksen, Costa Vida, Hogle Zoo and Disney’s Animal Kingdom. I’ve even heard this fall McDonald’s will do away with plastic straws in all their UK restaurants, because customers there have insisted on it. Yes, a straw is a tiny thing. Straws and plastic stirrers account for only 7% of the plastic we discard. But “by small and simple things are great things brought to pass.”

Four Iceland Blocks

“We have found refuge. Let us come out from our safe places and share from our abundance, hope for a brighter future, faith in God and in our fellowman, and love that sees beyond cultural and ideological differences to the glorious truth that we are all children of our Heavenly Father. Being a refugee may be a defining moment in the lives of those who are refugees, but being a refugee does not define them. Like countless thousands before them, this will be a period—we hope a short period—in their lives. Some of them will go on to be Nobel laureates, public servants, physicians, scientists, musicians, artists, religious leaders, and contributors in other fields. Indeed, many of them were these things before they lost everything. This moment does not define them, but our response will help define us.” – Elder Patrick Kearon

Evening Star

If you own a garbage disposal, chances are you’ve already seen a list of things you shouldn’t try to feed it. Maybe you’ve seen this list as a challenge rather than a warning. You may have shoved one of the listed items down, turned on the water and the disposal, and said, “Hah! Take that!” But what you probably didn’t know is the list isn’t just things you’re disposal CAN’T eat. It’s mostly things that will clog your drains AFTER your disposal has eaten them. Stuff like bacon grease (or any other kind), coffee grounds, egg shells, pasta, fruit and vegetable peels may make it through the blades of your disposal just fine, but then clog your pipes below; a nightmare waiting to happen. Of course there ARE things your disposal can’t eat. Bones and really fibrous stuff like celery, banana peels and corn husks will just spin around until you manually fish them out.

Iceland

This month at the Quilt Etc. BOM class we learned about Iceland. (I’m not sure how Iceland qualifies as a dream vacation destination. Maybe someone misspelled Ireland and they ran with it.) Here are a few fun facts they shared: Iceland was settled by Vikings in the 800’s. When they arrived, the Norse cut down nearly all the native trees. Their descendants are working at replacing them, but the lack of forests is definitely noticeable. Iceland is one of two places in the world where you can see tectonic plates meet. (The other is in Africa.) There are 130 volcanoes in Iceland, 30 of which are active. 80 percent of the country’s power comes from hydro or geothermal sources. A good chunk of Iceland is covered by glaciers, giving it the nickname “Land of Fire and Ice.” It’s also a great place to see northern lights and midnight sun.

American Bouquet

This is the twenty-first quilt I’ve made for the hospital quilters at Intermountain Medical Center. It looks scrappy, but the entire top was made using prints from the American Bouquet collection by Faye Burgos for Marcus Fabrics. Most of the blocks are seven-patch designs, meaning they were drawn on a 7x7 grid. Twelve were assembled in October 2014 from Patchwork Party laser-cut kits. The other eight were made from a pack of fat eights in the same line. (Actually, there were nine extra blocks. Maybe the last orphan block should become a throw pillow.) This month I found matching fabric to make the sashes and cornerstones, borders and binding at one of the Patchwork Party shops: Fabric Essentials in Concordia, Kansas. I’m still astounded that they were carrying so much of what I needed nearly four years later. I took the top to Quilter’s Lodge in Draper to choose a back, and it went off to the quilters Monday.

Nine Pinwheels

Jay and Kateri Schwandt were high school sweethearts. They were attending college in Michigan when their first child, Tyler was born. Tyler had two brothers before mom and dad graduated. Tyler’s 25 now, and he has thirteen siblings: all boys. The youngest, Finley Sheboygan Schwandt, was born in April. His middle name comes from a story his grandpa used to tell, about an Indian chief with many sons. The chief wanted a baby girl, so when a boy was born he named him Sheboygan, as in “she’s a boy again.” Finley’s mom says, “He's got a lot of brothers standing behind him, so if anybody wants to make fun of his name, they can try.” Jay and Kateri will be in their sixties when Finley is dating and learning to drive. They may find parenting a teen a bit harder than it was a decade ago. But Finley has plenty of big brothers to lend a hand.

Stellar Star

The first time I tasted quinoa was at a hospital volunteer luncheon. It was a sage-and-onion flavored accompaniment to roast pork. Only a few people there had seen it before. It’s from South America, it’s pronounced “KEEN-wah,” and it’s lighter and more nutritious than other grains.

Quinoa Salad

1 1/2 cups quinoa

5 small cucumbers, coursely chopped

1 red onion, coarsely chopped

1 large tomato, coarsely chopped

1 bunch parsley leaves, chopped

2 bunches mint leaves, chopped

1/2 cup olive oil

1/4 cup red wine vinegar

1 lemon, juiced

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

4 heads endive, trimmed and separated into spears

1 chopped avocado for garnish

Cook quinoa according to directions. Rinse with cold water, shaking sieve to remove excess moisture. Transfer to large bowl. Add cucumbers, onion, tomato, parsley, mint, olive oil, vinegar, lemon juice, salt, and pepper and toss well. Spoon onto endive spears, top with avocado, and serve.

Nine Counterpanes

“The Christlike quality of meekness often is misunderstood in our contemporary world. Meekness is strong, not weak; active, not passive; courageous, not timid; restrained, not excessive; modest, not self-aggrandizing; and gracious, not brash. A meek person is not easily provoked, pretentious, or overbearing and readily acknowledges the accomplishments of others. Whereas humility generally denotes dependence upon God and the constant need for His guidance and support, a distinguishing characteristic of meekness is a particular spiritual receptivity to learning both from the Holy Ghost and from people who may seem less capable, experienced, or educated, who may not hold important positions, or who otherwise may not appear to have much to contribute. Meekness is the principal protection from the prideful blindness that often arises from prominence, position, power, wealth, and adulation.” – Elder David A. Bednar

Lattice Star Top

Just over seven years ago I posted a practice block for a top I was planning to make (https://mombowe.blogspot.com/2011/05/lattice-star.html). My daughter-in-law's brother was getting married and the top would be his wedding gift. As with most of the quilts I've made with a deadline, I pushed hard to get it finished in time. I did get the blocks stitched together and the borders done with hours to spare. Somehow, though, I guess I never got around to posting the result. Here’s how it looked the last time I saw it, before it was quilted and bound. Today it might be on the happy couple’s bed or tucked away in some closet. It might have an assortment of juice and cough syrup stains, or it might be lining the floor of the doghouse. It’s a risk you take when you give a handmade item to someone who doesn’t know the labor of love it represents.

Nine Cotton Reels

Father’s Day is almost here; what’s for dinner? Dad would love beef steaks, but they’re rather pricey for a large crowd. Maybe we’ll have these instead:

Slow Cooker French Dip Sandwiches

4 pound boneless beef chuck roast

1 10.5-ounce can condensed beef broth

1 10.5-ounce can condensed beef consomme

1 10.5-ounce can condensed French onion soup

1/2 cup red wine (I use Fre Red Blend: great flavor and aroma without alcohol.)

8 French or Italian rolls, split

Mozzarella, provolone or Swiss slices

Fresh ground pepper to taste

Brown roast on all sides in oiled frying pan. Transfer to slow cooker and add soups. Cover and cook on low 8 hours. Remove and shred meat, keeping liquid (au jus) warm in slow cooker. Place open rolls on baking sheet and add shredded beef. Top with cheese and place under oven broiler for just a few minutes until cheese is toasted. Serve sandwiches warm with reserved broth for dipping.

6"x8" Flag

“America isn't easy. America is advanced citizenship. You’ve gotta want it bad, ‘cause it’s gonna put up a fight. It’s gonna say, ‘You want free speech?' Let’s see you acknowledge a man whose words make your blood boil, who’s standing center stage and advocating at the top of his lungs that which you would spend a lifetime opposing at the top of yours. You want to claim this land as the land of the free? Then the symbol of your country cannot just be a flag. The symbol also has to be one of its citizens exercising his right to burn that flag in protest. Now show me that, defend that, celebrate that in your classrooms. Then you can stand up and sing about the land of the free.” – President Andrew Shepherd in An American President (1995)

Four Pinwheel Blocks

Lots of kids dream of showing up at their senior prom on the arm of a celebrity. Last month Allison Closs of Carlisle, Pennsylvania did just that. Her date was a cardboard cut-out of Danny Devito, costing about a hundred dollars on Amazon including the tax and shipping. Cardboard Danny is life-size (4’10”) and dressed very casually in Crocs, khaki chinos, a polo shirt and jacket. Allison augmented his ensemble with a necktie and a white rose boutonniere. From the photos she posted, it looks like Allison and Cardboard Danny had a great time at prom. In response, the real Danny Devito had a custom cardboard cut-out of Allison made – prom dress and all – and took her to work on the set of the TV show “It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia.” His costar Rob McElhenney shared a picture of Danny and Cardboard Allison in front of the bar at Paddy’s Pub. Don’t worry. I’m pretty sure Cardboard Allison doesn’t drink.

Four Tulip Blocks

Cherry Pie Bars

1 cup butter, softened

2 cups sugar

4 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/4 tsp almond extract

3 cups flour

1 tsp salt

2 21-ounce cans cherry pie filling

1 cup powdered sugar

1/2 teaspoons vanilla

1/2 teaspoons almond extract

2 tablespoons milk

Cream together butter and sugar. Add eggs and beat well. Beat in vanilla and almond extract. In a separate bowl combine flour and salt. Add to creamed mixture and blend well. Grease a 15x10x1 (jelly roll) pan. Spread about half the batter in pan and cover with pie filling. Drop remaining batter on top of pie filling. Bake at 350 for 30-35 minutes or until toothpick comes clean. Cool on wire rack. Make a glaze out of the last four ingredients and drizzle over the bars. Delicious served warm or cool. Makes about 40 2” bars.

Four Counterpanes

“Elder Richard G. Scott counseled, ‘Set aside those things in your life that don’t really matter. Decide to do something that will have eternal consequences.’ I wanted to do just that, but I could not imagine what I could set aside. I thought I was using my time really well on things that really mattered. I was certainly exhausted enough. And wasn’t that an indication? And then I remembered the time I spent by myself playing Scrabble on my iPad. I didn’t think that little bit of time could make any difference. But I set Scrabble aside for two months. I learned several things in just the first two weeks of this new approach to family history. First, I learned that those on the other side of the veil are very much alive and actually not that cheerful about being called dead.” – Wendy W. Nelson

Tulip

My first successful gardening experience involved rhubarb. I planted bare root crowns just before Mother’s Day in a sandy, sunny spot outside my bedroom window. By the end of June we were enjoying the fruits of my labors. This time of year both strawberries and rhubarb are at their peak of flavor. Maybe that’s why June 9 is National Strawberry/Rhubarb Pie Day.

Strawberry/Rhubarb Pie

4 cups chopped fresh rhubarb

2 cups sliced strawberries

1 1/3 cups sugar

1/4 cup cornstarch

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

pastry for a two-crust pie

1 egg, lightly beaten

In a medium bowl combine rhubarb, strawberries, sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice and cinnamon. Roll out first crust and ease into 9” pie plate. Pour in filling. Roll out second crust and place atop pie (I like to make a lattice out of the top crust). Seal pastry. Brush with beaten egg; bake at 425F 15 minutes. Lower heat to 375 and continue baking about an hour.

Four Cotton Reels

June 8 1949, the FBI released a report naming several prominent Hollywood actors, writers, producers and directors as communists. One of the accused, Edward G. Robinson, claimed: “These character assassinations can only emanate from sick, diseased minds of people who rush to the press with indictments of good American citizens. I have played many parts in my life, but no part have I played better or been more proud of than that of being an American citizen.” In a country founded upon political freedom, people were sent to prison for refusing to divulge their political leanings and for refusing to name others who might be communists. I’m reminded of the McCarthy era when I hear about football players being called un-American for kneeling in protest. Or about a president who says, “You HAVE to stand proudly for the national anthem.” And, “Maybe they shouldn't be in the country.” Isn’t protest one of the most American things we do?

Nine Crosses & Losses

For decades all that Zachary Ellis knew about his birth mother was her name: Hermalinda Parra Rodriguez. The American Fork resident had hunted for her for years without success. Then this January he tried a DNA test. “It was like, ‘what do I have to lose?’” said Ellis. “I’ve done everything, so I might as well give this a shot too.” The test connected Ellis with four siblings in Mexico, a sister in Arizona, and a second cousin in Utah. His newfound relatives helped him locate his birth mother, who he finally met last month. He’s planning a trip to Mexico to visit the rest of the family. My husband’s father was an orphan who never knew the names of either of his parents. For decades we’ve searched for them, trying to fill the huge gaps in our family tree. I suppose that’s why stories like this mean so much to me.

Pinwheel

The Utah Shop Hop began a week ago today on May 30 and ran through Saturday, June 2. The theme this year was: It’s Time to Party. Each store was decorated like a different kind of celebration.  Quilter’s Lodge in Draper threw a Hawaiian luau. My Girlfriend's Quilt Shoppe in Logan hosted a tailgater. The employees at My Heritage Fabrics in Ogden dressed as characters from Alice in Wonderland for their tea party. Somehow the most memorable thing about any shop hop is always the food. Just like last year, Davidene’s Quilt Shop served up fresh hot dogs – a welcome treat after a long trek to Park City. Sandy’s Quilt Etc. gave us chocolate doughnuts at their Halloween party (especially appropriate as Friday was chocolate doughnut day). But Corn Wagon Quilt Company in Springville wins the prize for most creative snack. They offered fish and chips at their beach party: Goldfish crackers and Lay’s potato chips.

Four Crosses & Losses

Chances are you’ve already seen the shaky, cell phone camera footage of a young man scaling the side of a building to save a four-year-old dangling from the fourth-storey balcony. (For my American friends, that means he was five floors from the ground.) Mamoudou Gassama fled Mali when he was still in his teens. He made his way across the Sahara through Niger and Libya, crossed the Mediterranean to Italy and has been living with his brother in France since autumn. He arrived in the country illegally and has been working odd construction jobs, paid in cash because he’s undocumented. Since his heroic rescue last month, he’s been granted citizenship and offered a paid internship with a Paris fire brigade. If you haven’t caught the film yet, you really should check it out. It will amaze you to see what a refugee has to do to be treated like a human being.

Counterpane

“Any work you do in the temple is time well spent, but receiving ordinances vicariously for one of your own ancestors will make the time in the temple more sacred, and even greater blessings will be received. The First Presidency has declared, ‘Our preeminent obligation is to seek out and identify our own ancestors.’ Do you young people want a sure way to eliminate the influence of the adversary in your life? Immerse yourself in searching for your ancestors, prepare their names for the sacred vicarious ordinances available in the temple, and then go to the temple to stand as proxy for them to receive the ordinances of baptism and the gift of the Holy Ghost. As you grow older, you will be able to participate in receiving the other ordinances as well. I can think of no greater protection from the influence of the adversary in your life.” – Elder Richard G. Scott

Crosses and Losses

As far as anyone can tell Barnum never actually said, “There’s a sucker born every minute,” although he may have believed it. Here are a few things he really did say: “If you hesitate, some bolder hand will stretch out before you and get the prize.” “No one ever made a difference by being like everyone else.” “I don’t care what you say about me. Just spell my name right.” “Fortune always favors the brave, and never helps a man who does not help himself.” And “The noblest art is that of making others happy.” June 2, 1835, Phineas T. Barnum began his first tour of the United States with his circus. The legacy of the greatest showman finally died on May 21, 2017, when the last performance of the Ringling Brothers, Barnum and Bailey Circus ended at Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Uniondale, New York.

Cotton Reel

I was perhaps fifteen when I first heard of Henry David Thoreau. I wasn’t impressed. It sounded as if he was a self-satisfied grumpy old man – a hermit who shunned society, technology and progress. And a freeloader. Wasn’t he living rent-free on someone else’s land? I couldn’t see why anyone would view him as a role model. But then, another fifteen years later, I actually read his book. I’ve learned more about him since then. For one thing, I’ve been pronouncing his name wrong. When present-day family members say their last name, it rhymes with Zorro. His Walden home wasn’t in the wilderness; it was an easy fifteen-minute walk from town. Thoreau frequently entertained guests in town and at Walden pond. He built the little house with the consent of the land owner, and it was given over at the end of the experiment. Moral of the story: making assumptions about people you don’t know well can be a dangerous habit.