Texas Puzzle

All my favorite vacations involve water (even if it’s only the Storybook Land Canal Boats and the Jungle River Cruise). For the past week we’ve been exploring Alaska's inside passage aboard a 86,700 ton cruise ship. We’ve seen black bears, bald eagles, sea otters, brown gulls, mountain goats, pink jelly fish and too many humpback whales to count. We’ve watched icebergs float by – some as small as picnic coolers and others as big as shipping containers. We’ve gone swimming in the middle of Glacier Bay. Okay, we were in a very comfortable heated pool on a ship in the middle of the bay, but it definitely counts. We dined on escargot, filet mignon, lobster tail and baked Alaska. But all good things eventually come to an end. It’s time to head home, sort our photos and tackle a mountain of dirty laundry. And to start dreaming of our next adventure.

Carmen's Block

Robert Dunsmuir, a wealthy Victorian-era coal baron, began construction on Craigdarroch Castle in Victoria, B.C. in the 1880’s. It was to be a Scottish-style baronial mansion – a residence for himself, his wife and children. He died long before its completion, and his sons finished the project. When Dunsmuir’s wife passed away the estate was carved into building lots. The castle itself became a raffle prize for the lots’ buyers. The lottery winner mortgaged his prize to back a risky speculation scheme, which of course failed. So the castle ended up belonging to Bank of Montreal. The castle subsequently served as a World War I military hospital, a college, a school board office, and a conservatory of music. Today it’s a museum featuring Victorian stained glass windows and intricate woodwork. Robert Dunsmuir’s son James also commissioned a second castle in Victoria: Hatley Castle. Hatley is featured in several movies and TV shows, including the X-Men series. Maybe Craigdarroch Castle is just camera-shy.

Endless Ribbon

It rains a lot in Ketchikan. This place gets an average of 153 inches of rain every year. But all that water tends to keep away temperature extremes. The coldest it’s ever been here is one degree below zero, and the record high is 89 degrees Fahrenheit. Ketchikan has the world’s largest collection of standing totem poles. They’re all over the city, but most are in Saxman Totem Park, Totem Bight State Park, Potlatch Park, and the Totem Heritage Center. The first fish cannery opened here in 1886. By 1936 there were seven canneries in operation, producing 1.5 million cases of salmon per year. So what does the name “Ketchikan” mean? It depends on whom you ask. Most people agree it comes from a word in the Tlingit language. Some say it means “the spread wings of an eagle” and others think it refers to “the sound of thunder” or “white spots on a salmon.”

Smoke Gets in Your Eyes

I find it fascinating that so many of my favorite show tunes – songs I’ve known and loved my whole life – came from Broadway musicals I’ve never even heard of, much less seen. I’m not likely to ever get the chance to see most of them, either. Jerome Kern and Otto Harbach wrote “Smoke Gets in Your Eyes” for their musical Roberta in 1933. Two years later the play was adapted for the silver screen, with Irene Dunn, Fred Astaire, and western film star Randolph Scott (as in “Whatever Happened to Randolph Scott”). In 1952 they revamped the musical score and rewrote most of the script for Lovely to Look At with Red Skelton, Howard Keel and Zsa Zsa Gabor. If you’re curious you can watch Roberta on Amazon Prime Video for three bucks. If you want to see Lovely to Look At, you’ll have to spend considerably more for the DVD.

Charlotte's Web

Richard Harris and Joe Juneau were prospecting for gold in the territory of Alaska in 1880 and found nuggets "as big as beans." (I can't help wondering: mung beans or limas?) Word got out and their camp quickly became a town called – wait for it – Harrisburg. A short time later they renamed the town for a naval lieutenant commander stationed there, Charles Rockwell. In 1881, the name was changed to Juneau, the name it carries today. Juneau is the capital of Alaska, but it’s inaccessible by road. To get there from anyplace else, you need a boat, helicopter or plane. Juneau is sandwiched between 3,800-foot peaks and the ocean, creating a nasty weather phenomenon known as “Taku Winds” during the colder months. Juneau’s nearest neighbor is the Mendenhall Glacier, a 13-mile long river of ice that empties into Mendenhall Lake. Alaska’s oldest operating hotel, The Alaskan, was built in Juneau in 1913; the year Alaska became a US territory.

Nine Patch

“We must strive to obey the commandments and pay close attention to those that are hardest for us to keep. The Lord will be at our side. If we demonstrate a sincere desire and act accordingly, He will make weak things become strong. Obedience will give us the strength to overcome sin. We must understand the trial of our faith requires us to obey, often without knowing the results. I suggest a formula that will help us endure to the end:

Daily, pray and read the scriptures.

Weekly, partake of the sacrament with a broken heart and a contrite spirit.

Pay our tithing and our monthly fast offering.

Every two years renew our temple recommends.

Throughout our whole lives, serve in the work of the Lord.

May the great truths of the gospel steady our minds. May we keep our lives free of the cracks that can impede our safe journey through the sea of this life.” – Elder Claudio D. Zivic

Sheep Fold

Archeologists have reason to suspect the Seattle area has been inhabited for at least 4,000 years. George Vancouver was among the first Europeans to visit. He stopped here in May 1792 during a 4-year expedition to chart the Pacific Northwest. Seattle is the birthplace of Starbucks, the world’s largest coffee chain. You can still visit the original Starbucks in Pike’s Place Market. When it was built in 1914, 38-storey Smith Tower was the tallest building west of the Mississippi. It was eclipsed by the the 605’  Space Needle in 1962. In 1966, 11-year-old Bill Gates won dinner atop the Space Needle from his pastor by memorizing Matthew chapters 5, 6 and 7 – the Sermon on the Mount. The world’s second gas station (the first is in St. Louis) was built by Standard Oil (now Chevron) at Seattle’s Pier 32. Seattle has not one but two cruise ship terminals. I do hope that doesn't cause a lot of confusion.

Air Castle

“Find out how other people live and eat and cook. Learn from them – wherever you go. Travel isn’t always pretty. It isn’t always comfortable. Sometimes it hurts, it even breaks your heart. But that’s okay. The journey changes you; it should change you. It leaves marks on your memory, on your consciousness, on your heart, and on your body. You take something with you. Hopefully you leave something good behind.” – Anthony Bourdain

“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover. Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one's lifetime.” – Mark Twain

World's Fair Block

We don’t often serve steak at Sunday get-togethers; partly because of the cost of beef and partly because I have half as many steak knives as dinner guests. This recipe may solve both problems:

Steak Foil Packets

1 pound small potatoes, quartered

2 carrots, sliced

1 red bell pepper, cubed

1 green bell pepper, cubed

1 red onion, cut into cubes

salt and pepper

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 1/2 pound top sirloin, cut into one inch cubes

1/2 cup butter, room temperature

1/4 cup freshly chopped parsley

4 garlic cloves, minced

1 teaspoon fresh rosemary, chopped

1 teaspoon fresh thyme, chopped

Toss vegetables in bowl with salt, pepper and oil. Divide mixture among four 18x12-inch pieces of foil. Top vegetables with steak. Put remaining ingredients in small bowl and blend well. Divide evenly and place on top of the steak. Seal foil packets. Place packets on the grill and cover. Grill 15 minutes or until veggies are tender. Open packets and serve.

Big Storm

I read about Hurricane Florence hitting the eastern coast; high winds, flooding, power outages and more. I worry about folks I know living (and visiting) there, and I worry about folks there that I’ll probably never know. I pray for them all. I think about the people evacuated from their homes last week by wildfire. We watched in horror on our way home from St. George Thursday as winds whipped the Pole Creek and Bald Mountain fires to more than 30,000 acres. It looked like previews from the end of the world. It feels like we’ll never be free of the smell of smoke. The only bright light in all of this is the thought that regardless of the disaster: wind, fire, water or whatever, there will always be people running to the rescue with blankets, bandages, hot meals or whatever may be needed. I’m grateful to have the chance to join them, even if a prayer is all I can offer.

Fly Me to the Moon

In 1954, in response to his publisher’s request for a “simple” song, Bart Howard wrote a cabaret-style ballad in waltz time that he called, “In Other Words.” The publisher urged him to change the lyrics a bit, for instance, substituting “take me to the moon” for “fly me to the moon.” Howard wouldn’t budge. When asked about it decades later, he replied, “It took me twenty years to learn how to write a song in twenty minutes.” He did apparently change his mind about the waltz time. I’ve heard it in both 3/4 and 4/4 time. Trust me; 4/4 is far more cool. This song, especially Frank Sinatra’s 1964 recording, was closely associated with NASA’s Apollo space program. Buzz Aldrin played this version of “Fly Me to the Moon” on a portable cassette player on July 20, 1969, making it the first music heard on the moon.

Four Corners

“We embrace President Nelson as we would have embraced Peter or Moses if we had lived in their day. Is this blind faith? No, it is not. We each have a spiritual witness of the truthfulness of the Restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ. By our own will and choice, we raised our hands this morning, declaring our desire to sustain the Lord’s prophet with our confidence, faith and prayers, and to follow his counsel. We have the privilege as Latter-day Saints to receive a personal witness that President Nelson’s call is from God. While my wife, Kathy, has known President Nelson personally for nearly three decades and has no question about his divine mantle, upon his setting apart, she began reading all his general conference talks of the past 34 years, praying for an even deeper assurance of his prophetic role. I promise you that this greater witness will come to you as you humbly and worthily seek it.” – Elder Neil L. Andersen

Dream Vacations, Phase II

In 2003 the Quilt Etc BOM was a row quilt. There was a single pattern for a 6” finished block each month, and participants were to make four of each block. I don’t remember all of the blocks, but there was a maple leaf, a monkey wrench, a darling little house, a friendship star, a  log cabin and a Valentine heart. I didn’t actually attend the class that year, but my mother did. I thought her finished quilt – in solids and near-solids and charming “farmhouse” colors – was adorable. It’s why I did attend the monthly class the following year. And I’ve been quilting along with them ever since. Later on this morning I’ll bring this wall hanging (it might actually be a large table topper) in for show-and-tell. Then I’ll get to see the first block in this year’s series. I can hardly wait!

Fidget Spinner

I wrote last autumn about a young couple who befriended a homeless former Marine. Mark D'Amico and Katelyn McClure set up a GoFundMe account for Johnny Bobbitt which gathered $400,000 in donations in a matter of months. Nice story, right? The difference between a happy tale and a tragedy is where you stop telling it. The couple and the homeless fellow have had a falling out. Now everyone is pointing fingers. They say he quickly spent much of the money to buy drugs, to pay off old legal expenses, and to send funds home to family. He says he never saw a quarter of the cash, and everyone has hired lawyers. Last week police with a warrant took several items from the couple’s home, including a new BMW. I don’t know exactly where this story is headed next, but I’m afraid no one is going to live happily ever after.

Dream Vacations, Phase I

Quilt Etc. announced a year ago that their 2017-2018 BOM class would be about dream vacations. This past year I’ve enjoyed hearing about fascinating cultures and beautiful scenery all over the world. I’ve had a great time piecing the two dozen different 6” blocks, even though several were quite challenging. I do sometimes wish an effort had been made at some connection between the blocks and destinations. For instance, there are traditional quilt block patterns with names like London Roads, New York Beauty, Old Italian, Swiss Cross, Road to Paris and Canada Maple Leaf. None of these were used, though we mentally visited London, New York, Italy, Switzerland, Paris and Canada. My only other regret is I chose to work in Civil War colors instead of the brighter greens and batiks offered. Now my finished quilt will say, “Chickamauga” or “Antietam.” I’ve actually visited both. Very educational, but not exactly my dream vacation spots.

Corner Pocket

When LaVar Christensen was in his junior year in high school in California, his class raised $1,533 at a bake sale to pay for their senior concert. A year in advance, LaVar spent nearly every dime to book a relatively unknown group called Chicago Transit Authority. By the time the concert rolled around, though, the band had shortened its name to Chicago. They had a hit record out and were too big to play high schools. The band producer offered Elton John as a substitute, but LaVar had never heard of him. Instead, he settled on a double-header: Blood, Sweat and Tears, and Don McLean. I like to fact check stories before I share them here. It usually doesn’t take a lot of work, and it’s definitely better than publishing a retraction later. When I checked Mr. Christensen’s tale, I found he doesn’t remember it exactly the way it happened. I don’t care. It’s still a great story.

Pieced Pineapple

If you yank a leaf from the top of a pineapple and it comes out easily, the fruit is ripe. I also like to check the stem end. If it’s moldy, I move on.

Pineapple Salsa

1 pineapple

1 1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper

1/3 cup chopped red onion

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro (Cilantro is ALWAYS optional)

1 small jalapeño, minced (If you want to reduce the heat, skip the seeds and the inner membranes)

Juice of 1 lime

kosher salt

Halve pineapple lengthwise, leaving stem intact. Slice fruit around the perimeter, angling knife towards the middle, then make a few cuts across. Scoop chunks out with a spoon and chop into small pieces. Transfer pineapple to a large bowl and mix in peppers, onion, cilantro, jalapeño, and lime juice. Season with salt, then transfer back into the pineapple bowls. Serve with tortilla chips.

Chevron Tissue Covers

“The Apostle Paul taught that three divine principles form a foundation upon which we can build the structure of our lives: faith, hope, and charity. Together they give us a base of support like legs of a stool. Each principle is significant within itself, but each also plays an important supporting role. Each is incomplete without the others. Hope helps faith develop. When we begin to lose hope, we are faltering also in our measure of faith. The principles of faith and hope working together must be accompanied by charity, the greatest of all. Charity is the pure love of Christ and it endureth forever. It is the perfect manifestation of our faith and hope. These three eternal principles give us the perspective we need to face life’s toughest challenge. Faith fosters hope for the future; it allows us to look beyond ourselves. Fortified by hope, we are moved to demonstrate the pure love of Christ.” – Elder M. Russell Ballard

Big Dipper

Ynys Dulas is a tiny rock jutting out of the sea between Wales and Ireland. No one lives there (unless you count seals) primarily because most of the island disappears at high tide. A tower was built here in 1821 to provide food and shelter to shipwrecked seamen, because this is a place where people run into trouble. 50-year-old firefighter Paul Rowlands and his 13-year-old son were kayaking near Ynys Dulas in February when they found themselves in the icy water, fighting for their lives. “Joe said he thought we were going to die,” said his dad. Joe managed to reach land, but Paul had lost consciousness. Joe dived back in and pulled his dad onto the rocky shore. He began chest compressions and mouth to mouth. The coastguard rescued them about two hours later. “Joe saved my life that day,” Paul reports. “As a reward I bought him the phone he’d always wanted. I'm extremely proud of him.”

2018 Utah State Fair Quilt Challenge

“I’ve missed more than 9000 shots in my career. I’ve lost almost 300 games. 26 times I’ve been trusted to take the winning shot and missed. I’ve failed over and over again. That’s why I succeed.” – Michael Jordan

“It kills me to lose. If I’m a troublemaker, and I don’t think that my temper makes me one, then it’s because I can’t stand losing. That’s the way I am about winning. All I ever wanted to do was finish first.” – Jackie Robinson

“I never said you can’t be a nice guy and win. I said if I was playing third base and my mother rounded third with the winning run, I’d trip her up.” – Leo Durocher

“At the end of the day it’s just a game. It doesn’t make you better or worse than anybody else. I think by keeping that mentality it really keeps things in perspective for me to treat everybody the same.” – Tim Tebow

I've Got Rhythm

When George and Ira Gershwin wrote “I Got Rhythm” in 1928 for Treasure Girl, it didn’t get a lot of attention. Two years later they revamped the song with a snappier tempo in Girl Crazy, and suddenly it caught on. “I Got Rhythm” is an interesting study for music theory classes because the melody makes use of the first four notes of the pentatonic scale, because those first four notes are syncopated (falling just behind what would normally be the strong beats), and because the chord progression upon which the song is based serves as the foundation for dozens of subsequent jazz standards. Ethel Merman belted “I Got Rhythm” as part of the original Broadway cast of Girl Crazy. According to legend, George Gershwin approached her after reading the opening reviews and made her promise never to take a singing lesson.

American Star

The Pledge of Allegiance was written in 1892 by socialist minister (there’s an interesting oxymoron) Francis Bellamy. He wrote it as part of a patriotic school program to coincide with opening ceremonies for the Columbian Exposition. Originally, the pledge appeared thus: “I pledge allegiance to my flag and the republic for which it stands, one nation, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.” Bellamy hoped it would inspire citizenship among children and young people of many nations. The words “of the United States of America” weren’t part of the pledge until 1927. In 1954 President Eisenhower urged congress to add the words, “under God” as a response to the threat of “godless communism.” Bellamy didn’t mean for us to recite the pledge with hands over our hearts. Instead, he intended that we should salute the flag and then extend our right arms forward; a gesture we dropped shortly after the Nazi party adopted it.

Aunt Eliza's Star

One of our quilt guild members brought this to our last meeting. Everyone wanted the recipe:

Lemon Zucchini Cake

1 1/4 cup granulated sugar

6 tablespoons oil

2 eggs

1/3 cup milk

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 cups cake flour

1 1/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 cup shredded zucchini

Spray loaf pan with baking spray and line with parchment. Whisk together flour, baking powder and salt; set aside. In a large bowl, blend sugar and oil. Add eggs, milk, lemon and vanilla; whisk together. Add flour mixture and stir just until incorporated. Fold in zucchini and lemon zest. Pour batter into the prepared pan and bake one hour at 350F. Top of cake should look dry. Place loaf on a cooling rack and cool 15 minutes. While cake is cooling, whisk together:

2 tablespoons lemon zest

1 cup powdered sugar

1-2 tbsp lemon juice

Drizzle over cake.

Nine Picket Fences

“I invite each of us to seek God and His Beloved Son. ‘Nowhere,’ President Nelson directed, ‘are those truths taught more clearly and powerfully than in the Book of Mormon.’ Open its pages and learn that God does all things for our welfare and happiness; that He is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, long-suffering and full of goodness; and that all are alike unto Him. When you feel hurt, lost, scared, upset, sad, hungry, or hopelessly abandoned in life’s extremities – open the Book of Mormon, and you will come to know that God will never desert us. He never has, and He never will. He cannot do it. It is not His character to do so.” - Elder Brian K. Taylor

Aunt Addie's Album

I didn’t plant cabbage this year; when I do, the snails always get it before I do. But friends and family had a bumper crop, and I was the happy recipient of their bounty. We made slaw, soup, and oriental salad, and:

Cabbage Rolls

8 large cabbage leaves

1 cup cooked rice

1 1/4 pounds ground beef

1/2 cup minced onion

1 egg, beaten

Salt and pepper

1 can condensed tomato soup

Bring a stockpot full of salted water to a boil. Add cabbage leaves turn down heat. Simmer 3 or 4 minutes, until leaves are softened but not torn. Drain carefully. As leaves are cooling combine rice, beef, onion, egg, seasoning and a tablespoon of the soup. Mix by hand and divide into 8 equal portions. Roll each portion in a cabbage leaf and place, seam down, in stockpot. Top with remaining soup. Cover and simmer about 40 minutes. We ate ours hot with sour cream and steamed broccoli.