Shoemaker's Puzzle

 

I love books, probably more than is good for me. But even I know I can’t keep them all. I haven’t the space, and even if I did, I’d never live long enough to finish everything I find interesting. Unlike most book hoarders, I’ve actually read nearly everything in my collection – some of them many times. Now and then I go through my collection and weed out the ones I’m unlikely to read again; books that deserve a chance to be enjoyed by someone else. I used to donate these to a good will shop, but this past year has made that so complicated. This week I discovered UtahBookPickup.com, who’ll actually come to your house (or business or storage unit) to haul away unwanted books. They’ll then be sold online or donated to thrift shops, book stores, or libraries. I win more shelf space without adding to the landfill. And, of course, I can buy more books!

Thirty Churn Dash Blocks

 

The strings were tied, it was freshly washed, and maybe even pressed.

For Grandma, it was everyday to choose one when she dressed.

The simple apron that it was, you’d never think about;

the things she used it for, that made it look worn out.

She may have used it to hold some wildflowers that she’d found.

Or to hide a crying child’s face when a stranger came around.

Imagine all the little tears that were wiped with just that cloth.

Or it became a potholder to serve some chicken broth.

When canning all her vegetables, it was used to wipe her brow.

You never know, she might have used it to shoo flies from the cow.

She might have carried eggs in from the chicken coop outside.

Whatever chore she used it for, she did them all with pride.

When Grandma went to heaven, God said she now could rest.

I’m sure the apron that she chose was her Sunday best. 

 - Tina Trivett

Shotgun Cottage

 

The Alhambra Court Hotel is a short walk from York’s Museum Gardens. We might have stayed there if we didn’t live half an hour away. It’s a quaint family-run, family-friendly affair, and they provide a full English breakfast: fried eggs, fried toast, sausage, bacon, the works. All that frying means their kitchen uses an extractor fan. The hotel’s owner noticed odd noises coming from the fan last week. The noises turned out to be a very unhappy trapped owl. RSPCA were called, and the owl was extracted from the extractor fan. "The fan was sticky and covered in grease which made it harder for the bird to free herself," said the owl’s rescuer. The bird was taken to Ryedale Rehab and given a Green Fairy (dish soap) bath. “She wasn’t impressed by the bath, but she looks and feels much better.” She’ll stay at Ryedale until a vet clears her to be released. Hopefully the fan’s been thoroughly cleaned, too.

Twenty-five Churn Dash Blocks

 

A distraught blonde calls her boyfriend and says, "Baby, I need you to come over right away to help me with a jigsaw puzzle. It's really hard and I don't even know where to start." He asks, "What is it supposed to be when it's finished?" She replies, "The picture on the box says it's supposed to be a rooster." Once he gets to her house, she leads him to the kitchen where she has the puzzle scattered all over the table. He looks at the pieces, studies the box and says, "First of all, we're never going to be able to put these pieces together to look like a rooster." He takes her hand and with a deep sigh continues, "Second, I want you to relax, have a drink and then we can start putting the cornflakes back in the box."

Yankee Puzzle

 

“Be the person who breaks the cycle. If you were judged, choose understanding. If you were rejected, choose acceptance. If you were shamed, choose compassion. Be the person you needed when you were hurting, not the person who hurt you. Vow to be better than what broke you—to heal instead of becoming bitter so you can act from your heart, not your pain.”

“We can’t fully appreciate a picturesque sunset if we’re wishing it would never rain again. We can’t fully enjoy a moment of true connection if we’re wishing we’d never feel alone again. We can’t fully savor a relaxing day if we’re wishing we’d never be busy again. The key to happiness is to focus less on making moments last and more on making the moments count.” – Lori Deschene, author of the Tiny Buddha series

One Dozen Houses

 

“I invite you to learn about and apply the Savior’s teachings about interactions and episodes that can be construed as offensive.

‘Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbor, and hate thine enemy. But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you.’

‘Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.’

Interestingly, the admonition to ‘be ye therefore perfect’ is immediately preceded by counsel about how we should act in response to wrongdoing and offense. If a person says or does something that we consider offensive, our first obligation is to refuse to take offense and then to communicate privately, honestly and directly with that individual. Such an approach invites inspiration from the Holy Ghost and permits misperceptions to be clarified and true intent to be understood.” – David A Bednar

Another Carriage House

 

"What time is it? What day is it? I haven’t got a clue. I don’t know where I’m s’posed to be or what I’m s’posed to do. I’ve had long talks with both my dogs. We’ve argued and debated. I bought a whole month’s worth of food, but then I went and ate it. What day is it? What month is it? Does anybody care? I put on my pajamas once and now that’s all I wear. The walls are thin. They’re moving in. I’m sick and tired of Zoom. It turns out if I had more time, I still won’t clean that room. What month is it? What year is it? I’m asking for a friend. I don’t know if you’re showering, but I sure haven’t been. This quarantine feels like a dream but sadly it’s all true. And so, I’m staying locked inside and you had better, too!" – Billy Simmons, from Earth is Not a Planet

Twenty Churn Dash Blocks

 

There was an incident Tuesday, January 12, at Hart Highlands Elementary School in Prince George, British Columbia that warranted a letter from the vice principle. But this letter wasn’t addressed to the child’s parents: “Dear Tooth Fairy, Today, one of Gavin’s teeth fell out while he was getting ready to eat lunch. Unfortunately, it was lost and despite the heroic efforts of a fearless search team, we were unable to recover it. As a trained vice principle and hobby dentist, I can verify that there is definitely a gap in Gavin’s teeth that was not there this morning when he came in. Please accept this letter as official verification of a lost tooth and provide the standard monetary exchange. Sincerely, Shandee M. Whitehead, vice principle.” There was even a post script at the bottom: “I am still waiting for the money for my wisdom teeth from 2000. Please remit as soon as possible. I have bills to pay.”

Hummingbird Block

 

I was ten when our family moved from California to New York. We rented half a farm house some fourteen miles from Oneonta. The interstate that roars along the Susquehanna hadn’t been built yet, so every morning we spent at least half an hour on Route 7 – Daddy on his way to work, and the rest of us to school. On our way, we’d pass the Otego Elementary School: an imposing brick edifice built during the Great Depression. There were double doors on opposite ends of the building, with “BOYS ENTRANCE” and “GIRLS ENTRANCE” in concrete Arts & Crafts-style bas relief above these doors. I used to imagine segregated classrooms inside, where children could learn in an atmosphere best suited to their gender. Science shows there are benefits to this approach, but in a society that tries to deny that the sexes are in any way different (except when someone decides to switch sides), it’s a tough sell. 

Nine Houses

 

I’ve heard this story told several different ways. An Internet search didn’t come up with a clear winner, so I’ll tell you a few and you can decide for yourself. The stories all end the same way: the famous American gangster, Al Capone, fought hard to have “sell by” dates stamped on containers of milk. Some say he’d hated sour dairy as a child, so when he was grown, he donated a million dollars to provide milk for school children, so long as the beverage was certified fresh. Another version has one of Capone’s relatives falling ill after drinking expired milk. Big Al’s grandniece suggests a different motive: Capone was looking for a legitimate income stream after prohibition ended (he did, after all, have a lifestyle to maintain) and the all the stamping equipment was under the gangster’s control. My favorite Capone quote: “Capitalism gives us each a great opportunity if we only seize it with both hands and make the most of it.”

Carriage House and Tower

 

Brent Rushton lives in a modest home on property his family has owned for generations. Brent has spent the past fifteen of his eighty years making quilts. Like most serious quilters, Brent has a dedicated space in his house for his hobby. He hasn’t kept a running total, but Brent estimates that he’s made between 200 and 300 quilts. His handwork gets donated friends, family, neighbors, and to those in need, like wounded veterans and homeless shelters. His newest batch will be going to refugees. “Most of them come in with no belongings,” he says, “Except the clothes that's on them.” He once made a quilt for the Festival of Trees, and it ended up selling for $3,000. He used to spend twelve hours a day on his hobby. These days, it’s more like six. "I'd go nuts if I didn't have something to do," he said. "And it happens that this interests me."

Sixteen Churn Dash Blocks

 

“The world’s current chaotic situation may seem daunting as we consider the multitude of issues and challenges. But it is my fervent testimony that if we will pray and ask Heavenly Father for needed blessings and guidance, we will come to know how we can bless our families, neighbors, communities, and even the countries in which we live. The Savior prayed and then He went about doing good by feeding the poor, providing courage and support to those in need, and reaching out in love, forgiveness, peace, and rest to all who would come unto Him. He continues to reach out to us. I invite all Church members, as well as our neighbors and friends of other faith groups worldwide, to do as the Savior counseled His disciples: Watch ye therefore, and pray always for peace, for comfort, for safety, and for opportunities to serve one another.” – President M. Russell Ballard

Woodland Buddies

 

It started about eight years ago, when Vince Rozmiarek, a volunteer at Indian Hills Colorado Community Center was asked to build a large sign along Parmalee Gulch Road. At first, the sign informed passersby of weddings, birthdays and veteran’s events. But on April first it read, “Indian Hills annexed by Morrison (a nearby township). Slow down.” “I really had the people at the Sit N’ Bull bar scared out of their minds,” says Vince. “I decided to start throwing things up there.” The sign has been full of puns and dad jokes ever since. Here are some of my favorites: “Silence is golden. Duct tape is silver.” “Of course I’m an organ donor. Who wouldn’t want a piece of this?” “Cold? Go stand in the corner. It’s 90 degrees.” “I can tell people are judgmental just by looking at them.” “Despite the high cost of living, it’s still popular.” And, “I scream, you scream. The police come. It’s awkward.”

Six Houses

 

Ashley Orians met Charlie on her college campus in 2010. Ashley was a college student and Charley was a tiny orange kitten with a broken tail. Ashley rescued Charlie, intending to care for him forever. But in February 2015, Charlie disappeared from their Charleston, South Carolina home. Ashley never stopped searching for him, even after she moved to upstate New York. She finally found him on a “missing pets” Facebook page. Charlie lived outside a dentist’s office, where he was pampered for six years by patients and staff. Ashley is under quarantine after contracting COVID-19, so Michael Morgan’s pet transport business arranged for Charlie to come to her. “It’s an honor for my company to be involved in this reunion,” he said. “It blew me away they were actually able to find the cat.” Ashley’s thrilled. “I can’t say how excited I am he’s back. What a great start to 2021! I couldn’t have asked for anything better.”

Four Snowball Blocks

 

Last November, I bought more Granny Smiths than I needed for my stuffing recipe. I also overbought fresh cranberries. Better to have too many than too few, right? I froze the extra cranberries, but the apples have been sitting on my counter for 45 days! Rather than push my luck any further, I'm making this:

 

 Cranberry/Apple Crisp

 

4 tart, firm apples, peeled, sliced 1/4" thick

2 cups cranberries

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Dash nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon cornstarch

1 cup flour

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup butter

 

Preheat oven to 375F. Whisk sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, cornstarch and salt together. Add fruit and stir. Spread 9” baking dish. Bake 20 minutes; remove from oven. Whisk together flour and brown sugar in a medium bowl. Using a pastry cutter, cut in butter until crumbly. Cover fruit with crisp topping and place back in the oven for 45 minutes. Serve with whipped cream.

Nine Churn Dash Blocks

 

“As part of the presidential transition, Barack Obama asked Bush if it would be possible for him to meet all the ex-presidents. Bush was happy to oblige, and organized a White House luncheon in the Oval Office January 7. Bush and Obama were joined by Carter, Clinton, and George H. W. Bush. The luncheon lasted over two hours, each former president ordered his lunch à la carte from the White House mess, and the tone was convivial and friendly. ‘All the gentlemen here understand both the pressures and possibilities of this office,’ said Obama. ‘For me to have the opportunity to get advice, good counsel and fellowship with these individuals is extraordinary, and I just want to thank the President for hosting us.’ Bush was equally effusive. ‘We want you to succeed,’ he replied. ‘Whether we're Democrat or Republican we care deeply about this country.’” – from Jean Edward Smith’s biography of George W. Bush

Snowball Block

Did you receive a poinsettia last Christmas? I got three! The smallest one was already dropping leaves at a shocking rate when it arrived, and barely made through the holiday weekend. The middle-sized one will probably follow in a week or two. The biggest plant has a chance of surviving, especially if I put it in a pot with better drainage. If it’s still with us around Mother’s Day, I’ll move the pot out to the patio. Before the autumn nights get too chilly, I’ll prune it, give it a larger pot, and move it back indoors. Here’s the tricky part: for a poinsettia to “bloom” again, it will want 14 or 15 hours of dark each night, and a constant temperature around 65F. I do have a room in my house that comes close to those requirements, so it might just work out. And if it doesn’t, I can always hint that I’d like more of these next Christmas!

Four Houses

 

“Remember what the Book of Mormon taught us. It is difficult enough to be poor in material goods, but the greater pain is in the heavy heart, the dwindling hope, the damaged dreams, the parental anguish, the childhood disappointment that almost always attend such circumstances. May God, who has blessed all of us so mercifully and many of us so abundantly, bless us with one thing more. May he bless us to hear the often silent cries of the sorrowing and the afflicted, the downtrodden, the disadvantaged, the poor. Indeed, may he bless us to hear the whispering of the Holy Spirit when any neighbor anywhere is suffering, and to drop everything and come running. I pray in the name of the captain of the poor, even the Lord Jesus Christ, amen.” – Jeffrey R. Holland

Another Empire House

 

There are some books that are worth reading again and again. I find if a decade has passed between readings, the book seems completely new to me. The book hasn’t changed, of course. I have. I’ve been thinking lately it might be time to revisit Tolkien’s trilogy:

 

“It’s a dangerous business, Frodo, going out your door. You step onto the road, and if you don’t keep your feet, there’s no knowing where you might be swept off to.” – Bilbo Baggins

 

“I wish it need not have happened in my time," said Frodo.

"So do I," said Gandalf, "and so do all who live to see such times. But that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us.”

 

“If more of us valued food and cheer and song above hoarded gold, it would be a merrier world.” – Thorin Oakenshield

Four Churn Dash Blocks

 

This has been a difficult year for everyone. I don’t think anyone on the planet has passed through the last twelve months untouched. We’ve gone through it in a state of relative ease and comfort, but it’s a year I wouldn’t want to repeat. I’ve lost more friends than in any year I can remember. Several of my friends have lost spouses or parents to this pandemic. It’s not over yet, not by any means. But at least the end is in sight. A week ago, I received an email inviting hospital volunteers to get the first of two COVID vaccinations. I went in Tuesday and walked out sporting a Wonder Woman Band-Aid. I was told to expect headaches and lethargy, but all I’ve noticed (so far) is a sore shoulder. I’ll get the second shot in three weeks. I won’t stop wearing a mask in public or washing my hands. But I will stop living in fear.

Winter Magic

 

How to Promote Civility:

Model the behavior you’d like to see in others.

Don’t let your silence condone disrespectful behavior, but consider carefully before speaking.

Don't take your stress out on those around you.

Be a respectful listener.

Remember you’re not always right and others aren’t always wrong.

Whatever you feel strongly about, others may feel just as strongly against. And that's okay.

Consider how using social media can be helpful or harmful.

Rely on facts, not assumptions, especially when your words or actions might hurt others.

Adopt a positive, solution-driven approach to conflict resolution.

Never forget to say please and thank you.

Remember that kindness has a ripple effect.

Treat everyone with respect, whether or not you feel they’ve earned it.

Know your triggers. Understand what makes you angry and frustrated so you can act instead of react.

The world always looks better from behind a smile!

Lori's House

 

John had to visit the pharmacy (inside our grocer’s) December 31. He asked if I wanted anything, and I said eggnog. They were sold out, of course. So, we made our own:

 

Eggnog

 

3 egg yolks

1/4 cup sugar

1 cup milk

1/2 cup cream

Pinch grated nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon vanilla

Dash rum flavoring

 

Whisk together yolks and sugar until light and creamy. In a saucepan, combine milk, cream, and nutmeg; heat over medium heat until bubbles form around edges. Do not bring to a boil. Slowly whisk 1/2 cup of the hot liquid into eggs and sugar.  Repeat a few more times until about 1/3 of the hot liquid has been mixed into the eggs. Add tempered egg yolk liquid back into pan and heat until it just starts to coat the back of a wooden spoon. Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla and rum flavoring.  Transfer to an airtight container. Chill completely before serving.

Russel's Sampler

 

My literary resolutions for 2021:

 

A book published in 2020 – The Tower of Nero by Rick Riordan

A book you can finish in a day – Skunk and Badger by Amy Timberlake

A book you’ve been meaning to read – Song of Solomon by Toni Morrison

A book recommended by a librarian – A Wish Your Heart Makes, Charles Solomon

A book you should have read in school – The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho

A book chosen by a friend – Champion of the Titan Games by Brandon Mull

A book published before your birth – The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis

A book that was once banned – In the Night Kitchen by Maurice Sendak

A previously abandoned book – Tales of the Alhambra by Washington Irving

A book you own but haven’t read – The Talisman by Sir Walter Scott

A book that intimidates you – Bleak House by Charles Dickens

A book you’ve already read – Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien

Three-Inch Churn Dash

 

"Be one who nurtures and who builds. Be one who has an understanding and a forgiving heart, who looks for the best in people. Leave people better than you found them. Be fair with your competitors, whether in business, athletics, or elsewhere. Don’t get drawn into some of the parlance of our day and try to ‘win’ by intimidation or by undermining someone’s character. Lend a hand to those who are frightened, lonely, or burdened. If we could look into each other’s hearts and understand the unique challenges each of us faces, I think we would treat each other much more gently, with more love, patience, tolerance, and care. If the adversary can influence us to pick on each other, to find fault, bash, and undermine, to judge or humiliate or taunt, half his battle is won. The Spirit of the Lord cannot dwell where there is bickering, judging, contention, or any kind of bashing.” – Marvin J. Ashton

Music Boxes

 

The most famous movie piano might also be the smallest: Sam’s miniature upright from “Casablanca” in 1942. Humphrey Bogart was only 5’8”, but he towered over the tiny 58-key upright. FNP is stenciled on the back, for First National Pictures, which merged with Warner Brothers in September, 1927. It was manufactured earlier that same year by Kohler & Campbell. The piano and its stool were painted a rose-gold for the black-and-white movie, and elaborately decorated with Moroccan motifs. The lid was detached from the case and fitted with a hook-and-eye closure, so Rick could slip the letters of transit inside, undetected by the Nazis. Arthur “Dooley” Wilson, who played Sam, was actually a drummer. In the scenes where Sam seems to be playing, he’s really mimicking the motions of pianist Jean Vincent Plummer, just off camera, playing “It Had to Be You,” “Knock on Wood,” and “As Time Goes By.” Sam’s piano sold at auction in 2014 for $3,413,000.

New Year's Star

 

“Write it on your heart that every day is the best day in the year. He is rich who owns the day, and no one owns the day who allows it to be invaded with fret and anxiety. Finish every day and be done with it. You have done what you could. Some blunders and absurdities, no doubt crept in. Forget them as soon as you can, tomorrow is a new day; begin it well and serenely, with too high a spirit to be cumbered with your old nonsense. This new day is too dear, with its hopes and invitations, to waste a moment on the yesterdays.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson