Manor House

 

When asked about Disneyland, Walt would say, “We’re just getting started!” He meant for it to always be growing and changing. I vividly remember visiting the park in the 60’s, when we lived an hour away. People dressed up to go out then, and our mother made us matching outfits with shoulder bags just for the occasion. There was a luau in Adventureland near the Jungle Cruise, and a pow-wow at Indian Village where Critter Country now stands. Big Thunder Mountain Railroad was the tame Mine Train Through Nature’s Wonderland. Tarzan’s Treehouse was home to the Swiss Family Robinson, and the Skyway ride passed from Fantasyland to Tomorrowland through a hole near the peak of the Matterhorn. You could rocket to the moon, ride a time-traveling carousel, or take a journey through inner space. Disneyland back then smelled chiefly of tobacco smoke and diesel exhaust. Would I go back if I could? Maybe not.

Basket

 

“What I’m suggesting is that we speak of one another’s virtues more than we speak of one another’s faults, that optimism replace pessimism, that our faith exceed our fears. When I was a young man, my father would say, ‘Cynics do not contribute, skeptics do not create, doubters do not achieve.’ Look for good and build on it. There is so much of the strong and decent and beautiful to build upon. You are partakers of the gospel of Jesus Christ. The gospel means ‘good news.’ The message of the Lord is one of hope and salvation. The voice of the Lord is a voice of glad tidings. The work of the Lord is a work of glorious accomplishment. I’m not suggesting that you simply put on rose-colored glasses to make the world about you look rosy. I ask rather, that you look above and beyond the negative, the critical, the cynical, the doubtful, to the positive and affirmative” – President Gordon B. Hinckley

Bungalow

 

During a church service, the pastor asked if anyone in the congregation would like to express thanks for answered prayers. Suzie walked to the podium. She said, “Two months ago, my husband, Phil, had a terrible bike accident and his scrotum was crushed. Phil was unable to hold me or the children and every move caused him terrible pain. We prayed as the doctors performed a delicate operation, and they were able to reconstruct Phil’s scrotum, using wire to reinforce and shape it.” Men in the congregation cringed and squirmed uncomfortably. “Now,” she announced, “thank the Lord, Phil is out of the hospital and the doctors say with time, he’ll recover completely.” The pastor rose and asked if anyone else had something to say. A man stood and walked slowly to the podium. He said, “I’m Phil. I just want to tell my wife the word is sternum.”

Wagon Wheel

 

If you’re ever bored, Google “Florida Man” and see what pops up. Sure, you could put any state in the place of Florida, but somehow the sunshine state outdoes us all. In late July, a Lake Worth, Florida landscaper awakened his client to ask him to move the Tesla parked on the grass he was there to mow. The client, Phil Fraumeni, went outside and discovered the Tesla in question wasn’t his. Moreover, it had been sitting on his lawn, charging all night for free. First Phil checked with his wife to make sure the car didn’t have permission to be there. Then Phil called the police. The police arrived at the same time as the Tesla owners, who confessed they’d run out of juice visiting a friend nearby during the night, and decided to help themselves to Phil’s power. And lawn. The police actually had to explain this was illegal. Luckily for them, Phil didn’t press charges. This time.

Georgian House

 

Sour cream is a cultured product, produced by fermentation. In a sense, it’s “gone bad” in a very specific way. That doesn’t mean it can’t spoil. It’s generally safe to use sour cream up to three weeks after the sell-by date, as long as it’s stored, covered, in a refrigerator. If you notice an “off” color or smell, or signs of mold (even just on the lid), it’s time to toss the whole container out. I recently bought three pounds of sour cream, so using it before it can walk out of the fridge on its own may take some effort. I’ve put baked potatoes and chili on this week’s menu, and I have recipes for ranch dip and strawberry ice cream that call for sour cream. Pancakes are a great way to use sour cream, as a topping and in the batter. It’s also amazing in pie crust, deviled eggs and chocolate cake.

Double Wrench

 

We’ve been to France several times, but never to Paris. Unless, of course, you count the Charles de Gaulle Airport. We’ve wandered aimlessly around Honfleur, got hopelessly lost trying to find the Dunkirk McDonalds, very nearly made it to the LDS chapel in Le Havre, and spent several unforgettable days at Disneyland Paris (which is nowhere near Paris). We might have enjoyed visiting the Louvre or Notre-Dame, but somehow, we never actually got around to going. That might have changed if we’d known a decade ago that you can visit Gustave Eiffel’s apartment at the top of the Eiffel Tower. Like Walt Disney’s digs on Main Street, USA, Eiffel had a pied à terre a thousand feet in the air. Walt’s apartment was 500 square feet; Gustave’s was 1074 (minus the elevator shaft). Neither had space for a bedroom, but there is a piano in the Eiffel Tower apartment. Eiffel couldn’t really sleep there, but he could have played Debussy.

Tower House

 

A week ago today, August 17, was Black Cat Day – a very minor holiday to help dispel age-old myths, superstitions and fears surrounding black cats. The Saturday before that, one particular black cat helped to save his human’s life. Tamar Longmuir heard her 83-year-old neighbor was missing, so she began searching her farm in Bodmin, Cornwall. She and other searchers noticed the woman’s black cat, Piran, pacing back and forth near a gate, meowing loudly. They followed the cat and found the elderly woman had fallen 70 feet down a steep, heavily wooded embankment and was lying, helpless, in a stream at the bottom. Rescue workers were able to safely carry her back up to a waiting air ambulance. "Without the cat,” Tamar said, “it could have been hours before anyone checked there." If you missed Black Cat Day this year, International Black Cat Day is October 27.

Monkey Wrench

 

“Amid the losses we have experienced, there are also some things we have found. Some have found deeper faith in our Heavenly Father and His Son, Jesus Christ. Many have found a fresh perspective on life—even an eternal perspective. You may have found stronger relationships with your loved ones and with the Lord. I hope you have found an increased ability to hear Him and receive personal revelation. Difficult trials often provide opportunities to grow that would not have come in any other way. Think back on the past two years. How have you grown? What have you learned? You might initially wish you could go back to 2019 and stay there! But if you look at your life prayerfully, I believe you will see many ways in which the Lord has been guiding you through this time of hardship, helping you to become a more devoted,more converted man—a true man of God.” – President Russell M. Nelson

Chalet

 

We’ve stayed in a lot of hotel rooms, from the very posh to the austere. Some came with soap, shampoo, conditioner and lotion. Others didn’t have washcloths or electrical outlets. One thing nearly every hotel room had in common was a hot drink station: a tiny microwave or electric kettle, along with cups, stirrers, tea bags, instant coffee, even tiny packets of sugar and non-dairy creamer. It’s a lovely idea, to start or end the day with a cup of something warm and aromatic. Except we don’t drink coffee or tea. And these clever little hot drink stations never seem to offer anything else. So, we’ve taken to providing our own supplies: a few envelopes of hot cocoa or spiced cider mix, or a little mint or chamomile. They take up next to no space in our luggage. And after a long day of travel or sight-seeing, they’re a delicious way to unwind.

Flying Geese

 

McDonalds introduced its popular Quarter Pounder in 1971, in response to customers who wanted a higher meat-to-bun ratio. The name refers to the weight of the raw burger patty, as cooking one loses about 25% in water and fat. In the early 1980’s, A&W responded with a 1/3-pound burger at exactly the same price. In blind taste tests, the newer, bigger burger was the clear winner. But somehow, people just weren’t buying it. A&W ordered more tests and focus groups to find out why. As it turned out, most Americans felt A&W was charging too much for too little beef. That’s right. More than half of the people they asked believed that 1/3 is LESS than 1/4. In 2007, McDonalds themselves offered an Angus Third-Pounder, and ran into the same roadblock. In 2015, it was the Sirloin Third-Pounder; same story. But somehow, the Quarter Pounder is still going strong.

Shotgun Cottage

 

In the spring of 1997, Nathan Zohner, a fourteen-year-old student at Eagle Rock Junior High in Idaho Falls, used his school science fair to warn fellow students about a dangerous chemical. In his report, Nathan outlined the alarming characteristics of this colorless, odorless, tasteless compound which kills thousands of Americans each year. It can cause severe burns while in gas or solid form. It’s a major component of acid rain and often found in tumors of cancer patients. It accelerates corrosion of several metals. Ingesting too much leads to excessive sweating and urination. For those with a dependency on this chemical, Dihydrogen Monoxide, withdrawal leads to death. After giving his presentation, Nathan asked 50 fellow students what should be done. 43 voted to ban Dihydrogen Monoxide – water – from school grounds. He not only won the science fair, but inspired the term Zohnerism: the use of facts to lead an ignorant public to false conclusions.

Birds in the Air

 

I Confess

 I stalked her

in the grocery store: her crown

of snowy braids held in place by a great silver clip,

her erect bearing, radiating tenderness,

watching

the way she placed yogurt and avocados in her

basket,

beaming peace like the North Star.

I wanted to ask, "What aisle did you find

your serenity in, do you know

how to be married for fifty years or how to live

alone,

excuse me for interrupting, but you seem to

possess

some knowledge that makes the earth turn and

burn on its axis—"

But we don’t request such things from strangers

nowadays. So, I said, "I love your hair."

 

-          Alison Luterman

Carriage House and Tower

 

Did you know that twenty years ago – actually, it’ll be 21 years next month – Blockbuster had the chance to buy Netflix for $50 million? At the time, Blockbuster was the biggest kid on the playground, and Netflix was this little DVD-by-mail rental service. If you wanted to watch something, you’d let them know, and the postman would drop it in your mailbox. Eventually. The idea just wasn’t catching on as fast as Netflix had hoped, and they were bleeding red ink. Marc Randolph and Reed Hastings, who’d founded Netflix three years earlier, believed combining forces with Blockbuster would benefit both companies. But John Antioco, the CEO of Blockbuster, thought the idea was laughable. He turned them down. Last year, the revenue for Netflix was $25 billion. Blockbuster died in 2010. If it wasn’t for the 2019 movie, Captain Marvel, none of my students would have ever heard of it.

Crossroads

 

“Our most valuable relationships are with the Father and the Son and with our own families because our ties to them are eternal. The great plan of happiness is a wonderful manifestation of God’s love for us. With eyes riveted on God’s plan, we willingly choose to carve out soil and rocks within us that support selfish desires and replace them with foundations that build eternal relationships. Seeking after Him and calling upon Him will begin the process and provide space to build and strengthen our eternal relationships. It broadens our spiritual view and helps us focus on changing what we can control rather than on fears outside our control. Studying the life and ministry of our Savior, Jesus Christ, will enable us to view these other concerns with an eternal perspective.” – Elder Taniela B. Wakolo

Pagoda House

 

If you only know one thing about Imelda Marcos, you know about her shoes. When she and her husband, late dictator Ferdinand Marcos were exiled to Hawaii, she left behind over 3,000 pairs of shoes, along with 888 handbags, 508 gowns, and 15 mink coats. She collected these during the 21 years she and Ferdinand stole billions from the Filipino people. Many of the shoes were made locally and were worth between $6 and $11 each. Others were designer brands like Charles Jourdan, Christian Dior, Gucci, and Oleg Cassini, worth hundreds. Where are her shoes now? 720 pairs are at the Marikina Shoe Museum in Manila. Most of the rest were destroyed by mold and insect infestations as a result of being stashed for years, unworn, in their original cardboard boxes. This story would almost be funny, if not for the 17% of Filipinos living below the poverty level. Many of them are lucky to own any shoes at all.

Shoo-Fly

 

Last weekend we watched Davy Crockett: King of the Wild Frontier on Disney+. The 1955 movie appeared with the 12-second racial stereotype warning that said, “These stereotypes were wrong then and are wrong now. Rather than remove this content, we want to acknowledge its harmful impact, learn from it and spark conversation to create a more inclusive future together.” We were surprised to see a Creek chief (who was portrayed by a member of the Oneida tribe) wearing a buffalo headdress. As the movie primarily takes place in Tennessee, it seemed a bit out of place. After a bit of research, I found the Sioux were the only ones who wore buffalo headdresses. The Sioux (and the bison) lived in what is now the Dakotas, Kansas, Nebraska, Wyoming, Montana, Oklahoma, Texas, and Colorado. I also learned Davy Crockett was filmed in Tennessee. I guess that means the scenery was probably more realistic than the costumes were.

Starshine Shanty

 

A few words about WHY yesterday was Presidential Joke Day: August 11 1984, President Reagan was testing a microphone before a scheduled radio address. Most people simply repeat, “Testing, one, two, three” until the sound technician tells them to stop. Some warm up with tongue twisters, like, “Around the rugged rock the ragged rascal ran.” There are actually phrases designed to test sound equipment. “Press the pants and sew a button on the vest” and “Her purse was full of useless trash” are two. Instead, on this particular day, Reagan led with, “My fellow Americans, I’m pleased to tell you today I’ve signed legislation outlawing Russia forever. We begin bombing in five minutes.” The white house press corps and aides chuckled, but not everyone was laughing. Some called the joke in poor taste, in view of the strained relationship between our country and Russia. Still, I’d rather have a president who cracks jokes than one who doesn’t.

Log Cabin

 

August 11 is Presidential Joke Day. A decade ago, I shared a joke here about past presidents. Today I thought I’d post a few jokes that presidents MADE:

“There are few things in life harder to find and more important to keep than love. Well, love and a birth certificate.” – Barack Obama

“I only know two tunes, one of them is ‘Yankee Doodle’ the other isn’t.” – Ulysses S. Grant

“I’ve left orders to be awakened at any time in case of national emergency, even if I’m in a cabinet meeting.” – Ronald Reagan

“I look forward to dinners where I’m supposed to be funny . . . intentionally.” – George W. Bush

“In my many years I have come to a conclusion that one useless man is a shame, two is a law firm, and three or more is a congress.” – John Adams

“If I were two faced, would I be wearing this one?” – Abraham Lincoln

North Star

 

When I have an arthritis flare-up, I avoid NSAIDS; they’re unkind to my digestive system. Instead, I head for the spice cupboard. Turmeric is my go-to spice. It’s an effective anti-inflammatory, and it’s in so many delicious Indian recipes. Black pepper can reduce inflammation as well. We like it freshly ground over most savory dishes. I’ve heard sumac fights inflammation, but I only have one recipe that uses it, and I’ve no idea where to buy it. Nutmeg, another anti-inflammatory, is wonderful in banana bread and homemade eggnog. We buy it whole and grind it on demand, because whole nutmeg lasts so much longer. Cayenne can reduce swelling while it improves dishes like scrambled eggs and quiche. My favorite anti-inflammatory spice, cinnamon, is surprisingly good in chocolate chip cookies, hot cocoa, and mole sauce. If you’re going to use a lot, be sure it’s Ceylon cinnamon. Cassia cinnamon can be hard on your liver.

Bow Ties

 

“Let us go forward in this glorious work. How exciting and wonderful it is. I do not know how anybody can feel gloomy for very long who is a member of this Church. Do you feel gloomy? Lift your eyes. Stand on your feet. Say a few words of appreciation and love to the Lord. Be positive. Think of what great things are occurring as the Lord brings to pass His eternal purposes. This is a day of prophecy fulfilled, … this great day in the history of this Church. This is the day which has been spoken of by those who have gone before us. Let us live worthy of our birthright. Keep the faith. Nurture your testimonies. Walk in righteousness, and the Lord will bless you and prosper you, and you will be a happy and wonderful people.” – Gordon B. Hinckley

Empire House

 

I shared my recipe for a classic Waldorf salad here almost a decade ago. I still love and use that recipe. But if I want a main dish salad, I’m more likely to use this one. I love to serve it with freshly baked and buttered dinner rolls, and crisp dill pickle spears.

 

Chicken Waldorf

 

2 chicken breasts

1 stalk celery, thinly sliced

1 whole apple, chopped

3/4 cup grapes, halved

3/4 cup coarsely chopped walnuts

3/4 cup mayonnaise

1/4 cup sour Cream

Salt and pepper, to taste

Juice of half a lemon

Season chicken breasts with salt and pepper and bake at 400F for half an hour. Cool completely and cut into bite-sized pieces. Toss in a large bowl with remaining ingredients. Cover and refrigerate at least an hour before serving.

Underground Railroad

 

We bought a new sofa set in May this year, after years of looking for one we liked as well as the one we’d worn out. To keep them from wearing out too quickly, I’ve draped both new sofas with a couple of older quilts. One of these is among the first quilts I ever made, from Eleanor Burns’ 2003 book Underground Railroad Sampler. It was probably a mistake to put that quilt where I have to pass it several times a day. All I can see is the mistakes I made: the points that got swallowed, the corners that don’t meet, the fabric I shouldn’t have used for sashing, binding or back. I can’t fix what’s wrong with that quilt, but I can make a newer, better one. I have lots more Civil War-era reproduction scraps to play with, a far superior sewing machine, and seventeen years more experience than I had when I made the first one. 

Windmill House

 

I’ve read the Splash Mountain rides in Disneyland and in Walt Disney World are being rethemed to reflect the 2009 movie, “Princess and the Frog.” Disney parks are constantly growing and changing, but I suspect this move is an attempt to erase any trace of “Song of the South” from our collective consciousness. The 1946 movie has been under fire for three quarters of a century, primarily from people who’ve never seen it. Surely, after 75 years, it could do no harm to release it as an historical artifact, with a disclaimer for home video or on Disney+. It might be worth noting the film’s cast stood firmly behind it: “If I had for one moment considered any part of the picture degrading or harmful to my people, I would not have appeared therein.” – Hattie McDaniel “I believe certain groups do my race more harm in seeking to create dissension than can ever possibly come out of the ‘Song of the South.’” – James Baskett

Hunter's Star

 

I’m so glad August is finally here. I fully expect the temperatures to start backing off a bit. I’d like to celebrate this month’s family birthdays with a backyard picnic, and that’s hard to do when it’s like a blast furnace outside. I want to serve corn on the cob, pasta salad, and watermelon. I was thinking of this for the main dish:

 

Homemade Sloppy Joes

 

 2 pounds lean ground beef

2 cups celery, sliced thin

1 cup finely chopped onion

1/2 cup finely chopped bell peppers

10.5 ounce can of tomato soup

1/2 cup ketchup

2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

2 tablespoons brown sugar

1 tablespoons Worcestershire

Fresh ground black pepper to taste

 

Brown the ground beef; drain excess fat. Add vegetables and sauté until tender and aromatic. Stir in remaining ingredients. Continue cooking while stirring about 20 minutes. Serve over toasted hamburger buns. 

Fying Dutchman

 

When Heather was an infant, Idaho state paid for an early interventionist to visit, teach me how to teach her, and check on our progress. Much of what she taught me I was already doing: playing with her, talking to her, reading to her. One new concept she introduced was that babies won’t demonstrate a new skill if they feel they’re under scrutiny. The woman chatted with me, her face pointed my way, while watching Heather out of the corner of her eye. She told me she once worked with disabled twins who lived on a nearby reservation. The twins exhibited no language skills until their older sister passed away. It seems the sister had been intervening on their behalf, telling everyone what the twins wanted or needed. While she was there, they hadn’t needed to learn to speak. It’s been three and a half decades, but I still ask myself if I’m helping Heather or holding her back.

Grape Basket

“One of the most important things we can do in this life is to recognize and remember the pathway back to our Heavenly Father and faithfully and joyfully persevere throughout the journey. Whatever you must leave behind to follow the path to your heavenly home will one day seem like no sacrifice at all. We have Jesus Christ’s perfect example to follow, and the journey toward our eternal home is possible only because of His teachings, His life, and His atoning sacrifice—including His death and glorious Resurrection. I invite you to experience the joy of remembering that we are children of God and that He so loved the world that He has sent His Son6 to show us the path. I invite you to remember to be faithful, to turn your life to the Savior and build your foundation on Him. Remember to be prayerful in your journey and serve others along the way.” – Elder José A. Teixeira