Chain Letter

 

A lot of people use this time of year to declare their New Year’s resolutions – things they intend to accomplish during the coming year. I may do that, eventually. But today, I’m posting my anti-resolutions. This coming year, I intend NOT to smoke or vape. As I’ve never done either, keeping this resolution shouldn’t be too hard. I also mean to avoid alcohol, coffee, and energy drinks. They’re vile, and there are much more fun ways to ruin your health. During the next twelve months at least, I intend NOT to take up sky diving, bungee jumping, or tattooing. I won’t be piercing my nose or my navel, and I won’t be gauging my ears. I will not take up mountain climbing or cave diving. I won’t go anywhere in a car – as a passenger or a driver – without my seatbelt safely buckled. I hope you won't, either. Here’s to a safer, saner new year for all of us!

Twenty Chain Links

 

Robert Lewis May was born to a wealthy secular Jewish family in Long Island. The Mays lost everything during the Great Depression, when Robert was in his early 20’s. For most of his career, Robert was a poorly paid in-house advertising copywriter for Montgomery Ward. In 1939, his employer asked him to write a cheerful children’s book for the department store to give to Christmas shoppers. Deeply in debt (his wife had just died from cancer), Robert wrote Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer. In 1946, RCA Victor asked Robert for permission to make an audio recording of the booklet, but Montgomery Ward owned the rights to Rudolph. In an unprecedented move, the department store GAVE Robert the rights. Three years later, Robert’s brother-in-law, Johnny Marks, wrote the song that’s running in your head right now. Gene Autry’s version that same year sold 2.5 million copies. There was a Max Fleischer cartoon in 1948, and a full-color stop-motion TV special in 1964.

Three Dozen Wonky Log Cabins

 

The best way to avoid infections (colds, flu, norovirus, RSV, COVID, etc.) is to shun crowds, practice good hygiene, and keep your immunizations up to date. Beyond that, anything you can do to boost your immunity is a plus. Here are a few hints to help you do that:

Get plenty of vitamin C, found in citrus, kiwi, strawberries, broccoli, tomatoes and peppers.

Eat more mushrooms. They’re rich in riboflavin and niacin – B vitamins that help your immune system.

Load up on quercetin, a flavonoid found in onions, shallots, fennel, red apples, grapes, berries, citrus, and leafy greens. Quercetin is an antioxidant with anti-inflammatory properties.

You’re probably vitamin D deficient right now. If you can’t visit a warm, sunny beach, you can take a supplement or eat more fatty fish or egg yolks.

Lower stress hormones by getting more exercise, improving your sleep habits, and meditating. Taking an occasional mental health day also improves physical health.

Sixteen Butterflies

 

Chocolate-Dipped Shortbread

 

3 sticks softened butter

3/4 cup sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3 cups flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup chocolate chips

1 tablespoon shortening

1-1/2 cups finely chopped nuts

 

Cream together butter, sugar and vanilla. Add flour and salt. Mix well. Shape into 1-inch balls. Place on cookie sheets and flatten with the bottom of a glass dipped in sugar. Bake at 350 for 10 minutes. Cool completely. Melt the chocolate chips and shortening in a double boiler over hot water, stirring until blended. Dip each cookie halfway into the chocolate, dip into the nuts and place on waxed paper. Refrigerate until the chocolate is set. Makes 5 dozen, unless you tasted a few while you were making them.

Three Dozen Louisiana Blocks

 

“There are many things from which I might have derived good, by which I have not profited, I dare say, Christmas among the rest. But I am sure I have always thought of Christmas time, when it has come round—apart from the veneration due to its sacred name and origin, if anything belonging to it can be apart from that—as a good time; a kind, forgiving, charitable, pleasant time; the only time I know of, in the long calendar of the year, when men and women seem by one consent to open their shut-up hearts freely, and to think of people below them as if they really were fellow-passengers to the grave, and not another race of creatures bound on other journeys. And therefore, though it has never put a scrap of gold or silver in my pocket, I believe that it has done me good, and will do me good; and I say, God bless it!” – Fred, from A Christmas Carol

Cutey Pie Pin Cushion

 

“We are all children of the covenant stretching across the earth in nations and cultures on every continent, numbering in the millions, as we await the glorious return of our Lord and Savior. Shining as a light to those around us, we consciously shape our desires, thoughts, choices, and actions. Seeking with all our heart to know and love the Savior, we separate ourselves from the world through covenants with God, being distinct, uncommon, and special, as we honor Him and His teachings without isolating ourselves from others who believe differently. It is a wondrous journey to be wheat among the tares, sometimes fraught with heartache but always calmed by the maturing and assuring settling of our faith. As you allow your love for the Savior and His love for you to sink deep into your heart, I promise you added confidence, peace, and joy in meeting the challenges of your life.” – Elder Neil L. Andersen

Sixteen Chain Links

 

I don’t expect anyone but other musicians to understand this, but I have a love/hate relationship with Sunday. I love the opportunity to worship our Lord with music. But between being asked every week to play hymns, prelude and postlude on the organ, accompanying choirs and providing special numbers in my church and others, Sunday becomes less like a day of rest. When Christmas falls on the Sabbath, it’s exponentially worse. I’d been grumbling (again) to a friend about this, and she said something that made me think. Next time Christmas falls on Sunday is in 2033; eleven years from now! In eleven years, my grandchildren will be grown. Several family members will probably no longer be with us. There’s a good chance I won’t be here, either. So, I’ll go to church with my family tomorrow. I’ll sing and I’ll play and I’ll try to enjoy every moment. I hope you will, too. Merry Christmas!

Thirty Wonky Log Cabins

Heather’s had the remote all month, so we’ve been watching Christmas Carols, Home Alones (Homes Alone?) and Santa Clauses nonstop. Tomorrow, I want a DIFFERENT Christmas movie. Not Die Hard or Gremlins. Something like:

Iron Man 3 (2013) I’ll never tire of watching Ben Kingsley portraying Trevor Slattery.

The Family Man (2000) It’s a Wonderful Life, for a new millennium.

Serendipity (2001) Without Eugene Levy, this would probably be unwatchable.

Arthur Christmas (2011) Sure, it’s animated. But I could listen to this cast read my Subaru manual.

The Man Who Invented Christmas (2017) Before they haunted Scrooge, the ghosts haunted Dickens.

Christmas With the Kranks (2004) The book was better, but the movie’s still such fun.

The Holiday (2006) I don’t know which house I covet more: the Hollywood mansion, or the cottage in Surrey.

While You Were Sleeping (1995) Textbook Christmas Rom-Com, but with a killer ensemble cast.

Now all I need to do is appropriate the remote.

 

One Dozen Butterflies

 

If you’re looking for a new hobby, I have one you might enjoy: yarn bombing. Also called “yarn storming” or “knit-fiti,” yarn bombing is a kinder, gentler form of graffiti. The first yarn bombers were knitters in the Houston area in the 1990’s, looking for a creative way to use leftover wool and unfinished projects. Today, there are yarn bombers all over the world. They cover doorknobs, tree trunks, lamp posts, etc. with knitted and crocheted “cozies.” Unlike most graffiti artists, yarn bombers ask permission from the property owners before creating their art. Their artwork never damages the items they decorate. They use natural yarns instead of synthetic. If the cozies aren’t removed, they’ll simply biodegrade. Yarn bombing brings color, warmth and whimsy to drab urban landscapes. If you don’t already know how to knit or crochet, now’s a great time to start. Yarn Bombing Day is June 11. There’s plenty of time to learn.

Thirty Louisiana Blocks

 

Today’s the first day of winter: time for a winter bucket list. Here’s mine so far:

Host a football party: hot soup, fresh rolls, and appetizers. Game optional.

Make REAL hot chocolate, not the powdered, mix-with-hot-water kind.

Build a snowman with a hat and scarf, sticks for arms and a big carrot nose.

Binge-watch something. If the new shows don't beckon, revisit an old favorite.

Read by the fire. My fireplace is broken, but there’s one at my library.

Knit a cozy hat or scarf – or maybe both!

Bake and decorate sugar cookies. Enjoy them with milk or spiced cider.

Throw a game night. The grandkids have mastered Qwirkle and Uno. Time to teach them Yahtzee.

Make a hearty soup: beef stew, clam chowder, broccoli cheddar or chili. Serve it in bread bowls.

Do a jigsaw puzzle. There are 89 days until spring. Might as well enjoy them.

One Dozen Chain Links

 

Well after dark the night before Thanksgiving, I walked the dogs around our pond. They’re both reactive terriers, so I deliberately walk when and where we won’t meet other dogs. The older dog's harness slipped off, and he tumbled off the path, down the hill and right into the pond. Then he either couldn't or wouldn't budge. The only way to get him out was to jump in and grab him. I've never been in ice-covered water before. "Cold" doesn't begin to describe it. It literally takes your breath away. Somehow, we made it out of the pond and home again, trailing mud, sticks and leaves the whole way. Once we were washed, dried and could feel our extremities again, I realized we were pretty lucky to be alive. The spot where we went in was only a few feet deep, but there are places where it’s much worse. I’ll give that icy pond a wider berth in the future.

Twenty-five Wonky Log Cabins

“In the busyness of our daily lives, we may be distracted from the eternal things that matter the most by making pleasure, prosperity, popularity, and prominence our primary priorities. Our short-term preoccupation with the things of this world and the honors of men may lead us to forfeit our spiritual birthright for far less than a mess of pottage. Each of us should evaluate our temporal and spiritual priorities sincerely and prayerfully to identify the things in our lives that may impede the bounteous blessings that Heavenly Father and the Savior are willing to bestow upon us. And surely the Holy Ghost will help us to see ourselves as we really are. As we appropriately seek for the spiritual gift of eyes to see and ears to hear, I promise we will be blessed with the capacity and judgment to strengthen our covenant connection with the living Lord.” -  Elder David A. Bednar

 

Picket Fence

 

In July, 1997, three Yemenis - Adam Ismail, Mustafa Khalil, and Abdullah al-Umari – filed a lawsuit charging NASA with trespass and vandalism. On Mars. The three men claimed they inherited the Red Planet some 3,000 years ago. They demanded an immediate suspension of all operations on Mars until a court delivers a verdict. They also insisted NASA refrain from disclosing any information pertaining to the planet’s atmosphere, gravity, surface, etc. without receiving specific permission from them. Brian Welch, NASA’s news chief, said, "Mars is the property of all humanity, not three guys in Yemen." Welch explained an international treaty from 1967 holds that everything in the solar system (excepting, of course, the Earth itself) is the property of everyone in the world and does not belong to any one country. The case was thrown out of court, and there are currently three operational rovers exploring Mars. 

Nine Butterflies

 

Bobbi Gibb wanted to run in the Boston Marathon in 1966. Officials rejected her application, saying: “Women are not physiologically able to run a marathon. We can’t take the liability.” Bobbi hid in the bushes, waiting for the race to begin. When half of the runners had passed her, she jumped in. Bobbi wore boys’ shorts and sneakers, a bathing suit, and a hoodie. “I knew if they saw me, they’d try to stop me,” she said. “I thought I might be arrested.” It didn’t take long for fellow runners to realize she wasn’t male, but no one called the police or ran her off the road. Instead, they offered their protection. When Bobbi shrugged off her hoodie, the crowd erupted – not in anger, but in joy. Massachusetts Governor John Anthony Volpe met Bobbi at the finish line to shake her hand. The first woman to run the marathon had just finished in the top third.

Twenty-five Louisiana Blocks

 

Holly leaves and holly berries are everywhere this time of year. Holly’s an evergreen: a symbol of eternal life. The scarlet berries symbolize the blood Christ shed for us, and the spiny leaves stand for His crown of thorns. Several of our British neighbors had European holly in their gardens. I noticed the very tall trees had smooth, elliptical leaves up top, while the lower branches had vicious, spikey leaves. I wondered if the smooth leaves might be some kind of herbaceous parasite. As it happens, I was witnessing an example of heterophylly: the ability of some plants to simultaneously develop different types of leaves. Nearer the ground, where animals might munch (or school children may molest), the sharp leaves threaten anyone getting too close. Up higher, gentler leaves grow out of reach. It’s actually a molecular response to being damaged. If you could change your DNA when threatened, what would you become? Me, I’d be a bear.

Nine Chain Links

 

Until fairly recently, Christmastime meant LOTS of deliveries by UPS and USPS. As I was the only one on my street at home during the day, I was usually the one who’d sign for packages, while notes were posted on recipients’ doors, telling them where to find them. Now, most deliveries come in Amazon Prime vans. No one EVER rings a doorbell. They drop parcels on the doorstep, snap a photo with their cell phones, and drive off. The other night I was dog-walking and ended up in front of one of these vans. Fully half my neighbors got Amazon deliveries that night, so even with my pooches investigating every lamp post and hydrant, we made better time than the van did. It ended up being extremely convenient, as his headlights made my doggie bag duty super easy. I wonder if there’s a way to deliberately walk the dogs just ahead of a delivery van again tonight.

Two Dozen Wonky Cabins

I send John to the store with shopping lists. He loves to shop and I don’t, so it’s a win-win situation, most of the time. In November, I wrote “French bread” on the list, thinking I could cut the loaf in half lengthwise for garlic bread. He came home with a loaf of sourdough, thin-sliced. This was the only thing I could think to do with it. For the record, the croutons were delicious. And I’m learning to make more specific lists.

 

Sourdough Croutons

  

1/3 cup butter, melted

 1 1/2 teaspoons Italian seasoning

 1 teaspoon olive oil

 1/4 teaspoon coarse salt

 6 slices sourdough bread, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

 2 teaspoons grated Parmesan cheese

 

Combine butter, seasoning and oil in a large bowl. Add bread cubes and Parmesan; toss to coat. Spread on a baking sheet and bake at 300F until lightly toasted; about 20 minutes. Store in an airtight container. Serve over tossed salad or soup.

Four Butterflies

 

“King Benjamin told his people in the Book of Mormon, ‘I cannot tell you all the things whereby ye may commit sin; for there are diverse ways and means, even so many that I cannot number them.’ King Benjamin went on to say, ‘But this much I can tell you, … watch yourselves, and your thoughts, and your words, and your deeds, and observe the commandments of God, and continue in the faith of … our Lord, even unto the end of your lives.’ Is it wrong to have rules? Of course not. We all need them every day. But it is wrong to focus only on rules instead of focusing on the Savior. You need to know the whys and the hows and then consider the consequences of your choices. You need to put your trust in Jesus Christ. He will lead you the right way. He is your strength.” - Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf

Home to Roost

 

In three weeks, I’ll have maintained this blog twelve years. It started as a one-year challenge, to improve my piecing and writing skills. When I look back at my quilts from a dozen years ago, I see a definite change for the better. Writing isn’t so easily evaluated, but I’ve tried to stick to my original design. I wanted this blog to be different from what I see on the Internet. I make an effort to be concise; each post can be read aloud in under sixty seconds. It’s always been my goal to be helpful, interesting, enlightening, and positive. There is so much negativity out there, it feels so wrong to add to it. I strive to keep the grammar and spelling above reproach. Above all, I try to make sure it’s TRUE. Every story shared here goes through rigorous fact checking. And I try not to make this all about ME. Usually.

Twenty Louisiana Blocks

 

Last week, my granddaughter said, “I’m four now, Nana. That means I’m old enough to cook.” She’s been making imaginary food for us well over a year. It may be time to let her try the real thing. I’ve got an apple corer/slicer, so if I peel the apples, she can probably tackle this:

 

Slow Cooker Apple Cobbler

 

6 cups apples, peeled and sliced

1/2 cup sugar

3/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1 box yellow cake mix

1/2 cup cold butter, cubed

 

Spray slow cooker (we use a casserole-shaped cooker) with cooking spray. Add apple slices, sugar and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon; toss. In large bowl, mix cake mix with 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon. Cut in butter with a pastry cutter until it's the size of small peas. Dump atop apple mixture. Cover; cook on high 2 1/2 to 3 hours, until fruit is bubbly. Serve hot with sweet cream, whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

Four Chain Links

 

Alta Apantenco was a Texas waitress who needed someone to watch her 22-month-old daughter, Melissa. Alta placed an ad in the paper and hired the first woman to respond. The woman took Melissa and never returned. That was in 1971. For the next five decades, Alta and her family tried everything they could think of to find Melissa, even hiring private investigators. To add insult to injury, local law enforcement accused Alta of having murdered her own child. This autumn, the family tried home DNA tests from Ancestry and 23andMe and found a match. Melissa, now 53, has lived most of her life in the Fort Worth area believing her name is Melanie. She had no idea she’d been abducted. No criminal charges are expected, as the statute of limitations expired years ago. But Melissa/Melanie and her family were finally reunited November 27. I hope they have a great time getting to know each other again. 

Twenty Wonky Log Cabins

 

John likes to shop, and he loves to come home with more than I asked for. If a little is good, a lot is better, right? It’s thoughtful of him, and usually not a problem, unless he buys stuff with a short shelf life. A couple of weeks ago, I needed half a cup of buttermilk to make banana bread. Buttermilk comes in half pints, so I planned to use the remainder in corn bread. He brought home four times what I needed. I made banana bread, corn bread, buttermilk waffles, and:

 

Buttermilk Syrup

 

1/2 cup butter

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup buttermilk

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 teaspoon baking soda

 

Melt butter in large saucepan; whisk in sugar and buttermilk. Heat to boiling. Remove from heat and whisk in vanilla and soda. When the foaming subsides, serve syrup warm over pancakes, waffles, or French toast. Refrigerate any leftover syrup. 

Butterfly

 

The California pipevine swallowtail butterfly begins life as a tiny, red-gold egg. It hatches into a voracious black caterpillar with orange spots, then metamorphoses into a stunning, iridescent blue wonder. It used to be a common sight in the San Francisco area, but the species is in danger of disappearing altogether. One man is determined to keep that from happening. Tim Wong is an aquatic biologist at the California Academy of Sciences, but restoring these blue beauties is his hobby. Tim has created a butterfly paradise in his back garden, surrounded with mesh to ward off predators. Inside are nectar plants, including the swallowtail’s host plant of choice, the pipevine. Tim has been raising and re-homing California pipevine swallowtails by the hundreds in local parks since 2012. "Improving habitat for native fauna is something anyone can do," he says. "Conservation and stewardship can start in your very own backyard."

Sixteen Louisiana Blocks

 

“We don’t join the Church for fellowship alone, important as that is. We join for redemption through the love and grace of Jesus Christ. We join to secure the ordinances of salvation and exaltation for ourselves and those we love on both sides of the veil. We join to participate in a great project to establish Zion in preparation for the Lord’s return. President Russell M. Nelson recently wrote: ‘Once you and I have made a covenant with God, our relationship with Him becomes much closer than before our covenant. Now we are bound together. Because of our covenant with God, He will never tire in His efforts to help us, and we will never exhaust His merciful patience with us. Each of us has a special place in God’s heart. Jesus Christ is the guarantor of those covenants.’ If we will remember this, the Lord’s high hopes for us will inspire, not discourage, us. ” – Elder D. Todd Christofferson

Chain Link

 

December 3 is National Roof Over Your Head Day. It’s something that’s been on my mind a lot lately. It’s come to my attention a lot of people (including a few I know personally) are homeless. I suppose the politically correct term is “unsheltered persons.” My dad would have called them “bums.” What surprises me is many of these people (including the ones I know personally) have cell phones and Internet access. Yes, I understand a mortgage or rent costs a lot more than a cell phone. But it’s the matter of priorities. To me, food, clothing and shelter seem like essentials. The ability to call a friend, play online games or stay connected to social media seem like luxuries in comparison; luxuries you can do without until the essentials are covered. Then there’s the question of who’s paying for the Internet, and the power to charge the phone. Maybe my dad was right.

Sixteen Wonky Log Cabins

 

In the early 70’s, Fort Lauderdale built an artificial coral reef by dumping millions of old tires into the Pacific. The idea was small marine life (coral, barnacles, etc.) would attach to the tires and create a thriving ecosystem. Most of the tires were tethered together with nylon or steel clips. Somehow, it never occurred to anyone long-term exposure to waves and salt water would render the clips useless. Before the new ecosystem had a chance to begin, the tires began flailing about, crashing into one another. Worse, hurricanes that are common in this area sent them smashing into nearby, natural coral reefs. Thousands of tires washed ashore on beaches as far away as North Carolina. Inevitably, all the tires had to be retrieved and disposed of in landfills. It’s said, “A little knowledge is a dangerous thing.” I wonder what ecological disasters we’re creating right now, in the name of saving the environment.

Nine Rooster Blocks

 

It was the day before Thanksgiving, and I was out of poultry seasoning, which was odd. I must have tossed it when I culled all the expired spices, and forgot to replace it. Odder still, when I ran to the grocery store to replace it, they were out of poultry seasoning, too. I was one of five people crowding the spice aisle, staring at the empty spot on the shelf labelled, “poultry seasoning.” Maybe the other four found the blend they wanted at another store. Maybe they didn’t. But I went home and made:

 

Poultry Seasoning

 

2 teaspoons ground dried sage

1 1/2 teaspoons ground dried thyme

1 teaspoon ground dried marjoram

3/4 teaspoon ground dried rosemary

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon finely ground black pepper (Our pepper grinder lets you choose coarse or fine.)

 

Combine all ingredients in a small bowl; mix well. Store in an airtight container up to four years.

One Dozen Louisiana Blocks

 

What You Missed That Day You Were Absent from Fourth Grade

 

Mrs. Nelson explained how to stand still and listen

to the wind, how to find meaning in pumping gas,

how peeling potatoes can be a form of prayer. She took

questions on how not to feel lost in the dark.

After lunch she distributed worksheets

that covered ways to remember your grandfather’s

voice. Then the class discussed falling asleep

without feeling you had forgotten to do something else—

something important—and how to believe

the house you wake in is your home. This prompted

Mrs. Nelson to draw a chalkboard diagram detailing

how to chant the Psalms during cigarette breaks,

and how not to squirm for sound when your own thoughts

are all you hear; also, that you have enough.

The English lesson was that I am

is a complete sentence.

And just before the afternoon bell, she made the math equation

look easy. The one that proves that hundreds of questions,

and feeling cold, and all those nights spent looking

for whatever it was you lost, and one person

add up to something. – Brad Aaron Modlin

Center Block

 

Fellow musicians remembered hearing Wallace Henry Hartley say if he was ever on a sinking ship, he’d play “Nearer My God to Thee” or “Oh God Our Help in Ages Past.” When the Titanic sank, most people were too preoccupied to notice which tune Hartley’s band played last. Wallace’s body was one of 340 retrieved from the North Atlantic. Surprisingly, his violin was also recovered. Wallace’s body was laid to rest near the Lancashire Methodist church where his father had been choirmaster. “Nearer My God to Thee” was played at his service, and the hymn is inscribed on his headstone. The violin had been an engagement present from Wallace’s fiancée. The Titanic sank before the wedding could take place, but the violin was returned to her. It was rediscovered in an attic, cracked, water-damaged and unplayable. After years of forensic research to determine authenticity, Wallace’s violin sold at auction for £900,000 – to date the most expensive Titanic memorabilia. 

Wonky Baker's Dozen

 

“We should not assume we need to do what only the Savior can do in the miraculous process of our perfection. As Moroni concluded his record, he taught, ‘Yea, come unto Christ, and be perfected in him, … and if ye shall deny yourselves of all ungodliness, and love God with all your might, mind and strength, then is his grace sufficient for you, that by his grace ye may be perfect in Christ.’ What a comforting and powerful truth! His grace is sufficient for me. His grace is sufficient for you. His grace is sufficient for all who labor and are heavy laden. Our Heavenly Father and our Savior, Jesus Christ, love us and have graciously offered to change us and perfect us. They want to do this. It is central to Their work and glory. I testify They have power to do this as we come to Them in faith.” – Elder Paul V. Johnson

Four Corners

 

Today’s word is contronym, also known as auto-antonym or Janus word: a word with two definitions that contradict each other. If you grew up reading Amelia Bedelia, you already know one. Mrs. Rogers tells her maid, Amelia, to dust the furniture. Mrs. Rogers meant to remove the dust, while Amelia assumed she was to sprinkle dust on the furniture. Because “dust” means two opposite things, it’s a contronym. Other examples of controyms are “cleave,” which means to cling to something or cut it apart, “overlook,” which means to supervise or to forget, and “buckle,” which means to fasten together or to fall apart. If you “sanction” something, you’re granting approval or permission. But when a country imposes a sanction, it penalizes or condemns. When someone puts down a deposit and moves into an apartment, it’s said that they are “renting.” But the landlord who takes their deposit and gives them the key is also renting. Isn’t English wonderfully weird?

Nine Louisiana Blocks

 

The Mountain

 

If the mountain seems too big today

then climb a hill instead;

If morning brings you sadness

it’s okay to stay in bed.

If the day ahead feels heavy and your plans feel like a curse,

There’s no shame in rearranging,

don’t make yourself feel worse.

If a shower stings like needles

and a bath feels like you’ll drown;

If you haven’t washed your hair for days,

don’t throw away your crown!

A day is not a lifetime.

A rest is not defeat.

Don’t think of it as failure,

Just a quiet, kind retreat.

It’s okay to take a moment

From an anxious, fractured mind.

The world will not stop turning

While you get realigned!

The mountain will still be there

When you want to try again

You can climb it in your own time,

Just love yourself till then! - Laura Ding-Edwards

Corner Block

 

"Let gratitude be the pillow upon which you kneel to say your nightly prayer. And let faith be the bridge you build to overcome evil and welcome good." – Maya Angelou

“Piglet noticed that even though he had a Very Small Heart, it could hold a rather large amount of Gratitude.” – A. A. Milne

"Focusing on one thing that you are grateful for increases the energy of gratitude and rises the joy inside yourself," – Oprah Winfrey

"Gratitude is the closest thing to beauty manifested in an emotion." – Mindy Kaling

"Gratitude gets us through the hard stuff. Gratitude always leaves us looking at God and away from dread." – Max Lucado

"I looked around and thought about my life. I felt grateful. I noticed every detail. That is the key to time travel. You can only move if you are actually in the moment. You have to be where you are to get where you need to go.” – Amy Poehler

Nine Wonky Log Cabins

 

When I was a music student, apples were a big part of my rehearsal schedule. I’d work ninety minutes daily alone in a practice room. The first thirty or so would be mindless (and mind-numbing) scales and arpeggios. I’d bring an apple and work with one hand while eating half the apple with the other. Then I’d switch hands. I ate the whole apple, except for the stem and the seeds, which I’d toss in a bin as I left. I’d read apple seeds contain cyanide, and didn’t fancy the idea of killing myself for my art. I needn’t have bothered. It turns out there’s so little cyanide in apple seeds, you’d have to eat bags of them to do any damage. Even then, the seed’s exocarp usually prevents it from being digested. All that time, I could have polished off the seeds as well. I wouldn’t have munched the stems, though. There’s such a thing as overkill.

Four Roosters

 

Herbes de Provence

 

1 tablespoon fennel seeds

2 tablespoons dried rosemary

1/4 cup dried thyme

3 tablespoons dried marjoram

3 tablespoons dried summer savory

1 tablespoon dried tarragon

1 tablespoon dried basil

1 teaspoon dried chervil

1 teaspoon dried mint

1 teaspoon dried lavender

 

Grind the fennel seeds and rosemary. Stir in remaining ingredients. Store in an airtight container away from sunlight for up to a year. Herbes de Provence can be used to season meats, chicken, fish, salads, vegetables, soups, and stews. I like to toss about a tablespoonful into a batch of roll dough before it rises.

Four Louisiana Blocks

 

“I remember my first winter here in Utah—snow everywhere. At first I enjoyed it, but after a few days I realized I had to get up earlier to remove snow from the driveway. One morning I was shoveling and saw my neighbor across the street. He’s older than I am. I thought if I finished soon, I could help him. I asked him, “Brother, do you need help?” He smiled and said, “Thank you, Elder Montoya.” He pulled a snowblower out of his garage, started the engine, and removed all the snow in front of his house. He then crossed the street with his machine and asked, “Elder, do you need help?” We are willing to help each other because we love each other. My brother’s needs become my needs, and mine become his. No matter what language my brother speaks or what country he comes from, we love each other because we are brothers, children of the same Father.” – Elder Hugo Montoya

Dark Rooster

 

Pork Adobo is a Filipino recipe. Traditionally, it marinates in overnight, to allow the flavors to blend. But several hours in a slow cooker should give a similar result.

 

Slow Cooker Pork Adobo

 

1 to 1 1/2-pound pork roast

8 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

1/4 cup soy sauce

1/2 cup broth

1/2 teaspoon peppercorns, crushed (I use a cutting board and the flat side of my French chef’s knife.)

2 bay leaves

Pinch of dried oregano

 

Place pork in slow cooker. (If you wish, you can brown it in oil first.) Add remaining ingredients; cover and cook on low six to eight hours. Remove bay leaves. You can shred the pork before serving. If you prefer, you can cut the pork into cubes before cooking, which reduces the cook time to four or five hours. May be served over rice, with fried garlic and a fried egg.

Four Wonky Cabins

 

When Europeans began to settle in the New World, they brought apples with them – not to eat, but for cider. Fermented drinks were less likely to harbor dangerous microorganisms than water, and apples were easier to grow here than grapes or grain. Farmers cultivated a wide variety of apples, primarily to extend the growing and harvesting seasons. At one time, there were thousands of types of apples, with wildly different sizes, colors, textures and flavors. Today, if you’re lucky, you’ll find eight kinds of apple in your local grocery store. If you’re shopping for an apple tree, there are even fewer choices. One apple farmer is trying to change that. Tom Brown has made reclaiming lost heirloom apples his retirement hobby. So far, he’s ferreted out and restored 1,200 lost heirloom varieties, with names like Yellow Potts, Big Andy and Jellyflower. November 18 is Apple Cider Day:  a good day to honor Tom Brown and his work.

Light Rooster

 

If you can't be kind, at least have the decency to be vague.

Remember: some days you’re the pigeon, and some days you’re the statue.

If you lend someone $20 and never see him again, it was probably worth it.

It may be your sole purpose in life is to serve as a warning to others.

Never buy a car you can't push.

Don’t put both feet in your mouth at the same time. You won't have a leg to stand on.

When everything's coming your way, you're in the wrong lane.

Birthdays are good for you. The more you have, the longer you live.

Some mistakes are too much fun to make only once.

A truly happy person is one who can enjoy the scenery on a detour.

You can learn a lot from crayons. Some are sharp and some are dull. They come in many different colors, but they all live in the same box.

Louisiana Variation

 

January 2020, Dan Hill popped into the gym for some late-night exercise. He swam laps, dried off, and got ready to head home. But while he was swimming, the employees turned off lights, locked up and went home. Dan was locked in the gym, alone. There was a certain irony to his predicament: though the gym had decided a few weeks earlier to close its doors from midnight to 4:00 a.m., the name of the establishment was “24-Hour Fitness.” Dan called Sandy police, worried he might be accused of breaking and entering. He called his wife, who suggested he find someplace to nap until the gym reopens. Finally, he took a selfie and posted it on Facebook. Within 18 minutes, Dan was a free man. The next few months brought hardship to a lot of businesses, particularly gyms. 24-Hour Fitness went bankrupt in June, 2020. The Sandy location is now a place to by home gym equipment. 

Four Patience Blocks

 

It was March, 2001, and we were exploring a brand-new Disney’s California Adventure Park. We’d just got off the Grizzly River Run, and Heather’s socks were soaked through. I popped into the gift shop to buy her a dry pair. There was an older fellow inside, manning the cash register and singing “I’ll Take You Home Again, Kathleen.” As I paid for the socks, I told him I wished I could take him home with me. We were staging Guys and Dolls in a few months, and were having a tough time finding the right actor to play Arvide. (Maybe in the 1950’s there were more elderly Irish tenors than you could shake a stick at. But in this century, they’re rather thin on the ground.) He handed me my change, winked and serenaded me with “More I Cannot Wish You” – Arvide’s solo. More proof, if we needed it, that it’s the cast members who make Disney magical.

Wonky Log Cabin

 

“There is a serious need for the charity that gives attention to those who are unnoticed, hope to those who are discouraged, aid to those who are afflicted. True charity is love in action. The need for charity is everywhere. Needed is the charity which refuses to find satisfaction in hearing or in repeating the reports of misfortunes that come to others, unless by so doing, the unfortunate one may be benefited. The American educator and politician Horace Mann once said, ‘To pity distress is but human; to relieve it is godlike.’ Charity is having patience with someone who has let us down. It is resisting the impulse to become offended easily. It is accepting weaknesses and shortcomings. It is accepting people as they truly are. It is looking beyond physical appearances to attributes that will not dim through time. It is resisting the impulse to categorize others.” – President Thomas S. Monson

Patience Block

 

Cheesy Bacon Omelet Cups

 

10 eggs

6 slices of bacon, cooked and crumbled

3/4 cup onion, diced

2 tablespoons butter, melted

2 tablespoons chives, minced (optional)

1/4 cup water

1 cup medium cheddar, shredded

Salt & pepper to taste

 

Preheat oven to 375F. Brush standard muffin tin with butter. Beat eggs in a large bowl until uniform; add remaining ingredients and mix well. Divide evenly among 12 muffin cups. Bake until centers are set. Serve warm. Any remaining omelet cups may be tightly sealed and stored in freezer.

A Couple of Carrots

 

Thirty-one-year-old New Yorker Quashon Burton is suspected of stealing at least four identities so he could receive almost $150,000 in government loans. The money was meant to help small businesses which were struggling because of the pandemic. Law enforcement officers went to his home to arrest him, but Burton was long gone. He was a fugitive for over a year. If you steal 150 grand, what are you gonna do next? Burton went to Walt Disney World. Friday, October 20, he visited Disney’s Animal Kingdom with members of his family, under a fake name. By the strangest coincidence, Jeff Andre – the agent who’d signed his arrest warrant – was also vacationing at the Animal Kingdom that day. He recognized the distinctive tattoo on Burton’s neck. I guess if you’re going to run afoul of the law, it’s not a great idea to put tattoos where everyone can see. And if you’re already wearing conspicuous ink, it’s best to keep your nose clean.

Abundant Blessings

 

This quilt started out as a boxed kit for a 65”x85” quilt with twenty 12” finished blocks. I found the Civil War prints and the Aunt Dinah block pictured on the top of the box especially attractive. Once I got it home and opened it up, I discovered there weren’t instructions for twenty different blocks inside. It was more like eight or nine, repeated. But I’m flexible. I made twenty different blocks, and then I made ten more. It’s 85”x96” now; big enough for a queen-sized bed. Because I didn’t want to spend extra time on a pieced border, I bought a couple of yards of fabric for this simple border. And, of course, I needed extra fabric for the quilt back. But other than that, everything you see here came in the box. I’ve even got enough of black leftover for the binding. And here’s the strangest thing: that box is still chock full of fabric.

Pinwheel Block

 

Amish Custard Pudding

 

1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk

4 cups hot water

6 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla

1/4 teaspoon salt

Ground nutmeg for garnish

 

Preheat oven to 325F. Combine milk and hot water in a large bowl. In a separate bowl beat eggs until light in color and fluffy in texture. Pour a bit of the hot milk mixture into eggs to temper, then combine them fully. Stir in vanilla and salt. Pour into ramekins (or use a 2-quart baking dish) and place on baking pan with high sides. Place pan in oven and fill pan with half inch of boiling water. Bake ramekins 1 hour or until a knife inserted in center comes out clean. If using larger baking dish bake for 1 hour 40 minutes. Allow custard to cool. Sprinkle with nutmeg and serve warm or refrigerate to serve chilled.

Chimney Sweep

 

“Everything happens for a reason. Sometimes the reason is you're stupid and make bad decisions.” - Marion G. Harmon

“Light travels faster than sound. This is why some people appear bright until you hear them speak.” - Alan Dundes

“Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I'm not sure about the universe.” - Albert Einstein

“If at first, you don't succeed, try, try again. Then quit. No use being a damn fool about it.” - W.C. Fields

“It could be that your purpose in life is to serve as a warning to others.” - Ashleigh Brilliant

“Oh, you hate your job? Why didn’t you say so? There’s a support group for that. It’s called EVERYBODY, and they meet at the bar.” – Drew Carey

“Always remember that you are absolutely unique. Just like everyone else.” - Margaret Mead

“The worst part of success is trying to find someone who is happy for you.” - Bette Midler

Star Puzzle

 

“Jesus Christ is both the purpose of our focus and the intent of our destination. To help us to remain fixed and heading in the right direction, the Savior invites us to see our lives through Him in order to see more of Him in our lives. I’ve come to learn more about this specific invitation through my study of the Old Testament. The law of Moses was given to the early Israelites as a preparatory gospel, designed to ready the people for a higher covenant relationship with God through Jesus Christ. The law, rich with symbolism pointing believers to look forward to the coming and Atonement of Jesus Christ, was meant to help the people of Israel focus on the Savior by practicing faith in Him, His sacrifice, and His laws and commandments in their lives—it was intended to bring them to a greater understanding of their Redeemer.” – Tracy Y. Browning