Three-Inch Shoo-Fly Block

 

My youngest grandchild loves chicken, fried or grilled, as long as she has plenty of catsup to dip it in. I learned a long time ago not to take offense at such things. At least she’s eating.

 

Greek-style Grilled Chicken Thighs

 

3 cloves garlic, minced

Juice from 1 lemon

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 teaspoons dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

Salt and pepper to taste

6 boneless skinless chicken thighs (1 1/2 to 2 pounds)

 

Whisk together all ingredients except chicken in a shallow bowl. Add thighs and turn to coat. Cover and refrigerate 2 to 8 hours. Drain chicken, discarding marinade. Grill on high heat, turning occasionally, until no longer pink; about 10 minutes. Serve with chopped parsley, lemon wedges, and a drizzle of olive oil. Unless, of course, your guests prefer catsup.

Thirteen Jewel Boxes

 

I bought a bag of avocados a week ago. Avocados are available all year, but are seldom such a nice price. They were large, but very unripe. I assumed I’d have no trouble using them. I didn’t count on them all ripening at exactly the same time. The moment the flesh under their stems turned pale green, we ate one and froze the rest. I’ve heard you can freeze whole and mashed avocado, but I’ve never done it. I’ve frozen halves by painting cut sides with lemon juice and wrapping them before sticking them in the freezer. This batch I peeled, pitted and cut into chunks. I sprinkled the chunks with lemon, arranged them on silicone mats, and froze them for an hour. Then I popped them into freezer bags, labeled them and stuck them back in the freezer. Now I can thaw what I need for avocado toast, guacamole, whatever. Best of all, none of it was wasted!

Fool's Square

 

It was thirty-five years ago – 1987 – the first time we had solid evidence that human activity was having a negative impact on global weather. There was a hole in the ozone layer, caused by the use of gases like chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) in spray cans and refrigerants. The ozone layer is there to protect us from harmful ultraviolet radiation from the sun, and here we were blowing it to smithereens. All 197 members of the United Nations signed the Montreal Protocol to reduce the emission of these chemicals. It’s the only time in history a treaty received unanimous participation. And it’s working. Atmospheric concentrations of refrigerants have fallen by 50%, and they’re continuing to fall. The hole in the ozone is actually decreasing. NOAA estimates the ozone layer will be completely healed by the year 2070. I won’t be around to celebrate, but my grandkids might. And that’s really good news.

Nine Jewel Boxes

 

Opportunity, also known as MER-B (for Mars Exploration Rover B) left planet Earth July 7, 2003. Its mission was primarily to determine the composition of rocks and unconsolidated rocky material, and to search for evidence there was once water on Mars. Opportunity was expected to be operational 90 sols (almost 93 earth days), but like the title character in Pixar’s Wall-E, it kept recharging its solar batteries, going dormant during dust storms, and doggedly pursuing its mission. For fourteen years! MER-B did eventually find proof of Martian water. The folks at NASA referred to MER-B as “she” and nicknamed her “Oppy.” When Oppy failed to respond in 2018, NASA engineers spent the next eight months sending her wake up calls. Their last message to her was a song: “I’ll Be Seeing You” by Billie Holiday. That’s what humans do. We get hopelessly attached, even to inanimate objects. And when words can’t express how we feel, we turn to music.

Economy Block

 

“I invite you to consider ways you can love, share, and invite. As you do, you’ll feel a measure of joy knowing you’re heeding the words of our beloved Savior. What I’m urging you to do is not a new program. You’ve heard these principles before. These three things are merely an extension of who we already are as disciples of Jesus Christ. No name badge or letter is required. No formal calling is needed. As these three things become a natural part of who we are and how we live, they will become an automatic, unforced expression of genuine love. Like those disciples of Christ who gathered together to learn from Him in Galilee 2,000 years ago, we too can embrace the Savior’s charge and go into all the world preaching the gospel. As we love, share, and invite, we take part in that great and glorious work that prepares the earth for the return of its Messiah.” – Elder Gary E. Stevenson

Four Jewel Boxes

 

“The head of a company survived 9/11 because his son started kindergarten. Another man is alive because it was his turn to bring donuts. One woman was late because her alarm clock didn’t go off. One missed a bus. One spilled food on her clothes and had to change. One went back to answer the phone. One had a child that dawdled. One couldn’t get a taxi. One that really struck me was the man who put on a new pair of shoes that morning. Before he got to the towers, he developed a blister on his foot. He stopped at a drugstore to buy a Band-Aid. That’s why he's alive today. Now when I’m stuck in traffic, or miss an elevator, I think to myself, maybe this is exactly where I should be at this very moment. Next time your morning seems to be going wrong, don’t get mad or frustrated. God may be watching over you.” – Source Unknown

Red and Blue Bear Claw

 

Sheldon Iowa, a city of 5,178 people about three and a half hours northwest of Des Moines, was founded in 1872. Today they’re celebrating their 150th anniversary with coffee and birthday cake. The original plan was to dig up a time capsule they buried fifty years ago, put the items that were inside on display, refill the time capsule with new items reflecting life in 2022, and bury it again. There’s only one slight problem. No one’s really sure where the time capsule was buried. They have a rough idea where to find it, but they thought digging willy-nilly and leaving their park pock-marked with holes might not be the best way to celebrate a sesquicentennial. So, they’ll leave off hunting for the time capsule until after the festivities are over. Then they’ll hire a company with an underground radar system: the same one that helped Sibley, Iowa find their lost time capsule earlier this year.

Jewel Box

 

The autumnal equinox – the official end of summer and beginning of autumn in the northern hemisphere – hits tonight at 8:04 p.m. It still FEELS a lot like summer, as we’ve been dealing with temperatures we associate with July and August well into September. But there are signs that a change is in the air. The morning air seems just a little bit fresher. Chrysanthemums are starting to bloom in red, purple and gold. Our tomato plants are FINALLY producing the lovely ripe fruit we’ve been dreaming of since we planted them. Best of all, the deciduous trees on the mountainside decided to dress in fall colors. There was nothing gradual about it. The change seemed to happen overnight. A few of our neighbors have already started decorating for Halloween. Next, I suppose, will be leaf raking, corn mazes, apple cider, hay rides, caramel apples, chili cook-offs, and all things pumpkin spice. I’m ready. Bring it on!

Flying Geese

 

Seventy-nine-year-old John Chapple is England’s royal beekeeper. He tends the hives on the grounds of Buckingham Palace and Clarence House. This month he was tasked with the burden of informing the bees that their mistress has passed and her son is now king. How does one keep bees abreast of the news? Very slowly and softly. Bees are not fond of loud noises or sudden movements. The tradition of letting bees know about important events is centuries old, and may have been in place as long as people have kept bees. The idea is if you don’t let your bees know what’s going on, they may get the idea they’re not important enough for you to keep them in the loop. They might just decide to pack up and go where they’re more likely to be appreciated. It makes perfect sense to me. Why wouldn’t bees want to keep up with the latest buzz?

Three Dozen Album Blocks

 I’ve always had a love for classic films, and The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938) has long been one of my favorites. In the movie’s famous archery competition scene, one of Robin Hood’s challengers is Elwyn the Welshman. This character is played by Howard Hill, the archer who actually made the shot that split an arrow in half. Whenever an actor in this movie is shot by an arrow (it actually happens several times), the archer is always Howard Hill. There was no way to simulate arrows piercing people without the end result looking like a cheap fake. So, Howard really SHOT live stuntmen. Under their costumes, they wore heavy padding beneath steel plates overlaid with balsa wood. Howard had to hit the stuntmen exactly where the protection was, and he NEVER missed. Each stuntman was paid $150 per arrow. Remember that next time you think you have a crappy job. At least no one’s shooting at you.

Notting Hill Banner

 

“The United Kingdom and the people of the world lost a noble monarch with the passing of Queen Elizabeth II. She presided through seven decades, in times of peace and conflict, plenty and struggle, and did so with characteristic grace and goodness. The First Presidency, Quorum of the Twelve Apostles and members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints express admiration and respect for the Queen and extend our sincere condolences to her family and her people at this tender time. The Lord counsels to ‘live together in love, insomuch that thou shalt weep for the loss of them that die’ (D&C 42:45). The many expressions of sympathy from around the world are a loving tribute to Queen Elizabeth II from those who loved her. We feel gratitude for the goodness of an exemplary life and rejoice in the hope of a glorious resurrection, made possible through the loving sacrifice of the Lord Jesus Christ.” – First Presidency of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

Blue and Red Bear Claw

 

When there were six at my dinner table (half of them teenage boys), I often made lasagna from scratch. In fact, I’d generally make two at a time: one for my crowd, and one for a neighbor with a broken leg or a newborn baby. One made-from-scratch lasagna is WORK. Two are barely an inconvenience. This recipe, though, is the easiest lasagna ever. Except, of course, having a neighbor who makes it for you.

 

Slow Cooker Ravioli Lasagna

 

25 ounces frozen ravioli

1 pound ground beef or Italian sausage

1 cup onion, diced

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon oregano

24 ounces marinara

8 ounces mozzarella, shredded

 

Brown and drain beef; stir in seasonings. Pour half the marinara in slow cooker. Top with half the ravioli. Pour in all the beef and top with remaining ravioli. Top with remaining marinara and cheese. Cover and cook on low 4 hours. Serve with crusty bread and a tossed salad.

Prairie Queen

This is a very old mnemonic children's poem – probably from the early 1900’s. They were still using it when I was in grade school. It’s clever, but personally, I think Grammar Rock is a lot more fun:

Every name is called a NOUN, as field and fountain, street and town;

In place of noun the PRONOUN stands, as he and she can clap their hands;

The ADJECTIVE describes a thing, as magic wand and bridal ring;

The VERB means action, something done – to read and write, to jump and run;

How things are done, the ADVERBS tell, as quickly, slowly, badly, well;

The PREPOSITION shows relation, as in the street, or at the station;

CONJUNCTIONS join, in many ways, sentences, words, or phrase and phrase;

The INTERJECTION cries out, 'Hark! I need an exclamation mark!'

Through Poetry, we learn how each of these make up the PARTS OF SPEECH.

Thirty Album Blocks

 

December 31 1899, the passenger steamer SS Warrimoo was sailing to Australia from Vancouver. The navigator reported the ship’s position: LAT 0º 31' N and LONG 179 30' W. The first mate observed this put them near the intersection of the equator and the international date line. The captain ordered a slight course correction. He adjusted the engine speed so at midnight, the SS Warrimoo lay on the equator at exactly the point where it crosses the date line. The Warrimoo’s bow was in the southern hemisphere, in summer. The stern was in the northern hemisphere, in winter. In the aft of the ship, it was December 31, 1899. In the bow it was January 1, 1900. So, the SS Warrimoo was briefly in two different days, two different months, two seasons, two years, two centuries, and two hemispheres. Alas, there’s no evidence this actually happened, even if 19th century technology could assure accuracy. Still, what a cool idea!

Wedding Ring

 

A quahog is a type of clam – round, grey and tasty – found in the north Atlantic. Every year it lives, a quahog adds another ring to its shell. The shell can show how long the creature lived, and also carry information about its living conditions. In 2006, researchers from Bangor University, Wales dredged some 200 quahogs off the northern coast of Iceland. The clams were frozen for later study. In 2007, a cross-section of one of the clams revealed it had lived 507 years – possibly the oldest individual animal. The Sunday Times gave the clam the name “Ming,” as it had been alive since the Ming dynasty. Researchers called it “Hafrún,” an Icelandic name which might mean “ocean mystery.” Ming/Hafrún was alive while Da Vinci was painting the Virgin of the Rocks and Henry VIII was learning his ABC’s. It’s sad the clam was casually dispatched before anyone knew how old it was. Today, it might have been 523.

Twenty-five Album Blocks

 

There’s a Tex-Mex restaurant in Austin called “El Arroyo” (Spanish for “the gully”). Never having visited, I can’t tell you if the food is good, or if the service is stellar. But I do know they have a clever sign out front that attracts a lot of attention. The sign is changed regularly, and frequently says things like, “Irony is when someone writes, ‘Your an idiot,’” or “It can’t be ‘Rock, Paper, Tacos’ because tacos would always win.” Here are a few more gems: “My ex said he couldn’t live without me. He’s still alive: more lies.” “A pizza is just a real-time pie chart of how much pizza is left.” “I don’t always have time to call people back, but when I do, I don’t.” El Arroyo has been going strong since 1975, so they must be doing something right. And if creativity or a good sense of humor makes for good tacos, their fare must be wonderful.

Pinwheel Sawtooth Star

 

“The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is properly known as a family-centered Church. But not well understood is the reality that our family-centeredness is not limited to mortal relationships. Eternal relationships are also fundamental to our theology. The mission of the restored Church is to help all the children of God qualify for what God desires as their ultimate destiny. By the redemption provided through the Atonement of Christ, all may attain eternal life (exaltation in the celestial kingdom), which Mother Eve declared ‘God giveth unto all the obedient.’ This is more than salvation. President Russell M. Nelson has reminded us that in God’s eternal plan, ‘salvation is an individual matter; but exaltation is a family matter.’ Fundamental to us is God’s revelation that exaltation can be attained only through faithfulness to the covenants of an eternal marriage between a man and a woman.” – President Dallin H. Oaks

2022 State Fair Quilt Challenge

 

We visited the state fair Thursday. We checked out the quilts at the Zion Building. We said hello to pigs, goats, sheep and cows. We enjoyed ribs, beans and slaw, with peaches and cream for dessert. We saw a vintage photograph of the fairgrounds, probably taken around 1910. In the background were the Grand Building, Promontory Hall, and the gazebo. In the foreground was a large crowd of people, most of them men. It was clearly summertime, but they were all wearing suits and hats. We didn’t hit 107 degrees like the day before, but most people Thursday were wearing the least they legally could. I’m told the fair park will see big changes over the next decade: new livestock barns, a parking garage, and a permanent Ferris wheel. I do hope they don’t change things too much. I especially hope there will still be a state fair quilt challenge, because this is just so much fun!

Flying Home

 

Between 1943 and 1959, Rodgers and Hammerstein wrote eleven musicals together. Nearly all of them are still hugely popular. When the last one, The Sound of Music, was in tryouts in Boston, it was decided one more song was needed, so Captain Von Trapp could say goodbye to his beloved homeland. Richard Rogers wrote a sweet and simple waltz tune so their male lead, Theodore Bikel, could accompany himself on guitar. Oscar Hammerstein, in the hospital with stomach cancer, penned lyrics that reflected a father’s love of his country and hope for her future. The Sound of Music opened on Broadway in autumn, 1959. Hammerstein passed away the following summer. Rogers collaborated with other lyricists, but was never able to top the success of The Sound of Music, Cinderella, The King and I, South Pacific, or Oklahoma! And today, more than six decades later, audiences – even native Austrians – are still mistaking “Edelweiss” for a charming old folk song.

Sixteen Album Blocks

 

Slow Cooker Honey Butter Pork

 

5-pound pork loin

2 tbsp olive oil

2 teaspoons EACH paprika, thyme, onion salt

1/2 teaspoon cayenne

3/4 cup honey

1/2 cup unsalted butter

5 cloves garlic, crushed

1/4 cup vinegar

3 teaspoons cornstarch

 

Combine paprika, thyme, onion salt and cayenne; rub all over pork. Brown pork on all sides in oil. Place in slow cooker. Deglaze pan with butter; add garlic and cook until golden. Stir in honey and vinegar. Pour sauce over pork; cover and cook on low 4 to 5 hours. At this point, you can either shred the pork and add it to the sauce in the pan, or carefully slice it and serve it topped with the sauce.  

Blessed Log Cabin

 It’s amazing what passes for controversy these days. I’ve been following the subject of “preferred pronouns,” and find myself completely mystified. If you and I are speaking to one another, the only pronouns we’ll use to describe each other is “you” and “I” or possibly “me.” These are pronouns without gender. The only time one of us would use a gendered pronoun (he, she, him, or her) is when we’re not in each other’s company. So, if you inform others of your preferred pronouns, you’re telling them how to refer to you IN YOUR ABSENCE. Doesn’t that seem a bit self-important? While we’re on the subject, if you find yourself using the words: he, she, him or her a lot, you might want to stop and ask yourself if you’re guilty of gossiping. Eleanor Roosevelt once said, “Great minds discuss ideas; average minds discuss events; small minds discuss people.” There’s an idea worth discussing.

One Dozen Album Blocks

 

QUILTERS' ACRONYMS

FART - Fabric Acquisition Road Trip. Almost any vacation can become a FART.

HSY - Haven't Started Yet. Never have fewer than a dozen HSY’s on hand, just in case.

LAQ- Long Arm Quilter. If you don’t have one, it’s good to know someone who does.

PHD - Project Half Done. As in, “I’m busy working on my PHD right now.”

PIGS - Projects in Grocery Sacks. PIGS breed in dark, quiet places like closets.

SABLE - Stash Accumulation Beyond Life Expectancy. I’m pretty sure I’m not there. Yet.

STASH - Special Treasures All Secretly Hidden. A quilter is always adding to her STASH.

TGIF - Thank Goodness It's Finished! When one quilt is done, buy fabric for two more.

UFO - Unfinished Object, or perhaps Unidentifiable Fabric Object.

WIP - Work in Progress. Whatever is on my design wall at the moment.

WOMBAT - Waste of Money, Batting & Time. No one openly admits to having these, but...

WWIT - What Was I Thinking?

Rosebud

 

“When asked where meaning comes in life, most people rank family first. This includes family living and gone before. Of course, when we die, we don’t cease to exist. We continue to live on the other side of the veil. Still very much alive, our ancestors deserve to be remembered. We remember our heritage through oral histories, clan records and family stories, memorials or places of remembrance, and celebrations with photos, foods, or items which remind us of loved ones. Think of where you live—isn’t it wonderful how your country and community remember and honor ancestors, family, others who served and sacrificed? For example, at the autumn harvest remembrance in South Molton, Devonshire, England, Sister Gong and I loved finding the little church and community where generations of our Bawden family lived. We honor our ancestors by opening the heavens through temple and family history work and by becoming a welding link in the chain of our generations.” – Elder Gerrit W. Gong

Prickly Situation

This is the fifteenth quilt I’ve made for the Utah State Fair Quilt Challenge. The theme for this year’s challenge is “Be Leaf,” to go along with the green challenge fabric that’s covered with tiny leaves. Very likely, when the fair opens September 8, the western wall of the Zion Building will be full of lovely wall hangings depicting trees and bushes full of bright green leaves. I wanted mine to be different. I’d originally designed this to be 30” square, like most of my other challenge quilts. The center would have been 20” square, with an elaborate pieced blue-and-white border called “Delectable Mountains.” But the closer I got to assembling the top, the more I came to realize this quilt didn’t WANT to be square. And it doesn’t want a border at all. Later today, I’ll take this to the fairgrounds and submit it, and then wait a week or so to see if the judges agree.

Nine Album Blocks

 

One of my favorite scenes in It’s a Wonderful Life is George Bailey’s honeymoon. Having rescued Bailey Savings and Loan with all their cash, Mary sets up a honeymoon suite in the abandoned Granville place. It’s pouring, but there’s music and firelight inside. Two hens are turning on the spit: a clever jury rig involving a gramophone and a wooden spool. I can’t make rotisserie chicken. I don’t own a spit, or even a gramophone. But I can make a copycat in my slow cooker. Peel and slice a whole onion; lay the slices in the pot. Crush and add two garlic cloves. Rinse a whole fryer (two to four pounds), pat it dry with paper towels, and place it on top. Drizzle two tablespoons of olive oil over the bird, then add salt and pepper to taste. You can add a little poultry seasoning or broth, but they’re not necessary. Cover and cook on high six to eight hours. 

Two Dozen Log Cabins

 

Proof that insulting people is a lost art:

 

“He had delusions of adequacy.” – Walter Kerr

“He has no enemies, but is intensely disliked by his friends.” – Oscar Wilde

“I’m so miserable without you; it’s almost like having you here.” – Stephen Bishop

“He’s a self-made man and worships his creator.” – John Bright

“He’s not only dull himself; he causes dullness in others.” – Samuel Johnson

“Some cause happiness wherever they go; others, whenever they go.” – Oscar Wilde

 “He uses statistics as a drunkard uses lamp-posts; for support rather than illumination.” – Andrew Lang

“He has Van Gogh’s ear for music.” – Billy Wilder

“I’ve had a perfectly wonderful evening. But I’m afraid this wasn’t it.” – Groucho Marx

 Here’s my favorite – an exchange between George Bernard Shaw and Winston Churchill:

Shaw: “Enclosing two tickets to the first night of my new play; bring a friend, if you have one.”

Churchill: “Cannot possibly attend first night, will attend second, if there is one.”