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.