A New Propeller

 

When I was a teenager, I supported the March of Dimes. (Why I don’t anymore is another story.) I remember reaching the end of a walk-a-thon and being handed a cold Coke. It was wonderful – whether because I was exhausted on a hot, muggy day or because back in the 70’s, Coke was made with cane sugar. Generally speaking, I have no use for any brand of cola, unless it’s this:

 

Coca-Cola Pulled Pork

 

3 to 4 pounds boneless pork shoulder

12 ounces cola

 

Place pork in slow cooker; pour cola over top. Cover and cook on low 8 to 10 hours. Shred and serve with:

 

Cola Barbecue Sauce

 

3/4 cup cola

3/4 cup ketchup

2 tablespoons vinegar (We like apple cider vinegar.)

2 tablespoons Worcestershire

1 tablespoon dried minced onion

1/2 teaspoon chili powder

 

Combine ingredients in saucepan. Bring to a boil; cover pan. Reduce heat and simmer 20 to 30 minutes until sauce reaches desired thickness.

Shoo-Fly

 

“Alma gave wonderful counsel to Corianton for all of us who have gone through or will go through the repentance process: “And now, my son, I desire that ye should let these things trouble you no more, and only let your sins trouble you, with that trouble which shall bring you down unto repentance.” Corianton heeded Alma’s counsel and both repented and served honorably. Because of the Savior’s Atonement, healing is available to all. We all need to seek our own testimony of Jesus Christ, bridle our passions, repent of our sins, and find peace through the Atonement of Jesus Christ and be true to God and His work. President Russell M. Nelson said it this way: ‘I plead with you to take charge of your testimony of Jesus Christ. Work for it. Own it. Care for it. Nurture it so that it will grow. Then watch for miracles to happen in your life.’” – Elder Quentin L. Cook

Broken Wheel

 

Joseph Frank Keaton was born to a vaudeville family. They were actually on the road when his mother went into labor. At eighteen months, he tumbled down a long flight of stairs without hurting himself, earning the name “Buster.” He began performing with his parents at three. Most of his early skits had him misbehaving so his frustrated dad would toss him into the wings or the orchestra pit. Years later, Buster claimed, “I started so young, landing right is second nature with me. Several times I'd have been killed if I hadn't been able to land like a cat.” If you want to see Buster Keaton at his best, I recommend Steamboat Bill Jr., Sherlock Jr., and The General. My personal favorite is In the Good Old Summertime. Buster was in his mid50’s, working as a scene advisor for the movie. No one could manage the violin-smashing pratfall at the end, so Buster Keaton showed us how it’s done.

Another Tulip

 

If I’ve got chicken, salsa and Dijon, I like to make a recipe I shared here nearly a decade ago:  https://mombowe.blogspot.com/2013/09/evening-star.html If I’m out of Dijon (I keep forgetting to add it to my shopping list) I make this instead:

 

Slow Cooker Sweet Chicken Tacos

 

4 to 6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (Thighs work as well, but John prefers white meat.)

1 to 2 cups salsa (Can be fresh or bottled, homemade or store-bought.)

1/2 to 1 cup packed brown sugar

 

Place all ingredients in slow cooker. Cover and cook on high 3 to 4 hours or on low 6 to 8 hours. About 30 minutes before dinnertime, shred meat and return to pot. Serve with taco shells, lettuce, tomato, sour cream and cheese. Can also be served burrito style, but our current favorite is in rice bowls with quinoa and avocado.

Hole in the Barn Door

 

Mary Anning’s family lived in Lyme Regis, Dorset, in the early 1800’s. They rented a house so near the shore, storms often flooded their home. Mary’s father was a cabinet maker who made money on the side collecting fossils from coastal cliff-side beds and selling them to tourists. Times were hard for the working class after the Napoleonic Wars, and the rising popularity of fossil collecting helped keep the family from abject poverty. After her father’s death, Mary, her mother and her older brother continued gathering ammonites, belemnites, and other fossils to support themselves. Collecting fossils was a risky business, as the collapsing cliff face that exposed these treasures also threatened to bury the collector.  Because she was a woman, Mary wasn’t permitted to join the Geological Society of London. She was frequently denied credit for her scientific contributions. But her findings helped to change the way we see prehistoric life and the history of the world. 

Threaded Again

February 22nd is National Walking the Dog Day. Maybe this particular date was selected because at this time of year, for much of the “lower 48,” going outside with a leash in one hand and a poop bag in the other isn’t the most obvious form of entertainment. But then, if you own a dog, he or she is already urging you to put your shoes on and share a walk, regardless of the weather. There are so many benefits of regular dog walking, including improved cardiovascular fitness, lower blood pressure, stronger muscles and bones, and decreased stress – for you and your dog. Nearly every behavioral issue that plagues dog owners – including excessive barking, chewing, digging, inappropriate elimination and separation anxiety – can be relieved or even eliminated by regular dog walking. So, lace up your shoes, throw on a jacket (or parka, scarf, gloves and hat), grab a leash and a doggy bag or two, and get out there!

 

Propeller

 

February 8 was a tough day for the Hannah family of Mansfield, Alabama. That day, their family car was stolen, along with their very large goldendoodle, Tess. The following day, the car was discovered abandoned in Nashville, Tennessee. There was no sign of the car thief or the dog. Almost a week later, on Valentine’s Day, Tess and the culprit were found in Butler County, walking along Interstate 65. The dog-napper was booked into the Butler County jail, charged with stealing a car and possessing a stolen gun. The sheriff’s office took custody of Tess and confirmed her identity through her dog tags and microchip. The Greenville Animal Shelter took care of Tess until she could be reunited with her family. John Hannah was overjoyed with the outcome. “They did their job excellent,” he said. “They got a criminal off the streets. I just want to thank everybody that helped.”

Barbara Frietchie Star

 

“I would like all of us to take a moment to meditate on our customs and the way they are influencing our families. Among the marvelous habits that should be normal for members of the Church are these four: Personal and family study of the scriptures, personal and family prayer, weekly sacrament meeting attendance, and frequent participation in temple and family history work. How do we feel when we hear these four things? Are they part of our normal lives? How can we determine what will be the normal things in our life and in our family? President Nelson has also counseled: ‘Embrace your new normal by repenting daily. Seek to be increasingly pure in thought, word, and deed. Minister to others. Keep an eternal perspective. Magnify your callings. And whatever your challenges, my dear brothers and sisters, live each day so that you are more prepared to meet your Maker’” - Elder Rafael E. Pino

Prairie Queen

 

The Prairie Queen is a nine-patch block, meaning its symmetry is based on a three-by-three pattern, like Tic-Tac-Toe. It has a half-square triangle in each corner, a four-patch sub block on each side, and a solid square in the center. I’ve seen Prairie Queens with the four-patches laid out in the same direction, but I prefer mine in this layout, which gives the block the illusion of motion. Prairie Queen is an old design, but no one seems to know exactly how old. The name seems to tie it to the westward expansion, so it could have been in use as early as 1810. It may even be older, attached to a different name. Hearth and Home Magazine (1868-1875) called it True Blue. In “Old Patchwork Quilts and The Women Who Made Them,” (1929) Ruth Finely calls Prairie Queen one of the, "simple but widely used nine-patches every person interested in quilts should know.”

A Fanfare Encore

 

February 17 is National Random Acts of Kindness Day; a holiday designed to inspire the sort of behavior that blesses both the giver and the receiver. Here are a few ideas to get you started:

Befriend a lonely neighbor.

Visit your nearest Little Free Library, and donate a book.

Be kind to your server.

Open a door for someone you don’t know.

Thank a teacher, first responder, or veteran.

Have a judgement-free day.

Read to a child.

Compliment with reckless abandon.

Sign up to be an organ donor.

Put away your phone and listen with your heart.

Write and send a thank you note.

Leave snacks and drinks for your delivery drivers.

Share some words of encouragement.

Donate blood.

Give someone the benefit of the doubt.

Drop off a load of groceries at the local food pantry.

Smile.

Mail a “thinking of you” card to someone you haven’t seen in a while.

Crossroad

 

Originally, Whittier Alaska was going to have at least a dozen enormous buildings. Only two of them were ever actually built: the Buckner Building, which is now abandoned, and the Hodge Building, now called Begich Towers. Whittier was meant to be a military harbor and logistics base for the US Army – something that probably made more sense in the early 50’s than it does today. The Buckner Building (it was once Alaska’s largest building) had bachelor quarters for 1,000 soldiers, as well as a mess hall, cinema, bowling alley, and jail. Begich Towers is a fourteen-story edifice with 196 condos as well as a few amenities for residents and guests: a post office, a general store, a laundromat and a small Baptist church. Roughly 90% of Whittier’s year-round population lives right here: the “town under one roof.” You can visit Whittier in summer with Princess or Holland America cruise lines. But wintering there isn’t for the faint of heart. 

Another Cottage Garden

 

Easy Lemon Cheese Danishes

 

12 frozen dinner rolls, thawed

1 tablespoon sugar

2 tablespoons butter, melted

4 ounces cream cheese, softened

1/4 cup powdered sugar

1 teaspoon lemon juice

1 large egg, beaten

12 tablespoons lemon curd

1 cup powdered sugar

4-5 tablespoons milk

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Flatten each roll into a 3-inch disc and place on 2 baking sheets lined with parchment. Brush each with butter and sprinkle with sugar. Cover with plastic wrap; let rise in until double in size. Combine cream cheese, powdered sugar, and lemon juice; set aside. Press a dent in the center of each roll and fill with 1 tablespoon of cream cheese mixture and a teaspoon of lemon curd. Brush edges with beaten egg and bake for 15-20 minutes at 350F. Remove and cool 5 minutes. Stir together last 3 ingredients to make icing; drizzle over Danishes.

Sweetheart

 

If you didn’t realize Valentine’s Day was today until now, you’re out of luck. It’s too late to make a reservation at your favorite restaurant. There are eateries that don’t take reservations, of course. But waiting an hour or more for a table diminishes the appeal. By now, all the great valentines in the card shop are gone, and they’ve already been replaced with Easter merchandise. There’s a reduced selection of cards at the supermarket, but you’ll be competing with eight burly guys who also suddenly remembered today’s February 14. The florist is already busy delivering blooms for people who planned ahead. The grocer may still have flowers, if you don’t mind them looking picked-through. At this point, your best bet may be chocolate: brownies or Toll House cookies fresh from the oven, or strawberries or Oreo cookies dipped in chocolate. Or you could MAKE a card. Either way, write yourself a note to remember next Valentine’s Day BEFORE it happens.

A Red and Black Baker's Dozen

 

“Our challenges are different today, but they are no less demanding. Instead of families being uprooted and torn from their homes, we see the institution of the family, including the divine institution of marriage, under attack as groups and individuals seek to define away the prominent and divine role of the family in society. The Lord isn’t asking us to load up a handcart; He’s asking us to fortify our faith. He isn’t asking us to walk across a continent; He’s asking us to walk across the street to visit our neighbor. He isn’t asking us to give all of our worldly possessions to build a temple; He’s asking us to give of our means and our time despite the pressures of modern living to continue to build temples and then to attend regularly the temples already built. He isn’t asking us to die a martyr’s death; He’s asking us to live a disciple’s life.” - Elder M. Russell Ballard

Memory

 

When my kids were in their teens, I made a point of serving at least two meatless meals every week. I’ve been doing it for so long now, I don’t even have to think about it.

 

Slow Cooker Veggie Mac

 

1 onion, chopped

1 bell pepper, chopped

15 ounce can pinto beans, rinsed and drained

15 ounce can kidney beans, rinsed and drained

28 ounces crushed tomatoes

1 1/2 tablespoons chili powder

2 teaspoons cumin

1/8 teaspoon ground pepper

2 cups vegetable broth

8 ounces elbow macaroni, uncooked

 

Dump ingredients in slow cooker. At this point, I’ll add whatever is in the vegetable bin: chopped carrots or celery, sliced shallots or leeks, minced garlic, leftover spinach, kale or tomatoes – whatever is on hand. Stir to combine. Cover and cook on low 6 to 8 hours. Add pasta and continue cooking about 20 minutes, until pasta is done. Serve hot with sour cream, shredded cheddar and sliced scallions.

Threaded

 

For those who feel changing your mind is a sign of weakness:

“Progress is impossible without change. Those who cannot change their minds cannot change anything.” – George Bernard Shaw

Occasions when you change your mind should be cherished. They mean you’re smarter than you were before.” – Malcolm Gladwell

“Life is a series of natural and spontaneous changes. Don’t resist them; that only creates sorrow. Let reality be reality. Let things flow naturally forward in whatever way they like.” – Lao Tzu

“If you never change your mind, why have one?” – Edward de Bono

“Sometimes you change your mind. Sometimes your mind changes you.” – Benyomin Scheiman

“You are what you are and where you are because of what has gone into your mind. You can change what and where you are by changing what goes into your mind.” – Zig Ziglar

“We delight in the beauty of the butterfly, but rarely admit the changes it’s gone through to achieve that beauty.” – Maya Angelou

Monkey Shines

 

In 1983, a 61-year-old farmer competed in a Sydney-to-Melbourne ultramarathon, wearing his first pair of running shoes. Cliff Young was quickly left in the dust at the start of the race. Instead of a smooth stride, Cliff had an awkward shuffle. His competition ran 18 hours a day, sleeping six. But Cliff never stopped to sleep. He completed the 544-mile route in 5 days, 15 hours and 4 minutes – 10 hours ahead of his nearest competitor. Cliff kept only $3,000 of the $10,000 prize money, splitting the rest with other runners. “The doctors told me I had arthritis and to take it easy,” Cliff said. “I kept running and it disappeared. It's like rust that gets into a vehicle. I reckon you have to keep your joints moving. Absolutely. No matter what you do, you have to keep moving. If you don’t wear out, you rust out, and you’ll rust out quicker than you’ll wear out.”

A Better Fanfare

 

The first week last December, I ordered a kit to do the 2023 RBD Block Challenge. I’d enjoyed the previous two challenges, and was looking forward to another fun mystery quilt. There was a problem with one of the fabrics in the kit, and it didn’t arrive before the first weekly block pattern showed up. I decided to “practice” making the first block with scraps from my stash, and then make a better one when the fabric came in the mail. But the kit ended up coming a full month late. I used scraps to make the first four blocks. Three will probably end up in a finished quilt. The fourth, which I posted January 13, won’t make the cut. It had too little contrast between light and dark prints, and was just too busy. I’ve replaced it with today’s block. Next week I’ll catch up and remake the January blocks with fabric from the kit.

Day at Sea

 

This recipe is NOT for your slow cooker. But it’s just about as effortless as if it was.

 

Pan-Roasted Chicken and Vegetables

 

2 pounds red potatoes, cut into bite-size pieces

1 large onion, coarsely chopped

2 tablespoons olive oil

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon dried rosemary, crushed

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1/2 teaspoon paprika

6 skinless chicken thighs, legs or breasts (about 2-1/4 pounds)

6 cups fresh baby spinach (about 6 ounces)

Lemon wedges for garnish

 

Preheat oven to 425F. In a large bowl, combine potatoes, chicken and seasonings; toss to coat. Transfer to sheet pan coated with cooking spray. Roast until a thermometer inserted in chicken reads 170F, about 40 minutes. Remove chicken to a serving platter; keep warm. Top vegetables with spinach. Continue cooking until vegetables are tender and spinach is wilted, about 10 minutes longer. Stir vegetables to combine; serve with chicken.

Tiptoe Through the Tulips

 

“In 1831, the Lord gave this revelation to guide its members and, I believe, all of His children worldwide: ‘Verily I say, men should be anxiously engaged in a good cause, and do many things of their own free will, and bring to pass much righteousness; For the power is in them, wherein they are agents unto themselves.’ In more than 38 years as an Apostle and over 30 years of professional employment, I have seen many generous efforts by organizations and persons of the kind this revelation describes as a good cause and bringing to pass much righteousness. There are uncounted examples of such humanitarian service throughout the world, beyond our own borders and beyond our common knowledge. Contemplating this, I think of the Book of Mormon prophet-king Benjamin, whose sermon included this eternal truth: ‘When ye are in the service of your fellow beings ye are only in the service of your God.’” – President Dallin H. Oaks

Game Night

 

Last July in Eastern Kentucky, heavy flooding left more than 40 people dead. One of these was Gilla Ann Noble Patton Miller, an 83-year-old widow, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother. Troublesome Creek (that's really its name) overflowed its bed and filled her home, and she was unable to escape. A few weeks later, members of the Lexington Kentucky Stake of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints volunteered to clean the ruined home and see what could be salvaged. Ruth Ann Baxter discovered two bins in a closet, filled with hand-made coverlets, water, black mud and mold. Everyone who saw (and smelled) them said they couldn’t be saved, but Ruth Ann wasn’t deterred. After days of gentle, patient cleaning and line-drying, fourteen heirloom quilts and two Afghans were washed, disinfected and ready to be returned to the Miller family. Among them was a Trip Around the World, a hand-appliqued Idaho Lily, a red work Clay’s Choice, and several scrappy 9-patches, all hand-quilted.   

Windmill Star

 

Slow Cooker Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup

 

1 pound chicken breasts or thighs

4 cups chicken broth

3 cups water

Juice and zest of 1 lemon (Save a few lemon slices for garnish.)

1/3 cup onion, diced

1 garlic clove, minced

2 celery stalks, sliced

1 medium carrot, diced

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1 bay leaf

1/2 cup orzo, uncooked

 

Add chicken, onion, garlic, lemon juice, lemon zest, celery, carrot, salt, pepper, oregano, broth, water, and bay leaf to slow cooker. Stir. Cover and cook on low 4 to 6 hours. Remove chicken and shred. Return chicken to slow cooker along with the orzo. Stir to mix. Cover and cook another 30 minutes. Orzo should be tender. Remove bay leaf before serving. Garnish with lemon slices and serve hot.

Milky Way

 

In 2020, as we slowly emerged from lockdown, a quilt shop near me placed a sign on their door saying, “Cash not accepted.” There was a coin shortage, so they couldn’t always make change. Also, they worried about being infected by handling money. The quilt shop sign is long gone, but last week we suddenly ran into a similar one at a pizzeria. We didn’t ask why it was there, but wondered if this was even legal. As it happens, there’s no federal mandate for retail businesses to accept legal tender. Unless your state insists, you’re free to tell customers you’ll only take credit and debit cards. But even finding out which states allow this and which don’t is trickier than you’d think. Why does it matter? The 55 million Americans who can’t pay with a check or card would be shut out of the economy. In a natural disaster, we could ALL share that predicament.

Jacob's Ladder

 

The first Wednesday in February is World Read Aloud Day. It doesn’t always fall on February one, but it does this year. It’s a day dedicated not only to reading, but to the art and practice of reading out loud to an audience. Long before the invention of written language, stories were passed orally from one family to the next, from one village to the next and from one generation to the next. What books would you choose to observe Read Aloud Day? If your audience is mostly young children, you might try Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak, Matilda by Roald Dahl, The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate, or Charlotte’s Web by E. B. White. Slightly older audiences might enjoy The Chronicles of Narnia by C. S. Lewis, Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson, Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain, or The Ultimate Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams.