Half a Dozen Barrel Cacti

 

“There is a thin line that separates laughter and pain, comedy and tragedy, humor and hurt.” – Erma Bombeck

“Laughter is the shortest distance between two people.” – Victor Borge

“Laughter and tears are both responses to frustration and exhaustion. I myself prefer to laugh since there is less cleaning up to do afterward.” – Kurt Vonnegut

“If we couldn’t laugh, we would all go insane.” – Robert Frost

“There is nothing in the world so irresistibly contagious as laughter and good humor.” – Charles Dickens

“Laughter is an instant vacation.” – Milton Berle

“The human race has only one really effective weapon and that is laughter.” – Mark Twain

“A person who knows how to laugh at himself will never cease to be amused.” – Shirley MacClain

“With mirth and laughter let old wrinkles come.” – William Shakespeare

“You cannot be mad at somebody who makes you laugh – it’s as simple as that.” – Jay Leno

Forty-Two Butterflies

 

“Moroni knew firsthand about having hope in Christ during tribulation. He explained his harrowing situation: ‘I am alone. I have not whither to go.’ ‘I make not myself known lest they should destroy me.’ Remarkably, in this dark and lonely hour, Moroni records his father’s words of hope: ‘If a man have faith he must needs have hope; for without faith there cannot be any hope.’ ‘Ye shall have hope through the atonement of Christ and the power of his resurrection, to be raised unto life eternal.’ Hope is a living gift, a gift that grows as we increase our faith in Jesus Christ. Faith is the substance of things hoped for. We build this substance—the evidence blocks of our faith—through prayer, temple covenants, keeping the commandments, continually feasting on the scriptures and the words of modern-day prophets, taking the sacrament, serving others, and worshipping weekly with our fellow Saints.” – Elder Neil L. Andersen

Frosty

 

The word quesadilla means, “little thing made with cheese.” So, if you decide to omit the cheddar, you should probably call it something else.

 

Apple Pie Quesadillas

 

4 large flour tortillas

2 apples, thinly sliced

1 teaspoon cinnamon

2 tablespoons sugar

4 tablespoons unsalted butter

1/2 cup medium cheddar cheese, shredded

 

In a bowl, toss apple slices with cinnamon and sugar. Heat a skillet over medium heat and melt one tablespoon of butter. Place a tortilla in the skillet, add a layer of apple slices and sprinkle with cheese. Top with another tortilla and cook until golden brown, then flip to cook the other side. Repeat with remaining ingredients. Cut into wedges and serve warm. Wonderful with custard, cream, whipped cream, or vanilla ice cream.

Corner Canyon Pines

 

Early in 2022, our guild started work on this quilt. “Suburbs Tree Block” from Cluck Cluck Sew couldn’t have been simpler. It’s a grey isosceles triangle between two white tone-on-tone right triangles, above a black square and two white rectangles. Each month we made several matching tree blocks, then swapped them so we’d each end up with a scrappy quilt. Extra blocks went into a group project to be hand quilted and donated to the IHC Holiday Quilt Show and Auction. I didn’t help with the hand quilting, and the six red trees weren’t my idea (though I wish I’d thought of them). But I did contribute several grey trees. This lovely quilt was auctioned off with dozens of others last week to fund a new ultrasound imaging machine for the Grant Scott Bonham Fetal Center at Intermountain Primary Children’s Hospital. I’m happy to take a little of the credit. Now if I can just finish my own tree quilt.

Tiny Teal Heart

 

Our cat Toodles has lived with us just over twelve years. She isn’t as playful as a kitten, but she doesn’t seem old. Domestic cats have an average lifespan of thirteen to twenty years. Female cats tend to live a bit longer (just like humans), primarily because males are more likely to engage in risky behavior (also like humans). Cats can jump up to six times their body length. That’s like you or me jumping thirty+ feet! If you only know cats from cartoons, you’d assume they live on milk. While they’re attracted by the smell, and they’ll drink milk you’ve left out, adult cats are lactose intolerant. Cats may be the only mammals who can’t taste sweet. So, cat food should never have a sweetener added. Last spring, we were invaded by a teeming throng of sugar ants. They were so thick in the dog food we had to toss it all. But they didn’t touch the cat food.

Two Blue Houses

 

We tried this recipe last Wednesday. If I were to change anything, I’d have used cubed butternut, and I’d have cut the carrots into smaller chunks. It wouldn’t have hurt to roast the veg a bit longer, either. But it did make my whole house smell wonderful!

 

Roasted Autumn Vegetable Soup

 

1 large or 2 small butternut squashes, halved and seeded

A handful of carrots, peeled

2 to 3 small sweet potatoes

1 large onion, peeled and quartered

1 to 2 large, ripe tomatoes, halved

A few cloves of garlic, peeled

1 bell pepper, halved and seeded

32 ounces vegetable or chicken broth

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon fresh grated nutmeg

Salt and pepper to taste

A cup or two of heavy cream

 

 

Brush sheet cake pan with olive oil and spread vegetables on it. Brush vegetable tops with oil. Roast about an hour at 375F. Scoop squash flesh into Dutch oven or stock pot. Add remaining vegetables and broth. Cook on low for about an hour. Blend with stand mixture until desired consistency. Add cinnamon, nutmeg, salt and pepper. Stir in cream. Serve warm with crusty bread.

Three Aloes

 

March 13, 1781, William Herschel made note of an object in the nighttime sky. He was in his garden, using a homemade 6.2” telescope. He reported the object was a comet, although it had no tail. After several weeks of watching his “comet,” William determined the object must be a planet. In recognition of this momentous discovery, King George III offered a stipend of £200 (roughly £30,000 in today’s money) as long as William moved to Windsor so the royal family could enjoy using his telescopes. As the planet’s finder, William was tasked with choosing a name. He settled on “Georgium Sidus” or “Planet George” to honor his new patron. The name was more popular in England than elsewhere. It was argued the other planets – named for Roman gods – sounded more dignified. Eventually Planet George was renamed for the Greek god of the sky: Ouranos. I guess Uranus is more distinguished. But George is easier to spell. And pronounce.

Forty-One Butterflies

“Burying our weapons of rebellion against God simply means yielding to the enticing of the Holy Spirit, putting off the natural man, and becoming a saint through the atonement of Christ the Lord. It means putting the first commandment first in our lives. It means letting God prevail. If our love of God and our determination to serve Him with all our might, mind, and strength become the touchstone by which we judge all things and make all our decisions, we will have buried our weapons of rebellion. By the grace of Christ, God will forgive our sins and rebellions of the past and will take away the stain of those sins and rebellions from our hearts. Our Heavenly Father and His Son, our Redeemer, have confirmed Their unending commitment to our ultimate happiness through the most profound love and sacrifice. We experience Their love daily. Surely we can reciprocate with our own love and loyalty.” – Elder D. Todd Christofferson

 

Three Star Puzzles

 

Michel Vaujour was a notorious bank robber who’d been incarcerated several times. In 1986, he was serving time in the high-security section of Paris’ Santé Prison. Michel’s wife Nadine was left to fend for herself. Another woman might have filed for divorce, applied for a job, or moved back in with mom and dad. Nadine took flying lessons. Under an assumed name, she learned to pilot a helicopter. Once she’d mastered this unusual skill, Nadine rented a chopper from a local airfield and headed to Santé Prison. There, she expertly hovered above the prison yard while Michel, armed with a realistic-looking toy gun, climbed a rope ladder to join her. The helicopter whisked them away over the Paris skyline. If this were an action movie, the end credits might have appeared at this point. But Michel and Nadine were captured only four months later. They both served jail time. Today, they’re free and living quietly under the radar. We hope.

Raspberry Cheesecake

 

“My kid hasn’t finished her homework but she did call a family meeting to show us the 20-slide presentation she created on why we should get a cat.”

“My husband accepted an invite to a BBQ for us and said we would bring a salad, like ‘we’ has anything to do with it.”

“My teen complained about my cooking, so I stopped fighting it and filled the freezer with frozen dinners instead of making dinner. After a week of frozen dinners, guess who’s asking me to cook again.”

“My kid cleaned the kitchen without being asked, and now we wait to see what she wants.”

“Sorry I’m late. I believed the washing machine when it said it only had one minute left in the cycle.”

“My teen is using chopsticks to eat Cheetos so she doesn’t get Cheeto dust on her fingers and can we just fast track her application to Yale now?” – Krista Pacion

Star Puzzle

 

This week I learned about Loose Ends, a non-profit that pairs unfinished textile projects with skilled volunteer artisans. Say you have a grandma who just passed, leaving a quilt or sweater or tapestry she started but never had the chance to finish. It’s an heirloom, surely, one she meant for you to cherish. But you never learned the necessary skills to complete it. That’s where Loose Ends comes in. You tell them about your unfinished project. (They’ve specifically asked not to send projects directly to Loose Ends, but they do accept cash donations.) They then match you up with a nearby textile artist who will gladly finish it for you. To date, Loose Ends has more than 28,000 volunteer finishers in 64 countries. Hand-made items are an expression of love. When a maker passes mid-project, the unfinished item is often sadly lost or discarded. Volunteer finishing feels like such a beautiful way to comfort someone who is grieving. 

Red House

 

Ida Holdgreve was born in Delphos, Ohio in 1881. In 1910, Ida moved to Dayton and began looking for work. She saw an ad in the paper that read, "Plain Sewing Wanted". Plain sewing was a common term a hundred years ago. It referred to fundamental skills, such as those that would be needed to repair clothing or household linens. Ida was an excellent seamstress, so she answered the ad. But the newspaper had messed up. The ad was supposed to say, "Plane Sewing Wanted" for Orville and Wilbur Wright. Ida became head seamstress at the Wright Brothers Airplane Factory, sewing covers for fuselages, wings and rudders. The fabric she stitched had to fit the frame exactly, stretched tightly so it wouldn’t rip in the wind. When there were accidents, Ida was required to help with the repairs. Despite her work with airplanes Ida did not take her first airplane ride until 1969 at age of eight-eight.

Two Prickly Pears

 

The age-old riddle (139 years old) is, “Who’s buried in Grant’s tomb?” The obvious answer is, of course, Ulysses S. Grant. The correct answer is nobody. Grant and his wife Julie are laid to rest in the mausoleum, but as neither sarcophagus is underground, no one’s buried there. Ulysses S. Grant was born Hiram Ulysses Grant in 1822. When he applied to attend the United States Military Academy at West Point in 1839, a clerical error changed his name Ulysses S. (Grant said he’d actually intended to change his name to Ulysses Hiram Grant, to avoid the initials H.U.G.) So, President Grant’s middle initial S doesn’t stand for anything at all. He’s not the only U.S. president with this odd condition. When Harry S. Truman was born, half the family hoped he’d be named Solomon for his maternal grandfather. The other half wanted Shipp for his paternal grandfather. Truman’s S is there to keep the peace.

Forty Butterflies

 

“Our mortal experience could be compared to a cruise ship on which God has sent all His children as they journey from one shore to another. The voyage is filled with opportunities to learn, grow, be happy, and progress, but it is also full of dangers. God loves all His children and is concerned about their welfare. He does not want to lose any of them, so He invites those who are willing to become members of His crew—that’s you. Because of your choice to make and keep covenants, He offers you His trust. He trusts you to be different, peculiar, and set apart because of the important work He trusts you to do. Think of it! God trusts you—of all the people on the earth, the children of the covenant, His crew members—to help with His work of bringing all His children safely home to Him.” – Bradley R. Wilcox

Three Pinwheels

 

The third largest city in California by land area (behind San Diego and Los Angeles) is a place you’ve probably never heard of. California City was formed in 1958, when developers bought 82,000 acres of the Mojave Desert and pitched it as a planned community: a smarter alternative to piece-meal built cities. The city was originally designed to accommodate 400,000 people. There would be a central park with a manmade lake, two golf courses, and a brand-new Holiday Inn. Every detail was planned, right down to the types of trees in public parks and along city streets. In spite of aggressive promotion campaigns, California City was slow to start. In 1971, Ralph Nader called it “a fraud and a study of government failure.” As of 2018, California City had only 14,000 residents. Most of them are clustered in the city’s west end, surrounded by acres of streets and neighborhoods that were laid out but never built.

Contrary Wife

 

Have you ever been bold in your own kitchen? Have you ever:

Made soup without a can or mix?

Zested an orange or lemon?

Tried homemade sausage?

Baked bread, cake, pie or cookies from scratch?

Poached salmon or fried a catfish?

Cooked a mess of greens?

Made an icebox cake or refrigerator pickles?

Done homemade jam or jelly?

Thrown (or rolled) your own pizza dough and added your favorite toppings?

Roasted a whole turkey?

Made macaroni and cheese without the box?

If the answer to any of these is no, today might be the perfect day to change that. November 8 is Cook Something Bold Day – the day set aside to actually use the recipe or try the cooking technique you’ve been thinking about for ages. Do some research first, gather ingredients, and maybe watch a few YouTube how-to videos. Clear and wipe your workspace (most kitchen mishaps occur on cluttered countertops) and get to it. Good luck!

Tiny Blue Pinwheel

 

Like most four-year-olds, Gabi Mann was a messy eater. She dropped food wherever she went. The crows in her Seattle neighborhood noticed and took full advantage of the situation. Eventually, Gabi’s mom, worried too much of her daughter’s lunch was going to the birds, started deliberately leaving treats out for the crows. That’s when the gifts started showing up. Grateful crows left beads, foil and bits of jewelry for Gabi and her mom. One day, Mrs. Mann, an avid photographer, lost a lens cap while out taking pictures. Later that day, a crow returned the missing lens cap. Some four years later, two of the Manns’ neighbors sued them for $200,000, claiming the birds were a nuisance. The Manns paid an undisclosed amount and promised to limit the bird feeding for eight years – the average crow lifetime. Great, except crows are known to teach their children (and grand-children) about humans they like and dislike. 

Stewed Tomatoes

 

John and I have been married almost 46 years. Every summer we’ve tried to grow something we could eat. Our first garden was a potato patch outside our basement apartment window; a colossal failure, but we learned a lot. We’ve grown veg and herbs in patio pots when we didn’t have any actual soil of our own. Space was always our biggest concern. Not this year. Half of this year’s garden was sweet corn. We had a wonderful crop, but it was all ripe the very same week. We planted a few more tomatoes than necessary, and were quickly overrun with cherry toms. The Japanese eggplant and zucchini were awesome: not too much or too little. This year’s peppers were the biggest, most beautiful ever. But our sorry pumpkin plants produced nothing but spindly vines. Next year, we plan to plant corn in phases, do fewer cherry tomatoes, and maybe pray over the pumpkins.

Four Big Red Hearts

 

“Voting in government elections and performing other civic duties when we have the opportunity is a sacred responsibility, a God-given blessing, and a duty to be carried out with honor and trust. I have a testimony of the importance of being subject to kings, presidents, rulers, and magistrates, in obeying, honoring, and sustaining the law. Because we’re subject to rulers, we must do all we can in diplomatic, legal, and supportive ways to select and help elect officials who are honest, wise, and good. We should also consider running for office ourselves. I’m always pleased when a First Presidency letter is read in sacrament meeting just before each election encouraging Latter-day Saints to be involved in the election process and to choose able and honest political and governmental leaders. The First Presidency reminds us ‘as citizens we have the privilege and duty of electing office holders and influencing public policy.’” – Michael A. Neider, October 2012

Thirty-Nine Butterflies

 

“We’re grateful for the noticeable increase in those who respond to sacred invitations, change their lives, and accept the opportunity to follow Jesus Christ. They enter the covenant path through faith, repentance, baptism, and confirmation as taught in the Holy Bible and the Book of Mormon. We cannot underestimate the significance of sacred scriptures both in conversions and in remaining faithful in the gospel. The ancient prophets described in the Book of Mormon knew about the mission of Jesus Christ and taught His gospel. The Book of Mormon helps us draw closer to God as we learn, understand, and apply its teachings. To know the Book of Mormon is the word of God, we need to read, ponder, and pray about it and act according to its precepts. The prophet Moroni promised God will reveal the truth of the book to us as we pray with a sincere heart. Studying the Book of Mormon is essential for enduring conversion.” – Elder Quentin L. Cook

Christmas Eve

 

Blanca Tague and her husband, a cross-country trucking couple, were at a truck stop in Laredo, Texas in 2017. They noticed a scrawny grey tabby begging truckers for food. He was too scared to let anyone near him, but when Blanca’s husband offered him a piece of chicken, he was able to grab him before he could run off. The Tagues realized they couldn’t just leave him in the truck stop parking lot, so they brought the cat onboard. They intended to help him gain weight, and then find him a forever home. They didn’t count on falling in love with him. They ended up naming the cat Grayson. It’s been seven years now. Grayson and the Tagues have been to every state in the U.S. except Alaska and Hawaii. “He’s my world,” says Blanca. “I’m so glad we were able to help him; he’s been at my side along the road and on all our journeys together.’

Nosegay

 

The Nazis called it Ostwall (East Wall) or Festungsfront Oder-Warthe-Bogen (fortified front between Oder and Wartha) and the locals called it Regenwurmlager (earthworm camp). It was an elaborate series of bunkers and interconnected tunnels intended to defend Germany from invasion by Russia or Poland. Construction started in 1932 in what used to be eastern Germany (it’s western Poland now). It was intended to be finished in 1951. When Hitler himself visited the construction site in 1935, the system of tunnels was already twenty miles long and 130 feet deep. The modern-day equivalent of $100 million was spent building the system, which included railway stations, workshops, engine rooms and barracks. But Ostwall saw little to no actual wartime use. Today, parts of the fortifications are open to visitors. But most of Ostwall has become the world’s largest man-made bat preserve, housing some 37,000 flying mammals.  

Halloween Placemat

 

When “It’s The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown” was released in 1966, nearly everyone who saw it loved it. Everyone, that is, except Ray Bradbury. The legendary science fiction author found the popular Charles M. Schulz/Vince Guaraldi Halloween television special deeply disappointing; a lackluster depiction of one of his favorite holidays. And he decided to do something about it. In 1972, Ray Bradbury wrote “The Halloween Tree,” a fantasy novel that explores ancient Celtic, Egyptian, Greek and Roman cultures and how they helped to shape the way we celebrate Halloween today. For years, Ray Bradbury dreamed of having an actual Halloween Tree in Disneyland, and in 2007 his dream came true. You can find his tree in Frontierland, decorated with pumpkins and twinkling orange lights. “I belong here,” the author said at the tree’s dedication. “I’m glad I’m going to be a permanent part of the spirit of Halloween at Disneyland.” Happy Halloween!

Big Red Heart

 

We try to visit Disney parks when they’re less crowded – not entirely for the reasons you might assume. Sure, the shorter wait times are nice. It’s lovely to find a free table so you can relax while enjoying your Dole whip or churro or corn dog. It’s great to get where you’re going without people literally tripping over the wheelchair. (Why is our chair so hard to see? Do we need to paint it hunter orange?) But the thing we love most to do when we’re in the parks is chat with cast members; something you can’t really do while they’re crazy busy. We ask where they’re from, and what led them to work for the Mouse. They all have amazing stories, and they all seem to love sharing. My favorites: a waitress who grew up in Harrogate, a boat pilot who remembered Brook’s House of Barbecue, a train conductor who was third-generation Disney, and a cashier who serenaded me with, "More I Cannot Wish You."

Concord Grape Juice

 

There probably won’t be a lot of time for piecing quilts this week. Any day now (it may even have happened last night) the temperature will drop below 30F and everything we haven’t already harvested will be toast. I’ve got a bushel of tomatoes to stew and to bottle, bell peppers to roast, and lots of grapes to make into juice and jelly. I promised to mend my daughter’s torn jeans and my granddaughter’s Sunday dress. There are still over a dozen quilts – large and small – waiting to be bound. And then there’s Halloween. We haven’t bought any candy for trick-or-treaters this year, and we don’t intend to. (If I had, it would probably need to be replaced by now anyway.) Instead, we’re treating the neighborhood to a Hallo-weenie roast. Halloween used to be my least favorite day in the whole year. This year, I’m actually looking forward to it.

Thirty-six Butterflies

 

“If we’re not faithful and obedient, we can transform the God-given blessing of prosperity into a prideful curse that diverts and distracts us from eternal truths and vital spiritual priorities. We always must be on guard against a pride-induced and exaggerated sense of self-importance, a misguided evaluation of our own self-sufficiency, and seeking self instead of serving others. As we pridefully focus upon ourselves, we also are afflicted with spiritual blindness and miss much, most, or perhaps all that is occurring within and around us. We cannot look to and focus upon Jesus Christ as the ‘mark’ if we only see ourselves. Such spiritual blindness also can cause us to turn out of the way of righteousness, fall away into forbidden paths, and become lost. As we blindly turn unto our own ways and follow destructive detours, we are inclined to lean upon our own understanding, boast in our own strength, and depend upon our own wisdom.” – Elder David A. Bednar

Large Pine Tree

 

National Pumpkin Day – always October 26 – celebrates our favorite autumn decoration/food. You know pumpkin pie, pumpkin chocolate chip cookies and pumpkin bread, but did you know you could bake a casserole INSIDE a pumpkin, and then eat both the casserole AND the pumpkin? There are recipes for pumpkin cheesecake, pumpkin jelly rolls filled with cream cheese frosting, and pumpkin snickerdoodles. Two weeks ago, we had pumpkin pecan pancakes with buttermilk dressing, bacon and eggs for breakfast. While you’re scooping out your pumpkin to make a jack-o-lantern, you can wash and save the pumpkin seeds to roast them, coated with sweet, spicy or savory seasoning. We like to add a bit of canned pumpkin and pumpkin spice (it’s really just cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves and allspice) to hot cocoa, top it with whipped cream and call it “pumpkin cocoa.” My Halloween decorations are never complete without at least one pumpkin on the doorstep. Here’s wishing you a happy pumpkin day!

Birds in the Air

 

I like traditional Hawaiian sliders, but they’re not a hit with my family. Onion – even onion powder – is unpopular. Some family members avoid Dijon; a few distrust all mustard. A couple won’t touch meat, while several think they haven’t had a meal meat wasn’t included. There’s no way to please everyone, but I keep trying.

 

Cheeseburger Sliders

 

1 pound lean ground beef

16 Hawaiian rolls

16 slices cheddar

8 ounces shredded medium cheddar

2 tablespoons butter, melted

1 teaspoon seasoning salt

1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire

1/4 cup mayo

Sesame seeds (Optional, but they make the finished product look cheeseburger-y.)

 

Preheat oven to 350F. Brown and drain beef; stir in seasoning, Worcestershire and mayo. Halve rolls and lay bottom half on cooking sheet. Top with sliced cheese. Spread ground beef evenly over slices. Sprinkle shredded cheese over beef. Cover with remaining roll halves. Brush tops with melted butter and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Bake fifteen minutes, until cheese melts.

Turquoise House

 

We only planted two cherry tomato plants this year, but a third cherry tomato plant “volunteered” alongside them. The combination was about two and a half plants more than we needed. We would never have been able to keep up without recipes like this one. It uses up lots of tomatoes, without the need for peeling or seeding them.

 

Slow Cooker Cherry Tomato Marinara

 

8 cups cherry tomatoes stems removed

1 medium onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

3 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

1/4 teaspoon salt

 

Place all ingredients into slow cooker and stir. Cover and cook on low 5 hours, or high for two and a half. Process with an immersion blender until smooth. Use promptly, or freeze to use later. Makes about 6 cups marinara.

Halloween Pillowcases

 

A few weeks ago, we took our youngest grandchild out for lunch. She’s six, and she seems determined to survive on chicken nuggets and catsup. We were only a block from Raising Cane’s, so we headed there. Cane’s has the best chicken fingers I’ve ever tasted, and really decent (if a tad sweet) lemonade. But they only have one sauce. It’s a lot like fry sauce, with something extra; maybe soy sauce and/or coarse black pepper. Luckily for us, there was catsup on demand for the fries, and they didn’t seem to mind that she used it on her chicken. The best thing about the visit was the restrooms. There were three, and all three were unisex. Each was a room with four walls and a locking door – no creepy stalls. Each had a toilet, sink, a grab rail on the wall, a changing table, and room for a wheelchair. Brilliant!

Two Cactus Flowers

In 2011, a Taiwanese woman named Lin Xiaofen was in a bad car accident. Doctors were able to save her, but it took ten units of blood and two units of platelets. More than a decade later, she told her boyfriend Lian the whole story. He let her know he was a regular blood donor. What are the odds, they wondered, that he was among the people whose blood saved her, long before they’d even met? Apparently, in Taiwan, you can actually look that sort of thing up. Here, when I donate, I’m told where my blood was used, but nothing more specific than that. As it turned out, Lian was one of Lin’s donors. (One of at least a dozen, as you can only donate one unit of whole blood every 56 days.) Now, Lian uses the story to encourage others to donate blood. “You might have a chance to save your future wife,” he says.

Thirty-two Butterflies

 

“If you want to nourish a tree, you don’t splash water on the branches. You water the roots. Similarly, if you want the branches of your testimony to grow and bear fruit, nourish the roots. If you’re uncertain about a particular doctrine, seek clarity with faith in Jesus Christ. Seek to understand His sacrifice for you, His love for you, His will for you. Follow Him in humility. The branches of your testimony will draw strength from your deepening faith in Heavenly Father and His Beloved Son. For example, if you want a stronger testimony of the Book of Mormon, focus on its witness of Jesus Christ. Notice how the Book of Mormon testifies of Him, and how it invites and inspires you to come unto Him. If you’re seeking a more meaningful experience in Church meetings or in the temple, try looking for the Savior in the sacred ordinances we receive there. Find the Lord in His holy house.” – Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf

Small Pine Tree

 

Lots of folk had to be rescued after Hurricane Helene last month. But not all those saved were humans. Wednesday, October 2, after waters had receded, Kingsport Tennessee Fire Department and Murfreesboro Police were searching for casualties along the Nolichucky River. Kari – the bloodhound helping them – suddenly started barking and led them to a tree where a dog named Athena was stranded 20 feet in the air. Kari’s handler, Office Angela Alexander said, “The funny thing about Kari is she’s not fond of other dogs. This time it was different. I'm so proud of her helping to find something good in all the devastation caused by the flooding.” The police department posted a video of Athena’s rescue, where Athena’s owners saw it. Allie and TJ Faulkner and their kids lost everything in the flood; even their house had floated away. They said getting Athena back was “a light at the end of a tunnel.”

One Dozen Tissue Holders

 

Watching a funny movie and laughing out loud can release endorphins. It’s why we say, “laughter is the best medicine.” But crying at a great movie can be good for you, too. It’s cathartic, and it really can make you feel better afterwards. Here are a few of our favorite movies that make us cry:

Inside Out – When Bing Bong says, “Take her to the moon for me.”

Little Women – There are at least seven movies. Choose your favorite.

Marley and Me, Old Yeller, A Dog's Purpose, et al – “Remember the funny movie where the dog dies?”

My Girl – “He can’t see without his glasses.”

Steel Magnolias – This one might only resonate with mothers and daughters.

Titanic – Three hours and 15 minutes, but worth it.

Toy Story 2 – The song, “When She Loved Me.”

Toy Story 3 – The furnace scene, but also the end sequence, when Andy says goodbye.

Up – The opening sequence never fails to turn on the waterworks.

Blue House

 

In the 1980s, Bear Country was a dead-end in Disneyland, just past the Haunted Mansion. Its only attraction was the Country Bear Jamboree. Consequently, Bear Country was often vacant. Imagineers decided to add a log flume ride to attract guests, and they chose Song of the South, one of Disney’s most acclaimed films, as its theme. (Song of the South had been nominated for a best musical scoring Oscar. “Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah” had won for best original song, and James Baskett had won an honorary award for his portrayal of Uncle Remus.) Bear Country was renamed Critter Country in anticipation of the new ride. Splash Mountain was one of Disneyland’s most popular attractions from 1989 to 2023, with notoriously long wait times. A month from now, it will reopen as Tiana’s Bayou Adventure. If you still want to get wet while listening to “How Do You Do?” “Everybody’s Got a Laughing Place” and “Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah,” you’ll have to visit Disneyland Tokyo.

Ravenchase

 

When they designed Twilight Zone Tower of Terror, Disney imagineers wanted to add a restaurant. The ride was meant to look like a posh 1930’s Hollywood Towers Hotel. What could be more natural than an in-house hotel eatery? In the end, though, the idea was nixed. There were concerns the smell of food being cooked and served might mask odors accompanying a possible ride malfunction. Instead, a menu for a gala (imaginary) feast was placed between the ride exit and the gift shop. The menu no longer exists in Disney California Adventures, because this ride is now Guardians of the Galaxy – Mission Breakout. It might still be in Disney’s Hollywood Studios, but I’d have to cross a few time zones to find out. There ARE Disney rides with restaurants: Disneyland’s Pirates of the Caribbean has The Blue Bayou, and in Florida Living with the Land has The Garden Grill and It’s a Small World has Pinocchio Village Haus.

Four Barrel Cacti

 

It’s a Small World was part of UNICEF pavilion in the New York World’s Fair in 1964. It was reinstalled as an E-ticket ride in Disneyland’s Fantasyland in 1966. May 28 of that year, Disneyland celebrated the re-opening of It’s a Small World with costumed dancers from all over the world. Children from several different countries poured water from their homelands into the “Seven Seas Canal.” Ed Morgan and Carl Baker had been working round the clock for days to get the ride operational in time. Once the ride was running, they took a short break. They came back to a scene of utter chaos. The water had drained, and VIPs were stranded in little boats throughout the ride. It seems a cast member had tried to jump the canal and landed on the main stilling well, crushing it. It took Ed and Carl 45 minutes to stabilize the system and the “happiest cruise that ever sailed” was back on track.

Thirty Butterflies

 

“One characteristic of Jesus’s divine charity was His obedience to every word that proceeded from God’s mouth, always aligning His will and behavior with that of His Heavenly Father. When He arrived on the Western Hemisphere following His Resurrection, Christ said to the Nephites: ‘Behold, I am Jesus Christ. I have drunk out of that bitter cup which the Father hath given me, in the which I have suffered the will of the Father from the beginning.’ Of the myriad ways He could have introduced Himself, Jesus did so by declaring His obedience to the will of the Father—never mind that not long before in His hour of greatest need, this Only Begotten Son of God had felt totally abandoned by His Father. Christ’s charity—evident in complete loyalty to divine will—persisted and continues to persist, not just through the easy and comfortable days but especially through the darkest and most difficult ones.” – Elder Jeffrey R. Holland

Four Gold Sawtooth Stars

 

Between 1908 to 1942, Sears sold more than 70,000 homes in North America. Not finished houses; they were built-it-yourself deals. Think Ikea dressers on steroids. You’d flip through their catalog and choose a floorplan from more than 370 designs in a wide range of sizes and architectural styles. You’d place your order, and everything you needed to build the home would arrive by railroad car. You could then hire professionals to complete the project, but more often than not all your family, friends and neighbors would just show up and pitch in. They were called Sears Modern Homes, because most of them included the very latest in comfort and convenience: central heating, indoor plumbing, even telephones and electricity. Sears offered financing; usually 5- or 15-year mortgages at around 7 percent. So many people defaulted on these loans during the Great Depression, the company had to liquidate $11 million in bad debt. Sears stopped offering mortgages in 1933.

Last Border

Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, is the holiest day in the Jewish calendar. It’s marked by an elaborate and ancient ritual, including a 25-hour fast and intense prayer. Yom Kippur always occurs ten days after Rosh Hashanah, Jewish New Year. So, Yom Kippur happens on a different day every year. In 2028, it will fall on Thursday, October 19. The following year, it will be Tuesday, September 18. This year’s Yom Kippur starts today at sunset and ends with tomorrow’s sunset. Yom Kippur and Rosh Hashanah are the only Jewish holidays that don’t commemorate historical events. Much of the day is spent in meditation, as well as reading from the Torah and reciting penitential prayers. During Yom Kippur, the faithful set aside their daily work, so they may focus on asking for forgiveness from God and from one another, and also so they may forgive their neighbors and seek reconciliation. 

 

Green House

 

Rhinos are among Earth’s largest land mammals. A male white rhino can weigh 5,000 pounds. Rhinos have thick, heavy bodies and relatively short legs, but they can run 30 MPH; faster than the fastest humans. Rhinoceros comes from the Greek word rhinokerōs, meaning “nose horn.” The “horn” is actually made of keratin, not bone. So, it’s like each rhino has a huge, pointy fingernail growing on its snout. This week I learned about two UK zoos, Woburn Safari Park and West Midlands Safari Park, who traded rhinos. Granville, a captive-born male, went to Bedfordshire, while Bonnie, a 2-ton female headed to West Midlands. Bonnie has a sister in West Midlands, though the two had never met before the trade. The swap was to provide Woburn Safari Park with a healthy young male to help preserve the genetic diversity of the species. Which brings me to another fun rhino fact: the collective noun for rhino is “crash.”

Striped Star

 

My grandma used to make “salads” like this one. It’s really more of a dessert, but who’s judging? If the salad police come after me, I’ll just explain it has unsweetened pineapple, fresh strawberries, and cottage cheese (after I’ve stashed the Cool Whip and Jell-O containers in the bottom of the trash).

 

Strawberry Cottage Cheese Salad

 

20 ounces crushed pineapple, drained

6 ounces strawberry gelatin mix

24 ounces small curd cottage cheese

16 ounces frozen whipped topping

16 ounces fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced

 

Mix pineapple, gelatin mix and cottage cheese together in a large bowl. Fold in whipped topping and about half the sliced strawberries. Garnish with remaining strawberries. Cover and refrigerate until completely chilled. Serves about 16.

Two Jade Plants

 

We’ve lived in our home more than a year. One reason we chose this place is the lovely sun room the previous owners built, with huge windows opening on the back garden. As we were moving in last fall, a confused dove flew right into one of them. Last week as I was enjoying the sun room, a robin did the same thing. The robin survived. The dove did not. So, I was especially interested to learn about Chicago’s McCormick Place, the largest convention center in North America. In a single night during last year’s autumn migration, over a thousand birds fatally crashed into the building’s windows. This year, McCormick Place spent $1.2 million to install an adhesive film covered with tiny white dots on the window/walls. The dots are invisible to humans, but should help birds distinguish between solid glass and open air. With any luck, we’ll find a similar solution on a much more modest budget.

Butterflies En Pointe

 

Here are a few of my favorite Russell M. Nelson quotes:

"The joy we feel has little to do with the circumstances of our lives and everything to do with the focus of our lives."

"We need to put God in the forefront of everything."

"True disciples of Jesus Christ are willing to stand out, speak up, and be different from the people of the world."

"The Lord will make much more out of our lives than we can by ourselves."

"The more we learn about the Savior's ministry and mission, the more we realize how imperfect the world was and is."

"Our theology begins with Heavenly Parents. Our highest aspiration is to be like them."

"True love is a process, not an event. It is not the proclamation of a promise. It's the constant rendition of a commitment."

"As you choose to live on the Lord's side, you're never alone."

Gold Sawtooth Star

 

If you want to increase your endorphin levels, there are several things you can try:

Go outside and get some exercise.

Expose yourself to a little sun light. (This becomes more important as days grow shorter.)

Eat more complex carbohydrates, like whole grains and vegetables.

Choose foods with tryptophan, like turkey, eggs, nuts and salmon.

Reduce stress.

Pet your dog or cat.

Hug a loved one.

Make a donation to a good cause, or help someone in need.

Practice yoga or meditation.

Listen to your favorite music (or make some music of your own).

Get a massage, or give one.

Give someone a complement, or tell someone you love them.

Spend time with your friends.

October 5th is Do Something Nice Day. It occurs to me that this list is just full of nice things you can do. Isn’t it gratifying that doing something nice can also make you feel good?

Feeling Crabby

 

I have friends who quilt on demand. When they learn a friend’s expecting a baby, their niece just announced her wedding date, or their grandson is about to graduate from high school, they get started. They consult with the recipient about bed size and color preferences, and they whip up something in time for the big day. I’ve done my share of these, but most of the quilts I make are very different. I’ll stumble on a pattern or a print that catches my eye and I’ll buy it, not knowing what the end goal is. It may sit a while – sometimes years – until inspiration strikes. Usually, by the time I’ve finished the top, I know exactly what I’ll do with the finished product. I’m still unsure about this one. It could hang in next year’s Garden of Quilts, or be donated to Quilts of Valor or Festival of Trees. Or I may just keep it for myself.

Yellow House

 

 "All of us, at some time or other, need help. Whether we're giving or receiving help, each of us has something valuable to bring to this world. That's one of the things that connects us as neighbors –  in our own way, each one of us is a giver and a receiver."

"As human beings, our job in life is to help people realize how rare and valuable each one of us really is. Each of us has something no one else has – or ever will have – something inside that’s unique to all time. It's our job to encourage each other to discover that uniqueness and provide ways of developing its expression."

"It's not the honors and the prizes and the fancy outsides of life which ultimately nourish our souls. It's the knowing we can be trusted, we never have to fear the truth, the bedrock of our very being is good stuff." – Fred Rogers

Chickadee

 

Honey-Mustard Dipping Sauce

 

1/3 cup mayonnaise

2 tablespoons yellow mustard

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard (We like the smooth variety, but coarse mustard works, too.)

1 tablespoon honey

 

Combine all ingredients in a small bowl and serve. This is a great dip for chicken fingers, chicken nuggets, grilled chicken, French fries, sausage bites, steak bites, hot fresh pretzels, and cut fresh vegetables. It also makes a terrific marinade for grilled salmon, chicken or pork, and a wonderful spread for burgers, wraps and sandwiches. You can even use it as dressing for a green salad! In a sealed container, this sauce will keep in the refrigerator for up to five days. This recipe serves 6, but it can be doubled or tripled as necessary. 

Two Aloes

 

Heather ALWAYS knows what day it is, and she sees it as her job to keep us informed. Yesterday she reminded us today would be the first day of October, and there are certain things expected of us because of it:

Halloween is coming, and we’ll be required to search the garage for the inflatable dragon and set it up.

Cool weather is on the way, so she’ll be wanting her long-sleeved shirts, especially the orange one that says, “BOO!” (We binned the shirt over a decade ago, but she never stops asking for it.)

She’ll need Halloween socks. (Way ahead of her here. I ordered a pair of candy corn socks last week.)

She also expects a Halloween-themed notebook and pumpkin bubble bath. (Office Depot no longer carries composition notebooks with skulls on the cover; Philosophy discontinued their pumpkin icing bubble bath. Looks like I have my work cut out for me.)

Twenty-five Butterflies

 

“Consider how your life would be different if priesthood keys had not been restored to the earth. Without priesthood keys, you could not be endowed with the power of God. Without priesthood keys, the Church could serve only as a significant teaching and humanitarian organization but not much more. Without priesthood keys, none of us would have access to essential ordinances and covenants binding us to our loved ones eternally and allowing us eventually to live with God. Priesthood keys distinguish The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from any other organization on earth. Many other organizations can and do make your life better here in mortality. But no other organization can and will influence your life after death. Temple work makes these exquisite blessings available to all of God’s children, regardless of where or when they lived or now live. Let us rejoice that priesthood keys are once again on the earth!” – President Russell M. Nelson