Sewing Room Closet

We downsized moving into this house, but the sewing room in the old house was almost identical to the sewing room in the new one. I expected finding places for all my stash would be almost effortless. That’s not the way it turned out. Moving into the new space was a little like trying to squeeze toothpaste back into the tube. Since then, I’ve been trying to make the best of the situation, but it’s been frustrating. When I need anything in particular, it’s almost always at the bottom of some box, bin or bag and hardly worth the trouble of searching for it. This past month, I finally fixed the problem. I sifted through every single container, sorted it all out and labelled everything. I found lots of things I’d forgotten I had, and several that will be better off donated to good will. Here’s the finished product: a terrific way to start the new year!

One Dozen Diversions

 

“It takes a courageous and willing heart to pause and pursue honest and meek introspection to acknowledge the presence of weaknesses of the flesh that may impede our ability to submit ourselves to God, and ultimately decide to adopt His way rather than our own. The ultimate test of our discipleship is found in our willingness to lose our old self and submit our heart and our whole soul to God so that His will becomes ours. One of the most glorious moments of mortality occurs when we discover the joy that comes when doing always those things that ‘work for and please the Lord’ and ‘what works for us’ become one and the same! To decisively and unquestioningly make the Lord’s will our own requires majestic and heroic discipleship! At that sublime moment, we become consecrated to the Lord, and totally yield our wills to Him. Such spiritual submissiveness is beautiful, powerful, and transformational.” – Elder Ulisses Soares

All My Love

 

Wedding Prayer

 

Lord, behold our family here assembled.

We thank you for this place in which we dwell,

for the love that unites us,

for the peace accorded us this day,

for the hope with which we expect the morrow,

for the health, the work, the food,

and the bright skies that make our lives delightful;

for our friends in all parts of the earth.

Amen.

 

My Wife

 

Trusty, dusky, vivid, true,

With eyes of gold and bramble-dew,

Steel-true and blade-straight,

The great artificer

Made my mate.

 

Honour, anger, valour, fire;

A love that life could never tire,

Death quench or evil stir,

The mighty master

Gave to her.

 

Teacher, tender, comrade, wife,

A fellow-farer true through life,

Heart-whole and soul-free

The august father

Gave to me.

 

By Robert Louis Stevenson (1850-1894) – Scottish novelist, essayist, poet and travel writer.

Sixteen Delectable Mountains

 

How much do you know about the wise men? The scriptures call them magi, suggesting they were learned in something beyond everyday fishermen, olive farmers and shepherds. In this case, it almost certainly means they studied the heavens. People didn’t call them ‘kings’ for about 200 years, likely because of Isaiah 60:3, which predicts the Messiah would be worshipped by kings. Nativities depict three of them, but scriptures never mention a specific number. They were gentiles, from somewhere east of Judea – perhaps Persia (modern-day Iran). The gifts they brought – gold, frankincense and myrrh – symbolized Christ’s status as King of kings and foreshadowed his sacrifice. The Epiphany or Three Kings Day is January 6 – the twelfth day after Christmas. But the magi most likely arrived when the Christ Child was a toddler. Why does all this matter? The magi are an example to all of us; we must all find our way to the Prince of Peace.

Four Economy Blocks

 

I’ve been thinking a lot lately about villains. Maybe it’s only natural that at this time of year Ebenezer Scrooge keeps coming to mind. Scrooge is actually an honest, law-abiding citizen. The people who owe him money went into debt willingly. All he expects is that they pay what is owed. If the law demanded that he pay his clerk more or treat his nephew better, he’d do that. When gentlemen ask him to donate to the poor, he’s offended. He pays his taxes in full, and he expects those taxes to cover institutions that care for the poor. The only thing Scrooge is missing is compassion. When Marley’s ghost visits Scrooge, he tells him a life of observing the letter of the law will lead to an eternity of remorse. Scrooge is shocked – shaken to his core. Suddenly, we’re back to 1 Corinthians 13. If we do everything we’re supposed to, but have no charity, we’re all villains. 

Christmas Tree

 

Here are the answers to yesterday’s quiz. How did you do?

 

1    Jingle Bells

2    O Holy Night

3    Hark! The Herald Angels Sing

4    O Come All Ye Faithful

5    All I Want for Christmas is You

6    White Christmas

7    Santa Baby

8    Ding Dong! Merrily on High

9    The First Noel

10    Silent Night

11    When Santa Got Stuck Up the Chimney

12    Last Christmas

13    I Wish it Could Be Christmas Everyday

14    We Wish You a Merry Christmas

15    Once in Royal David’s City

16    Winter Wonderland

17    O Little Town of Bethlehem

18    Jingle Bell Rock

19    Deck the Halls

20    Frosty the Snowman

21    I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus

22    Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree

23    Little Donkey

24    Away in a Manger

25    Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer

 

Here’s wishing you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Stockings on the Mantel

 

Is your head full of Christmas songs? See if you can name these:

 

1    “Bells on bobtails ring”

2    “Noel, Noel, o night, o night divine”

3    “Glory to the new-born King”

4    “Come and behold Him”

5    “I don’t want a lot for Christmas”

6    “Where the tree tops glisten”

7    “Just slip a sable under the tree for me”

8    “In heaven the bells are ringing”

9    “Born is the King of Israel”

10    “Round yon virgin, mother and Child”

11    “You girls and boys won’t get any toys”

12    “The very next day you gave it away”

13    “When the snowman brings the snow”

14    “Bring us some figgy pudding”

15    “Mary was that mother mild”

16    “Sleigh bells ring, are you listening?”

17    “How still we see thee lie”

18    “Now the jingle hop has begun”

19    “Tis the season to be jolly”

20    “A corn cob pipe and a button nose”

21    “Underneath the mistletoe last night”

22    “Later we’ll have some pumpkin pie”

23    “Ring out those bells tonight”

24    “The stars in the bright sky”

25    “Then one foggy Christmas Eve”

Nine Diversions

 

“All around us are opportunities to laugh, delight, see with grateful eyes. Ours is a gospel of joy and holiness in everyday life. Holiness sets things apart for sacred purpose. But holiness also invites us to infuse daily living with the sacred—to rejoice in daily bread amidst this world’s thistles and thorns. To walk with the Lord, we must become holy, for He is holy, and to help us become holy, the Lord invites us to walk with Him. Growing evidence highlights this striking fact: religious believers are on average happier, healthier, and more fulfilled than those without spiritual commitment or connection. Happiness and life satisfaction, mental and physical health, meaning and purpose, character and virtue, close social relationships, even financial and material stability—on each measure, religious practitioners flourish. What researchers call ‘religious structural stability’ offers clarity, purpose, and inspiration amidst life’s twists and turns.” – Elder Gerrit W. Gong

Four Kisses

 

Funeral potatoes are a big deal around here. The name comes from the way they show up whenever someone passes. But they’re popular anytime family gets together.

 

Slow-Cooker Funeral Potatoes

 

1 1/2 pounds frozen cubed hashbrowns

1 cup sour cream

1 10-ounce can condensed cream of chicken soup

1 cup melted butter, divided

1/2 teaspoon onion powder

1/4 teaspoon ground pepper

2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

2 cups Corn Flakes cereal, crushed

 

Coat slow-cooker pot with non-stick spray. In a large bowl, combine sour cream, soup, and 1/2 cup of melted butter. Fold them together with a spatula. Add onion powder, cheese and pepper; fold again. Add potatoes and stir until combined. Spread mixture in slow cooker. Cover and cook on low 5 to 6 hours. Turn off slow cooker. Stir together remaining melted butter and crushed Corn Flakes in a skillet. Carefully toast over medium heat until golden brown. Spread evenly over potato mixture. Serves eight.

One Dozen Delectable Mountains

 

I discovered a few days ago that Utah has two state songs. I knew about our state hymn, “Utah, We Love Thee.” It was in the LDS hymnbook when I was a girl, under the name of “Land of the Mountains High.” Written by Evan Stephens in 1895, it was performed the following January when Utah became a state. “Utah…This is the Place” was written for the state’s centennial in 1995. It replaced the original song in 2003, after fourth grade students at Cook Elementary School complained that “Utah, We Love Thee” wasn’t fun to sing. Technically, Utah still only has one official state song, as “Utah, We Love Thee” is our state hymn. It could be worse. Tennessee has fourteen official state songs, including eight that were added in the past two years. (The only one you’ve ever heard of or ever will hear of is “The Tennessee Waltz.”) They even have their own official bicentennial rap.

Economy Block

 

Oz was created in 1900 by L. Frank Baum, who went on to write fourteen full-length books about the fictional land. (I had a tough time finding them in libraries in the 70’s, but you can get them all from Amazon today.) In an interview, Baum once said he got the name from a filing cabinet that was labeled “O-Z.” There were seven film adaptations BEFORE the 1939 MGM musical, including a silent movie featuring a very young Oliver Hardy. Three more appeared – one starring Judy Garland’s daughter, Liza Minelli – before The Wiz (1978) with Diana Ross and Michael Jackson. Several animated versions were made, including a few with Tom and Jerry. Return to Oz (1985), is probably still giving my kids nightmares. Disney’s Oz the Great and Powerful (2013) is probably worth seeing, once. Part one of Wicked came out this month. The movie is PG, but the book it’s based on is definitely not kid-friendly.

Two Yellow Houses

 

Robert Augustus Chesebrough was a New York City chemist who clarified kerosene from the oil of sperm whales. The discovery of petroleum in Titusville, Pennsylvania quickly made his job obsolete. In 1859, Robert was visiting Titusville and noticed workers using the greasy buildup on the oil drilling rigs to treat their own cuts and burns. Robert patented the process for making petroleum jelly. He bottled his discovery, which he named “Vaseline.” Robert had a tough time convincing drug stores to sell it, until he staged demonstrations. He’d burn his own skin with an open flame, and daub jelly on his burn. Then he’d show off previous burns “healed” by his miracle product. By 1874, he was selling over 1,400 jars a day. Actually, Vaseline doesn’t heal at all. It forms a barrier, keeping moisture in and germs out. One of the leading causes of death in the 1800’s was infection from open wounds. 

Traffic Jam

 

1 Corinthians 13, Christmas Version

 If I adorn my house with twinkling lights but don’t show love to my family – I’m just a decorator. If I bake cookies, prepare gourmet meals, and arrange a beautiful table, but don’t show love to my family – I’m just a cook. If I volunteer at the soup kitchen, carol in the nursing home, and donate to charity, but don’t show love to my family – it profits me nothing. If I trim a tree, attend holiday parties, and sing in the choir but don’t focus on Christ, I’ve missed the point. Love stops cooking to hug the child. Love sets aside the decorating to kiss the husband. Love is kind, even when tired. Love doesn’t envy another home that has coordinated china and table linens. Love doesn’t yell at kids to get out of the way. Video games break; pearl necklaces get lost; golf clubs rust.  But the gift of love will endure. – Sharon Jaynes

Six Diversions

 

“Consider the combination of the Savior’s gospel and His Church as established by the Book of Mormon prophet Alma. The Church was responsible for preaching repentance and faith on the Lord. People flocked to the Waters of Mormon to hear Alma preach the gospel. Though they revered those waters and the surrounding forests, the Lord’s Church was not a location or a building, nor is it today. The Church is simply ordinary people, disciples of Jesus Christ, gathered and organized into a divinely appointed structure that helps the Lord accomplish His purposes. The Church is the instrument through which we learn the central role of Jesus Christ in Heavenly Father’s plan. The Church offers the authoritative way for individuals to participate in ordinances and make lasting covenants with God. Keeping those covenants draws us closer to God, gives us access to His power, and transforms us into who He intends us to become.” – Elder Dale G. Renlund

Two Hugs

 

Poke cakes appeared on the scene in the late 70’s, and were insanely popular for a while. They couldn’t be simpler to make, and they’re a huge hit at pot lucks.

 

Christmas Poke Cake

 

1 box white cake mix (plus eggs, oil, and water)

One 3-ounce box lime Jell-O

One 3-ounce box cherry Jell-O

2 cups boiling water, divided

One 8-ounce tub Cool Whip topping, defrosted

Holiday sprinkles

 

Prepare cake as directed, in a 9x13” pan. Let baked cake cool 20 minutes. Poke several holes in cake with handle of a wooden spoon. Stir cherry Jell-O into 1 cup boiling water. In a separate bowl, stir lime Jell-O into remaining boiling water. Allow both mixes to cool to room temperature. Pour lime mixture into half the cake holes; then pour cherry mixture into the other half. Use all the Jell-O. Refrigerate the cake for 3-4 hours or overnight, and then top with whipped topping and sprinkles.

Nine Delectable Mountains

 

Otto Frederick Rohwedder was born in Des Moines in 1880. He was apprenticed to a jeweler to learn a trade. At one point, Otto owned three jewelry stores in St. Joseph, Missouri. The experience he gained repairing watches led Otto to inventing machinery. He was convinced he could design a machine that would convert fresh loaves of bread into uniform slices. Otto sold off his jewelry stores to fund this project, but a fire in 1917 destroyed his prototype and blueprints. It took Otto years to come up with the cash to start over. In 1927, he successfully created a machine that not only sliced bread, but wrapped it. In 1930 Continental Baking Company introduced Wonder Bread, sliced and wrapped by Otto’s machines. Within five years, 80% of all bread sold in the US was pre-sliced. This, in turn, boosted sales of the newly-invented automatic toaster. It’s true what they say: a rising tide lifts all boats.

Four Whirlwinds

 

In 2013, JCPenney sold a kettle as part of a collection of Michael Graves housewares. The retailer called it the “Bells and Whistles Stainless Steel Tea Kettle,” but it soon became known by a different name. The kettle’s asymmetrical black handle was thought to resemble Adolf Hitler’s parted comb-over hairstyle. The little black knob on the lid gave the impression of the dictator’s nose and toothbrush mustache. Even the spout looked as if the kettle had its arm extended in a Nazi salute. In May of that year, a photo of a billboard advertising the product on Interstate 405 in Culver City, California, was posted online, where it quickly went viral. Amid all the negative attention, JCPenney removed the billboard, tweeting, "If we'd designed the kettle to look like something, we would've gone with a snowman" The $40 “Hitler kettle” disappeared from store shelves anyway, and several showed up on eBay for as much as $199.

Two Turquoise Houses

Brenda Mae Tarpley was born December 11, 1944, in the charity ward of Atlanta’s Grady Hospital. She only weighed four pounds, eleven ounces. Brenda’s early years were spent in three-room rentals without running water, moving every time her dad needed to find work. When Brenda was a toddler, her mom or sister would bring her to candy stores and lift her onto the counter, where she would sing for pennies or sweets. Her dad died in a construction accident when Brenda was eight. Before she turned ten, she was the family’s primary bread winner, singing on radio and TV shows. Under the professional name Brenda Lee, her recording career spans five decades. But her biggest-selling track was one she laid at age thirteen: Johnny Marks’ “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree,” a song that’s even more popular today than when it was new. Today is Brenda Lee’s eightieth birthday. I’ll be celebrating by listening to her music.  

Three Jade Plants

This time of year, my calendar always gets way too crowded. I keep agreeing to add events that will have me out driving in the snow well after dark when what I really want to do is stay at home, make a bowl of buttered popcorn, and watch a nice Christmas movie. Like, How the Grinch Stole Christmas: “The nerve of those Whos. Inviting me down there, on such short notice! Even if I wanted to go, my schedule wouldn’t allow it.” (The Grinch opens his schedule.) “Four o’clock, wallow in self-pity. Four-thirty, stare into the abyss. Five o’clock, solve world hunger. Tell no one. Five-thirty, Jazzercise. Six-thirty, dinner with me. I can’t cancel that again! Seven o’clock, wrestle with my self-loathing. I’m booked! Of course, if I bump the loathing to nine, I can still be done in time to lay in bed, stare at the ceiling and slip slowly into madness. But what would I wear?”

Four Diversions

“I urge you to become engaged in family history, spend time in the temple, and carefully prepare yourself to be the kind of man or woman ready to marry an equally worthy companion in the temple. Develop a pattern in your life now to make the temple a regular part of your lives. There will likely be difficulties for each of us in the days ahead. However, as we enter this coming decade, may we share glad tidings through the simple activities of living, caring, inviting, and uniting. As we do so, the Lord will bless us. I testify those who approach the Lord with a sincere heart and real intent, those who have the name of the Savior upon their lips and the Holy Spirit in their souls, those who embark upon this grand and glorious pilgrimage will discover and experience bounteous celestial blessings and receive a witness that God hears you, knows you, and loves you.” - Elder Gary E. Stevenson

 

Red Heart

 

We hung a hummingbird feeder in the maple outside my window around Mother’s Day. It was there all summer. We never saw more than two birds visit at a time, so it was difficult to know how many we were feeding. Occasionally we’d catch sight of a male black-chinned hummingbird, but generally we’d see a less colorful female (or possibly an adolescent male – I understand they look similar). The hummingbirds were timid. They’d scout the area before darting in. Between sips, they’d constantly check for predators. Now the hummingbirds are in Guatemala, and we have a millet-filled feeder hanging in the same spot. Finches of all sorts are cleaning us out. We refilled at dusk Tuesday, and by Wednesday lunch it was half empty. Four are eating there now, with more in the maple tree and dozens in the yard, waiting their turn and chattering happily. Given the choice, I think I’d rather be a finch.

Four Delectable Mountains

 

When I’m not serving this salad to extremely picky people, I like to add a handful of walnut halves, garbanzo beans, pickled pepperoncini, mozzarella pearls, pepperoni or other fun things.

 

Italian Pasta Salad

 

8 ounces penne pasta, cooked al dente and chilled

2 ribs celery, cut into 1/4” slices

1 green onion, thinly sliced

1 cup black olives, sliced

1 cup grape tomatoes, sliced in half lengthwise

1/2 cup olive oil

1/4 cup mayo

3 tablespoons white vinegar

1/2 tablespoon granulated sugar

1 teaspoon Italian seasoning

1/4 teaspoon onion salt

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

2 tablespoons freshly grated parmesan cheese

Fresh ground pepper to taste

 

Combine pasta, onion, celery, olives, and tomatoes in large bowl. Combine remaining ingredients in smaller bowl; beat with a wire whisk until uniform. Pour dressing into pasta/veg bowl and toss. Cover and refrigerate at least an hour before serving.

Whirlwind Block

 

We saw Moana 2 the day before it opened. The animation was amazing, but the songs were underwhelming. And the villain didn’t show up until the end credits. The last Disney movie I can remember with a villain was Hans in Frozen (2013). And Hans was barely IN Frozen. Mary Shelley once said, “The story of villains is much more entertaining than the story of heroes, because monsters are not born, they’re made. They don’t emerge from the void or darkness by themselves, but they are shaped by circumstances, by the wounds of the world around them. They reflect the deepest of human pain, rejection, loneliness, misunderstanding. A hero is defined by his acts of bravery, but a villain is the result of a heart that was once pure and ended up corrupted. The monsters, in their tragedy, show us what could happen to us all, if the world turned its back on us.”

Two Red Houses

 

American physicist and electrical engineer John Bardeen was cooking breakfast for his family when the news came over the radio: John, Walter Brattain and William Schockley had just won the Nobel Prize in Physics! John was so surprised he dropped the eggs on the floor. At the ceremony in Stockholm, John introduced his youngest son to the King of Sweden. Gustav VI was distressed John’s older two boys – who were busy with exams at Harvard – hadn’t come. The physicist reassured his majesty, “I’ll bring them the next time I win a Nobel prize.” He may have meant it as a joke, but that’s not how it turned out. John Bardeen won in 1956 for the invention of the transistor. He won again in 1972, for the theory of superconductivity, making him the only person to win two Nobel prizes in physics. Don’t worry. The second time he won, John brought all three sons to the ceremony.

Three Cactus Flowers

 

According to the Chronica Gallica, Saxons invaded Brittain in 409 or 410. They landed on the east coast and worked their way west. At some point, the Saxons pointed to a hill in Wales and asked the locals for its name. The Welsh told them they called it “pen,” which means “hill” in Welsh. So, the Saxons used their name for hill, “Tor,” and called the place “Torpen” (hill hill). The Vikings began raiding Wales around 850. Using much the same process, they added the Norse name for hill, “haugr” to the place. That’s how the spot became known as “Torpen Haugr” (hill hill hill). The English invasion of Wales began in January, 1277. There was a Norman conquest before that, in the year 1067. But apparently the Normans didn’t bother to rename this particular hill. Anyway, when the English showed up, they began calling it “Torpenhow Hill” (hill hill hill hill). Language is awesome.

Diversion Block

 

“We sustain our living prophet at general conference, and the First Presidency, the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, General Authorities, and Officers of the Church. To sustain means to hold up another person, to give them our attention, to be faithful to their trust, to act upon their words. In holding up our hands, we are committing our support, not just for that moment but in our daily lives. Sustaining includes holding up our stake presidents and bishops, quorum and organization leaders, teachers, and even camp directors in our wards and stakes. Closer to home, we hold up our wives and our husbands, children, parents, extended family, and neighbors. When we hold up one another we are saying, ‘I’m here for you, not just to hold up your arms and hands when they hang down but to be a comfort and strength at your side.’” – Elder Ronald A. Rasband

Sweet Snowman

 

This recipe isn’t on ANYONE’S diet. I’ll be putting a big bowl of it out after Sunday dinner sometime in December, and see how long it takes to completely disappear.

 

Mischief Munch

 

2 cups French Toast Crunch cereal

1 cup Cookie Crisp cereal

2 2/3 cups Life cereal

1 cup mini marshmallows

1/2 cups red and green M&Ms

12 ounces white chocolate

2 tablespoons holiday sprinkles

1/4 cups mini chocolate chips

 

In a large mixing bowl, combine cereals, mini marshmallows, and M&M candies. Melt white chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl in 30-second intervals, stirring between. Pour over cereal mixture, stirring to coat everything. Transfer mixture to a parchment-lined (or silicon-lined) baking sheet, top with holiday sprinkles and mini chocolate chips, and refrigerate until firm, about 25 minutes. Transfer to a large serving bowl and watch it vanish!

Delectable Mountain

 

First Date

 

We’d so much in common, that was clear from the start:

A marriage of souls, like de Beauvoir and Sartre.

The connection was instant, almost irrational:

simply simpatico, fully compatible.

 

You confessed you loved winter, North Yorkshire, and cats.

‘Me, too!’ I responded. ‘How amazing is that?’

You were wild about Wharton: you loved Ethan Frome.

‘His best’, I said, thinking I’d read him when home.

 

You praised a revival of Pinter’s Dumb Waiter.

I nodded along. I should Google that later.

The discussion then turned to things that you hated:

Pulp Fiction, you thought, was quite over-rated.

 

‘You make some good points’, I eventually said.

I could always hide that poster under my bed.

You spoke of a loathing of poetry that rhymed

And I said. Yes,

That stuff’s awful.

-          Brian Bilston

Baked with Love

 

Gratitude is a virtue. The Roman philosopher Cicero said, “Gratitude is not only the greatest of virtues, but the parent of all others”.

Gratitude can make you happy. Experiencing (and expressing) gratitude activates neurotransmitters like dopamine and serotonin, which are associated with pleasure and mood regulation.

Practicing gratitude can improve your health. Grateful people tend to be healthier, with lower blood pressure, decreased inflammation, and slower neurodegeneration.

Gratitude can deepen relationships. Expressing appreciation can help you deepen relationships with the people around you.

Gratitude can build over time. Practicing gratitude can have long-lasting effects on your mood, self-esteem, and behavior.

Keeping a gratitude journal can help you be more mindful. Making a record of those things for which you’re grateful can help you be more attuned to the positive moments in your day-to-day life.

Practicing gratitude can reduce stress. Studies show cultivating mindful gratitude can reduce stress and physiological indicators of stress.

Two Green Houses

 

Isaac’s mum wanted him to be a farmer. She removed him from school so he could learn to grow crops. He was a terrible farmer, so eventually she allowed him back in school. Isaac became a member of parliament, but he wasn’t particularly good at that, either. Isaac didn’t have many friends. He never married, and he never had children. Isaac studied alchemy; he tried (and failed) to create a philosopher’s stone which could cure illness and turn lead into gold. He’s credited with inventing the doggy door. He invented calculus, though he was so worried about criticism, he didn’t publish for years. Isaac was the one who discovered prisms separate light into rainbows. He invented the reflecting telescope. Those little ridges on the outside of quarters? Sir Isaac Newton invented them to discourage coin “clipping” and forgery. Scripture study led him to announce the world wouldn’t end until at least 2060. Oh, and there’s the whole gravity thing.

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 to 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!