Another Bloom

 

Most of the world drives on the right side of the road. Sunday, 3 September 1967, Sweden went from left-side driving to right-side driving. And it really did happen overnight. During the weeks leading up to “Högertrafikomläggningen” (it means “right-hand traffic organization” and was eventually shortened to “Dagen H” or “H Day”), every intersection in the country was equipped with signage and traffic lights facing in the opposite direction. These were covered with black plastic until H Day. All non-essential traffic was banned late Saturday night, while workers roamed the streets, removing the plastic. Sweden made the switch because Norway and Finland, with whom Sweden shares borders, both drive on the right. Also, 90% of Sweden drove cars with steering wheels on the left, making head-on collisions more likely on narrow, two-lane roads. Incidentally, the U.S. used to drive on the left side, too. Our switch was much more gradual, happening between 1792 and 1850.

Coral Rabbit

 

This might be the easiest recipe I’ve posted here so far – and that’s really saying something. It’s also one of the fastest. Just five minutes on the stove and five minutes to cool. Then you can pop them onto a salad, over ice cream, into your popcorn, or just in your mouth. How cool is that?

 

Candied Walnuts

 

1 cup walnut halves

1/4 cup sugar

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

 

Lay a sheet of parchment paper on the counter. Place all ingredients in a non-stick skillet. Cook, stirring, over medium heat about five minutes, until the sugar has caramelized and all the nuts are coated. Transfer to the parchment to cool. Using two rubber spatulas, qickly separate the walnuts. If you don’t, you’ll end up with one big clump of nuts. Once you get the hang of it, you can easily double or triple this recipe.

Bloom Where You Are Planted

 

October would have been a lovely time to plant my favorite spring flowering bulbs: snow drops, crocuses, fritillaria, hyacinths, jonquils, and tulips. But we spent much of October settling in to our new home. Most of my days were occupied with trying to decide where all our things should go, and with trying to remember where everything ended up. (Even now, several items are mysteriously missing, though we’re running out of places where they might be. Honestly, is it even possible to move from one house to another without permanently losing stuff?) One surprisingly warm afternoon in November, I managed to tuck a handful of yellow daffodils and another of allium into the soil near the front door. None of them have sprouted – yet. But there are several suspiciously un-weedy sprouts coming up in other places. They could be tulips, but at this point it’s anyone’s guess. I do love a good mystery.

Yellow Hare

 

“Consider this insight from Teaching in the Savior’s Way: ‘Taken individually, a single home evening, scripture study session, or gospel conversation may not seem like it is accomplishing much. But the accumulation of small, simple efforts, repeated consistently over time, can be more powerful and strengthening than an occasional monumental moment or landmark lesson. So don’t give up, and don’t worry about accomplishing something grand every time. Just be consistent in your efforts.’ One of our most sacred responsibilities is to help our children come to know deeply and specifically that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God, their personal Savior and Redeemer, who stands at the head of His Church! We cannot allow our covenant voice to become muted or silent when it comes to Him.” - Jan E. Newman

Forty-Eight Log Cabins

 

February 24 is Open That Bottle Night. Officially, this holiday begins at 5:00 p.m. (Of course, it’s ALWAYS 5:00 somewhere.) Dorothy Gaither and John Becher created this holiday to encourage people to reconnect with each other over a good bottle of wine or champagne. They reasoned that we should stop waiting for a special occasion to pop the cork and enjoy the moment. I’m a teetotaler, but I think I can relate. Every year, we’re gifted a bottle or two of sparkling cider to celebrate the holidays. The bottles get shelved and forgotten until we’re out of soda and someone has an upset stomach. How many other things are we saving for a “special occasion” that never comes? Is there a candle in your house “too pretty” to burn? Are you storing fine china, silverware or crystal that never sees the light of day? Today may be the perfect time to change that.

Chocolate Rabbit

 

Last week we served bratwurst and hot dogs for Sunday dinner. I bought a glass jar of something labelled “Bavarian-Style Sauerkraut” to serve alongside. It wasn’t. But this is:

 

Bavarian-Style Sauerkraut

 

1 tablespoon bacon drippings

1 cup finely chopped onion

2 (16 ounce) packages sauerkraut, undrained

1/2 cup chicken broth

1/2 cup cooking sherry (We rarely have this on hand, so we substitute apple juice or more broth.)

1 tablespoon packed brown sugar

1 teaspoon caraway seeds

 

In a pan, cook and stir onion in hot bacon drippings until soft and translucent; about 5 minutes. Place sauerkraut with juice into a large bowl and cover with water. Use your hands to squeeze out as much water and juice as possible. Add squeezed sauerkraut to onion in the skillet. Stir chicken stock, sherry, brown sugar, and caraway seeds into sauerkraut mixture. Reduce heat to low; simmer, stirring occasionally, until most of the liquid has evaporated, 30 to 40 minutes. Serve warm.

Forty-Two Log Cabins

May 28, 1937 the German government – under Adolf Hitler – formed the Gesellschaft zur Vorbereitung des Deutschen Volkswagens mbH. Later that same year, the name was shortened to Volkswagenwerk: “The People’s Car Company.” Along with an ambitious campaign to build a network of autobahns across the country, Hitler’s plan was to get Germans of all classes moving about. At a Nazi rally the following year, he announced, “This car has been built for the masses. Its purpose is to answer their transportation needs, and it is intended to give them joy.” But the year after that, World War II began. The factory was shuttered, and then destroyed. If the Allies hadn’t made a point of resuscitating the German auto industry after the war ended, only history buffs would remember Volkswagen today. The original model, the Beetle, was designed by Ferdinand Porsche. It was manufactured with almost no design changes until 2003. 

 

Twelve-Inch Dazzle Block

March 21, 1864, a fight broke out in a mess tent in a Union camp along the Rappahannock River in Virginia. During the scuffle, Moses Robinette pulled a knife on John Alexander. When the dust settled, Robinette was charged with attempted murder and incarcerated on a remote island near Key West. Three officers who knew Moses Robinette petitioned President Abraham Lincoln to overturn the conviction. They professed that Robinette wasn’t the one who’d started the fight, and that he was only acting in self-defense. Lincoln agreed, and Moses’ sentence was commuted. The veterinary surgeon returned to his wife, his sons and daughters, and his farm. He passed at the age of 84 in 1903. One of Moses’ sons was George Hamilton Robinette, whose daughter was Mary Elizabeth Robinette Biden. Her son was Joseph Robinette Biden, Sr., and his son was Joseph Robinette Biden, Jr. So, the 16th president pardoned the great-great grandfather of the 46th.

 

Thirty-six Log Cabins

 

Most state names come from Native American words:

Alabama is named for the Alibamu tribe. The name may mean “herb gatherers.”

Alaska comes from the Aleut word meaning "mainland"

Arizona comes from the O'odham word for "small spring"

Connecticut is a Mohican word meaning "long river"

Dakota means “allies.”

Hawaii is “homeland” in Hawaiian.

Illinois means "men.”

Iowa is how the Ioway described "gray snow.”

Kansas means "south wind people.”

Kentucky may be Iroquois for "meadow."

Massachusetts comes from an Algonquin word meaning "great-hill-small-place.”

Michigan is Chippewa for "large lake."

Minnesota comes from a Dakota word meaning “white water.”

Mississippi is Choctaw for “father of waters.”

Missouri means "men with dugout canoes."

Nebraska is a Sioux word meaning “shallow, broad water.”

Ohio is Iroquois for “beautiful river.”

Oklahoma means “red people” in Choctaw.

Tennessee is Cherokee for “bend in the river.”

Utah comes from the Ute Indians – the meaning is obscure.

Wyoming is Lani-Lenape for “great plain.” 

Blue Bunny

 

“Temple covenants are gifts from our Heavenly Father to the faithful followers of His Son, Jesus Christ. Through the temple, our Heavenly Father binds individuals and families to the Savior and to each other. President Russell M. Nelson declared last year: ‘Each person who makes covenants in baptismal fonts and in temples—and keeps them—has increased access to the power of Jesus Christ. The reward for keeping covenants with God is heavenly power—power that strengthens us to withstand our trials, temptations, and heartaches better. This power eases our way.’ Through temple blessings, the Savior heals individuals, families, and nations—even those that once stood as bitter enemies. The resurrected Lord declared to a conflict-ridden society in the Book of Mormon that 'unto those who honor my name, shall the Son of Righteousness arise with healing in his wings.’” – By Elder J. Kimo Esplin

Thirty Log Cabins

 

It’s never too late to start rebuilding yourself from within.

Choose to eat a well-balanced, healthy diet.

Learn to love yourself unconditionally.

Prioritize getting a good night’s sleep every night.

Release your bottled-up emotions.

Limit your exposure to current events and media.

Make time for long walks, all by yourself.

Decide today to stop living beyond your means.

If you find yourself feeling tired, you probably need more exercise, not less.

Discover your inner strengths and nurture them.

Do something meaningful every day.

Stop apologizing for just being you.

Surround yourself with positive people.

Cultivate a grateful heart.

Stop waiting for the right time to be happy.

Find ways to embrace your current situation, whatever it may be. 

Ten-Inch Dazzle Block

 

When my family lived in New England, cats with extra toes seemed very commonplace. We owned more than one, and so did many of our neighbors. Here in the West, they seem much more unusual. I’ve read that for generations, sailors believed polydactyl cats to be better mousers than cats without extra digits. They also felt these cats were good luck on long voyages. As polydactyly is an inherited trait, it stands to reason that you’d find more extra-toed cats in places where tall ships have plied the waves for centuries: Western England, Wales, the Eastern U.S., and Canada. Cats with extra toes are sometimes called Hemingway cats, because the American novelist absolutely adored them. His first polydactyl cat, Snowball, was a gift from a sea captain. After his death, Hemingway’s Key West home became a museum and a home for his beloved pets. Today, fifty feline descendants live there. About half have extra toes.

Twenty-Five Log Cabins

 

February is the shortest month, but it still has plenty of holidays. We watched the Bill Murray/ Andie MacDowell February second. We ignored the big game Sunday. Instead, we had a lunar new year feast. Chinese celebrate the new year for 15 or 16 days. We spent about an hour and a half. We skipped Shrove Tuesday. The fact that we’re not giving ANYTHING up for Lent kind of steals the thunder from Mardi Gras. We exchanged small non-traditional gifts on Valentine’s Day. John got me a tiny succulent plant in a pot shaped like a triceratops. I love it. The month’s half over, but there are still holidays worth considering. Monday is President’s Day, but it’s also National Chocolate Mint Day. Tuesday is Cherry Pie Day, Thursday is National Chili Day, and next Saturday is National Tortilla Chip Day. The 26th is National Pistachio Day. That should be enough to keep me busy until March!

White Rabbit

 

The News Where I Am

 

Today, my travel card expired.

Got soaked through twice. Oh, and got fired.

A dog bit me. I lost my phone

but

you’ll be there when I get home.

A pigeon crapped upon my head.

I ate a slice of mouldy bread.

I lost a tooth. I broke three bones.

                Who cares?

                                You’ll be there when I get home.

My lottery numbers came up today

(a shame that I forgot to play).

I think I’ve got a kidney stone.

                Like, whatever

                                You’ll be there when I get home.

The ice caps melt some more each year.

A new world war will soon be here.

The most perfect day that I have known!

                Because

-          Did I mention this? –

You’ll be there when I get home.

-          Brian Bilston

Twenty Log Cabins

 

Four days after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, Germany declared war on the United States. Shortly thereafter, Hitler authorized a mission to sabotage the American war effort. The undertaking was named Operation Pastorius, after the man who organized the first German settlement in America. Eight men were recruited; all had formerly lived and worked in the United States. All eight were given three weeks of training in the manufacture and use of explosives. In June 1942, four saboteurs were deposited by U-boat off the coast of Long Island, and four more swam ashore in Florida. Before any sabotage was actually committed, two of the agents turned themselves in to the FBI. They provided information that led to the capture of the other six. In July, a military tribunal was held. All eight were found guilty and sentenced to death. President Roosevelt commuted the sentences of the two who had confessed. The others were executed in August. 

Twelve-Inch Framed Star

“Pour out your heart to God. Ask Him if these things are true. Make time to study His words. Really study! If you truly love your family and if you desire to be exalted with them throughout eternity, pay the price now—through serious study and fervent prayer—to know these eternal truths and then to abide by them. If you are not sure you even believe in God, start there. Understand that in the absence of experiences with God, one can doubt the existence of God. So, put yourself in a position to begin having experiences with Him. Humble yourself. Pray to have eyes to see God’s hand in your life and in the world around you. Ask Him to tell you if He is really there—if He knows you. Ask Him how He feels about you. And then listen.” – President Russell M. Nelson

Sixteen Log Cabins

 

This recipe takes pretty much all day. But nearly all that time, the slow cooker is doing the work. And your WHOLE HOUSE is going to smell amazing!

 

Slow Cooker Apple Butter

 

6 pounds of apples, peeled, cored and chopped

1 cup granulated sugar

1 cup brown sugar

1 tablespoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon fresh ground nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon vanilla

 

Lightly coat slow cooker interior with cooking spray. Add all ingredients EXCEPT vanilla; stir to coat. Cover and cook on low about 10 hours. Stir every 3 to 4 hours. Add vanilla. Use an immersion blender to make softened apples spreadable. Spoon into airtight containers. Cool, then refrigerate for up to 3 weeks, or freeze for up to a year.

Ten-Inch Framed Star

 

My husband and I are incompatible pizza eaters. He likes a thick, chewy crust, and I prefer thin and crispy. When it’s served it my way, he complains his slices droop and spill the toppings. When we go to a place that serves pizza his way, our order takes forever to bake. And, when the pizza finally comes, it’s invariably raw in the middle. Even if I avoid the unbaked center, I always feel I’m getting too much bread and too little of everything else. It might have made sense for us to just avoid eating pizza together. As it happens, we’d both rather complain about each other’s pizza choices than go without. But then, a few weeks ago, we discovered a pizzeria that makes a sourdough crust. We sampled three varieties there, and none were raw in the middle. It’s still more crust than I’d like, but hey. It’s sourdough! Happy National Pizza Day!

One Dozen Log Cabins

 

Names are important. Kiwi fruit was less popular when everyone called it the Chinese gooseberry. There’s actually evidence we’d eat far fewer raisins if they were labelled “dried grapes.” And, you’d probably never order sea bass if the menu said, “Patagonian toothfish.” In 1915, a group of California farmers met at the Hotel Alexandria in Los Angeles to discuss a crop they hoped to introduce to the American market. Their problem: its name – ahuacate – was difficult for Americans to pronounce. Worse, this name was the Aztec word for “testicle,” which their fruit strongly resembled. The name “alligator pear” seemed too slight an improvement. In the end, they settled on the name “avocado.” The avocado is one of the most nutrient-dense foods available. It is among the richest in fiber, potassium, vitamin E and magnesium. If that doesn’t convince you to try avocados, consider this: the Aztecs believed them to be an aphrodisiac.

Quarter-Square Triangle Star

 

Valentine’s is a week away. We won’t be exchanging over-priced heart-shaped boxes of chocolates, jewelry, perfume, or long-stemmed red roses. But that doesn’t mean we won’t be celebrating. We’ll probably dine in – homemade Zuppa Toscana, a big tossed salad, bread sticks and maybe little chocolate lava cakes for dessert. Or I could make these:

Strawberry Cake Mix Cookies

 

1 box strawberry cake mix

1/3 cup vegetable oil

2 eggs

2 tablespoon flour

Valentine sprinkles

12 Hershey’s Kisses, unwrapped

 

Preheat the oven to 350F and use a silicone baking mat. Combine cake mix, oil, eggs and flour. Fold in Valentine sprinkles. Use a small cookie scoop to roll the cookie dough into 2" balls and place on the baking sheet 2 to 3 inches apart. Bake about 8 minutes. Remove from the oven; gently press one chocolate kiss on top of each cookie.

Nine Log Cabins

 

When you are old and grey and full of sleep,

And nodding by the fire, take down this book,

And slowly read, and dream of the soft look

Your eyes had once, and of their shadows deep;

How many loved your moments of glad grace,

And loved your beauty with love false or true,

But one man loved the pilgrim soul in you,

And loved the sorrows of your changing face;

And bending down beside the glowing bars,

Murmur, a little sadly, how Love fled

And paced upon the mountains overhead

And hid his face amid a crowd of stars. – William Butler Yeats

Green Color Wash

 

“When we believe or say we’ve been offended, we usually mean we feel insulted, mistreated, snubbed, or disrespected. And certainly clumsy, embarrassing, unprincipled, and mean-spirited things do occur in our interactions with other people that would allow us to take offense. However, it ultimately is impossible for another person to offend you or to offend me. Indeed, believing that another person has offended us is fundamentally false. To be offended is a choice we make; it is not a condition inflicted or imposed upon us by someone or something else. In the grand division of all of God’s creations, there are things to act and things to be acted upon. As sons and daughters of our Heavenly Father, we have been blessed with the gift of moral agency, the capacity for independent action and choice. Endowed with agency, you and I are agents, and we primarily are to act and not just be acted upon.” – Elder David A. Bednar

Four Log Cabins

 

Julius Caesar brought a giraffe back from Alexandria in 46 B.C. Romans thought it was a leopard/camel hybrid, so they called it camelopardalis. Giraffes are the tallest mammals on Earth. Their legs alone are about six feet tall. Their necks are about six feet, too. But giraffes have only seven neck bones, just like you do. Those long giraffe necks are still too short to reach the ground. To drink, they have to spread their front legs or kneel. Luckily, giraffes only need to drink every two or three days. They get most of their water from eating leaves. Giraffes spend most of their lives standing up. They even sleep and give birth on their feet. Newborn giraffes can usually stand and walk in the first hour. Giraffes are the only animals born with horns. The hair-covered nubs on their heads are mostly cartilage, and they’re called ossicones. At birth, ossicones lie flat to avoid injury. 

Two More Bright Hopes

 

I’ve known for months our hall bathroom needed a wall hanging. None of the little quilts I’ve made so far seemed to belong there. So, I set to work making a new one. I pulled every bit of green cotton I could find out of my stash – civil war prints, 1930’s feed sacks, solids and batiks – and started hacking away. I meant to use 100 different scraps, but once I lined everything up on the design wall, I discovered two sets of matching blocks. I refused to head back to the quilt store over a pair of 3” blocks, but I knew if I finished the top as is, those matching sets would bug me FOREVER. I was at an impasse. Then my 2024 Riley Blake Designs Block Challenge kit arrived in the mail, with two colors I didn’t yet own: Lime and Emerald City. Just like that, I’m back in business.

Pink Log Cabin

 

A few weeks ago, our youngest son spent the weekend helping us to improve our Internet coverage. He cut some holes in the walls of our “new” home and ran cable through the attic. As he worked, he began pulling out wads of yellowed, crumpled-up newspaper. Why would anyone shove paper in a wall? I almost tossed the filthy mess into the trash, but my curiosity got the better of me. I laid the largest chunk on the ironing matt and flattened it. It was the Deseret News food section from July 1, 1987. We entertained ourselves comparing 80’s grocery prices with today’s. Then Grandson #2 spotted my birth name in one of the articles. Nabisco had just added a new flavor of Cheese Nips, and my dad’s uncle let them print his opinion. Then, someone wadded up the page and pushed it into the wall, where it waited nearly 37 years for us to find it!