Brave New World

 

In honor of National Beach Day, here are a few fun beach facts:

Most sand is quartz, a silica-based mineral.

Sand is commonly used to make glass.

When lightning strikes sand, it can create glass-like sculptures called fulgurites.

73 percent of beachgoers go into the water. That means 27 percent stay on the beach without even putting their toes in the water!

More people have died falling into holes in sand at the beach than by sharks.

The world’s largest sandcastle was constructed on the beach in Blokhus, Denmark. Over 4860 tons of sand were used. Dutch artist Wilfred Stijger assisted by 30 other sand sculptors built a sandcastle measuring 69 feet and 5 inches tall.

Sandy beaches come in a variety of colors, including white, tan, pink, and black.

Black sand comes from volcanic material.

Fraser Island in Australia is one big beach. It’s the world’s largest sand island.

Eleven Leap Frogs

 

Steve Martin went to school at Garden Grove High, under five miles from Disneyland. He spent his summers, weekends and after-school hours working there. Steve sold Disney merc and performed tricks at the magic shop on Main Street, U.S.A. Before he became a member of the Backstreet Boys, Kevin Richardson worked on the MGM Studios Backlot Tour at Disney World's Hollywood Studios. When asked about the experience, he said, “It was an inspiring, incredible place to come to work every day.” Before he made us laugh on Whose Line Is It Anyway? Wayne Brady played costumed characters at Walt Disney World. At age sixteen, his first role was Tigger. Before she was an Academy Award-winning actress, Grammy Award-winning recording artist and best-selling author, Jennifer Hudson was a performer on the Disney Cruise Line. I love to chat with cast members when they’ve got a free moment. They have amazing stories to tell. And maybe someday, they might be famous.

Eighteen Potted Cacti

 

Happens all the time. Someone asks how you’re doing, and your reaction is to say, “Fine.” Even if you don’t mean it. Even if you haven’t taken the time to decide if you’re fine or not. Even if you’re really, really NOT fine. It’s the answer they expect, so it’s the one you give. After all, they’re only asking how you are to be friendly. They don’t want you to dump all your current problems on them. So, you say you’re fine. But in Norway, they have a better response. When asked how they are, they might say, “Oppe og ikke gråter,” which roughly translates to, “Up and not crying.” It’s a bit like saying, “I’m here. I’m not great, but I’m dealing with it. I’ll manage. I can’t complain.” In England, they ask, “You alright?” and you’re expected to reply, “Never better,” with your best stiff-upper-lip attitude. I think I prefer Norway’s solution.

Nine Bear Paws

 

When Dave Ramsey advises people to do “rice and beans,” it’s a metaphor for financial discipline and delayed gratification: making short-term sacrifices to achieve long-term success. The concept works both figuratively and literally. If you can turn a handful of dry beans into a delicious, nutritious meal, you can feed yourself well for a fraction of the cost of drive-through or delivery. The money you might have spent on junk food can go toward more important things. When I cook beans, I sort, rinse and soak them in water overnight. Then I drain them and load them in my slow cooker with plenty of fresh water. I cover and cook them 8 hours on low or 4 on high, until the beans are tender. Then I can use them in soups, chili, salads, etc. Beans are a good source of protein and fiber, and if you use dry instead of canned, they’re around 10 cents per serving. 

Still Plays with Blocks

 

I’ve participated in the Utah State Fair Quilt Challenge since 2007. My sewing room walls are filled with the quilts I’ve designed and constructed for the challenge. If I want to hang another, first I’ll have to take one down. This Thursday, I’ll submit my new quilt at the fairgrounds, and then for a week I’ll keep my fingers crossed that the judges will like it. The challenge fabric this year was Lori Holt’s Autumn Floral for Riley Blake. It’s a busy, medium-value print that was tricky to design around. The theme for this year’s challenge was, “Anything Goes.” I took my inspiration from my own sewing machines (I have four), and from a dozen favorite quilt blocks. Clockwise from the top left, they are: Old Maid’s Puzzle, Ohio Star, Economy Block, Dragon’s Head, Pinwheel, Big Dipper, Flying Dutchman, Eccentric Star, Coffin Star, Sawtooth Star, and Flying Geese. And on the top, a Spool Block, of course!

Five Prickly Pears

 

“President Hinckley’s beloved wife, Marjorie Pay Hinckley, put it so well when she said: ‘We are all in this together. We need each other. Oh, how we need each other. Those of us who are old need you who are young. And, hopefully, you who are young need some of us who are old. It is a sociological fact that women need women. We need deep and satisfying and loyal friendships with each other. These friendships are a necessary source of sustenance. We need to renew our faith every day. We need to lock arms and help build the kingdom so that it will roll forth and fill the whole earth.’” – James E. Faust, second counselor in the first presidency, April 2005

Jolly Roger

 

My grandkids go out of their way to avoid nuts. Some make an exception for peanut butter, as long as it’s creamy, not crunchy. Even peanut M&M’s are suspect. I don’t believe there are any allergies at play. It seems to be an issue with texture. Are nuts an acquired taste? I do hope they grow out of it eventually. It would be so sad for them to miss out on cashews, macadamias, and pistachios.

 

Pistachio Ice Cream

 

1 1/3 cups whole milk

1 cup granulated sugar

3 cups heavy cream

1 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 teaspoon pure almond extract

1 1/2 cups shelled pistachios, roughly chopped (Use plain or lightly salted.)

 

Use a mixer or blender to combine milk and sugar until the sugar is dissolved. Stir in the heavy cream, and vanilla and almond extracts. Process according to ice cream maker directions. Stir in nuts. Cover and freeze until fully set.

Ten Leap Frogs

 

Betty Nesmith Graham was a single mother working as a secretary in Dallas in the 1950’s. One of the things she hated most about her job was a single typo usually meant she’d have to retype the whole page. She knew there had to be a better way. She was watching artists painting a bank’s windows for the holidays when she had an epiphany. She mixed white tempera paint with a solvent at home in her kitchen blender. For months, she secretly used her formula at work. She painted over typos and let the solution dry before retyping. Other secretaries noticed her error-free work and begged for her formula. Bette mixed up batches of her “Mistake-Out” and sold them. She was eventually fired for spending too much time on her side hustle. But her “Liquid Paper,” as it was eventually named, became a $47,000,000 business. And her son Michael became a member of the Monkees.

Eight Potted Cacti

 

My grandkids are rather picky eaters, but they all love to munch fresh vegetables with ranch dressing. (They also love Caesar salad, but if they knew it has anchovy paste and Dijon, they'd never eat it again.) To go along with our hot dogs and bratwurst this Sunday, I’ll serve homemade buttermilk ranch with cherry tomatoes, carrots, celery, bell peppers, snap peas, and black olives.

 

Buttermilk Ranch Dressing

 

1/2 cup sour cream

1/2 cup buttermilk

1/4 cup mayonnaise

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1 1/2 teaspoons dried dill

1/4 cup finely chopped fresh chives

2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

Few dashes Tabasco sauce

 

Whisk together all ingredients, then cover and chill at least an hour. Dressing thickens as it cools. Serve as a salad dressing or a dip for fresh vegetables. Will keep in the refrigerator two or three days.

Half a Dozen Bear Paws

 

Charles Harrelson was born in Texas in 1938. He worked as an encyclopedia salesman and professional gambler. In 1968 he abandoned his first wife (he married three times) and three young sons. That same year, Charles was tried and acquitted of the murder of Alan Berg, radio talk show host. In 1973, he was tried and convicted for killing Sam Degelia. He served five years and was released for good behavior. He was later convicted of the murder of Judge “Maximum John” H. Wood, Jr. Charles claimed he was responsible for dozens of contract killings, and he was implicated in the assassination of John F. Kennedy. He died in prison of a heart attack in 2007. One of Charles’ sons is actor Woody Harrelson. In 2003, Woody’s good friend, Matthew McConaughey, revealed his mother knew Charles, and he might be Woody’s half-brother. It’s a mystery with an easy solution, but it may be more fun to wonder.

Star Bright

 

August 17, 1957, Alice Roth attended a Major League Baseball game with her husband, Earl and their grandsons. They were watching the Philadelphia Phillies play the New York Giants. Earl was a sports editor, so they had seats in the press box behind the third base dugout.  Richie Ashburn hit a foul ball, which flew straight into Alice’s face and broke her nose. As the game progressed, medics rushed in, placed Alice on a stretcher and checked for concussion. Richie hit another foul off the very next pitch. This time, the ball hit Alice’s leg, breaking it. The Phillies apologized with invitations for Earl and the kids to see the clubhouse. They even threw in free tickets and an autographed baseball. When they visited Alice in the hospital, one of the boys asked, “Grandma, do you think you could go to an Eagles game and get hit in the face with a football?”

Five Jade Plants

“Fulfilling prophecy, Joseph, Mary, and the infant Christ child sought refuge in Egypt. In Cairo, a devout Muslim believer reverently says: ‘The Quran teaches Joseph, Mary, and the baby Jesus found safety and sanctuary in my country. In my country, Jesus as a toddler ate our food, took His first steps, said His first words. Here in my country, we believe trees bent low to give Him and His family fruit. His being in my country blessed our people and land.’ God’s plan of moral and mortal agency allows us to learn by our own experience. In love, Jesus Christ descended below and ascended above all things. He rejoices in our divine capacities for creativity and delight, kindness without hope for reward, faith unto repentance and forgiveness. He weeps in sorrow at the enormity of our human suffering, cruelty, unfairness—often brought by human choice—as do the heavens and the God of heaven with them.” – Elder Gerrit W. Gong

Four Variable Stars

 

Honeybees are the only insect that produces food humans eat.

Honey is the only food that includes all the substances necessary to sustain life.

The queen honeybee lays between 1,000 and 3,000 eggs per day.

The queen only mates once. She stores the sperm for use over her egg-bearing lifetime.

A healthy hive has 40,000 – 60,000 bees.

A worker bee lives roughly 40 days. During its lifetime, it will produce 1/12 of a teaspoon of honey.

A bee’s brain is about the size of a sesame seed.

We say bees “buzz,” but they’re really beating their wings 11,400 times per minute.

Honeybees fly about fifteen miles per hour.

Bees don’t hibernate. They huddle together in winter, sharing body heat.

Honeybees comprise about 80% of all pollinators.

Bees see the same colors we can, except for red. They CAN see ultraviolet.

Different flowers produce subtle differences in the color, taste and texture of honey.

Happy National Honey Bee Awareness Day!

Rolling Nine-Patch

 

The Dating Game was a television game show that ran from the 60’s through the 80’s. In each episode, a woman would select a date from three men merely by the answers they gave to her questions. Over the years, several celebrities appeared on the show, often years before they’d made names for themselves: including Adam West, Sally Field, Robert Vaughn, John Ritter, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Bill Mumy, Paul Lynde, Richard Dawson, Steve Martin, Bill Bixby (who appeared four times but was never selected), McLean Stevenson, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Ron Howard, Vincent Price, Andy Kaufman, Kenny Rogers and Michael Jackson. Farrah Fawcett was on The Dating Game in 1969. She selected Joey Hooker, a movie stuntman who staged a “fistfight” with the other two bachelors after he’d won. Their “date” was a ski trip to Austria. But Farrah’s career took off right after her Dating Game appearance, and she never got to take that trip.

Nine Leap Frogs

 

April 11, 1970, Apollo 13 launched with Jim Lovell, Jack Swigert and Fred Haise aboard. Their original mission was to make the third manned landing on the moon. Jim and Fred were set to become the fifth and sixth men to walk on the moon. But just two days into the flight, an oxygen tank exploded. Instead of the planned lunar landing, both the crew and the ground control team spent the several days scrambling through a hair-raising rescue mission. The crew had to cut their water rations to one/fifth. They endured high carbon monoxide levels and temperatures just above freezing. But they did make it home alive. Once, after a speaking engagement about his ordeal, Jim Lovell was asked if he would chose to go on another space flight. He was about to answer yes when he saw a hand shoot up from the audience and give a “thumbs down” motion. It was his wife, Marilyn.

Five Bear Paws

 

In 1973, communications specialist Bob Crippen was working on NASA’s ground support crew when a call came in from the Skylab space station. It was a woman’s voice saying, “Hello, Huston, this is Skylab. Are you reading me down there?” Bob knew the three astronauts on the station were men. It would be another decade before Sally Ride – America’s first female astronaut – made it to space. Bob asked for identification, and the voice replied she was Helen Garriott, visiting Skylab to bring her husband Owen a home-cooked meal. She made a comment about how California looked from space. By this point, a bewildered crowd was gathering around Bob’s speakers. Helen signed off, saying, “Gotta get off the line. I’m not supposed to be talking to you. See you later, Bob.” It took NASA a while to realize Owen Garriott hadn’t smuggled his wife on board, just a tape recorder for an epic prank

Broken Dishes

 

Piracicaba, Brazil was founded August 1, 1767, on the banks of the river for which it was named. In two years, the city will celebrate its 260th anniversary. Regardless of what events are planned, it’s unlikely they’ll surpass what happened during their festivities two years ago. In 2023, the Piracicaba Symphony Orchestra was performing “Farandole”, from Georges Bizet's, “L’Arlésienne”, conducted by Maestro Knut Andreas. The performance took place in the Erotídes de Campos Theater, a warehouse repurposed to accommodate cultural events. Only a moment into the number, a hailstorm swept through the area. The stage lights winked out, along with the lights on each of the music stands. Orchestra and audience were plunged into darkness. No one could see the conductor or the sheet music, but no one stopped playing. Farandole is just over three minutes long – an eternity in the dark. The theater’s generators kicked in as the number ended, and the audience erupted in thunderous applause.

Five Cactus Flowers

 

“Just days ago, I learned about a grandmother who rehearsed the Easter story with her four-year-old grandson by using simple replicas of the tomb, the stone that covered the sepulchre, Jesus, Mary, the disciples, and the angel. The little boy watched and listened intently as his grandma shared the burial, closing and opening of the tomb, and the garden scene of the Resurrection. He later carefully repeated the story in surprising detail to his parents as he moved the figures about himself. Following this sweet moment, he was asked if he knew why we have Easter. The boy looked up and with childlike reasoning answered, ‘Cuz Him’s alive.’ I add my testimony to his—and to yours and to that of angels and prophets—that He is risen and that He lives, of which I testify in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.” – Elder Gary E. Stevenson

Variable Star

 

More random facts, for no reason at all:

Over 60% of the world’s lakes are located in Canada.

The Eiffel Tower was originally meant to be built in Barcelona.

The first commercial passenger flight lasted only twenty-three minutes.

No number before 1,000 contains the letter A.

Sudan has more pyramids than any country in the world.

There were active volcanoes on the moon when dinosaurs were alive.

In Switzerland, it’s illegal to own only one guinea pig (because they get lonely).

All clownfish are born male, but can become female later in life.

Roughly ten percent of all people on the planet are left-handed.

Buzz Lightyear’s original name was Lunar Larry.

Cap’n Crunch’s full name is Horatio Magellan Crunch.

Your nose and ears never stop growing until you die.

Abraham Lincoln was once a licensed bartender.

During his entire lifetime, Vincent Van Gogh is known to have sold only a single painting.

Chicago Geese

 

“I was a cashier for over thirty years. I tried an experiment one day, just out of curiosity. I was working at a gas station and all the customers were just MISERABLE one day. They had absolutely no manners. There were no smiles, and not a single kind word. So, I decided to just give the ‘bare minimum’ back to them, just to see what would happen. I wasn’t being overly friendly; I was hardly smiling. I have to say, after only about five or six customers, I found it was far more tiring being miserable than it was being nice to the people. The moral of the story is: it makes YOU feel better when you're nice and/or polite.” – Rachel Sanner

Eight Leapfrogs

 

Valentine’s Day, 2021, Michael Perino shared a story about an encounter he’d had in the grocery store with a Jewish woman buying jelly. The woman told him she always chooses Bonne Maman preserves because the family that founded the company protected her family in France from the Holocaust. I try to share stories here that are uplifting (or at least amusing) and most importantly, true. I wish I could tell you I verified this one. I like the idea of French jam makers risking their lives to shelter the vulnerable, and of gratitude spanning generations. But there’s no way to authenticate the tale. The woman’s name was never mentioned. There’s no telling if she lied, or even if she exists. Bonne Maman wasn’t created until 1971, but the folks that founded it have been making jams in France since 1910. So, I can only say the story COULD be true, and that I hope it is.

Four Bear Paws

 

The first Café Rio was opened in St. George in 1997. Today, their headquarters are in Salt Lake, and there are more than 135 locations in at least eleven states. We love Café Rio for their fast service and fresh ingredients. But when we want their taste at home, this is our go-to:

 

Pork Carnitas

 

1 (3 1/2 to 4 pound) pork butt roast – fat trimmed, if necessary

Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper

1/2 cup water

2 bay leaves

1 large sprig fresh thyme

2 teaspoons whole juniper berries

 

Rub pork liberally with salt and pepper and place in slow cooker; add water and herbs. Cover and cook on high 4 to 6 hours or low 8 to 10 hours. Shred meat with two forks. Skim fat off liquid and discard juniper berries, bay leaves and thyme sprig stems. Return meat to liquid in slow cooker. Serve in tacos, burritos, or burrito bowls. Serves 12.

Nine-Patch Star

 

My youngest granddaughter will be seven soon. Since she was old enough to speak, she’s been one steady stream of questions. It can be quite a challenge to answer them. Two Sundays ago, she hit me with, “Nana, if you had a superpower, what would it be?” When she asked why sea water is salty, I Googled it and learned the salt in the ocean comes from runoff, from openings in the sea floor, and underwater volcanoes. What really floored me was finding out we didn’t know WHY sea water is salty until 1979. So, if six-year-old me had asked my grandparents this question, I might have been told a myth. There are Greek and Norse folktales that would serve. For the record, if I could choose a superpower – I realize nearly all superheroes DON’T get a choice – it would be the power to heal others. Evie would choose telekinesis. I’m afraid to ask why.

Ten Barrel Cacti

“When a single woman discovers she’s expecting an unanticipated child, health concerns, spiritual turmoil, embarrassment, financial worries, educational questions, marriage uncertainty, and the sadness of shattered dreams can, in a moment of pain and bewilderment, lead to steps that will bring deep pain and regret. For any who’ve experienced the pain and regret from participating in an abortion, please remember: Although we cannot change the past, God can heal the past. Forgiveness can come through the miracle of His atoning grace as you turn to Him with a humble, repentant heart. Two words are often attached to the sanctity of mortal birth: life and choice. Life is a most precious part of our Father’s perfect plan. By His decree we cherish and preserve life; and we choose the continuation of life once conceived. We also treasure the gift of choice, of moral agency – helping to strengthen righteous choices approved by God that bring eternal happiness.” – Elder Neil L. Andersen

Four Diamond Stars

 

Some random facts to keep you awake tonight:

Venus is the only planet in our solar system that spins clockwise.

When placed in water, lemons will float. Limes won’t.

The shortest complete sentence in English is, “I am.”

Bananas are berries. Strawberries aren’t.

Giraffe tongues can be twenty inches long.

Cats sleep an average of fifteen hours per day. They’re usually awake when you’re not.

Hot water can freeze faster than cold water.

Old rubber bands lose their elasticity. To help them last longer, store them in the fridge.

A typical cumulus cloud can weigh over a million pounds – as much as 100 elephants.

A bit of cake more than 4,000 years old was found in an Egyptian tomb.

If you traveled at the speed of light, you could be on Pluto in four hours.

All the blood in your body travels through your heart once a minute.

August Door Banner

 

I love all these door banners, especially the ones I ended up designing myself. But even art you love can be hard to live with on a daily basis. Case in point: the June door banner has three yellow sawtooth stars that shine like the sun. It has six popsicles in pink, yellow and teal, and three ice cream cones. I enjoyed the bright colors and the fun shapes while I was piecing and binding it, but once it was on the wall, it began to taunt me. Every time I passed it, I found myself craving a cool treat: a cup of homemade lemon sorbet, frozen strawberry yogurt on a stick, or Baskin Robbin’s daiquiri ice in a waffle cone. It got so distracting, I ended up taking the June quilt down and replacing it with July a week early. Now August is on the wall, it’s already whispering, “Some watermelon would really hit the spot!”