Fifty Butterflies

 

“Do not take life too seriously. You will never get out of it alive.” – Elbert Hubbard

“I’m sick of following my dreams, man. I’m just going to ask where they’re going and hook up with ’em later.” – Mitch Hedberg

“Before you marry a person, you should first make them use a computer with slow internet to see who they really are.” – Will Ferrell

“Have you ever noticed that anybody driving slower than you is an idiot, and anyone going faster than you is a maniac?” – George Carlin

“A pessimist is a person who has had to listen to too many optimists.” – Don Marquis

“The difference between stupidity and genius is that genius has its limits.” – Alber Einstein

“If you want your children to listen, try talking softly to someone else.” – Ann Landers

“A bank is a place that will lend you money if you can prove that you don’t need it.” – Bob Hope

Floating Pinwheel

 

It’s the largest human-made excavation; the world’s deepest open-pit mine. You can see it from all over the Salt Lake Valley, and when you fly in or out of Salt Lake Airport, it’s impossible to miss. People have been digging copper ore here since 1848. I’ve heard it called Bingham Canyon Mine, and Kennecott Copper Pit. It’s owned by the Rio Tinto Group now, and the British/Australian Corporation intends to keep it running through 2038, maybe longer. But they won’t just abandon the mine when they’re done. They mean to restore and rehabilitate much of this area. In fact, they’ve already been doing so for decades now. One example is the East Waste Rock Reclamation project. They’re reshaping millions of cubic yards of dumped rock, covering it with topsoil and planting native grasses and shrubs for storm erosion management. The pit itself is simply too big to fill in, but the end plan involves stabilizing and securing what’s left.

Eighteen Friendship Stars

 

Which restaurants do you miss most? First on our list is Thaiphoon. They had great pad Thai and evil jungle prince, but we still dream about their short ribs and wasabi mashed potatoes. Training Table was never wheelchair friendly, and toward the end their food and service were truly abysmal. But I miss their hickory sauce and their blue bacon and mushroom Swiss burgers. For a while, I tried making corn tamalitos like Chevy’s, but never quite managed it. We used to pick up pies at Marie Callender’s for Thanksgiving, then return the tins for a refund. We liked pretty much everything from McGrath’s Fish House. We never visited the downtown location of Snappy Service Lunch, but Larry H. Miller did. When the owner lost his lease, Larry arranged for him to relocate inside Jordan Commons. Snappy used to split hotdogs before grilling, and serve them between grilled bread slices. I miss that, too.

Orange Pinwheel

 

“To err is human; to forgive, divine.” – Alexander Pope (1711). October 7 is National Forgiveness Day, a day for forgiving others and for seeking to be forgiven. Forgiveness allows us to release anger, bitterness, and resentment, which can otherwise dominate thoughts and emotions, and prevent personal growth. By forgiving others, you open the door to healing, compassion, understanding and inner peace. Forgiving someone who has hurt you doesn’t require you to let them hurt you again, but it does allow you to move forward and relieve yourself of the burden of victimhood. Forgiveness isn’t just a charitable act towards others; it is a gift to yourself. By letting go of past hurts, you gain freedom, serenity, and the ability to live fully in the present. If you don’t manage it today, you can try again July 7 (Global Forgiveness Day), the first Sunday in August (International Forgiveness Day), or October 10/11 2027 (Yom Kippur). 

Rail Fence Block

 

I’m bringing chili to a neighborhood party this month, and I’m really looking forward to it. John and Heather have been on strict diets for weeks now, and I’m trying to use the food they’re not eating before it spoils. Cooking just isn’t the fun, creative outlet it once was. I’ve several chili recipes, but this is the biggest crowd pleaser:

 

Wendy’s Chili Copycat

 

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 pounds ground beef

3 stalks celery, chopped

1 onion, chopped

1 bell pepper, chopped

3 (14-ounce) cans stewed tomatoes

1 (14-ounce) can tomato sauce

1 (10-ounce) can ROTEL

1-2 cups water

2 (1.25-ounce) packages chili seasoning

1 (14-ounce) can kidney beans, undrained

1 (14-ounce) can pinto beans, undrained

Salt and pepper to taste

1-2 tablespoons vinegar

 

Brown beef in oil; drain. Sauté celery, onion and pepper until tender. Stir in remaining ingredients except vinegar. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer at least an hour. Add vinegar before serving. 

Sixteen Friendship Stars

 

“Covenants are not big or small. Let us never speak of a temple as big or small, elaborate or plain. Let us always only speak with love and gratitude for ‘holiness to the Lord, the house of the Lord.’” – Elder Gerrit W. Gong

“Consider this: Christ’s work in your life and His love for you are bigger than your present story. He can fix what feels badly broken.” – Sister Tamara W. Runia

“Your testimony may be different from mine or that of other family members or fellow Saints. Trust it, nurture it and bear it, because it is uniquely yours.” – Elder Gérald Caussé

“I invite you to prayerfully ponder Isaiah’s teachings and more intentionally embrace the divine purpose of the law of the fast in a higher, holier way as part of our worship.” – Elder Ulisses Soares

“Work leads to prosperous, just and equitable societies. Gambling, even for fun, leads in the opposite direction.” – President D. Todd Christofferson

Three Pumpkin Blossoms

 

As the story goes, Tolkien’s first draft of Fellowship of the Ring was rejected by his editor because it contained the word “dwarfs,” while according to the Oxford English Dictionary, the proper plural of dwarf is “dwarves.” Supposedly, Tolkien’s reply was, “Don’t correct me. I WROTE the Oxford English Dictionary.” It’s an amusing tale, and well worth repeating when you’re in a pub and everyone has had a pint or two, even though it probably never happened. Which isn’t to say the author and philologist never had to answer for his unusual spelling. At times he claimed he used the term “dwarfs” to distinguish his fierce, stout characters from Snow White’s silly companions. Sometimes he admitted he’d accidentally misspelled the word and had to “go with it.” Occasionally he’d add the actual historical plural was “dwarrows.” For the record, Tolkien didn’t single-handedly “write” the OED. But he contributed to entries and etymologies.

English Wedding Ring

 

Spoiler Alert. If you haven’t seen the sequel to Practical Magic, and these things matter to you, stop reading now. Personally, I don’t believe knowing something about the movie you haven’t yet seen or a book you haven’t yet read spoils the experience, but I’m in the minority. Besides, you’ve had three weeks to catch Practical Magic 2, so how committed are you to being surprised by every little detail? Early in the movie, Sally Owens and her daughter Kylie are in Kylie’s bedroom, and there’s a gorgeous quilt on the bed. There are lovely things ALL OVER their home, but the camera seems to focus on this. The quilt has an old block pattern: English Wedding Ring. It’s foreshadowing that Kylie’s wedding is her story’s happy ending, and she needs a trip to England to make it happen. Somewhere in all those end-credit names is someone as obsessed as I am with traditional quilt blocks.

Fifteen Friendship Stars

 

Like many kids with Down Syndrome, Nine-year-old Brandon “Chomp” Barela was born with a heart defect. 2026 was Chomp’s first year to participate in 4-H. He received a goat which he named “Santa,” to prepare for this year’s livestock auction. In March, Chomp experienced heart failure. He underwent surgery to receive a new valve and pacemaker. A week before the fair, heart failure put him in the hospital again, and he was unable to show Santa. Chomp’s best friend led Santa into the ring on his behalf. Santa sold for more than $41,000. The buyers returned Santa to the Barela family, who will care for him while Chomp waits for a heart transplant. “Sometimes a livestock sale becomes a whole lot more than selling an animal,” said Dave Francis, Utah 4-H director. “These moments remind us 4-H is about so much more than what happens in the show ring.”

A Pair of Pumpkin Blossoms

 

I miss Blockbuster Video. I understand why they’re gone. But there was just something about walking in and browsing the stacks, agreeing on something to watch together, and conscientiously rewinding before returning it. Streaming movies is more convenient, but I still miss Blockbuster. I used to know how to shop for clothes, before Christopher & Banks, Coldwater Creek, and Dress Barn disappeared. Nearly everything in my closet still sports their labels. I can buy any book (and almost anything else) from Amazon, but I miss the serendipity of making a discovery at Barnes & Noble, Borders, B. Dalton or Waldenbooks. I bought lots of clever things from Brookstone. It’s sad you need an airline ticket to visit one now. I will mourn Joann, Pier One Imports, Payless Shoes, and Radio Shack until my dying day. If someone were to bring any of these back, they would have all my money.

The Big O

 

I like Sunday dinners that don’t require tons of work. This week, I doubled the recipe and loaded my big slow cooker before choir practice, sacrament meeting and Sunday school. After church I threw together a batch of corn bread and triple-chocolate brownies. Easy peasy!

 

Creamy Chicken Fajita Soup

 

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts

2 (10.75-ounce) cans cream of chicken soup

1 cup chunky salsa

2 cups frozen corn

1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained

1 1/2 cup water

1/2 teaspoon cumin

Optional toppings: chopped tomato or onion, cubed avocado, sour cream, salsa, shredded cheddar or crushed tortilla chips.

 

Throw everything except toppings into slow cooker: cover and cook on low 4-6 hours. Before serving, remove and shred chicken, then return to pot. The original recipe said add a cup of cheddar at this point, but I forgot. Everyone added cheddar on top, so it’s hard to know if it made a difference.

Baker's Dozen

 

This October 3 and 4 will be the 196th Semiannual General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. There will be two sessions each day: from 10:00 until noon, and from 2:00 until 4:00 p.m. with no Saturday evening session. Conference provides a chance for church members to hear from their leaders, but the Church invites everyone to hear the word of God as leaders share messages of love, hope, and joy. All sessions of General Conference are streamed live on ChurchofJesusChrist.org in more than 70 languages. The General Conference YouTube channel also streams sessions live in multiple languages, and is accessible on smart TVs and connected devices. “We watch, listen to, and study general conference addresses to come to know Jesus Christ. Every analogy, every invitation, and every hymn in conference points to Him—reminding us that our lives are better when He is in it.” – Olivia Winward

Pumpkin Blossom

 

Gail Borden, Jr. founded Borden Dairy in 1857. He pioneered the process of condensed milk, a shelf-stable product not requiring refrigeration. That’s a big deal, considering General Electric’s Monitor-Top refrigerator didn’t debut until 1927. In 1936, Borden introduced Elsie the Cow, a happy cartoon mascot. She was given a fictional cartoon husband, Elmer the Bull, and the pair had four children: Beulah, Beauregard, and the twins Larabee and Lobelia. In 1957, Elmer was chosen to represent Elmer’s Products, Inc., promoting adhesive, craft, home repair, and office supply products. I used to think putting a bull’s face on a bottle of glue was morbid. I grew up around dairy cattle, and knew being “sent to the glue factory” was something that happened to farm animals who’d outlived their usefulness. But I was wrong about Elmer. His face is there because casein, which used to be a component of Elmer’s glue, is a protein derived from dairy milk.

Catch As You Can

 

Book banning is in the news again, and it’s got me scratching my head. There’s a Utah law saying if at least three school districts remove a particular book from their libraries, then all forty+ districts must also remove them. So far, 37 books fit this category, and some of their authors – including Elana K. Arnold, Ellen Hopkins, Stephen King, and the families of Maya Angelou and Kurt Vonnegut – are suing for financial, reputational and professional harm. It’s an interesting conundrum. First, it’s hard to imagine a book ban in the age of the Internet. These books are only removed from school libraries, which have limited budgets and space. Anyone wishing to read them can, by purchasing their own or visiting any other library. Second, a book “ban” tends to excite interest in books that might otherwise collect dust. Third, the current crop of students is barely literate anyway. We should be pleased (and surprised) they’re reading anything.

One Dozen Friendship Stars

 

Jeff Rubin from the San Francisco, CA area was a former reporter. In the early 2000’s he became frustrated with horrible punctuation habits. He was finding glaring errors in practically everything he read, especially printed media like newspapers, books and magazines. He pointed out changes in punctuation can radically change the meaning, as in “Let’s eat Grandma” or “Let’s eat, Grandma.” Jeff worried schools weren’t emphasizing proper use of punctuation, and often teachers and administrators were unclear on the proper use of punctuation. Jeff decided something must be done, so he created National Punctuation Day in 2004 to bring attention to the problem. English has 26 punctuation characters: Ampersand, Angle brackets, Apostrophe, Asterisk, At sign, Back slash, Bullet point, Caret, Colon, Comma, Curly brackets, Ellipses, Em dash, En dash, Exclamation point, Hyphen, Parentheses, Period, Pipe symbol, Pound sign, Question mark, Quotation, Semicolon, Slash, Square brackets, and Tilde. Do you know them all?e

Early Halloween Decor

 

When you win a blue ribbon for a state fair challenge quilt, you bring home more than the ribbon. There’s usually an additional prize. Until now, the prize has been a gift certificate – generally under $20 – for one of the many quilt shops in our state. I haven’t mentioned it here; probably because I’ve always spent much more making the quilt that won the prize. But it’s prompted me to visit quilt shops I normally wouldn’t see. For instance, in 2023 my certificate was from Patches Quilt Shop in Panguitch, Utah. By a happy chance, there was “ring of fire” solar eclipse a month after the fair, visible from Panguitch. We rented a lovely home there for the event. On the way, we stopped at Patches and used the certificate to buy a quilty jigsaw puzzle, which we enjoyed together. This year’s prize was a check. More versatile, but maybe a bit less fun.

Simplicity

 

This dish was on the Chick-fil-A menu for more than forty years. It was finally discontinued in 2013. It’s very old school, and I suppose tastes have changed.

 

Carrot-Raisin Salad

 

4 1/2 cups fresh carrots, finely shredded

1 can (20 ounces) crushed pineapple, drained

3/4 cup raisins

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1/4 cup sugar

Juice of one small lemon or half a large one

 

Dissolve sugar in pineapple, then gently fold in remaining ingredients. Be sure to use fresh carrots, as it will definitely make a difference in the finished product. The original recipe called for more than twice as much sugar. But, when you consider pineapple, raisins and even carrots are already pretty sweet, a quarter cup seemed more than enough. You may want to eliminate the sugar altogether. Chill salad thoroughly before serving. 

Nine Friendship Stars

 

“Becoming a lifelong disciple of Christ is a process, the sum of multiple small, daily, personal and spiritual events. President Dallin H. Oaks taught: ‘We need to be patient, even with ourselves. Overcoming doubt can be a lengthy process, as with building faith.’ The path of discipleship often resembles climbing a mountain. The shortest path to the top is not always the most appropriate and often not the safest either. Thus, we must choose the firm and safe path, even if it is sometimes the longest and most demanding one. Jesus Christ and His restored gospel constitute that safe path that leads us to the true summit. I testify of the healing, refining, and perfecting power of Jesus Christ. I know that Jesus Christ lives, that He was resurrected on the third day, and that the empty tomb is a symbol of His victory.” - Elder Eduardo F. Ortega

Odd Fellows Cross

 

Our quilt guild occasionally invites quilters to show and discuss their work. Once, when they were really scraping the bottom of the barrel, they asked me to provide what they call a “trunk show.” It was harder than expected, because my best quilts have all been gifted to family or friends, or donated to Quilts of Valor, Quilts for Kids, Project Linus, Festival of Trees, Intermountain Medical Center, etc. This month, the trunk show was provided by Ione Vanwagenen, who used to own one of our favorite quilt shops, Elaine’s Quilt Block. She brought her own creations, and some her mother had made. Several were African designs, and some were Native American. They were all amazing, but the ones I found most inspirational were antique quilts she’d bought, including this one from the mid-1800’s. I’ve made this block, but never with Civil War prints, or reversed color values. Can't wait to start!

Turnstyle

 

I used to have a recipe for a quiche that called for skinny Japanese eggplant. It was delightful, but so complicated I only made it once. I make a mean ratatouille, and once in a blue moon I try my hand at eggplant parmesan. But this is the easiest and possibly the tastiest eggplant recipe I’ve made so far. You take just about any variety of eggplant – globe, Italian, Asian, whatever – and cut it up into one-inch cubes. In a large bowl, toss the cubes with a splash of olive oil, coarse salt and fresh ground pepper. Coat a baking sheet with cooking spray and spread the eggplant on top. Roast in the oven at 450F for half an hour, until they’re golden-brown and tender. You can eat them as is, or seal and store them in the fridge a few days. Roasted eggplant is a delicious and nutritious addition to salads or savory bowls. 

Eight Friendship Stars

 

Today is Constitution Day. The Continental Congress of the United States of America was tasked by representatives of the 13 colonies with coming up with a constitution for our newly formed country. The group’s final meeting was on September 17, 1787. The meeting’s purpose was to sign the Constitution of the United States of America, a document they’d painstakingly labored to create and perfect. Eventually, they realized more laws and a set of declared rights were also needed. Subsequently, the Bill of Rights and the first ten Amendments were adopted December 15, 1791. After the meeting, there was still much to do. Individual states then had to meet and vote on it. The U.S. Constitution did not go into effect until two years later on March 4, 1789. The Constitution is what makes our country what it is. It’s why our President, members of Congress, federal officials, and new citizens all take an oath to support and defend it.

Butterfly

 

The lyrics to the 1958 song go, “Splish splash I was taking a bath.” It was Bobby Darrin’s first big hit. You probably know all the words, and there’s a chance you’ll have the tune stuck in your head the rest of the day. But I’ll bet you’ve never asked yourself, “Why splish-splash? Why not splash-splish?” There’s actually a rule governing these things. It’s not one you were taught in school, but you KNOW it. If the vowel order reverses, it just sounds WRONG. We say, “criss-cross” and never “cross-criss.” Someone making sharp turns is “zig-zagging,” never “zag-zigging.” Clocks don’t go, “tock-tick.” We don’t complain about “raff-riff,” and Mary Poppins never says “spot-spit.” If you can’t make up your mind, you might be called “wishy-washy,” but never “washy-wishy.” Or you may “flip-flop,” but not “flop-flip.” The phenomenon is called ablaut reduplication, and it isn’t strictly an English thing. Evidently the Japanese, Chinese and Turks do this, too.

Orange Pinwheel

 

My best advice for young adults: learn to cook five inexpensive, easy meals that you like. Yours will be different, but here are mine:

Mac & cheese. No blue box: macaroni, milk, butter, flour, cheese. It doesn’t have to be cheddar. What a yummy way to use up odd bits of cheese!

Fried rice. Here’s a fun way to 86 leftover rice and veg. Toss in scrambled eggs, bacon or ham if you have them. If not, it’s still a delicious, filling meal.

Jacket potatoes. Poke and bake at 400F one hour. Add butter and salt and you’re set. If you have cheese, sour cream, tuna and sweet corn, chili, leftover meat and veg, even better.

Buttered noodles. Any pasta will do. Toss with butter or olive oil, minced garlic, and pepper flakes. Add a little pasta water, too.

Creamed eggs on toast. Just chopped hard-boiled egg, toast points and white sauce: the ultimate comfort food.

Six Friendship Stars

 

“Feeling we don’t belong, struggling with doubts, or being limited by traditions are just a few of the reasons we don’t immediately answer the call to come home. But life’s deeper questions do not go away. As President Nelson taught, ‘The truth is it is much more exhausting to seek happiness where you can never find it!’ President Oaks declared the journey home starts by reanchoring on the Savior. Only Jesus Christ can fully restore that light and joy into your life. We all struggle. We need patience, service, and love from others. To those who are trying to help those they love, hold on to the truth. Keep your covenants. Helping others requires you to stay in your covenants. To those who are struggling to come home, know it is your Savior calling you back. In the end, everyone must make their own choices to come home.” – Elder Clark G. Gilbert

In Session

 

Early Wednesday morning, August 26, there was a glacial collapse that caused a catastrophic flood along the Trishuli River in the border area between Nepal and Tibet. Rajendra Dawadi, the principal of Tribhuvan Trishuli Secondary School in Nuwakot, Nepal, was teaching a class when a colleague rushed in to tell him the news. At 9:10 a.m., only the older students (ages 11 through 18) were in the school. But the younger ones would soon be there. Rajendra knew he had to act fast. He rang the school bell and told everyone to evacuate the area for higher ground. He called the bus drivers who were still on their way to tell them to turn around and avoid the danger zone. Roughly ten minutes later, a wall of mud, rocks and debris destroyed the entire area. Rajendra’s quick thinking saved over 900 people: every student and all but two of the faculty and staff.

2026 Utah State Fair Quilt Challenge

 

We hit the state fair on opening day yesterday. We should have bought tickets online first, because the ticket booth line was easily an hour long. We checked out the quilts in the Pioneer Building. I was surprised (but really pleased) to see mine wearing a blue ribbon. I guess I’ll find out what the ribbon’s for after the fair closes. We visited the dairy cows and goats, and admired the 4H displays and the butter cow. The rides and games were still setting up, but there was lots of fair food. We had curry mac & cheese with brisket burnt ends, chicken fried rice, and crab cake corn dogs with seviche. It was over $60 for three rather small servings, but the food was good and absolutely unique. We hit a pineapple Dole whip food truck on the way out. That wasn’t exactly fair food, but it was exactly what the doctor ordered.

Double Sawtooth Star

 

Ron Swanson is a fictional character from Parks and Rec. He’s based on a real person: a Libertarian government official working in Burbank, California. As Libertarians believe government should interfere as little as possible in the lives of citizens and the free market, he’s a bit of an oxymoron. This is just part of what makes him so funny. Here are a few of my favorite Ron Swanson quotes:

"The less I know about other people's affairs, the happier I am. I’m not interested in caring about people."

“There’s only one thing I hate more than lying: skim milk. Which is water that’s lying about being milk.”

“You choose a thankless job. You can’t be upset when nobody thanks you.”

“Fishing relaxes me. It’s like yoga, except I still get to kill something.”

“When people get too chummy with me, I like to call them by the wrong name to let them know I don’t really care about them.”

Four Friendship Stars

 

The first time Roy Sullivan was struck by lightning, he was a Virginia park ranger. The bolt burned along his right leg and blew a hole in his shoe. The second time, he was driving his truck. His eyebrows and lashes burned off, and his hair caught fire. The third time, Roy’s right shoulder was scorched in his front yard. The fourth strike happened when he was inside a ranger’s station. His hair caught fire again, and he had trouble putting the flames out. Afterwards, Roy carried water, just in case. It came in handy when he had to extinguish his hair again a year later. The sixth lightning strike happened as Roy tried to run from an oncoming storm. The seventh time, Roy was fishing. Lightning burned his head, chest and abdomen. A bear approached to steal Roy’s catch, and Roy beat him off with a stick. While his hair was on fire.

Double Churn Dash

 

Isabella Lucy Bird was a clergyman’s daughter, born in North Yorkshire in 1831. From early childhood, she suffered from a painful spinal condition, fatigue, insomnia, and depression. She was frequently bedridden. When her doctor suggested a sea voyage, her father handed her £100 and said to stay away until the money ran out. The letters she wrote as she traveled became her first book: An Englishwoman in America. Isabella visited Australia, Hawaii, the Rockies, Japan, China, Korea, Vietnam, Singapore and Malaya. Having decided her initial ventures were pointless, Isabella studied medicine and photography. As a missionary, she traveled to Tibet, Iran Kurdistan and Turkey. In Kashmir, she helped to build a hospital and dispensary. Wherever she went, she wrote about what she saw and heard and did. Her photos and stories captured a world that was quickly vanishing. When Isabella died in Edinburgh at the age of 72, she was planning another trip to China.

Fifteen X Blocks

 

“We anticipate our marriage with faith and confidence because we conscientiously prepare for the covenants we make in the house of the Lord. But even with our preparation, we of course each have weaknesses, and we realize that our lives will require more unselfishness, more repentance, and more forgiveness. Kathy and I had engraved on the paper napkins for our wedding reception these words of William Shakespeare: ‘Love is not love that alters when it alteration finds.’ In those first months as she got to know me better, I kept the leftover napkins all around our apartment. While embracing the happiness and sorrows of life’s experiences, we etch our covenants indelibly upon our souls, and we keep our eyes focused heavenward, toward the glorious destination awaiting us. We know the divine attributes we seek will not all be perfected in this life. Eternal marriage is an eternal journey.” – Elder Neil L. Andersen

Modified Friendship Star

 

Last week we were invited to a neighborhood pot luck picnic. We usually bring something fussy in a glass dish. Then we have to talk people into trying it, and we have to carry that heavy, fragile dish home again. Not this time. Instead, I bought a disposable deep aluminum lasagna pan. Into the pan went two bags of hearts of romaine lettuce. On top, I placed chopped dry salami, chopped English cucumber, bite-size provolone, small peperoni, diced red bell pepper, marinated mozzarella balls, sliced pepperoncini, and sliced red onion. John said it looked like a charcuterie board over lettuce, and it did. I covered the pan with foil and brought a 16-ounce (plastic) jar of Italian dressing to mix in when we arrived. There were zero leftovers. In fact, the salad disappeared before dinner was half over. If we’d brought disposable utensils, we could have walked home empty-handed.

Floating Star

 

Violet Constance Jessop was a stewardess in 1911 aboard the RMS Olympic: the largest civilian liner at the time. In September that year, the Olympic left Southampton and collided with the British warship HMS Hawke. The Olympic was damaged, but managed to return to port. Violet continued to work on the Olympic until April 1912 when she was transferred to her sister ship. RMS Titanic left Southampton April 10 and struck an iceberg four days later. Violet was ordered up on deck to serve as an example for passengers who didn’t understand English. She watched the ship sink from lifeboat 16. During the first world war, Violet became a nurse for the Volunteer Aid Detachment. November 1916, she was aboard the third sister ship, HMHS Britannic, when it struck a German mine and sank in 55 minutes. She narrowly escaped death when the ship’s propellers shredded her lifeboat. Violet was 83 when she died in 1971.

Sew Very Spooky!

 

I’ve participated in the Utah State Fair Quilt Challenge every year since 2007. For the first decade or so, the fabric chosen for the competition was mostly novelty prints: bonbons, strawberries, musical notes, seagulls and cartoon farm animals. Then there were several years that left more to our imaginations: a red paisley, orange chevrons, a grey plaid, teal polka-dots, tiny green leaves, and 1930’s florals. This year’s challenge is an about-face. The theme is “Spooky Hollow” and the focus fabric is covered with skulls and autumn leaves, brooms and pointed hats, crows and owls. It’s been fun to work on a Halloween-themed wall hanging, but I’m worried all this year’s challenge quilts will come out looking more or less the same. I’ve done what I could to make mine stand out. I’ve added deep purple, which isn’t in the challenge fabric. And I don’t think many quilters could top my paper-pieced moon. Wish me luck!

Dragon's Head

In 1906, the Santa Fe Railway – a subsidiary of the Atchison, Topeka & the Santa Fe – purchased a 9,000-acre plot in southern California. Their plan was to use the land to grow their own railroad ties. Their tree of choice was Eucalyptus globulus, for a few reasons. Eucalyptus can grow up to 480 feet; even taller than the redwoods. It grows extremely fast, up to 125 feet in as little as three years. And, though eucalyptus can’t handle chilly temperatures, it’s extremely drought tolerant, only needing regular watering the first year or two. So, the railway planted 3.5 million eucalyptus trees over the next eight years. Then they learned those tall, beautiful, aromatic trees made terrible railroad ties. The young wood was far too soft. They ditched the plan and created a Spanish Colonial Revival village instead. Most of the 3.5 million trees are still there. The failed railroad ties have become a fragrant urban forest.

Chinese Hat

 

Does everyone have a story about that awesome sandwich they had on vacation and can’t stop thinking about? Mine’s a holiday turkey sandwich. We were at Disneyland in early autumn with most of the grandkids and their parents. We’d grabbed a light meal at Earl of Sandwich at the east end of Downtown Disney, and ate under the trees near the esplanade. The dish in question was essentially a handheld Thanksgiving dinner: lots of sliced turkey breast, cornbread stuffing, and whole cranberry sauce on a toasted ciabatta bun. There may have been a bit of gravy and mayo in there. There couldn’t have been much of either, because this sandwich didn’t require a knife and fork. I could always head to the nearest Earl of Sandwich and pick up another. In Las Vegas. If I’m going that far, why not push on to Anaheim? Or I could just hit the grocery store for turkey, stuffing, cranberry sauce and bread.

One Dozen X Blocks

 

“Jesus thinks and acts out of pure love; He yearns to bless and lift others; He delights to do the will of God. With faith in Christ, we can pray the Holy Spirit will effect a mighty change in us to instill these same divine motivations in our heart. We can become the people God needs us to be. Adopting the character of Christ is not only a question of our personal preparation but a primary element of preparing the world for the Lord’s return and His glorious millennial reign. We tend to underestimate the influence of Christlike individuals in the world, but working one by one has always been Jesus’ approach to changing society and establishing His kingdom. The aggregation of individual choices over time forms and changes societies for good or ill. No one of us alone can change the world, but each of us can have an influence in the world.” – President D. Todd Christofferson

Four Pineapples

 

Not everything you know is wrong, but lots of it is:

If you’ve been told humans only use 10% of their brains, relax. Our brains are usually lots more active, even while we sleep.

Goldfish don’t have a three-second memory. They can remember tasks, cues and locations for days and weeks; even up to a year.

Vitamin A deficiency can diminish eyesight, and carrots contain vitamin A. That’s not the same as saying, “Eating carrots improves your sight.”

Blood in your veins may look bluish through your skin, but it isn’t really blue. Even deoxygenated blood is red as it returns to your lungs – a darker red, but still red.

Porcupines only shoot quills in cartoons. But the quills are barbed and detach easily. And a frightened porcupine will swing its tail.

Peeing on a jellyfish sting won’t make it hurt less. Instead, rinse the sting with ammonia or seawater. Better yet, seek medical help.

Half a Dozen Bird Houses

 

I have a confession: I despise Shel Silverstein’s book, The Giving Tree. I know parents have been reading this to their children since I was five. I know generations of kids have grown up loving it. Not me. The book is about a tree who loves a boy. She gives him apples to munch, branches to swing on, and shade to rest in. The book says the boy loves the tree, but he seems to only love what she can give him. Eventually, the boy chops down the tree for lumber, and she is nothing but a sad, lonely stump. It seems to me if the boy REALLY loved the tree, he would have nurtured and protected her. His children and grandchildren and great-grandchildren could have enjoyed the tree for many years. This isn’t a cozy bedtime story. It’s a warning about dysfunctional, toxic relationships. And it should be called “The Taking Boy.”

Forty-Nine Butterflies

 

The first Tyrannosaurus Rex (the name means tyrant lizard king) skeleton was discovered in 1902 in Montana (There were T. Rex teeth and bone fragments unearthed long before this, but they were misidentified.) From time to time, smaller skeletons that LOOKED like T. Rex would pop up, and they were usually classified as juvenile T. Rex specimens. Eventually, though, paleontologists studying the growth rings in the ancient bones realized the smaller dinosaurs were fully developed at half the length and a tenth the body mass of the T. Rex. It had bigger forearms, a narrower mouth and a LOT more teeth. They’re calling this “new” dinosaur (the phrase always makes me giggle) Nanotyrannus Lancensis. The prefix nano- means “one billionth.” It’s a catchy moniker, but not very helpful, if the purpose is to show these weren’t just little T. Rexes. This may be further proof that scientists shouldn't always be trusted with naming things.   

Three Pineapples

 

Jesse Delos Jewkes was born in Orangeville, Utah in 1895. He used the money from his first job – delivering milk – to buy a violin. When he served a South African mission in 1915, the violin came with him. World War I travel restrictions sent him back to Salt Lake, where he worked as a music salesman and then as a deputy in the State Auditor’s office. He sang with the Tabernacle Choir as a basso profundo soloist. Delos’ distinctive deep voice led to roles in opera, theatre, vaudeville, radio, records, movies and television. He was the voice of God in The Ten Commandments (1956). He was in four episodes of The Andy Griffith Show, where he loaned his voice to a lip-synching Barney Fife during a choir performance. Delos played a member of the old home guard in Bedknobs and Broomsticks. He’s the fellow with round glasses and a helmet strap across his chin. 

Forty-Nine Pine Trees

 

When Henry VIII died in 1547, clerks catalogued his belongings. There were jewels, furs, tapestries, and the contents of fifty-five houses, castles, palaces and hunting lodges. And there were musical instruments. Henry owned at least 76 recorders. They were hand carved from ivory and boxwood, stored in velvet-lined cases. Some were tipped with silver. They came in all sizes from the tiny sopranino to the massive great bass. The instruments were there in part to be played FOR the king, and in part to be played BY the king, as he was an accomplished musician. Beyond the recorders, he owned at least forty flutes, along with crumhorns, cornetts and shawms. There was a set of ivory/purple velvet bagpipes, dozens of viols and lutes, and several keyboard instruments. Most were kept at Westminster in the care of Flemish composer Philip van Wilder, “Keeper of the King’s Instruments.” Because someone had to keep everything dusted.

Nine X Blocks

 

“Elder Holland and I had the privilege of escorting various groups of people—including Reform, Conservative, and Orthodox Rabbi leaders, as well as secular Jewish leaders—through open-house tours in temples here in Utah. At the baptismal font, I had the opportunity to explain the doctrine of baptism for our deceased ancestors. This relates directly to Malachi’s promises of turning the hearts of children to their deceased fathers. I read to them from 1 Kings 7:25, where Solomon’s temple is described. The baptismal font sits on top of the hinder parts of twelve oxen representing the twelve tribes of Israel. This brought both recognition and tears to some. They realized they were essentially looking at certain aspects of Solomon’s temple, which has sacred significance to both Jews and Muslims. A few years later, Jewish leaders requested we celebrate the 175th anniversary of Orson Hyde’s historic dedication of the Holy Land in Jerusalem.” – Elder Quentin L. Cook

Two Pineapples

 

David Hahn was born October 30, 1979 in Royal Oak, Michigan. His parents divorce when he was nine. David stayed with his dad, who remarried. He developed an interest in chemistry, fireworks and model rocketry. His family encouraged him to join the Boy Scouts, and David became obsessed with achieving a merit badge in atomic energy. He read everything about it he could get his hands on. He began collecting smoke detectors (they contain americium), lantern mantles (for thorium), and old glow-in-the-dark clock hands and dials (radium). He used it to create a reactor in a potting shed in the backyard. When David was 17, a routine traffic stop put an end to his fun. Police found suspicious material in his car and traced it to his backyard. The EPA showed up in hazmat suits. The shed was dismantled and buried as nuclear waste. David never did earn that merit badge.

Five Bird Houses

 

When he was thirteen, Gabriel García Márquez walked up to the prettiest girl on the dance floor and said, “I just realized all my poems are about you. Marry me.” Most girls would have laughed and walked away, but Mercedes said, “Alright. But I have to finish school first.” They married thirteen years later. Gabriel’s dream was to write an epic novel. He shut himself in a room and wrote while Mercedes dealt with the real world. After 18 months, Gabriel’s enormous manuscript was ready to ship to a publisher. The only problem: there was no money for postage. Mercedes pawned the last two things she owned – a hairdryer and a blender – and the rest is history. That manuscript became One Hundred Years of Solitude; one of the most influential novels of the 20th century. After it came Love in the Time of Cholera, and Chronicle of a Death Foretold. And a Nobel Prize for Literature.

Four Dozen Butterflies

 

Insulting people is a dying art:

“He had delusions of adequacy.” – Walter Kerr

“He has all the virtues I dislike and none of the vices I admire.” – Winston Churchill

“He has no enemies, but is intensely disliked by his friends.” – Oscar Wilde

“I feel so miserable without you; it’s almost like having you here.” – Stephen Bishop

“He is a self-made man and worships his creator.” – John Bright

“I’ve just learned about his illness. Let’s hope it’s nothing trivial.” – Irvin S. Cobb

“He loves nature in spite of what it did to him.” – Forrest Tucker

“His mother should have thrown him away and kept the stork.” – Mae West

“He has Van Gogh’s ear for music.” – Billy Wilder

“He can compress the most words into the smallest idea of any man I know.” – Abraham Lincoln

“There’s nothing wrong with you that reincarnation won’t cure.” – Jack E. Leonard

Pineapple

 

We had these Sunday, with cheese burgers. Honestly, they’d be a great accompaniment with any grilled meat.

 

Marinated White Beans

 

2 (15-ounce cans) white beans, drained and rinsed

1/2 cup chopped fresh herbs (I chose fresh basil.)

2 roasted red peppers, finely diced

1/3 cup finely diced shallot (Out of shallots; substituted red onion.)

2 garlic cloves, chopped

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1 lemon, zested and juiced

1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

Kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste

 

In a large bowl, combine all ingredients. Cover and refrigerate at least two hours; preferably overnight. Will stay fresh in the fridge 3 or 4 days.

Four Dozen Pine Trees

 

More thoughts about a 13-month year: If each month had only 28 days, some holidays wouldn’t fall on the same days they do now. New Year’s Eve, for instance would happen on the 28th of the month – either December or March, depending on which came at the end of the year. Thanksgiving would always be Thursday, November 25. Valentines Day would always be a Sunday, like Mother’s and Father’s Days. I’ve read the Kodak company used a 13-month calendar from 1924 to 1989. Their extra month was called Sol, and it came between June and July. Leap day, when it happened, was December 29, and it was an extra weekend day. For years, George Eastman (Kodak’s founder) tried to promote worldwide acceptance but was unsuccessful. I’m not awfully surprised. We’ve been trying for ages to do away with Daylight Saving Time; something absolutely EVERYONE hates. Yet here we are, still adjusting all our clocks twice a year.

Four X Blocks

 

“Each Sabbath we invite all to come worship Jesus Christ in the community of His restored Church. In the sacramental ordinance, we covenant that we are willing to take upon us the name of Jesus Christ, always remember Him, and keep His commandments. He promises we can always have His Spirit to be with us. As we witness and remember Jesus each week, we abide and walk with Him. Just as the disciples on the road to Emmaus ask Jesus to abide with them, Jesus Christ promises to abide with us. In the Gospel of John, chapters 14 and 15, Jesus teaches His disciples and us how He can remain, belong, walk with us. His faithfulness is stronger than the cords of death. When we have a question, problem, or joy, Jesus Christ says, ‘I am your answer—your way, your truth, your life.’” – Elder Gerrit W. Gong

Four Bird Houses

 

Antoine-Joseph “Adolphe” Sax was an inventor and musician from Belgium. Adolphe was the eldest of eleven children, only three of whom survived to age 13. He studied flute, clarinet, harmony and solfège at the Royal School of Music in Brussels, but he abandoned a career in performance to create musical instruments in his father’s workshop. Adolphe made changes in the design of the bass clarinet that are still in use. His most famous invention is the saxophone, which combines elements of both woodwind and brass instruments. Adolphe designed a massive family of saxophones in 14 distinct sizes, from the tiny sopranino to the massive contrabass. Only four sizes are commonly used today: soprano, alto, tenor and baritone. The saxophone may be made of brass, but it’s classified as a woodwind instrument because it generates sound with a reed. Adolphe also invented the saxotromba, saxhorn and saxtuba, but somehow, none of them caught on. 

Twenty-Five Leap Frogs

 

Every year should have thirteen months. With thirteen months instead of twelve, every month would have exactly four weeks instead of 4.257. We could stop memorizing “Thirty days has September, April, June, and November, All the rest have thirty-one, Save February at twenty-eight, But leap year, coming once in four, February then has one day more.” Months would start on Monday and end on Sunday. Friday the 13th would disappear. I propose our 13-month year should start April first, the way it did until 1582. We’d still need an occasional leap day. It could happen at the end of March, and be an extra weekend day. The thirteenth month could fall between August and September, so September, October, November and December would go back to being the 7th, 8th, 9th, and 10th months, as their names imply. The new month could have the Latin name for 6th month: Sextilis. Or, we could name it for some Roman god.