Eight Chains

 

In March, 2019, the city of Portland, Oregon planned to plant 500 red maple trees along Belmont Road. Somehow the city’s orders were misread, and the saplings were mistakenly planted on Belmont Avenue. The new trees were installed on corner lots, in parking strips and medians a few miles west of their intended home. By the time the city realized the error, residents of Belmont Avenue had added park benches in the shade and hung bird feeders from the branches. They’d even named their new trees. Portland sent crews to dig the trees up and move them to Belmont Road, but 1,400 Avenue residents petitioned the city to keep their new urban forest. When the crews arrived for removal, 47 residents were waiting with lawn chairs and thermoses. So, Portland ordered 500 more trees for Belmont Road. Today, more than seven years later, both streets boast lush deciduous canopies.

Five Gold Stars

 

Chick-fil-A took chicken salad off their menu almost four years ago. It may have been because people simply stopped buying it. Just like with their carrot/raisin/pineapple salad in 2013, there was no explanation or announcement. It just disappeared.  Luckily, just like the carrot/raisin/pineapple salad, this is easy to make at home.

 

Chick-fil-A Chicken Salad

 

1/2 cup coarsely chopped celery

3 cups chopped cooked chicken breast

2 large hard-boiled eggs, peeled and chopped

1/3 cup sweet pickle relish

1/2 cup mayo

1/8 teaspoon garlic powder

Salt and pepper to taste

 

Combine all ingredients in bowl and stir until well mixed. If you use a food processor, be careful not to overprocess, or you’ll end up with chicken salad baby food. Salad can be served on its own, or as a sandwich on buttered, toasted whole wheat bread with romaine lettuce.

Coral Flower

 

In 1945, James Baskett – a self-taught actor from Indianapolis – walked into a Disney audition hoping for a minor voice role. The moment Walt heard him speak, everything changed. Disney gave James the starring role in Song of the South, making him the first Black actor cast as the lead in a full-length Disney film. Walt called him "the best actor to be discovered in years." James brought Uncle Remus to life with warmth and intensity. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences presented James with an Honorary Academy Award, making him the first Black man to receive an Oscar for acting. Four months later, James Baskett passed away at age forty-four. Song of the South turns 80 this year; an excellent time for a commemorative home video or streaming event. But Disney is so afraid we’ll judge an 80-year-old film by today’s standards, they’d rather hide Baskett’s accomplishments than draw attention to a movie they’re not proud of.

Three Kitty Cats

 

Earth Day was created in 1970 to raise awareness about environmental issues and inspire action. Here are some ways to celebrate:

Plant a tree or pollinator garden. Trees improve air quality, combat climate change, and provide habitats for wildlife. Gardens support bees, butterflies and hummingbirds.

Reduce waste. Repair clothes instead of replacing them. Recycle glass and plastic. Avoid single-use plastics. Create a compost pile.

Conserve water. Turn off the faucet while brushing your teeth. Shorten your showers. Consider drip irrigation.

Reduce your carbon footprint. Lower your room temperature in winter and raise it in summer. Consider adding more insulation or replacing old windows and doors.

Give your car a rest. Plan errands so you drive less. Walk, bike or use public transportation when you can. See if working from home is an option.

Make your yard wildlife-friendly. Install a bird feeder, bird bath, bat house or insect hotel. Build them from recycled materials where possible.

Quilted Bowl Cozy

 

Herbert Needleman was a pediatrician in the late 50’s. He frequently treated children with lead poisoning. He noticed kids who survived never quite recovered. They were slower, quieter, and struggled more in school. At the time, the medical establishment decreed if you made it through the acute phase, you were cured. Dr. Needleman wasn’t so sure. What if lead never really left the bodies of its victims? Blood tests couldn’t show long-term exposure. Bone biopsies would, but what parent would consent to that kind of research? In the late 60’s, Dr. Needleman recruited Massachusetts school teachers to collect lost baby teeth for study. Dr. Needleman tested thousands of them. He found the kids with the highest exposure had the lowest test scores. Lead was slowly robbing them of their minds. Today, thanks to Dr. Needleman, we no longer have lead paint on our walls, lead pipes carrying our water, or lead in our gasoline. And we’re all better off.

Plus One

 

"I wonder if we fully appreciate the enormous significance of our belief in a literal, universal resurrection. The conviction that death is not the conclusion of our identity changes the whole perspective of our mortal life" – President Dallin H. Oaks

“Not all matters are of equal value and maintaining an eternal perspective helps us prioritize the things that are of greatest value.” – Elder Dale G. Renlund

“Families with such a precious member know what a privilege it is to be blessed with one with special needs. Associating with Paxton, our whole family gained an increased, deep, and abiding trust in the Lord.” – Elder Ronald A. Rasband

“The scriptures teach us not only who Jesus was but who He is. Because of what happened on that Sunday morning, we can speak of Jesus Christ in the present tense. He lives. Today. At this moment.” – President Dieter F. Uchtdorf

Six Chains

 

Webcams have been around for over three decades. The first was installed at Cambridge University Computer Lab, so researchers would know when to refill their shared coffee pot. Today, there are far more interesting webcams out there. All you need is Internet access and a bit of time on your hands. My favorite is in Whitby. I could sit for hours and watch the tide come and go beneath 199 steps to Whitby Abbey. Another fun webcam is mounted on the International Space Station. From there, you can see sunrises and sunsets every 45 minutes. There’s another on Abbey Road, so you can find out who’s using the famous zebra crossing right now. Norway mounts webcams on the front of their trains. I can’t imagine a better way to view Norwegian landscapes. There are several at the San Diego Zoo. You can observe 11 different species there, including tigers, elephants and pandas. Next best thing to being there!

Four Gold Stars

 

Slow Cooker French Toast Casserole

 

1 loaf stale bread, cut into 1-inch cubes (When using whole wheat, I omit crusts)

6 large eggs

2 cups milk

1/3 cup maple syrup (Not “pancake syrup”)

1 tablespoon vanilla

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons cinnamon, divided

1/4 teaspoon fresh ground nutmeg

1/2 cup chopped pecans (I’ve also used walnuts)

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup butter, cut into small piece

 

Coat slow cooker pot with cooking spray. Arrange bread cubes and nuts in pot. Whisk together eggs, milk, syrup, vanilla, salt, 1 teaspoon cinnamon and nutmeg. Pour custard mixture over bread. Gently fold to coat. Let soak an hour or two. (My slow cooker has a removable insert, so I cover it and stick it in the fridge.) In a small bowl, stir together brown sugar and remaining cinnamon. Cut in butter. Sprinkle butter mixture over custard. Cover and cook on low 4 hours. Serves 6 to 8.

Hoppy to Meet You

 

This week I read a story about a 24-hour laundromat on Delancy Street in New York City. The owner, Bea Kowalski, said the establishment was oddly warm, even at 3:00 in the morning, when none of the machines were running. She never knew why until a short time ago, when she had repairmen in to fix a few of the dryers. The men pulled off the back panel of dryer #9 and discovered thirty-one cottontail rabbits living in the exhaust ductwork. They’d built tunnels connecting all fourteen industrial-sized dryers, and had been happily living there at least two years. Animal control officials relocated the rabbits to a wildlife sanctuary in Dutchess County, about eighty miles away. Bea reports her laundromat feels chillier without the squatting bunnies. I tried to share this story with my piano students, but none of them had ever seen a laundromat, or a dryer big enough for thirty-one rabbits.

Two Kitty Cats

It’s no secret today is the day your 2025 income taxes are due. Hopefully, you filed some time ago and didn’t wait until the last minute. If you file early and there’s a refund, you’ll get it sooner. If you’ve made a mistake, you get extra time to correct it before the deadline. And filing earlier gives bad guys less of a chance to steal your identity and file in your name. Today’s also Rubber Eraser Day. We all make mistakes. It’s nice they don’t all have to be permanent. April 15 is Take a Wild Guess Day; a day to throw caution to the wind and go with your instincts. It’s also Titanic Remembrance Day. The ill-fated ship hit an iceberg at 11:40 p.m. April 14, 1912. But it didn’t sink for two hours, so today’s the 114th anniversary – a good day to debate if there was room on the door for Jack.

Nature's Landscape

 

Judy-Lynn del Rey was born in 1943 with achondroplastic dwarfism – meaning she had a normal-sized torso and small limbs. She spent her teens haunting libraries, especially the fantasy and sci-fi sections. In her early 20’s, she became an office assistant at Galaxy Science Fiction. She quickly worked her way up to associate editor, and then was hired by Ballantine Books. One of her first moves was to dump John Norman’s Gor series (She was right. They’re awful.) She published the Star Wars novel before the movie came out. That same year, Judy-Lynn launched Del Rey Books. She published Terry Brooks’ Sword of Shannara, promoted William Goldman’s The Princess Bride, and introduced the world to Anne McCaffrey's White Dragon. Arthur C. Clarke called her the most brilliant editor he’d ever encountered. Next time you read fantasy or watch a Star Wars film, or quote Princess Bride, you’re living in a world she helped to build.

Center Pieces

 

“Abiding in Christ isn’t an occasional, casual act. It’s a constant, conscious and sacred choice. It is allowing His holy teachings to abide in us, elevating our thoughts and governing our words in every setting, purifying and consecrating our actions unto Him.” – Elder Ulisses Soares

"To the Savior, we’re never lost in the crowd. He knows how to reach us — through a hymn, a smile, a kind word, and sometimes through people we least expect. – Elder Clement M. Matswagothata

“Discipleship was never meant to be a comfortable circle of familiar friends focused on their own interests. Rather, our congregations are a beautiful mosaic — enriched by diverse backgrounds, cultures and experiences.” – Elder Gérald Caussé

“I wonder what it’s like for a loving Heavenly Father to send His most precious belongings, His children, away from their heavenly home, knowing they must pass through challenges of mortality. I suppose His comfort is knowing they do not travel alone.” – Elder Gary E. Stevenson

Five Chains

 

Last night we watched the crew of the Artemis II return to earth after eleven days in space. It was a lot like watching paint dry, which is exactly how I remember the Apollo moon missions some 50 or 60 years ago. That’s kind of how NASA rolls. If absolutely nothing has happened for two hours or more, things are going well. If things go badly, they go badly pretty fast. Just like with the Apollo missions, I’m obsessing about the onboard menu. Only this time, it isn’t Tang and Space Food Sticks. The crew of the Artemis II enjoyed BBQ beef brisket, mac & cheese, and broccoli au gratin. Because stored water still tastes stale, they had several add-water-and-stir beverage options. They ate lots of tortillas, because other breads leave crumbs floating around. The crew tasted and approved all the dishes before they left, which is probably another big improvement over the Apollo fare.

Gold Star

 

Odd facts to keep you up at night:

In spite of its name, the strawberry isn’t a true berry. Neither is the raspberry or blackberry. On the other hand, the banana is scientifically a berry. So are oranges, eggplants and grapes.

The moon is slowly moving away from the earth, at just under four centimeters per year. Coincidentally, that’s roughly how fast your fingernails grow.

Froot Loops come in different colors, but only one flavor. It’s a combination of orange, lemon, cherry, raspberry, apple, blueberry and lime that’s called tutti frutti (meaning all fruits). If they taste different to you, your eyes are fooling your tongue.

Flamingo legs look like their knees are bending backwards. But what look like knees to us are actually their ankles. Flamingos’ knees are tucked up under their bellies.

Octopuses have three hearts. One heart circulates blood around the body, while the other two pump it past the gills, to pick up oxygen.

Pink Bunny

 

Chances are, somewhere on your car’s dashboard, there’s a little icon that looks like a gas pump with an arrow. The arrow either points to the right or the left, showing which side of your car should be nearest the gas pump when you go to refill your tank. The guy you should thank for this: James Moylan. James was an engineer working for Ford Motor Company in the 80’s. He came up with the idea after a frustrating experience at a gas station. He realized lots of people – especially those in borrowed or rented vehicles – have to guess which side the gas cap is on when they pull up to the station. If they guess wrong, they inconvenience everyone to reposition. The 1989 Ford Escort and Mercury Tracer were among the first cars to feature the helpful little icon. Today, gas tank indicators are standard in nearly every new car worldwide.

Snail's Trail

 

In 1846, an explorer collected a desert snail in Egypt and sent it back to London for the museum's collection. Presumed to be just an empty shell, it was mounted on a piece of cardboard for exhibition. It sat there, apparently lifeless, until 1850. One day, a curator named William Baird noticed something odd. There was a bit of moisture on the cardboard near the snail's shell, suggesting it might not be dead after all. Baird carefully removed the snail from the card and placed it in a bowl with a little warm water. To the astonishment of the museum staff, the snail slowly emerged from its shell. It had survived the entire time without food or water in a state of deep torpor. The snail was given a new home in a glass jar and became a minor celebrity. It lived for another two years on a diet of fresh cabbage leaves.

Thirty-Five ABC Blocks

 

Our daffodils bloomed early this year. They were lovely in late February, but they’re long gone now. The tulips we bought three years ago have been fruitful and multiplied, and they’re putting on a really impressive show. That’s surprising, because I know squirrels LOVE to munch on tulip bulbs, and we have so many hungry squirrels. The tulips may have survived because we planted them side by side with flowers the squirrels don’t like. Daffodils have lycorine, a toxin that squirrels tend to avoid. Allium – those tall flowers that look like balls on sticks – aren’t toxic, but they have a bitter taste and pungent aroma that squirrels dislike. Other flowers that drive away squirrels are hyacinth, anemone, Dutch iris, star of Bethlehem, lily of the valley, winter aconite, grape hyacinth, snowdrop, Siberian squill, glory-of-the-snow and fritillaria. I'm told onion and garlic will keep the squirrels away, too. It's worth trying.

A New Turning Point

 

“In moments of pain, loneliness, or confusion, we know that our Heavenly Father and His Beloved Son are aware of our circumstances and that They yearn to bless us.” – President Henry B. Eyring

"From the beginning of time God has taught his children to put him first in their lives. Jesus Christ is the perfect example of how to put God first in our lives.” – Elder Jorge T. Becerra 

“In a spiritual context, enduring is far more than merely persevering tenaciously to complete demanding duties or challenges.” – Elder David A. Bednar

“When we minister, we are helping to answer each other’s prayers. We are the Savior’s hands.” – Kristin M. Yee

"It isn't really where we serve, but how, that matters to the Lord. He needs you, and He needs me. Life is better, everything is better, when we are about His business.” – Elder Patrick Kearon

Four Chain Blocks

 

Cherry Pie Bars

 

3 cups flour

1 tablespoon sugar

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup cold butter, cubed

1 egg

1/2 cup cold water

1 tablespoon vinegar

6 cups pitted cherries

1 cup sugar

1/4 cup cornstarch

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

 

In a large bowl, sift together flour, sugar and salt. Cut in butter until it resembles small peas. In a smaller bowl, whisk together egg, water and vinegar. Combine with flour mixture until dough forms. Divide dough in half, flatten into discs, wrap and chill 30 minutes. Meanwhile, combine remaining ingredients in a saucepan. Cook over medium heat until thickened, about 10 to 12 minutes. Cool. Roll out half the dough to line bottom of 9x13” baking dish. Spread cherry filling over bottom crust. Roll out remaining dough and place over filling. Seal edges and cut some slits to release steam. Bake at 375F for 45 minutes. Cool before cutting into bars.

Forty-Nine Flags

 

I read Robert Louis Stevenson’s Treasure Island in my early teens. It left me with a burning desire to become a pirate. I knew this career might mean I’d end up with an eye patch, a peg leg or a hook. But those were small concerns compared with the promise of treasure and the lure of the open sea. Alas, my buccaneer dreams never saw fruition. Maybe I was just born too early. Since the fall of 2011, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology has offered a pirate certificate for undergraduate students who complete specific physical education courses, including archery, fencing, pistol shooting, and sailing. MIT is quick to point out the certificate is not a stand-alone credential and does not grant license to engage in piracy or related activities. The pirate program has a waitlist, but well over 300 students and alumni are already proud recipients. Matt Damon received an honorary certificate after the movie, The Martian.

Spring Checkerboard

 

If you’ve read Cheaper by the Dozen, or seen the 1950 movie, you know about Frank Gilbreth. But you don’t know Lillian’s story. Lillian and Frank were married in 1904. Together, they raised a dozen children. They also pioneered a field that is now known as industrial and organizational psychology. They studied how people do things in the workplace, and formulated ways to make work more effective. Frank’s focus was on mechanics; Lillian’s was on people: fatigue, error and human behavior. Frank died of a heart attack in 1924, leaving Lillian to support twelve children. Their clientele, assuming Frank was the brains of the operation, disappeared. So, Lillian turned her attention to productivity in the home. Lillian interviewed thousands of housewives to understand their needs. She invented the foot-pedal trash can. She rearranged refrigerator shelving to make it more ergonomically efficient. She designed the “kitchen work triangle” – stove, sink and fridge – still used in homes today.