Eighteen Floating Stars

 

Bnei Brak (it’s also spelled Bnei Beraq) is a city in Israel, east of Tel Aviv. Although it has been particularly hard-hit by the current pandemic, members of this ultra-Orthodox community have been reluctant to take advantage of the vaccines meant to fight it. According to Israel’s Health Ministry, only 17% of Bnei Brak’s residents had received the first of two doses. So municipal leaders decided to throw a party. All four of the city’s health providers opened their doors from 7:00 p.m. to midnight last Thursday. They enlisted the help of the city’s at-risk youth to ladle out big bowls of cholent (a hearty Jewish meat-and-bean stew), rolls, and drinks to anyone willing to be vaccinated. They called their creative immunization drive, “Green Night,” because they hope increasing the city’s immunity will allow it to become a “green zone” where life can begin to return to normal.

Sailboat

 

“In the Book of Mormon when Alma and his people were nearly crushed by the burdens placed upon them, the people pleaded for relief. The Lord didn’t take away their burdens; instead, He promised them: ‘I will ease the burdens which are put upon your shoulders, that even you cannot feel them upon your backs; and this will I do that ye may know of a surety that I, the Lord God, do visit my people in their afflictions. And now it came to pass that the burdens which were laid upon Alma and his brethren were made light; yea, the Lord did strengthen them that they could bear up their burdens with ease.’ I testify that Jesus Christ is our loving Savior, our Redeemer, the Master Healer, and our faithful friend. If we turn to Him, He will heal us and make us whole again.” - Cristina B. Franco

Sixteen Floating Stars

 

I seem to be writing a lot about owls lately. In late November, there was the tiny saw-whet owl who hitched a ride to the Big Apple in the branches of the Rockefeller Center’s Christmas tree. (That bird was rescued, rehabilitated and released in the wild.) Last month, the RSPCA removed a very greasy owl from a kitchen fan in York. (I haven’t yet heard the end of her story.) Yesterday it was a barred owl that had fallen down a chimney in Bolton, Massachusetts. When the home owners discovered an owl in their fireplace, they consulted MassWildlife. Wildlife rehabilitators were able to free the bird. As it hadn’t been damaged by the fall (or dehydrated after a long truck ride, or covered in kitchen grease), they were able to release it immediately. Owls have long been a symbol of wisdom, possibly because their large, fixed eyes give them a look of intelligence. It’s certainly not because they act smart.

Paddle Wheel

 

We eat a lot of eggs at our house, especially for breakfast. Most of them get poached or fried, but we also like scrambled eggs, shirred eggs, and omelets. Every now and then, I whip up a batch of egg muffins. They’re a bit more work, but the leftovers make tomorrow’s breakfast effortless. I coat six muffin cups with oil or melted butter, then divide three crisp, crumbled bacon slices between the six cups. I add a tablespoon of grated cheddar to each cup (Swiss or Wensleydale are good, too). Then I whisk together five eggs and a pinch of salt and pepper (sometimes I add a little Italian seasoning). I pour the egg mixture into the cups to fill them about 3/4 full. They bake at 400F for 15 to 20 minutes, or until they’re nearly set. We either eat them fresh out of the oven, or save them for an on-the-go breakfast later.

Thirteen Floating Stars

 

One of the reasons we chose this house is the large pond a few yards from our door. When we moved in, there was a swan in residence. If we walked around the pond, the ducks and geese would tail us, looking for a handout. But the swan stayed aloof, as far away as possible. We hadn’t lived here long before he got tangled in some fishing tackle and had to be rescued by animal services. He wasn’t returned to the pond, so we were left to wonder if he recuperated in a safer place. Either way, he’s probably gone now. The life expectancy of a swan in the wild is twelve years, and that was easily fifteen years ago. I was reminded of “our” swan when I found a story of a Turkish man who befriended a swan with a broken wing and has sheltered her ever since: for 37 years! Animals really do live longer when they’re well cared for.

Eighteen Crayon Stars

 

We saw Disney’s Onward in our local cinema last year, about a week before the pandemic shut everything down. Since then, we’ve seen Dolphin Reef, Elephant, Artemis Fowl, Hamilton, The One and Only Ivan, Mulan, Godmothered, Safety, and Soul from the relative comfort and safety of our own home, on Disney Plus. We’ve been enjoying The Mandalorian and WandaVision as well, but where Disney Plus really shines is their wealth of archived content: Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck cartoons from the 30’s and 40’s, and all those classic animated feature films. In a year devoid of vacations and our weekly trips to the movie theater, this streaming service has been almost our only entertainment outlet. (I’m not really sure you can count the drive-through car wash.) We plan to watch Flora and Ulysses, Raya and the Last Dragon, Luca, and maybe even The Jungle Cruise on Disney Plus when they premiere. Because this isn’t over yet.

Thirty-six Churn Dash Blocks

 

Idaho has been running a state lottery since 1989. Since then, it’s paid out more $2.6 billion in prizes to players. The lottery has earned Idaho roughly twice that much. Most of the money is used to support the public school system. The rest is put into the permanent building fund for state operated facilities like colleges and universities. Retailers receive a 5% commission on each ticket they sell, and they’re also given a percentage of the winnings from those tickets. So, the lottery also benefits local businesses. Yes, it’s a tax on the gullible. But someone has to win, right? Brad Moss, a business owner in Meridian has actually won six times. Last week hit his biggest jackpot: $250,000. He says he plans to use the money to fund his daughter’s future education. The IRS will take at least 25% of that, and Idaho will want at least 13% back. But he’ll still have some left over.