Nine-Patch Star

Need a holiday today? Have I got one for you! Today is Stay At Home Because You’re Well Day. I’ve read that one in four employers believe their employees occasionally call in sick when they really aren’t. I’m shocked the number is that low. It’s no fun to stay home when you’re actually sick. Who wants to spend the day coughing and sniffling? On the other hand, if you take a “mental health day” you could catch up on errands that otherwise might not get done. You could take down Thanksgiving (or Halloween) decorations and put up a Christmas tree. Do all your Christmas shopping on a weekday, while the stores are relatively hassle free. Treat yourself to a cup of hot chocolate with whipped cream. Or a new pair of shoes. You’ll go back to work tomorrow with a fresh outlook on life. And who knows? Maybe lowering your stress level now will mean you take fewer actual sick days later.

November

November is National Novel Writing Month, or NaNoWriMo for those of you who are saving your letters for something else. NaNoWriMo (that’s just so absurd, I had to write it twice) is an annual Internet-based writing project which asks contestants to write a 50,000-word novel between November 1st and 30th. That didn’t sound like much of a challenge until I started doing the math. It’s more than 1,600 words a day. I’ve barely written 3,000 words in my blog this entire month. Comparing my little daily page with a novel is a bit like comparing a nice manicure with the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. Besides, a novel needs things like a plot, a theme, a setting, compelling characters, a climax, etc. I never concern myself with any of those things. I simply write what amuses me. Is there a competition out there for that?

Hourglass

This very simple six-inch block is one of three or four dozen I made over the last month for a friend’s wedding quilt. The entire quilt calls for 144 identical Hourglass blocks, or twelve rows and twelve columns. If arranged so they all point in the same direction, the effect is one of rippling diagonal lines or furrows. But if you set them in alternating directions, they can create the illusion of X’s and O’s. They can also be placed in concentric diamonds, like a variation on the classic Log Cabin Barn Raising quilt. I love blocks like this. They’re a great way to use up tiny little scraps. They’re doable by even the most novice of patchwork piecers. In almost no time at all, you can whip up a big batch of them. And when you get enough of them together, the effect is just stunning.

Star of Bethlehem

Mormons don’t observe the Advent quite the way most other Christians do. We don’t light candles in our chapels (which is probably more about fire safety than theology). But as a musician I’ve participated in dozens of advent services in other churches, and I think it’s a lovely tradition. The advent wreath is an evergreen circle representing eternity. In the center is a tall white candle. Four candles are set in the greenery; three purple and one pink. On the first Sunday of the Advent, one purple candle is lit. Its name is Prophecy, after the prophets who foretold of Christ’s birth. Next week the Bethlehem or Love candle follows. The pink candle is third. It’s called the Shepherd’s candle or Gaudete, meaning “rejoice.”  The fourth candle, the Angel candle, is lit the Sunday before Christmas. On Christmas Eve the last candle is lit. It is the Christ candle, representing our Savior, the Light of the World.

Cut the Corners

It’s Black Friday, the official start of the Christmas shopping season. Here are some tips to help avoid overspending: 1) Make a plan. If you list who you shop for and what they like, you could begin shopping when the stores aren’t heaving with customers. It’s too late for this year, but 2012 will be here before you know it. 2) Set a limit. Decide before shopping that you won’t spend more than $50 (or whatever you decide) on any one person. Then stick to it. 3) Make gifts. Nothing bought in a store says “I love you” like a jar of homemade jam or a hand-knitted scarf. 4) Suggest that your family or coworkers draw names this year, so you shop for one nice gift instead of several lesser ones. 5) Give to someone less fortunate. Serve in a soup kitchen. Donate blood. Participate in a toy drive. No, it won’t stretch your holiday budget. But it can make what you have seem like more.

Arrowheads

T’was the night of Thanksgiving but I couldn’t sleep.
I tried counting backwards. I tried counting sheep.
The leftovers beckoned; the dark meat and white.
I fought the temptation with all of my might.
Tossing and turning with anticipation.
The thought of a snack became infatuation.
I raced to the kitchen, flung open the door,
And gazed at the fridge full of goodies galore.
I gobbled up turkey and buttered potatoes,
Pickles and carrots, beans and tomatoes.
I felt myself swelling, so plump and so round.
‘til all of a sudden I rose off the ground.
I crashed through the ceiling, floating into the sky,
With a mouthful of pudding and handful of pie.
I managed to yell as I soared past the trees
“Happy eating to all. Pass the cranberries, please!
May your stuffing be tasty, may your turkey be plump.
May your potatoes and gravy have nary a lump.
May your yams be delicious. May your pies take the prize,
And may your Thanksgiving dinner stay off of your thighs!

Maple Star

I wanted to make a Maple Star block, and I’ve been looking for something fun to post on National Cashew Day. This recipe seemed to combine the two nicely. I love Brussels sprouts steamed with a bit of melted butter. But even if you don’t, I’ll bet you’ll like this:

Roasted Maple Cashew Brussels Sprouts

1 1/2 pounds Brussels sprouts
3/4 cup cashews
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 cloves garlic, chopped
2 tablespoons maple syrup
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 tablespoon fennel seed
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
salt and pepper to taste

 Preheat oven to 400F. Wash and trim brussels sprouts. Coat baking pan with olive oil. Spread sprouts in pan, sprinkle with cashews and garlic. In a small bowl combine syrup, vinegar, sugar, nutmeg and fennel seed. Pour mixture over sprouts. Salt and pepper, then toss. Bake 30 minutes, tossing once or twice. Sprouts should be browned and just a bit crispy. Serve hot.