Thirteen Crayon Stars

Oh, to be in England now that April's there,

And whoever wakes in England sees, some morning, unaware,

That the lowest boughs and the brushwood sheaf

Round the elm-tree bole are in tiny leaf,

While the chaffinch sings on the orchard bough in England - now!

And after April, when May follows, and the whitethroat builds, and all the swallows!

Hark, where my blossomed pear-tree in the hedge leans to the field and scatters on the clover

Blossoms and dewdrops - at the bent spray's edge -

That's the wise thrush; he sings each song twice over,

Lest you should think he never could recapture the first fine careless rapture!

And though the fields look rough with hoary dew, all will be gay when noontide wakes anew

The buttercups, the little children's dower - Far brighter than this gaudy melon-flower!

– Robert Browning

Scrappy Checkerboard

"When I was young, I thought that feasting was simply having a big meal with rice, sushi, and soy sauce. I now know true feasting is more than enjoying a delicious meal. It is an experience of joy, nourishment, celebration, sharing, expressing love to families and loved ones, communicating our thanksgiving to God, and building relationships while enjoying abundant, incredibly delicious food. I believe when we feast upon the words of Christ, we ought to be thinking of the same kind of experience. Feasting upon the scriptures is not just reading them. It should bring us real joy and build our relationship with the Savior. I bear testimony that feasting upon the words of Christ can happen at any time and on any occasion if we prepare our hearts to receive them. Feasting upon the words of Christ will bring life-sustaining revelation, reaffirm our true identity and worth before God as His child, and lead our friends unto Christ and everlasting life." - Takashi Wada

San Diego

I haven’t loved all the patterns in this year’s Quilt Etc. Block-of-the-Month class. I thought October’s “Steps to Glory” and February’s “Jig-Jog Puzzle” were clumsy and inelegant. This month’s “Old Maid’s Puzzle” (April 24 and 25) bothered me from the moment I first saw it. I didn’t like the way the little hourglass sub-blocks in the corners sat, and something about the “Hole-in-the-Barn-Door” center looked unbalanced somehow; out of perspective. For a short while I contemplated substituting a “Churn Dash” or “Dragon’s Head” in its place, but then I settled on a “Sawtooth Star” instead. I love the way the little red star in the center echoes larger pink star. I flipped the hourglasses in the corners so they’d do more of the same, like little ripples in a pond. Suddenly the block I disliked has become my very favorite. I looked it up in my block books and found I even like the name.

Another Fresh Start

Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy started working together onstage and in films dating back to the 1920s, but by the time they made it to Ireland in 1953 their careers were waning. Irish fans didn’t know (or very much care) that the duo had fallen out of favor with Hollywood, and when they arrived in Cobh, Ireland on the deck of the SS America in September 9, 1953, the city rang out its bells in jubilation. The bell-ringers weren’t just swinging the bells in random arcs or circles the way church bells are generally rung to celebrate weddings. They actually played “The Dance of the Cuckoos,” Laurel and Hardy’s theme song. When the comedians disembarked they were mobbed with fans, but the first thing the comedians wanted to do was head off to the church so they could think the bell-ringers who had welcomed them to the country.

Old Maid's Christmas

If you plan to serve bacon to a crowd, the best way to cook it is in your oven. Preheat the oven to 400F. Take a large baking sheet (mine’s a jelly roll pan – 12x17”) and line it with foil. If you like extra-crispy bacon, or if you want to crumble it later, say, over soup or a salad, put a cooling rack atop the foil. Fill the pan (or rack) with a single layer of thick-sliced bacon. Bake about 20 minutes, checking frequently. Remove when it’s ALMOST as done as you like; it will keep cooking a moment or two after it’s out of the oven. Let the bacon grease in the foil cool completely, then place it in the rubbish bin. Never pour bacon grease down the drain. Serve in a warm paper towel-lined slow cooker. Be sure to make a lot more bacon than you think you need. No matter what else you’re serving, the bacon will always disappear first.  

Old Maid's Puzzle

“Mama” Lee Wachtstetter loved to travel with her husband. “Mason was a banker and real estate appraiser,” she says. “He taught me to love cruising. During our 50-year marriage we did 89 cruises together.” She kept cruising after Mason passed away. Over the years she’s been to nearly every country with a port. When her daughter and many of her Fort Lauderdale friends had also passed, she made a bold decision. She sold her house, her car, and most of her possessions. She’s been cruising ever since. Since 2008 her home has been the Crystal Serenity, a ship that holds 1,070 passengers and a crew of 655. Mama Lee still chats with her family. “I’d talk to them twice a day, so long as I don’t have to be there.” She seldom disembarks. “When everybody goes ashore it’s so quiet and I have the whole ship for myself.” She’s even published a book: “I May Be Homeless but You Should See My Yacht.”

Fresh Christmas

John’s not doing keto anymore, and we’re all relieved. I remember something a cardiologist said last September when asked about the ketogenic diet. He replied that people who eat keto will still die, just like the rest of us. But they'll have a miserable time getting there. I’m thinking of serving this May 5. If anyone’s dieting then, I’ll skip the brown sugar.

Mexican Chicken

4 pounds chicken breasts

1 cup medium chunky salsa

6 tablespoons brown sugar

2 four-ounce cans mild diced chilies

2 14.5-ounce cans diced tomatoes

2 tablespoons chili powder

1 to 2 teaspoons salt

2 teaspoons EACH ground cumin, garlic powder and onion powder

1 teaspoon EACH smoked paprika, oregano, and pepper

2 teaspoons liquid smoke

Load ingredients into slow cooker. Cover and cook on low 6-8 hours or high 2-3. Shred chicken (Did you know you can do this with a stand mixer?) and return to pot for another 20 minutes. Serve with corn tortillas or rice.