Four-Patch Chain Block

"'Thou shalt love thy wife with all thy heart, and shalt cleave unto her and none else.’ (Doctrine & Covenants 42:22) To my knowledge there is only one other thing in all scripture that we are commanded to love with all our hearts, and that is God Himself. Think what that means! This kind of love can be shown for your wives in so many ways. First and foremost, nothing except God Himself takes priority over your wife in your life–not work, not recreation, not hobbies. Your wife is your precious, eternal helpmate–your companion. What does it mean to love someone with all your heart? It means to love with all your emotional feelings and with all your devotion. Surely when you love your wife with all your heart, you cannot demean her, criticize her, find fault with her, or abuse her by words, sullen behavior, or actions." – President Ezra Taft Benson

One More Scotty Dog

The 30-foot Smokey Mountain waterfall at the North Carolina Aquarium was never meant to serve as a wishing well. But there’s just something about water – any water – that makes us want to toss coins in. The aquarium has been closed this year since early spring. To save money on electricity, they shut off the power to the waterfall. The stilled water revealed fifteen years of accumulated coins in all denominations. Aquarium staff collected twenty 5-gallon buckets full of change, which they cleaned, dried and cashed in for more than two thousand dollars. The money will go toward general care at the aquarium. Because even when there aren’t any guests, the tanks still need cleaning. And all those fish still have to eat. A couple thousand won’t solve the aquarium’s financial issues, but it will certainly help. And getting all those soggy pennies back into circulation won’t hurt the coin shortage, either.

Floating Star

O Star (the fairest one in sight),

We grant your loftiness the right

To some obscurity of cloud—

It will not do to say of night,

Since dark is what brings out your light.

Some mystery becomes the proud.

But to be wholly taciturn

In your reserve is not allowed.

Say something to us we can learn

By heart and when alone repeat.

Say something! And it says, ‘I burn.’

But say with what degree of heat.

Talk Fahrenheit, talk Centigrade.

Use language we can comprehend.

Tell us what elements you blend.

It gives us strangely little aid,

But does tell something in the end.

And steadfast as Keats’ Eremite,

Not even stooping from its sphere,

It asks a little of us here.

It asks of us a certain height,

So when at times the mob is swayed

To carry praise or blame too far,

We may choose something like a star

To stay our minds on and be staid.

-          Robert Frost

Checkerboard Doll Quilt

Winslow was a cat with a problem. The rescue tabby in South Philadelphia was seriously overweight. On the advice of her vet, Winslow’s human Kate started feeding him only prescribed amounts, twice a day. Winslow, as you might imagine, found his new diet horribly restrictive. He would wander through the house loudly proclaiming his frustration. Kate realized if she only fed him in the morning and the evening, she would never hear the end of it. She also noticed her cat was interested in a toy piano. So, she worked out a deal with Winslow. Kate now splits the day’s rations into smaller portions. When Winslow wants a snack, all he has to do is play a few notes. You can hear his “tunes” on YouTube and Spotify, but Winslow doesn’t care about that. He’s just happy to have a bit more control over his mealtimes. And the really good news? He’s gradually losing weight.

Sixty-four Arkansas Crossroads

By this time of the year, I’m usually hard at work getting my state fair challenge quilt finished before the deadline. Not this year. The quilt has binding and a label, but the competition is just another casualty of COVID-19. By now I’d have submitted at least two quilt tops for the hospital quilters, and they’d probably need a third. But the senior center where they sew has been closed since early March. I’d normally be looking forward to playing in an orchestra for a musical at the local Catholic school, to attending the Greek festival, to going on an autumn vacation, or preparing for a holiday recital. But I’m not. I know I should be making good use of all this extra time, but so many of the things I really enjoy doing have disappeared. I’m feeling restless, and I keep remembering a Thoreau quote: “As if you could kill time without injuring eternity.”

Monterrey Star

I’m still using fabric from my own stash – mostly. I’ve actually been inside a quilt shop a few times since March. The first time, there were so many customers and so few masks. I panicked and skedaddled. Another time I meant to buy some yardage, saw the line at the cutting table, and purchased a spool of thread instead. I’ve had these pretty colors nearly a year. They were a gift from a friend who’s decided she hasn’t time (or maybe patience) for piecing. I wanted to use them in a medallion quilt – something like the one in the movie “The BFG.” It took a while, but I finally settled on a pattern called “Monterrey Medallion” by Atkinson Designs. I thought it was an odd spelling for the lovely place on the rocky California coast. But Monterrey – with two R’s – is a mountain city in Mexico. If I need more background fabric to finish this, I’ll buy it online.

Forty-nine Arkansas Crossroads

“The Book of Mormon describes the power and resurrection of Christ in terms of two restorations. First, resurrection includes physical restoration of our proper and perfect frame; even a hair of the head shall not be lost. This promise gives hope to those who have lost limbs; those who have lost ability to see, hear, or walk; or those thought lost to relentless disease, mental illness, or other diminished capacity. He finds us. He makes us whole. A second promise is that, spiritually, all things shall be restored to their proper order. This spiritual restoration reflects our works and desires. Because He knows ours pains, afflictions, sicknesses, our temptations of every kind, He can, with mercy, succor us according to our infirmities. Because God is just God, the plan of mercy can appease the demands of justice. We repent and do all we can. He encircles us eternally in the arms of his love.” – Elder Gerrit W. Gong