Three-Inch Shoo-Fly Block

 

My youngest grandchild loves chicken, fried or grilled, as long as she has plenty of catsup to dip it in. I learned a long time ago not to take offense at such things. At least she’s eating.

 

Greek-style Grilled Chicken Thighs

 

3 cloves garlic, minced

Juice from 1 lemon

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 teaspoons dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

Salt and pepper to taste

6 boneless skinless chicken thighs (1 1/2 to 2 pounds)

 

Whisk together all ingredients except chicken in a shallow bowl. Add thighs and turn to coat. Cover and refrigerate 2 to 8 hours. Drain chicken, discarding marinade. Grill on high heat, turning occasionally, until no longer pink; about 10 minutes. Serve with chopped parsley, lemon wedges, and a drizzle of olive oil. Unless, of course, your guests prefer catsup.

Thirteen Jewel Boxes

 

I bought a bag of avocados a week ago. Avocados are available all year, but are seldom such a nice price. They were large, but very unripe. I assumed I’d have no trouble using them. I didn’t count on them all ripening at exactly the same time. The moment the flesh under their stems turned pale green, we ate one and froze the rest. I’ve heard you can freeze whole and mashed avocado, but I’ve never done it. I’ve frozen halves by painting cut sides with lemon juice and wrapping them before sticking them in the freezer. This batch I peeled, pitted and cut into chunks. I sprinkled the chunks with lemon, arranged them on silicone mats, and froze them for an hour. Then I popped them into freezer bags, labeled them and stuck them back in the freezer. Now I can thaw what I need for avocado toast, guacamole, whatever. Best of all, none of it was wasted!

Fool's Square

 

It was thirty-five years ago – 1987 – the first time we had solid evidence that human activity was having a negative impact on global weather. There was a hole in the ozone layer, caused by the use of gases like chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) in spray cans and refrigerants. The ozone layer is there to protect us from harmful ultraviolet radiation from the sun, and here we were blowing it to smithereens. All 197 members of the United Nations signed the Montreal Protocol to reduce the emission of these chemicals. It’s the only time in history a treaty received unanimous participation. And it’s working. Atmospheric concentrations of refrigerants have fallen by 50%, and they’re continuing to fall. The hole in the ozone is actually decreasing. NOAA estimates the ozone layer will be completely healed by the year 2070. I won’t be around to celebrate, but my grandkids might. And that’s really good news.

Nine Jewel Boxes

 

Opportunity, also known as MER-B (for Mars Exploration Rover B) left planet Earth July 7, 2003. Its mission was primarily to determine the composition of rocks and unconsolidated rocky material, and to search for evidence there was once water on Mars. Opportunity was expected to be operational 90 sols (almost 93 earth days), but like the title character in Pixar’s Wall-E, it kept recharging its solar batteries, going dormant during dust storms, and doggedly pursuing its mission. For fourteen years! MER-B did eventually find proof of Martian water. The folks at NASA referred to MER-B as “she” and nicknamed her “Oppy.” When Oppy failed to respond in 2018, NASA engineers spent the next eight months sending her wake up calls. Their last message to her was a song: “I’ll Be Seeing You” by Billie Holiday. That’s what humans do. We get hopelessly attached, even to inanimate objects. And when words can’t express how we feel, we turn to music.

Economy Block

 

“I invite you to consider ways you can love, share, and invite. As you do, you’ll feel a measure of joy knowing you’re heeding the words of our beloved Savior. What I’m urging you to do is not a new program. You’ve heard these principles before. These three things are merely an extension of who we already are as disciples of Jesus Christ. No name badge or letter is required. No formal calling is needed. As these three things become a natural part of who we are and how we live, they will become an automatic, unforced expression of genuine love. Like those disciples of Christ who gathered together to learn from Him in Galilee 2,000 years ago, we too can embrace the Savior’s charge and go into all the world preaching the gospel. As we love, share, and invite, we take part in that great and glorious work that prepares the earth for the return of its Messiah.” – Elder Gary E. Stevenson

Four Jewel Boxes

 

“The head of a company survived 9/11 because his son started kindergarten. Another man is alive because it was his turn to bring donuts. One woman was late because her alarm clock didn’t go off. One missed a bus. One spilled food on her clothes and had to change. One went back to answer the phone. One had a child that dawdled. One couldn’t get a taxi. One that really struck me was the man who put on a new pair of shoes that morning. Before he got to the towers, he developed a blister on his foot. He stopped at a drugstore to buy a Band-Aid. That’s why he's alive today. Now when I’m stuck in traffic, or miss an elevator, I think to myself, maybe this is exactly where I should be at this very moment. Next time your morning seems to be going wrong, don’t get mad or frustrated. God may be watching over you.” – Source Unknown

Red and Blue Bear Claw

 

Sheldon Iowa, a city of 5,178 people about three and a half hours northwest of Des Moines, was founded in 1872. Today they’re celebrating their 150th anniversary with coffee and birthday cake. The original plan was to dig up a time capsule they buried fifty years ago, put the items that were inside on display, refill the time capsule with new items reflecting life in 2022, and bury it again. There’s only one slight problem. No one’s really sure where the time capsule was buried. They have a rough idea where to find it, but they thought digging willy-nilly and leaving their park pock-marked with holes might not be the best way to celebrate a sesquicentennial. So, they’ll leave off hunting for the time capsule until after the festivities are over. Then they’ll hire a company with an underground radar system: the same one that helped Sibley, Iowa find their lost time capsule earlier this year.