The hows and whys of our national holidays have maybe never have been as important as they are now. We must remember the significant events of the past as our history is challenged and in some cases, erased or rewritten by scheming individuals and organizations. Our collective identity is built on a foundation of courage, sacrifice and honor. Memorial Day is the perfect time to remember who we are and were we came from.

Memorial Day began as a commemoration of the soldiers who fought and died in America’s Civil War. It was a terrifyingly brutal military engagement. Besides the fact that fathers were fighting their sons and brothers against brothers, the casualties were so great that the total of fallen soldiers in all of the others wars we have fought do not equal the number who died fighting in the Civil War, now thought to be close to 750,000.

Arlington National Cemetery has its roots firmly planted in the Civil War. When General Robert E. Lee was leading the Confederate forces, the Union generals began burying their dead in the kitchen garden of Lee’s family’s plantation. At the end of the war, the Union confiscated Lee’s plantation as war reparations and turned it into Arlington National Cemetery.

I’ve been teaching this week at Highland High School in Salt Lake City. My freshmen students have been creating “Letters to Your Senior Self,” a tradition at Highland. I was thinking about how my life changed during the next 3 years of high school. It occurred to me that when I was a freshman, some of the seniors graduating would be drafted and sent to fight in the Vietnam War. Nowadays, the seniors may be leaving for 2 years of church service, family vacations, their first jobs or time with a parent they see in the summer.

The poppy is a traditional symbol of Memorial Day. The story behind this icon can be found here. The poem “In Flanders Field” was originally penned about World War 1 but has become a Memorial Day classic too.

In Flanders Fields

BY JOHN MCCRAE
In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
    That mark our place; and in the sky
    The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
    Loved and were loved, and now we lie,
        In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
    The torch; be yours to hold it high.
    If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
        In Flanders fields.

Modern Memorial Day celebrations often feature the decorating of graves, both military and family, veteran speakers at special ceremonies and picnics and barbecues. We should take moment and teach our families about Memorial Day, the cost of freedom and pay our respects to those who have paid the price. When you add the facts that 750,000 lives were given to end slavery, it’s not hard to see that America is not a racist nation.

Here is a delicious dessert to share with your loved ones as we honor the heroes of our nation this Memorial Day.

My sister Cindy gave us a Cuisinart ice cream maker for Christmas a couple of years ago. We adapted this recipe using theirs for basic vanilla ice cream. Ours calls for freezing the container for 24 hours before using. Follow the preparation instructions for your ice cream maker.

Coconut Nut Ice Cream

In a large mixing bowl combine the following ingredients, refrigerate overnight:

1 C milk ( the recipe calls for whole but we have been happy using our 1%)

2/3 C granulated sugar

pinch of salt

2 C heavy cream

1 TBSP coconut extract

The next day, place in the frozen Cuisinart ice cream maker bowl, attach paddle and turn on. After the ice cream mixture has processed about 20 minutes, add

1 C shredded sweetened coconut

1 C salted mixed nuts

Continue processing until mixture starts to harden. Place in freezer for a few minutes until it sets up. Makes 10 – 1/2 C servings.

HAPPY MEMORIAL DAY AND THANK YOU TO ALL WHO HAVE SERVED AND SACRIFICED.

I was going to write about the hours that Moms spend caring for their families, like the 21,900 meals they cook in the 20-ish years of rearing each child.

Or the 52,000 pieces of clothing and accoutrements they provide, launder and replace in a never-ending cycle.

But instead, I decided to take an excerpt from my A Holiday Handbook and share a few creative ideas, I’m going to do a few of these for my Mom.

DECOR AND CENTERPIECE

            Create an arrangement or bouquet of Mom’s favorite fresh cut flowers or make a French floral basket with potted flowers that she can transplant to her garden later

            Showcase Mom’s talents by displaying quilts. paintings, family records, flowers from her garden, photos of Mom and Dad, family and friends

            Enjoy the shade of a market umbrella for outdoor events

            Mom’s favorite selections: colors, flowers, china and background music

            Thank Mom for all the love and time and resources she shared with you. Tell her specifically what you remember and appreciate.

            Ask mom for your favorite recipes if you haven’t copied them yet.

            Make a quilt featuring her favorite things and colors. Write notes on blank squares; love will keep her warm!

            Present her with tickets to a favorite concert or play. Take her to a gallery or museum. Or give a gift certificate to a favorite store.

          

  Collect stories about the women in your family, print them and present them to the girls for inspiration and to strengthen loving bonds.

            How well do you know your Mom’s story? Copy the following questionnaire and hand it out to family and friends; have Mom give her answers. How well do you know your Mom?

Have Mom and significant women fill in the following questionnaire.

ALL ABOUT MOM

Your favorite color

Favorite flower

About your birth

What you loved to do with your Mom

Your Dad

Your favorite relatives (and why)

Values they instilled in you

Favorite childhood activities

Family trips

Books you loved

Who were your heroes?

Your dreams?

Your brothers and sisters

Childhood home

Your grandparents

Memories of church

Your favorite teacher in elementary school (and why)

Your favorite holiday (and why)

Your favorite subjects in high school

Some popular songs

Did you play sports, act, write or….

What you did with your friends

Your first job

Your first car

Your first boyfriend

How you he met my father

Why they picked my name

About college

Your accomplishments

Service to God

Service in the community

Your favorite vacation

People you’ve known

Places you’ve been

Your favorite president

Your favorite music

Your adult dreams

Your favorite game

Favorite scripture story

Favorite books

Favorite television and movies

Things you wished you’d done differently

Your passions

Your hobbies

What you’d like to do.

Life’s lessons

Here’s a delicious Mother’s Day meal to celebrate the love you share.

MENU

Serve her favorite foods or enjoy this traditional luncheon menu

Croissant Chicken Salad Sandwiches

            Bake, skin and cube

16 chicken breast halves

            Add

1 15 oz can crushed pineapple, drained

6 stalks celery, chopped

1 bunch grapes, halved

2 C light mayonnaise

1 C vanilla yogurt

1/4 C frozen orange juice concentrate

salt and pepper to taste

            Chill until serving time. Scoop generous amounts onto

16 croissants, split almost through

            Garnish with

leafy green lettuce

Fruit with dip or chocolate fondue; offer pineapple, strawberries, melon cubes, grapes, orange wedges, raspberries, kiwi, banana chunks, coconut macaroons

Fruit Dip

            Mix together

8 oz light cream cheese

7 oz marshmallow cream

orange juice to thin to desired consistency

            Chill until time to serve

Wild Rice Salad

            Cook with 2 C. of water and enclosed seasonings:

2 boxes Uncle Ben’s long grain and wild rice mix (don’t use instant)

                        Cool, set aside.

Mix salad ingredients except avocados and pecans. Combine with dressing, refrigerate 2 – 4 hours. Before serving add avocados, pecans and serve on a bed of torn lettuce.

8 green onions, chopped

6 oz. sugar snap peas, ends removed

4 med. avocados, diced

2 C pecans, chopped and toasted (350* – 7 min)

1 red peppers, chopped

2 stalks celery, sliced

Dressing, combine in food processor

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 1/2  TBSP Dijon mustard

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp sugar

1/2 tsp pepper

1/2 C. seasoned rice wine vinegar

1/2 C vegetable oil

2 lemons, juiced

May be made a day ahead.

Honey Lemonade

            In a saucepan, stir over medium heat until combined :

Juice of 10 lemons (about 2 1/2 C)

1 C honey

            Cool, add       

12 C water

            Serve over ice with sliced lemons

Rich and Easy Fondue

            Melt over low heat, stirring constantly

16 oz. chocolate chips or chunks

            Whisk in

1 1/2 C whipping cream

            Serve warm with fruit and coconut macaroons, ice cream, shortbread or other cookies

Happy Mother’s Day!

I’ve shared this before but in reaction to a ridiculous political move to reduce the role of Mother’s to “birthing persons,” here is a tribute to the actions, duties and love that follow “birth.”

To Mother, Grandmother,Aunt,Sister, friend and precious women

Who give life,

nurture and give joy.

Who bled and fed and hid Easter eggs,

and wrapped gifts and dyed Halloween costumes.

Who took me to the zoo

and Disneyland,

and grew pumpkins,

and taught me to play chess

and feed my babies.

Who taught me to write thank you notes

And have good manners

and remember birthdays

and ancestors(and love them).And gave me crayons

and dolls

and retainers

and fishnet nylons

and a radio to take to the beach.

Who took me to visit my grandparents

and on road trips

and swimming

and had a barbecue.

Who taught me to pray

and love

and find joy

and set a beautiful table.

And to watch out for little ones,

and spell correctly,

and feed stray kittens,

and read books.

And to try,

and fail,

and try again.

Who found our great grandfathers were kings

and great grandmothers were queens.

Who took pictures,

and listened as I learned to read,

and filled a piñata.

And eat Thanksgiving at the beach like Pilgrims,

and go on bike rides,

and read Luke on Christmas Eve,

and sing carols,

and find treats in my stocking.

To share with those in need,

and love art and beauty,

and wear bows in my hair

and shoes that fit,

and remember God and go to church.

Who sewed clothes,

and prayed for soldiers,

and firemen,

and missionaries,and me.

Who baked cakes

and arranged flowers,

and made 20,000 meals,

and made me brush my teeth.

And bought sugar sticks,

and made drawings,

and bread,

and Beef Stroganoff.

And soothed wounded hearts,

and took us to movies,

and to the woods,

and the sea.

And played

and prayed

and gave time

and love

and life.

Thank you.

We were still reeling from Pandemic 2020 and the outlook for many aspects of life was rather bleak. We said goodbye to loved ones unexpectedly, watched aghast at political chaos, inner-city violence and destruction then waited in lines for the miracle vaccine. Toilet paper reappeared on store shelves, but anti-viral wipes didn’t. School was in , then out, then in, then out, the economy sagged, rebounded and the market is doing who-knows-what.

And in the midst of the uncertainty and unrest – love bloomed. They met at church and after talking for a bit found they had a lot in common. They started planning dates featuring their interests and with so much of the culture in lock down; they played a lot of games. Board games, card games, re-enactments, espionage, target shooting, knife throwing and during all of this realized that they were a match made in heaven. He would somehow know when she needed a sympathetic ear, she gave him good advice and a caring heart.

And so he designed an engagement ring and had it handmade for her. And she starting arranging bouquets of dried flowers. And despite the quarantine and chaos, loved bloomed. On a beautiful morning in April, they traveled to God’s House and were sealed as husband and wife for time and all eternity.

And so their happily ever after began. I’ll add more photos later but you can see that through it all love bloomed.

The history of our Lord Jesus Christ was eloquently recorded by Luke, a physician. In his book in the Holy Bible’s New Testament, the 23rd chapter Luke shares (from LDS.org):

CHAPTER 23

Jesus is taken before Pilate, then to Herod, and then to Pilate again—Barabbas is released—Jesus is crucified between two thieves—He is buried in the tomb of Joseph of Arimathæa.

1 And the whole multitude of them arose, and led him unto Pilate.

2 And they began to accuse him, saying, We found this fellow perverting the nation, and forbidding to give tribute to ^aCæsar, saying that he himself is Christ a ^bKing.

3 And Pilate asked him, saying, Art thou the King of the Jews? And he answered him and said, Thou sayest it.

4 Then said Pilate to the chief priests and to the people, I find no ^afault in this man.

5 And they were the more fierce, saying, He stirreth up the people, teaching throughout all Jewry, beginning from Galilee to this place.

6 When Pilate heard of Galilee, he asked whether the man were a Galilæan.

7 And as soon as he knew that he belonged unto Herod’s jurisdiction, he sent him to Herod, who himself also was at Jerusalem at that time.

8 ¶ And when Herod saw Jesus, he was exceeding glad: for he was desirous to see him of a long season, because he had heard many things of him; and he hoped to have seen some ^amiracle done by him.

9 Then he questioned with him in many words; but he ^aanswered him nothing.

10 And the chief priests and ^ascribes stood and vehemently accused him.

11 And Herod with his men of war set him at nought, and ^amocked him, and arrayed him in a gorgeous robe, and sent him again to Pilate.

12 ¶ And the same day Pilate and Herod were made friends together: for before they were at enmity between themselves.

13 ¶ And Pilate, when he had called together the chief priests and the rulers and the people,

14 Said unto them, Ye have brought this man unto me, as one that perverteth the people: and, behold, I, having examined him before you, have found no fault in this man touching those things whereof ye accuse him:

15 No, nor yet Herod: for I sent you to him; and, lo, nothing worthy of death is done ^aunto him.

16 I will therefore chastise him, and release him.

17 (For of necessity he must ^arelease one unto them at the feast.)

18 And they cried out all at once, saying, Away with this man, and release unto us Barabbas:

19 (Who for a certain sedition made in the city, and for ^amurder, was cast into prison.)

20 Pilate therefore, willing to release Jesus, spake again to them.

21 But they cried, saying, ^aCrucify him, crucify him.

22 And he said unto them the third time, Why, what evil hath he done? I have found ^ano cause of death in him: I will therefore chastise him, and let him go.

23 And they were ^ainstant with loud voices, ^brequiring that he might be ^ccrucified. And the voices of them and of the chief priests prevailed.

24 And Pilate gave sentence that it should be as they ^arequired.

25 And he released unto them him that for sedition and ^amurder was cast into prison, whom they had desired; but he delivered Jesus to their will.

26 And as they led him away, they laid hold upon one Simon, a Cyrenian, coming out of the country, and on him they laid the cross, that he might bear it after Jesus.

27 ¶ And there followed him a great company of people, and of women, which also bewailed and lamented him.

28 But Jesus turning unto them said, Daughters of ^aJerusalem, weep not for me, but weep for yourselves, and for your children.

29 For, behold, the days are coming, in the which they shall say, Blessed are the ^abarren, and the wombs that never bare, and the paps which never gave suck.

30 Then shall they begin to say to the ^amountains, Fall on us; and to the hills, Cover us.

31 For if they do these things in a ^agreen tree, what shall be done in the ^bdry?

32 And there were also two other, ^amalefactors, led with him to be put to death.

33 And when they were come to the place, which is called Calvary, there they crucified him, and the malefactors, one on the right hand, and the other on the left.

34 ¶ Then ^asaid Jesus, Father, ^bforgive them; for they know not what ^cthey do. And they parted his ^draiment, and cast lots.

35 And the people stood beholding. And the rulers also with them ^aderided him, saying, He saved others; let him save himself, if he be Christ, the ^bchosen of God.

36 And the soldiers also ^amocked him, coming to him, and offering him ^bvinegar,

37 And saying, If thou be the king of the Jews, save thyself.

38 And a superscription also was written over him in letters of Greek, and Latin, and Hebrew, THIS IS THE ^aKING OF THE ^bJEWS.

39 ¶ And one of the malefactors which were hanged ^arailed on him, saying, If thou be Christ, save thyself and us.

40 But the other answering rebuked him, saying, Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation?

41 And we indeed justly; for we receive the due ^areward of our deeds: but this man hath done nothing amiss.

42 And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom.

43 And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in ^aparadise.

44 And it was about the ^asixth hour, and there was a ^bdarkness over all the ^cearth until the ninth hour.

45 And the sun was darkened, and the veil of the temple was rent in the ^amidst.

46 ¶ And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, he said, Father, into thy hands I ^acommend my ^bspirit: and having said thus, he ^cgave up the ^dghost.

47 Now when the centurion saw what was done, he glorified God, saying, Certainly this was a ^arighteous man.

48 And all the people that came together to that sight, beholding the things which were done, smote their breasts, and returned.

49 And all his acquaintance, and the women that followed him from Galilee, stood afar off, beholding these things.

50 ¶ And, behold, there was a man named Joseph, a ^acounsellor; and he was a good man, and a just:

51 (The same had not consented to the counsel and deed of them;) he was of Arimathæa, a city of the Jews: who also himself waited for the kingdom of God.

52 This man went unto Pilate, and ^abegged the body of Jesus.

53 And he took it down, and wrapped it in linen, and laid it in a ^asepulchre that was hewn in stone, wherein never man before was laid.

54 And that day was the ^apreparation, and the sabbath drew on.

55 And the women also, which came with him from Galilee, followed after, and beheld the ^asepulchre, and how his body was laid.

56 And they returned, and prepared spices and ointments; and ^arested the sabbath day according to the commandment.

After the women returned to the tomb to annoint Christ’s body for burial, they found that he was not there.

CHAPTER 24

Angels announce the resurrection of Christ—He walks on the Emmaus road—He appears with a body of flesh and bones, eats food, testifies of His divinity, and promises the Holy Ghost—He ascends into heaven.

1 Now upon the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they came unto the ^asepulchre, bringing the spices which they had prepared, and certain others with them.

2 ^aAnd they found the stone rolled away from the sepulchre.

3 And they entered in, and found not the body of the Lord Jesus.

4 And it came to pass, as they were much perplexed thereabout, behold, two men stood by them in shining garments:

5 And as they were afraid, and bowed down their faces to the earth, they said unto them, Why seek ye the living among the dead?

6 He is not here, but is ^arisen: remember how he spake unto you when he was yet in Galilee,

7 Saying, The Son of man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again.

8 And they remembered his words,

9 And returned from the sepulchre, and told all these things unto the eleven, and to all the rest.

10 It was Mary Magdalene, and Joanna, and Mary the mother of James, and other women that were with them, which told these things unto the apostles.

11 And their words seemed to them as idle tales, and they believed them not.

12 Then arose Peter, and ran unto the sepulchre; and stooping down, he beheld the linen clothes laid by themselves, and departed, wondering in himself at that which was come to pass.

13 ¶ And, behold, two of them went that same day to a village called Emmaus, which was from Jerusalem ^aabout threescore furlongs.

14 And they talked together of all these things which had happened.

15 And it came to pass, that, while they ^acommuned together and reasoned, ^bJesus himself drew near, and went with them.

16 But their eyes were ^aholden that they should not know him.

17 And he said unto them, What manner of communications are these that ye have one to another, as ye walk, and are sad?

18 And the one of them, whose name was ^aCleopas, answering said unto him, Art thou only a stranger in Jerusalem, and hast not known the things which are come to pass there in these days?

19 And he said unto them, What things? And they said unto him, Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, which was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people:

20 And how the chief priests and our rulers delivered him to be condemned to death, and have crucified him.

21 But we trusted that it had been he which should have redeemed Israel: and beside all this, to day is the third day since these things were done.

22 Yea, and certain women also of our company made us astonished, which were early at the sepulchre;

23 And when they found not his body, they came, saying, that they had also seen a vision of angels, which said that he was alive.

24 And certain of them which were with us went to the sepulchre, and found it even so as the women had said: but him they saw not.

25 Then he said unto them, O ^afools, and slow of ^bheart to ^cbelieve all that the prophets have spoken:

26 Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory?

27 And beginning at ^aMoses and all the ^bprophets, he ^cexpounded unto them in all the ^dscriptures the things concerning himself.

28 And they drew nigh unto the village, whither they went: and he made as though he would have gone further.

29 But they constrained him, saying, Abide with us: for it is toward evening, and the day is far spent. And he went in to tarry with them.

30 And it came to pass, as he sat at meat with them, he took bread, and blessed it, and brake, and gave to them.

31 And their eyes were opened, and they knew him; and he vanished out of their sight.

32 And they said one to another, Did not our ^aheart ^bburn within us, while he ^ctalked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the scriptures?

33 And they rose up the same hour, and returned to Jerusalem, and found the eleven gathered together, and them that were with them,

34 Saying, The Lord is risen indeed, and hath ^aappeared to ^bSimon.

35 And they told what things were done in the way, and how he was known of them in breaking of bread.

36 ¶ And as they thus spake, Jesus himself ^astood in the midst of them, and saith unto them, ^bPeace be unto you.

37 But they were terrified and affrighted, and supposed that they had seen a spirit.

38 And he said unto them, Why are ye troubled? and why do ^athoughts arise in your hearts?

39 Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: ^ahandle me, and see; for a ^bspirit hath not ^cflesh and bones, as ye ^dsee me have.

40 And when he had thus spoken, he shewed them his hands and his feet.

41 And while they yet believed not for joy, and ^awondered, he said unto them, Have ye here any meat?

42 And they gave him a piece of a broiled fish, and of an honeycomb.

43 And he took it, and did eat before them.

44 And he said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be ^afulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me.

45 Then opened he their ^aunderstanding, that they might understand the scriptures,

46 And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it ^abehoved Christ to suffer, and to ^brise from the dead the third day:

47 And that ^arepentance and ^bremission of sins should be ^cpreached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.

48 And ye are ^awitnesses of these things.

49 ¶ And, behold, I send the ^apromise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be ^bendued with power from on high.

50 ¶ And he led them out as far as to Bethany, and he lifted up his hands, and blessed them.

51 And it came to pass, while he blessed them, he was parted from them, and ^acarried up into heaven.

52 And they worshipped him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy:

53 And were continually in the ^atemple, praising and blessing God. Amen.

Nearly 2,000 years later, the followers of Jesus Christ celebrate His ascendancy over death and wait for His return to reign as King of Kings.

St. Patrick’s Day is one of our favorite holidays. We love the green and magic, the legends and lore associated with the stories of one of our favorite Christian missionaries, the iminitable St. Patrick.

Our youngest son is getting married next month. As I’ve been introduced to his fiance’s style, I learned a new term COTTAGECORE. Lighter and more feminine than Boho, this lifestyle embraces the simpler life, a handmade aesthetic focusing on health and happiness above wealth and prestige.

Cottagecore is not a new phenom, it dates back to ancient Greece when city dwellers became enamored with the simpler life of the country folk. When I was a newlywed, prairie style and handmade just-about-everything were in. We cooked and baked from scratch, made clothes, quilts, gifts and dried flower arrangements and reared our own kids. I remember laying a freshly washed quilt on tall grass to dry.

Don’t forget to read good books; a well-read mind is a marvelous companion to the simple pleasures and lifestyle of Cottagecore.

Read how cloistered Irish priests saved the civilization of Western Europe in Cahill’s classic.

Take an painting class and enjoy the confidence and joy that come from creating art.

For St. Patrick’s Day treat your family and friends to this special roast corned beef – no soggy sodden meat on our table!

Our Delicious Celebratory Roast Glazed Corned Beef, Dijon Buttered Cabbage and Leprechaun Treasure Dessert

GLAZED CORNED BEEFThis is so tasty, you may never go back to old-school corned beef.    Preheat oven to 350. Place fat side up in a baking pan
1 corned beef brisket, rinsed, don’t use the spice packet
   Cover with foil, bake for 2 1/2 hours or until fork-tender. Drain, score with a knife,    stud with
whole cloves
   baste with
ginger ale
   brush on glaze, return to oven and bake for 30 – 40 minutes uncovered. Let cool for 15 minutes,
       slice across the grain

BROWN SUGAR MUSTARD GLAZE

   Stir together  
1/2 C prepared mustard
1/2 C + 2 TBSP brown sugar

                                                        DIJON-BUTTERED CABBAGE

    Cut in half, remove core and cut into 1/2″ slices
1 medium head of cabbage
    Steam covered for 6 to 8 minutes until crisp-tender, drain, drizzle with Dijon butter and season
    with sea salt and pepper.

DIJON BUTTER
   Melt
1/2 C butter
   Stir in
2 1/2  TBSP Dijon mustard

                                                       LEPRECHAUN TREASURE DESSERT

The leprechauns keep this hidden until the end of the meal for good reason. You might wish to dig out a Halloween cauldron to serve this dessert sprinkled with gold (chocolate) coins; this treasure has layers of rich chocolate goodness. You may wish to make your own or buy these ingredients:

1 pan of brownies (9″ x 13″ size)
1/2 gallon good-quality mint and chip ice cream
fudge sauce
whipped cream
shaved chocolate

BROWNIES

   Bake brownies according to package directions, then cool and break into large chunks

FUDGE SAUCE
   Warm in a sauce pan
1 1/2 C heavy cream
   Add and stir until melted
16 oz. milk chocolate chips or chocolate bars
1 tsp vanilla

WHIPPED CREAM

    In a chilled bowl, whip until soft peaks form
1 1/2 C heavy cream or whipping cream
1/4 C powdered sugar
1 1/2 tsp vanilla

ASSEMBLE LEPRECHAUN TREASURE DESSERT:

  In a cauldron or other container layer:
brownies
fudge sauce
ice cream
brownies
fudge sauce
ice cream
fudge sauce
whipped cream

Sprinkle with shaved chocolate and serve with gold coins

We owe St. Patrick’s day to pirates. Yes, pirates

Valentine’s Day from the Heart

The winter storms of 2021 not only kept my love and I apart on Valentine’s Day, but the chill/ separation also meant I had no access to my files, props and favorite images.

Now, back at home and enjoying time with my sweetheart (and stuff,) I felt like looking back at a fun Valentine’s celebration we enjoyed in 2017. From the archives, I give you

A Queen of Hearts Tea Party.

Recently I became a big fan of Tim Burton’s Alice Through the Looking Glass movie and in time for Valentine’s Day, Lewis Carroll’s Queen of Hearts came to mind. I started doing research to find out whether the Queen of Heart’s obsessive painting of white roses had any connection with Britain’s Lancaster/York War of the Roses in the 15^th Century. The Lancaster branch of the Plantagenet dynasty was represented by a red rose while the Yorks had a white rose. The not-so-civil war went on between the factions for 35 years until Henry Tudor of Lancaster claimed the throne and married Elizabeth of York, effectively turning the white roses red.

On a genealogical website, I learned that I was a 14^th great-granddaughter of Henry Tudor and so my research became more personal.  According to tradition, Henry and Elizabeth had a great love. She also loved the recently introduced French trend of playing cards (a little too much according to historians) and when she died following childbirth at the age of 37, according to legend, Henry had the image of the Queens of Hearts on all of playing cards in England made to look like her. 

It was not Elizabeth but her mother-in-law Margaret who had a penchant for eliminating enemies by removing their heads. Enough said.

Valentine’s Day is an enigmatic holiday. With pagan origins of fertility rituals at Lupercalia on February 15th, anything resembling the root words of Lu, Lugh or Lucifer always makes me uneasy. The pagan rituals included the sacrifice of dogs and goats; the goatskins were stripped and dipped in goat blood then used to flog hopeful young women wishing for love and fertility in the coming year. The names of eligible young women were gathered and drawn by bachelors with whom they would cohabit during the next season, the women probably hoping it would become a permanent arrangement. 

During the early part of the 5^thcentury, Pope Gelasius I combined Lupercalia and the day memorializing 3 Christian martyrs named Valentine who had been executed by Roman emperor Claudius II. Claudius had decided unmarried male soldiers made the best warriors and outlawed the performing of marriage for his troops. 

During the 2^nd and 3^rd centuries at least three Christian priests named Valentine secretly performed marriages and as a result were caught and executed. After being sainted by the Catholic Church, the name St. Valentine became synonymous with the celebration of love and the result, like Halloween, was a hybrid holiday with both charming and unfortunate sinister roots. 

 For centuries Valentine’s Day has been associated with love; it was thought that even birds paired off at Valentine’s Day. In medieval times, feasts included the lottery of love, like the pagans, except guests were paired for the duration of the party. The romantic parts were promoted by Chaucer and Shakespeare, and the holiday’s dark past was mostly forgotten. Now moderns woo one another with chocolate, flowers, candles and poetry (and occasional bling). Wishing to view the holiday from the glass half-full perspective, it may be appropriate to present a holiday tea party to celebrate love with the unfortunately dark roots hidden away from modern gaze. Let’s return to the warm and wonderful realm of love. While I adore the idea of romance, apparently the romantic love needed to narrow our ardor and launch us into exclusive pairs expands and evolves into a less-dramatic, more stable variety of love a few years after marriage. Factor in a few delightful children and love becomes a more inclusive emotion with community-building ability. 

Apparently only a small percentage of the population is involved in the explosive youthful pairing love at any given time and more of us live in the world of brotherly, familial affection so I choose to focus on that stage of love; with that in mind, A Queen of Heart’s Valentine’s Day tea party complete with warm red hearts seems like just the thing for a cold winter afternoon.

The crown is peeking out on the left side of the photo; you can make it for your own Liddells or guests on Valentine’s Day. The author of the Alice in Wonderland stories, Charles Dodson or Lewis Carroll as we know him, was inspired by the Liddell girls, especially Alice. One day as he and a friend were taking the girls in a boat down the Thames, he made up the stories to entertain them. Encouraged to write them down, he eventually had them published and they became a huge hit. 

Of course a Queen of Hearts tea requires crowns for each guest; these are inexpensive and easy to create. For each crown you will need

One  4” glittery red paper heart (buy or make from cardstock)

7 silver pipe cleaners 

Several heart rhinestones 

Craft glue or hot glue gun and glue sticks

For a large crown, twist together 2 pipe cleaners, leaving 3” tails at the twist. Bend each tail into a heart half and twist together. Repeat with a third and fourth pipe cleaner adjusting to fit the head of the wearer. Use a 5^th pipe cleaner to make an arch and attach to the front of the crown. Attach the heart to the front arch using a hot glue gun then add two smaller arches that are glued to the front of the heart and the crown side . Curl the ends of the pipe cleaners and add sparkly rhinestones.   

The British are known for their iconic afternoon teas even though tea parties may have originating in France. A formal tea consists of 3 courses which may be creatively arranged on a 3-tier serving piece. On the lowest plate is the first course: finger sandwiches, and savory appetizers. The second tier contains warm scones, clotted cream (a decadent cross between butter and whipped cream) and preserves.  On the top tier are a variety of pastries, cakes, shortbread and fruit. For American tastes, try adding chocolate-dipped strawberries and clever little footed dishes filled with Valentine’s candy, truffles and nuts.

Of course a Valentine’s tea needs tea, we like a good herbal tea. Or for non-tea drinkers, a cup of tea minus the tea equals lemon and sugar or lemonade. Add pureed strawberries and strawberry hearts for a delicious pink drink to serve in porcelain tea cups with labels that read “drink me.”

P.S. Happy anniversary Arizona! 105 years today. And Happy Galentine’s, Palentine’s and Single Awareness Day! Plus a little eye candy for you: https://www.pinterest.com/pammcmurtry/family-love-and-valentines-day/

I was surprised to find that my article for the Deseret News in Utah was published the week following Valentine’s Day (2017), but here it is; it was also picked up by newspaper websites in Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Iowa, Kentucky, Indiana and a newsfeed. 

http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865672254/Recipes-to-host-a-Queen-of-Hearts-tea-party-for-holiday-with-hearts.html?clear_cache=1

xoxoxoxoxoxoxox Happy Valentine’s Day xoxoxoxoxoxox

2020 has certainly been a year for the books, Orwell’s 1984 that is.

We recently sold our house in preparation to build a new home and moved into a rented house in Salt Lake City on Sunnyside Avenue near Newell’s work at the University of Utah. Sunnyside – that’s charming. The house was built in 1943 and other than having few electrical outlets in most rooms, no garbage disposal or dishwasher and being scented with an unmistakable old house musk, it is imbued with a certain vintage charm.

For years I have been collecting and creating Christmas decor with retro styling. I love me some 40’s, and 50’s mid-century illustrations and objects and guess what? They are right at home in our little house. For some reason living in a vintage house is comforting to me. It somehow helps me feel connected with my loved ones who have passed on.

This little snowman guards the gardening equipment until spring returns again.

A gingerbread cottage I created for a Long Island Pulse article.

Our tall bookcases were relegated to the main floor giving me lots of places to display favorite Christmas decorations.

My grandmother’s dresser holds gifts awaiting bows and tags.

Our living room had just enough space for a small tree that we displayed on an end table.

A built-in hutch was the perfect spot to place a few more favorite things.

I hung this little quilt I made for my grandmother way back in 1989. My aunt returned it to me after my beloved Mimie passed. Poignant to me this year as we are housing my elderly Mom whose time with us seems like it may be short.

We hope you had a wonderful Christmas and holiday season. Even though the world is topsy-turvy right now, our faith in our Savior Jesus Christ gives us strength and hope.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

If the United States were a pieced quilt, I wish we could all snuggle and be warm. Imagine if all Americans were concerned about the welfare of their neighbors and strangers. Imagine if we looked for ways to help each other succeed instead of always competing. Imagine if bullying and marginalizing were replaced with humanitarian concern and care. Imagine.

This Halloween has a different feel to it. With all of the pandemic drama and sadness, I decided to focus on the positive: the traditions of the harvest. When BYU Radio contacted me with a request to share information about interior and exterior decorating I dug into my A Harvest and Halloween Handbook for ideas. Here are new projects and some old favorites.

Ancient and modern Israel enjoyed and still have a harvest celebration every year called Sukkot. Families construct sukkahs or temporary outdoor structures on their property where they dine, enjoy family time and a remembrance of their spiritual and cultural history.

Our celebration will be less elaborate but still handmade. This year we will have a family celebration with a Full Moon Country Fair theme. This moon from Pinterest was the inspiration.

I’m adding a scarecrow and country girl, lots of baskets, a bunch of silk cornstalks and our favorite games. I’ll share photos as I take them. In the meantime here are a few favorites to spark your imagination.

One of my favorite themes for children’s carnivals and parties is the pumpkin patch. My daughter, son, spouses and grandchildren and I go to a pumpkin patch to pick pumpkins on the years we don’t grow our own, it is so much fun hunting for the perfect pumpkin – big -or small, round or tall, we love them all! Here are photos of game set-ups you might be interested in trying.

This exterior decor was created the year I contributed to an article on economic outdoor decorating in US News and World Report. I couldn’t have a naked yard. This is a Wonderland tea party with invisible guests.

Stepping out of Wonderland, here are some creative country looks.

I wanted a rustic look to dress up my room, so I bought a Buffalo check throw and sewed on a torn rag garland and sheer ruffle.

Fine art can be dressed up or down and is always a good choice.

Here are a few favorites from Pinterest:

This is the script I had written for the BYU Lisa Show. With time constraints and friendly banter, we didn’t cover all of the information so I’m including it for you, My aesthetic as a designer is influenced by my experience as a mom and grandmother. I have degree in fine art and don’t like gory, super-scary Halloween décor, I focus instead on fun, bright and happy decorations. I love having smiling orange Jack-o-lanterns all over the house. I like black cats and bats, avoid snakes and spiders and look for ways to create comfort and welcoming environment. The idea from ancient Israel that the harvest is a time of Thanksgiving, rest and reconnection with family is important and I think can play a role in guiding our autumn activities and even decorating. If you do it right a lot of Halloween décor can transition to Thanksgiving.

So I was invited to share ideas for decorating inside and out. Here are a few of my favorite tips:

Have a welcoming entry; it sets the stage for other good things that are going on. One of the reasons Disneyland is the “Happiest Place on Earth” is their extensive use of themed décor. Experiencing novelty (something new) and humor causes our brain to release dopamine, a neurotransmitter that gives us good feelings. Which is why shopping and travel also are mood boosters.

Let’s explore some alternatives to spider webs and scary front porch décor.

Make a door greeter with a welcome sign. I like the original illustrations from the Wizard of Oz. Jack Pumpkinhead is one of my favorites.

A few years ago, I contributed to an article in US News and World Reports about economical decorating. I built a scene in my front yard from Alice Through the Looking Glass. It was a tea party with Alice, the Mad Hatter, a character in a pumpkin costume and a Cheshire Cat grin up in a tree. The twist was that they were all invisible. So I grabbed my grandkids’ table, hit a couple of thrift stores and  set the table for tea, it was surrounded by small chairs and in each chair was a 3-D costume with no head, face, arms or legs. There were hats and gloves and shoes arranged as if they were being worn but the people were invisible.  Children came into the yard and were so enthralled they forgot to come to the door for treats!

I think one of the biggest “bang for your decorating bucks” is outdoor lighting. Just putting colored lights around the yard elevates it to something special. You can make an up light or spotlight with a #10 can, a light socket with an extension cord.

• Don’t use flames or candles where children will be walking in costume, put away hoses and secure cords with tape
• Make luminarias with jars – add sand, candy corn, popcorn, dried black beans and candles
• Trees – hang mini pumpkins, strips of fabric, ribbon or mylar
• Cut eyeholes in tp rolls, insert light sticks and hide in bushes
• Re purpose a dollhouse for a scavenger hunt

In US News and World Report I described making a Wild West scene with “stuffed cowboys” around a fake campfire. Play sad cowboy songs, the sound of crickets, coyotes and night sounds.

Dig through your Christmas lights and find the flickering candle type, you can use green garlands with autumn leaves added, a cauldron from St Patrick’s Day. Make costumes for dolls, stuffed animals, use princess décor like magic wands, crowns, glass shoes, dragons, medieval and Wizard of Oz characters.

This year, Halloween night will have a full moon, a “blue moon” or Hunter’s moon. So I decided to theme my décor around the harvest and full moon. This Halloween will also be a little tricky because of the pandemic. The CDC has suggested that most public activities be cancelled or scaled back, so we are planning a family party in our yard.

MY BFF Mary discovered a world of crafters with you-tube channels that love dollar stores. So we went shopping and found wooden stars that we painted with glow-in-the dark paint and a cauldron of sparkly bats with ruby eyes! At a craft store I bought a giant wreath and covered it with fabric and painted a smiling moon face on.

A few more tips for Halloweenizing your home:

• Make a FAMILY TREE – urn, pot or bucket with branches stuck in rocks or sand. Copy photos of your kids in their costumes from past Halloweens and make into paper ornaments. Hang on the branches with Halloween ribbons, string and other Halloween objects.
• Fine art – grab some charcoal sticks and do a study of a skull, owl or other subject. I even have an old chair sketch that is one of my favorite drawings.
• Make an oil painting of a pumpkin (you can hang it until Thanksgiving)
• Autumn or vintage quilt. I made a quilt with large autumn print blocks and gathered some leaves outside. I traced the leaves onto brown paper and made templates that I dropped on the quilt and outlined where they landed with chalk and stitched them as part of the quilt.
• Bundles of wheat, dried grasses, sticks
• Lots of pumpkins, save one or two for Thanksgiving décor
• Cover pillows with autumn fabric, pin on or sew slipcovers.
• Make costumes
• Alter books – carve out center of the page and make a Halloween scene in the hollow part
• Pumpkin diorama, I’d use a fake pumpkin so I could keep it, glue Spanish moss around the opening, make a scene inside – use dollhouse pieces, fairy village or make items with bakeable clay
• Make sunflowers out of crepe paper, paper plates and paint or pipe cleaners
• Draw Jack-o-Lantern faces on tangerines and oranges with Sharpies.
• Paint rocks and put them around outside
• Make games for your Halloween party
• Make a wall hanging or mini quilt with a panel of Halloween fabric
• Fill a basket with scented pinecones and a string of lights to make a fragrant nightlight
• Children’s art
• Paper pennants and banners
• Brown paper tree
• Make spider web with black plastic trash bags
• Make a basket of silly old cats

FOOD CRAFTS

• Halloween gingerbread house
• Popcorn balls
• Decorate cookies and cupcakes

With the lingering drama of the pandemic and most travel out of the question I was not anticipating much fun this summer.

My daughter had other ideas. About to celebrate a milestone birthday, she decided a trip to a lake cabin would be a special treat – and right she was!

My youngest son and I were invited to meet the fam at Flathead Lake in Montana. Hubby had to work and Mom spent a few quality days with my sister in St. George. Tim and I made a pact not to discuss anything political and we had a great drive.

The journey from our northern Utah home took us through Idaho, Falls that is. First stop THE BEES KNEES, a quaint little pub started by 2 sisters who wanted to serve “fancy food.” Oh my goodness. If you are anywhere near Idaho Falls you must make a beeline there.

We started our culinary adventure with a bacon-crusted baked Brie topped with a raspberry coulis, blackberries, strawberries, crushed honey comb, a Balsamic reduction and other delicacies. This would have been perfect all by itself but we persisted and were amply rewarded. Try it! https://www.beeskneespub.com/

I had never visited Yellowstone National Park, so that was our next stop. I am now a permanent fan of the US National Parks, it was an outstanding place; an unforgettable mixture of science and nature.

Next stop Flathead Lake.

The sunset over the lake was amazing every day. There was always something new to admire.

We spent a lot of time in the pristine, clear water.

We hiked at Glacier National Park in Montana, another national treasure.

More cookouts and a celebration of the birthday girl.

There’s nothing like a week at the lake to clear your head and heal your heart. Until next time!