As usual, lots of stuff is happening. Don’t let the Middle East conflict distract you from other equally important things. There is still a partial government shutdown going on. The Epstein Files have not been fully released. Oscars are right around the corner. Have you seen the movies nominated for the Oscar for best picture? I have my fav.  Twenty more days of  Lent. Thinking seriously about working in my raised garden bed. Get your taxes done. Do NOT wait until the last minute. Support public radio and television.  Only 1,043 more days.    Kintsugi  3/14/26

 

 

A little history of the Middle East to start your visit…

 

 

 

Transportation Security Administration agents missed their first full paycheck yesterday amid a weekslong partial government shutdown. 

 

 

Are you tired of your bedroom? Are you ready to do a spring refresh? I am. Check here for a few ideas.

 

 

The average American eats over 25 pounds of bananas every year, but we may not for much longer.

 

 

Where is the best place to hang your hummingbird feeder to attract the most birds? Here.

 

 

If you call yourself a Christian, what kind of Christian are you?

 

 

Baby Lemon Impossible Pie Recipe

Ingredients 

• 2 tablespoons butter, melted
• 1 can (14 ounces) sweetened condensed milk
• 1 cup whole milk
• ½ cup all-purpose flour
• 3 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 pinch salt 
• Zest of 1 lemon
• Juice of 1 to 2 lemons

 

Process

•  Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 12-cup muffin tin with butter or nonstick spray so the pies release easily after baking. 
•  Separate the egg yolks from the whites. In a large bowl beat the yolks with softened butter, sweetened condensed milk, whole milk, lemon zest, and vanilla until smooth. Stir in the flour and a pinch of salt until combined. In another bowl whip the egg whites until soft peaks form. Fold one third of the whites into the batter to lighten it, then gently fold in the rest. Stir in the fresh lemon juice at the end. The batter will be thin.   
• Divide the batter evenly among the muffin cups, filling each about three quarters full. Tap the pan gently on the counter to remove air bubbles.   
• Bake for 22 to 25 minutes. The pies are ready when the edges are set and golden and the centers still jiggle slightly. A toothpick inserted into the center should come out mostly clean. Do not overbake or the custard will lose its creamy texture. 
• Let the pies cool in the pan, then remove them carefully. Serve them plain or dust lightly with powdered sugar before enjoying.

 

 

Do you have a rescue pup? I do. Maybe you want to know more about her/his ancestry. If so, here are some sources for doggie DNA tests:

• Embark Dog DNA & Age Test Bundle 
• Wisdom Panel Premium 
• DNA My Dog

 

 

The FBI is investigating two separate attacks: in Michigan, an armed man drove a car into Temple Israel synagogue;  in Virginia, another man opened fire at Old Dominion University. 

 

 

Despite its reputation as a natural sleep remedy, magnesium is not a cure for insomnia or other sleep disorders. (more)

 

 

Oil shipments through the Strait of Hormuz have effectively stopped amid attacks on vessels, pushing oil prices higher. Some experts predict gasoline may rise to $5 per gallon. I don’t see an end in sight, do you?

 

 

On March 30, 2026, we’ll be dropping our third Black Census Project: Rooted in Black Dreams, Built by Black Power — the largest national survey of Black people in America in 160 years.  We’re capturing your bold dreams about what matters most to us: our kids, our families, our paychecks, our taxes, our homes, our jobs, our safety, our joy, and our futures.  Go HERE to participate.

 

 

 

The problem isn’t that people are finally hearing a Christian politician talk about justice. The problem is that many of them had to hear it from a white man before they recognized it as Christianity. Listen to Jemar Tisby, PhD here.

 

 

 

Why are beans called the musical fruit? Because the more you eat, the more you toot! With prices rising, many of us are eating more beans. Can we reduce their toot-making power? Go here for some ideas. 

 

 

 

 

 

Something to save your quarters for…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Another Monday. It’s my turn, whether I am ready or not.  DST kicked in early, early this morning. Moving my office around (sigh). Looking for a new abode. Keeping the dog from eating chocolate cake. So much going on. Honey is back. The Middle East continues to be a powder keg, and we are contributing mightily.  Lent continues for 25 more days.  Today is International Women’s Day. When was the last time you went to Target? Get your taxes done. Do NOT wait until the last minute. Support public radio and television.  Only 1,048 more days. 

Wild Cooking Woman  3/9/26

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I am here to tell you that ovens are serious business.  I made bread pudding, and the butter dripped over.  I didn’t notice until I put my cinnamon rolls in the oven. I put baking soda on the spill and kept baking because I only have 1 oven. The rolls were delicious. I wiped out the baking soda and left the oven overnight.  So, I thought I would use the self-cleaning feature. Wrong decision!   Between my raise-the-dead smoke detectors, the dog holding her ears, and the thick gray air, I made a promise that I will never use the self-clean setting again.  Tomorrow, off to the store for some Easy-Off. 

 

 

Here are 7 medications that don’t mix well with coffee. Note: I drink coffee every day. “Coffee can alter how certain medications are absorbed, metabolized, or eliminated by the body,” says Jennifer Bourgeois, Pharm.D. (more) 

 

 

 

 

 

 40 Days of Good Shit (a lenten discipline for cranky people)  by Rev. Nadia Bolz-Weber   Here God, I got you this basket of my candy bars for Lent

 

 

Looking for a new place to visit? Madeira, a small island (technically part of a tiny archipelago) that belongs to Portugal, was just named as Tripadvisor’s Best of the Best Destinations’ Trending category in the 2026 Travelers’ Choice Awards. 

 

 

Want free and bargain-priced Kindle books? Check out Pixel of Ink.

 

Another day, another food recall:

• Barbecue sauce from Savannah Bee Company due to mislabeling and undeclared allergens
• Great Value cottage cheese, sold at Walmart stores in 24 states
• eight-ounce bags of Miss Vickie’s Spicy Dill Pickle Potato Chips 
• 15 products sold under the following brand names: Ajinomoto, Kroger, Ling Ling, Tai Pei, and Trader Joe’s, sold at various retailers nationwide, including Costco, Walmart, Kroger, and Sam’s Club
• (MORE)

 

Discover creative products sourced from women-owned businesses here.

 

What is the “Grandmother Hypothesis”  and does it hold up? Yes. (This was not at all what I expected.)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Does your electric company have peak-hour pricing? Mine does. Peak hours are times when you should avoid using energy-intensive appliances, because they will charge you a firstborn child for your single highest hour of usage during this period. Our hours are: Winter (Nov–Mar): 6 a.m. – 9 a.m.; Summer (Apr–Oct): 3 p.m. – 6 p.m.   Watch out. 

 

 

 

 

 

Research suggests that having a pet keeps you healthier. But there are some caveats. (more)

 

 

 

 

 How well can you recall colors? Take a quick quiz here.

 

 

The set of documents assembled here extends a different invitation to understanding the Revolutionary/Constitutional period. Dated from 1774 to 1798, these 26 letters, petitions, poems, essays, and declarations were authored by contemporaries of the Founders. Unlike the founding documents, these belong to people who might fall under the common 18th-century expression of “the many-headed hydra.” 

 

 

On my March reading table…

• On Bullshit – Harry G. Frankfurt
• Spiritual Hygiene – Iyanla Vanzant
• Atmosphere – Taylor Jenkins Reid
• Blindfold Game – Dana Stabenow
• The God of the Woods – Liz Moore
• Black AF History – Michael Harriot
• Better to Rest – Dana Stabenow
• Stolen in Death – J D Robb

 

This is from An Elegy for My Washington Post by Carlos Lozado.

The Seven Principles for the Conduct of a Newspaper (and news media)

 

Key Dates for the 2025 Tax Year (Filed in 2026)

 

 

 

 

 

Do you have someone in your life who lives alone or far away?  Are you going on vacation because you need a break from caregiving? (yes) Here are some free ways to help check on them while you’re away:

• https://buddyhelp.org/     Offers free emotional support through volunteer listeners and also provides access to professional online therapy.
• https://www.snugsafe.com/    A free app that sends daily check-in reminders. If you don’t respond, your emergency contacts are notified.
• https://checkinbee.com/     Sends daily text messages asking for a simple reply. If no response, designated contacts are notified.