Mountain Views News, Combined Edition Saturday, August 13, 2022

Mountain View News Saturday, August 13, 2022 


Mountain Views News 80 W Sierra Madre Blvd. No. 327 Sierra Madre, Ca. 91024 Office: 626.355.2737 Fax: 626.609.3285Email: editor@mtnviewsnews.com Website: www.mtnviewsnews.com 
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Celebrations begin at Clearman’s...Celebrations begin at Clearman’s... 
Star of Wonder the CD is now on TuneCore! Take a look! 
"A Tablespoon of Love, A Tablespoon of Laughter"
is also available on my book page and there’s an incredible apple cake recipe in there! 
WALKING SIERRA MADRE - The Social Side 

by Deanne Davis 

“Never put off till tomorrow what you can do the day after tomorrow.” Mark Twain“He had delusions of adequacy.” Walter Kerr“He has all the virtues I dislike and none of the vices I admire.” Winston Churchill 
“I have never killed a man, but I have read many obituaries with great pleasure.” 
Clarence Darrow 
“I didn’t attend the funeral, but I sent a nice letter saying I approved of it.” Mark Twain“He has no enemies, but is intensely disliked by his friends.” Oscar Wilde 

A friend sent me a page of these quotes which “are insults from an era before the English language got 
boiled down to four-letter words.” I loved them all and will give you a few more. So much wit! 

But first, just in case you didn’t know, it’s National Smile Week, held annually during the second week of 
August. Columnist Harvey Mackay reminded us to, “take the time to smile, to bring happiness to others 
as well as to ourselves. If you don’t start out the day with a smile, it’s not too late to start practicingfor tomorrow. Smiling is the universal language. Everyone understands a smile, and it makes you more 
approachable. Smiling increases your attractiveness, makes you appear more intelligent and improves 
relationships. The shortest distance between two people is a smile. It’s environmentally friendly and, best 
of all, smiling is quick, easy to do and it’s free! A smile is a natural antidepressant and elevates your mood. 
It can help your immune system, lower blood pressure and even serve as a pain reliever. Smiling reduces 
stress and anxiety and helps you feel better. Children smile on average 400 times a day while the happiest 
adults smile 40-50 times a day and the average (grumpy) adult smiles only 20 times daily. Smiling 
encourages positive thinking. If you are dealing with a negative situation, a candid smile inspires positivity. 
It’s hard to think of negative things when you’re smiling. (I love this next part) If smiling doesn’t feel 
natural to you, then practice. Look in a mirror and put a big smile on your face. Even a fake smile can 
improve your mood. Smiling is contagious. Help spread it around. Wear a smile – one size fits all.” 

Now then, didn’t that make you smile?? Statistics have proven that it takes only 17 muscles to smile and 
43 to frown. So, to help you smile, here are a few more of those marvelous insults: 

“His mother should have thrown him away and kept the stork.” Mae West“Some cause happiness wherever they go; others, whenever they go.” Oscar Wilde“He uses statistics as a drunken man uses lamp-posts…for support rather than illumination.” Andrew 
Lang“He has Van Gogh’s ear for music.” Billy Wilder“I’ve had a perfectly wonderful evening; but I’m afraid this wasn’t it.” Groucho Marx“He can compress the most words into the smallest idea of any man I know.” Abraham Lincoln 

And, while you’re still smiling, one last word on zucchini, and a memory of first living in Sierra Madre. 
When John and I bought our first (and only) house on Alegria, we had no money, lots of energy and I 
was the happiest I had ever been as my patient and long-suffering husband had no objection to my painting 
our kitchen day-glo orange and yellow and our bathroom lime green and yellow with burlap wall 
covering. Needless to say, as the years went by, we redecorated. 

Across the street lived a delightful older couple, whose children were grown but who were the absolute 
essence of fun and allowed everybody in the neighborhood to play football on their front lawn. They 
were the Rickards. Jane would have played golf 24/7 if the courses were open. Ken called me Tiger Paws 
and they had a succession of beagles, most named “Happy.” I told Jane one year that I was expecting 20 
people for Thanksgiving and needed a veggie dish. She gave me this one and most years someone in our 
family still makes it. It’s really easy, which is good. 

JANE’S ZUCCHINI-EGGPLANT CASSEROLE 

1 large eggplant, peeled and cubed2 lb. zucchini sliced 
Steam these till they are tender, drain in a colander then toss them back in the pot and add:
1 large and one small package cream cheese (the low-fat kind works great)
2 eggs1 tsp. salt1 TB. Worcestershire sauce 
2 small can chopped green chiles 

Stir till blended, don’t overdo that as you want some recognizable pieces of zucchini and eggplant. 
Pour into a greased 9 x 13 pan, top with bread crumbs and a little parmesan cheese. Bake at 350 
degrees for 45 minutes. 

This is so good everyone will be demanding seconds and you’ll wish you’d made a bigger batch. 

The Rickards now reside in heaven and Shawn Blakeslee remodeled their house into a beautiful mountain 
cabin with fabulous stonework in front. 

“Sunrises & Sunflowers Speak Hope” 
Supplies a little hope on every page. 
Look for it on my book page: Amazon.com: Deanne Davis