Fire Island & the Sunken Forest

This week I had the opportunity to visit with a person about forgiveness.  This caused me to do some soul searching and study.  It can be difficult to forgive at times and it is more difficult for some than for others. As we discussed this topic, I began to remember studying in the Book of Mormon study guide that I use about how we can humbly endure persecution.

"Most of us will experience injustice.  But the Savior's Atonement can redeem us not only from our own sins but also from the pain caused by the sins of other people.  'And he cometh into the world that he may save all men if they will hearken unto his voice; for behold, he suffereth the pains of all men, yea, the pains of every living creature, both men, women, and children, who belong to the family of Adam'  (2 Nephi 9:21).  If we meekly and humbly strive to be peaceful and forgiving, the Holy Ghost will enter our hearts, melt the pain of insults and injuries, and quench our resentment and desire for revenge."  (Dunlop, "Book of Mormon Principles" Turning the Other Cheek." 34)

As my friend and I talked, I came to realize that one reason some people have a difficult time forgiving is because they have an excellent memory.  Some people forget more easily but with a good memory, it is hard not to keep remembering past events that have been hurtful.

One morning this week as I walked I listened to a BYU Devotional talk by Elder Rasband, who at the time it was given in October 2012, was the dean of BYU Law School.  The title of the talk is Faith to Forgive Grievous Harms: Accepting the Atonement as Restitution. 

I enjoyed listening to and pondering on this talk.  A quote I particularly liked:

"Turning to the concept of forgiveness, let me start with a familiar scripture. Matthew 18:21-22 reads:

Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times?

Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven.

Have you or a family member or a friend ever been terribly hurt by someone and found it difficult to forgive even once, let alone "until seventy times seven"? In such cases, do we say to ourselves, "The Lord can't really mean that I should forgive that sort of sin or abuse"?

Yet it seems clear that the Lord really does mean it. Our very salvation depends upon us being willing to forgive others. As Christ taught:

For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you:

But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. [Matthew 6:14-15]

That our own forgiveness should be conditioned on forgiving others can be a hard doctrine, particularly if the sin against us is horribly wrong and out of all proportion to any harm we've ever committed. Even harder, the Lord has indicated in modern revelation that "he that forgiveth not his brother his trespasses standeth condemned before the Lord; for there remaineth in him the greater sin" (D&C 64:9). This is a very strong statement: if we refuse to forgive, there remaineth in us the greater sin. How can this be? As I hope to explain, our salvation is conditioned on forgiving others because when we refuse to forgive, what we are really saying is that we reject, or don't quite trust, the Atonement. And it is our acceptance of the Atonement that ultimately saves us.

Why is it that we sometimes have trouble accepting the Atonement as recompense for the harms we suffer at others' hands? My experience is that we can sometimes forget that the Atonement has two sides. Usually, when we think about the Atonement we focus on how mercy can satisfy the demands that justice would impose upon us.  We are typically quicker to accept the idea that when we sin and make mistakes the Atonement is available to pay our debts.

Forgiveness requires us to consider the other side of the Atonement-a side that we don't think about as often but that is equally critical. That side is the Atonement's power to satisfy our demands of justice against others, to fulfill our rights to restitution and being made whole. We often don't quite see how the Atonement satisfies our own demands for justice. Yet it does so. It heals us not only from the guilt we suffer when we sin, but it also heals us from the sins and hurts of others."

I recommend that you read the entire talk (here). It is most enlightening.

Monday, Jake and Shea were still here.  Shea and I went to China town while Jake walked the 7 miles from my apartment to Juliana's, a pizzeria in Brooklyn.  We had dinner there and then off to a creamery for ice cream.  The pizza and ice cream were most delicious!

Some sort of celebration was occurring in Chinatown.
These women seemed to be preparing for a performance.

A man was speaking while people/performers sat and listened.

This beautiful girl practiced a fan dance

Picture of wall art that Jake took on his walk through Brooklyn

Picture of wall art that Jake took on his walk through Brooklyn

Pizza in the making

Inside Juliana's

Deliciousness!!!!

The oven

I have an interesting bit of trivia for you.  You've heard me mention that I have eaten pizza at Grimaldi's.  Here is the trivia/story: 

"Pasquale "Patsy" Grimaldi's uncle, Pasquale "Patsy" Lancieri who has the same nickname, founded a bakery in 1925. Lancieri converted the bakery to a pizzeria in 1933 known as Patsy's Pizzeria, in East Harlem where Grimaldi worked as a cook. Following in his uncle's footsteps, Grimaldi opened Grimaldi's Pizzeria on Old Fulton Street in 1990. The building has a history dating back to the 18th century, formerly used as a tavern and later owned by Dipoline Manufacturing Company before becoming a pizzeria. In 1998, Grimaldi retired and sold the Grimaldi's brand name and franchise to Frank Ciolli. Due to popularity, Ciolli moved Grimaldi's Pizzeria next door to a larger building. In 2011, Grimaldi announced he was coming out of retirement at the age of 80. Grimaldi was unable to open a restaurant in his own name due to selling his brand rights. In 2012, he opened Juliana's, named after his mother Maria "Juliana" Lancieri Grimaldi, in Grimaldi's former location starting a rivalry between the two."

Flavors of ice cream you can't even imagine. Loved it!!

Tuesday Jake and Shea left for home.  As always, I hate to see family go because it is always wonderful to have them with me.

A view of the city on the way to the airport

Flatiron Building- info at end of blog

Holland Tunnel from Manhattan to New Jersey. Jake and Shea flew out of Newark

After taking Family to the airport I went to Brooklyn
to take some things to Elders Victor and Bissereth.

Wednesday, Thursday and Friday were business as usual checking up on missionaries and making preparations to get my Friday reports done.

Wednesday I needed a break so I baked cookies for the missionaries in my area.
Deanne sent me a recipe that I had been wanting to try. If you like easy to make peanut butter cookies,
you need to try these. They were a hit with the missionaries!!  Recipe at the end of the blog.

Juniper Valley Park where I like to walk in the mornings

Now this is what I call "dreads"

Saturday, I went to Fire Island with Elder and Sister Williams.

We went to the Sunken Forest on the middle/eastern part of the island.  On the west end of the island, one can drive.  But once you reach the lighthouse, no motorized vehicles nor even bikes are allowed so the communities and beaches on the east end beyond the lighthouse can be reached from the mainland only by ferry.

"Fire Island National Seashore (FINS) is a United States National Seashore that protects a 26-mile section of Fire Island, an approximately 30-mile long barrier island separated from Long Island by the Great South Bay. The island is part of New York State's Suffolk County.

There are 17 private communities within the boundaries of Fire Island National Seashore including Saltaire, Fire Island Pines, and Ocean Beach. Only two bridges lead to Fire Island and the national seashore and there are no public roads within the seashore itself. The Robert Moses Causeway leads to Robert Moses State Park on the western end of Fire Island while the William Floyd Parkway leads to the eastern end of the island. The seashore can also be accessed by private boat or by ferry from the communities of Patchogue, Sayville, and Bay Shore on Long Island.

Fire Island National Seashore was established as a unit of the National Park Service on September 11, 1964."

The Sunken Forest is accessible via a ferry from Sayville.

From an article in the New York Times:

"If only for a getaway of a few hours, Fire Island is unquestionably a change of scenery.

In autumn, the poison ivy is ablaze in reds and golds on Fire Island, in keeping, perhaps, with the barrier island's name. The mosquitoes are mostly gone and so are the crowds.

The three-leaf menace (poison ivy) aside, conditions are ripe for an off-season day trip to this 32-mile-long spit of land, parallel to Long Island. Temperatures are moderate, migratory monarch butterflies flit and tree swallows warble their way along the Atlantic Flyway.

This maritime ecosystem is part of the Fire Island National Seashore and administered by the National Park Service. A sloping primary dune and a secondary dune, separated by a valley-like depression called a swale, are the key to the endurance of the centuries-old forest.

Salt spray naturally prunes the forest's American holly, sassafras, black cherry and shadblow trees into a gnarled canopy. Nourished by freshwater bogs, a carpet of poison ivy, Virginia creeper and prickly cat-brier helps anchor the trees' roots in the sand. Catbirds meow in the wilderness and the scent of bark and bayberry leaves mingle with the ocean breeze.

Wildlife includes red foxes, rabbits, turtles and black racer snakes, but they are tricky to spot. "We sound like Godzilla coming, so they flee," said Ruth Krc, 24, an interpretive park ranger. She added that the exploding deer population is devouring the saplings, putting the old-growth holly forest in danger of dying out. New black cherry trees, however, are popping up all over; those must be tougher to chew.

Ticks are a danger. Ms. Krc advised sticking to the boardwalks and not brushing against the beach grass, where the parasites lurk and could latch onto clothing. Lyme disease is a risk and ticks do not die out in the cold, as mosquitoes do."

The park ranger who led a tour for us told us that there are only two forests like the Sunken Forest in all of the world.  One in New Jersey and the one we visited on Fire Island.  The holly trees in the forest are estimated to be 300 years old.

I enjoyed the day with no ticks attaching and by avoiding the poison ivy rash!

The beach sand was two colors

The ferry ride

This tree is called by 3 names:  Shad bush, service berry, June Berry

This closeup shoes holes made by the Yellow bellied sap sucker which is a woodpecker.

Ranger, David.

Burls

I love ferns

Poison ivy tree. David told us that poison ivy can be a Bush, a tree and even a vine.

Poison ivy leaves

Blueberries

Boardwalk through the forest

Freshwater marsh

Marsh oak tree adapted to living in water

A catbird that wanted to share our lunch.

Holly

Saturday evening I went for a short walk after a rain. Enjoy the beauty of the world we live in.
Reminded me of the Primary song "I like to look for rainbows whenever there is rain and
ponder on the beauty of an earth made clean again..."

Sunday dinner

I found these hollyhocks in an unusual place. I hadn't noticed them last year as I walked past
but then I read that hollyhocks only bloom the second year. Glad I got to see the blossoms this year.

It has been a glorious week.

HAPPY 4TH of JULY

I love you my family and friends.

The Flatiron Building, originally the Fuller Building, is a triangular 22-story steel-framed landmarked building located at 175 Fifth Avenue in the borough of Manhattan, New York City, and is considered to be a groundbreaking skyscraper. Upon completion in 1902, it was one of the tallest buildings in the city at 20 floors high and one of only two skyscrapers north of 14th Street - the other being the Metropolitan Life Insurance Company Tower, one block east. The building sits on a triangular block formed by Fifth Avenue, Broadway, and East 22nd Street, with 23rd Street grazing the triangle's northern (uptown) peak. As with numerous other wedge-shaped buildings, the name "Flatiron" derives from its resemblance to a cast-iron clothes iron.

The New York Tribune called the new building "A stingy piece of pie ... the greatest inanimate troublemaker in New York", while the Municipal Art Society said that it was "Unfit to be in the Center of the City". The New York Times called it a "monstrosity".

But some saw the building differently. Futurist H. G. Wells wrote in his 1906 book The Future in America: A Search After Realities:

I found myself agape, admiring a sky-scraper the prow of the Flat-iron Building, to be particular, ploughing up through the traffic of Broadway and Fifth Avenue in the afternoon light.

When construction on the building began, locals took an immediate interest, placing bets on how far the debris would spread when the wind knocked it down. This presumed susceptibility to damage had also given it the nickname "Burnham's Folly. But thanks to the steel bracing designed by engineer Corydon Purdy, which enabled the building to withstand four times the amount of wind force it could be expected to ever feel, there was no possibility that the wind would knock over the Flatiron Building. Nevertheless, the wind was a factor in the public attention the building received.

As an icon of New York City, the Flatiron Building is a popular spot for tourist photographs, making it "possibly one of the most photographed buildings in the world", but it is also a functioning office building.

The Flatiron's interior is known for having its strangely-shaped offices with walls that cut through at an angle on their way to the skyscraper's famous point. These "point" offices are the most coveted and feature amazing northern views that look directly upon another famous Manhattan landmark, the Empire State Building.

There are oddities about the building's interior: the bathrooms are divided, with the men's rooms on even floors and the women's rooms on odd ones; to reach the top floor, the 21st, which was added in 1905, three years after the building was completed, a second elevator has to be taken from the 20th floor; on that floor, the bottoms of the windows are chest-high.

Homemade Nutter Butters
 
Author: Kami - NoBiggie.net
6 sandwich cookies

Ingredients

FOR THE COOKIES
1 cup sugar
1 cup peanut butter
1 egg

FOR THE FILLING
¼ cup butter, room temperature
¼ cup peanut butter, room temperature
1 cup powdered sugar
1-2 tablespoons milk

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. Stir the cookie ingredients together until smooth. Scoop out 1 inch balls of cookie dough onto a parchment lined baking sheet. Press down with the back of a fork and then press again from the opposite direction, to make the criss-cross pattern on top of each cookie.
3. To make the cookie dough into the shape of a Nutter Butter cookie, form the cookie dough ball into a log shape.
4. Roll the cookie dough in sugar (optional).
5. Press down with the back of a fork and then press again from the opposite direction, to make the criss-cross pattern on top of each cookie. Finish by pinching in both sides of each cookie before baking.
6. Bake for 12 minutes and then let cool on the tray for 1-2 more minutes.
7. For the filling: beat the butter and peanut butter in a big bowl with a hand mixer together until smooth.
8. Slowly add in your powdered sugar and beat until smooth.
9. Add the milk, one tablespoon at a time until the desired consistency is reached.
10. Spread a tablespoon of the filling onto the bottom side of one of the cookies and then top with another cookie to create a cookie sandwich…a nutter butter sandwich!
11. Enjoy!

 Note:  I didn't sandwich the cookies.  Deanne told me it made it "too much" or too rich.  They were really good single and frosted lightly.  One of the missionaries told me that she made them and added a cup of Nutella along with the PB, sugar, and egg for a chocolatey flavor.