American Heirlooms - February 2022

American Heirlooms - February 2022

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FEBRUARY 2022

A Look at My Recent Inquiry

As we draw near the end of winter, temperatures are starting to climb, and the first signs of spring are welcoming us to a new season. Most of us are encouraged by the start of spring. The daylight is longer, the days are warmer, and it’s enjoyable to spend more time outside tending to the garden or enjoying a rousing game of Kubb. (These are just some of my family’s favorites.) I recently found myself wondering why we experience the seasons when we do, and why time periods of daylight fluctuate with the year. In fact, I’ve often found it strange that we experience some of our coldest months when the days get longer, and as the days start to shorten in the summer, we experience some of our hottest temperatures.

This is due to the earth’s tilt, which is approximately 23 degrees. This means the earth’s direct poles — north and south — are at a 23-degree angle from true positioning. As the earth continues to rotate around the sun once every 365 days, these poles remain at a 23-degree angle, pointing various parts of Earth closer to the sun during different times of the year. For instance, in the northern hemisphere, we experience warmer temperatures and greater amounts of sunlight starting in June because the earth’s tilt points the northern hemisphere closest to the sun at this time. Because of this closer exposure, we experience greater heat and longer bouts of daylight. We have cold weather and shorter days in December because the exact opposite happens. This also means we experience inverse seasons compared to those in the southern hemisphere. For instance, right now in Australia, summer is just ending and autumn is about to begin because the southern hemisphere has been closer to the sun this past season.

Likewise, this explains why states and countries in the southern plains of the Northern Hemisphere and in the northern plains of the Southern Hemisphere experience consistent and warmer temperatures. These areas are closer to the equator, which experiences the minimal impacts of the earth’s tilt. Similarly, it’s why the poles are the coldest spots on Earth. I hope you enjoyed this short astronomy lesson. In the coming months, as we transition to spring, I’m going to further explore plausible explanations about our seasons and the ways in which mankind has chosen to mark time. It’s a fascinating exploration into the “why” behind daily life, and I do so with the understanding that all of life’s greatest curiosities have but one source and great, overall explanation: God, our Creator.

–Ethan Zimmerman

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A 2019 survey by Ask Your Target Market showed 80% of respondents appreciate receiving thank-you notes — but only 22% of respondents report regularly sending them. That’s a pretty big discrepancy. During the holiday season, you probably received several gifts and may have been hosted at a family member’s house, so now is the perfect time to revive the dying art of the thank- you note. If it’s been a while since you last wrote one, fear not. Here’s everything you need to know to get started. Know When a Note Is Needed. You should strongly consider sending a thank-you note any time you receive a gift, but they are particularly expected after big events like weddings or showers. It’s also good form to send a note whenever someone has done you a big favor or hosted you at their house. Professionally, thank-you notes should always be sent after job interviews. Notes should be sent as soon as possible, ideally within one month of the gift or event. Use Paper. It may seem old-fashioned, but that’s exactly what makes it special. In fact, the Ask Your Target Market survey found that 72% of respondents thought handwritten

notes were more meaningful than electronic ones.

Even if your handwriting is messy, your

recipients will appreciate the personal touch. Exceptions apply for thank-you notes sent after job interviews — due to time sensitivity, these are best sent via email. Be Specific. Especially when you’ve got a large stack to get through, it’s pretty tempting to write the same note over and over again, changing only the salutation. Don’t give in! While it’s fine to have a template, recipients will recognize when the note you sent them is generic. Be sure to mention exactly what you’re thankful for (not just “the gift”) or how you plan to use the gift. Now, you’re ready to let people know how much you appreciate them in a way that’s both simple and classic. Your family, friends, and colleagues will be impressed, and who knows, you just might start a trend.

While there is still a winter chill in the air and many nights are spent by a crackling wood stove, I encourage you — and your whole family — to seek out adventure within these books. Both written by Torry Martin and Doug Peterson, I believe they include worthwhile examples of how life’s great adventures always direct us to our Creator.

big questions.” Through his comedic storytelling lens, Torry takes readers through the various moments of mayhem — like the time a reindeer was trapped in his kitchen — each one leading Torry to a big, revealing truth: God’s love. Join Torry on his journey.

‘Call of the Mild’

and Men,” Torry stands firm and grows in his faith in God.

For more humor and lessons, after you finish “Of Moose and Men,” I encourage you to check out Torry and Doug’s next book, “The Call of the Mild.” Torry is back at it with his comical perspective on the blunders and mishaps of daily life — only this time he’s not just in Alaska. Torry ventures to South Africa, Europe, and back to California, meeting numerous obstacles and trials along the way. And much like in “Of Moose

‘Of Moose and Men: Lost and Found in Alaska’

As the description of “Call of the Mild” explains, Torry learns “that no matter how broken you might think you are, when you listen closely, you will hear God’s voice — roaring like a lion.” You can find “Of Moose and Men” and “Call of the Mild” online or by inquiring with your local bookstore.

What happens when you take a California resident and transplant him to the Alaskan wilderness? A whole lot of mishaps and one big lesson — that’s what! Years ago, Torry Martin abandoned his life in California in search of greater answers to “life’s

2 • THE SWISS CRAFTSMAN

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Some accidents have a way of making a positive impact. After all, medical treatments would be vastly different if Alexander Fleming had not left a petri dish of bacteria on the windowsill in his home laboratory, later discovering penicillin. And thanks to a discovery by another scientist, we now have the snow globe. In 1900, Edwin Perzy was tasked with creating a better light source for surgeons. Taking a cue from other industries, Perzy secured a glass bowl filled with water in front of the light, scattering light waves across the room. To improve the illumination, Perzy began adding different compounds to the water to further reflect the light. One such compound was semolina, which are white-colored wheat flakes. While the light failed to refract in the way he had hoped, Perzy was fascinated by the way the semolina slowly floated to the bottom of the glass bowl, mimicking snowfall. That sparked an idea for Perzy, who, with his brother, started Original Vienna Snow Globes (Original Wiener Schneekugelmanufaktur) in 1905. The first figurines in the Perzy brothers’ snow globes were churches, and more designs were added when Perzy’s son took over the business after World War II. Now, customers can choose from 350 various designs or request a custom globe.

Today, snow globes are common

trinkets found in gift shops, at amusement

parks, and on the mantles of fireplaces in many living rooms during Christmas. Still, the Original Vienna Snow Globe is a marvel. The family-owned business makes their product out of glass — not plastic, like other mass-produced products. Operating with a team of just dozens of employees, the company creates 200,000 snow globes each year, 20% of which are custom orders. Among those orders, the company has created personalized globes for former U.S. presidents Ronald Reagan and Barack Obama. Original Vienna Snow Globes is now operated by Erwin Perzy III, and his daughter plans to succeed him. Over time, the Perzy family has learned to relish every moment with their founding father’s invention. "And when the [children] come here, their eyes are wide open, they are enchanted, and everyone has one or two snow globes in their hands, and they are shaking them,” Erwin Perzy III told BBC. “That is a very nice moment for me.”

INGREDIENTS

DIRECTIONS 1. For cake: Preheat oven to 350 F.

Cake

2. With mixer on low and fitted with the wire whip, mix ingredients in order listed. 3. Line two (9-inch round) cake pans with parchment paper and spray with cooking oil (or use grease and flour). 4. Pour batter equally between the two pans. Bake for 30–35 minutes. Do not open the oven door for 30 minutes. The cake is done when little cracks appear on the surface. 5. Cool 10 minutes, flip onto parchment paper, and lay on cooling rack. 6. For frosting: Using a mixer fitted with the wire whip, beat cream cheese and powdered sugar until smooth. Add vanilla and salt. Slowly pour in heavy cream and beat on medium-high until stiff peaks form. Spread between layers and sides of cooled cake.

• 2 cups unbleached white flour • 2 cups sugar

• 1/2 cup cocoa powder • 1 1/2 tsp baking soda • 1 tsp baking powder • 1 tsp salt • 1 cup oil • 1 cup buttermilk • 2 eggs • 1 tsp vanilla extract • 3/4 cup strong coffee

Photo and recipe credit: Megan Zimmerman

Frosting

• 1 8-oz package of cream cheese, softened • 1/2 cup powdered sugar • 2 cups heavy cream • 1 tsp vanilla extract • Dash salt • Fresh raspberries, for between cake and garnish • Curled chocolate, for garnish

7. Garnish top with raspberries and curled chocolate.

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Inside this Issue

Why Do We Have Seasons? Page 1

The Lost Art of the Thank-You Note

2 Books the Whole Family Will Enjoy Page 2

Snow Globes Were Created by Accident!

Chocolate Cake With Creamy Frosting Page 3

Humpback Whales: The Heroes of the Sea Page 4

HUMPBACK WHALE SAVES SCIENTIST

In 2018, a marine biologist, Nan Hauser, was swimming in the waters off the Cook Islands when she noticed a 50,000-pound humpback whale near her. For 10 minutes, Hauser swam around the whale while it nudged her with its head, bumped her with its belly, and swiped at her with its fins. At first, Hauser thought the whale was trying to attack her. But actually, it protected her from a 15-foot-long tiger shark on the other side of the whale. Hauser told the Daily Mirror, “I’ve spent 28 years underwater with whales and have never had a whale so tactile and so insistent on putting me on his head, belly, or back, and most of all, trying to tuck me under his huge pectoral fin … I was sure that it was most likely going to be a deadly encounter.” Hauser didn’t

know the whale wanted to protect her until she returned to her team’s research vessel. This is when she noticed the tiger shark creeping nearby. This isn’t the first time a humpback whale has intervened to help another creature. In fact, the humpback’s altruism has been well-documented over the years to show how they benefit other species at their own cost. In 2009, Robert Pitman took a photo of a humpback cradling a seal while rolling out of the water. The whale had protected the seal from a group of killer whales. Pitman, a marine biologist, has analyzed 115 interactions with humpback whales and concluded that they will travel long distances in order to prevent killer whales from attacking,

regardless of what type of animal the killer whale is pursuing.

Whether this behavior is out of instinct, accident, or altruism, they have saved the lives of many aquatic animals and people. They are the heroes of the sea!

4 • THE SWISS CRAFTSMAN

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