PARAPHRASES FROM A TRICK OF THE LIGHT, #7 in the series of Chief Inspector Gamache novels by Louise Penny  *  the only thing worse than no apology is an insincere one  *  it’s easier to be clever when you criticize  *  it was a festival of contrition  *  their marriage was a parody of a partnership  *  don’t underestimate the power of greed  

The beluga whale (Delphinapterus leucas) is an Arctic and sub-Arctic cetacean.  It is one of two members of the family Monodontidae, along with the narwhal, and the only member of the genus Delphinapterus.  It is also known as the white whale, as it is the only cetacean to regularly occur with this colour; the sea canary, due to its high-pitched calls; and the melonhead, though that more commonly refers to the melon-headed whale, which is an oceanic dolphin.  The beluga is adapted to life in the Arctic, with anatomical and physiological characteristics that differentiate it from other cetaceans.  Amongst these are its all-white colour and the absence of a dorsal fin, which allows it to swim under ice with ease.  It possesses a distinctive protuberance at the front of its head which houses an echolocation organ called the melon, which in this species is large and deformable.  The beluga's body size is between that of a dolphin and a true whale, with males growing up to 5.5 m (18 ft) long and weighing up to 1,600 kg (3,530 lb). This whale has a stocky body.  Like many cetaceans, a large percentage of its weight is blubber (subcutaneous fat).  Its sense of hearing is highly developed and its echolocation allows it to move about and find breathing holes under sheet ice.  Belugas are gregarious and form groups of 10 animals on average, although during the summer, they can gather in the hundreds or even thousands in estuaries and shallow coastal areas.  They are slow swimmers, but can dive to 700 m (2,300 ft) below the surface.  They are opportunistic feeders and their diets vary according to their locations and the season.  The majority of belugas live in the Arctic Ocean and the seas and coasts around North America, Russia and Greenland; their worldwide population is thought to number around 200,000.  They are migratory and the majority of groups spend the winter around the Arctic ice cap; when the sea ice melts in summer, they move to warmer river estuaries and coastal areas.  Some populations are sedentary and do not migrate over great distances during the year.  These cetaceans are highly sociable and they regularly form small groups, or pods, that may contain between two and 25 individuals, with an average of 10 members.  Pods tend to be unstable, meaning individuals tend to move from pod to pod.  See many pictures and link to vocalizations at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beluga_whale 

“tortley turtley torpor” is a tongue twister.  It comes from The Tortoise by Ogden Nash.  Find the poem with another turtle poem by Nash at https://www.proquest.com/openview/8a7f90010047f8b70a47e6a61029cfc0/1?pq-origsite=gscholar&cbl=27695 

The sixth sick sheikh's sixth sheep's sick. That phrase was featured by Guinness World Records as the most difficult tongue twister in the English language in 1974, the last year the organization tracked tongue twisters.  Eliza Simpson, a dialect coach in New York, says tongue twisters are challenging and beneficial for brains.  "Tongue twisters are important because they combine two things that help humans learn. They combine repetition and they can find an element of surprise and fun."  Find many examples of tongue twisters at https://www.npr.org/2021/11/08/1053442919/happy-international-tongue-twister-day 

Sweetgrass is a perennial grass with hollow stems and underground rhizomes.  It has a purple, red, and white hairless base and can grow to about 30 inches tall.  Sweetgrass flowers early for a grass—from May to July.  When harvesting, it is important to not pull out the roots, so enough of the plant is left in the ground to both ensure its survival to the next year, and to fulfill its ecosystem role in holding soil in place.  Sweet grass is circumboreal—distributed throughout Eurasia’s northern regions and North America—preferring rich, moist soil and partial shade, though it is tolerant to full sunlight.  This aromatic grass is found in wetlands, wet meadows, and marshes—all environments that are in decline due to human impact and the climate crisis.  The aroma produced by both living and dried sweet grass is reminiscent of vanilla and warm hay due to a chemical compound called coumarin.  While the pleasant scent is inviting, the bitter taste of coumarin acts as a deterrent to grazing animals that might be tempted to eat it.  The fragrance becomes stronger as the plant dries and is released in smoke if the plant is burned.  It is used ceremonially by many Native American tribes, as well as for practical uses as sachets, shampoo, treatments for various ailments, and woven into baskets, bowls, bags, and mats.  Because of these many uses and its retention of fragrance and spirit, sweetgrass has been called the “grass that never dies”.  https://www.colorado.edu/cumuseum/2020/12/16/braiding-sweetgrass 

Beef birria is perfect served as a stew topped with onion, cilantro and a squeeze of fresh lime juice.  OR chop up the meat and fry up some Quesabirria tacos!  posted by Serene  Find recipe serving eight at https://houseofyumm.com/beef-birria-and-birria-tacos/ 

Wordle is a web-based puzzle that requires players to guess a new five-letter word every day, in six tries or less, and everyone gets the same word.  The game is web-based, so there’s no official app to download.   You can play using a mobile or desktop browser; just go to www.powerlanguage.co.uk/wordle/.  You have until midnight, when the word resets and a new word is there for you to guess.  I often start a game, leave the browser tab open, and come back later as I try to figure out the correct word.  Kim Lyons  https://www.theverge.com/22892044/wordle-free-game-online-how-to-puzzle  Unlike other games, performance feedback is given instantly after every try, by means of the green, yellow, or grey coloring of each letter.  This instant performance feedback and the option to post results on social media may be among the central features for Wordle’s success.  Sebastian Ocklenburg,    https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-asymmetric-brain/202201/the-psychology-behind-wordle 

The rickey is a highball made from gin or bourbon, lime juice, and carbonated water.  Little or no sugar is added to the rickey.  It was originally created with bourbon in Washington, D.C. at Shoomaker's bar by bartender George A. Williamson in the 1880s, purportedly in collaboration with Democratic lobbyist Colonel Joe Rickey.  Its popularity increased when made with gin a decade later.   A recipe for the rickey appeared as early as Daly's Bartenders' Encyclopedia (1903, p. 57) by Tim Daly:  GIN RICKEY.  Use a sour glass.  Squeeze the juice of one lime into it. Add 1 small lump of ice and 1 wine glass of Plymouth gin.  Fill the glass with syphon seltzer, and serve with small bar spoon.  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rickey_(cocktail)

http://librariansmuse.blogspot.com  Issue 2493  February 9, 2022