An eclectic blend of a conversational Coffee Klatch with a sense of wonder, discovery, and intellectual playfulness, much like the historical Cabinets of Curiosities that housed rare artifacts, oddities, and treasures.
In this weekly miscellany, each issue opens a drawer to reveal something fascinating, funny, or thought-provoking. It’s part archive, part adventure!
Cabinet Drawer of the Week
The world of handbells is often thought to be church music, but there are many groups that based in schools or communities. One of the best, most impactful and professional ensembles in the world is the Raleigh Ringers.
The Raleigh Ringers are a non-profit group as are many community groups. They’ve even been nominated for an Emmy. They’ve released 8 CDs and 2 DVDs. They are truly excellent in technique and musicality.
I have become friends with several of the members and there are some excellent musicians involved. They have auditions every year, and returning members must reaudition every year. If I ever was able to move near Raleigh, NC, I would TOTALLY be auditioning!
One of my favorite parts of their concerts is the “Rockin’ Raleigh Ringers” section, where they perform classic rock tunes on handbells. They leave for an intermission and come back dressed up in appropriate clothes and wigs and hats, and they play songs like Stairway to Heaven, Hotel California, Bohemian Rhapsody, Freebird, and Come Sail Away. Also some Trans-Siberian Orchestra music. Here are a couple selections.
Their YouTube channel (there are tons of videos on other channels, too)
Word to the Wise
Satsuma – (sat-‘su-muh) n. a Japanese variety of mandarin orange. The most common seedless mandarin oranges are satsumas, clementines, and tangerines.
Thoughts from the Nook
This week, my youngest grandson turns ONE YEAR OLD!
His name is Rowan James Kili Pfitzinger. Happy birthday, Rowan!
Trivia Espresso Shot
Castoreum is an excretion from beaver anal glands. They combine it with urine to mark their territory.
BUT…
It’s also an ingredient in vanillin, which is a main flavor for vanilla ice cream!
It’s also used in some chocolate and some perfumes.
Yes, when you have most vanilla ice cream, you’re getting a little beaver anal gland secretion! 😋
Reference Desk
There is something about libraries, maybe the atmosphere or the quietness, that leads people to talking about them being haunted.
Pennsylvania has 17 reported haunted libraries.
Texas has 16 reported haunted libraries.
The most commonly reported haunted libraries in the U.S. are:
Willard Library – Evansville, Indiana
Houston Public Library – Julia Ideson Building, Texas
Peoria Public Library – Illinois
Westerly Public Library – Rhode Island
Sweetwater County Library – Green River, Wyoming
Osterhout Free Library – Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania
Guggenheim Memorial Library – New Jersey
Brittanica posted a blog series about haunted libraries. It’s not online anymore, but Archive.org saved a copy:
Sources:
Dad Joke Cupboard
Q: Why was the Easter egg hiding?
A: Because it was a little chicken!
Composer Corner
Valerie Coleman is a composer and flutist who was born in 1970 in Louisville, KY. She studied at Mannes College of Music. Her composition teachers were Martin Amlin and Randall Woolf. Her flute teachers included Julius Baker, Alan Weiss, and Mark Sparks.
She is known for incorporating jazz into classical music, and she has won several awards and been nominated for two Grammys.
Revelry | Umoja | Fanfare for Uncommon Times | Red Clay & Mississippi Delta
Food Holidays This Week
Sun, Apr 5 – National Deep Dish Pizza Day, National Caramel Day, National Raisin And Spice Bar Day
Mon, Apr 6 – International Carbonara Day, National Caramel Corn Day, Fresh Tomato Day
Tue, Apr 7 – National Beer Day, National Coffee Cake Day
Wed, Apr 8 – National Empanada Day
Thu, Apr 9 – National Gin And Tonic Day, National Chinese Almond Cookie Day
Fri, Apr 10 – National Cinnamon Crescent Day
Sat, Apr 11 – National Cheese Fondue Day
Sun, Apr 12 – National Grilled Cheese Sandwich Day, National Licorice Day
Recipe Card
Easy-Peasy Pizza Burgers
Ingredients
1 lb ground beef, cooked
1 can spam, ground up or minced
1 small can spaghetti sauce
1 lb mozzarella cheese
1 tsp oregano
¼ tsp salt
Directions
Mix all ingredients together.
Spread on hamburger buns or English muffins.
Bake open-face burgers at 400º for 10-15 minutes (also works in microwave).
Note: Feel free to substitute other ingredients if you like.
Puzzle Pause
I always have a jigsaw puzzle going at home. Here’s a photo of the current state of my current puzzle.
Voting Brackets
We are down to just 8 of our Favorite Dad Jokes in the current Voting Bracket. This topic will end on Friday, 10 April 2026, and then we will begin Favorite Ice Cream Flavors.
Our Voting Brackets are open to anyone in the world, and we have a website for it: https://votingbrackets.com/. New rounds begin every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
We have completed more than 150 brackets over the last 7.5 years. Here is a full list of all the results back to the beginning.
The Pfunny Page
Marginalia
“Looks like I picked the wrong week to quit sniffing glue.”
- Lloyd Bridges as Steve McCroskey in Airplane (1980)
The Index
Today’s curated list: Top 10 Favorite Music Genres in the World
Hip-Hop / Rap
Pop
Rock
Country
EDM (Electronic Dance Music)
Latin
K-Pop
R&B / Soul
Jazz
Classical
Next Time in the Klatch
Plague, Inc.
Until next time, stay curious!