Saturday, October 3, 2009

A successful retreat...and I got a bit long-winded.

Rosey wrote a few days back that when she was in Minneapolis/St. Paul she "visited the most wonderful quilt shop, with Pat Cox, that overlooked a lake north and west," and wondered if it was the same place where I was going to a retreat. Nope. Sandi Irish would probably know which place you are referring to. I live a short two hours from the twin cities and the retreat center I went to is in Sleepy Eye. I really got a lot accomplished in two days! And, I didn't even spend the night because I had another commitment on Thurs evening. The projects I took with me all needed only a few hours of work - sewing on the bindings, a bit more machine quilting, the last border added, etc. One example. When my daughter was three I bought a precut fan quilt at a Crazy Days sale. At the time I said "This will be great when she leaves for college" because I figured it would take me that long. "How old is she?" you ask. Three months short of 18.... I finished the top a l-o-n-g time ago, had it machined quilted at least two years ago and only needed to do the binding. Most of them were not what you would call real "beauties" or I probably would have finished them sooner!

Our guild challenge this year is to finish up some old projects, which is what prompted me to get some of these things done. We are supposed to bring our projects to the Oct or Nov meeting and do a pre-show and tell. The project that I am going to enter in the challenge is actually from a retreat off the board - MN Babes 2000. At that retreat a group of us bought a challenge fabric and were supposed to make blocks for each other that represented our idea of "MN Babes 2000." Anybody remember that? I don't know how many participated but I found about 12 blocks from that swap last week. I think 9, almost 10 years will qualify as an old project. I already know what I am going to do with the blocks--I found a block that is a friendship star with a chain going in both directions (that's probably as clear as mud...) I also have the sashing for the blocks that you guys made for me about two years ago and all the blocks done for a Blooming 9 patch. So those are my top three projects on the "to-do" pile.

I've written a novel here. Better get moving - it is Oktoberfest in New Ulm and we are going to go check out the band playing down town as well as the grape stomp at the local vineyard. Joleen in MN

audio books

This is just a short note to say how much I've enjoyed all the activity. Keep it up!
My commute to TN to teach everyday takes me about 45 minutes each way, and I've gotten in the habit of listening to audio books. I've found a site called Librivox that has the goal of reading all literature in the public domain onto their site. http://librivox.org/newcatalog/ The books are read by volunteers. So far I've found books by Alcott, Dickens, Shakespeare, Bronte, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, and the Bible, Peter Pan and Robinson Crusoe. The only thing that has bothered me so far, other than a rare mispronunciation on the part of one of the volunteers, is that some of the books are read by more than one person. I find it a bit distracting to change readers at the chapter. I put them on my Ipod, but if your computer is in the sewing room, you could easily just play them on your computer. I burnt them onto CD at first, but I was going through an immense number of Cd's. I think I'm going to look for all my childhood favorite books next, such as Black Beauty.
I've been sick all week with a sinus infection that didn't get cured by the first round of antibiotics. This time it has really knocked me down, and then I got a major hay fever attack on top of it. I didn't feel as bad as the people with the flu, but I really felt bad for me! I did break down and actually go to the doctor, so I know I really didn't have the flu.
I'm on fall break this week, but I'm going down to Montgomery to spend some time with my parents, so I doubt I'll get any quilting done. Maybe I'll take the apple core quilt pieces with me to slip stitch closed.
The weather, after three solid weeks of rain, has been lovely. I have been too sick to enjoy it. Hopefully it will last a few weeks longer.
Hugs and prayers for all in need.
Laura in Alabma

Wonderful to see so many posts

It really makes my day when I sit down with my first coffee and I can read how you are all doing over there. Love the tales of the dofus, named Rufus. Sorry Jane I think you have a right one there. I just love the eyes, they really show his soul. I always get my groceries in cardboard boxes and give Gus one every couple of days. It takes him that long to tear the box into 50 cent pieces and all we have to do is to throw the bits away. For all he is a right idiot he has never chewed anything in the house, the cat has ruined more than Gus. She chews the edge of desks , tables, shoes, and walls.
Harry is so much better , still has to have his op but in himself he is improving, don't need any more scares like that. He used every machine in the hospital , so has been checked all over. we were so pleased to get him home I wasn't ready to be asked what were my thoughts on resusitation.
Our Cara is now 18 months and is so much fun. She is using a lot of words and can make herself understood very well. As soon as she arrives here she asks me for "cheese please" I have the plastic cheese for her as it is wrapped and she and the dog go outside and eat cheese together. She wanted a banana but decided she was too full so was sitting there trying to wrap the fruit in the skin and was patting it together.She is very good as right from the start her mother if she told her no she meant it so Cara doesn't bother to argue, not yet anyway.
I am still hand sewing the hexagon quilts only 2 more to go . This one is looking good , all flora and fauna of New Zealand on a black background. I am now quilting the hexagons and then can sew them together all 110 of them. Hopefully this Christmas??? Should have been last but I got sidetracked making dolls and clothes for our little one. Such lovely fabrics around and such fun to make the slightly way out things Joanne likes for her ladyship. I have made a pattern for a smocked top and pants but will check it out before I spend a lot of time making it. Jo isn't into frilly clothes and quite frankly Cara is such a tomboy she suits plainer clothes. She went to her first fancy dress last week as a flower, supposed to be a fairy but she didn't suit it. She looked lovely until we saw her wandering out of the house with a vodka bottle under one arm and a sausage stuck in her mouth, very ladylike. We dont drink and fortunately the vodka was empty .When I can work out how I will send you a photo and you will be able to see for yourselves. I can hear more rain coming so had better shut some windows. Hugs to all and take care. Bee in NZ.

Friday, October 2, 2009

No picture


I have no idea where it is. I will try again.

Time to Check in.

Hi all! I am so enjoying all the chatter and catching up here. It is only fair that I also participate . I have been piecing, piecing, piecing and loving it. I made 5 table runners with a Hawaiian theme for the kids for Christmas. I am now making a Christmas themed quilt from a kit my DQF gave me for my birthday in August. When that is done, I will take 5 quilts to my machine quilter - hooray. Recently I designed and pieced a baby quilt from fabrics by a new designer, http://cicadadaydream.blogspot.com/, for Henry Glass. If I am lucky - and not forgetful - I will post a picture.
On a less positive note, I am searching for cause(s) of blood in the urine with the help of my doctors. You know, that one step at a time to eliminate what it is not. If you would be so kind, keep me in your thoughts while we resolve this.

Thursday, October 1, 2009

The Culprit

Well, it may have been a dead mouse that seemed to whet Hopee's appetite. Meanwhile, she's embarassed about the business of having poopy drawers and her human mother inspecting her 'deposits' outside. 'Hope'fully she'll be a somewhat improved tomorrow.

Joleen, when my husband was training on his last aircraft...747-400...he trained in St. Paul. I flew there for the first week to get him settled in the Marriott and while there visited the most wonderful quilt shop, with Pat Cox, that overlooked a lake north and west, I think it was, slightly from Minniapolis. Might this be the one? That retreat sounds absolutely perfect with someone else doing the work and meal planning.

It's nice to see so many posters...we all think our lives mightn't interest others yet, going onto the board in the middle of the night last night, it was like walking into a room full of friends.

Rosey

Too soon to think about "S"

It's only Oct. 1st - too soon to think about "S" and all that it brings..... I have a couple of fun days ahead. Our guild has a retreat today and tomorrow at the Schoenstadt Retreat Center about 15 miles from here so as soon as I get my "you know what" in gear I will be going over there. I won't be staying over night this time because I have a Dear Jane class tonight, but do plan to spend the day both Th and Fri. Theresa - who is a lurker - always sets up the retreats for us and does a great job. The center is run by sisters in the Schoestadt order. We set up our machines in a gorgeous big room with a view of a lake, and when it is time to eat one of the sisters announces that the meal is ready. We shut off our machines, walk into the next room, eat, put our plates on a cart when done, and walk back to our machines. Same thing the next meal. Homemade bread, soups, wonderful homecooked meals...we all feel very pampered by the time we leave. Theresa usually lines up several of these retreats a year.

Last weekend was a quilt-filled few days as well. Firefly Quilt Shop in Mankato was part of a 12 shop, 5 state, 3 day, 2 night, 11 meal/snack shop hop. Both of my sisters (IA and MO) drove up and the three of us helped with the food for all three days. What a fun bunch of ladies - and a few gents - came thru the shop over the three days. Turkey supreme, banana bread and apple bars to die for seemed to be the hit for each meal. My DJ class is at that shop tonight so it will be fun to hear the comments about the other shops from the quilters that went out from the Mankato shop. Better get movin' so I can get to the fun.... Joleen in MN

Just for you Sara !

It is 530 am and the temperature is -5 Celsisus and if we are as lucky as yesterday we will get to 11 or 12 + by afternoon, and yes I do have my wool sox out and the extra quilt on the bed now !

Wednesday, September 30, 2009

Wool sox

It's 12:36 a.m. and one of our Aussies has a tummy upset. I'm up with her at the moment, poor wee thing. She's upset with herself and scared; I'm worried about her. I threw the Pepto Bismal out five years ago. Will have to get another bottle tomorrow. The vet recommends this for diarhea in dogs. I'll have to close her off in a safe place in the mud room and try to get some sleep myself or I won't be fit for anything come morning.

It's turned very cold here tonight as well, Kathi. Heather is north of us by some four or five hours, perhaps more, Heather and I can imagine if we're cold down here in the banana belt of Southern Ontario, you must be cold up there in T.Bay. I used to wear kid mohair sox; now I wear alpaca wool sox, primarily because I have access to them twice a year with their events being held five minutes from here. Dressing for winter isn't something I want to think of on October 1st.

Rosey

Brrrr.....

There was actually a skiff of the S word today in central Idaho where our cabin is located. It fell in the mountains and stuck, but melted off the houses by 5:30 pm. Temps there will truly be frigid tonight. The forecast is for 18*F (-4*C) tonight. We are often the coldest spot in the nation, surpassing even International Falls MN on many occasions.

Smart Wool brand socks are wonderful in the cold weather, too. I live in mine during the winter.

Kathi

Where am I ??

Sara, I live about 35 miles (about 1/2 hour) from the Minnesota/Ontario border at Pigeon River. Geographically we are probably in the same type of climate zone as the area where your daughter is moving to if it is close to the Manitoba/North Dakota border......but occasionally Lake Superior is our best friend giving us some shelter from the wild weather patterns......depending upon of course where the systeme is coming from....when it comes off the lake we have seen the sky turn green and grey and cause us to have severe storms. I do love to watch the lake when this happens but would never want to live right on the lakeshore.

Have you found any sweeaters etc for the grands? Online shopping makes it easier....go for real wool or a good blend if you can.

Where are you Heather?

Heather, where are you with weather like that? -3 C is about 29F--I think.
Are you in Alaska? Northern Cananda?
Inquiring minds want to know.
I had the A/C off all day and just turned it back on. first cool day since Spring. About 72 this morning, about 78 now.
Sara in Fla.

Checking in from sunshiny Sault Ste. Marie

Wow, what a gorgeous day. Just got back from a walk with DD2 and baby Henry. I've been really depressed the past couple of days; this sunshine is fixing that.
Hi Marie. I often think of you and Celia B. Should you happen to see her, please say hi from me.
DH told me the other day that I had done a good job making this house "home". Doesn't feel like it to me yet. I started sorting cupboards last night to make the kitchen more efficient. It's hard because the original cupboards have shelves that are too low to stack canned goods two high. The only shelves which will take my bottle of corn syrup, balsamic vingegar, etc. need a stool to reach. Kitchen reno is in the distant future; in the meantime I keep sorting and resorting. Sorry for the whine.
A question: how long did it take you to settle in to a new place? What helped? What hindered? this relocation has proved so much harder than I anticipated, possible because it had been 30 years since the last one.
hugs to all
Brenda in Nn Ontario

Another one heard from

Okay, okay, I too am getting the message. I read a couple of times a week, but post very infrequently as I never have very much to say. Not much new in this corner of the world - still working, still knitting. Need to box up some of the children's sweaters and get them mailed to the distributor before cold weather and the holiday madness set in.

My friend Celia has retired, but is back working part-time in our geographic applications division concentrating on the island area territories of the US for the upcoming census next spring. Both of us keep busy at work, so I don't see her very often. We park near each other, but have different coming-and-going times, so I actually see her car more frequently than I see her - at least I know she's around.

Not much quilty going on either, although I'm finishing up the blocks for a block-of-the-birthday-month effort by my virtual red-hat group. Each member posted her choice for a block pattern on her birthday month, and each of us choosing to do so are making the blocks in our choice of colors. Mine are black and white with a touch of rainbow color in at leat one patch in each block. Maybe when I perfect how to post pictures, I let you see some of the blocks. Like Rosey, I'm greatly computer-challenged, even though my vocation is programming - yeah, now that really makes sense.

Y'all have a great day now. Marie in Maryland

Wednesday morning

What a difference from last week.....somebody has turned off the switch weather wise...Right now it is MINUS 3 celsius and our high might get to 12 plus....sSunday evening and Monday we had very strong winds and lots of damage up here with trees and power lines down....fortunately no major injuries or fatalities and by last night they were expecting everyone to have their power back on....we only lost ours for 20 minutes or so but the tree on the boulevard has split in three different ways and will need to come down if only hydro or the parks division of the city one of them needs to do something.....there are actual branches lying on the lines so it is only a matter of time....a

Spent yesterday afternoon at my favourite knit shop with the weekly drop in ladies.......I use that time to work on socks or scarfs....something that isn't hard to undo because like the quilting get togethers the conversation always takes priority...

Have finished one Jack O'Lantern face sweater for the oldest grandson and have the back done on the smaller version for the younger one....I am very pleased with them and can't wait to get a picture with them wearing them! Also did them up small trick or treat bags with their names and pumpkins and bats and had lots of fun doing them.....and that is the whole point of things is to enjoy our time with them and do the things we enjoy making for them. At some future point they won't want to snuggle in with Grandma or Grandpa or be our "couch terrorist" by jumping so high and so much......definetly something we probably nipped in the bud with their father and uncles......

From the looks of the forecast I had better make some time to finish up in the flower garden and get the tulips in or their won't be any next spring.....doesn't look like October will be as warm as September.....

Hoping everyone is udoing well..... Sara in Florida....thinking of you as your daughter and family are making such big changes not only in their lives but yours.....sending hugs....

Heather

Tuesday, September 29, 2009

Board down?

I just had a note from Jean in Mill Bay who tells me that she can't access the Board again. I thought I'd try to post something to see if the problem is universal.

Kathi

Checking in

Nice to read all the new posts. Rosey, I agree that that is a beatiful quilt. It reminded me that I have a Christmas applique quilt in the works somewhere. I should dig it out. The DGC like my quilts and that would be fun to have around at the holidays.
Jane, your Rufus sounds like a handful. Should keep you moving!!
I had my young women over Sunday for scrapbooking. Not a great deal of work was done what with all the feeding and soothing and playing with babies. I admire the moms for even trying to do anything. They had left the 2 big brothers (aged 2) at home with the dads, so it was a break for them they said. I love young ones, but boy am I glad those days are over for me. Not only am I too tired for that, but I'm too selfish now too.
The weather has finally turned cold and wet. It's still milder than it was when we were living 400km north. This is Great Lakes forest rather than boreal forest and there is a strong moderating effect from Lake Superior.
I've been thinking lately of last year and the Pembroke quilting fun. Seems hard to believe it was only a year ago! I was looking at the pics and remembering the fun.
Happy Tueday all.
Hugs, Brenda in Nn Ontario

Monday, September 28, 2009

Teeming rain tonight

Jane, I don't think you're going to route out Celia. She's so busy with her grandson at the moment that she hasn't time to turn around and catch her backside but she may surprise us. I think she's also lost her password.

The rain has been on and off but when on, it's teeming as it is right now close to 10 pm at night. I drove further north into the country today to visit a former B&B guest, who is renting a home in the hills of Mulmur Twp. for a month. They are in an old and big log home which is tucked back off the gravel road and nestled into a small hill with an old barn nearby. Two rather fat ducks waddled out of the barnyard but I could see no other feathered friends. It is an absolutely charming place, although further north from town than I would like in wintertime but truly the farm of my dreams when I first began to look for a home in the country. Good thing I didn't find that one because we are much closer to town where we are and in winter with all the snow, it's much better to be where we are but oh, my, how tempting...and it's for sale, too. I found a lovely MacIntosh apple tree on the laneway into the farmhouse and it did not look as though it had been sprayed. Lots of blemishes on the apples but few worm holes. At this time of year I keep a sharp eye out for old apple trees which are unsprayed to make applesauce for winter.

Which, if I dawdle any longer here, my applesauce will not get made. Thanks Heather for the nice thoughts on the quilt. It's really a fun quilt to make. The Inuit, for the US folks, are the former Eskimos of Canada and their land is now called Nunavut, which is the Eastern Canadian Arctic.

Rosey

CELIA(S)

So, Celias, where are you? We haven't heard from either of you in too long a time. There are other lurkers out there too who we wish would check in.

Jane

Sunday, September 27, 2009

YOU GO GIRLS !

Wow what a dizzying pace on the chat board.

Rufus is driving me to drink. Or he would be if I had anything to drink that I like. I have some beer DXSIL (that's dear ex sil) left the last time he was here about three years ago and some bourbon left here by DGF the last time she was here about three years ago. He, Rufus that is, is so smart that he learns very quickly what offends me like getting on the sofa. If I'm not paying enough attention to him he gets on the sofa and just waits for me to wonder what he's up to and turning around there he is on the sofa looking at me. He's off before I can deliver a rebuke such as a shot from the water piston. When he has a whacko attack when we go to the yard he runs in wild circles around the yard and the house at very fast long legged pace. The yard is quite large. That's fine with me, he is built for strenuous exertion. Trouble is, he has to interrupt the run with a leap at me which sometimes draws blood and the other night knocked me on my keister (sp?). He was off like a flash before I could scold him. I think he's laughing at me. Other times he puts his beautiful head in my lap and looks up at me with those hound eyes and I end up caressing him, telling him I love him and kissing him. Go figure. I'm finding it to be something of a roller coaster.

I'm just about set up in the quilt studio with the Juki cleaned, and threaded to set to work on the wedding (anniversary) quilt, that is if Rufus will give me some quiet time. I have a whole lot of strip cutting to do. The Rowenta iron was all set up on the big board my friend made for me and yesterday I discovered that the cord had been chewed in several places and just about severed. The devil dog had struck again. It wasn't plugged in and in some respects I regret that. He would have gotten quite a jolt which might have discouraged him from doing anymore chord chewing. I must have been occupied with something else because I keep that door closed when I'm not in there.

After two weeks of serious rain the system passed. That's probably where Rosey's drizzle is coming from. It was glorious today and cooler than predicted. You Yankees will laugh at me but it will surely go down to 50 F tonight. The Joe Pye weed has died out as have the thistles and the golden rod is nearing that point. I see some asters when I walk. The trees have dumped a lot of dead looking brown leaves. The pretty ones, red maples, red oaks etc. will reach a peak in a couple of weeks. The humidity has been awful the past two weeks and I've closed up the house and put the AC on a couple of times just to dry the place out. I will set the heat to come on in the early AM tomorrow so it'll be comfortable when I get up.

Well, I'm getting the nods and the ruffians have quieted down so I'll shut this machine down and hit my downy couch with Shadow. Rufus is confined to the laundry room at night so he can't destroy anything under cover of darkness.

Jane

Sunday night in Fla.

Good to see all the posts! keep it up-
I posted on the other board, but will ask here also. Does anyone know the name of the new quilt book by Nancy Smith and Lynn Mulligan? Something with the name fusible in the title.
Quick quilting-- my 2 cents worth. It depents on the "why" of the quilt. I want to make lots of quilts for the QOV project, mostly red, white and blue, therefore quick is good. If I can do 6 quilts to give away, instead of 3 in the same time I feel that I'm blessing more people.
On the other hand, if I'm lovin' some fabric for a grand kid or so, than yes I'd like to savor the moment.
Trying to agree with DH on new flooring for the guest room. We have agreeded to turn this into an exercise room, with maybe a murphy bed or day bed for company. I like the stranded bamboo that I saw, he wants something "glossy". Urrrrr. . . men, can't shoot 'em.
I decided to be generous and give the antique bedroom furniture to my niece. She and her DH have 4 little girls. The bed, dresser, night stand, are walnut, and were all my grandmother's mother's. Eastlake Victorian. Want to keep it in the family. Was going to hold on to it for DD, but they are going away to the "north" land and not taking a lick of furniture with them. Not even beds or a kitchen table.
SIL's family had a combo birthday/going away dinner for them last night. I drank 1 glass of wine too many, oh, my head. One glass in good, 2 not so much. DH & I gave DD and SIL a card with gift cards to Crackerbarrel inside. At least they can have some meals on the road. I'm coming to grips with the reality that they are really leaving town.
OK, Monday night football is on.
More later.
Sara in Fla.

OK, I'll bite!

Since I've seen my name in print twice now, I guess it's time to check in. I read every day, but am terrible about writing.

I, too, have Rosey's pattern. I call mine Inuit Dreams and am actually at the stage of picking out lovely fabrics for it. This one will be in the colors of the willow ptarmigan...white with all those yummy browns/blacks/yellow/gold/bronze. It's going to be interesting to see how much it looks the same and how it differs. I'll let Rosey do the designing, as I'm absolutely NOT a designer, but I can follow a pattern.

We are back into school full swing (DH is a high school principal) and even though I'm retired yet again, school events keep me busy. This year I made a quilt for a school fund raiser. It will be raffled off on October 19. Once I see how it goes over, I'll decide about doing one for next year.

Kathi in Idaho

Still lurking after all these years

Okay, I'll bite: time for me to post instead of the occasional lurk. Quilting has had to take a backseat for me, too, lately. We lost our manager at our carpet store, so guess who has been filling in, to the tune of 45-51 hours per week?! Ugh. In a way, it's kind of cool to go back to our beginnings, as DH and I started the business 26 years ago this week, but at my age (51) this is a lot of hours to work! And of course I have to come home and do the housework as well as keeping up with our two youngest (13 and 15) who are still in school. Make mine cheddar to go with that whine...

On top of all this, we are remodeling the living room and the den, this as a result of an attempt at downsizing since two of our five kids have left the nest. Getting new living room furniture, getting rid of a lot of stuff, looking forward to having more space in this relatively small house.

I will say that I always have a quilt in the hoop for hand quilting, and the current one is a 30's quilt. I'm so brain fried that I can't think of the pattern--a square with the corners nipped off in different colors. For the life of me the name won't come to this tired brain. The hand quilting is getting near done, though, so I should have a very pretty lap quilt sometime soon. Then it will be time to choose something in fall or winter colors to quilt over the colder weather. Here in New England the leaves are looking really beautiful--reds, yellows, oranges mixed with some that are still green. It really is a lovely time of year, in spite of me hating to see summer end.

Glad to see the other posts. Hope more will join in.

Jean in VT

meant to say

Rosey, that quilt is stunning ! have gotten a small laptop computer and sometimes my fingers get all behind or run ahead of my thoughts !

Sunday afternoon

aHello ! it has been so good to see all the posts.....I am guilty of enjoying the reading and do miss it when the page is down or no one posts.

We are having a lovely sunny break in what was supposed to be an all day of rain....but when it poured earlier, it poured buckets.....good for the gardens as our September has been dry and sunny and sunny....

Rosey that quilt is pattern......I do wish my hand applique skills were better, but I guess practice would make oneself better......

All of the boys and their better halfs are coming for supper along with the two grandsons who will overnite with us.....at 19 months and 6 months they keep us busy but we love it......even on DH's worst days they bring a smile on his face.
trying to get more quilting time, but no more rushing thru projects.......I am thoroughly enjoying the process instead of being impatient to be done and on to the next.
must run and get the veggies ready, tarts and pies are ready, I think I will consider this our thanksgiving supeper and coax one of the others to host the real day if they want another big meal.....
Heather

Thanks, Jean...

I'll get the instructions some other time, tried to do it myself but as my friends know, I'm electronically and machine challenged.

I got to thinking afterwards, I really can make a quilt in a shorter period of time than one year, which is usually my commitment...one quilt and one new design a year. The last few years I was in a bit of a creative slump and my quilty friends were kind enough not to point this out to me, especially my Wednesday Morning Irregulars. Guess you could have said that I was creatively constipated. Then, in Jan. this year, I received an email from a quilter out in Alberta (western Canada) who asked if I was the designer of the quilt, Arctic Reflections, which appeared in Canadian Living Magazine in Jan.1987. I was. She wanted to know if there were any more patterns for sale...and that was all it took to lift me out of my terrible non-productive slump which I'd never experienced before. I tried to contact the artist who had drawn the bird, years ago and found eventually that he had died in 2006. So, his widow has received an initial copyright commission from me for allowing me to reuse her husband's bird image and as Jean has kindly noted in her posting, the Inuit widow will receive 15% on each $45 pattern sold (plus the mailing charges which nowadays is getting awfully expensive).

In any case, I've been lax as well in posting and have tried to do so more lately. The B&B keeps me pretty busy over the summer months and I don't seem to get around to some of the things I mean to do.

There will be a special halo waiting for Jean in cat heaven for all the work she does and a special award for Rodge in sharing his guest bathroom with a collection of feral cats and kittens. Now we just have to get Celia back in here. Create a new password, Celia and let everyone know about that absolutely gorgeous grandson of yours.

Jean, Celia, Kathi from Idaho and Jane from NC all came to visit us a year ago now on their way home from Grace's Retreat.

Brenda, this is a good place to come, isn't it. I sometimes get up in the middle of the night and turn on my computer. It's like visiting with friends and getting caught up on their lives.

So now that we have infused the Chat Board with a few extra postings, let's keep it up.

I'm getting over a cold at the moment and it's turned into the usual sinus infection...drat it. I'm netti-potting my sinuses and trying to avoid anti-biotics if I can. Elaine, who used to post here, sent me a notice on how to help avoid the Swine Flu...although that is politically incorrect for pigs nowadays but I can't remember all the H1N1 numbers, is this correct? I drive with a bottle of hand sanitizer in my car and everytime I get back in from being somewhere, I sanitize my hands and Elaine's notice suggested netti-potting our noses ...so, Elaine, if you happen to tune in from South Carolina where you now live, thanks.

Rosey

Rosey's quick quilt


Rosey has asked me to post this picture of her recent 'quick' quilt. It is her design, drawn from the work of Inuit artist Aoudla Pudlat and part of the proceeds from the sale of the pattern will go to the widow of the artist. This was made by Rosey in three months. There is no peel'n'stick or glue in the construction...

Now, I have a copy of the pattern from Rosey and I am pretty sure it is going to take me more than three months to complete the quilt. But I think it is beautiful and I definitely will be making it. (You can send Rosey a note if you are interested in the pattern. )

And now I am going to go down to the gardens and pick some dahlias. They are beautiful this year.

Jean

great website

Jean, that's a great website. I have pet allergies, so I only admire from a distance. You are doing good work.
It's nice to see people posting. I miss women friends and the chat board helps with that. This aft I am having a couple of young women over for scrapbooking. I will probably handquilt while they scrapbook, as my pictures are in sad need of organization. Two babies (2 months and 4 months) are coming, and DH has volunteered for baby cuddling duty. It won't be the same as a group of rowdy women of that certain age, but it should be fun.
Hope some more familiar names post too. Hugs to all.
Brenda in Nn Ontario

OK, Rosey!

Alright, already!

You have guilted me into posting, Rosey! You are right -- if we don't post, soon there will be no one left here. And I do like to come and read to see what everyone is doing.

Mostly what I have been doing is feral cat rescue work. I have had a houseful of kittens since last March (with a small break for the trip to Paducah in April) and there are still 25 of the little gits here. It has been a long season! Fortunately we have recruited several really good foster homes for kittens, so I have at least had some other places to put kittens this year -- the ones I have had have been the sick ones and the ones that need to be bottle fed.

I have been trying to bring our organization into the 21st century. We now have a new web site that I am rather proud of -- check it out at www.cowichancatrescue.org -- and e-mailed newsletters and some new fund raising volunteers. I got a grant that gives us an advertising budget and I signed us up with Petfinders and with Adopt-a-Pet and posted some of our special needs kitties. I am hoping that all this effort will result in more money coming in so we can keep our spay/neuter program growing.

Needless to say, quilting has been taking a back seat on this bus, after the cats, after the gardens, after the cut flower sales, after the administration of the trusts from the old lady's estate (remember her? the lady and the bikers?) and so on and so on. But my Tuesday morning sewing group is sacred and *nothing* gets to interfere with that. I go every Tuesday and pick away at the hand made appliqued chicken quilt, which has finally made it into a hoop for hand quilting. It is about the only sewing I get to do these days.

I did recently have a lot of fun with a real quilter, though. I had Carol Seeley (Google her -- a Canadian quilt artist and the best teacher I have come across) come to stay with me for a few days to dye wool for her felted art. She needed variegated colours and that just happens to be a hobby of mine. It was a lot of fun and the results were gorgeous! If I had a little more free time I would set this up as a little home business...

And now that I have babbled on, can I ask a few more of my fellow lurkers to check in? I see so many familiar names on the membership list, but I never see posts from them. :(

Jean (still at sunny Mill Bay)

Drizzly here too

Jane, I guess if the board is to remain a living, breathing thing and others read it and don't post, the board may eventually dry up and wither away. So, on this drizzly, foggy almost, Sunday morning which doesn't bear any signs of having the sun peek out behind this blanket of grey in the sky, I will post. I'm ahead of my guests by an hour before they need their breakfasts. I think of it in my mind as them coming to the trough. I like to have a head start on my day when I have B&B guests as I don't like rushing; dogs need feeding, I need to sort myself out something like my hens used to do when jumping down off their lofts. Same as the dogs when they first get up, they shake their coats out first thing in the morning. I think of myself as shaking my feathers and getting my body is shape to face the day. Arthur-itis or not.

I attended a quilt guild meeting earlier this week, something I seldom do because I forget about the date and I also fall asleep at meetings regardless of the fact that I'm not tired. It's an embarassing fact that began when I was in art college as an older student and even at nine in the morning, if the lights went down and the lecturer began the class, the top of my head could often be seen more than my face. The speaker this week was a well-known US quilter who was on a round of sharing her fast and easy sewing techniques guaranteed to allow oneself to make a quilt top in three hours if you so chose. When she mentioned this as she held her small quilt aloft, it brought me to attention. "Three hours" I thought "holy cow, why would anyone want to rush through a production line of piecing a quilt in three hours when all of life is often nothing but rushing about and deadlines?" But then, I was the only one to feel some resistance towards that particular remark as the audience lapped up her talk. Was I the only one to notice this, I wondered and so sent out a questionnaire to my trusted quilty friends from the board and they responded with some wonderful replies. I'm trying to understand why, when all of life at times gets to be so pressure-filled, quilters rush through the process of making a quilt instead of taking the time to savour it. But then, I'm very slooooooowwww at making quilts in the sense that I dawdle, enjoy sorting out the problems and I don't balance my cheque book. I figure that these efficient, quick and easy methods may appeal to more left-brained people who balance their cheque books to the cent and don't live their life in a fog, like I do half the time. However, while I may appear to be in a fog, it's usually a very interesting fog.

So that's my contribution for this morning. Thank you, Jean, Celia, Kathi, Doris for your input.

Rosey