Thursday, July 22, 2010

Sandi, it's good to see a 'voice' from our former board and congratulations on your new fabric designs. Bee, down under in NewZealand, I hope you get your connection fixed before too long so that you can join us and 'feel' our hot weather up here in the northern hemisphere. Doris, how quickly the tides close over a bedroom when a beloved child moves out. Time takes care of change and fabrics take the place no doubt of his clothing scattered about as it must have when he was growing up. Jane, another week under Kit's belt and I wonder how this week is going for her. Before long, I hope you'll look back on her adjusting to the mountains of North Carolina from the flatter state of Ohio and her kennel mates with good memories. Laura, your quilt is stunning. Why is it that when we spend so much time laboring, with love and patience, over quilts we make, only to almost apologize when we don't feel that they are as good as other's quilts. It is a beautiful quilt and very striking in its use of colour. And Sara, how well I remember the alligators in Florida and in particular, on Johns Island in South Carolina. Driving around the residential area where we were staying, one day, we found an alligator sunning itself on the lawn of someone's home and stopped to observe it, rather too closely. I cannot help but wonder if a mother alligator might love her baby alligator for they are, to me, quite prehistoric and ugly looking. Close enough for me to see the spikey teeth when it opened its mouth and started towards me, I knew then how easily dogs and cats could disappear into those awful jaws and that they were not to be trifled with. Why would anyone want to feed them to encourage some connection between a reptile such as this and themselves. It's bad enough when people up here say they are feeding the racoons that come to their back door at night. They are extremely viscious animals that would not hesitate to attack you if aggravated or startled. Although they are bold, most tend to slip away from human contact but there are people who think they are 'cute' with their black masks, furry body, tiny paws which hold food as humans do, yet, are very destructive animals.

This week, friend Margaret is with us here in the country. She is recovering from a knee operation in May, from which she is doing well but from the arthroscopic surgery the year before, she is not. Her leg is numb from her knee to ankle and she's been in such pain that the medication taken for that over the past year has caused her to loose a lot of weight. But tying a tin can to her for the week and holding her down from running the roads takes a bit of doing. She's normally a very active person (and in her early 70's). Tonight she is being honoured at Princess Margaret Hospital tonight in Toronto as being a 30 year survivor of cancer. Geordie, our older Aussie, is a devoted fan and Hope, who is not as familiar with Margaret, is becoming one as well.

Our weather here has been glorious. A wonderful time of year, flowers out in abundance and now weeds which were entirely removed three weeks ago are clambering back into my flower beds needing attention.

Rosey

Wednesday, July 21, 2010

this & that

Alligators-well, I make it a habit to stay out of canals and the Everglades. I guess when we go kayaking in the rivers there are some, but so far so good. Some fools feed them, which makes them tame and agressive. That's when there is trouble.
Humidity-- this time of year I stay inside alot. If I had the money would build (buy) a place up near Jane for the summer months. If we have the afternoon showers it cools off, and the evenings are nice. Haven't had one for 2 or 3 days now.

Am excited that I am putting the binding on my QOV quilt. It has taken way too long to finish this thing.
Ashville--DH is not happy that I'm planing on driving by myself up there. With all the long hours he is putting in at work I don't think he will miss me. Today someone new was supposed to start, so hopefully he did. With the economy as it is you would think people would be knocking down the door for jobs. I would rather go with a GF, but don't plan to stay home just because no one else can put it in their schedule. It is a bout an 8 hr. drive, I can stop every two hours and stretch, get a coke, etc. Have a stack of CDs to listen to.
N.D.-I made a dumb mistake! Figured we could push back our trip to N.D. to Sept. The airline (Alligent) that flys directly there doesn't fly there in Sept. Who would have thought that?
I could take American, or United, but would have to change in Chicago and it's about $300.00 more. Maybe October is workable. Guess the airlines know that farmers harvest in Sept. so they don't leave town. That is the only reason I can think for not flying then.
Sara in Fla

Tuesday, July 20, 2010

checking in

Sandi - Good to see you posting here! I don't know of any organization that is collecting quilts for our flood victims. My own quilt guild of 150 members has not mentioned anything, either. Our church as done fund-raising, as have many others. What is being asked for is money and hands-on help/labor. Sorry I'm not much help.

Laura in AL --- what a pretty quilt! I'll bet your parents love it.

I had considered attending the AQS show in Knoxville, but ended up with jury duty instead. I never had to appear, so that was nice. But I could not make any sort of plans for 3 weeks, except after 6 p.m. the night before. Welp, I've done my civic duty. ;o)

Sara in FL --- Ack! High humidity is one big reason I doubt I'll ever move to Florida. (the others being hurricanes & alligators-ack!ack!) I am a first-class wimp when it comes to humidity and heat. (also hurricanes & alligators)

Our son will be working up here next week and staying with us, so it will be nice to see him. I'll have to move the boxes of fabric out of the guest room. (ack! again)
I am really enjoying my new sewing room (our son's old bedroom) and have made a pair of shorts and two skirts already. I especially love the wood flooring. Makes dropped pins so much easier to find.

Hugs to everyone!

KNOXVILLE etc

Just too busy to head to Knoxville this year. Perhaps next year and certainly Laura and Doris and I can have a meet as well as any other BBers so inclined. By the way, Laura, that blue and white quilt is gorgeous. I admire it as well as you and anyone else with the gumption to do a bed size quilt. My DD's wedding quilt is a long way from finished because, I'm a lousy time manager and spend a lot more time thinking and talking about quilting than actually doing it. I truly think I suffer from a mild case of ADD. In any case, Laura, you shouldn't be so self effacing about your work. I'd be proud to have that quilt on my bed.

I feel so spread thin right now and I'm about to bow out of several things to do the things I want to do. Starting Friday I start six weeks of shoulder physical therapy 3 times/week. Primary doc and hand surgeon both thought I have a tear in rotator cuff but shoulder surgeon says from x-ray he can see a bone spur causing an impingement which are probably causing some problem. If the rehab doesn't do the trick then he'll order MRI. That approach sounds inefficient for me but is probably cheaper for my poor tax paying children. Oh well, getting stronger in any way is always a good thing. I hope I'll be able to reach into the drive-in drawer at the bank in any case. All winter long total strangers were approaching me in restaurants to help me get my coat on.

Kit had a major breakthrough this week. A couple who own about three acres adjoining my property are here to spend about a week. They have a one room structure along the lines of a double garage with plumbing and semi camp out periodically. They are a very nice couple and we've been casual friends for 20 years. I walked by and saw that the van was there so approached with Kit to say hello. Marcia saw me and stepped out the door which spooked Kit of course. I put the leash on Kit and dragged her over to the house. Marcia set up a bench understanding instinctively that she might be less intimidating to Kit while sitting. We sat down with Kit pulling to distance herself. Marcia and I chatted away, ignoring Kit and gradually the leash began to loosen up. I watched from the corner of my eye as she cautiously approached and the quiet chat continued mostly about Kit. Eventually curiousity overcame fear and ultimately Marcia was allowed to pet her seasoning the touching with quiet sweet talk. I think I have the formula now but it's hard to set up especially if there is another dog in the picture at the same time. It's turning into a full time job.

Speaking of which, I'd better get out for the hike before it gets hot.

Jane

Monday, July 19, 2010

Knoxville AQS and other stuff

Hey Sandi, it's good to hear from you. We miss all the folks from the old board! Congratulations on your line of fabrics. I'll have to look more carefully at the bolts to see if I can figure out which ones are yours :)

My SIL and I went to the AQS show on Wednesday. We wore ourselves out on those concrete floors, but the quilts were awesome. I consider a show like that a trip to an art exhibit, because I will surely never make anything so beautiful, or so useless! There were very few bed quilts there. There was an exhibit of antique quilts that was extremely interesting. I bought one panel of birds, and a Laurel Birch dog bag to use as a book bag, and an AQS art calendar for next year. I kept thinking I was out of money, and found another $20 when I got home. Oh well, we have quilt shops here too.

I finally finished Mom's quilt, and it is on her bed. It will never get juried into an AQS show, but I think it looks good on her bed. She and Pop are happy with it, anyway.

Sunday, July 18, 2010

donation quilts

HI everyone! I haven't been here in ages, I read every once in awhile but not often enough.

Doris in TN, I 'm thinking you might be able to help me. I'd like to find an organization in Nashville to send a quilt (maybe 2) to that would get it to a family that lost home and/or furnishings in the flood. Do you have a group that you know of and trust to get things to the right people? A church group was what I was thinking....Thanks for your help!

Other than that, my dd got married last Sept. and a grandbaby is on the way! My ds is in college. I'm still quilting and designing like crazy and I have a line of fabric in black and white out with Blank quilting fabrics. Working on a second one, too.