While We Were Away...

We traveled to western Illinois last month for the funeral of an extended family member. Beautiful country nearing the Mississippi River; rich soil, sprawling acreage dotted with family farms. There was a quilt in the Fellowship Hall there, this one commemorating the church’s 150th anniversary back in 2009. I'm drawn to them. While the guests that day were enjoying a lovely reception of foods prepared by the ladies of the church I was studying the church's history, Immanuel Lutheran in Altona, as it was portrayed through this beautifully crafted wall quilt. I've said it before; every quilt tells a story!

This church has great sentimental connection for my husband, 

Mr. G's grandfather was called here as the pastor from 1946-1955; 

he has many memories from this place.

From western Illinois we traveled east to Buffalo and then on to New Hampshire to celebrate my Dad's 98th birthday with him in his home. It was a very special day!

The next day we took Dad down to his hometown in Massachusetts, the the Historic Document Center there where he recorded an oral history for posterity. Although he looks deep in thought in this picture he had a wonderful time remembering his many and varied experiences on the highway department, the fire department and even had a few stories (that I'd never heard before) about growing up as a young boy in town, the adventures that he had and mischief that he got himself into! It was a wonderful day!

*As I write this today, Mama Bluebird is sitting on a second batch of eggs 

for this season; these babies have already grown and fledged. New life abounds!*

We returned home to an abundance of Iris in bloom, a newly hatched family of baby bluebirds, an abundance of strawberries at a nearby farm and Peonies ready to pop! That's about it for this catch-up account of where I've been and what's new (one of those afore-mentioned posts that I had composed over and over in my mind but never committed to). 

What's new with you?

Life is Good!

Are You Still There?

In my last post, well over a month ago(!) regarding breathing new life into these quilts I asked you to stay tuned... and then I, seemingly, evaporated! Nothing terrible has happened, we've been away for a bit but life gets busy and this blog has been back-burnered for weeks. Not that I hadn't thought about posting, I had written many drafts; but only in my mind.

Last week our DIL came over, we got all three of these tops (see full story here, in previous post) loaded and she quilted them all; in one day! The next day she made the bindings and attached them to each one. She’s determined and focused! 

I snapped this picture of one of the blocks, look at that center square... no piece was too small. Nothing, even the tiniest scrap, was overlooked; it was stitched together and used!

Our DIL worked tirelessly and all three of these quilts were presented on Sunday! 💗

Speaking of quilt presentations on Sunday...  we recognized our high school graduates at church, they were presented with gifts from the congregation and quilts representing the chosen schools where they will continue their education. These were finished just in time! 

It was an occasion to celebrate!

Life is Good!

Thanks for your patience with this absentee blogger.

I'm still here and if you're reading this, you are too!

I am grateful. 

Breathing New Life

Our DIL inherited a box containing 36 quilt blocks, all Churn Dash, that her mother, Phyllis, had stashed away for years. She had always planned to do something with them, they were pieced by her mother, our DIL's grandmother. Some of them were in pretty rough shape. The maker of these blocks used what she had: flour sacks, what appears to be bed sheets and some very sheer Leno-weave florals, all pieced together with many and various thread colors. Our DIL knows that these blocks are at least eighty years old.The idea was to set them together in three quilt tops, one for each of Phyllis' grandchildren. I helped a bit with a design plan but after that our ambitious DIL ran with it. In a few days she sent me a photo...

Hooray! What a glorious accomplishment. We deemed those blocks too fragile for washing before they were stabilized with sashing, all cut on the straight grain.

They came back to me for baths, all delicately hand done and rinsed...

...before they were stretched out, covered for protection from the sun, birds, etc; 

and dried outdoors one at a time. Stay tuned for what happens next!

Every quilt tells a story!

Life is Good!

After Easter Springtime Happenings

Another Easter Sunday has come and gone; we had a lovely holiday complete with a baked ham dinner and all the fixings at a table surrounded by family and friends. Lynnleigh spent the night with us on Saturday and helped to decorate some beautiful eggs which added festive color to the  dessert table laid out with bunny and chick cupcakes. The Egg-mazing egg decorator was one that I saw advertised and ordered off of Amazon. It did NOT disappoint! The results speak for themselves... and no mess! Win-win!

We've got Bluebirds nesting- mama is currently sitting on 5 eggs, new life abounds!

These minature white Iris came from my childhood home, 

they never bloom long enough for me!

Mr. G and I (and Augie!) spent all day Monday cleaning up the perennial garden. Weeding, trimming, spreading mulch. It was like a reunion with old friends as I discovered Columbine, Blue Fortune, Cranesbill, Brazilian Verbena, Echinacea, Daisies and Garden Phlox all reemerging from a long, cold and snowy winter; welcome back!

It was a great day. Yesterday I could b-a-r-e-l-y move after all that work on my hands and knees! Ha!! No pain, no gain? Maybe. 🤔

That didn't stop me from my daily walking regimen, I'm still committed  to that;

although the uphills were a bit more ouchy than usual yesterday.

Someone is happy that it's porch weather again!

Spring is here, in all its glory!

Life is Good!

Step By Step

  

Spring is arriving, step by step... I'm ready!  I wish I could say it was a steady and gradual shift into spring, but that's not the case. One day we'll have beautiful almost-summerlike days and the next we're plunged back into a day that's cold and blustery, winter still has a grip. 

I've dug out my wintered-over geraniums and potted them up to enjoy the warmer, sunnmy days and get a head start. This year I am also trying my hand at pre-sprouting the dahlia tubers. I hadn't ever done that before but after watching a few youtube videos, and feeling fairly confident that I can succeed, I'm giving that a go. Wish me luck. 

We gathered for the funeral of Phyllis, our dear DIL's mother, on Saturday. I believe that it was one of the most beautiful, music-filled, personal send-offs that I have ever attended. I  am truly blessed to have known her, she was a lovely and accomplished woman in every sense. The service was held at a Methodist church, this hung in the Fellowship Hall there. I am well-acquainted with this style of watercolor quilts and wallhangings. Remember when these were all the rage in the 1990's? I just know that Phyllis would have directed my attention to this when we entered the room, had she been there. She is deeply missed already.

I'm plugging away, on schedule with week #2 of the R,W & B Scrappy QAL through RedRainbootsHandmade and her Sparklers quilt constructed from the strips received in the recent scrappy swap. I am appreciating the relaxed pace of this quilt-along and enjoying the process fully; one step at a time. Stay tuned; this beauty lives up to its name!🎇

And so, after a sedentary winter I have decided to kick my walking regimen into full gear. Sunday's progress as shown above is pitiful, somehow I contracted a short term (thank goodness!) stomach bug. But, yesterday I was feeling great again and back to hiking the neighbohood hills. It's all good. 

Oh, and Augie has a new friend. 

Life is Good!

Happiness Squared

Working my way through bins of completed blocks-of-the-month, I ran across these nine blocks from 2023. The class was "Aspiring Stars" taught at my LQS. They were just begging to be set together~  "Circle of Nine" to the rescue!  This book contains plenty of inspiration for unique and attractive settings for those occasions when you might have less than twelve blocks (not to assume that I am a class drop-out or anything!). I added the outer border of Economy blocks from the leftover scraps. All of the setting fabrics came from the stash, nothing was purchased to complete this flimsy; which makes me very happy. The fabrics are bright and lively, too, all combining perfectly as the name for this one: "Happiness Squared". It just fit. 😊

Life is Good!

Lent

We are already in the second week of Lent. Right on cue, the Lenten Roses are blooming, time marches on and spring is appearing sporadically. One day it's here and the next we're plunged back into winter.

It's been a very sad time this past week, our dear daughter-in-law lost her precious mother to a horrible and aggressive brain tumor that appeared, so suddenly, just last summer. We will miss Phyllis terribly; she was a dear and accomplished woman, an always-cheerful friend to all and a wonderful, loving grandmother to our mutual grandchildren, Gregory and Lynnleigh. 💔 Thank you to all that have prayed for Phyllis. She is now in the loving arms of her creator. Gregory told me, just the night before she died, that he knew he would see her again and that she'd be well when that time came. Amen. I am strengthened by his faith. 

I have finished up the central portion of Sarah Barker and am moving on the border now. I have switched up the colors to my own liking and added a few elements. You can click on the hyperlink to see the original. 

I joined a fabric swap over at Red Rainboots Handmade and am currently participating in the Red, White and Blue "Sparklers" QAL. This one will be fun. Our daughter was a Bicentennial baby, born in July of 1976; this will be perfect for her, not only in celebration of her 50th but also in commemoration of America's Semiquincentennial.

As we continue through Lent and this in-between season of not winter anymore and not yet quite spring I wish you quiet times of prayer, peaceful reflection and sunshine to warm you. 

Life is Good!