Hello, October!

Yep, another calendar page has been turned. "Hello, October" really has been replaced in my mind today with "whatever happened to September?" Sigh. Time marches on! I read an excellent article yesterday morning, sent to me by a dear friend, which helps put life into perspective. I am linking to it here for your reading enjoyment. It helped me to savor the day, simply for the pleasure of being in it! Rather than analyze my daily accomplishments; or rather, my lack of them, I sipped my tea and reflected on all that I had to be thankful for. There is profound peace in doing that. Our oldest granddaughter is eight years old today! She is a blessing to all of our family; she is smart, funny, loving and a pure joy to be around! I made a trip to the Capital City earlier last week for a sew-a-thon at our daughter's home in preparation for Lucy Ann's "American Girl" slumber party on Friday night. We stitched pajama shorts for four little girls and matching ones for their dolls. Our daughter-in-law created vinyl iron-on monograms for blank T-shirts too, completing the sleep ensembles!

Lucy Ann and her sleepover friends. 

They were a huge hit! There are no words for how cute this is!! Our daughter did report that not a lot of sleep happened though. 😉

Mr. Goodneedle and I made a return trip to the Capital City on Sunday afternoon to watch Mason play soccer and to celebrate Lucy Ann's birthday a few days early.  Her birthday wish was for the American Girl remote-control car for her dolls to ride in. She was super excited to open it! (It appeared that her brother was equally excited to see what was in the big box!) Sadly, it did not work! 

After many attempts to remedy the situation (the boys gave it their all!) the decision was made, at long last, to send it back and get a replacement. Lucy Ann was extremely gracious and understanding. I do believe that we were much sadder and disappointed about the non-functional car than she was. The new car is already on its way. Hang on, birthday girl, your kiddos will be riding in style very soon!  Yes, October has arrived; we're in the final quarter of the year, days are once again growing shorter. I, for one, am focusing on living each day deliberately, reading life like a book, and sharing excerpts right here! 

Life is Good!

 

A Lowly Chunk of Snow

What a difference a week makes. Just seven days ago we awoke to a winter wonderland and were bracing for what was being touted as "snowmageddon" by the weather forecasters. We didn't get as much as we were prepared for but it was enough for slipping, siding and sledding; and... it was beautiful. Today, with the thermometer nudging fifty degrees, there are quickly melting souvenirs cast to and fro. And so, what lessons can be learned from a lowly chunk of snow such as this one?
* To everything there is a season, and a time to every matter under heaven. Ecclesiates 3:1  Nothing lasts forever, so enjoy (or endure) it while you can (or must). That goes for snow, small babies, Christmas cookies, pain and heartache. Tomorrow is another day, God willing, for every one of us.
*We're not in control. Nope, certainly not us: not the local weatherman, or the anchor man or anyone in government or politics, not the doctor, not even our smartest, most trusted and organized friend; only God is in control. All the forces of nature are in His control, this knowledge brings great joy to my heart and a smile to my lips. And yes, I was reminded of all of this today while pondering a lowly chunk of snow; thanks be to God!

Life is Good!

Living With Purpose

If you haven't heard of this wonderful lady from North Dakota, here you go; her life is a lesson for us all... work hard and live with purpose! Thank you, Myrtle.

Life is Good!

Paying Attention!

Does this happen to you?  I made a special trip to the grocery store for two cans of cream of CHICKEN soup; I came home with two cans of cream of CELERY. Mr. Goodneedle will not eat celery, not even anything that hints of the taste of celery. Yes, I needed to make a return trip to the store!  Why did this happen? I wasn't paying attention... I grabbed two cans of what I thought was  what I was after, I was on auto-mode; NOT a good way to operate at all, this only results in causing me to spend more time, more energy, more money. Groan.  It was late, I was tired, I decided to wait until morning for shopping trip number two. I turned off the lights and remembered, after I was already back in the bedroom, that my clean and folded pajamas were still in the laundry room... clear on the other end of the house!  No problem;, I half-ran, half-walked, through the pitch-black house to retrieve them... plowing straight into the corner of our kitchen island. The point of impact was the left side of my abdomen, I literally heard the breath woosh out of my lungs. Wow; I had miscalculated my "flight path" by about a foot. Why did this happen? I wasn't paying attention... again; still operating, this time at full speed, on auto-mode. I got the message loud and clear. I need to pay closer attention... and get a headlamp!

What other areas of my life need my complete and focused attention? 

Distracted action, performed in darkness, is the equivalent of complete inaction.

I've switched off the auto button and turned on a light... I'm all ears, God!

"I am saying this for your benefit, not to place restrictions on you. I want you to do whatever 

will help you serve the Lord best, with as few distractions as possible." - 1 Corinthians 7: 35

Life is Good!

"It's The Journey"

"It's The Journey" ~ 49" X 61"

After months of deliberation "It's The Journey" has become a full-fledged flimsy; and a life lesson! What started out as the ultimate LQS border challenge has resulted in a well defined wall hanging that has named itself... and taught me a lot along the way. Let me recap the process that brought this quilt top into existence. Back in January I posted here about the project and showed my progress to date. At that time I decided to name this one "The Long and Winding Road"; I was naive enough back then to think I knew, sort of, where this might be headed and that I might have a bit of control!  By the end of January, with the selection of the third border (squares) and color (brown) I was flummoxed and desperate for help; I posted that plea here. By now I was referring to this project as "Destination: Unknown" which it remained until only recently.  By early May I was propelling this along by changing things up, cutting corners, and adding appliqué. Eventually, the outer black seemed necessary to rein it all in and keep the center contained. The final design elements selected, at the end of May, were appliqué and the color(s) red, yellow and/or blue. I machine appliquéd the words, they became the best definition for what this entire challenge represented. Suddenly it all became crystal clear to this quiltmaker: it never had been about the destination at all, but rather, the journey.  Given the chance I'd set out all over again on another one; I'm grateful for the challenge.

Life is Good!

"Got Cookies?"

"Got Cookies?" 75" X 92"

Another UFO bites the dust! There's no other feeling quite like tackling those pesky languishing projects-half-done and finishing them up. Our road trip last weekend provided more than enough seat time in the car to complete the handwork on the binding and move this scrap quilt, at long last, onto the "done" list. Mr. Goodneedle helped me to rig up a hanging system off of our side porch for quilt photography, this was the system's premier. I prefer to shoot photos outside when possible, this location is perfect as it's a nothern exposure and the colors are true. I'm going to have to figure out a way to eliminate the shadow in the top third for future photos, it's the result of the overhang from the eaves, I might have to aim some light up there... we'll see. As far as improvements to the quilt itself, in regard to layout and design, I'll make alternating block quilts from here on in with an uneven number of rows to ensure all four corners reflect the same block... how many years have I been quilting before I figured this out? But, for now, this one is done and documented; and it's all good!

A shot from the side to show the quilting detail.

The back side of the quilt with the light shining through,
offering a beautiful, and unexpected, stained-glass effect.

Life is Good!

Which Are You?

A young woman went to her grandmother and told her about her life and how things were so hard for her. She did not know how she was going to make it and wanted to give up. She was tired of fighting and struggling. It seemed that as one problem was solved, a new one arose. 

Her grandmother took her to the kitchen. She filled three pots with water and placed each on a high fire. Soon the pots came to a boil. In the first, she placed carrots, in the second she placed eggs, and the last she placed ground coffee beans. She let them sit and boil, without saying a word. 

In about twenty minutes she turned off the burners. She fished the carrots out and placed them in a bowl. She then pulled the eggs out and placed them in a bowl. Then she ladled the coffee out and placed it in a bowl. 

Turning to her granddaughter, she asked, "Tell me, what do you see?" 

"Carrots, eggs, and coffee," she replied. 

She brought her closer and asked her to feel the carrots. She did and noted that they were soft. She then asked her to take an egg and break it. After pulling off the shell, she observed the hard-boiled egg. Finally, she asked her to sip the coffee. The daughter smiled as she tasted its rich aroma. 

The granddaughter then asked, "What does it mean, Grandmother?" 

Her grandmother explained that each of these objects had faced the same adversity -- boiling water -- but each reacted differently. The carrot went in strong, hard and unrelenting. However, after being subjected to the boiling water, it softened and became weak. The egg had been fragile. Its thin outer shell had protected its liquid interior. But, after sitting through the boiling water, its inside became hardened. The ground coffee beans were unique, however. After they were in the boiling water, they had changed the water. 

"Which are you?" she asked her granddaughter. "When adversity knocks on your door, how do you respond? Are you a carrot, an egg, or a coffee bean?" 

Think of this: Which am I? Am I the carrot that seems strong, but with pain and adversity? Do I wilt and become soft and lose my strength? 

Am I the egg that starts with a malleable heart, but changes with the heat? Did I have a fluid spirit, but after a death, a breakup, a financial hardship or some other trial, have I become hardened and stiff? Does my shell look the same, but on the inside am I bitter and tough with a stiff spirit and a hardened heart? 

Or am I like the coffee bean? The bean actually changes the hot water, the very circumstance that brings the pain. When the water gets hot, it releases the fragrance and flavor of your life. If you are like the bean, when things are at their worst, you get better and change the situation around you. When the hours are the darkest and trials are their greatest, do you elevate to another level? 

How do you handle adversity? Are you changed by your surroundings or do you bring life, flavor, to them? 

ARE YOU A CARROT, AN EGG, OR A COFFEE BEAN?

Life is Good!

How Green Is Your Grass?

I witnessed something on Saturday that I've never seen before, a grass PAINTING operation! Seriously. (Okay, not with a roller but with a spray gun from the back of a truck.) "Why?", I thought. I can't get this out of my mind today. This patch of grass was outside a shopping center, a strip that runs alongside the busy road leading into its parking lot. I began thinking: if I were out shopping would I pass this shopping center by if the grass in front was brown? No, I wouldn't; I doubt that I would even notice, but feel certain that dead or sparse, patchy grass wouldn't cancel my shopping expedition!  However, someone must feel that this is worth the time and resources to make it happen. The older I get the more I realize that I am a sum of my life's lessons and experiences, making me uniquely me.  When I was a little girl, growing up just north of Boston in the 1950's, I watched a television show called "Big Brother Bob Emery". It was a local show, on channel 4, and it aired daily. Big Brother "Bob" sang a song with this chorus on every show:

"Oh the grass is always greener

In the other fellow's yard.

And the little row, we have to hoe,
Sure seems mighty hard.
Now if we all  wore green glasses
Then it wouldn't be so hard

To see how green the grass is
In our own back yard."

What I learned was the importance of loving what we had rather than having all that I longed for. I can still hear the music in my mind, and I've never forgotten the lyrics of that refrain. And so, I suppose, my perspective on the whole grass painting operation might actually be too literal and representative of much more than simply a shopping center who wants to put forth a tidy, clean and welcoming appearance to its shoppers! For me, I'm pulling for that struggling grass to grow green and healthy on its own, even though it is located alongside a busy road; it just wants the chance to be happy for itself and love what it has, despite being less than that perfect shade of green! I'll be happy to wear green glasses and save the paint for something more worthwhile... wouldn't you?

Life is Good!

Lessons I've Learned...

...from my Grandfather and my Grandchildren!

My grandparents had a chime that hung over the back door of their house painted with these words:
 "Vee get too soon oldt, und too late schmart!"
I remember my grandfather explaining this to me, or trying to; I recall his words about looking back on days gone by and wondering where the time went. Back then I knew nothing more than the endless chain of tomorrows that spread before me. I didn't understand the concept of me growing old, nor being any smarter as a result! I was so consumed by all of the busy days when my own children were small that they passed at warp speed; before I even noticed, it seems, they were grown. I savor the todays now, when one of my grandchildren crawls into my lap with a book or a toy or a quilt (or all three!) there's nothing more important, there's no time more precious than right now! I'm different than I was as a mother; hopefully, an improved version. I don't worry about the details anymore, I don't have to. Nana keeps peanut butter with chocolate on the pantry shelf, something that this mother never would have done! I can look back on all of those yesterdays now and smile, I understand completely what my grandfather was telling me; I did get too soon oldt, but hopefully not  too late schmart!

Life is Good!

Do You Really...?

I've fielded the same question lately, from friends and acquaintances who read my blog... "do you really organize your time and schedule your days the way you've spelled out in your posts?". I honestly answer "yes" and brace myself for the next question, the one I know is coming... "why?". I'm not sure how it all began, I suppose it's my nature to be somewhat disciplined; but I know what the impetus has been, over the past nine years, you're looking at her... this is Rowena. This picture sits right here on my desk where I do all my planning, she reminds me not to squander one minute, life is altogether too short. I met Rowena when we lived overseas, her son was in school with mine; she was a gifted quiltmaker (these are but two of her masterpieces she is pictured with at a quilt show) and a gentle, kind and cheerful woman. She and I were introduced shortly after I moved to Geneva, our Pastor made sure we were promptly connected, our circles constantly overlapped and I would see her often in the same places I visited! We moved back to the US in 1999, I don't remember, specifically, the last time that I saw her; but I do remember when I received an e-mail in 2002 from that same Pastor, informing me of her death. He described the beauty of her funeral and the glorious quilt that covered her casket. She had been diagnosed with cancer the year before, she suffered an agonizing period of time both physically and emotionally, she didn't accept the diagnosis with quiet resignation, she was angry with God. I can only imagine how she felt, I can relate to that lack of acceptance... there's so much more that I want/need/feel compelled to do! And so, that's my answer to "why?"... I organize, plan and schedule so that I don't waste any time. I remember Rowena and her gentle, kind and cheerful spirit; I've learned from my friend how fragile and finite life can be. I want to live my life to the fullest, I am determined that my legacy won't be a pile of UFO's! It's that simple. This is one of Rowena's enduring works, on permanent display at The Quilt Museum and Gallery in York, England; click to marvel at her creative artistry and celebrate how she saw the world and loved life!

God give thee

Time for the task,

Wisdom for the work,

Grace for the way,

Love to the last.

~author unknown

Life is Good!

"I Think I Can"!

You're familiar with The Little Engine That Could, the children's story explaining how the power of positive thinking and a little extra effort can result in a great accomplishment. Think of this plant as the little geranium that could! It was tossed in the garage last fall after the first frost; seemingly dead, it was neglected and forgotten about all winter long. This spring, when I was potting up other flowers for the patio, I was just about to jerk this one out by it's roots so that I could use the pot for other plants when I noticed some small green growth around the base of one of the stalks. I decided to let it be and trimmed it back, watered it (for the first time in seven months) and set it out in the sunshine. It literally took off; immediately sending out shoots, leaves and flowers, it has been a show-stopper all summer long. I can barely keep the profusion of blossoms pinched back! There's a lesson to be learned here and I'm taking notes. Bloom where you're planted, little geranium!

"I think I can, I think I can" comes the swift and glorious response.

Life is Good!