Remembrance

One would think that I didn't own a camera.  I attended my great niece's high school graduation on Thursday and made sure that I put not only one camera, but two cameras, in my overnight bag.  Then, as we were about to enter the stadium, I thought about the camera.  And, do you think I had either one of them with me?????????


It was a somewhat sobering reminder of how time goes by when I recalled that I had graduated from this same high school forty-two years ago.   And all my siblings (who are older than me) also graduated from that same school.

As I sat there watching people go by, my brother who has continued to live in that community pointed out various people that I would have known in the past.  I was amazed to realize that I would not have recognized some of them.  In our mind, we see ourselves in a certain way and do not see the real image we portray.  Likewise, we maintain the memory of people we knew and it is very difficult to transform those memories to coincide with their appearance today.

With tomorrow being Memorial Day, it is most fitting that I am in a reflective mood.  My oldest brother, who has now passed away, was a veteran of the Army just at the end of the Korean War.  My next brother was in the Navy, the next brother was in the Air Force during the Vietnam War and the youngest brother was in the National Guard for many, many years, beginning at the height of the Vietnam War.   And, last but certainly not least, my husband had an Air Force career spanning almost thirty-one years.  Their service to our country is so ingrained in my perceptions of them that I forget to give them due credit.    

From a display at the International Peace Gardens on the border of the US and Canada 

I will remember.  May you do the same.  

A Bit of This 'n That

Where does the time go?  I turn around and a week has passed. 


I mentioned that I am finally about done with the leaf raking, and none too soon!!!  We'll have about a 5 month respite before it'll be time for the small fall drop, and then in March, the big drop will start all over again.  Here's a little taste of what the leaves can look like out back within just 5 or 6 days. 

See all those leaves lying on the grass?  


Do you ever hate to mess up your house again after its been cleaned really well?  We have someone come in every two weeks, and when she leaves I truly dread messing it up!!  But, we gotta eat, I guess. 

And the table just sparkles.  

I have some sewing projects I need to work on, but have some fun things on the calendar for the next four or five days.  The sewing will just have to wait.   


Y'all take care. 

Circle of Friends

I know, I know.  It's been a while.  There has been a lot going on.  I think we're finally finished with raking the leaves.  We still have oak blooms coming down, but they disintegrate pretty fast and we don't really have to rake them up.  Now, if we could just get some rain we would be set.  It has been at least two months since we've had rain to amount to anything.  Trees and plants are suffering, and the crops are in dire need of rain.  


I went to a Circle of Friends quilting retreat last weekend and had an absolute blast!!!  I was so tired by the time each day ended that all I wanted to do was collapse into bed for some sleep before getting up the next day to do it all over again.  


There were 80+ of us there, and I'd only met two or three of them before the weekend.  We came from all over the country and one lady was from New Zealand.  She and I actually share the same first name, so that was a treat.  Somehow, I managed to stretch a three and a half day event into six days, what with traveling to and fro!!  

There were great classes on all kinds of quilting things.  I learned how to paper piece, how to do back basting applique and even a bit of machine quilting.  


The depth of knowledge among these ladies is just more than you could believe. Here are some of their creative endeavors.  These were Round Robin tops.  Someone made a center block and then sent it along to another person who added to it, and then that person sent it on to the next person who added to it, etc.  This continued until all the folks in that particular group had added to the piece, and then it was returned to the person who made the original block and it was hers to keep.  Meanwhile, she had been adding rounds to the blocks begun by the others in her group.  And, until the retreat, none of them had seen the finished items. 

In addition, there were many quilts made as part of a fundraiser for the Muscular Dystrophy Association and the drawing for the lucky numbers was done by four firemen from Charlotte. 

They had no idea what they were getting into when they drew the short straws and were sent over.  Normally, firemen from nearby Gastonia, NC do the honors but they were unavailable.  I'd like to thank Jean and Thearica for all their hard work in getting this fundraiser off the ground and raising a good chunk of money for MDA.  Here are some of the many quilts which were generously made and donated to the cause. 

When roomie and I checked into the hotel, I told her that our room number (711) was a lucky one.  Over the course of the weekend, I won three quilts (including the last two shown above) and a fabric cutting machine called a Go! Baby, along with assorted other stuff,  which constituted quite a haul.  Even my hubby commented how lucky I had been, since "you never win anything".  


We were also treated to some fabulous artist presentations.  Master potter  Phil Morgan  demonstrated some of his techniques and theories.  In addition to teaching classes,  Cathy Wiggins  presented a trunk show of her fun and fabulous quilts.  We also had Susan Brubaker-Knapp for a trunk show on Sunday night.  Her art quilts are unbelievable.  I still want to pet that kitty, and its nose should be wet!!!!!    It thrills me to no end to see creativity exhibited all around me. 


Y'all take care.