for the last time today. It was still a little nippy outside, that is why I drug out my favorite pair of corduroy pants, they just felt so cozy. But the sun was shining and when I was out and about I felt a little silly sportin' my cords. Sigh...I love me a comfy pair of cords.
It truly was a glorious day. We did a little antiqueing. Spent lots of time on the wrap-around porch swinging in the porch swing and the rockers singing with thegranddaughters and throwing the dog his toy. The husband mowed the lawn for the first time in preparation for the Easter egg hunt on Sunday. All 3 grandprincesses are here and it is so exciting to have them all here for the first time.
I spent a little time out exploring in my gardens. The drought last year was really hard on my growing things. I did see lots of Day Lilies strutting their stuff. The
Peonies are seeking the sun too. I gathered a bunch of Catnip and sent it home to my son-in-law's cats. In just a matter of weeks, the Redbuds will be gracing us with their pink prettiness and the Dogwoods will be next. Southern Springs come early and leave far too soon. It's hard to believe, but soon we'll be waiting til evening to sit on the porch, fanning ourselves and longing for Autumn.
Friday, March 21, 2008
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
It's a good thing
I am not being graded on this blog writing business, because lately I think I would earn an "F" for non-productivity. Sometimes I can't think of anything to write that I think anyone else would interested in and sometimes I am just so busy I don't have time to sit down and compose my thoughts.
Like this past week. Whew, was I busy! There was a ginormous quiltfest in town "The Smokey Mtn. QuiltFest" to be exact and the quilt shop where I work was bursting at the seams with quilters from all over the country. I've seen more quilted vests, jackets, purses, and yes, quilts in the last week than I usually see in a year in the little shop where I work.
A lot of the work I've seen has been artistic masterpieces and some of it has been, well, an honest effort at doing a good job. But regardless of the quality of the finished piece one thing they all have in common is the joy and pride that they have brought the person who created it.
The history of quilting fascinates me. In the beginning, it was purely functional, but humans being what we are, it was just a matter of time before we began putting our person stamp on our work turning the mundane into the beautiful. After all, if you are going to be spending a great deal of time at something, make it beautiful or make it fun.
The geometry of the pieced quilts has always been a marvel to me. That women, sitting in humble cabins often with nothing more than some scrap of paper saved here and there and probably a stump of a pencil could design these beauties and make them come out mathematically perfect just astounds me. They must have had a proclivity towards math to begin with to be able to do this. If the times had allowed, they probably would have studied to become engineers and scientists. As frustrated math whizzes did they work out their frustrations with needle, thread, and fabric? Engineers and mathematicians are great things to be but I can't help but think the world got a better deal with these quilts. Beauty, function, and art all in one piece, just like a bridge or a skyscraper. The difference is that eventually someone wants to tear down the bridge or the building to build a better one or a bigger one. With quilt, we pack it away in reverence, bringing it out to show on special occasions. And instead of wanting to build a bigger or better one, we go to the quilt shop and look for the exact pattern to create our own fabric legacy.
Like this past week. Whew, was I busy! There was a ginormous quiltfest in town "The Smokey Mtn. QuiltFest" to be exact and the quilt shop where I work was bursting at the seams with quilters from all over the country. I've seen more quilted vests, jackets, purses, and yes, quilts in the last week than I usually see in a year in the little shop where I work.
A lot of the work I've seen has been artistic masterpieces and some of it has been, well, an honest effort at doing a good job. But regardless of the quality of the finished piece one thing they all have in common is the joy and pride that they have brought the person who created it.
The history of quilting fascinates me. In the beginning, it was purely functional, but humans being what we are, it was just a matter of time before we began putting our person stamp on our work turning the mundane into the beautiful. After all, if you are going to be spending a great deal of time at something, make it beautiful or make it fun.
The geometry of the pieced quilts has always been a marvel to me. That women, sitting in humble cabins often with nothing more than some scrap of paper saved here and there and probably a stump of a pencil could design these beauties and make them come out mathematically perfect just astounds me. They must have had a proclivity towards math to begin with to be able to do this. If the times had allowed, they probably would have studied to become engineers and scientists. As frustrated math whizzes did they work out their frustrations with needle, thread, and fabric? Engineers and mathematicians are great things to be but I can't help but think the world got a better deal with these quilts. Beauty, function, and art all in one piece, just like a bridge or a skyscraper. The difference is that eventually someone wants to tear down the bridge or the building to build a better one or a bigger one. With quilt, we pack it away in reverence, bringing it out to show on special occasions. And instead of wanting to build a bigger or better one, we go to the quilt shop and look for the exact pattern to create our own fabric legacy.
Tuesday, March 4, 2008
scenes of home
A pretty quiet day. All rainy, blustery, and chilly outside, warm and cozy inside.
Scene 1: Hilary's profile with her new haircut. This little wedge cut makes her look more like her mother than ever. The older she gets, the more she favors her, even her eyes are taking on a gray cast like her mom's.
Scene 2. Hilary and her Aunt Peach baking Pillsbury pink bunny cookies.
Scene 3: The view from my porch. Winter (if you can call it that around here) slowly loosing its grasp on daily affairs as Spring blows in.
Scene 4: An Easter makes its appearance.
The prettiest scene of the day and one I don't have a picture of was the rosy-hued cheeks of my little red-haired Isabella as she slept in my lap this evening. Why do their little cheeks do that when they sleep? Her little hands opened and closed as she slept and I watched her throat move up and down nursing her pacifier. Red hair all messed up and sticking ever which way as she turned her head back and forth in her sleep. Little sighs. Feet sticking out from under her blanket thrown over her to ward off the drafts that the March wind was all but pounding through the walls of my old house, rattling windows and shaking trees. Loved it.
Monday, March 3, 2008
In like a lamb....
The first 3 days of March have been glorious. As much as I would love a rip-roarin' snowstorm, I have enjoyed the spring-like weather. Today's walk with Jasper produced a slight sunburn on my fair skin.
The trail where I walk was dotted with people. It seemed as tho everyone wanted to get their share of the sun's warming rays. I was stopped several times by adults and children wanting to pet my dog or just to tell my how handsome he is. He's sporting a new haircut and you can really see how muscled he is becoming.
The afternoon was so warm that I took my sweet little grandprincess Isabella out for a ride in the porch swing. She loved it. As we flew through the air she smiled and caught her breath with every movement. It was a picture perfect moment-unfortunately I was not prepared.
Of course, this weather is not going to last, that's the nature of the southeast at this time of year. By evening the air had taken on that unnatural windy warmth that we in this part of the country call "storm weather". Sure enough, tonight and tomorrow have been earmarked for storms according to the weatherman.
As a child I was terrified of storms. A faint rumble of thunder and I was stage 1 hysterical. Add some lightening, louder thunder and my mother was looking for a straight jacket to put me in. I kept that fear all through my adolescence and into my adult years. A rumble of thunder before bedtime meant I walked the floor all night, ready to pick up my children, wake my husband and head for the storm cellar. My kids still talk about Mom's stormbag and how much fun it was to sit in the cellar and draw on the walls while their father and grandfather watched the clouds roll in. In all fairness to myself, I did live in tornado alley all those years. Now I live in the Appalachian Mountains down in a valley surrounded on all sides by hills, ridges, and mountains. It's rare for a storm to actually get severe where I am. In fact, I hear thunder so little now that when I do, it causes a strange sort of energetic excitement to stir around inside me. I guess it's a holdover from those years of pick up your stuff and head for the cellar...
The trail where I walk was dotted with people. It seemed as tho everyone wanted to get their share of the sun's warming rays. I was stopped several times by adults and children wanting to pet my dog or just to tell my how handsome he is. He's sporting a new haircut and you can really see how muscled he is becoming.
The afternoon was so warm that I took my sweet little grandprincess Isabella out for a ride in the porch swing. She loved it. As we flew through the air she smiled and caught her breath with every movement. It was a picture perfect moment-unfortunately I was not prepared.
Of course, this weather is not going to last, that's the nature of the southeast at this time of year. By evening the air had taken on that unnatural windy warmth that we in this part of the country call "storm weather". Sure enough, tonight and tomorrow have been earmarked for storms according to the weatherman.
As a child I was terrified of storms. A faint rumble of thunder and I was stage 1 hysterical. Add some lightening, louder thunder and my mother was looking for a straight jacket to put me in. I kept that fear all through my adolescence and into my adult years. A rumble of thunder before bedtime meant I walked the floor all night, ready to pick up my children, wake my husband and head for the storm cellar. My kids still talk about Mom's stormbag and how much fun it was to sit in the cellar and draw on the walls while their father and grandfather watched the clouds roll in. In all fairness to myself, I did live in tornado alley all those years. Now I live in the Appalachian Mountains down in a valley surrounded on all sides by hills, ridges, and mountains. It's rare for a storm to actually get severe where I am. In fact, I hear thunder so little now that when I do, it causes a strange sort of energetic excitement to stir around inside me. I guess it's a holdover from those years of pick up your stuff and head for the cellar...
Sunday, March 2, 2008
50 things
I thought this was kind of fun, plus you learn things about your friends you never knew. You simply copy and paste this to your blog then tag the people you think might respond. Here's my list.
1. Do you like blue cheese? I like blue cheese dressing with hotwings
2. Have you ever used heroin? Are you kidding? I am the original goody-goody!
3. Do you own a gun?
Yes
4. What flavor do you add to your drink at Sonic?
cherry all the way
5. Do you get nervous before Dr. appts? not reallly, unless I thought I was pg, then I would be VERY nervous
6. What do you think of hot dogs?
I think I like them
7. Favorite Christmas song White Christmas
8. What do you prefer to drink in the morning?
A Starbucks coffee or a diet Coke
9. Can you do push ups?
Nope
10. What do you order at Starbucks?
Regular coffee or a fat-free Chai tea Latte
11. What's your favorite piece of jewelry? A large amber heart my husband gave me.
12. Favorite hobby?
Knitting, papercrafts, quilting, reading
13. How do you eat your eggs? Sunny side up
14. Do you have A.D.D.? I don't think so
16. Middle name?
Leenora
17. Name 3 thoughts at this exact moment...
1. I want a snack
2. i wishh MC could figure out to post on my desktop to her blog
3. I want a snack
18. Name 3 things you bought yesterday.?
1. yogurt, diet coke, cd's to burn pictures onto from my computer
19. three drinks you regularly drink?diet Coke, coffee, more diet Coke
20. Current worry right now? Whether or not I am going to break and snack
21. Current hate right now? flying
22. Favorite place to be?
At home
23. How did you bring in the New Years?
At home, a bottle of wine, and a movie
24. Where would you like to go?
Ireland if I didn't have to fly
25. Name three people who will complete this?
IDK
26. Do you own slippers?
Yes
27. What shirt are you wearing?
A Liz Claiborne tank under a jacket
28. Do you like sleeping on satin sheets?Never have, but don't think I would like it.
29. Can you whistle?
Yes
30. Favorite color?(s)
I like most colors especially pink, green blue, red, black, white, etc
31. Would you be a pirate?
Nope, not even with Johnny Depp
32. What songs do you sing in the shower?
Whatever comes to mind
33. Favorite pet's name?
Tuny, Jasper and Maddie
34. Favorite boy's name? Max or Carson
35. Whats in your pockets right now?
nothing
36. Last thing that made you laugh?
My dog Jasper
37. Best bed sheets as a child? the ones that had been hung out to dry on the clothes line.
38. Worst injury you've ever had?
Leg broken in 3 places below the knee
39. Do you love where you live?
Yes I do.
40. How many TV's do you have?
One's enough.
41. Who is your loudest friend?
My youngest daughter
42. How many dogs do you have?
One, but he is big and rambuntious he seems like 3.
43. What are you thrilled about right now? that my youngest daughter is home and my oldest is coming and then I will have all 3 under my roof for a few days..
44. Do you have a crush on someone?My 3 granddaughters
45. What is your favorite book?It's a series "The Outlander"
46. What is your favorite candy?
I like most of it
47. What is your favorite sports team?
I hate, hate, hate, destest, destest any sport
48. What song do you want played at your funeral? "Ding-Dong the Witch is Dead"
49. What were you doing 12 AM last night?
Talking to my kid
50. How many secrets are you keeping?
None right now.
I am tagging Bebe from Peaches and Dreams, and Amy at Angry Chicken
1. Do you like blue cheese? I like blue cheese dressing with hotwings
2. Have you ever used heroin? Are you kidding? I am the original goody-goody!
3. Do you own a gun?
Yes
4. What flavor do you add to your drink at Sonic?
cherry all the way
5. Do you get nervous before Dr. appts? not reallly, unless I thought I was pg, then I would be VERY nervous
6. What do you think of hot dogs?
I think I like them
7. Favorite Christmas song White Christmas
8. What do you prefer to drink in the morning?
A Starbucks coffee or a diet Coke
9. Can you do push ups?
Nope
10. What do you order at Starbucks?
Regular coffee or a fat-free Chai tea Latte
11. What's your favorite piece of jewelry? A large amber heart my husband gave me.
12. Favorite hobby?
Knitting, papercrafts, quilting, reading
13. How do you eat your eggs? Sunny side up
14. Do you have A.D.D.? I don't think so
16. Middle name?
Leenora
17. Name 3 thoughts at this exact moment...
1. I want a snack
2. i wishh MC could figure out to post on my desktop to her blog
3. I want a snack
18. Name 3 things you bought yesterday.?
1. yogurt, diet coke, cd's to burn pictures onto from my computer
19. three drinks you regularly drink?diet Coke, coffee, more diet Coke
20. Current worry right now? Whether or not I am going to break and snack
21. Current hate right now? flying
22. Favorite place to be?
At home
23. How did you bring in the New Years?
At home, a bottle of wine, and a movie
24. Where would you like to go?
Ireland if I didn't have to fly
25. Name three people who will complete this?
IDK
26. Do you own slippers?
Yes
27. What shirt are you wearing?
A Liz Claiborne tank under a jacket
28. Do you like sleeping on satin sheets?Never have, but don't think I would like it.
29. Can you whistle?
Yes
30. Favorite color?(s)
I like most colors especially pink, green blue, red, black, white, etc
31. Would you be a pirate?
Nope, not even with Johnny Depp
32. What songs do you sing in the shower?
Whatever comes to mind
33. Favorite pet's name?
Tuny, Jasper and Maddie
34. Favorite boy's name? Max or Carson
35. Whats in your pockets right now?
nothing
36. Last thing that made you laugh?
My dog Jasper
37. Best bed sheets as a child? the ones that had been hung out to dry on the clothes line.
38. Worst injury you've ever had?
Leg broken in 3 places below the knee
39. Do you love where you live?
Yes I do.
40. How many TV's do you have?
One's enough.
41. Who is your loudest friend?
My youngest daughter
42. How many dogs do you have?
One, but he is big and rambuntious he seems like 3.
43. What are you thrilled about right now? that my youngest daughter is home and my oldest is coming and then I will have all 3 under my roof for a few days..
44. Do you have a crush on someone?My 3 granddaughters
45. What is your favorite book?It's a series "The Outlander"
46. What is your favorite candy?
I like most of it
47. What is your favorite sports team?
I hate, hate, hate, destest, destest any sport
48. What song do you want played at your funeral? "Ding-Dong the Witch is Dead"
49. What were you doing 12 AM last night?
Talking to my kid
50. How many secrets are you keeping?
None right now.
I am tagging Bebe from Peaches and Dreams, and Amy at Angry Chicken
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
