Double-Dip Day

Wild Fall Aster

 

Oops. missed a day!  Yesterday and today I have been blissfully busy with quilt projects (no, the family room hasn't changed a whit, but this weekend I will at least organize those long stretches of projects on the floor).  Yesterday, after doing the usual daily round of chores and errands, I finished ironing the fabrics (shown in a photo in the last entry) for a Christmas project, and then I cut out enough of it to make at least four blocks (each block contains 9 smaller blocks).

 

Side Bar: Being ready for class is really important to me; if I'm not prepared, I waste so much time in the getting ready stages that I miss a lot of the learning and practing stages.  Plus I know what it's like to try to teach a class when the students aren't ready to learn what the teacher has prepared.  That's why "differentiation" (see definition below) is so popular with educators these days.  Sorry for the side bar! 

 

Anyway, by the time I had finished that I was too tired to do much else - including blog writing, but I certainly enjoyed the touch of fabric!

 

Today was a double-dip day!  First, I took a class up at Joyful (can't tell you what it was or show you what I made until after Christmas, but if you check out Joyful's class list you might figure out which one I took today).  It was a very successful class with a knowledgeable teacher.  It was Lynne Makrin's first experience with teaching a quilting class but as an experienced teacher she had no problems (we were all on our best behaviour, too!).  She differentiated very well, and by the end of class, we had all learned enough to be able to carry on with block making on our own.

 

Then this evening, ME and I went to Pat Cunningham's Applique Club at Log Cabin.  As usual there was the socializing and the purchasing necessary before getting down to the fun of applique, but get down to it we did.  Because I hadn't had enough time to prepare a "Birds 'n Urns" block, I took a basket block from - wait for it! - Farmer's Wife (FW) which needed a handle.  By the end of class, the handle was almost complete (I also had to unsew small sections of the basket so I could slip the handle through so it took a bit longer than I had expected). 

 

The reason I just "announced a la ta-dah!" for FW is the way I have avoided it for so long.  Signing up for the Applique Club wasn't merely an excuse to spend more time with friends or make new ones, it was done deliberately to overcome the inertia keeping me from completing some long-over-due projects.

 

Now you know why today was like a double-dip ice cream cone!

 

 

Differentiation:  The adaptation of classroom learning to suit each student's individual needs, strengths, preferences, and pace by either splitting the class into small groups, giving individual learning activities, or otherwise modifying the material.

from: http://www.education.com/definition/differentiation/

A Peek at Projects (Many)

Before I begin, I'd like to give you a bit of background.  Many of you know that my sewing room is in the dining room and that I work around dining room furniture that is full of, guess what?, dining room things.  That means that my quilting materials sit on the table, the side board, and every chair on which I don't sit.   Recently we got rid of our old ladder back chairs (tall, striking, and immensely uncomfortable after 5 minutes), and now we have some lovely Hitchcock-look-alikes (from D's family home) which are shorter, stunning, and more comfortable.  In order to effect the change, I had to remove piles of fabrics and patterns from every chair AND the bags of things that I had hung from the points of each chair.  This change encouraged me to tidy and organize (didn't I just do that? yes, but - well, some things grow overnight and multiply like the dratted chipmunks in my yard!).

 

Having said that, here are some of my projects:

 

 

Second Fairy Quilt, "Daytime", hanging over the back of a chair in the family room where I will cut out fairies to sew on a la Broderie Perse.  I opened it up today so it wouldn't get more creased than it is already, and so I wouldn't forget what I have yet to do.

 

This is a little Christmas table mat/runner I made - is it two years ago? - in Karen's "Littles" class that is still waiting for machine quilting (which I plan to do).  It was hiding on the sideboard under Farmer's Wife blocks (more on those another time).

Here is a pile of fabrics I've washed but that need ironing for a class I am taking this week.  When I finish writing this entry, I will iron as much as I can tonight and start cutting tomorrow.  This project is second on my list of gifts planned for this Christmas.

 

And here are other projects in various stages (and one pile of vintage red on white linens that I collect).  On the right hanging on the dry sink  is a tumbler pattern that is waiting for wool applique, on the floor is a wall hanging, neatly folded, all quilted and waiting for sleeve and binding (in the plastic bag on top.  On the left just beyond the yarn winder is a pile of fabrics all washed and waiting with the pattern book on top for me to find time to make a king-size quilt for us (intended to be used in October-November).  And so it stretches back to the batting for the fairy quilts with two more quilted projects waiting for binding. 

 

All those piles are spread out so I can see them and organize them before finding better places for them than the backs and seats of chairs!

 

 

 

Missing Esther

Esther e-mailed me and told me to get on with it, already, she wants photos of my projects.  Isn't it nice that she really wants to see what I write about?  Well, sort of.  You see, Esther, I don't have any photos, yet, because of brain-drain.  The idea of taking photos before taking my hand-piecing blocks to the quilt shop was so sensible, it drained out of my head before it could attach itself to a randomly passing memory cell.  Then there's the finished Fairy Quilt #2.  It isn't really finished at all.  I have to locate some fairies and stitch them to the top and then sew on the borders.  I guess in addition to brain-drain, I suffer from prevarication-itis.  However, I should recover before the end of the year.  Maybe.

 

So . . . instead of photographs of projects, I could send pictures of my recent sketches.  But since Esther has seen them all while we were in Vermont and I was working on them there, that won't fill the bill either. 

 

However, I will include a special photograph that I know Esther did not take while in Vermont.

 

Empty Chair

 

Some day this wonderfully worn, multi-colored chair will figure in one of my paintings, but for now it's just an empty chair waiting for  - something.   What would you put in or on this chair?

 

Finished projects?  Embroidered, soft pillows? Half-read book? Sheaf of music?  List of things to do?  Shared memories? or a good friend/sister like Esther?

 

Weather Outside and In

This weekend despite the fabulous weather, 15 women attended Joyful's Quilt Camp and both happily and successfully spent three days indoors.  Granted the weather was wonderful as it can be in this area in September, granted there were many enticing activities being held locally, granted families were engaged in sporting events, it all paled in contrast to the pleasure of quilting with friends, creating beauty, and feeling the flush of success.

 

In the room where I sat, everyone achieved a personal goal set before the weekend began.  Some of us completed projects (aka UFOs) that had been started some time ago, some worked on current projects by overcoming obstacles ("evil" or highly complex blocks or directions that appeared to be gibberish), some started (and in some cases, finished!) new works.  There were those who brought several things to work on and happily switched back and forth among the possibilities.  Others were focused on completing a single piece of work for a wedding next week, for Christmas, or for a family member. 

 

For myself, I finished the top portion of the second fairy quilt, watched a demonstration by a fellow quilt camper on making a table runner and using the leftover scraps for candle mats/placemats, helped others make fabric and color choices, did some hand-piecing, and added to the small pile of blocks for my "GF" quilt. 

 

Here are the things that strikes me most strongly after the weekend: the harmony that existed among all of us made us feel like family, our enthusiasm for our chosen activity was enticement enough, our willingness to help each other achieve a goal, and our whole hearted celebration of each other's successes small and large made missing outdoor activities a small sacrifice. 

 

In other words, the weather inside that quilt store was especially brilliant this weekend! 

A Dose of Common Sense

Yesterday I mentioned the hand-sewing project I've been working on.  Today I took the sample blocks to Log Cabin so they could put them up to advertise the up-coming hand-sewing club.  Deliberately, I did not take the fabric I intended to use for the solid block between the hand-pieced ones.  Even though I have enough fabric, I didn't want to cut it so I though I'd purchase a piece of something else at the shop.  After a few auditions, I settled on a batik with a cream background and pale green scrolling vines with pineapples.  I shouldn't say "settled" because I fell in love with it and the way it complements the blocks and adds an airy look.  Of course, I had to buy enough to use for the completed wall hanging.

 

But that means that I have a piece of a nice solid green going begging (how amazing - a piece for my stash?  me with extra fabric?  it is to laugh!).  But my original plan was to embroider a flower on each solid green block to complement the fabrics used in the pieced blocks.  On the way home, I mulled this over and came up with the idea to use the scrolly batik and the solid green alternately.  That way, I reasoned, I'd have half as many embroidered blocks to do.  And while I do love to embroider, I am working on a crazy quilt, also.

 

This evening, I sat watching Antiques Roadshow while waiting until I had to go pick D up from working at the polls.  As usual, I worked on piecing another block while sitting there.  Stitch, watch, glance at pretty fabric, stitch, watch, admire pretty fabric, stitch, watch, boom!  The light bulb in my brain exploded with common sense. 

 

When on earth am I going to find the time to do all that embroidery?  Yes, it would be lovely, yes, I would enjoy doing it, yes, it would enhance the wall hanging, but . . .  I still have a second fairy quilt to work on, a quilt planned for us, bags to make, Christmas presents to sew, and yes, that wonderful crazy quilt project to keep me busy.  And what was I sitting there doing?  Hand-piecing.  Would it be the last hand-piecing project I do?  No, and I still have a couple to finish! 

 

The scrolly vine batik will look just fine between every pieced block. 

 

Common sense is a beautiful thing (too bad it doesn't visit more often). 

 

 

Good Intentions . . .

Today I managed to complete the 10th block of my current hand-sewing project, and I had intended to show them off to you, but . . .  My camera is out of juice!  Yes, I could use my cell phone, but that seems too cumbersome.  So instead, you will have to suffer through more photos of the Vermont scenery that I may decide to paint at some time - when I have time. 

 

I know, I know.  Big sigh.  More photos = more painting = more quilts.  No, there's no end in sight. 

Before you throw up your hands in despair, and cry, "Tell me she's not going to paint another rainbow; oh, no, it's a double rainbow!!!", these photos are to enjoy and trust me there is no painting of rainbows taking place in my near future so you can relax.

 

But here are some that I am seriously considering as painting subjects.

 

Both of these were taken on the one rainy day we had, and show the landscape after the rain.  The lake is glassy, the colors are muted and very limited.  Then as the final touch, the reflections of the clouds and sailboat in the water are terrific.  Talk about a challenge on many fronts; just imagine trying to get the atmosphere correct let alone anything else!

 

This photograph is one of my very favorite sites on the lake.  Most pictures I have taken of it are in raking light (see definition below with accompanying photo examples), but this one, like those immediately above, conveys a very different mood and challenge.

 

Which one would you pick to work on first? 



Post Script

Definition of raking light

noun

·                     (in art or photography) bright light, usually beamed obliquely, used to reveal such features as texture and detail.

http://oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/raking%2Blight

Turns out I was trying to take different photographs this year, so neither of these show you exactly what I mean, but they come close.  Notice how the light is striking the rocks and birch trees and then compare it to the earlier one in this entry.

 

Birds of the Lake

The title of this blog sounds a bit like a poem but this will not be one.  Instead of telling you about our day at D's father's home where we continue to work on clearing it out for the new owner, I am going to show you some of this year's photographs taken in Vermont.

 

The first is a red-tailed hawk who posed for us on the top of a grave stone.  We weren't at the lake yet, but since we were on our way, I thought I could fudge it a little and add him.

D and I always stop in this particular cemetery where my parents are buried to plant a rosemary plant (rosemary is for remembrance).  This year as we were getting back into our car to leave, I glanced up and this glorious hawk was not more than 15 feet away from us.  Very slowly I gathered my camera, stood up (my car door was still open), and took several pictures.  What a thrill!

 

At the lake we invariably see at least one family of mergansers (a duck), but I've not looked this water bird up to find out the usual number of chicks hatched each year.  So I don't know if we see one or two families.  They swim near the shore and dive for the small fish that live and feed in among the rocks in the shallows; here is a shot of them as they made their way by one cloudy afternoon.  You can see their russet bills and matching crests (sort of like a mullet!).  Who knew birds were into color coordination!

But this photo of three mergansers looking for fish is my favorite.

 

This next picture was taken the same rainy day.  I was so excited it's a wonder I got any shots at all.  My brother and I were out on the deck taking pictures when, like a bolt from the sky, this huge bird plummeted down, grabbed a fish, and took off again.  My brother retained his calm and got some very fine shots (he is an excellent photographer and his camera is better at long range close-ups than mine), but I managed to take a few, too.

 

Here the osprey (the first one I've ever seen on this lake in the almost 30 years we've been going there!) with his catch in his talons is lifting off from the middle of the lake.

 

Now this one is another favorite.  If you click on this photo and look at the lake's surface behind the osprey, you will see where the bird dropped dropped the fish into the water.   All that effort for nothing!

 

Finally, it wouldn't be right to leave you without a photograph (or two) of my favorite sighting which really needs no introduction.

 

And another, for good measure.  Say good night , Gracie!

 

Catch Up (Not Katchup or even Catsup!)

Today D had an appointment in the afternoon so we were unable to drive down to his hometown to work on the house.  That will happen intermittently because work there will have to be shoehorned in with what we have to do elsewhere.

 

That means that today I played catch-up on things I hadn't done in - well, you'll read how long.

Dawn (the first I have witnessed!) at the lake this summer

First thing this beautiful crisp morning, I went out and worked in the white flower garden (aka the Emily Dickinson Garden).  First, I pulled out armloads of goosenecked loosestrife before it manages to choke the entire garden.  I love this plant for its white flowers and for the manner in which it carries them, but, oh, is it invasive!  This was a job I had thought to do in May.  Didn't happen.  But at least I did it this season!  Next I yanked out the mildew-resistant white phlox.  Only the mildewed ones were pulled up roots and all.  That means most of them were pulled.  Makes me wonder what the professional gardeners mean when they say "mildew-resistant".  Maybe that this variety of phlox will resist mildew every tenth year?  Oh well, they're gone and so is another May task.  Then I planted three clematis plants and two hydrangeas that I purchased in June.  We have an agreement, D and I, that whatever is purchased must be planted immediately and that no other plants may be bought until that's done.  Well, they were the only plants I bought this summer so I guess I followed half of the rule.  That counts, right? 

 

While I was completed the outdoors tasks, the laundry was gurgling away in the basement.  That job took almost all day because we had so many dirty clothes.  Changing several times a day will do that.  As I told ME, it had gotten to the point where the only clean underwear I had left in my drawer was black so I had to chose my "outer wear" accordingly.  Almost felt as though I were still in college and had to scrounge for laundry money because the drawers were empty.

 

By afternoon, my muscles were protesting.  Gardening takes a different set of muscles from those used in cleaning - which I did in the afternoon.  Cleaning and sorting through Dad's things means that some of it ends up in this house, places have to be found for the new items even if only temporarily, which requires a different kind of cleaning and sorting here.   And that's how I spent my afternoon.

 

Still dawn but a little later.

Now that the day is almost over, I do have a sense of accomplishment and I had a good time laughing at myself.  I wonder if I'll ever completely catch up?

A Long Absence Nearly Over

Looking quickly at my last blog, I noticed the date was August 24th, and now it is September 9th.  A lot has happened in that time, but I expect to be back to more or less regular entries for a while.  Here is a brief update on what has happened since I wrote last (the dates may not be precise - notches of time slip in my memory)

 

August 24: David's dad is taken to the hospital. The home he lived in for 60 (plus or minus a few) is shown by the realtor for the first time.

August 25:  Having made sure his father is resting comfortably in the hospital, David and I take off for Vermont and vacation.

 

August 27: David drives back home to check on his dad.  Once there he learns there are several interested parties and one firm bid on his childhood home. 

 

August 29: D returns to VT.  Dad has been diagnosed with several issues and is terminal. He does not want any treatment other than pain relief so he will be transported to a care facility.

 

August 30: Early morning phone call alerts us that D's dad is not well so he drives back.

 

August 31: My brother and his wife kindly transport me home instead of driving straight on to their home in NJ.  Once we have phone reception, I call D to let him know we're on our way and to find out what the plans are.  He says his father seems to be not "well" but stable so D will drive to our home to meet me and take me back with him if needed.  Our daughter calls (she's at the care facility having driven in from her home).  All is not well.  D calls.  He's received notice that dad is failing.  Daughter calls.  Dad has died.  She was holding his hand and talking to him even though he was in a non-responsive state.  Being there and being able to do that for him and for her father was a gift to her as well as for the rest of us.  D's younger sister arrives (the older sister comes from Florida and arrives later that weekend).

 

September 3:  Work begins on the home so it can be used for the gathering of family and friends after the funeral.

 

September 5:  Dad's memorial service and interment.  Both were as he wished, were moving, meaningful, and well done.

 

September 6 - 8: Work continues on the home to clear it out for the closing which will occur in 6 - 10 weeks depending on the banks involved.  Both sisters leave Saturday.  I take Saturday off.

 

September 9:  Both David and I take the day off. 

 

This explains what has been going on in our lives, and I know you have all experienced similar events in your lives so you understand.  David has moments of laughter and fond memories and bad moments as well.  It will take time.

 

The support of our family and friends has been wonderful and words leave me when I try to explain how deeply we have been moved by the kindness and love we've been shown these last few weeks. 

 

Thank you.

Trip Delay

On Wednesday, David's dad took a fall in his home.  Fortunately, David was there and was able - somehow- to help his father get up.  Dad is frail and no longer has much strength at all so he can't help himself when he falls.  On top of that, of course, is the pain of the fall and the shock to the system. 

 

One thing that wasn't shocked was Dad's indomitable spirit (which is imbued with more than a fair share of obstinacy).  He refused point blank to receive any medical care saying it wasn't necessary.  One would think that D could simply cart his father off to a medical facility, have him checked out, and take care of him that way.  Not so.  Dad is an immovable object when he puts his mind to it - which is most of the time.  The only left for D to do was use the fall as an excuse to bring a male nurse in who had been allowed to make one (only one) visit earlier this year.  The nurse will check  on Dad every day and do light chores for him - at least while we're away.

 

Anyway, not unexpectedly, we received a phone call from the nurse Thursday morning.  Dad was staying in bed having decided he could not safely negotiate the stairs.  The nurse had made him a good breakfast and taken care of other issues but hadn't been allowed to check Dad over at all.  Dad was also refusing to be taken to the hospital for help so the nurse called David.  The three of them had a conversation at the end of which David told his father that he (David) would agree to let Dad stay quietly at home for 24 hours (nurse was leaving non-perishable food  and drink upstairs for him, neighbor would look in at night time).  BUT if Dad is not significantly better this morning, he would have to be taken to the hospital with no fighting this morning.

 

Last night's call from the neighbor indicated that Dad will be going to the hospital this morning.

 

Caring for an aging parent is so hard especially when that parent is mentally completely sharp and competent but the body is failing.  As you all know, it's very difficult for the "child" to force unwanted decisions/realities on a parent.

 

Our trip will be delayed for as long as it takes to make sure Dad is being properly treated and cared for and is on the road to being comfortable again.  And until David can relax and feel his father is safe.

Good Day

Having given myself permission to dither and to accept the fact Fairy Qlt #2 will not be made by the deadline I set, and that that's all right, today went quite well. 

 

Thanks, of course, to ME who took me to the grocery store since D had to return to his dad's for a second day.  The trip to the store allowed me to get out, to enjoy the company of a very close friend, and to purchase the necessary items to make dinner for tonight with leftovers for Friday night in Vermont. 

 

I should also tell you that I had another follow-up visit to my doctor and my vision is improving markedly.  I was able to read almost all of the eye-chart though it is still a little blurry.  Then, oh, wonder of wonders, the doctor turned to me and asked, "Do you want to have surgery on the other eye?" 

 

I nearly fell out of the chair but managed to gulp out, "But I thought I couldn't!"

 

"Why not?"

 

"Well, because I thought it wasn't bad enough."

 

"Not bad enough?  You do have a cataract in that eye, also, you know.  It may not be as bad as the right eye, but we could take care of it."

 

I wanted to hug him despite the fact that he clearly thinks I'm certifiable as well as an idiot.  The second eye will be taken care of October 3. 

 

Life is good! 

Dithering

dith·er

   /ˈdɪðər/ Show Spelled[dith-er] noun

1. a trembling; vibration.

2. a state of flustered excitement or fear.

 

Now if I were asked for the definition of "dither", I would have given a close approximation of one and part of two.  But as I was not in a state even approaching fear today, I would have missed that part.  Anyway, my point is that I dithered about today going from one activity to another without making great inroads on anything.

 

First, I finished the laundry.  I accomplished that even though I decided to felt some wool first.  Do I have plans to use that wool this week?  No.  Had someone asked for some? No.  Did it have any connection to any activity that needed to be completed before we leave for Vermont?  Again, no.  But on the other hand, I did finish the laundry even though it took longer than it should have and kept me from doing other things.

 

Second, every time I had to put drops in my eyes, I got on the computer to pass the time between drop applications (all of 5 minutes).  The procedure takes 15 - 20 minutes depending on how closely I watch the clock.  If I get distracted as I did today, it can take up to an hour.

 

Third, I had promised myself that I would start fairy quilt #2 today.  Did I?  Oh, yes.  Did I make a lot of headway?  Oh, no, I finished only half of the "slides".  You see, I had to iron pillow cases (whatever happened to percale sheets and pillowcases that were always wrinkle-free and smooth?).  Do I usually iron my pillow cases?  No.  Then I had to iron some fat quarters I'm using for a hand-piecing project.  Did that need to be done?  Yes, even though I'd already cut some pieces without ironing, it does go better if the creases are out.  Having done that, of course I had to go and cut out some more blocks for hand-piecing.  Honestly, it's a wonder I finished any of the fairy quilt "slides"!

 

Then I had to make lists of things that needed to be done, or found, or packed.  You'd think I'd never taken this trip before!

 

The amazing point is that even while dithering, I did manage to accomplish some things - just not as much as I might have liked to.  I've decided that it a perk of being retired.  I'm allowed to dither.  So there.

 

That's my story, and I'm sticking to it!

 

 

Weekend in Massachusetts

Sunday evening we returned home a bit too late for me to have the energy to write an entry.  My apologies.

It was a wonderful weekend spent with friends in Massachusetts.  We did things like wander through and buy our lunch in the Armenian section, explore a "hidden" pocket park across the harbor from downtown Boston where we ate our lunch, go to Fenway for a Triple-A baseball game (Buffalo Bisons vs Pawtucket Red Sox) that the Bisons won, have dinner with more friends, enjoy a leisurely Sunday brunch, visit the Clark Museum, and attend a mind-numbing lecture on the importance of a recent discovery in China.  The latter was the only glitch in the weekend, but since of the four of us in the car three were teachers and one an administrator (all retired), we had a good time discussing how the lecture could have been improved and in doing so, discovered that we knew and had learned more than we thought.

I do have a few photos to share.  The above is the view from the deck outside the kitchen of the Massachusetts friends' home.  I love watching the fog lift, and if I'd managed to get up earlier, the colors would have been even better (or so I was told by another righteous guest!).

You can tell that our weather was none too wonderful, but I think it makes this view of Boston harbor even better.  Barge, police boat, and Boston fisherman - oh, and that sailboat near the barge - all against the city in the background.  Love it.

And while this has nothing to do with Boston, I wanted to share this burst of color from Mary Ellen.  She dropped this off to brighten my post-surgery last Wednesday, and don't these colors make your heart lift?  What is even more lovely is that this photo was taken this morning!  These blooms greeted us in all their splendor when we returned home yesterday.

Makes the gray of the weekend, while lovely in its own way, clearly a "neutral" color.  There's nothing neutral about these blossoms!  

New Report on "Good Vision"

For all of those of you who were concerned after my posting of yesterday, thank you for your notes and words of reassurance and comfort.  You all were correct; the grittiness did not last, and I feel so well that I decided to write today after all.  Indeed, that painful experience disappeared quite rapidly as it was a thing of the past as soon as this morning!

When I awoke this morning, I knew immediately that my eye felt better, but I was afraid of broadcasting the news to D until I removed the eye shield and could open my eye.  Once that was done, my eye still felt very good.  If you've ever had an allergic reaction and had the white of your eye swell, that's what it felt like this morning.  Trust me, that is nothing compared to the discomfort of yesterday.

My early morning doctor's appointment with the surgeon went quite well; he was pleased with my recovery so far and not at all concerned about the fact that I still flunked the eye-chart test.  I don't have to go back until next week.

Here's my real surprise of the day.  Around supper time I took off my glasses so I could rub my itchy non-operated-upon eye.  When that eye, my "good" eye, was closed, I realized that I could see distances better with the surgically enhanced eye than with the other eye even with glasses.  The focus is already settling down! 

It is truly amazing.  Of course, I'd like to be able to read with either eye, but I guess I'd better not push it.  Oh, I asked today, and it turns out the doctor does not think my left eye is ready for surgery, yet.  So I'll have to wait until that one gets really bad, but at least when that time comes I'll have one genuinely sharp-sighted eye!

Just call me "Hawkeye" (but don't hand me a gun!).

The Road to Good Vision

Here I am after this morning's surgery to remove a cataract.  I was feeling pretty well here and definitely quite happy to have the procedure finished - actually more happy that the promise of better vision is closer to coming true.

Shortly after this photo, I was able to remove the patch (very disappointing - no sense of color or embellishment at all!) and will only have to wear the transparent shield without the underlying bandage at night for a week.

Several things I discovered today.  The procedure is completely pain free and also free from the "yuckiness" that one might anticipate (it is the eye, after all).  But the after effects of tranquilizer and the anesthesia are not pleasant (I recommend chicken noodle soup and crackers to combat the queasiness) but don't last long.  The other and completely unexpected thing is the "gritty" feeling in the eye that is close to being really painful.  Acetaminophen helps yet the constant tearing which causes a constantly runny nose combined with the discomfort of the "grit" is no fun at all.  (There aren't any actual particles of grit in the eye; it merely feels like it.)

Yet when one considers how incredible the whole procedure is now compared to when our grandparents went through their different and far more traumatic version, what I am experiencing is a mere bagatelle.  I simply wish I had known  - which is why I'm passing it along to you.

This will may be it for this week as I do find bright lights (and computer screens) bothersome.  Thank you all for your warm wishes and hopes for my speedy recovery!

Appointment Times

Early afternoon appointments are my least favorite.  They're the ones offered when all the "good" (i.e., favorite/preferred times) are taken.  If I were to conduct an informal survey, I think the majority of respondents would give either the first appointment or the last of the day as the favored time.

If you have an early appointment, it forces one to be organized.  The night before one lays out clothes, puts phone, keys, purse/wallet on the expected surface near the exit door, coffee/tea is set up, lunch is made and in the refrigerator, pills (if any) are out near the coffee/tea so they won't be forgotten, and one is ready to rock and roll the next morning.  "What about showering?" you ask. "A mere matter of preference," I respond.  Some people always shower in the morning and get up a little earlier to take care of it while others prefer evening ablutions and don't change there, either.  Breakfast?  Simple.  One eats after the appointment, of course!

The end of the day appointment suits those who just can't do the morning routine for anything or anyone or for those who can't handle one more need-to-do item with their already full-to-overflowing a.m. schedule.  For them the end of day is perfect.  They're already up and dressed and have been for a long time so nothing extra needs to be done on that front.  They're also already out and about in their mode of transportation.  An appointment may give an excuse to avoid dropping off the dry-cleaning, picking up the fish for dinner, or any other unpleasant/tedious errand.  All that is required is that they remember the appointment, get there, do "it", and roll on home.

It's those mid-day appointments that catch one.  One is always engrossed in something that really needs to be completed at the very moment that one is reminded that if one doesn't get going right now, one will be late/miss said appointment entirely.  That means that either one sits around trying not to get engrossed or that one misses the appointment and has to pay for it anyway.   If one does make it in time to avoid the clenched teeth smiles of those who have been doing filing chores for 30 minutes rather than important, fun work simply because one was late, there is the problem of what to do after the appointment.  It's always either too early or too late to do whatever one wishes to do.  Basically by the end of a day that has a middle-of-the-day appointment, the whole day has been unproductive, no fun, and down right no good.

Guess which appointment I had today.

Fairy Quilt #1 - Finished!

Here is the first fairy quilt, and despite a book of the same name, I've named this quilt "Twilight".  The colors in this quilt were drawn from the dark border and the companion fabrics (seen in six of the blocks on the quilt top proper).  It will be interesting to compare this one with the second quilt which has the same border and some other similarities.  Oh well, we'll see when it's finished.

I am pleased with this one as my mental vision worked out as I had hoped.  The dark border gives the quilt a bit of punch and pulls it together while the top remains bright.  The fish on the loose in "Liquid Assets on the Loose" worked so well that I thought the fairies should fly around also.  While I don't think you can see them very well, there are seven fairies that have escaped their blocks to visit others.  Here are some additional photos:

 

             

I don't know if you can tell, but the thread used to applique the fairies is metallic.  When I asked D what he thought, he said it looked like fairy dust.  Wow, how wonderful a comment was that!  No surprise there; he is astute, but, oh, what a glow that gave me.

Then to finish my day with a different but also special treat; I ate a home grown tomato.  Alas, not one of ours (squirrels and chipmunks take one bite out of and then toss any and all tomatoes we have tried to grow in the last several years).  This tomato came from the garden of Mary Ellen, and it was as sweet and tangy as she.   Thank you, ME!



 

Deadlines and Reality

Looking at my calendar for the next few weeks, I have come to the discouraging conclusion that the two fairy quilts will not be done when I hoped they would be.  Yesterday I was able to complete the "slide" blocks and attach them to the last two rows of fairy "screens".  Now the center top of the first fairy quilt is finished.  Tomorrow I should be able to add the borders and the quilt will be complete.

However, I then have to cut some additional fabrics for the "slide" blocks of the second quilt before I can begin to put that one together.  And then the process begins anew.  These quilts make up quickly, but one doesn't always have a clear stretch of time.

Here are my stumbling blocks.  Monday and Tuesday are relatively free.  Wednesday I have cataract surgery, Thursday I'll be fuzzy-eyed, and Friday we are off for a baseball weekend.

Fairy quilt #2?  Oh, it will be squeezed in there some time!  When?  Well, when I can.  Will I be able to meet my self-imposed deadline?  It doesn't look like it right now, and that is a disappointment.  However, I will continue to work as hard as I can to get them completed so I can move on to other promised projects as well as UFOs.

Fairy Quilt #1, Report

There are several wonderful things about sewing for children, but I'm going to be very selfish and tell you that today I am most pleased that quilts for children are small, usually simple, and - well, childish.  It turns out that I had not made enough "slide blocks" and had to stop putting the quilt together after only four rows.  Here's what it looks like today.  Remember it is minus two rows in length and borders:

Looks quite small, doesn't it?  Fortunately, most children sleep in a twin bed and need a quilt that is more of a blanket than a bedspread (which requires extra length for both the "tuck" under the pillow and the over-the-pillow, too).  It is 41" wide now and will be sixty something long when all the rows are added.  The border which will be the same for both girls is the dark purple fairy fabric's coordinating border. 

It's not particularly eye-catching, but I think the center portion will make it bright and happy.  Having never been to Nebraska in the winter, I think a light, bright  quilt will be appropriate.  Oh well, I've always liked  Cecil Mary Barker's fairies, and they brighten my day!  Childish things  . . .

Tomorrow, back to the cutting board.

P.S. M, I'm sorry there's no photo of the partially missing eyebrow.  All I got when I took the picture was a shot of some hair and the wall behind my head. I still think purple eyeliner would be great!

Fairy Quilt #1 Progress

This isn't going to be very exciting, but I am thrilled to tell you that considerable progress has been made on the first of two fairy quilts for my great-nieces.  My final choice of pattern was an older one of Atkinson's patterns called "Slide Show". 

 After cutting out the main 8-inch "screens" from the collected fairy fabrics, the white tone-on-tone (aka white design on white fabric) background, and the border fabric on Monday, I washed, ironed and cut the fabrics for the 2-inch "slides" that will surround the "screens" yesterday.  Those fabrics were washed before using because they are primarily batiks, and those can run.  Quilts for children will be washed over and over again, so I try to avoid the purple/red/pink slurry that might occur later by washing now.

Today I was able to start on the assembly of the slide pieces and actually managed to finish all of them.  That means that tomorrow, I will be able to begin construction of the whole quilt.  It will take longer than I think because it always does.  And I will have to lay it out and arrange and re-arrange and re-re-arrange the pieces before I am satisfied.  To say nothing of last minute second-guessing-while-sewing!

If I can keep this momentum going, I will be thrilled.  And surprised.  You see, I think using a pattern the first time is exciting.  It's the thrill of discovery; what will this look like in the fabrics I've chosen?  and each step of the sewing is a "reveal".  Well, I've seen this pattern made with a gorgeous selection of batiks, and I've seen the photo on the pattern itself.  Now I'm creating a new look (in my experience of the pattern) with the fairy fabrics.  That's fun.

However, the second quilt is also being made from fairy fabrics.  Different colors for the "screen" and "slides" but basically the same idea.  Will tedium set in?  I hope not, but if it does, I will just have to work through it beacuse I have quite a list of projects to complete before . . . well, before long. 

And as usual, you know exactly what I mean!

Stone Wall

Every week D visits his father who lives in a very small town in rural New York.  His father still lives in the home in which D and his sisters grew up.  As you look at the house from the sidewalk (its actually a cement walkway now instead of the old slate slabs that were there when I first visited), there is a large house to the left which is almost on top of the creek that meanders its way through the town. 

As you would expect, that creek has meandered for centuries and has deposited stone in the fields that border it now and may once have formed the creek bed in the past.  Farmers and homeowners in the area find these stones all over their land.  The stones are not the cobblestones used in the northwestern part of the state in homes and municipal buildings (even in our own area there are cobblestone buildings that are still standing).  The stones that are found in D's home town are flat with rounded edges.  If you look at the photograph below, you can see the stones in the wall and contrast it with the stone above the wall that is between two oak trees.  The upper stone is local - all rough, sharp points, uneven thickness, gouges, and humps (painful to move!).

Earlier this summer, D asked his father's next door neighbor (the one close to the creek) if he would pile the flattest of the stones he was removing from his fields on the edge of Dad's driveway.  It was easy enough to do and a great way to get rid of unwanted stone, so the neighbor obliged.  Week by week D would pile stones in the trunk of our car then drive home unload and pile them in a corner of our driveway.  When he had enough, he started to build the wall you see in the pictures.

Today I took several photographs of his finished work so they could be sent to his father to show him what he had done with "all those rocks".  Didn't D do a wonderful job?  I love the way it looks - so much that you're going to have to look at some more photos:

Earlier I spent some time re-reading Robert Frost's poem about stone walls because I thought I would quote some of it here, and I don't know it by heart.  In my wanderings through sites mentioning the poem, I came across this entry from a blog and thought you might enjoy this, also:

http://webnerhouse.com/2011/06/22/on-stone-walls-and-robert-frost/

On Stone Walls And Robert Frost

June 22, 2011 by webnerbob

The Lake Champlain region of upstate New York feels, to me at least, more like New England than like the mid-Atlantic states. It is separated from rustic northern Vermont only by the blue waters of the lake, and the signs of a New England approach to life are everywhere evident.For example, you cannot take a walk on a country lane without seeing many stone walls, in various stages of repair and disrepair. Some are clean and sharp-edged, some are rambling and covered with flowers, and others are vine-covered, weedy, and completely unattended, only a year or two away from full-scale collapse and a wholesale return to nature.

And who can see a stone wall without thinking of Robert Frost? His wonderful poem of ruminations on stone walls, their inevitable decline and decay, and his annual meeting with his neighbor to replace the stones in their common wall, Mending Wall, begins as follows:

Something there is that doesn’t love a wall,
That sends the frozen-ground-swell under it,
And spills the upper boulders in the sun,
And makes gaps even two can pass abreast

While those weren't the lines I was going to quote, I enjoyed this writer's introduction and thought you would also.

A Normal Monday

Weather-wise today was really amazing after the heat and humidity through which we've suffered.  When I stepped outside to greet ME, I was amazed.  Yes, I had listened to the weather reports, but I can't say I remembered what was said.  Actually, I can tell myself very sternly that I must focus on what the weather person says, but inevitably, by the time he gets to a comprehensible discussion of what is going to happen, my attention has wandered.  Awful, isn't it?  I just never cottoned to the weather portion of earth science, and a scientific discussion just send me into a stupor.

Anyway, it was a grand day, and ME and I went up to Karen G.'s to pick up and drop off quilts.  As always, she had done a great job quilting ME's baby quilt (such sweet fabric!), and on M's quilt for me.  You may not remember but I managed a few years ago to purchase a quilt from two of my first quilting teachers and that this one was an unfinished top.  Now the quilting is done, and I get to do the binding, oh joy, but it will be a labor of love.  All I have to do now is convince P to sell me a small one of hers and my collection of my first teacher's work will be complete.

ME left some work for Karen G. and so did I.  In a few weeks I'll have somethings to show you.  I hope ME will give me permission to show you hers.  One is really fun in a non-traditional way, and the other is downright lovely.  My two you've seen already:  "Liquid Assets on the Loose" and "Recess" (the pinwheel one).

Other than that, it was a normal day of keeping appointments and some fabric washing and ironing so I'll be ready tomorrow to finish cutting out the fairy quilts for two of my great nieces.

Enjoy this cooler, drier weather.

Friendship Groups

There is something remarkably special about the bond created initially by a shared enthusiasm.  At this time when so many of us are watching the Olympics, that is obvious as we watch the way teammates with a common goal interact.  What we don't always recognize is that the same things happen in our own lives and not just within our families.  Those of us who are lucky enough to participate in a reading group, gardening club, tennis lessons, charitable organizations, or other groups of like-minded people have the opportunity to develop a similar team feeling.  If we want to, if we work a little at the development, we can have a group to whom we can turn when times are great, so-so, or downright dreadful. 

I am fortunate enough to belong to a couple of such groups in various stages of becoming, but the one that met today and last Sunday is the longest lasting and farthest along in the journey.  It is the one that is most significant in my life.  That is because it is a group of people who worked at developing the first threads of liking into friendships and once those friendships were formed, they were so delightful that others were invited to join us.  We aren't a large group, and we are still evolving, but oh, my, it is such a joy to get together!

As I sat this evening musing about today's gathering, I found myself hoping that this will continue even though I understand that lives change.  There may be times when we drift away from our shared pleasures.  However, I also think, that if the link we are forging now is strong enough, we will always return to the group, and it will be as though we had never been apart.  

While I know that men form friendships, theirs seem to be different from those nurtured by women.  After all, their needs and desires are different from ours.  But watching my husband reconnect with people from college days has shown me that that much is the same - friends remain friends at some level even if life has changed the person.   The ties may no longer be as strong, but the memories of shared days and events will always be there to make connection possible. 

I am optimistic about the future of my group of friends.  After all, we are already at a point in life where our characters probably won't change a lot although our circumstances may.  We all realize how important friendships are and how lucky we are to have each other.  We also know that this will take effort to maintain but are willing to do so.

Life is much sweeter when shared with friends who laugh with you.  Thank you, Ladies! 

Photos from New Hampshire

We're back from visiting D's cousins at their camp on a New Hampshire lake.  Tonight I will simply share some photographs from our time their with the cousins and D's sister.



I couldn't resist the colors and the way the fence in back and the cut logs on the left contrast with the smooth kayaks and canoe.



Two buildings ready for a painting - notice the colors and the dappled sunlight in this one.

Don't the trees look like guardians protecting this tiny knotty pine building?

You might not recognize this blog if I didn't post a flower picture somewhere.  Aren't these splendid day lilies?

Next week we'll be back to normal - at least for a while.  There will probably be more detail about this trip and whatever else is going on in my world.

Have a good and restful weekend!