A Fabric Shopping Spree, a Gift, and a Book

Yes, it was a fun day! But now I’m too pooped to pop (who thought that saying up???), but I’m inspired.

Starting at the top left, a quilt in the Sister’s Fabric Shop window, I bought the template for it the other day. Absolutely stunning! I think Bobbi (the shop owner) put this one together. It is from Come Quilt With Me.

Next, I made this little wool mug rug to give my girlfriend Cleda in honor of her 74th birthday. I love wool! I love her!

Top right, I walked into the Book ‘n’ Brush and said to Beverly, “What do I read today?” And she said, without hesitation, “Olive Kitteridge.” Awesome! That’s what I love about shopping local.

Bottom left, a few more fabrics to add to Tisha’s pink quilt fabrics and bottom right, another green and blue and a yellow to add to my busy as a bee stack. Some I purchased at Sister’s, a few more at Sugar ‘n Spice in Morton.

Bottom middle, another Marti Mitchell ruler and book. I LOVE her stuff, always dependable. I’ll be teaching a class or two using this tool as well as a class with the X-Blocks templates.

Whew! Time to get my feet up and rest up for a quilting marathon!

A Quilt Class Quest into X-Blocks Land

Have you seen this new book? OMGoodness, it is full of wonderful quilts and uses the X-Blocks rulers. Go to Patricia Pepe’s website and have a look around, you’ll be amazed at her beautiful work.

I think that this is the answer to my quest for quilt classes to teach this fall. Would you, if you lived near me, take this class? If not, why not? If so, what draws you in?

Oh, and as a side note, Patricia is very inspired to create quilts to God’s Glory. I think I really fell for her when I turned to the last page of the book and there was a simple “Soli Deo Gloria” centered on the page.

Are they any quiltmaking classes that you would like to take? Give me some ideas here!

When the Holy Thaws

A woman’s body, like the earth, has seasons;
when the mountain stream flows,
when the holy thaws,

when I am most fragile and in need,
it was then, it seemed,
God came closest.

God, like a medic on a field, is tending our souls.

Our horns get locked with desires, but don’t hold yourself
too accountable; for all desires are really innocent.
That is what the compassion in His eyes tell me.

Why this great war between the countries
– the countries –
inside of us?

What are all these insane borders we protect?
What are all these different names for the same church of love
we kneel in together? For it is true, together we live;
and only at that shrine
where all are welcome
will God sing loud enough to be heard.

Our horns got locked with the earth and sky in some odd
marriage ritual; so what, don’t worry. We should be proud
of ourselves for everything we helped create
in this magic world.

And God is always there. If you feel wounded,
He kneels over this earth like
a divine medic,

and His love thaws
the holy in us.

-St. Teresa of Avila (1515-1582)

A Thistle Farmer’s Dream

It was about 20 years ago when my parents bought the land that I, that we, live on today. They lived in what is now my house while they built their dream house on the hill, Thistlehill House.

And while they were building their house, I was two hours away, a young mother with four children, building a dream of “Thistledown Farms”. The drawings of thistles that you see above are just a few of many, each thistle attached to a dream. Dreams unrealized.

Unrealized because I took a detour. I took a road that led to pain and heartache and was paved with selfishness — a disconnection from God, from Light and from Love.

But who I was then is no longer. And who I will be is yet to be seen. All I know now is that God, the ever faithful and ever loving and forever forgiving God, the Creator God, is still creating me.

“It takes courage to grow up and turn out to be who you really are.” –e. e. cummings

I sometimes have the thought that our weaknesses conspire together to get us where we need to be so that may grow closer to God — maybe “closer to God” isn’t the right phrase — but to really open our eyes so that we may see God. God who is, who was, who ever shall be. The God that is right here, right now with us. God with us.

The view that you see here is a view I can see every day. How could I have ever looked at this view and not known that there is a God and that he surrounds me, consumes me, overwhelms me, lives within me and sustains my every breath?

Today I am so very grateful that I can call myself a Thistle Farmer.

Thank you, Science Chimp! Thank you, Jayne!

Yes, thank you, Science Chimp! Ha! How often do you get to say that phrase and have it make any sense whatsoever?!

Who is Science Chimp and what am I thanking her for? Glad you asked. Science Chimp is Julie Zickefoose, a “Writer, naturalist, NPR commentator,watercolor painter, gardener, emphatic Leo. I live with my husband, two kids, crotchety macaw and Boston terrier on 80 acres of Appalachian woodland” and the one who provided the answer to my “What’s His Name??” bird question from yesterday.

Bird hop on over to her Julie’s Website to check out her watercolor paintings — my favorite is “The Missing Pane: Eastern Phoebe“, hauntingly beautiful — and take a gander at her new book. What a talented lady! And how can you resist the cool nickname? When I told Big Man (also a cool nickname) about the Science Chimp answering our bird poser, he exclaimed, “Science Chimp??? I want to be Science Chimp!” Yeah, GiganTor, who doesn’t?!

Oh! BTW, Science Chimp, my nickname in the Spice Girls Quilt Gang is “Zen Monkey” so perhaps we are related…?

Oh AGAIN! Who’s Jayne? (Is anybody else wondering if Tarzan isn’t about to jump out of this blogpost?) Jayne is the “Journey through Grace” blogger for whom there “is no doubt that grace is the only thing that has allowed me to stay sane, love myself, and laugh on this journey which is my life.” She is an amazing photographer AND an Episcopalian (where have I seen that combination before…?). Jayne pointed Julie the Science Chimp in my direction. If you don’t click on over to her blog I’m going to be mad at you!

That’s it for today, I have a busy couple of days coming up. I am going to pop on over to Sugar ‘n Spice this afternoon and see what Linda bought in the way of scrumptious fabrics this weekend. I’ll report later!

Have a beautiful day, y’all, I’ll leave you to ponder this little bite of prose from St. Catherine of Siena:

[ IF SOMEONE CRIED IN HEAVEN ]

If you cried in heaven, everyone
would laugh

for they would know you were just
kidding.

Please Help, What Kind of Bird This Is?

This rather large, but shy bird has been showing up at The Bird Oasis Hotel & Resort (aka my front porch) this week. I have searched online and can’t figure out what he/she is. Do you know?

He’s about the size of the red-winded blackbirds (I left the finch in the picture for size comparison) and likes to eat insects and nuts. He moves like a Varied Thrush.

Thank you for YOU!

UPDATE: Our friend is a juvenile European Starling. Probably parked here while the “adults” were making their way across my lawn poking around for bugs. The Starlings are not regular visitors to our feeders, that’s what threw me — that and my inexperience at identifying birds. The last time I had a bird I couldn’t identify it turned out to be a juvenile Robin. Apparently The Bird Oasis Hotel & Resort has a thriving childcare business!

Fabric Shopping, Wool Gathering & Getting Fed

Sounds like quite a life, eh? Fabric shopping, wool gathering, feeding my family and getting fed. Well, let me tell you, it IS! It is a wonderful life.

Sunday Shopping at Sister’s. After the church service and the second Sunday sacrament (coffee hour), I like to head on over to see Bobbi and her daughter at Sister’s Fabric Shop. They always have something to tempt me.

A few of the fabrics are fat quarters, so I’m not sure which designers they came from, but there are a few Michael Millers and Valorie Wells fabrics in the bunch. Aren’t they delicious?! I have a homesick girl who has run away from home (to continue her education) and loves pink, our Miss Tisha. I want to send her something to comfort her and remind her that she is loved. Any ideas?

Gathering Wool. Speaking of love, this is my latest “NOW what the heck are you doing?” project. (The quote is from Big Man, who is under the impression that if I was a good woman, I’d be working on his quilt.)

I don’t have a pattern or a plan, I started with two hands with hearts and it has just been growing from there. The sentiment expressed is my own. I added “pray” and “love” and started to cut out (freehand) “believe” but then a gust of wind turned the course of my scissors and sent me in another direction.

I’m not finished “playing” with the design. Maybe I’ll give it another try with the few small pieces of wool I picked up at Sister’s in Miss Tisha’s colors (shown at right). I’m just crazy about wool.

Getting Fed. I’m the Nursery Attendant at church. I only have one child to play with, but we have a really good time. He’ll be 3 years old this week and is as sweet and clever as they come.

Yesterday morning he was pretending to cook me dinner and  served up a slice up pizza. He told me to “be careful ‘cuz it’s really, really hot.” I thought I would get a giggle out of him when I pretended to burn my tongue on the hot pizza, but instead I received a scolding look that said “I told you it was hot!” After I ate my slice of pizza, I asked for more and he said, “No, that’s enough.”

I was telling Big Man about the child telling me I’d had enough and Big Man, (bless his heart) said, “Well, maybe he thought you didn’t need any more pretend pizza because he thought you were too pretend fat.”

Like I said, bless his heart.

Bless His Heart. In case you don’t speak Southern, “bless his heart” can be said in the place of something a good Christian woman shouldn’t be saying (or letting her momma read on her blog) or it can actually mean “we love him, he’s trying so hard, but he doesn’t have the sense God gave a duck”.

You can easily tell the difference between the two if you watch the talker. If the teeth are tightly clenched together, it’s the first definition. If the talker puts her hand over her heart while shaking her head sorrowfully, it’s the second.

Another valuable phrase Southern ladies use is “Lord love ‘im”. An example of its use is: “My grandson, Lord love ‘im, tried climbing down the ladder head first. He thought he was Spiderman. Fell right down on his head.” Use it in place of “the idiot” or instead of “poor thing, he can’t help it that he is so stupid, we love him anyway”.

I wonder how many times Laura Bush has used those phrases?

“To swear off mistakes is very easy. All you have to do is swear off having ideas.” -Leo Burnett, advertising pioneer

The Sign Says: “The Episcopal Church Welcomes You”, but Does It? Do You?

Today at our Inquirer’s Class after church with Father T., while we were discussing Holy Communion and who is welcome at the table and why, I was reminded of the story of Sara Miles, St. Gregory’s Episcopal Church in San Fransisco, and their Food Pantry.

Watch this video and I dare you to try and keep your heart from soaring with love and in thanksgiving for the Spirit-filled people giving and the beautiful people receiving Gifts.

I think the Episcopal Church does a GREAT job welcoming people. Okay, maybe I can’t speak for the whole body of the Episcopalians, but I know that at our little corner of the world, St. Timothy’s Episcopal Church in Chehalis, Washington, we do a pretty good job of it. (I’m proud of my family, surely you can tell that by the beaming, gap-toothed smile and twinkling eyes that you read between every word?!!)

Handheld by God, Comforted by SpongeBob

My granddaughter left yesterday afternoon to spend two weeks with her father, stepmother and baby sister. She’ll be fine (saying it makes it true, right?). She was looking forward to seeing her sister and excited about getting to see fireworks (NOT something that happens here in the middle of a giant hayfield!).

To be honest, I think Emma’s face here is more a reflection of my own, a mirror to my emotions. She’s (I’m) full of trepidation, but hopeful. Hopeful that just this once — just this one time — everything will be as we imagine. Fun, love, laughter, we will enjoy the admiration of all and the scorn of none.

A child’s dream, to be sure, but one we all share. The best we can hope for is to be surrounded by God. To feel his presence even in the darkest of moments and in the smallest of ways.

Yesterday’s Spice Girls Quilts of Valor meeting was just Linda and I, but it was just what we needed. We spent the day propping each other up, quietly commiserating, sharing our fears and trading hope. Dorothy, my favorite Lutheran, stopped by to deliver our third quarter “Portals of Prayer” devotional. Thank you, Dorothy, I rely on your good spirit, giving nature and abiding faith. You are truly a Woman of God.

In this morning’s devotional I found deep comfort:

“…Imagine a father on a walk with his toddler in the woods. The boy’s feeble grasp on Dad’s fingers provides little security against rough terrain. But when Dad enfolds that little hand and wrist in his hand, there is security, no matter how rough things get. Faith does not hold on to God. It trusts that God holds on to us…”

I’m so glad that the strength and power of my love and faith in God does not depend upon my own strength, but depends solely on God’s strength.

“…little ones to Him belong, they are weak but He is strong…”

Spice Girls Quilts of Valor News

We have another finished quilt, Janet pieced the quilt, Kathy O. quilted it and I sewed on the binding yesterday. Isn’t it lovely?!! I have a Presentation Pillowcase yet to make.

Linda started on a new QOV that already has an assigned destination. Her niece, a National Guardsman (Guardswoman?) is in Iraq right now. This is her second tour overseas.

I didn’t have enough brain power left over from my long week, so I didn’t start anything new, but I did look over my kaleidoscope blocks from the last meeting, hoping that a design would come to mind…and nothing did. Ah well, all in good time!

UFO or Experimental Trash?

I found this unfinished piece the other day and pinned it up on my sewing room wall. I’m strangely drawn to it, although I realize it isn’t a fine work of art. There is a story there, I’m not sure what it is, but I like listening to it.

It was inspired from a book by Kristina Becker, Come Listen to My Quilts, and was the first “art quilt” book that I purchased after my long hiatus from the world of quilting.

I was experimenting with raw-edge applique and free-motion machine quilting, both techniques were new to me at the time, now they are second nature. Isn’t it funny how something can be so foreign and uncomfortable one minute and second nature the next?

I used to be against machine applique and only for hand applique. A handwork snob, ha, it seems so silly, now. How can you be against a technique that allows to to create, to spill the colors of your thoughts and dreams out onto a yard of fabric almost as quickly as they come to mind??

It makes me wonder, what other areas in my life am prejudiced against because I am for what is comfortable and familiar?

Today I am reading the poetry of St. Catherine of Siena (1347-1380) who was said to have been “profoundly interested in every human being that ever came before her.” Wouldn’t that be a wonderful quality to cultivate? Nothing makes more sense.

[ THAT SKILL ]

A thorn has entered your foot. That is why you
weep at times at
night.

There are some in this world
who can pull it
out.

The skill that takes they have
learned from
Him.

Cat People are Crazy, I Just Talk to Dogs

My six year old granddaughter, Emma, spent the night last night. She’s had a few problems winning over our geriatric dog, Jessie. Jessie has jealousy issues, she doesn’t like sharing the attention any of the men in the house with “other women”.

My solution is to put Jessie in her crate when I see that she’s getting upset. And then she quickly learns that if she isn’t nice to everyone, she doesn’t get to visit with anyone.

Last night Jessie was a changed dog. Maybe it was because it was just us girls. Maybe she has turned over a new leaf. I don’t know why Emma has become Jessie’s new BFF, I’m just grateful for it.

I think that I am like Jessie sometimes. I have my favorites and I’m not very good at sharing. She is teaching me to love.

[ IF GOD INVITED YOU TO A PARTY ]
by Shams-ud-din Muhammad Hafiz (c. 1320-1389)

If God
invited you to a party and
said,

“Everyone in the ballroom tonight will
be my special guest,”

how would you then treat them when you arrived?

Indeed, indeed!

And Hafiz knows that there is no one in
this world who is not standing upon

His jeweled dance
floor.

Pet-icular Woes, the Lure of Prose, Old and New UFOs

The pet-icular woes of yesterday were centered around a pair of seeds that my best friend Buddy the WonderDog lost in his eye. I have fetched plenty of seeds out of huntin’ dog eyes, but I knew when I saw Buddy’s eye that I had to get him to the vet. This seed wasn’t coming out without serious help.

Buddy hasn’t seen a vet since he was a puppy, so I had no idea how he was going to react. But he was a perfect gentleman and took it like a trooper. What a good dog! Now he has a week of eye drops and pampering to look forward to.

The lure of prose, whether Psalm or St. Thomas Aquinas or Hafiz, is strong today. Perhaps it is the blue skies, the quiet breeze and the gentle wave of the tall grasses. Perhaps it is the thankful heart I carry, thankful for those I love and for those I depend upon to help me care for those I love. Perhaps it is you. It is very likely all of the above.

[ THE CHRIST'S BREATH ]
by Shams-ud-din Muhammad Hafiz (c. 1320-1389)

I am
a hole in a flute
that the Christ’s breath moves through—
listen to this
music.

Old and New UFOs are on my list of “chores” today. The “Escape to Egypt” piece you’ve seen. The funky black birthday cake with the catAngel and the hungryDog is an old UFO (Unfinished Object) that I believe I made as a test piece just before I started my Emma’s “No More Bones” quilt.

I wasn’t too thrilled with my color choices, there isn’t any real “punch” or warmth. I’m going to see if I can’t make it better with a punchier border and binding selection. It’s only 15″ x 22″, so if it doesn’t work out, no big loss.

A Bunny Hop, a Shop Hop & a Gift

Bunny Hop. I have a lovely little bunny that has moved into our side yard and made it his home, in spite of my best friend Buddy the WonderDog’s efforts to…uh…end his stay.

I’ve done my best to warn him away. I’ve waved my arms while yelling and screaming and running at him. I’ve tried talking to him. I’ve tried everything except an eviction notice. This bunny insists that he wants to live here.

I have to believe that this is an unusually skilled bunny – fleet of foot (feet?), with keen ears and a sharp mind. Can we pray for bunnies? Surely so!

Shop Hop. This week masses of local quilters hit the road in celebration of the Western Washington Shop Hop. Did I shop or hop? Nope, but I did watch the shop in Morton for a couple of days. And look what I came home with! Aren’t they delicious? I found them at Sugar ‘n Spice in Morton. I am CRAZY about the bug and flowers print, it is called Possibilities for QT Express.

The Gift is the Connemara (Irish marble) drop pendent and sterling silver chain is from a dear, poetical friend at church. Isn’t it beautiful?! I love green, I adore marble and I am honored to be given such a thoughtful gift. Connemara means “of the sea” and comes from the Connemara Mountains in the most western parts of Ireland in County Galway.

All in All I’m doing a happy dance. And maybe, if I dance with enough enthusiasm, maybe I’ll be able to convince the Bunny Hop that he needs to move to a safer space at a friendlier place.

Emma’s “No More Bones” Quilt Complete

Another summer UFO (Un-Finished Object) project complete. Quilted, bound, labeled and washed and folded and ready for my Miss Emma to take home.

This quilt was based on a Laurel Burch design, if I remember correctly. I styled the dogs in the quilt after my own two and my mother’s three dogs. The blue boy in the lower left corner is Blitz, one of the sweetest, kindest, most clever and LARGEST German Wirehaired Pointers you could ever hope to meet. (Click on the photo for a larger view of the quilt).

Blitz is the only dog that I have ever known that is smart enough to “play dumb”. That’s right, he pretended he didn’t know what you were talking about and since he is so very sweet natured, you just forgave him and left it at that. His nickname was “Duh!”. I don’t remember how we found out that Blitz wasn’t as dumb as he acted – or looked – I just remember the light going on and feeling pretty stupid.

“No more bones!” was what my granddaughter Emma (this quilt’s new owner) used to yell at Blitz while he barked and barked and barked at her, asking for another bone.

You see, Blitz decided one day that when ever anyone came in from outside the house that he deserved a bone. Not just when he came in from outside, but when anyone came through the door. And I, being a go-along kinda gal, went along with the idea. So whenever I came to visit my mother, I had to stop by the bone jar and get him a bone, and if I forgot, he reminded me with a bark.

Blitz soon realized that if he waited until I got involved in conversation and then barked at me again, I would, without thinking about it, go and get him another bone – and never miss a beat in my chatter. Sometimes that dad-blamed dog would have talked me out of three or four bones before I would talk myself out and catch on to his ruse.

This picture is the only picture I have of Blitz in my files, and guess what he is doing in this picture…yup, he’s barking for a bone.

UFO Thursday: Pretty as a Picture

I have finished two UFO quilts so far this summer, one for my son Mason and one for Stosh. This morning I have dug out my granddaughter’s quilt to finish up.

We measured the quilt this morning to make sure that it was still large enough to cover her. Sure enough, it is over One Emma long and a head shorter than One Emma wide. Just perfect. (She giggled all the way through my primitive form of measuring. GrannyMission accomplished!)

My friend, Linda, asked me yesterday how my Miss Emma was doing with keeping herself busy while I sewed. Guess I’ll find out today!

Oh, BTW, if you notice that my posts are a bit far and few between this week, I have a good reason…several of good reasons! One, Miss Emma is visiting. Two, I have our church newsletter, The Beacon, to publish. Three, it’s Shop Hop week here in Western Washington and I’ve volunteered my inattentive, but chatty help on two days this week.

As for today’s poetry, I’m still knee deep in St. Thomas Aquinas and can’t seem to find my way out. It’s a blessed kinda “lost”, so don’t send out the search party quite yet! Another BTW, if you don’t know Thomas Aquinas’ story, follow this link or this one, it’s a very interesting story!

[ OTHERWISE THE DARKNESS ]

I
have a cause,
We need those don’t we?
Otherwise the darkness and the cold gets us
and everything starts to
ache.

My soul has a purpose, it is
to love;

if I
do not fulfill
my heart’s vocation,
I suffer.