Thanksgiving 2016

It's a beautiful sunny, crisp Thanksgiving in Hattiesburg and I celebrate the blessings in my life! I made these pilgrim dolls while I still lived in Corpus Christi, meaning before 1971. Guess that means I can't deny being a pack rat! The turkey family cookie jar can be seen in the background. Thanksgiving is usually a time for families to gather, and I have wonderful memories of these times at my mom's house and later at my brother's. We usually had to travel rather than hosting. But they were happy, joyful times, more like the ones in pictures rather than the horror stories you read about!

My geranium has a huge bloom on it, with buds promising more beauty.

My maidenhair fern was originally from my mom and it gives me a home-sweet-home feeling when I see it.

I recently read an appropriate quote that brings our thoughts under control at this season:

Do more than belong:  participate.
Do more than care:  help,
Do more than believe:  practice.
Do more than be fair:  be kind.
Do more than dream:  work.
     ~William Arthur Ward

Meanwhile, back in my studio I have been having fun lots of fun sorting and arranging fabric for my Indian Orange Peel blocks.

Fall is Here, also Karen K Stone

Wheeee! It's really feeling like fall, and that huge moon adds to the joy. My neighbor's persimmon trees were loaded. I had a crew do massive clean-up in my yard. My barn quilt sign was hidden and is now prominently displayed. It's nice being identified as a quilter.

Karen K Stone was in Hattiesburg for a lecture/trunk show and workshop last week; her unique color sense is so exciting and her quilts were eye candy.

Karen's Indian Orange Peel

I could hardly wait to get started selecting fabrics for an Indian Orange Peel. Here's my first arc. Karen's method makes these much easier than they first seem. And getting to play with and coordinate fabrics makes this so much fun.

My Favorite Veteran

Roy Ginn, 1950

Remembering my favorite veteran on Veterans Day. I didn't meet Roy (on a blind date!) until he came home from the Navy, but he looked just like this. Who wouldn't fall in love with those blue eyes?
     This picture was taken when he was on a ship headed for Japan after a year in radio communication school on Bainbridge Island, Washington. His training was in decoding radio transmissions in Russian.
     We married when I was 18 and he was 24--good thing at least one of us was an adult. Our 57 years together were happy and fulfilling. We were the perfect example of "in sickness and in health," each taking turns caring for the other as needed. He was a wonderful father and friend and we raised two outstanding children. Parkinson's robbed him of his last few years of activity, but he never gave up.
     Thank you for your service and your love of country, family, and all things good.

November--Pensacola Program and Wood Sculptures

 

I enjoyed presenting a program/trunk show for the Pensacola Quilters Guild and staying in the lovely home of Cena Harmon (and seeing her quilts like this New York Beauty). The technology gods were cooperative, so I got to share some pictures of my 2013 China trip and since it has come home, I had the Rise and Shine, Inner City quilt to show. When I left Pensacola, Cena directed me to the most unexpected fabric find--at A&E Pharmacy! It's a traditional drug store with all the usual products, medicines, pharmacists, and gifts. But there was also a huge section called A&E Fabrics featuring first-run fabrics from well-known designers and more batiks than I have ever seen in one place.

Batiks as far as the eye can see!

I stopped at the Florida Welcome Center and took several photos--a jet plane and some of the carved birds that a talented carver, Marlin Miller, has created from the oak trees killed in Hurricane Katrina in 2005. These are truly amazing and give tribute to the indomitable spirit that rose from the Gulf Coast after the devastation.