Kerry Anne Engdahl

Tonight we went to a benefit for Kerry Anne Engdahl. She is a kindergarten teacher at Churchill Elementary School here in Oswego. Recently she was diagnosed with the motor neuron disease ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig's disease. The flier that was made up states " she is an outstanding teacher who is committed to continuing her service to our students and learning community while undergoing treatment. The outpouring of caring and concern from our community has been overwhelming." Well I got to see it tonight! I waited in line for an hour and a half for our food. The line to order,was wrapped around part of the building on the outside, the drive through was lined up to the gas station next door. Kerry Anne and her husband Jim and their three girls were there for a time. There is going to be a ALS walk at Cantigny Park in Wheaton on the 21st of May. They have even designed a t-shirt for team members to wear to show support of Kerry Anne.

Her Mom and Dad are, Jane and Hilary Goerge from Lansing, Michigan. Jane and I worked together at Auto Owners Insurance in Lansing, and my husband Ron, and Hilary went to college together. So we have been friends for a very long time.

It was great to see such an outpouring of love and support.

Happy Easter

Happy Easter to everyone. Hope you have a lovely day. We have sunshine and warmth today.
We are going to Dads for brunch and then a ride through the arboretum to see if the daffodils are in bloom and just enjoy the flowers and being out in the fresh air.

I have been making greeting cards the past couple of weeks. I had worked up the iris folding part, but not made them into cards. You should be able to click on the picture to enlarge to see what I have done. Another way of being creative. I love making the cards. To me it is like quilting, only it doesn't take as long. I can share these with my friends and family, too.

Happy Easter everyone, and thank you for stopping by.

Whirlwind 2 days

On Saturday night my husband surprised me, by telling me, we were taking an overnight trip to Davenport, Iowa to see the white pelicans that fly north along the Mississippi River. We had a wonderful vantage point on the river. I could not believe the pictures I was getting. These birds are so fascinating. They are beautiful.

Then we checked out a place I had read about, Miss Effie's, in Donahue, Iowa. It was in the country and is a place I would love to go back too. She doesn't officially open until June. In season she has flowers you can pick for purchase. She has a variety of chickens and kitties. She has the only barn quilts in the area. This little kitty launched herself at my husband and while I was standing by him, she launched herself to my shoulder. What a surprise!!

This was the first barn quilt we saw on our way into Kalona, Iowa. On Sunday night Ron said he had nothing planned for Monday, and after we looked at a bunch of brochures, we settled on Kalona. I have wanted to go there because I knew there was quilt barns, and quilt shops. This barn quilt is using Amish coloration. The Washington County, of which Kalona is part of, has 4 different quilt trails. Each trail has blocks associated to the theme. Example. Amish, Liberty, Agricultural, and Nature, plus there are a bunch of self-sponsored blocks. The whole county has over 100 blocks.

The town of Kalona has been renovating and updating themselves. One of the things they have added are these wonderful signs. Each sign is another quilt block. Then the town took it a step further, literally, they are putting the quilt blocks in the sidewalk. I think I remember hearing there are 40 blocks that are in the sidewalks. There is going to be a brochure printed that you can take a walking tour that will tell you about the block. We were a week early. The brochures were not ready yet. Bummer. In some of the stores, you can buy magnets, coasters, thimbles, and postcards of the quilt blocks.I have been wanting a quilt block for my house. I asked at the chamber office if anyone was making smaller versions of the barn quilts. I was in luck! The chamber of commerce office had just received 12 inch squares of the 40 blocks that are being displayed around town. I bought 2 basket blocks. One is the Flower Basket which is in the picture above. I am in heaven and can't wait until I can grace our home with them. (The weather has to get better.)

We love to take the backroads in our travels. You never know what you will see. We did get to see about 10 more barn quilts. I visited the Kalona Historical Societies Quilt and Textile Museum. It had a wonderful display of antique star quilts, and a beautiful display of Amish quilts. I did visit the 2 quilt shops in town. Kalona, is definately a place I would like to go back to some time.

On our way out of town I saw something, and made Ron turn around and go back to a little barn I had seen. It was not a quilt though. There was a mom fox, and 6 babies! Mom let me take her picture, and then she moved away. The pups, I think, knew I was taking their picture. They seemed to be posing for me. The countryside was so pretty, trees are turning green, a lot of flowering trees are starting to bloom. There were daffodils, tulips and hyacinths. Spring is my time of the year. I love this time, the rebirth of nature.

Ron loves to plan these get aways. He finds great places to eat, places to visit, and sights to see. This time the start of all this was because of a hotel room for $19.00, if you were over 50 and could do this on a Sunday night. It is so much fun being retired!!!!

If you read all this, thank you for taking the time. I like to share my adventures.

Piecefully quilting,

Barn Quilts Dover, Tennessee

On our way home from Atlanta, my husband decided we had time to take a side trip. We got off the expressway and made our way to Dover, Tennessee. Stewart County, is where Dover is, and is part of the Appalachian Quilt Trail. Tennessee has published a wonderful 48 page pamphlet. I had found out about this through google, and when we arrived in Tennessee on our way to Atlanta, I made sure we picked one up. (You just never know when you might be in the area of Barn Quilts.) By total accident, we think we found the best trail to see. This Medallion Sampler Quilt is named "With love, From Letitia." It is installed on the Samaritan Center, beside the Stewart County Courthouse located in Old Town Dover, Tennessee. To quote, " Like the famous "Dear Jane" sampler made in Civil War times, the quilt trails sampler has been created in preparation for the sesquicentennial (150th anniversary) of the American Civil War." I was able to acquire a pamphlet about this quilt. It tells the symbolism of the quilt. It was inspired by the local heroine, Letitia Levin Smith. This quilt was designed and created by her great-grand daughter, Carolyn Walter Darke, who happens to be a local artist. Even my husband was in awe of this wonderful work of art. This quilt is painted, and measures 12 x 12 feet. The quilt trail through Dover only showed 4 spots to see "barn quilts" Needless to say we found more then that. Some of the quilts were 4x4 ft, 2x2 ft, or 6x6ft. We found them on the side of buildings in town.

Some were on the sides.

Or the backs of a building.

This one is on the front of the Sunset Motor Inn.

This one on the side of a barn. We found small ones on the front of the hardware store, the public library, and the public works building. I have pictures of 19 quilts we found in and around town. It was amazing. We have to say Letitia's quilt is the most beautiful.

More makes and finishes

This week I worked on some projects and made a few blocks for one of the quilts. This snowman is now ready for quilting. I finished the wool applique on Wednesday evening. Yea for me!! Now to get it sandwiched.

I tried a new pattern, the "Snap Purse". I started to make it, and miss read the pattern so had to improvise, resulting in a mini tote and the snap tote. I had two fat quarters, of the black, white and chartreuse fabric. I got the two small purses, and a cash and carry purse out of it. I had the kit for the travel pillowcase, now it is done. I had bought a kit in Atlanta for a cash and carry purse, it is done, and I finished a wool bookmark with lilies of the valley on it.

Am I really obsessive compulsive or focused when I sew? I started to go though a pretty big box of pictures I had brought home from my Mom and Dad's house when we moved Dad to be near me two years ago. My Mother was a saver. There are newspaper articles, and lots of pictures that friends and relatives had sent Mom. She saved them all. It has been 5 years since she passed away, and am just starting to go though a lot of these things. What to do with it all?? I have sent some of it back to those friends and relatives, hopefully to bring back good memories of my parents. I think I am going to make a scrapbook for my son using some of the pictures. He has not met many of these relatives, as they mostly lived on the east coast. He has heard me talk about a lot of them. He has met a few, when they and us were visiting my folks in Florida. I wanted to start all this last night! But, today I am putting it away for now. I don't need another project to start. This one will take a long time to work on. The dilemma is what do you do with all the pictures and souvenirs you collect through the years. Do you take care of them yourself, or let your relatives do it. The sewing part is easy, it goes to all my quilter friends!!