#698 - Marvelous Minnesota

I haven't done Tuesday Trivia in a while, so I'll do some today, on Wonderful Wednesday. Once again these questions will be about God's Country, aka Marvelous Minnesota. Here goes - try your best!

1. True or False:
Minnesota has 90,000 miles of shoreline, more than California, Florida and Hawaii combined.

2. Name the famous author who lived on Plum Creek near Walnut Grove, Minnesota.

3. Minnesota is known as the Land of 10,000 Lakes. Did you know it's not true? There are actually more like 15,000-20,000 lakes, depending on how you define lakes (size, named, etc.) Many lake names are used multiple times (that is, many lakes have the same names). Which TWO of the following names are NOT among common, often-used names:

a. Mud Lake
b. Corn Lake
c. Rice Lake
d. Long Lake
e. Moon Lake

3. Which Minnesota town is the "Lutefisk Capital of the United States"?

4. Polaris Industries located in Roseau, Minnesota invented what well-loved machine?

5. True or False:
Minnesota's waters flow outward in three directions: north to Hudson Bay in Canada, east to the Atlantic Ocean, and south to the Gulf of Mexico.

Some easy, some harder. How'd you do??

#697 - A Beautiful Sunday

What a gorgeous weekend we have enjoyed! Weather was warm and wonderful for this late in the year. Today I went to church (late, I must admit, after being distracted by Facebook), ate pancakes at church, then came home and enjoyed a quiet afternoon, sewing for Sunshine (see http://www.sunshinequiltguild.blogspot.com).

This weekend I completed the following projects:

This is four blocks I made for a Sunshine member who collects blocks and makes gorgeous quilts for kids.



This top has been sitting on my design wall forever, and I finally got it put together. It'll eventually go to Wrap Them in Love (see www.wraptheminlove.org).



This is another top that will go to Wrap Them in Love. It is all blocks that I found while digging around in my sewing room,looking for something else! Sunshine members and blog readers made a bunch of these Ohio Stars for Joanie almost a year ago. (She lost everything in a fire; we made her a quilt.) I got so many Ohio Stars that I couldn't fit them all into Joanie's quilt. I've been able to make a total of three quilts using all those stars. This is the third. I set it with crumb blocks that I had made and also set aside, to be found later. This one isn't quite done being assembled, but it's close.

Quilts like these, using found blocks, feel like they are "free."



After my sewing stint I went outside and took a nice walk. It's a gorgeous day for a walk!

Charles has not been home all day. His Aunt Katie died, and though there was no formal funeral, there was a little gathering of family today, to reminisce and mark her passing. Katie was in her 90s and was Charles' godmother. He left while I was at church and has been there all day. As I write this at 4:00 p.m., he is still not home. I am thinking that both Charles and his father probably are bummed that they missed their Sunday afternoon naps. But hopefully they are enjoying the family gathering and remembering fond and funny tales about Katie.

Today I am thankful for:
1. finally kicking myself out of the house to take a nice walk
2. lots of Christmas shopping already done (I love bazaars and art shows)
3. fun to enjoy a quiet house and get lots of sewing done today
4. Nerburn's newest book - it's Fab!
5. sky, trees, leaves, water, earth - we are so blessed - thank you, God!
6. Just as I am about to post this, Charles returned home. Yay!

#696 - My Saturday Report

Last night my sister was in town; together we attended a talk by Kent Nerburn. He is an author, and I am a big fan. He wrote Neither Wolf Nor Dog, which is one of my all-time favorite books. His sequel to that book has just come out. It's called The Wolf at Twilight. He read from it last night, and then signed books. I'm busy reading it today, and it's another awesome experience.





Today I attended a bazaar/art fair at my former church. I love their bazaar. It's really a big shindig, lots of great stuff and great food. I always consider it my official start to Christmas shopping. What could be better.. fair trade stuff, one-of-a-kind treasures by local artists, great shopping! And surprise of surprises, Kent Nerburn was there with his sisters, selling his books and native-made items. What a fun surprise to see him two days in a row! And he remembered me from the previous night.


The one and only picture I took at the bazaar... they are making lefse right on the spot and selling it for immediate consumption. How's that for groovy?




Here you see my new book, and a purse I bought for myself. I can't show you anything else, because it was all Christmas gifts for people who might read my blog... well, except for an apple pie. After the bazaar I stopped over at my in-laws' place for pie. Charles and Bubba had gone to pick up in-laws' new sofa. They were just delivering it when I got there; we helped arrange furniture, muddled around, ate some lunch, and then had apple pie and ice cream for dessert. Yummy yum yum!

I left to get my hair worked on by a professional. Now I'm glamorous again. (guffaw!)

I hope to spend the rest of the evening reading and relaxing, and the same for tomorrow (after church), with a little sewing thrown into the mix. A good weekend has a few things to do, and most of the time set aside for relaxing. That's what I have in mind. How about you? Are you enjoying your weekend, including some real time off?

Coming Up on 700

image is from University of New Mexico

No, 700 is not my age! But, I am coming up on Post #700 very soon! Watch for a modest give-away as soon as I hit 700.

Dona Nobis Pacem

Today is Blog Blast for Peace day. Check here to see other blogs who are participating.

I want to give credit for my boost in inner peace to the wonderful book group to which I belong at my church. We have read many books about faith and spiritualtiy. All the discussion and friendly support in the group has helped me immensely. My faith has definitely been strengthened, and my determination to live a spiritual and peace-inducing life has blossomed. I have new-found joy in my inner and outer relationship with God and with life in general. And I hope to continue seeking, learning, and growing.... and to help spread peace and love through my actions.

Forgive me for the times I have been gossipy, critical, judgmental and unkind in your presence or in my writing. I am a work in progress and hope to learn more about living what I believe in every moment, and in every encounter. Life is a precious gift!

Beautiful words from Thich Nhat Hanh:

"People usually consider walking on water or in thin air a miracle. But I think the real miracle is not to walk either on water or in thin air,but to walk on earth. Every day we are engaged in a miracle which we don't even recognize: a blue sky, white clouds, green leaves, the black, curious eyes of a child -- our own two eyes. All is a miracle."

Move-In Accomplished

Many hands pitched in to get parents-in-law moved into their new digs. It rained, but that didn't hinder us. We started yesterday, late afternoon; Charles and I didn't get home 'til 10:30 p.m.! We were tired today, and I should have been smart and gone to bed early tonight, but here I am still up at 10:30 again. *yawn!*

tight fit.. but they made it

dinner break... Jimmy Johns sandwiches

assembling the new bed frame

Happy New Home!

IBOL Guy Marches On

Remember IBOL guy? While in Iraq he collected fabric bundles (Iraqi Bundles of Love) to deliver to sewing groups and individiuals in Iraq... his way of showing a little love and creating peace, one person and one bundle at a time.

IBOL guy is home now, and he has registered for a walk to support Juvenile Diabetes research. Check out his pledge page. He had to declare a pledge goal, so guess what he did.. he used the final number of IBOL bundles he received in Iraq: 3445. And he's counting on the continued generosity of fabric and yarn enthusiasts to help him reach his goal. Want to join in the fun? If 100 of us donate $34.45 he'll reach his goal. But even better would be if another surprising gazillion of us donate, and his goal is far surpassed. We did it before; let's do it again.

The IBOL Spirit lives!