Sharing Quilts

I love sharing quilts! Last week I sent this quilt top to Margaret's Hope Chest, to be given to a child in Michigan. Read about the organization at the button on my sidebar. I ran out of time to get it quilted, which she said was fine, but I wanted to be helpful. Wish I had managed to do so.



This week I gave away my scrap quilt. It was a door prize and a challenge at my guild's retreat. Last year I won a Bag O' Scraps purse... full of scraps that had been generated during the retreat. I also won the prize that the previous year's person made... a cute, scrappy purse (I won a purse and a purse).

So when I won the purse full of scraps, I had to decide what to do for this year's prize. I decided to do a total random look, and made this quilt. I was a little nervous about its reception, but apparently it was oohed and aahed over. I'm thinking just the fact that it was a quilt was a nice part of the surprise, not that it was so overly gorgeous. But, I'm glad the crowd liked it. I was not at the retreat, so I'm getting this all second-hand.

The woman who won my quilt is pictured here with it... she also won the purse of scraps, so she has a year to make something for next year's winner. It's fun to watch the traveling Bag O' Scraps and see what each year reveals.









Aren't quilts just great? Even when they're not the most gorgeous on earth, they're still so fun and cuddly! I love giving them away to people I know and don't know. Now please excuse me while I go make another quilt..........

The Winner Is...

MaryK! Mary has politely declined the prize, so I'm adding $4 to the pot. I will donate one dollar per comment, or $28 plus the extra $4 -- so I will donate $32 to Pennies for Peace! Our students will appreciate the extra money for their collection!

Thank you so much for your kind comments and your kudos for my 700th post! I'm glad to have so many of you pitching in and your willingness to help a good cause. If you have not read the book about Greg Mortenson and his work building schools, please do. It's called Three Cups of Tea: One Man’s Mission to Promote Peace, One School At A Time. He also wrote a version of the same story for children. And he has another book called Stones Into Schools.

It's a great cause that will do so much more toward achieving peace than war will ever do. Thanks again for visiting and for your help!!!

#700! Whoopee! 700th Post and a Giveaway!

I have arrived at Post #700! Whoopeee! That's about 695 more posts than I predicted I would write back when I began this blog. It has been so much fun! Thank you for being my blogger friends. Who knew there was a world of readers and writers that I could hook up with from my little computer while wearing my pajamas!?

Last time I had a post milestone, I pledged to give some money to Ampersand Families for each comment I received. I think I ended up sending them about $50.

This time I am going to do a similar thing, but for a different group. Here's my plan:

1) I will draw a name of someone from the list of comments. That person can choose to win either this --



a table runner pattern, and a FQ of Kaffe Fassett fabric;
or this --



4 stamps featuring a photo by me (they really work in the U.S. Postal Service).
If the winner foregoes receiving either of these prizes, I will add $4 to the pot I am discussing in #2 below.

2) Part Two -- In addition to the giveaway, for every comment I receive, I will donate some money to Pennies for Peace. Do you know who they are? They raise money to help Greg Mortenson and his institute build schools in Pakistan and Afghanistan. They especially emphasize education for girls! They have successfully built around 30 schools, if I remember correctly. It all started when Greg Mortenson was trying to climb a mountain and got lost! He promised to build a school for the village that nursed him back to health.

Pennies For Peace is modeled after a program started by school kids in Wisconsin. Every penny counts!

The students where I work have agreed to raise funds for Pennies For Peace from now through next April. At the end, we get to attend a party at which Greg Mortenson will be in attendance! So I decided to use my 700th blog post to collect money to help build schools.

So come on, leave a comment! I'll have to see how many comments I get. I'll donate a penny, a nickel, a dime, a quarter, a dollar, or whatever I decide I can afford per comment. If I get 2,000 comments, I will donate 2-3 cents per comment. If I get only 3 comments, I'll donate $10 per comment. So that's why I have to wait and see what happens.

I'll leave this post up for at least a couple of days, to give people time to find it and to leave a comment. Let's help Greg Mortenson build another school!

OK? Join the fun, help my students raise funds, and help us build schools for Peace!!

#699 - Thinkers and Writers

Dan is a deep thinker. The Creator gave him the gift of understanding cultures. Dan told many of his words of wisdom to Kent. Kent wrote them down and made the stories into two books: Neither Wolf Nor Dog, and the second book, The Wolf at Twilight.

Dan is a Lakota Indian from South Dakota. Kent Nerburn is a white man from Minnesota, blessed with the gift of writing and insights and a rare gift of being trusted by many Native people. Sadly, Native Americans have learned to distrust most whites.

The devastating and violent history between European "boat people" and American Indians still has reverberations today. The two cultures do not trust each other.

I have read Neither Wolf Nor Dog twice, and I just finished reading The Wolf at Twilight. What a powerful, emotional punch is packed in that little book (in both books)! I am clinging to the hope that this book represents. Dan gives this advice: the Creator gave different gifts to different people. If we learn from each other, we can share the gifts. Isn't that a much better approach than hating, fearing, mistrusting eachother? It's high time we turn things around.

That is why I go to Rosebud in the summer and do a week of work with my church. We are trying to build trust. We are trying to learn from each other. Each time I go has been an awesome experience, each time in different ways. Sometimes the lessons sink in only long after I return home. I hope that in some small way what I do while at Rosebud is helping build bridges, too. Do the people think about us after we're gone, and learn a bit about us?

I encourage every American to read these two books. We have the ability to change the course of history. We can build trust instead of suspicion. We can allay our fears. But I believe the ball is in our court (non-Indians of America). We need to read and learn and take the first step. Can you read two books and change the way you think?

Today I am thankful for Dan's gifts of wisdom and understanding, and Kent's gifts of seeking/listening and writing.

Some of the words from one of my favorite hymns, "The Summons" --

Will you come and follow me if I but call your name?
Will you go where you don't know and never be the same?
Will you let my love be shown, will you let my name be known,
will you let my life be grown in you and you in me?

Will you leave yourself behind if I but call your name?
Will you care for cruel and kind and never be the same?
Will you risk the hostile stare should your life attract or scare?
Will you let me answer prayer in you and you in me?

Will you love the "you" you hide if I but call your name?
Will you quell the fear inside and never be the same?
Will you use the faith you've found to reshape the world around,
through my sight and touch and sound in you and you in me?

Lord, your summons echoes true when you but call my name.
Let me turn and follow you and never be the same.
In your company I'll go where your love and footsteps show.
Thus I'll move and live and grow in you and you in me.

#698 - Marvelous Minnesota

[see trivia answers in the comments section]




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!

Haunted House Horrors

Muhahaha! Doesn't this Halloween House looked terrifying under the full moon and all?? Seen at this house on Halloween night were witches, slashers, princesses, ghosts, bunnies, monks, and the Statue of Liberty. Eeeeek!

Home Again, Home Again Jiggedty Jig

After living in Florida for 20 years, Charles' parents have moved back to Minnesota! Today they found a new home. It's a senior independent living building with the option of adding assited living if and when it's needed. We were so impressed with the staff, the building, the way it is maintained so beautifully, the program, and the grounds. It's just beautiful.

Below: MIL in front of a drawing of the complex and grounds.

This will be their new home!

Furniture will be moved out so their own

can be moved in.

MIL toured the facility in a wheel chair

due to the wound she has on her leg.

She'll be up and around soon, we hope.

below: a beautiful deck, walking path, and woods

Today Elvira was cutting hair!

a common area

dining room as seen from above

dining room

residents return from a van

run to a local grocery store

Impressive! We are pleased that they found a nice place and will have a smooth transition back home to Minnesota. It'll be much better for them to be close to family again!

The Beauty and the Beast

In honor of Halloween I decided to show you this cemetery.
It's too pretty to be scary!

Beauty: the fun things that have happened and are about to happen in my week.
Beast: the brutal schedule I've been on this week. I'm worn out and it is only Wednesday.

OK maybe I am having a pity party. My so-called brutal schedule is nothing compared to some. But I'm tired so I claim the right to whine.

I've been super busy at work all week (this is the usual these days. It has been a crazy year!) I started an on-line class and have stayed at the office extra hours to work on that. Had a couple of evening events... FUN (book group was a great discussion and lots of laughs Tuesday night) but it eats up my time.

Just my luck, today on the way to work I had a flat tire and had to drop off my car, which meant my afternoon assignment would take more time as I had to get there and back on city bus. Now I'm waiting for my car. I hope it's finished soon, because I need to fly off to church and help serve and wait tables at the turkey dinner, and turn in my items for the bazaar.

Tomorrow my MIL and SIL will fly in from Florida. My inlaws are moving back to Minnesota. I will pick them up and maybe dump them at home and then fly back to the office to have a computer web-cam conference session for my online class.

The weekend promises to be just as busy. Hubby is driving back from Florida with his dad and brother. So that'll be more arrivals at my house, and more excitement as we help them find some senior housing. This move kind of popped up very quickly. They made the decision, and BOOM - sold their home in Florida and here they are. Whoa! That was fast!!

The foreseeable future looks about as busy and tiring as this week has been. I've had no time to clean my house in preparation for the company. I hope they understand! (It won't be the first time they see my house in chaos mode, but this may be worse than they've seen before.)

Is it Saturday yet? Maybe i can sleep in... then hand out candy to the little ghosts and goblins. How about you? Are you having a Beautiful week or a Beasty one?

Refreshing? Not!

Awww, adorable!

This photo has nothing to do with

what I'm talking about today;

it's just adorable, don't you think?

You might say it's "refreshing?"

You might think I'm going to talk about:

a refreshing day?
a cool, refreshing drink?
refreshing thoughts?
a refreshing swim?

Nope. I'm going to talk about how my blog isn't refreshing posts properly. A while back a friend told me she likes to come to my blog to check other blogs, because it lists how long ago their most recent post was made.

Well, I hope she isn't still counting on that method, because it just hasn't been working. I've been waiting for certain blogs to - come on, post something already! - and finally I checked, and there were several new posts, even though my side bar shows an old, old date as their most recent. And even the 'refresh' button didn't help them refresh. Arrgghh.

Don't depend on silly computer programs to log the truth. When the program doesn't do its job, it's not very refreshing!

Ever Wanted to be a Fly on the Wall?

We went out for mid-afternoon lunch/dinner on Sunday, and discovered that it was Trick or Treat time on Grand Avenue. Tons of cute little kids were everywhere, dressed in their Halloween finest.

Have you ever wanted to be a fly on the wall? I have never seen this idea as a Halloween costume! Talk about unique! Dad is the "wall," and Baby is the Fly on the Wall. Too cute! Mom was walking alongside, also, perhaps to make sure Dad didn't fall down face first. He does have a couple of eye holes there in the wall. He even noticed me with my camera and stopped so I could get this picture.

At Toy Society I signed up to do a Christmas drop. My friend in Czech Republic agreed to help me, so this toy is getting ready to be shipped and then dropped somewhere in CR for Christmas. Isn't that fun?? If no one else beats me to the punch, this might be the first toy drop in Czech Republic.

If you're interested in doing a Christmas toy drop with Toy Society, please go to the blog and sign up. The toy should be dropped the weekend before Christmas. Last year they dropped 104 toys around the world. Surely we can do more than that this year, can't we?? I'll be interested to see what our grand total will be.

Beautiful, Mixed Up Fall

First it was too warm. Then it was too cold, rainy, and cloudy. Then we got snow, even before all the leaves had turned colors.

Finally we got a cool, sunny day ... most of the snow is gone, and the colors are spectacular. It was so great that the gorgeous day fell on Saturday!

Pictures can't do justice to the glorious colors, but it's the best I can do.

I'm thankful for:

1) sunshine

2) gorgeous fall colors

3) friends, old and new

4) church family

5) my entire family, nuclear, extended, and shirttail