Happy Memorial Day!
May we always remember and never forget those who gave their lives for the freedoms we share and take for granted each and every day.
And may we remember the wives, sweethearts and families who also paid the ultimate price as their loved ones gave so much for us in the service of our country.
They are never forgotten as long as those of us still here remember.
I especially love my facebook newsfeed on Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Memorial Day and Veteran’s Day as the sepia toned and black and white photos of family members from younger days are shared in remembrance. To look into the eyes of those who are no longer with us is a humbling experience.
I’m not just talking about those who lost their lives in wars of long ago. A quilter friend I know posted a photo of her brother, who more recently lost his life in Afghanistan. Memorial Day is not just for those long past, but for those recently gone as well.
And while lives may look like they are going on normally on the outside, holidays like this can also bring those shattered feelings close to the surface making the day quite difficult for some, so be aware. Anniversaries of births, deaths, and dedicated holidays can bring all of the painful remembrances so very close to the surface.
May God bless them all as we remember the sacrifice they gave for us. Happy Memorial Day, everyone!
Patriotic pinwheel quilt shared by Cathy Boo. Thanks for sharing the quilt with me, Cathy! It’s perfect for today.
Making Kits!
Remember while at retreat in Washington I had discovered that I had sewn more than 40 blocks WRONG??? I’m still shaking my head! They were perfectly wonderfully wrong, and they will end up in another project, but they are not right enough for this quilt, and the alternate blocks are already made, and I’m on a deadline.
They are all baggied and ready to go!
Shown with the CORRECT rectangle placement.
I’m ready to teach on retreat in Kentucky this week! I will likely be SO tired of this color way by the time I’m done!
THIS was moved in!
I’ve had this Hoosier cabinet also known as doughboy, or possum belly since somewhere around 1992, when we bought our first “real” house in Payette, Idaho. I had had it on layaway for the longest time, and when it finally got to come home with me, I was ecstatic. I’d been in love with it from the first time I saw it.
From Payette it moved with us to Burley, Idaho where it lived with us for 5 years. When we moved to Texas it was in storage for a year until we moved from Sulphur Springs to Waxahachie, where it spent the next 2 1/2 years in my family room. When we moved to Irmo, South Carolina it also was a family room piece.
When we moved from South Carolina to North Carolina, there was no place to put it in our downsized house, but I wouldn’t part with it. It took up residency in the basement, and has held stacks of fat quarters and patterns and tools, and mostly became a dumping ground for flat-surface-itis as I often didn’t have much time or many days between teaching trips to put everything away.
It’s been in my basement for 9 years. The moment we saw this cabin, I *KNEW* I had saved this piece of furniture for this one wall. The Hoosier has Come Home!
Flour & Sugar bins below!
It’s from the turn of the 20th century, and I wonder who it belonged to. Who stood here kneading bread dough, chopping vegetables, preparing meals? Who stored plates and dishes in the upper shelves, silverware and utensils in the upper drawers? What did the lower drawers hold? I love the original handles, knowing my hands are going where someone else’s hands have also been.
I picked it up in Idaho, it moved to Texas, to South Carolina, to North Carolina and now resides in Virginia. Welcome home, old friend!
A morning walk with a little brown dog.
The drive is a tunnel!
And at the end of the drive:
The solar powered gate opener is the best gift ever!
This saves me from having to put the car in park, get out, walk to the gate, open it, walk back to the car, get in, close the door, drive through, put the car in park, get out, walk back to the gate, close it, walk back to the car, get in and drive away.
ESPECIALLY great if the weather is bad! We’ve added a solar powered pin pad so that the boys can come visit by using the gate code. Next up on the agenda is to add a sensor on the INSIDE so that the gate will open automatically when folks are leaving.
Yep! This is MY KIND of gated community!
Today will be spent cleaning up and getting ready to go home this afternoon. That leaves me tomorrow to pack for my trip to Kentucky. It’s a driving trip, so yes – machines are going. This time a couple of treadles (I’m out of room for FURNITURE!) as welll as a couple of electrics. Book orders will be ready to go out. I’ll just need to pack my suitcase and be ready for a road trip as soon as I’m done at the dentist on Wednesday morning.
Here we go again! Weeee!
Heads up – today is the LAST DAY to save 25% off of all digital patterns in the Quiltville Store.
They are all shown in the little slide show below:
Grab them while you can, and don’t forget to use coupon code DIGITAL25 at purchase to save. Code must be used when ordering.
Have a wonderful Memorial Day, everyone!
Hey Bonnie,
ReplyDeleteI'm over here on the west coast feeling like a sister from another mother!
We have a solar gate opener and a Hoosier that has been moved a lot too!
Already your sloth sister, Jamie
Love the Hoosier cabinet. I would love to have one of the enameled ones for my kitchen (or sewing room.....). Love the gate too. We have a gate on our driveway that stays open most of the time for the reasons you mention. Powered gate on my "someday" list. We have a LOT of foliage too, so wondering how you keep the solar unit working? Putting together the rows on my Talkin' Turkey today. Blogged about it yesterday https://stitchinggrandma.wordpress.com/2017/05/28/small-projects/
ReplyDeleteI have been keeping the String Fling book open to the pattern page as I sew in order to avoid rotating things as I assemble. I have gotten lots of great feedback on this quilt. :) Thanks for a great design.
I love that your Hoosier cabinet came from Idaho! You just know when a piece finds its perfect home! The gate is amazing. Safe travels home & to Kentucky! I'm working on my Pineapple Blossom today from Mineola!
ReplyDeleteI look at the picture of your hoosier and remember there was the bottom of one very similar to that in the pantry of a house we lived in when I was in high school. When my folks moved into town that piece stayed in the house on the farm. I'll bet the top part was stored in one of the outbuildings and I just never saw it. Of course I was a teenager and didn't care two hoots about something like that then!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful Virginia scenes on your walk with Sadie today. Glad your handy hubby could get the remote gate working for you. Safe travels to Kentucky this week, Lucky ladies to have a chance to re-home your machines. Gotta figure out how to replace my 301 light that went out at Retreat. Shop is closed for Memorial Day.
ReplyDeleteWe also have a solar powered gate and love it. Ours has clickers that open and close it. Then each person who you want to have visit has the clicker in their car. So one for Mom Dad and each child. And in our case my Mom.
ReplyDeleteI just got your Garlic Knots digital pattern. Instant gratification. A little gift to me. Lovely how quick and easy it is to download.
ReplyDeleteThanks Bonnie.
Your cabinet reminded me of the one my dear grandma had. There was a flour bin in the top with a built in sifter. It was kept in a back room because there was no space in her kitchen. When we had family get togethers at her house the kids were always told not to play with the sifter, but we always did. I don't ever remember grandma scolding me for that. I guess she knew it' was just too much of a temptation. Thanks for the memory.
ReplyDeleteLove the Hoosier cabinet too. I've seen several in antique shops, but there is no place in our current house one would fit. I am very interested in the solar gate. What happens if there is no sun for a week?:) We have a gate that is powered by electric but goes out when it rains. The gate people will look at it (for $150 a pop) and fix it.That would be fine if it didn't happen for another couple years, but a few weeks later, the same thing. Now we open it manually. What brand is your gate.
ReplyDeleteHappy Memorial Day to you, too, Bonnie! I love your solar powered gate. I would love one, but would need two, as I have a circular drive. Yes, to have it be automatic as you or guests are leaving would be great, also.
ReplyDeleteOH, I wish I could get one of your treadles up here in Alaska! I want one to remember my Grandma with. I learned to sew on her treadle when I was 8, almost 60 yrs ago!
Man, how time flies.
Donna
Kasilof, AK
Where we had sun, most of the day after early morning rains.
I would love to have one of your treadles also. I would also need to have someone teach me how to run it. Now to get the garlic knots pattern. Thanks for having coffee with me every morning. I look forward to it. Have a super and safe week.
ReplyDeleteAnn in PA
Great words Bonnie. Where ever would you find a "Solar Gate Opener!! I am very interested in your new addition to
ReplyDeleteyour drive in and out of your new mountain retreat. Intriguing.
My daughter lives in Waxahachie. I live 25 minutes from Waxahachie in between Milford and Itasca. I see you know this area well.
ReplyDeleteJust found the page for the strip and blocks sizes for your free patterns. What a wonderful idea. Since I am new to Quiltville, have started watching the quilt cams from the beginning. Is a hoot! Keeping wanting to comment on something that happened in 2013........Do so enjoy your "show". It may not be a teaching session to you, but is always a learning session for me. Thanks for your time to do this. Kay
ReplyDelete