Stop and Wander.

I need to clear out my phone.

Like SERIOUSLY clear out my phone.

There are so many photos I've taken - I can't even remember taking them, or remember when/where/why unless I click for the information on the photo that tells me the when/where info.

Everything that I need to save is backed up in at least 2 places.  But still, I don't clear out the camera roll on my phone because it is full of my favorite things.

When life is feeling stressful, it is calming to my soul to flip through these photos and just look at the items and people that are in them from the past year.

When you see a photo like this - a well loved and worn hexagon quilt folded in a wicker basket - what feeling comes to you?

Do you feel as I do - at peace?  Do you want to reach out and touch it, to take note of each fabric, to run your fingers over each stitch as I do?

The unfolded quilt at last week's antique mall wander.

Someone planned carefully how this design was going to work out. How to take it from hexagon shaped to rectangular so it could fit the bed.

There wasn't enough of one gold fabric to surround that center star - it only made it half way around, so the maker winged it (wung it?!) by adding in a second gold, something close, to make up the difference.

If I didn't know better, I would say she started with the lighter gold, and then finished with the brighter/darker one placing the new gold at the tips of the 3 lighter gold star points to blend it in, and using the second gold in the 4 corners as well, tying it all together.  The lighter one was the one she ran out of.

And then if you look at the grey that surrounds those diamond fill-in units - You'll see some replacements there too.

But back to it - unfolding, petting, studying vintage quilts brings a peace to my soul like no other.

This is my favorite wander spot.

I was spending time here while waiting for a prescription of antibiotics to be filled at CVS - who were SO overrun with other folks' prescriptions that they said it would be 90 minutes at LEAST until they could get to mine.

This was last Thursday - the day after I first felt that tooth abscess taking hold.  The day my own dentist was unavailable and off for the holidays, but a neighbor friend, Gordon - who is also a dentist said "Come right on in, I'll be here until 2pm."

He numbed me up but good while taking care of things after the x-ray showed that yes, indeed, there was a problem.

Once I was numb, I didn't have the mouth/cheek pain either.  Until the numb wore off.

Oh, double wedding ring!

I couldn't get this one off of the ladder it was hanging on - it was too high up and I was afraid I would topple the whole thing (You break it, you buy it!)  

This one made with the maker's interpretation of dark/light/dark/light/dark in the arcs.

This riot of color.

My thoughts wander to perceived "perfection" and how so many would be "righteously judgmental" on the fact that these square-in-a-square blocks have floating corners.  And they don't line up AT ALL from column to column.

Fabrics may be considered "too bold"  "too busy" for many of the quilters I've met in my past 40 years in this craft.

"There is nowhere or your eye to rest."

REST?  My eyes have no need of resting.  They want to be inspired, delighted, to dance and take it all in with a smile.

There will be plenty of time to rest after I am gone - 

Closer up - I love it!

Especially that orange center square that isn't quite square.  Fantastic!

I wanted to lay the whole thing out to see it all, but this booth was crammed pretty tightly - there was barely room to turn around.

Old rusty New Home.

This made me a bit sad.

This one made me glad!

1950s Singer 99k in a mid-century modern cabinet. Pretty little thing in excellent condition!

I have no room, but I left the machine out in the open after removing everything that was piled on top of it in the hopes that someone will see her and take her home.

Aluminum beverage set.  MEMORIES!

I remember my grandmother having this set - the COLDEST ice tea was served in these tumblers - the condensation pouring off the outside of the tumbler in your hand.

The FREEZE of holding on to a root beer float on a hot summer day.

I'm not sure what is going on with the blue one in this photo - but it was the magenta/purple one that was always my favorite.

Did you have these growing up, too?

The one thing that DID come home!

Classic Black & Decker iron found at Salvation Army for $2.99!

There was nothing wrong with it, other than some scorched stuff on the sole plate that easily came off with iron cleaner.  It gets hot hot hot!  There is no auto-shut off and I don't use steam in the iron, so it should last a good long time. 

This find had me smiling out of one side of my face - the side that wasn't numb! LOL!

Nothing else came home with me - except for the photos that remain on my camera roll, and I'm not feeling the need to delete them just yet.

They are as soul centering to me as meditation is.  A focus point.  A mantra.  A happy place.

As far as the tooth goes, I did talk to my regular dentist about my experience.  I have an appointment with them next week, after the 10 day course of antibiotics is complete.

And then we will assess whether I need a root canal or to pull this tooth or whatever.

2pm yesterday, headed down the long drive.

I needed to get to the QPO to check on Lola and process some mail order.  

It took a while to get the 6'' of snow off of the van windshield, hood, mirrors.  That was a lot of heavy snow.

Creeping down this drive through the beauty of winter - I had to stop and snap this photo right at the hairpin turn.  It was magical.

It can go away now! LOL!

The "road closed" sign is still there.

But no road work started yesterday and we were wide open.

I'm hoping that I can get through here this morning without having to turn around and go up and over the the mountain to get around to the QPO and Inn.

Whatever they are doing - I hope it doesn't take long.

Mail order done - I started pulling fabrics:

Piecing a yellow backing.

Yes, I am continuing the "sew it all up" pieced backing challenge for 2022. This toile print is LARGE.  There is no way to cut this up and use it in any way that makes me happy. It's also very directional.

I love it enough to keep it whole.  It reminds me of the trip I made to Paris many years ago.

There isn't enough of it, so I'll be combining it with some other yellow/blue prints.

The yellow has me longing for spring.  And I'll be sewing up approximately 7 yards of stash in the process.

This morning, sunrise.

Check out that ice-covered rain chain!

It was 24 when I woke, but it is headed toward 41 today so things will be thawing.

My day will consist of starting in on Rhododendron Trail Part Seven, and making this backing, and perhaps even getting everything loaded into the machine to start the quilting.

Friday is just around the corner - bring it on!

What do you have in store for your Wednesday today?

Quiltville Quote of the Day -

Vintage Circus Wheel Quilt, 1950s

You've got this!

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Stop doubting and go for it!

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OK. I'll do that. But maybe a bit later when the temp is above 24f degrees and I don't have to scrape the van windshield before going anywhere!

Have a wonderful Wednesday, everyone!