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Wednesday, November 22, 2023

Calm Before The Storm -


Thanksgiving week.

I think back to all of the big family gatherings we had while I was growing up.

All of the traditions - food, family, fun.

It's a nostalgic feeling. A warm feeling.

The arrival of Thanksgiving always somehow feels like the gateway to the holiday season, but it still gives me permission to slow down - just a bit. A Calm before the holiday storm.

My own feelings of the origins of Thanksgiving, as they came to light - the real story - (Time magazine article HERE.) and the things I think about during Thanksgiving have changed.  A bit.

That myth of a community of pilgrims and natives dining happily together? Nope.  And this is a hard thing as the Hubster's 9th great grandfather is William Bradford.  Yes, THE William Bradford of Mayflower fame. My sons are 10th great grandsons.

The focus of being grateful (The THANKS part) is still here. It's a day of gratitude, of family, food, movie binging with perhaps some hand quilting in progress, and pie.

But I think it is also important to focus on the second part of the word.  The GIVING part.

We can't change what happened 400 years ago. We can only change what we do today and forward.

This year is going to be a bit different for us. Jason is in Portland, Oregon.  Jeff is celebrating with Ashlyn's family so it's just the two of us.

We'll be sharing our meal with others from our community down at Corner Market where the proceeds of a very traditional Thanksgiving dinner will go to those who need help in our community.  

We'll give thanks....and keep the focus on the GIVING part of the Thanksgiving word.

I will still be making some pumpkin pies - because nothing is as good for breakfast on Black Friday morning (Mystery Day! YAY!) as pumpkin pie for breakfast as I wander down here to the studio and push PUBLISH on Indigo Way Mystery, Part One.

The blocks above are where I am at on my Cardinal inspired project. (Photo at the top of yesterday's post HERE.

So far - so good, and a long way to go yet.

And yes, there is Y2K fabric and penguins.  Because I make the rules for my quilts.


Big projects happening at Quiltville Inn!

We've wanted to refinish the butcher block top of the kitchen island since we bought the house 5 1/2 years ago. (Yes, it's been that long already - time is flying!) 

It needed to be a winter project with time in between groups to get it done.

Loads of sanding - there were old stains, gouges and scratches.

The Hubster took it all the way down to where things were smooth as silk.

We used Butcher Block Refinisher from Watco - it's food grade safe.


It just gleams!

I'll be writing a post later today that needs to only hit publish in the morning.  It will contain all of the sale/give-away info for stuff we are doing through next Tuesday.

It's too much to also include that in Friday's mystery post - so that post will just have a link back to tomorrow's post if you miss it. Don't worry, you'll be in the know. (I know this is likely clear as mud.)

But today I have this!

The two winners of our Keaton Quilts  $100.00 gift certificate gift-away are:

From Instagram: Marty @_suryasmiles was drawn by Justin from the 347 comments on my post there.

And from the blog:


Who is entry 599 out of 3,337 enries?


Donna Slusser!

Donna, there is nothing you need to do but look for the email from me letting you know of your win.

Justin will email your $100.00 gift certificate to the email address you provided with your entry, so be watching for it!

Okay...time to head to the kitchen and get those pies under way.

And maybe some more block assembly?


Quiltville Quote of the Day -

There is nothing like being around people who understand you for everything you are and you get them in return.
Find your peeps and love them hard!
Vintage double-knit polyester quilt found in Virginia.
Have a wonderful Wednesday, everyone


 

26 comments:

Joan E said...

Have a nice, peaceful Thanksgiving, Bonnie and Hubster, "Find Your People" resonates with me, heard Drew Holcomb sing that song, listen to it daily, (actually sing along when no one is listening.) Your quilt(s) are stunning.

Brenda bgailsquilts said...

Happy Thanksgiving, Bonnie! Thank you for the photo of the double knit quilt. I have so many totes of fabric from my late mom including all the 70's double knits from her garment sewing. When did it become a rule that only high quality cotton can be a quilt?😄 The family coffin quilt, made by my great grandmother not in coffin shapes but of scraps of velvet from Batesville Casket Company, would beg to differ!

Jonnie said...

How neat to learn your hubby descends from William Bradford. I am 10th great granddaughter of Isaac Allerton who, with wife and 4 year old daughter Mary, also arrived aboard the Mayflower in 1620. Another ship, The Fortune, arrived in 1621 bringing 13 year old Thomas Cushman who married Mary Allerton in 1636. Thus began my lineage. I am so very grateful for these brave souls to make such a journey and establish new homes in an unknown place. As you stated the story of the Pilgrims we learned in school was not the way it actually occurred, but I am thankful for them nonetheless.
And Bonnie, I am with you on the pumpkin pie for breakfast!!! Looking forward to the new mystery!

maryofkern said...

Love your new project inspired by the Cardinal in snow. Looking forward to this years Mystery, hopefully I have enough scraps in the correct sizes to get this one done.
What a surprise, thank you for sharing a bit of Dave's ancestry. The links supplied make for an interesting refresher of long ago forgotten history.
My husband and I have no family here in Oregon to share the holiday with, but I still cook a turkey breast, he has to have his cranberry sauce, and a pumpkin pie, I like your idea of it being a breakfast treat...
Have a Happy Thanksgiving.

Debra said...

Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family. Hope it's as special as you are.
Have a peaceful day cooking.
Blessings 🙏💞

Lynn said...

What an interesting story of William Bradford. You have to admire their strength to cross the ocean to an unknown land and the hard work of building a new country. Happy Thanksgiving!

Leah S said...

Happy Thanksgiving!

I LOVE that you admitted to eating pumpkin pie for breakfast. ;) My kids and I make just the filling - pumpkin custard - for breakfast all the time. Hey, it's vegetable, eggs, milk... Sounds pretty balanced to me!

Sharon in Seattle said...

Thank you, Bonnie! I especially love your reminder about ThanksGiving. And I give thanks.

Kim said...

Oh Brenda I'd love to see a picture of the velvet quilt, maybe you can post it on Bonnie Facebook page one of these days? Happy Thanksgiving.

Kim said...

Happy Thanksgiving :0) Thank you for the gift of the annual mystery Bonnie, it is my favorite gift of all :0). As we have aged, (my DH and I) we don't like to travel for Thanksgiving and have a Friendsgiving, together we share a happy meal, a time for thanks, a time we talk about quilting and all the donation quilts we have planned for our community to give back some of our many blessings. I like your reminder of the giving part of the holiday. Happy Sewing

cbott said...

Oh, and here I thought I only needed to pick up one item at the store today. I can see that a pumpkin pie will be scanned at the register as well. The thought of slices of that for the next several breakfasts is too good to resist!

Mary said...

Making Pumpkin pie for me! My two daughters don't like it. I'll make a Gluten-free chocolate pie for DD#2. The island looks awesome, good job Dave! I have Branford in my family tree.

charityquilter said...

I tried to click on the Time magazine article and it didn't work.

Anonymous said...

My college roommate made a quilt of double knits as a wedding gift for us. It is warm and really great for when the power goes out. I have discovered a new use for my double knit fabric. I use it to back doll blankets. And the tops are of leftovers from my cotton quilting.

cityquilter grace said...

the pilgrims and natives got along until massasoit died, thanks to squanto who was the intermediary....our ancestor is stephen hopkins, mayflower passenger...

Anonymous said...

My Mayflower passenger was Richard More, one of four children repudiated by their wealthy father when he decided the children “did not look like him”. Richard and one of his sisters were put with William Brewster and the other two siblings with another family. He sent them away and divorced their mother for infidelity. Richard was the only one of the four siblings to survive that first awful winter. He became a ship’s captain and tavern owner in later years.. He has the only grave marker of a Mayflower passenger still standing, in the Old Salem Burying Ground. Pat Chubb

Anonymous said...

Have a very Happy Thanksgiving Bonnie and Dave. Thank you for giving to us, this wonderful gift each and every year. I can't wait for the mystery quilt. Thank you again for everything you do and have done for the quilting community .

Judith Lockhart said...

Happy Thanksgiving, Bonnie! I want to thank you for all the giving you do with your blog and have for so many years - and all the mystery quilts! I have done 8 or 9 and they are always so fun and I look forward to it - stitching with others around the world really and your giving heart makes it possible!!!

Anonymous said...

So funny that I have a Mayflower grandfather too. Thomas Rogers. I’m so thankful that I have such amazing living conditions,so unlike what those people experienced back then. Happy Thanksgiving!

Anonymous said...

Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family. You personify the “giving”. Thank you so much as many of us wait to start another quilt Friday. I know I will love it as I have so many of your previous mysteries and patterns. I found your site many years ago and have learned so much from you over those years. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

Anonymous said...

My Mayflower passenger was William Bradford. My Great grandmother's maiden name was Ada Bradford. It's amazing that from the few people who came on the Mayflower there are so many descendants. Wish you all a Happy Thanksgiving.

Candice Canton said...

Happy Thanksgiving from another Mayflower descendent, Stephen Hopkins! Wishing you a blessed day!

Donna said...

Hello! I'm new here and am just beginning my quilting journey...at 72. lol
Like your blog and will be returning!
Happy Thanksgiving!
hugs
Donna

Cheryl Ross said...

Interesting, my husbands granddad was a Warren , kin to the Richard Warren who also signed the compact.
Looking forward to the first mystery clue tomorrow!! I have completed the last 4 years!
Appreciate your time and sharing your talent!!
Cheryl

Lesley Gilbert said...

Being an East Yorkshire gal it was interesting to read about Hubbys relative from West Yorkshire - an old phrase/saying is 'Yorkshire - Gods own County' - there are some beautiful places to visit and it is the largest County in England :)

Anonymous said...

I'm a direct descendant of William Bradford too! And a few others who travelled over on the Mayflower - Tilley, Howland, Cooke, Hopkins, Rogers. There are lots of Mayflower descendants 400 years later! Beth

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