Monday

There is only 30 minutes before I need to be at work. Not enough time to go to the quilt shop and finish cutting kits. Not enough time to start sewing here. I find it frustrating that my free time is boxed in by obligations, and also frustrating that I don't look forward to work as much as I used to. I am indecisive over "cough". Is it viral or bacterial? What if it is Pertussis? Not the swine flu, since there is no fever or body aches. I don't know, but I have to decide to give antibiotics or cough medicine, or Tamiflu. It is not fair. Then the family has a big bill no matter what. I am not sure what I do is helping. If after twenty years, I still can't know for sure, am I good at what I do? Should I be doing it? It ties up my weekends, and the rest of my life is fit in around it in nooks and crannies. Do all people have moments of doubt? Is it asking too much to have all the answers? It would be more comfortable, but the surprise would be gone. Still, my job is more interesting that selling shoes, or groceries. I do get to work at the quilt shop between patients. I have a paycheck. I will go and do my best. Coffee helps.

Marmee

Recipes

Our church had a dinner and I was asked to bring bars. I took out my recipe box and started searching. I should file recipes by category, but usually the most recently used ones get put away in the front of the box. As I looked, I came across the sugar cookie recipe from Sue. She brought cookies to the hospital when Laura was born. There was a chicken casserole from a friend that had us over for dinner in medical school. Some recipes were in a child's handwriting, from Ms. Clement's fifth grade class. Aunt Bessie's cinnamon coffee cake is my favorite, though I can't remember whose aunt Bessie was. I realized part of my family history is in that box. Certainly, memories of good times and loves ones come alive when we share around the table.

Marmee

Gifts from the garden

There is something beautiful in what comes from the garden. You put a seed or a tiny plant in ordinary dirt, add water, and you get color and flavor and something good for you to eat. I should have put a ruler in the picture, because the tomato and the onion are huge. The poor (squash whose name I cannot spell) almost got cut out of the picture altogether. They will write of me someday "She couldn't spell and didn't cook, but she made beautiful quilts". Where was I?

Oh, yes...the second picture shows the two B's washing and stemming the grapes, while the farmer is crushing them through a sieve to collect the juice in the large pot. He ordered the equipment you need to make wine, and it arrived the other day. When he has time to make the wine, I will take pictures for you.

Grandpa K. remains in the hospital after surgery two days ago. It is strange to be on the receiving end of medical care. After a setback with low oxygen Wed. night, he seems to be making progress, and is getting to eat. Hooray! I did postpone my trip to visit Mom. It seemed wrong to be gone out of town. One thing at a time. Now I have the moral decision...do I work at the clinic today since I am in town, or do I work at the quilt shop? I will let the clinic know they can page me if they need me...sigh. I have layers of responsibility, and only one me. It keeps life interesting, but not predictable.

I know you have the same delicate balance. I think of you often. Someday we will sit around the fire and drink the wine together!

Love, Marmee

Silk

When I visited Lincoln a few years ago, we went shopping in a used clothing store that had some "retro" items downstairs. I found a green silk kimono-style robe and fell in love with the fabric. I took out the batting in the quilted collar and cuffs. I was surprised to find it was newspaper printed in oriental characters instead of cotton. I waited to find a pattern that was suited to the print, and this is the result. The solid color silk borders are from the fat quarters at the quilt store. The border is diawabo taupe, a reproduction of Japanese fabric. I love how it turned out. If you look closely, there are tiny, turquoise seed beads to give the kimono a quilted texture. Sometimes ideas stir around in my head until my fingers can figure out how to make it happen. I once asked the quilt store owner if she thought quilters found fabric they loved and then chose a pattern, or if the pattern came first and then they found fabric to use. I am a fabric first person, because I see so many as new shipments come in. This project is special because it holds the memory of the trip to Lincoln. I am a happy quilter.

Harvest apples

The other day, the farmer said "Its about time to pick apples". Last night and today the wind has come up, so apple picking will become "picking up" apples. They are tart and juicy. I think we should have a pie soon. There are more strawberries, and we made a second batch of grape jelly yesterday.

I spent much of the week trying to pick out fabric and a pattern for a quilt for Michael. I chose some batiks in creams, greens, browns and blues.

Part of the week was devoted to visiting Grandpa K. in the hospital. He is recovering from an intestinal infection...we'll see how the next few days go. I plan to leave Thursday to visit Mom for the weekend. Have to get there before flu season. The assisted living folks discourage visitors that could get the residents sick.

Have you noticed how you run out of time before you run out of things to do? My list seems endless. Better get started! Love, Marmee

Log cabin hidden stars

Now the Oregon quilt is finished and given, I can put the picture up for you to see. It will go in the new apartment (not yet found) to make it cozy. There are four different block layouts to give the pattern. It is the first time I needed a design wall to keep track of where I was in the pattern. It worked really well. At the next quilt Market, I will buy one of my own.

My current project is one with the silk kimono fabric I found at a vintage clothing store in Lincoln. The quilt shop now has silk taffeta fat quarters that I am using to frame the figures in the print. The colors in the taffeta are rich and I love how it picks up the colors in the kimono design. It is fun to experiment with something new. When it is finished, I will show you.

Rhonda is here for Labor Day weekend. She made us a pasta dish with pesto using the basil and fresh vegetables from the garden. The whole house smelled wonderful. Wish I had more cooking skills. Someday...