Creativity

This is how we spent our Saturday. The pincushion still needs to have the petals sewn to the center so it makes a cupped "cherry blossom". The farmer and I had a thought-provoking conversation about "creativity" vs. artistry. One can be artistic in combining color and choosing fabric, but to create implies doing something that has not been done before. He has a way of raising the bar and making me think.

The wine is done, and just waits for a label. There are websites that offer custom labels, some of which are hilarious. We were still laughing this morning!

I have thought more about the need to "show and tell". It puzzles me. I get a bubble of happiness when someone else tells me they like my work. It is true with quilting. It was true with my role in medicine. What is it about applause that gives value to our effort? Why do we need other's approval to feel good about our work? Is it a lack of humility that should be discouraged? Confusing. Things like housework rarely generate spontaneous applause. Does that make it less valuable? Food for thought.

Random Thoughts

Sometimes I scroll through the blogs that follow mine. Click on "next blog" to see what I mean. There must be a pixie in the computer, reading everyone's blog, because subsequent blogs all have content similar to mine. (Pictures of finished projects). There must be a universal need to show and tell. I confess, I like mine the best. I have incredible access to beautiful fabric from the latest collections. I am lucky.

We are waiting for spring. Today is foggy. At least its warming up. I am on call today. I should be home doing laundry. I may have to put myself on a schedule rather than fitting the housekeeping around my other activities.

I like the color and texture of the rocks. Do you?

Chinese bowl

This is a Chinese bowl that Mom has had ever since I can remember. It sat on the chest of drawers in the living room. She says there is a larger twin at Salisbery House in Des Moines, Iowa. Her aunt, who raised her after her mother died, was the private secretary for Mr. Weeks. He was head of the Armand company (think cosmetics). He was an avid collector, so I'm guessing it came from him, to Auntie, and then to Mom. I always liked it because there are openings between the color bars so it has a lattice-like appearance. How did they do that? I grew up with color and art, without ever thinking it was unusual. Mom is a unique person. I think we all are a little bit like her...quietly quirky in a good way.

Icicles

This is the view of my sewing room window. I feel like an ice princess held captive by the wicked snow queen. The front tires on the van are not gripping very well on our icy driveway, so Saturday we went car shopping in Dickinson. It is hard to find one car that will do everything...good gas mileage, comfortable for long trips, cargo room, and less expensive than a house. Since we live on a dirt road, we think "What will this color look like with a layer of Dakota soil?" Hard to find the perfect fit. So, we drove home in the van.Perhaps we want too much from one vehicle. Perhaps I am too conservative with how much I think a car should cost. Frustrating.

Richard is making slow progress, but just isn't hungry. He needs the calories to gain strength. Lance goes over to feed cats so his mom doesn't have to walk to the barn over a snowy driveway. Work goes slowly on the woodworking shed because of the other responsibilities.

Clinic is not busy, just enough patients to keep me going back and forth each day. I am up to block 4 on cutting kits for the new block of the month. I spent Thursday and Friday putting out new fabric collections and moving displays to make it all fit. It looks very fresh and spring-like. Over the weekend, I made garland for the front windows out of the western reds and blues. It is triangles of fabric strung on a string.

I have been watching the Olympics instead of housekeeping. I will do a cleaning marathon when the games are over. First things first!

My First Label

A finished project, just in time to be a Valentine's Day gift. At the quilt shop, Rose always put a label on the back of the quilts she makes. At first, I thought it was because the quilts are taken to shows and used as samples. Now I know that a label gives a quilt it's niche in family history. It is the bookplate in the book, or the dedication page. It leads future generations to ask, "Grandma, who was Edith?".

Edith was a tall, quiet woman in the nursing home during the years that Grandma worked there as activity director. The budget was tight, so Grandma used her own money to buy supplies. Edith was accomplished in embroidery. When she passed away, Betty saved the blocks, always thinking she would make a quilt with them. After I started working at the quilt shop, she passed the blocks to me to make into a quilt. After a few false starts, the project was finished. Now, on Valentine's Day, I will pass the blocks back to Betty, set in place and labeled to honor her and Edith.

Unfinished Project

I try not to count how many things I have going at the same time. I fell in love with these brown and blue fabrics when the collection arrived. Wes helped me pick a pattern. I knew I was slow this week when the collection went into the "all or none" category (final sale). I still love the fabrics and the pattern. I was just distracted by other things. I think this quilt will be mine, so I am willing to wait.

This week I re-certified in basic CPR and Newborn Advanced Life Support (NALS). I still have my board exam to schedule and take. I was thinking I wanted to be done with the testing by April.

Richard is home and slowly improving. We are glad. Tucker is on the naughty list for sleeping on my bed when no one was looking. Grrrr. Happy Valentine's Day !

Good Morning North Dakota

The farmer shoveled us out with the tractor this morning. I was too slow to get a picture of him, but the frigid sunrise was beautiful.

It is -11 outside with a cold wind chill.

Hopefully, this week will be more normal than the past few. There is a new "block-of-the-month" program at the quilt shop. The fabric is here. I cut a kit for each block, label it and box it so Laurie Ann can mail it out to all the members on the correct day of each month. She is in charge of the program, I get the fun part.

I have my Newborn Advanced Life Support skill test in February. We update every two years. I also have the board certification to complete, hopefully by April. It is an individual, computerized test I schedule in Bismarck. That one is good for ten years, so I only plan to do it once. I hope to be quilting full time by then. A lot can change in ten years, but it never hurts to dream big.

Sewing Sunday

Betty K.'s bird quilt came back from the longarm quilter in Sturgis. I am working on the binding today. Didn't it turn out pretty? The pattern of wandering stitching is called stippling. I think she will love it.

The other picture shows my new project on my "design wall". The hospital gave us a gift certificate to spend in town, and I chose the design wall. It is flannel held taut by poles similar to ones used in tents. The fabric sticks to the flannel just by friction, so you can move around the block in the layout and see what it will look like before you sew it together. After you are done, the poles fold up and it stores away in a small space. Cool.

It is snowing and blowing, but I thought color pictures look better than white on white.

And then there was light

We are excited to announce that we have electricity back. We can say goodbye to the faithful generator and my improvised freezer. We can blow out the candles and quit brushing teeth in the dark. Hot water, laundry and dishes clean. Hooray.

Richard is doing better, and is off oxygen and able to walk without the walker. He is still dealing with an IV and should hopefully get rid of all the extra tubes tomorrow. As he improves, he needs less pain meds and his mind is more clear. It may be a few days before he gets to go home. He thinks the sooner the better.

As you snuggle in your warm bed tonight, think of us warm and cozy, too. Good night!

Day 14

Today marks the two week mark on no power. We were hopeful yesterday because the crews were working on our line. There are three poles down where the line goes through the field northwest of us. They need heavy snow-moving equipment to get to the site, which they didn't have available. Still dark. I will call the office of emergency management today and ask for a temporary patch into the MDU line until they can fix the poles, if they think they can't fix it today. Another storm is coming over the weekend. We do have partial heat, the toilets flush, and we have cold running water. We don't have appliances or more than one light.

Today is a quilt shop day. I accidentally left my toiletries bag there yesterday, so no cleaning up until I get to work. I am making Lance's sister, Diane, a pincushion as a memento of her visit. Richard is waking up and walking, but is cranky he can't go home. He needs more nutrition to build up his strength and lose excess water, but doesn't have much appetite.

I know tomorrow will be a better day.

Ups and Downs

I am undergoing severe quilting withdrawal symptoms. I could cut out a new project, but I really want to work on the one I already had going. It seemed insensitive to sew over the weekend, when family time was needed. I have had a full schedule today, so I haven't even slipped away for an hour. I didn't realize how theraputic it is just to see beautiful fabric on a regular basis. Sigh.

We had lunch at Betty's with Lance's two sisters as well. Every time families sit around the table, funny stories soon follow. Diana and Ms. Clement were best friends in school. She told of a cake they tried to make with plaid frosting by using a string soaked in food coloring. It didn't turn out, but the idea was a good one.

Richard is sitting up in a chair today, but hasn't been awake enough to be hungry and eat yet. It bothers Betty because she wants to take care of him and make him better. Healing just takes time, and time moves slowly for those who watch and wait.

No electricity yet, but I remain hopeful. On of these days...