More Icicles

We have a frozen waterfall. I couldn't resist the pictures of the crooked icicles. They drive me crazy when I look out the window. I am waiting for spring.

Spring in North Dakota

This icicle must be 4 feet long. We had warm and melting weather, then it started snowing and blowing. The icicles form leaning away from the wind, so when you look out the window, it looks off balance. My farmer is restless. There are grape vines to prune and maintenance to do on equipment before spring planting. The good news is my little car is handling the sloppy road.

I still entertain myself with fabric. The farmer made me a custom frame for my stitchery. He is learning to make dovetail joints. I love the first practice piece, but of course he says it isn't perfect. He thinks I look at the world through rose colored glasses. Is this a problem?

New Project

This week, I began helping A. get the paperwork details in place for India. He is doing two medical internships, one in Mumbai and one north of New Delhi in a more rural setting. The paperwork is not hard, but means collecting various documents and sending them off to Chicago for a visa. I located the travel clinic where he can get immunizations, and will work on needed travel gear next. He is madly studying for his MCAT exam which he takes the end of May. College is flying by. Pray for safety and a good experience for the son and grace and peace for the mother.

I have adventurous children leaving the nest.

Today is a quilt shop day, where I am surrounded by beautiful color and unending possibility for creativity. It is a good place to be. Snow outside, but not the foot of snow that the majority of the state received. My car made it up the county road and driveway! Life is good.

Quilts and Dogs

Helping with the email customer service at the quilt shop is never dull. Last year, we had a "tablerunner of the month" quilt kit program. Not everyone completes the projects as they arrive month by month. A customer wrote to ask for help since her dog chewed the labels off her remaining kits. She had all the fabric but no way to tell which kit went with which pattern in the book.

I wrote back and described the contents of each kit and the pattern to use. In her thank-you response, she mentioned the dog had since passed away and sent us a picture of the dog. I do not think the glue on the labels was the cause of death. It made me realize how much of a "quilt family" we have become. I like it.

Shop Talk

This winter, the farmer has been working in the wood shop. He has been choosing tools and the machinery needed to make beautiful things. I am fascinated by the whole new language. Router, joiner, planer, bench cookies, jigs, and drill press sound so earthy, and solid to me. Making things by hand that are useful and beautiful is a wonderful use of time. I tell the farmer I am investing in my future when I encourage him. It makes sense to me to have the tools now so he has more years to use and enjoy them. Retirement planning 101.