Note to self...

If you ever get the urge to make another stack and whack quilt, run fast and far away.

If that doesn't work, remember these things:

1. Don't think that you can start this quilt, then take it down and store it for 3 years with the assumption you'll have all the pieces when you're ready to start on it again.

2. Remember sewing through your fingernail and having to manually back the needle out of your finger and nail? That's only happened once in your lifetime and it was while manhandling this quilt.

3. Don't ever, ever, ever attempt this type of quilt again using a dark fabric...even if the dark fabric really made for beautiful blocks, and you saw one done in that fabric in the One-Block Wonders quilt book.

4. You need really good light when you're placing the blocks on your design wall; otherwise, you tend to mix-match the various halves. And that leads to the final point:

5. Make sure you have a good seam ripper nearby. Trust me, you're going to need it.

I'm at the point where I just want this quilt top done. Ever feel that way?Final note to self: This is an old picture. I've actually only got 3 vertical seams left, then will trim the top and bottom edges even before adding some type of border - I actually did buy enough of this fabric to use in a border. Overall, it's pretty neat in person and I guess I'm happy I tackled it. Still, I'm glad it's almost finished...and I don't think I'll be doing another anytime soon!

Finishing quilting projects

I’ve been remiss in posting pictures of two quilt tops I finished earlier this year. I’ll cover the finished scrap quilt top in another post later today. I’ve had the fabrics for this one for many years. In fact, my sister finished her version – in a lighter green and tan colorway – shortly after buying the pinecone panel and coordinating fabrics. Hers was done in regular cotton; I bought the deeper toned panels and coordinating fabrics in flannel. I got the fabrics washed and stashed away. I’m not sure why I didn’t start on it immediately. I assume I was working on something else; there was a time when I only worked on one quilting project at a time. I was young. Now, it’s not unusual to have 3, 4 or 10 projects – in various stages – all going at the same time. I like to think I've matured ... Randy thinks I'm just crazy. When sister Janis first saw the panels and coordinating fabrics in ND, they weren't yet available on the West Coast. Good sister that she is, she called me immediately; she was sure I’d “need” this fabric and well, she was right. I'm glad I selected the darker fabrics. I do love the colors…the deep evergreen tones, rich reds and blues and, of course, the panel. I ran across the washed and stashed fabrics again a few years ago and decided to start cutting the strips to use around the blocks, and the squares for the corners. I got about 6 blocks done and decided I wasn’t in the mood. So, back into the stash it went…until this February, when I found the partially sewn blocks and the many strips of blues, greens, tans and reds. I decided it needed to get finished. I still love the colors and the oh-so-soft flannel. So, I pulled out all the fabrics and blocks, divided the blocks into two sets so half would have red corners and half would have green corners, and started sewing. And once I got going, it went pretty fast. (I like to think it's the maturity.) And I like how it turned out. Randy, of course, wants to know what I'm going to do with it. I know, I know...he just doesn't get it.

Shaw...a return visit

Earlier this month, we had the opportunity to head back up to our favorite Washington island destination – Shaw. We’d been waiting for a “good” (meaning non-raining) weekend and after checking the weather on Thursday morning, Randy turned to me and said, “if we want to go, this is it.” He didn't need to ask twice. Within 2 hours, we were packed, the garage door was closing behind us and we were on our way north. Since it was 10:30 by the time we left, we’d decided to shoot for the 6:30pm ferry out of Anacortes.

Rain was forecast and with unpredictable traffic delays from Olympia through Everett, we knew it could be a long drive. Plus, we had Randy’s folks with us so we planned to actually stop for lunch rather than eat on the road like we normally do.

Well, luck must have been with us because we breezed through Olympia and Tacoma, and the northbound express lanes through Seattle were open so we breezed through there, too. As we neared the Anacortes exit, we started wondering if we could actually catch the 3:30 ferry. Our only concern was weather the Shaw grocery store would still be open when we landed on-island. Since we didn’t have anything along for dinner that evening, it was a pretty big concern. I drafted a quick grocery list as Randy pulled into the grocery store parking lot in Anacortes. We split the list and ran our way through the store picking up selected items that would get us through that night and the next morning. We’d pick up whatever else we needed at the Shaw Island store the following day. We got to the ferry terminal at 3:15. As Randy turned off the car, we heard the announcement: “Now boarding for Lopez, Shaw and Orcas Islands.” That was a little too close. The house looked the same and the view…well, the view out the front windows was exactly what we needed after a long, cool, wet winter. I felt like I’d never left and I knew I was smiling even before I thought about it.

We quickly unloaded the car, loaded the fridge and unpacked the suitcases. Charli, of course, had her bumper in her mouth and was waiting - not very patiently - to head to the beach. The weekend was wonderful. The walks through the island reminded us again of why we love it here. The moss hung heavy in the trees... it was beautiful.

and the beaches were alive with small crab...

starfish...oysters... and ... keiten. Huh? I'd never seen a keiten...or at least I don't think I'd ever seen a keiten. At first glance (and second and third!), they're kind of prehistoric-looking. We had lots of sun and met up with island friends we’d gotten to know last summer. We stopped at the store to shop, visited with Bill in the post office and invited Kennedy’s over for dinner. We took Randy's folks on a tour of the island and stopped often for pictures. We found this llama who posed quite nicely for pictures.

I love the dreadlock-look on her coat but I'd hate to have to comb it!Charli got in lots of beach time,

and we were able to share Shaw with Randy’s folks. Truth be told, I think they fell in love with the island, too. Here's a picture of them on the deck.Everyone who visited last summer had their picture taken in the same spot. This one was taken at the park on the south side of the island. Much too soon, the weekend was over and it was time to head back home. That's a sad-looking Randy and Charli waiting for the ferry.

Randy and his Mom share the view of Orcas from the Shaw ferry landing.

The only good thing about leaving was that all of the mountains were “out” on the drive back and that’s not something that happens often during a Pacific Northwest Spring!

Trying hard to be happy on Easter

It's April 12th ... and Easter. A day of new beginnings.And I'm trying...really, I am. But it's very hard for me - or anyone in my family - to be happy on April 12.Today, all I want to do is curl up in a corner and cry. Or go for a long walk and remember. Because nine years ago today, my brother Dennis died from a brain tumor. He was 45.And I miss him, and I wonder if we did all we could to save him, and I wonder what he'd be doing today had he lived.And I wonder if I'll ever be able to get through April 12th without crying. A year after Dennis' death, I started volunteering with Hospice. One of the books given to all families who use the services of Hospice is called Gone from My Sight, and it contains a great poem. Today, and on every April 12, I read this poem, and I try to remember that while I cry over my loss, there are others who are laughing and celebrating because he's made it to their shore.

Gone from my sight Henry Van Dyke

I am standing on the seashore. A ship at my side spreads her white sales to the morning breeze and starts for the blue ocean. She is an object of beauty and strength. I stand and watch her until at length, she hangs like a speck of white cloud just where the sea and sky come to mingle with each other.

Then someone at my side says: 'There, she is gone!'

Gone where?" I ask.

Gone from my sight, that is all. She is just as large in mast and hull and spar as she was when she left my side, and she is just as able to bear the load of living freight to her destined port.

Her diminished size is in me, not in her. And just at the moment when someone at my side says, 'There, she is gone!', there are other eyes watching her coming and other voices ready to take up the glad shout: 'Here she comes!'

And that is dying.

Dennis loved Easter and Spring...and so I continue to try to be happy on Easter...but it's difficult.

Visiting Mary Pat

First, let me apologize for most of the pictures…well, not the actual pictures but that I took pretty much all of them at an angle. And I’m not sure why I did them that way. I thought it would be fun to have a few set at an angle but I guess I got carried away. That happens sometimes...sorry. When you come to one, just tilt your head a little, okay? A couple of weeks ago, we were on a farm about an hour south of Portland visiting a cousin on Randy’s side of the family. Mary Pat is a wonderful gardener, seamstress, chef and decorator. I love visiting with her, touring her garden, and seeing her latest sewing accomplishments. We were also treated to a wonderful pasta that included a vodka sauce and fresh shrimp…mmmm. Her garden is always a treat to see. I do wish we’d had some warmer weather before going down because more flowers would have been in bloom and the trees would have been leafed out. Still, we found plenty to see and talk about. Mary Pat is very generous with her plants; if you see something you like, she’ll hand you a shovel and tell you to dig out some of the plants to take with you. We came home with 5 new plants for our backyard this trip. All but the dwarf pussywillow tree are in their new homes. We’re still debating about there to “ground” him! The magnolias were trying so hard to bloom…

They really wanted to pop and show off their dazzling spring flowers.

If only it would warm up. The other thing I love about visiting Mary Pat’s backyard is that she adorns spaces with wonderful artwork. (This would be one of those photos where you need to tilt your head.)

These metal pieces are from a grass seed sorting machine - grass seed is a big crop in Mary Pat's part of the state. Notice the plate on the right has larger sorting holes than the plate in the middle, and the middle plate has larger holes than the plate on the right. This swing hasn’t seen any swinging action in quite some time but it’s perfect in her backyard. I love this little girl and her umbrella...although I think she belongs more in ND than in Oregon! And these ladies!

These windows are on a garden shed, partially hidden behind some trees and shrubs. I smile each time I look at them. She lightens dark corners of her garden by planting brightly colored chartreuse plants...isn't this great?

Or simply adds plants that have brightly colored blossoms, like these Oregon grape. She lives in a big old country farmhouse with a big old front porch. The porch is right out of a Martha Stewart magazine. There's this great bentwood rocker with its welcoming cushion... An iron rack filled with brightly colored ranunculus - how cheery are these? I love ranunculus but have never been able to keep them alive for more than a couple weeks. Then, there’s this tall clay pot filled with pussywillow branches. I love pussywillow. Needless-to-say, it takes me a few minutes to get from the front porch to the front door because everywhere I look, there’s something I simply must explore. If I were a bird, I'd live here. Inside, is another wonderland. I do love wandering just to see what's new since my last visit. And there's always something - Mary Pat does a great job of with floral arrangements. Just look at this beauty!

She also loves experimenting with decorating and painting techniques – unlike me, she’s not afraid to try something new. If she doesn’t like, she simply paints over it. Like this hall. Do you know how long it would take me to do this? Those are actual painted stripes.

In her family room, she had a large vase filled with quince branches.

She’d brought the branches in when the flowers were just budding. After a bit of time indoors…in the warm…they popped.

And wow, are they beautiful! We also both love to knit but she’s far more experienced than I am. Plus, she’s not afraid to try something new…not afraid to resize the pattern here or there, or think "outside the pattern," so to speak. She made this lovely shawl for one of her daughters. It’s absolutely beautiful. Just look at the detail. She insists it wasn’t that hard but I think I’ll be sticking with slippers, afghans and the occasional sweater! Walking into her guest bathroom is like stepping back in time. The hat rack just opposite the door is filled with hats from a gentler era. And this gem…the woman who wore this must have turned a lot of heads when she walked in the room.

It’s amazing…just like Mary Pat.