This and That

Julie pieced this low volume top and then apparently did not know what to do with it. Something (Someone, I suspect) told her to send it to me. It was during my sister-in-law's recent visit; she and I had spent much of the day in Lancaster County, and on the drive home, she spoke about her daughter's illness. The daughter, who is fifty, had had a sudden and massive stroke and was seriously compromised. Without speech, unable to move one side, she was confined to a wheelchair and making very slow progress. When we got home, the postman had come, and there was the parcel from Julie. I looked at my sister-in-law, who was just hurting so badly for her daughter, and said, "I wonder if this would be good for Linda -- to keep her legs warm in that wheelchair -- when the cold weather comes." She nodded, and the quilt went off to the machinist. I finished binding it the other evening, and it will go out in the mail to Linda tomorrow. In the intervening weeks, Linda's progress has picked up -- she is regaining her speech and is beginning to take a few steps. We are more optimistic than we'd been, but there is still a long road to travel.

New Topic: Judy and I had been so excited to join the guild a couple of years back. But over time, the long ride to and from the meetings has worn us out -- at 45-55 minutes each way, it makes for a very long evening. The guild membership is 100, and they hold many of their activities during the day. Judy and I both work (and get up early!) full time, and haven't been able to participate beyond the monthly meeting.   We never really got to know anyone, either, other than the delightful woman who had been president when we first began attending.

When Pat and Bobbi began to sing the praises of another, smaller guild that is closer to home, we decided that we should investigate. A couple of meetings convinced us that we'd find the Philly Modern Quilt Guild to be a better fit. So we've sent our regretful resignations to the big guild, and are ready to learn about modern quilting. The above is my current attempt -- four Kaffe prints on some nice grey. I'm thinking a turquoise binding eventually. But first I have to sew it together!

With the cold weather here and a frost imminent, Joe decided it was time to dismantle the garden. On Saturday he picked all these unripe cherry tomatoes. We'd feasted on the little guys for a couple of months, nearly every night tossing a bunch of them in the skillet with some onion, garlic, olive oil and basil. And now that time is past.

I just thought they were so pretty; so I took a picture.