Birthdays & Quilts

    My cousin Carol's birthday was on a particularly cloudy, mid-May afternoon. I called Megan to get gift ideas a few days earlier.

     "What's your mom's favorite color?"

     "I don't think she has one; any color, really."

     "What about a favorite flower?"

     Decision: she would definitely appreciate some sort of house plant. (She and I are so alike that way. I have about 12 beautifully green plants in my house.) We especially liked the wooden basket with the braided handle...

     Friends and family celebrated with a home-made chocolate and cream cheese frosted cake, gifts, badminton, and catching up with each family's activities and adventures - continuing our life stories.

 Carol and Tina

     The next week we all thanked God for my great-uncle Howard's 90th!

     This rainy, snowy spring I've been collecting small, colorful scraps of cotton material - from stores as well as my circle of family and friends - for the specific purpose of creating dozens of small, colorful patchwork quilts. The reasons? To sell, give as gifts (baby showers, the MIAMI Project for first-time moms, rest home residents), and for warmth and decoration at home.

     The latest addition of fabric stash came from Megan's special sewing room - the one with the pale-green walls.

     I appreciate all who donated toward one of my favorite winter 'hibernation' projects. There are now 100's of 3, 4, and 5 inch squares in the sunflower box.

     On the short, 4-mile drive home, we looked for coyotes who often play in a particular field this time of evening - but, nothing. Nora did, however, spot a cloud which looked surprisingly like a leprechaun, though just for a second, because the incredible wind storm (which flung several lodge-pole pines across the road and shut down power all the next afternoon) quickly blew it away...