Rain in Maine

Rain , rain go away ..

Come back some other day!

This is what the kids use to sing...it has rained for at least 2 weeks....and yesterday and today the sun did shine but there was a shower each day...it makes for dreary days....

Friday was cleaning day...my granddaughter Allison helps me but it is so hard when it is dark and dreary so I put all the lights on in the house to brighten it up and give the feel of sunshine.

Saturday my husband spoke at a men's meeting in the morning and then we were off to the Skowhegan Fair....we watched the truck and tractor pulls and ate dough bread and sausage sandwiches...you know the junk food you have once in a while that tastes good when going down but makes you feel yucky afterwards. The deal for me was that if I could go to quilt store first I would go. He wanted to go to the farm store so it was a swap off. I bought 5 yards of light grey with a swirl pattern in it, a quilters rule with markings for 16th inches and a product I have not tried before 'Mary Ellen's Best Press' it is a clear starch alternative. I had seen it at the quilt show and the lady assured me it worked wonders on bias. So of course, I said I had to have it..at least I will try it.

After church today we rode to Camden...it is a pretty little village and the clouds in the sky were pretty amazing as they are bringing in another storm and of course, I did not have my camera so needless to say there are no pictures.

You can see I have been busy and have not done any quilting but tomorrow I will try to conquer some things.

If you want to see what the flooding looks like...Sue, my friend has a link on her website and it will show you what a road being washed away...pretty amazing.


http://www.wmtw.com/video/17144859/index.html

Hurrying does not pay!!

This morning I was up at 5:45 a.m. and I thought 'it's a good time to sneak upstairs to my studio and sew for a little while'...I wanted to finish the top to 'Heavenly Sunshine' and so decided to do a little bit before I went to work....well, I finished a couple of strips and put it on my design wall and it was askew....well, lo and behold I had forgotten to set my 1/4" on the correct setting. It was ever so slight but it sure made a difference...well, that was wasted time and I got my seam ripper out and began to take it out and finished it when I got home and have finally got back to the point I had reached this morning or 'thought' I had reached. Valuable lesson: SLOW DOWN!!! Check all the settings before proceeding. I always tell people that are moving fast to stop, sit down and get a cup of tea, and relax....need to listen to my own advice.

Pillow & Flowers

This was my project last night. I decided I needed some more color in my living room. I had a red and gold covering that I did not like. So I went shopping in Waterville at the Yardgoods Center. They carry hundreds of bolts of material. I went armed with my curtain and a bouquet of tulips to match. I found exactly what I wanted. I bought the main fabric and a complimentary one to use for the sides and back. I covered the chair on Saturday and by midnight last night I had the two pillows covered and hand stitched at the opening and on my couch. I am pleased with the result. I really am enjoying the display of flowers this year. My son and daughter-in-law gave me this hibiscus plant for Mother's day. I brought it home and the flowers kept dropping off. I thought that was the end of it. House flowers and I do not do well together. I put it on the porch and began to water every day and lo and behold the buds started forming. I decided to add it to an outside pot and these are the beautiful flowers appearing. The buds only last 1-2 days but they are loaded.
Isn't this a beauty!!!
Life is fast paced but the beauty of a flower can slow one down and allow us to give thought if we will just take that moment of time.

Maine-Five Islands Trip today

I have had a severe attack of asthma the last 8 days. My husband wanted to go for a ride somewhere today and I thought maybe the salt air at the coast would help my breathing with the clean, fresh smell. So we left around 11:30am, ate dinner in Bath, and headed in the direction of Reid State Park. You pass the entrance of the park and continue a few miles until you arrive facing the inlet and are met with the building below which houses a lobster eatery. An ice cream stand is on the opposite side. It is probably my favorite place as it is so tranquil and picturesque.

This view is straight on and greets you when you enter the driveway. You can see tables set to the right and they go all the way around the platform to the back and to the left overlooking the water. Many people were milling around or sitting eating their lobster. Delicious!!
Below is where they unload the catch of the day and if you are fortunate enough to be there when they come in you can watch them. It is quite a site.
Below are the lobster traps stacked up.
You can walk on the rocks and get close to the water...summer homes along the side.
Trust you have enjoyed a little taste of Maine. Weather was 70's and very nice today.

Beauty of nature

This Sunday morning I came upstairs to my office and looked out my window to this wonderful display of clouds and the sun was trying to peek through...what an awesome sight! The splendour of nature!This is a crab apple tree in front of my house. I have watched it for years, and in the ice storm we had a few years ago, I saw it bow down under the load of ice but, it always rises and gives off this wonderful display of beauty each year. It is not quite in full bloom as yet but so enjoyable to me to watch. Scene is taken from my house across to the other side of the road where our barn and more property are.Friday morning I went to our local park and just enjoyed the beauty of nature. It was so quiet, only a mother and her child sitting on the grass. It is not a big park and is located next to my old high school (which is no longer there) I attended and I remember walking around and around the path every day with friends at lunch time. It brings back lots of memories. Sometimes it is good just to take 'me time' as I call it and have no plans, and just relax and enjoy the moment and beautiful surroundings given to each of us.
When coming from work on Thursday I drove around this park and saw these beautiful tulips and decided to get a picture. They have started to pass their prime time but nevertheless are beautiful.

I am thankful this morning just to have eyes to see His beauty everywhere I look. What a blessing to me. "One thing I have desired ot the Lord. That will I seek. That I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life. To behold the beauty of the Lord and to inquire in His temple" Psalm 27:4

Taking a break

I have been so busy this week. It seems all the quilt groups I am involved in had all their meetings this week. I also work 2 days a week. I just felt overwhelmed so decided that today I just could not get up and get ready 'to go'. So cancelled out Kay's meeting, 12 of us meet twice a month and have potluck dinner together and quilt. It is a great group and tomorrow we are having out annual retreat. Instead of a new project we decided it would be a UFO day. So I am working to get things ready to take.

I live on a small farm and my husband is away for a few days. There are mother's in-waiting and mother's with calves. So I am playing nursemaid right now. This one particular cow has hung on for a week waiting to birth. My husband checks her 2-3 times during the night. My son who lives about a mile away thought it would be this morning, but she is up again and we are just 'waiting'. I wonder if they get tired like we do?

BRQ is having a quilt show May 3rd and I have committed to putting some quilts in the show, plus teaching 'how to finish off a binding' with this new technique that I have learned.

I washed and pressed a quilt that will be going into the show that I made for my husband, Richard so it would be ready and not be a last minute project. It needs a sleeve and name tag. I am 'in learning' as far as 'short arm quilting and I looked at it today remembered I was interested in getting it finished that I got happy and just quilted without being aware of continuity and the size of the meandering. It was so great that machine and tension, thread all seemed to be going smooth that I just kept stitching away. So I have a few places that could have been improved. I am trying to decide which way to hang it so the inperfections of quilting will not show. Now when you finish a quilt for a bed it really does not matter. But if you are hanging a quilt you want the best part to show. Women are going to carefully scrutinize every detail. And depending on the level of viewer of that quilter it will be judged accordingly. We forget to consider the skill of the creator. At least I am guilty of that. I need to always remember I had a began at some point and isn't it always a learning process. I know I do not have it all together yet.

It is a simple quilt as I think it is important to have basic quilts as well as well as highly skilled from those with beautiful artistry that are being done today. I always want to remember that loving hands made the quilt and the truth is I am better than some and not as good as others. I am a pianist and tell that to myself all the time. It is easy to be intimidated and not participate. We encourage the girls whatever their skill level that it is important to share it with others. In getting this label together I used a picture of my husband with his cows(pictured). I made it on the computer...but I see the color ink was not so great..also two tools I really like to remove threads etc. A surgical ripper and an eyebrow remover to pull out those stubborn threads.


My break has been long enough...so need to get back to work.


I had a fellow quilter send this quote. Something to ponder.
"Take too many pictures, laugh too much and love like you've never been 'hurt' because every 60 seconds you spend upset is a minute of happiness you'll never get back.

My saying is "The person that laughs LASTS"

Thoughts & 90th Birthday

'Be Still and Know that I am God'....that is a scripture from Psalm 46. It has been ringing in my heart for a couple of weeks....this is how God speaks to me. Stillness, what a wonderful word. It speaks of quietness, freedom from disturbance or agitation, and peacefulness. There are many more adjectives and also a Hebrew meaning from the Bible. But what it is saying to me is to listen, look, comprehend what is around me...stop chattering, be observant. It is in the quietness that we hear and then can move in that direction. I have been with many people in the last few weeks at different gatherings. And there seems to be a lot of 'noise'. Everyone wanting to be heard, laughter, sharing. It is all wonderful, but at times we just need to come aside and 'listen'. Soon the frogs will be croaking in the ponds and streams. What a wonderful sound as you lay in bed at night listening to them make a statement. The coyote down in our pastures ready to pounce on a new born calf. All nature resounds!! Life itself can be filled with a lot of 'racket' so to speak and cause a lot of stress. But for me, I just need to stop, be still and listen and let quietness sweep over me and bring rest. Just a thought for today that I wanted to share for someone who may need a little 'stillness' in their life.

It is 60 degrees today here in Central Maine and there is a bustle in the air. The robins are digging into the lawns, the Martins have come to take residence in our birdhouses. The cows are delivering their offspring. The flowers gardens are starting to green up and stand tall and produce their beauty. All the residue of winter is being cleared from the lawns. How can one truly describe what happens after winter and life comes to take residence again. How Majestic nature is.

Today, 12 of us met at a local restaurant to honor Arlene, a fellow quilter, for her 90th birthday party. She is a delightful lady and one of the founding members of our quilting group.



Her latest project was something someone threw away. She saw the potentional beauty in it and is hand quilting it to make it a treasure and will be donating it to a charity. She also shared her wool purse that she had made. It is knitted wool and is then put in hot water to shrink. Of course, we all agreed it was a beauty and some of us would like to try our hand at it. You know how it is with women when we see something new.

She shared some wonderful stories. She even sang a song called 'the Umbrella man' She was telling in her younger years of the milk man, the bread man and others that came selling their wares. None of us had heard of anyone who would fix an umbrella but of course we are not 90. She has put it on tape for her grandchild telling the story of how it came about and singing the song. The little one plays it every night when she goes to bed. What a treasure.

It was a wonderful day of just being 'still' and enjoying one another with no agenda for a little while.

WINTER IN MAINE 2008

View from my house to barn area. It has been a long and cold winter. Very beautiful though.