The World According to Maiden Fair

Today is our anniversary. If you would like to read about our romance you can check it out at Our Love Story. It’s still a love story after all these years!

Had to go to the doctor’s this morning for a treatment on my knee. It’s a rather dreary day out, but we stopped for breakfast and to pick up the youngest granddaughter. I do believe there was a law enforcement convention out there today. It isn’t that far from our house to the Doctor’s, like maybe 20 miles - but in the trip there and back, we saw no less that 19 cops. Most of them had people pulled over - it was nuts. I’ve never seen anything like it before! Thankfully we were being a good little boy and girl and didn’t attract their attention.

I finished a couple more quilts - I can’t believe how much faster they are going since I bought the little lap stretcher for the quilts and learned to pin the layers rather then basting them together. Anyway - I finished the table topper - I’ve called it hearts and flowers.

This is the first quilt that I actually designed the design for quilting - and then did all the stitching by hand. Here’s a close up of the quilting detail

The other quilt I finished recently was a Mystery quilt by the Inspectors’s club. She called it John Deere, although I used butterflys on mine.

I’m off to work on a couple of projects and probably bake something good for our family dinner on Sunday. My son is grilling steaks and I’m bringing Mashed Potato Casserole - a family favorite. Thought I’d bring a dessert - Pie or cake or something along those lines!! Hope you have a great day!

I was sitting quietly enjoying my tea and my book the other morning. It was a rather dismal day and I had nothing special planned to do so I was simply lingering - probably longer that I should. The house was silent - no TV or radio - hubby was still asleep. Then I noticed the candle holders on the entertainment center were rattling - curious - it wasn’t storming out - then I felt it, the chair shivered and dipped, like the floor was falling from underneath it. Suddenly I realized what it was - I couldn’t believe what it was, but it had to be an earthquake. Now for those of you on the West Coast this is an almost every day occurance - Actually I lived for 12 years in the San Francisco Bay area and never felt an earthquake. But I no longer live in the San Francsico Bay Area - I live in the upper mid-West - 150 miles due west of Chicago - we don’t have earthquakes here - well at least I didn’t think we did. Actually the quake was centered about 300 miles south east near the border of Illinois and Indiana - a long way, but still we felt the quake here. Rather unsettling actually - they said what I felt was a 4.2 aftershock. The actual 5.2 earthquake occured about 4:30 AM while I was still asleep.

I meant to post the books I read in March a lot earlier than the 20th of April, but it has been a nutty month. I’ve had trouble sleeping, been storms, the power company is changing our meters - again!! We installed a high effeciency furnace and air conditioner a while ago. The power company is having problems with that. Three or four years ago they did an estimated read for January - I guess the reader didn’t want to go out in the cold - anyway it seemed a little high to me but I paid the bill. We didn’t have to pay another bill until April - they came that spring and changed out the meters - and our bill went down again. Now they are changing out the meters again - guess they think this meter is bad too - do you think our bill will go down again! That would be nice in these times of high energy costs. Of course we do turn the heat down, keep the excess lights turned off, don’t watch a lot of TV, and only run full loads in the washer and dishwasher. But they still seem to think we aren’t using enough power. I don’t know what to tell them!

Anyway - on to my list of books for March:

The Celtic Riddle by Lyn Hamilton
Hallowed Bones by Carolyn Haines
Safe Harbor by Luanne Rice
Abandon by Carla Neggers
Peppermint Twisted by Sammi Carter
Snobbery with Violence by Marion Chesney
The Second Mrs. Darcy by Elizabeth Aston
One Grave Too Many by Beverly Connor
Crewel World by Monica Ferris
Framed in Lace by Monica Ferris
The Street Lawyer by John Grisham
Tongue in Chic by Christina Dodd
Sonnet of the Sphinx by Diana Killian

I saw my first robin of the season yesterday afternoon as I was driving back from town. He was sitting in a little park up at the head of my street!! I am so glad I went out yesterday - that certainly brightened my day. Today I saw another robin when I went out to get the little girls and while I was watching the girls ride their bikes I heard a dove. It is funny I didn’t realize I hadn’t heard a dove in a long time until I heard one today. Maybe spring is really on the way. Of course it is supposed to get cold again - but not as cold and hopefully not as long.

I did manage to get my new quilt wallhanging sandwiched this afternoon and have started the quilting on it. I don’t know how long it will take to quilt, but it shouldn’t take very long actually - haven’t put that intricate of a pattern on it - but I don’t know if I will be able to stick to it like I did in January - It is getting nice out and I want to be outside!!

I was reading online today about a Women in the outdoor’s conference that will have classes on letterboxing including stamp making, one on herbs and Weather in the clouds. All things I’m really interested in. I would love to go!! but it’s in Kansas City MO - which is a long way from here. It’s only about $125 to register and covers 2 nights lodging and food. I would have to get there and home - of course it is only a day’s drive or so from here, I’m debating - I would also like to go to the letterboxing meet up in Iowa in early May and I might be able to talk David into going to that one. I haven’t mentioned it to him yet. Maybe I should - and check out reservations for a motel. It’s only about 6 weeks away.

For today it is spring! It is the third day of spring - sort of like the days of Christmas. I seriously doubt that the days of spring will number twelve - with the winter we have just gone through that is highly unlikely - but at this stage of the game I will take what I can get. With temperatures in the mid 50’s, the sun shining and the ice and snow melting under the “warmth” it does my heart good.

Kitty Kat and I tried to go letterboxing the other day, but there was still so much snow on the ground that we couldn’t get down the hill to follow the clues - so we are waiting until this weekend to go again and hopefully the snow will be gone and we can obtain our goal. It is amazing how even the children this year are feeling the effects of this winter. Usually they love the snow and the cold doesn’t affect them, but this year they have had enough and are beyond ready for spring just like the rest of us.

I have yet to see a robin. Normally the robins are back by the 20th of February - but here it is the 13th of March and I have yet to see one. I’m still looking. Maybe they know something that we don’t and have more sense than to come back here right now.

I have finished and photographed one of my quilt projects. It is a Valentine Table Runner called Cupid’s Trail. It is totally done on the machine - but I am pleased with the way it turned out.

Today I want to get my new quilt sandwiched and get started on the quilting. I cut the quilting template for it yesterday so once I get the backing together and get the layers pinned together I will be set to go. Then I have to get hubby going on building the lighted hanger for it. By the time I have the quilting all done, he should at least have found his hammer to get started to the hanger!! LOL

That’s about it for today - going to go and get some food and go take a walk before I get to work on the quilt. My phone has been beeping at me for the last hour so I guess I’d better find out who called.

With another winter storm coming in tonight and tomorrow, I feel like I’m totally losing control. There is no making plans ahead of time. My Valentine Party was cancelled on Tuesday due to snow, my Red Hat group is supposed to go to Geneseo tomorrow afternoon to attend the Richmond Theatre group - but with freezing rain and 2-6 inches of snow coming in, that will probably be cancelled - it is a winter for spur of the moment events, not things that are planned days or weeks in advance. I’m hoping right now that I can make it to my sewing group on tuesday - but the way things are looking, that might not happpen.

So how am I coping this year you ask?? I’m Quilting!! I have a table topper that I’m working on, I’ve added far more intricate quilting pattern than I planned. I designed the border pattern myself, my first quilting design - cutting the template and transferring the design. The only problem is that it is taking a long time to hand quilt it - but it is passing the time this winter. I’ve also got a table runner that I’m finishing up - doing that quilting on the sewing maching. I’m also piecing a wall hanging for the bedroom. I’m working on the borders for it, then I’ll put on the quilting pattern and get it ready to quilt. So I guess you could say I’ve buried my head in quilts this winter and refuse to come out until spring!

I have finished a couple of projects - I made Valentines for the party. I’d heard about quilted post cards, but had never tried making them. Thought it might be fun, and once I got the hang of it it was fun. I plan on making some more with a different pattern.

When I joined the Mississippi Valley Quilters Guild last fall, I was to create a name tag - a quilted name tag. I finally got it done and was really pleased with the results.

I signed up for my very first Quilting Workshop!! It’s not until the first of June, I may sign up for one in April at the next meeting - didn’t really see one I was interested in, but I’ll have another look. I’m really looking forward to taking the class - I’ve been quilting most of my life but I never took a class - of course there weren’t quilting guilds in the 70’s and there weren’t very many women quilting or sewing or doing any of the fiber arts back then - I’m so pleased that they are beginning to do them again.! My little granddaughter is even interested in fiber arts and I’m really pleased about that.

When tragedy strikes, we think that life can’t possibly go on. The world has to stop, we have to get off. Tragedy struck yesterday in a small Illinois town when for no explicable reason, someone carried 3 guns onto Northern Illinois University’s campus and fired close to 50 rounds into a lecture hall, killing 5 and wounding 17 more, and then killing himself. Why?? So far they have no idea. He was on Medication but he quit taking them. So what drove a highly intelligent, award winning graduate student to terrorize the students on a campus where he no longer attended? So far there are no answers.

But life does go on. Students, parents, grandparents, faculty and staff have to pick up the pieces of the tragedy and move on. They won’t do it today or tomorrow or even next week, it may take months before some of them can move on. They did nothing to bring this on themselves, they are innocent bystanders, the ones who were in the wrong place at the wrong time. They were there to attend class, to gain the knowledge they needed to gain their degree so they can realize their dreams, and for 5 of them at least, their dreams are shattered into dust, for the 17 or 18 wounded, they may not be able to realize their dreams either, and why? Why should so many lose so much because of one man who went off his meds. Was it the condition that he needed the meds for that caused the problem, or was it the reaction to going off the meds that caused the problem? Will we ever know? He killed himself in the aftermath. Did he realize with horror what he had done? Or was it all a part of his “Grand Plan” from the beginning. We will probably never know as the one who knew is dead. Did he leave a note, I don’t know - The authorities aren’t saying.

I got a phone call from my Grandson at 4:00 PM telling me that there had been a shooting on the campus of Northern Illinois University, where he is in school. He called to let me know that he was safe, but the really chilling thing was he had been in that classroom just shortly before the shooting. I know he’s safe, but the what might have beens will not stop running through my mind.

My heart and prayers do go out to all the families of the victims of this senseless violence. A college campus is a place for learning, for study, for research, it never was a place for voilence and senseless murder. I remember my years on campus as a time of fun and friendship and coming of age. When and where will it all end?

Today is Groundhog Day, the day when Punxsutawney Phil, the great seer and Prognosticator, appears to give us his forecast for the return of Spring!! This morning he saw his shadow and predicts 6 more weeks of winter. Bah Humbug!! I really wanted an early spring. I’m so tired of snow piled everywhere, ice coating everything and cold and wind.

Groundhog’s Day falls half way between the end of fall and the beginning of spring. Traditionally the idea of a hibernating animal predicting the return of spring came with the German immigrants who came to America in the 1800’s. They used the Badger in Europe, but here the honor went to the Groundhog. If the Groundhog sees his shadow, we will have six more weeks of winter, if the day is cloudy and rainy or snowy, the groundhog doesn’t see his shadow, winter weather will not return.

Groundhog day is the modern equilivant of the welcoming celebration of the returning spring. I personally think it should become a national holiday - but then maybe not - it’s a fun and unspoiled day and maybe it should remain that way!! A Celebration looking forward to the end of winter and the return of Robins, and violets and leaves on the trees, to warm weather and hikes in the shadowy woods.

Have a great Groundhog day!!

Thankfully it is the last day of January!!!! In case you didn’t know, January is my least favorite month of the year. It is cold, snowy, windy and generally EVIL!! I don’t like winter sports, I much prefer hiking, walking by the river or just sitting in the park with my camera and my pen and paper and enjoying warm air and sunshine!! At any rate, February starts tomorrow and I’m looking forward to Groundhog day on Saturday. Will he or Won’t he - that’s the big question - See his shadow that is.

I was sent one of those silly questionaires that tells you what flower you are this time.

I am an Echinacea What Flower Are You?

“You are a health conscious person, both your health and the health of others. You know all about the health benefits and dangers of the world around you.”

Kind of silly really but at least I was different from everyone else on the email list who sent theirs through. That's me, be different at all costs!! LOL

I was really hoping I would get through the winter without the January blues - but that didn’t happen. December passed fairly well without the usual Holiday depression - I stayed out of the stores, did my Christmas shopping online and operated on the KISS principal (Keep It Simple Silly). Christmas almost came and went before I actually realized what was happening.

Now January on the other had has been a nightmare!! The first week was fun, we had our eldest granddaughter, Kitty Kat, here for the week - took Tag-along-Bell home on New Years day and picked up her sister. She stayed until the 6th and we had fun. We sewed and did some letterboxing and enjoyed a January Thaw - after December’s Ice storms and snow storms the thaw was most welcome.

This is one picture of the ice storm that hit on December 12, 2007. There were 4 all together, along with snow and cold temps. Then we had the January thaw for a few days, all the snow and ice was gone and we set record High temperatures. Then it was over, more snow arrived - not a lot - a couple of inches here, and half a foot there, but it didn’t melt. Then the last few days the temperature has been sub-zero and you can’t even get the snow and ice off the roads. Today is better and we are in for another one of those January thaws with temps in the 40’s and lower 50’s for the next two or three days. I’m ready for spring - actually I was ready for spring back in November!! LOL

To top off all the bad weather, I’ve been sick. Had this stupid cold/flu bug that comes on and hangs around for just about forever it seems. Finally thought I had gotten rid of that and I contracted an eye infection. Boy did that bring back memories of childhood! I used to get those eye infections at the drop of a hat, but not so much lately.

I have done a good deal of reading during all of my sick days. Finished “Back on Blossom Street” by Debbie MacComber, “Crossed Bones” by Carolyn Haines, “Second Sight” by Amanda Quick, “The Summons by John Grisham, and “The Perfect Gift by Christina Skye. Right now I’m reading “The Innocent Man” by John Grisham.

I’ve also been working on knitting some shawls. Right now I’m working on a beautiful one in Boucle - a grey/turquise blend. It is so soft and pretty. I’m looking forward to getting it done, but I’m enjoying the feel of the yarn while I’m working on it, so I think I’ll take my time. I’ll post pictures when I have it finished.

I made quilted backpacks for Kitty Kat and I for our letterboxing supplies. She now has a compass to add to her supplies as I got a new one for Christmas. This one I should be able to read - it is really cool!! I ask little tag along Bell if she wanted a backpack for her stuff, but she said no she didn’t. I suspect that will change when she sees Kitty Kat and I with ours. I’m really anxious to get out there again and do some searching, but it’s been too cold and icy to be out much. Please let the ground hog predict an early spring!!!

I also - after much trial and tribulation - and 15 years of my life - finished my friends and family quilt. Each basket in the quilt is made from fabric donated by a different member of my family or by a special friend. I have material from my grandmother’s quilt basket and she died before I was born. It was a work of love, but I am glad it is finally done.

I’m also working on a quilted table top for Valentine’s day, but I’m not at all sure I will finish it for Valentine’s day. Miracles do happen though, so I will continue to work on it. I’m also working on a table runner in my mystery quilt group - I need to get last week’s clue done before the new one is posted today.