Wednesday, March 29, 2017

Migrating Geese

RSC2017 Red Update
I got the red row of my migrating geese quilt done, once again, mostly as a leader/ender project.

Rather fitting that I madly finished the row on departure day minus 1, spending a last quiet hour in the morning busily sewing the last few triangles and unpacking the red and cream scrap baggies to make one of the three 150 Canadian Women blocks for that week.  Rather fitting as well is that it was for the woman who was instrumental in introducing Home Economics, aka Domestic Science, courses for girls in public schools.

Bella helped out, as per usual.
This corkscrew pose was due to it being a little hot, and a need to work out a couple of kinks in her spine.

150 Canadian Women Project
Here are blocks 52-54.
52 Elizabeth Arden - had to drop out of school, but went on from taking a job as cashier in a beauty salon to taking over the business, and then to being one of the first women to run an international business; I particularly love the fact that she could still stand on her head in her 80s! 53 Esther Pariseau aka Mother Joseph - she learned carpentry from her father, and was probably the first female Canadian architect, born in Québec, but travelled 6000 miles through the Panama Canal to settle in British Columbia where she designed and oversaw many buildings; 54 Hilda Ranscombe - captain of the Preston Rivulettes, Canada's most famous women's hockey team, and was the fastest female skater in the country.
Do you see the 3 black circles in one of the triangles of Hilda's block? I saw that scrap and knew immediately it would be for her to represent hockey pucks!

Migrating North
I haven't been sewing for a few days because we are migrating back to our Canadian home, meandering a wee bit this year so this could happen:
Yup, we got together again!  We had a great dinner together, visit, and I got to hear Tish's longarm story again, which will give you chills, this time as told by her cousin Doug, who is basically her big brother.  We even had breakfast together the following morning, and afterwards got to meet her fur kids, darling pibble boys, small rescue dog Maggie and three cats, before heading up the road a mere 3 hours or so to our next rendez-vous, getting together once again with Julie and her husband, and meeting the last two of her five kids (we've already met the first 3) and their wonderful dogs, two of whom are pibbles.  How we love dog peeps!  I was on the floor at Tish's house with her three canine kids, and then at Julie's son's house with five dogs milling around, getting kisses, giving pats, and in LOVE.  I know I will treasure these get-togethers for the rest of my life.

We are currently visiting our daughter, Dayna, for a few days before we cross the river back into Ontario, Canada, and head to our new little house.  I think I may have succeeded in bringing the sun north; it was in and out the first day, and then in the later afternoon it came fully out the next day, and this morning a clear blue sky!  How I love to see and hear all the various birds chirping merrily away, so busy!  Canada geese are establishing nesting rights on the pond; I associate their honks and calls and splashing and waddling with early Spring..."Fly Away Home" anyone? Love that movie.

Stash Enhancement
I was able to take advantage of a great St. Patrick's Day sale at Alma Sue's Quilt Shop in Sarasota.  All fabric was 20% off, even the $5/yard rack!
All of these were $4/yard except for the stripe!!
The first three on the left are destined to be backings, (the plaid, destined for Brady, is a beautiful flannel!), the stripe is for binding, and was $6.80/yard, and the red floral will go into some 150 CA Women blocks, and the navy floral I was drawn to and bought a yard, just because.

These are just two of Craftsy's Boundless Blenders line (affiliate link) that were waiting for me here at Dayna's.  I also bought a fat quarter stack of blues for a midnight blue-themed quilt.  OMG they are incredibly rich!  At $9.40/yard all day long, they are an incredible price to boot.  The pink is a stash addition, and the olive/purple/aquamarine one will be a border for the midnight blue quilt.  Midnight!!  Tonight Angela Walters' Midnight Quilt Show is back!  Cannot WAIT!!
Update since I published this post: Just got an email from Craftsy this afternoon that their Boundless So Sweet yardage (affiliate link) is on for a limited time for just $5/yard! Gulp! That's $6.71CA...all right I think I might be off to investigate aka order some to check it out and let you know how it is. I mean that's my job, right?😉😈
http://www.shareasale.com/u.cfm?d=406280&m=29190&u=1074126


Update on Two Non-Quilting Goals
One goal was to watch more TV.  I know it seems weird but I am just not a TV-watching person, yet there are a lot of very good shows out there.  I finished season 1 of 'Gilmore Girls', I have one episode left in season 1 of 'Happy Valley' and I've started the new season of 'Grace and Frankie'.  I watched a few more episodes of 'Call the Midwife' so I am now in season 4.  I've also watched the first three episodes of season 2 of 'La Femme Nikita' and a couple of season 1 of 'Murdoch Mysteries'.  I even watched the movie, 'The Breakfast Club'!  Unfortunately, the Craftsy classes I need to finish... still need to be finished.

As for books, I've read nine so far this year.  A few of the most recent ones were thanks to other quilters' recommendations.
The first recommendation was Laughing All the Way to the Mosque, written by the same woman who created "Little Mosque on the Prairie" a show MacGyver and I quite enjoyed, that also taught us no small amount about Muslims and the Islamic faith.  This book is both hilarious and informative.  Zarqa was born in Liverpool, England, but moved to Canada at a young age.  From there I hopped down to Botswana.  I always read at least one Ladies' No 1 Detective Agency book when I'm in Florida.  This year I read The Limpopo Academy of Private Detection.  Gentle wisdom combined with humour is Alexander's trademark.  He was born in Zimbabwe to Scottish parents.  The Return Journey is actually the book I just finished, a collection of short stories. I've read several of Maeve Binchy's books, always a good read from this Irish author.

The same quilter who had recommended the Nawaz book also recommended Threading My Prayer Rug.  A Pakistani-born, American immigrant of the 70s was the next Muslim author I read. Interesting to note is how to pronounce Muslim: think pussycat, push, put, and that 'u' sound is how you say it, followed by an 's' sound, not a 'z', not rhyming with 'buzz'.  Interesting also, yet sadly, that along with all the media's misinformation, the majority of them do not pronounce it correctly.  This was a very eye-opening view of America from a tolerant practising Muslim.
Vinegar Girl was a book Helen of Midget Gem Quilts mentioned on Instagram, a modern day take on a play I used to teach my grade 12 English classes, "The Taming of the Shrew".  It was good, a light read from this American author.  Currently, I'm reading another historical fiction, New York.which is very good, just a dozen pages in.  He is English, but has lived for 30-odd years in New York and Connecticut, according to his Amazon author page.  I haven't read any of his books before, but from my first impression of this one, a recommendation from a former teaching colleague, I will be reading more.

What is my point for telling you the nationalities of these authors?  I think it's to show that our world is a global community, and that being open to various cultures and religious points of view can help to promote that sense of togetherness.  I think as quilter-bloggers, we have more of a sense of this than most. Travelling around the world and through time from the comfort of your armchair, beach chair, bed, or wherever you choose to appreciate art in word form, can enlighten a person and help create tolerance for all humans.

Linking up
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11 comments:

  1. A good book that holds you from the first few words is always a winner. Love your choices. I am still struggling to get all your distances in my mind, as NZ is roughly the same size as Colorado!!! But the way you have planned the return home to call and visit is a huge bonus. Time with friends in real life is to be treasured. Very wet down here, cutting the floating leaf today.

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  2. Well my dear sister, you look very content in that picture! As does Bella in hers!!❤

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  3. It sounds like you have been having a lovely time visiting. That's a long line of migrating geese, but geese that migrate always return home. Happy reading, if you like historical fiction have you read Ken Follet, The Pillars of the Earth and the sequel World without End are two of my favourite books. Warning, they are each over 1100 pages. Books you can really get your teeth in.

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    1. Yes, 1000+ pages, but a book I can remember details from years later... worth it!

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  4. Wow!! That was one comprehensive post!!

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  5. How fitting that your geese are heading north on your design wall as you are preparing to head north yourself. Your Canada blocks look fabulous, too. And it's great to see you and Tish get together in real life! Nice pic!

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  6. oh I love your flying geese - so apt!

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  7. Glad to hear you are making your way home safely. And awesome that you got to sneak in two visits. I just finished Grace and Frankie on the weekend -- now the long wait until the next season. I can never pace myself. LOL

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  8. Fly Away Home... a girl and her dad build a contraption so that she can lead the orphaned geese to learn to migrate... love that one!

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  9. Those flying geese are so striking! I'm inspired to make some of my own - thanks for sharing!

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  10. Those flying geese are so pretty. I'm having a hard time controlling the squirrel on that one (but just one more graduation quilt and I'll be free). Sounds like you've had a nice and relaxing trip back north. Hope the rest of the trip goes as smoothly.

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