Slow Stitching

Not much new has happened in the past week. I've just continued to big stitch circles on my Scrap Challenge quilt. Lots of circles - at least 50, by my lost count. 

Nine different thread colors, and eight or nine different sizes of circles.

Last Friday I received an unexpected happy-news email from Curated Quilts letting me know that my 14" X 14" Dance Around quilt was accepted in the Mini Gallery for the upcoming "Stripes" issue #16.

I quickly set aside time to make a label for the quilt, and will mail it to Utah where it will be photographed for publication.

In case you aren't familiar with Curated Quilts, it's a quarterly quilting publication that's printed on really nice paper (not at all like regular magazine paper), and doesn't have a hint of advertising! That's my favorite part. Here's where to go to get info about obtaining Curated Quilts.

This European fan palm is in our front landscape bed. Can you see what we noticed? Along the trunk? 

A pink flower is blooming! Since this palm doesn't bloom, we determined that vegetation is growing in the trunk! 

Somehow, this nearby begonia seeded in the palm trunk. Isn't that odd? But it's pretty, so we're leaving it there.

Since being able to return to twice-a-week line dancing, I've upped my exercise regime. Funny, but exercising five days a week, for more than an hour at a time, hasn't helped me lose pandemic pounds! With my 50th high school class reunion coming up in June, I have good reason to work harder.

Book Recommendation

The Children's Blizzard is a sad, but true story of a freak winter storm that blew through the Midwest Plains - NE Nebraska and SE South Dakota - on January 12, 1888. The blizzard began just as prairie school children were being let out to return home. 

This fictional story is based on reports of that day, and focuses on:16 and 18 year-old school teachers, sisters Raina and Gerda Olsen - one of whom makes a wise decision and the other who does not; and 11 year-old Anette who, as a servant in the Pederson family household since her mother sold her to them, must leave school, no matter what, and return to the Pederson house.

Accompanying several characters through the storm experience gives the reader an empathy for hardy prairie dwellers to who must be self-sufficient through isolation and hardship. This wasn't an uplifting story to read, but mind-opening to understanding and appreciate the challenges faced by those who accepted the chance to live on 160 acres, prove-up the land, and own it after five years. 

Linda's score: 4.0/5.0

This past week has found me often "in refuge," praying. Sadly, my prayer list grows ever-longer as I pray for friends with health-related concerns, and ask for comfort for those whose loved ones have died. These are tough times for too many people.

Like many of you, I'm remembering Holy Week, and Jesus's sacrifice for each of us - his trial, conviction, suffering, pain, and death. May we all rejoice in the blessedness of Easter. He is risen! Amen. Linda