Things She Said ... Quotes from the Branches of the Tree

This is my friend Sandy. She died suddenly and unexpectedly in 2001.

Quotes from the branches of the Tree :

I'm so glad you're here.

I'm okay with not having right now.

If true love were common, it wouldn't be so valuable. It's not a dime a dozen. He'll pick up a rhinestone. It'll take a while to save up for a diamond.

You can get exactly what you want in life--just not all at the same time.

We're all just temporarily not dirt.

You're not dead yet, Kid!

One day when you're secure with yourself, got some money, and have learned to live for yourself, then when you're least expecting it YOU'LL sweep someone right off their feet.

Love deeply and passionately. You might get hurt, but it's the only way to live completely.

You deserve someone who appreciates you.

You don't have to knock on love's door--There is no door!

You may be afraid to LOVE, but never be afraid to LIVE!

Keep your eyes on the prize : The prize is YOU!

I will do my life on my own time.

You can make as many mistakes as you want.

Why buy the cow if the milk is free?

I'm so proud of you!

"Buttonsh"

Sandy : "Duane, There's your fleabane daisies!"
Duane : "My fleabane daisies?"

To CL : "You break her heart, I'll kill you." (He hasn't :-)

What Have You Lost? What Have You Found?

Sister

You will arrive

at a point
when you realize
that you have been missing
from most of your life ...

You will search ...

and you will find
pieces that fit together
and pieces
that aren't there

someone took them from you
without the permission
you never knew you had

you will glue the pieces together
and the cracks will leak
you will break open
fall apart
and I will help you
find you

we will wait till May
and dig a hole together
bury the pieces you have
and don't have

and I will lie
next to you
on the ground
until you grow

--Andy Young, in What Have You Lost

Andy Young [Aside : She's a woman--It just didn't work in my mind when I thought of this poem written by a man.] wrote this poem. It appeared in an anthology edited by Naomi Shihab Nye called, What Have You Lost?

This poem hit me like a ton of bricks when I first read it, and I knew that one day, I would spell it out in fiber and stitch. My friend Sandy was this kind of Sister to me. How many days did we spend sitting out on the dock at Cherokee Marsh .. laughing, walking, canoeing, supping, crying ... quiet times, too, just being together.

She helped me pick up the pieces after many a broken heart. She helped me plant them, and stayed right by my side to watch them grow into something strong and beautiful. She taught me to stand up for myself. She made me understand and believe that I was a worthy person, not a doormatt.

Sandy died unexpectedly 2 months before my son was born. It's been 8 years now, and I still miss her ... I am the person I am today because I knew Sandy. I have not forgotten you, my Sister. Now it's my turn to help someone else pick up the pieces ...

Detail of the shattered pieces at the root of the tree.

Techniques : Someone recently gave me a set of "trade blocks" (You make a set of blocks along with everyone else in your group. Then you trade so everyone has a complete set - one of everyone else's blocks.) One of the blocks had this green and blue tree painted on it. It looked a lot like the trees I tend to draw ... It was a kick-start to make this project happen.

It's a small journal quilt. Journal Quilts are not necessarily meant to be beautiful. They are usually small works (9x11 inches, or so) to try out a new technique, or in this case, work out a spiritual quandry. This one is in the spirit of the Diary Quilts by Susan "Lucky" Shie.

I put excerpts from Andy Young's "Sister" poem in the background.
Sandy's words of wisdom over the years are in the branches of the tree.
I added the ground and the shattered soul pieces in the roots of the tree.
In that womb of earth, the pieces are safe enough, warm enough, close enough to pull together and regenerate into something new. Stronger. Self-assured.

I lost my best friend, but I found myself.

PRETENDERS-HYMN TO HER

Hymn to Her by The Pretenders

Winter Quilt Camp 2009

The annual Quilt Camp Retreat with my Mom and Aunt Rosita means more this year than in years past. It's always fun and productive, and a great chance to spend the whole weekend with these two influential ladies in my life. They are the ones who got me quilting.

My Mom was in the Hospital for a week in January. We thought she was having mini-strokes, but they were not quite typical. Turns out it was a case of Shingles gone to her brain (very rare). That was scary, too. I called her one morning before I left for work. She said 2 sentences, and then, "I have to go--I'm having another one ..." I thought with terror, this could be the last time I talk with her--ever, the last time she recognizes me ... I called back to make sure a nurse was with her for the episode. And she was (thankfully). That nurse was as calm as a spring rain, knew just what to do and say to calm down the daughter who was 2 hours away and the patient beside her ... My mom is doing much better now. She's going to have to slow down and not do so much. The only one of her doctors who'd ever seen this before was her Ophthalmologist, who had seen a few cases like this in the early 1980s. He told her (when she seemed to be out of the woods) that people used to die of this (Sheesh!) ... Now they can use Acyclovir, a powerful antiviral drug which she was on via IV for 2 weeks. My dad got really good at administering it for her at home ... Now she's back on the oral version to keep symptoms at bay.

My Mom wouldn't mind sharing this. She's a public health nurse, so she has already used this experience to educate her public on why it's important to get children vaccinated against chicken pox, and older adults vaccinated against shingles. Shingles is really not something anyone would want to endure if there were a way to avoid it--and there is : Get vaccinated!

So this year, Quilt Camp does mean more ... because we didn't now if my Mom would be able to make it. She missed the Fall Retreat due to her first episode with Shingles.

Treasure your time with loved ones.

Anything can happen, and you never know when it will be your last chance to enjoy each other's company together.

Incentives and Attitude Adjustments

Oliver is a smart kid, but he doesn't really like school for the social aspects. All his best buddies go to different schools in town. He likes to read (not exactly a cool thing for a boy these days ...).

So I started offering him an "Oliva-Dolla" to tell me at least 1 good thing about school each day. My husband set up a program whereby Oliver can earn Oliva-Dollas for good behavior and doing his chores without being told. He can earn the O-D's with his attitude. There's an exchange rate, too. 1 OD=20 cents. 5 ODs can be exchanged for $1. It's a good system.

The first day, he really had to search for something good to say.

He catches on fast. The second day, he had 5 good things to say about school. That =5 Oliva-Dollas with an exchange rate of 20 cents per OD. He made $1 on that deal. Money is the incentive that moves him these days. And if that can change his attitude about school, it's worth $1 to me.

It's no surprise that with a cash-strapped economy, I don't exactly look forward to going to work most days now. My area is not revenue-generating and so we seem to be considered a liability by the bean-counters and even my own supervisor. Every day is a struggle. Oliver seems to understand that I'm not happy about the situation, so he turned the question on me : "Mumma, Name 1 good thing about work today."

I don't get Oliva-Dollas for the 1-good-thing about my work day. I do get a cheerier kid, though. Usually, the 1-good-thing is that I get to go home to a sweet and loving family. But that still makes for a LONG work day. Sigh!

Frost Devas

In the house where we used to live, we would get this beautiful frost in the kitchen window. I've never seen anything like it anywhere else ...


Here, you can see how some of the lines are like strings of pearls.

Not sure why it happened there, and no where else?
Some possible reasons and conjecture :
* The house was not insulated.
* This was over the kitchen sink.
* The Rosemary plant in the window may have been orchestrating this window confection.
* It was on Minerva St. Perhaps Minerva (aka Athena-Goddess of the Arts) had an influence?
* The Deva of our yard took charge and gave us this beautiful gift.

This is what we get in our current house :







It's a different personality creating this frost--still beautiful, but definitely more masculine.

What is it ? Number 2

Here's a hint : It's a handy kitchen gadget from back in the day ...

It has Patent Number 2507159 stamped on it (Don't you love Google?)

What is it?

From the outside ...


From the inside ...

Rock Candy (Maple sugar) stuck to the bottom of a Mason jar. We just ran out. Under certain conditions, these sweet crystals will form in the maple syrup. It's a tasty treat!