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Wednesday, April 18th, 2007

Someone once stated that if a person has one or two really close friends in a lifetime, then they have done well. Friendship, like any relationship, is a two-way street. I am blessed to know many people, and to like quite a few of them very much. I am equally blessed to have a husband who is a friend, and to have more than my fair share of close friends.

At certain times, I have known and liked individuals with whom I no longer have any contact whatsoever. There were no problems in the relationship, but it just so happened that our friendship was circumstantial.

People come and people go. Sometimes we physically move away, and at other times, we just grow in other directions so that whatever it was that brought us together in the first place, seems inconsequential.

When we are going through a rough time, or have suffered a personal loss, be it a loved one, a financial trial, or even a lessening of good health, that is often the test of a relationship. True friends stand beside each other, come what may.

While we are on the topic of Friendship, I’ll mention that today I have set up the 10th section of the “Sweetheart Pillows” article. The topic? Why, Friendship Pillows made during WWII. I have a feeling that I shall be adding much more to that article. Visit “Historical Articles,” from the link on the Home Page, to view a list of the various sections of this ever-growing discourse.

Remember, “To have a friend, be a friend.”

Yours in friendship,

Pat

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Wednesday, April 18th, 2007

Hi!

Today, I set up a new page of photos of turtle blocks that were so kindly shared by Julie Liebendorfer. These are whimsical, embroidered motifs that are “new” to me. The blocks reside on a 1930s quilt in her collection.

Enjoy!

Pat

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Tuesday, April 17th, 2007

This morning, I wrote a story,

This afternoon, I added another turtle story sent in by Julie Liebendorfer, and additional graphics.

Patricia Cummings

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Tuesday, April 17th, 2007

The concept of citizen-soldier is probably a very ancient one. In America, we are very lucky to have men and women in The National Guard. They serve in other capacities in their daily lives, but always stand, at-the-ready, to respond to disasters and catastrophes throughout the country.

Today, the rain continues that flooded parts of New Hampshire and Maine yesterday. Yesterday, the town of New Boston was hit particularly hard. The small town had major flooding and road closures, and with the help of the National Guard, some residents were evacuated to shelters. At 11 p.m. last night, the footage on WMUR, the local NH television station, was just amazing. In another situation, a mudslide brought dirt and rocks tumbling down from alongside the highway and closed Rte. 101 at the Wilton/Milford line, not far from New Boston.

Though many NH Guardsmen have spent time deployed overseas, others are still here, or back again, and they are always ready to help in time of crisis. Thank God for all of those individuals who respond to emergency situations, including first-responders, ambulance personnel, and yes, the New Hampshire National Guard. They willingly and eagerly do their work to assist the common citizen, you and I.

Let’s hope the rain stops soon, or at least gives us a respite. I really don’t  want to build an Ark, at least not today.

Flashback to the 1950s

I will leave you with this thought: When I was a little kid and it was raining, my mother would not let me go out the door without my “rubbers” on. How I hated them, and the added nuisance of taking them on and off, but in those days, shoes were an expensive commodity, and we had to maximize their longevity. So, the pull-on, rubber overshoes, did the trick in preserving shoes a little longer than otherwise.

Today, please think “sun.” Maybe our collective thoughts can make it happen. Have a happy day!
Pat

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Monday, April 16th, 2007

The other day, I caught part of the Oprah Show that featured three men who are triplets. They all had excelled at education, and they are all successful attorneys now. One of them reported that their mother would send them to their room to memorize multiplication tables. She was a teacher, and in their Black community, she was determined to keep her sons off the streets and see that they made something of themselves in life. When the interview was nearly over, she was asked to stand up in the audience, to be recognized, as well she should have been. What a great role model and strong leader!

Mathematics does not seem to be a priority in the schools today. For a few years now, we have seen the results of that.

This morning, the electricity was off due to a bad storm. I knew that there was no chance of buying a hot cup of coffee anywhere, in the local area, but I thought, if Dunkin’ Donuts (just up the street) were open, perhaps we could buy a muffin or donuts and some juice.

So, Jim called the shop. Yes, they were open. When we got there, it was clear to see that everyone was in a fluster. The cash registers were not running, and those folks trying to wait on customers were trying to add, by writing numbers on paper bags.

The plan was not working. The plan to use calculators was also not working. The first addition of what we owed was a figure that was way out of line. The second addition, I’m sure also was an overcharge, but by that time, I was frustrated with the situation. We just paid the price asked, and went to sulk in a corner, (I do speak for myself, when I say “sulk,”), while we ate. A bad mood is not good for digestion.

One never knows when math will come in handy. I feel very sorry for anyone who cannot rely on his or her own mind to figure out something…like an addition problem. With paper and pencil, it should be a simple proposition. I feel that this is an indication that our schools are letting us down in that area. For some reason, children (and young adults) today are not learning to give back two cents, if the purchase comes to $.98 and they are handed one dollar. They must use a calculator, and even then, they don’t always get it right.

Never mind. I’ll be ok. I just have to get over not receiving my Senior Citizen’s Discount this morning, an “addition” of insult to injury. :)

All in a day’s happenings…now the wind is dying down, it is brighter out, and it appears to have stopped snowing/sleeting/raining and misting. There is flooding and there were some mudslides throughout the state, and our babbling brook down back is a roaring stream.

On days like today, I am ever grateful for teachers. It’s not an easy task. I applaud them, and I also congratulate those parents who take matters into their own hands and help to instruct their own children, like the lady mentioned at the beginning of this note.

Encouragement is everything, in quilting, and in life, and math comes in handy, in both.
Pat

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Sunday, April 15th, 2007

We may not think much about it, at the time we write a letter, but written correspondence that is saved for generations, can often provide clues to the past. Now, I know for a fact that my Dad absolutely thought the world of my Mom, but I didn’t realize that he had written so much love poetry while they were dating.

I have added a page of his “” to my website, in hopes that you will enjoy reading it. Their relationship may have been a little bit rocky now and again, as mother had a number of other suitors in “hot pursuit,” so to speak. In the end, my Dad won her heart and they were married in 1937.

Pat

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Sunday, April 15th, 2007

Who are the middle-aged women of today? Some people would characterize us in a couple of words: “baby boomers.” As such, many of us have hit our stride. We are opinionated, vocal, and determined to make a difference, in our own lives, and in the greater world.

We are people first. We may be skinny, fat, gray-haired, or have dyed hair. We may be tall, short, ambitious, or inherently laid-back. We may be educated to a great degree, or we may have learned all that we needed to know, just by living a life and facing the daily challenges of doing so.

The television media sometimes portrays middle-aged women as being desperate to get a man, to the point that some are willing to scheme in any way possible to get one. Just watch a few episodes of “Desperate Housewives,” and you will see this theme repeated.

Other times, television shows present women characters who take their men for granted, hurling insults at them, and thinking nothing of doing that.

The truth of the matter is that no one can pigeonhole the “baby boomer” generation. We are somebody and we are nobody. We are achievers and we are ne’er do wells, and some of us are somewhere between the two extremes.

However, in looking around, it is very apparent that political leaders like Nancy Pelosi, and a would-be president, like Hillary Clinton, as well as other women who are so visible in the public eye, are all making the “stronger sex” sit up and take notice. And that, my friend, may not be such a bad thing.

Pat, still pondering what I want to be when I grow up

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Saturday, April 14th, 2007

Jim and I visited the Machine Quilters Expo in Manchester, NH today, at the Radisson Hotel on Elm Street. We have put together some information about the event, with a few photos, on our website.

The show hours tomorrow are 9-5, so if you’ve been thinking about seeing the show, I’d urge you to do so. In the meantime, we hope to have inspired you or tantalized you a bit with the images of quilts, or at the very least, provided a little bit of press coverage for this memorable affair.

We had a chance to see Linda McCuean’s award-winning wholecloth quilt in person, (the one that was featured on the “Today Show,” and we had the opportunity to visit a bit with some of our favorite vendors and some other very nice folks.

Enjoy the file!

Patricia

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Thursday, April 12th, 2007

In his poem,”The Waste Land,” T.S. Eliot wrote,

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As I look out of my window at 7:07 p.m., again I see snow-laden trees and wind-driven snow, a winter wonderland, indeed. In listening to the news (I should curtail that habit), I found out that even more snow is on the way, perhaps the biggest storm system of the season, scheduled for this weekend, by “The Powers that Be.”

A good book is always a friend on days when the weather is just too inclement to do much of anything outside. We huddle in our heated house, except when we generic viagra review have to go somewhere. Yes, winter is revisiting us in one last burst. Soon it will be May, and with any luck, there will be no snow in sight, at least for awhile.

In the meantime, we catch a glimpse of the lilacs bushes every now and then, just to ascertain whether or not the snow has broken off any more of their fragile spring branches. I can almost smell those Lilacs, in memory, their sweet, penetrating odor wafting upwards and entering the upper story, open window.

Yes, April is the cruelest month, but May is a time of celebration with Mother’s Day, quilt shows, flower planting, and Memorial Day. Right now, the earth is stirring and yawning and coming alive, and when this barrage of weather ends and the snow melts, we will see flowers again, and yes, I shall again be tempted to pick the posies in other people’s yards, although I promise you, I shall not succumb to the thought.

Think Spring!

Patricia

“So it goes.” – Kurt Vonnegut, (a great writer who passed away yesterday)

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Tuesday, April 10th, 2007

Last Sunday, I happened to watch a television show on our local broadcast station and the featured guests were leaders of the New Hampshire Girl Scouts. The Swift Water Council actually encompasses two counties of Vermont, too.

A program entitled “Operation Cookies,” allows those people who can resist the now transfat-free cookies, to support the Girl Scouts by ordering a case of cookies to be sent overseas to the military. The cost is just $42.00, and last year, 9,000 boxes were shipped to the troops. The organization now is offering cookies suitable for diabetics, as they are ever conscious of health issues.

More than ever, more Girl Scout volunteers are needed, whether or not one prefers to work directly with the girls, in activities, or in the office. In New Hampshire, the main office is located at 1 Commerce St. in Bedford, NH. Their toll-free number is: 1-800-654-1270. Please give them a call, if you’d like to help in any way.

Last month marked the 95th anniversary of the organization which started in 1912. The local members held a ceremony outside the State House to commemorate this milestone. For more information about the NH/VT chapter, please visit:

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Sunday, April 8th, 2007

1) will host a quilt show from May 11-13, 2007, Mother’s Day weekend. Suzanne Ash who owns the quilt shop in town, Country Treasures, has provided leadership for the past ten years, in planning this event,”Quilts Around Town.” For more information, call (802) 875-4377. We attended the show a few years ago and there is a file on our website about the experience. Please click on the link above to access that file.

2) will again transform the large open space at the Radisson Hotel in Manchester, NH into a wonderful display of large, machine-quilted masterpieces. The show will be open to the public from April 11-13. For all of the details, please visit their website by clicking on the link above.

3) The New Hampshire Institute of Art is featuring the photos of Carl Austin Hyatt, in an exhibit called, “First Light.” Hyatt’s work is being shown at the Amherst Gallery and Main Building Gallery, 148 Concord St., Manchester, NH. The opening reception is scheduled for April 12, 5-7 p.m., and the artist will talk about his photos on April 18, 7-8:30 p.m.- (603) 623-0313 A 48 page, limited edition, hardcover book with 41 images, is available to order by calling (603) 836-2510. The price is $45.

Gallery Hours are M-F, 9-5, and Saturday 9-Noon. All events are free of charge, handicapped accessible, and open to the public. For more information, contact

Patricia

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Saturday, April 7th, 2007

When I was growing up, Easter was all about getting a new dress with a puff skirt, and black patent leather shoes, and a new Easter bonnet. My mother would make pastel colored eggs, and there was a big TO DO over the Easter basket. As a spoiled-rotten kid, although I had to hunt for the basket, and my mother was pretty good at hiding it in places so obvious as to be overlooked, once I discovered the large basket, wrapped with colored cellophane, there would be enough jelly beans, marshmallow chicks, and chocolate bunnies to last until the 4th of July.

There was a greater significance to the holiday, though. Easter marked the end of a penitential time during which we “gave up something” for Lent, and ate no meat, only fish, in honor of Christ’s suffering and death on the cross. The altar at church was draped with the Color Purple, a color that I always now associate with penitence, and mourning for one’s own transgressions.

For Christians, Easter is a more important holiday than Christmas because it symbolizes man’s own chance at immortality, i.e. “everlasting life.”

One time, my late brother Steve and I were talking and he got onto his favorite subject of religion. He asked me various questions such as if I thought Jesus rose from the dead, performed miracles, and walked on water? His main question for me was “How generic viagra review is Your God?” He told me, “My God can do generic viagra review. He can do generic viagra review! How Big is Your God?”

I respect the rights of people to have their own personal beliefs. My own Austrian great-grandmother was Jewish. Today, other family members are Jewish. I am not. We each have to choose our own spiritual path, even if that means not following any particular religion, but having deep seated beliefs, nonetheless. Having faith is slightly different than having religion, although sometimes the two states co-exist.
This afternoon, I have recorded a Christian song,

For those of you who are Christians, Happy Easter! For those of you who have some other belief system, God Bless You. Indeed, may God in His infinite wisdom and mercy, bless us all.

Patricia

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Saturday, April 7th, 2007

For two years in a row, Tamara, my friend in Germany, has sent me a postcard quilt, about this time of year. Last year’s quilt features chicks, and the one she sent this year has the image of a church. They are both very lovely miniature works of art.

I hope that you will visit our web page that has just a small number of the photos that Tamara has sent me over the years. Jim just added a photo of these recent gifts. I am blessed to have talented and generous friends, and I am humbled by their kindness to me.

Tamara shares her love of quilting by teaching ladies how to quilt at a church nearby. As an emigrant from Ukraine to Germany, life has its challenges, but in spite of any adversities, Tamara’s artistry and dedication to making beautiful objects, shines clearly. I hope that you enjoy seeing her work as much as I enjoy showing it to you.

Other Announcements

I have made only one postcard quilt, in an inspired moment. I remember how much fun it was to create it, and I hope to make another sometime.

This morning, before we left for Rhode Island, I added two additional photos to part 3 of my “Sweetheart Pillows” article devoted to “Mother Pillows.” One of the photos is an exquisite image of a WWI pillow top, in a personal collection.

Our grandson, Patrick, was a little fussy today because he has teeth coming in already, at three months old. Jim took some photos, so I’m hoping the camera is not broken now, since I’m in a few of them.

The recent total snow accumulation for Concord, NH, on April 5, was nine inches. In Rhode Island, daffodils were seen blooming along the roadside, and lots of Canadian Geese were gathered around any waterway or puddle. Alas, back home tonight, there is still snow in our yard, but it is melting fast.

Have a terrific holiday weekend!

Pat

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Friday, April 6th, 2007

Jim and I spent the last six weeks, trekking downtown to the NH Historical Society building, every Thursday night, to hear lectures about writers who have, or have had, some connection to New Hampshire.

Authors discussed by presenters included Nathaniel Hawthorne, Sarah Josepha Hale, Grace Metalious, Jack Kerouac, Robert Frost, E.E. Cummings, Thorton Wilder, Willa Cather, Tasha Tudor, Hans and Margret Rey, The MacDowell Colony, and Howard Mansfield, (who appeared to discuss his own work.)

The chance to hear live presentations by those who are specialists in their knowledge of these writers was delightful. Some of the lecturers are poets and writers themselves, and some brought books with them to make available to class participants.

New Hampshire has been an enclave for artists and writers of all kinds, for many years. Maybe something about the lay of the land inspires us all. I was born here, but if I hadn’t been, I might think about moving to the state (not to give you any ideas, if you are not already a resident.)

The landscape of New Hampshire is quickly changing. There are no more cows to be seen grazing in the field, nor deer either, unless you happen to hit one on the interstate. New buildings and houses are popping up, where there once used to be fields. Trees, that collectively have taken thousands of years to grow, are being torn down so that luxury condos, townhouses, homes for the elderly and the poor, and other new construction can be built. Open space is at a premium.

If you enjoy thinking about architecture, geology, and history and how the landscape of New Hampshire has changed and is continuing to evolve, you would love to read any of Howard Mansfield’s books. He spices up his writings with a regular dose of humor such as his story about the man who asked a storekeeper, in a small New Hampshire town, where he keeps the Vermont maple syrup. The answer was, not surprisingly, “I have New Hampshire maple syrup. generic viagra review?” That seems to be Mansfield’s greater question – Do we really all know where we are, in time and place?
Delightful is the only word I can use to sum up the entire course. Wish you had been there!

Pat

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Thursday, April 5th, 2007

A gentle snow is falling, making everything white again under a rosy night sky. The color green had been reappearing in the Sweetheart Old-Fashioned rosebush that is a “climber.” Tonight, white icing, like frosting on a cake, clings to the old lilac bush that I see from my kitchen window, every time I stand and do the dishes (by hand.)

Spring snow storm in Concord, New Hampshire

Photo taken by James Cummings on April 5, 2007.

Just a few days ago, there were Downy Woodpeckers, looking for more suet in the suet feeder. Alas, it was empty, and with the promise of warmer weather, we had chosen to suspend our bird feeding, lest a bear be out of hibernation and hungry.

Just last week, as I previously reported, Jim had taken the snowblower off of the summer porch and had put it in the cellar. It would be nice to have a garage or outdoor shed to store it, but every year since we’ve owned the machine, Jim puts down a tarp to protect the hardwood floor on the porch, and hauls it in and out of the back door. He had gleefully put the braided rugs back down and rearranged the wicker furniture and had even washed the entire porch floor. We were convinced that there would be no more snow, but again, we were wrong.

We are promised 4″ to 8″ of the white stuff. For some reason, and I don’t know why, the old timers in New England always referred to snow as “poor man’s manure.” I’ll have to ask Jim the reason for that. I’m sure he must know.

In the meantime, I will be happy to enjoy a last?, dare I say, bit of winter. If the Robins aren’t confused by now, they should be. Hard to find good food before mud season when the earthworms move closer to the surface of the ground. Living in New England gives us something to talk about, during any lull in the conversation, or in passing the time with total strangers. Just thought I’d give you a snow update. In thinking of snow, I am reminded of Paula Nadelstern’s lovely quilts with snowflakes. Since I don’t have to shovel the snow, or go anywhere tomorrow, I will just look out my window and enjoy…

and count my blessings, one snowflake at a time.

Patricia

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