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Saturday, June 30th, 2007

Rugosa Rose that was the root stock of Jackson and Perkins’ viagra free trial offer cultivar. photo by James Cummings

The other day, Jim walked around in our yard, taking a few photos. I have just edited five of those flower pictures to share with you. I have a simulated (paper) cross stitch Sampler in my collection that quotes these famous four lines:

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The Sampler, popularly sold in the late 1930s, speaks of the end that will come to all life, and does so in a poignant manner.

Bell Flower

photo by James Cummings

A song’s lyrics go like this: “The Bells of St. Mary’s, Oh, what will you give me?” I always think of that line, when I see Bell Flowers. We have them in Blue and in White, in the back yard. They grow wild and come back every year in areas that are not mowed.

Dyer's Chamomile

photo by James Cummings – Notice the red “bug.”

A lovely and prolific plant that quickly spreads out of control is “Dyer’s Chamomile.” I love its bright yellow color, a small piece of radiant light and cheer on a gloomy day.

Blue Salvia

photo by James Cummings

Another wildly growing and spreading plant in our front yard is Blue Salvia. The spikey blooms are really more violet than blue and are a nice counterpoint to the yellow flowers, as seen above, that compete for space.

Gloriosa Daisy

One last image for the day is a Gloriosa Daisy. These daisies come back every year and due to cross pollination, their colors are transformed each time they reappear. Years ago, Jim planted his first daisies of this type and they have not failed to come back annually.

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Patricia Cummings

Anyone have a recipe for Rose Hip tea? If so, would you share it?

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Saturday, June 30th, 2007

I have been very lucky to have known good and decent men during my entire lifetime, beginning with my father, and continuing with my husband and my son, all of whom were or are hardworking and honest as the day is long, not to mention loving. Having had these positive experiences with males, I have actually come to prefer their company. Why? They make a whole lot more sense than a lot of women I’ve known. While it may not be true in some cases, most men do not tend to engage in the pettiness that belies and defines the weaker sex. Men are not usually into the game playing, manipulation, and social posturing that some women engage in. I’ll say it again. Doggone it, I do like the opposite sex!

The other night, when we were at an event, and veterans and or active duty military members were asked to stand up, my heart swelled with pride when my husband took his rightful place among those standing. He has served his country and his community well, with his work, sometimes work that others would like to look down upon. All of it required personal dedication, strength, and bravery.

I am proud that he chooses to work in geriatric care now, where he is making a difference in the lives of the old people that he cares for: bathing them, turning them, lifting them, feeding them, assisting them to the bathroom, making sure they don’t fall, attending to their every personal need, in a gentle, caring manner, and also being present at their sacred hour of death.

Yes, the men I have known have had some depth of spirit and a willingness to help others. My dear son has given up his summer to teach Latino and Black inner city “kids” who need help with English, and who hope to attend college soon. This is not the first time he has worked with Latinos. He has taught English as a Second Language (as I did, to a more limited degree), and in all, has been teaching for a total of ten years now, seven of those years devoted to teaching English at the university level. I am so proud of him and all that he brings to Education, especially his lack of discrimination toward neither the affluent, spoiled brats that cross his path nor the poorest of the poor, minority population. This is called Integrity. This is called Service. This is called being selected for a Greater Purpose than oneself. This is called Making a Contribution.

Today, I shall see my grandson. He is a love and a total joy. I am so happy to have lived long enough to have known I had a grandson. Our days are numbered, and like the hairs on our head, only the Almighty knows how many there are.

My days are full, but they are ordered only by me. I am happy to work for myself and to do free-lance journalism. I have much left to do, God willing. I appreciate my loyal readers and my “virtual” students of needlework and quilting, who sometimes put up with reading my reflections on LIFE.

You’ve heard the expression, “Looking for just one good man”? I’ve got a few of them, and boy, am I lucky or what?

Patricia Cummings, who hopes to find the time to create and post a file of flowers from our garden, later today. Stay tuned. In the meantime, “Walk on the Sunny Side of Life.”

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Friday, June 29th, 2007

On June 28, 2007, we had the pleasure of hearing film maker, Ken Burns, speak at the Capitol Center for the Arts in Concord, NH. With an attentive and appreciate audience on hand, including veterans of World War II, and active duty and retired military members, Burns shared film clips from his new film, “The War.”

In all, the audience previewed about one hour’s footage from his new, seven part, 13.5 hour series about World War II, a film that was six years in the making. New Hampshire Public Television will begin running the series on September 23 at 8 p.m.

Burns explained some of his reasons for making the documentary. First of all, he was influenced by the example set by Tom Brokaw and his book, viagra free trial offer. He also realized that one thousand World War II veterans are dying every day in America. Time is running out to gather information from oral interviews. In addition, the wish to educate the current generation was a motivating factor after Burns found out that, in one survey, high school graduating seniors seemed to think that Americans and Germans fought on the same side, during the largest armed conflict of the twentieth century.

I came away from this event more mesmerized than ever before by this period of history. With an estimated 50-60 million casualties during the war, one wonders when “enough” killing and brutality will be “enough” for mankind. We continually become engaged in armed conflicts. Usually our youngest, our bravest, and our strongest are sacrificed. World War II has been referred to as a “necessary” war, and after seeing the film, you will begin to know why.

What an amazing experience!

Patricia Cummings

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Thursday, June 28th, 2007

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Call by Arnetts for End to Allegations Harmful to the Quilters of Gee’s Bend

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Lucinda Pettway quilt
One of three quilts belonging to Lucinda Pettway.
All photo edits by Patricia Cummings

viagra free trial offer – (Wednesday, June 27, 2007) – Gregory H. Hawley, of White, Arnold, Andrews, & Dowd P.C. of Birmingham, and Gary L. Coulter of Coulter & Associates of Athens, Georgia, co-counsel to William Arnett, Paul Arnett and Matt Arnett, art collectors and promoters of the Quilts of Gee’s Bend, held a press conference today (June 27, 2007) to set the record straight on recent allegations concerning the Quilts of Gee’s Bend.

During the press conference, which took place at 1:00 p.m. at the main conference room of the Birmingham Bar Association, 2021 2nd Avenue North, Birmingham, Alabama, Mr. Coulter and Mr. Hawley discussed the most recent lawsuit and the quilt at issue in that lawsuit, which were on display.
We called this conference to set the record straight about three quilts that are at issue in a lawsuit filed last Thursday (June 21, 2007) and that were the subject of a recent story in the Mobile newspaper. Plaintiff’s lawsuit makes some remarkable claims. First, the plaintiff claims that the quilts were made by her great-grandmother, a quilter in Gee’s Bend. Second, she claims that two of the quilts are more than 100 years old. Third, she claims that the quilts are “priceless,” stated attorneys Coulter and Hawley.

Lucinda Pettway quilt 3

Lucinda Pettway’s “Economy Quilt” valued at $100 – $250 by Julie Silber and dated 1950-1960. Called “Diamond in a Square” by Holly Anderson, and dated circa 1965.

Ten years ago, the Quilts of Gee’s Bend were a local craft that was unrecognized and largely unknown outside the Black Belt of Alabama. The story of Bill Arnett’s recognition of this local craft as significant art is well known. Through his efforts and the efforts of his son, Matt Arnett, these quilts have toured the nation and appeared in dozens of museums that have validated this as an important art form. Now that these quilts are well known – and some possess great value – it is important to protect the integrity of Gee’s Bend Quilts. To misrepresent the age of a Gee’s Bend Quilt, or the creator of a Gee’s Bend Quilt, is just as reprehensible as promoting a counterfeit as an original Picasso. Some of these allegations in these lawsuits undermine the good name and goodwill of the Quilts of Gee’s Bend, to the detriment of the quilt makers who earn a living through this art.

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Background

In early summer 2004, there were discussions regarding an exhibition and book about the legacy of Dinah Miller, a former Gee’s Bend resident, who, according to family history, came to Alabama from West Africa around 1859. Arlonzia Pettway, Dinah Miller’s great-granddaughter and one of the quilters of Gee’s Bend, asked Matt Arnett to accompany her to Mobile and Pritchard to visit some of her relatives who might have information to share. She also wanted Matt to look at quilts made by her relatives.

Arlonzia Pettway, Mary McCarthy, and Matt Arnett traveled to Mobile, and visited the home of Arlonzia’s sister, Lucastle Pettway. After looking at some quilt tops that she had made and meeting several other family members, the group traveled to the home of Lucastle’s daughter, Lucinda Pettway Franklin, who is the plaintiff in this lawsuit. Ms. Franklin showed the group several quilts, including one she claimed was made by her mother and two others that she claimed were made by her great-grandmother, Sally Miller. Matt Arnett inquired as to how she knew the origin of the two older quilts, and Ms. Franklin claimed an uncle had given her that information.

Although he believed the quilts to be from a time period after Ms. Miller’s death (July 11, 1943 – death certificate available upon request), Matt Arnett photographed the quilts and then he and Arlonzia asked if he could take the quilts to Atlanta for further study and to obtain conservation information. Ms. Franklin agreed to loan these quilts to Matt Arnett, and he took the quilts back with him to Atlanta, and they have been in his possession until today.

Upon returning to Atlanta, Matt Arnett compared the quilts with other quilts and determined that they were made in the 1950s or the early 1960s. Matt Arnett acknowledged that viagra free trial offer

He had the quilts verified by experts in the field, who also concluded that the quilts were made in the 1950s or 1960s. Matt Arnett was uncomfortable returning the quilts through the mail, and he expressed this concern to Ms. Franklin, as well as his desire to deliver the quilts to her in person. On several occasions, Ms. Franklin told Matt Arnett she was in no rush for the return of the quilts and that all she asked was that he care for them and keep them safe, which he has done.

Based on his consultation with various experts, Matt Arnett knew that the quilts’ origins were not as Ms. Franklin believed them to be. Although Matt Arnett had attempted to convey this to Ms. Franklin several times over the telephone, his attempts had been without success. In April 2007, Matt Arnett and Ms. Franklin had an e-mail dialogue related to scheduling the return of the quilts. Unfortunately, last Thursday, on the same day Matt Arnett e-mailed Ms. Franklin to arrange a weekend meeting to return the quilts, Ms. Franklin filed her lawsuit.

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Pinwheels Variation

“Pinwheel (variant)” quilt appraised at current market value for $250 – $450, by Julie Silber, certified quilt appraiser. Date: 1950-1960. Holly Anderson dated the same quilt, circa 1965.

The quilts presented at the press conference today are the three quilts that were given to Matt Arnett by Lucinda Pettway Franklin at her home. One of them is clearly of recent vintage, but two are older. These are the two that Ms. Franklin was interested in having Mr. Arnett investigate and authenticate the date of creation.

The quilts depicted in the photographs were taken at the time that Ms. Franklin lent these quilts to Mr. Arnett. Ms. McCarthy (who was present at the press conference today) has verified that these are the three quilts that they collected from the plaintiff.

Pinwheel Variation Quilt

We have had these quilts appraised by certified appraisers from Georgia and California. The Georgia appraiser, Holly Anderson, appraised the two older quilts as created in 1965. Julie Silber, an appraiser in Albion, California, dated one of the quilts as made between 1950 and 1960, with a value of $250 – $450. Ms. Silber appraised the second quilt as made between 1950 and 1960, and valued at $100 to $250. (Copies of these appraisals are available upon request.)

According to these evaluations, these quilts clearly cannot be 100 years old. Moreover, because these quilts were estimated to have been created in the 1950s or 1960s – and contain fabrics made in the 1950s – it is impossible to believe that they were made by Ms. Franklin’s grandmother, who died in 1943.

Finally, these experts in the field of fabric and quilts indicate that these quilts are worth, at most several hundred dollars. They are not “priceless” as plaintiff claims, or worth “$100,000,” as was reported in one newspaper story.

Because Ms. Franklin’s claims may have the effect of undermining the integrity and goodwill of Gee’s Bend Quilts, a motion was filed today by the Arnetts’ attorneys for the federal court to appoint its own expert in the field of quilts and fabrics so that these sensational allegations can stop before further damage is done.

When public confidence in the integrity of this art is undermined, the ultimate losers are the women of Gee’s Bend who create these quilts. When the integrity is called into question, art galleries are less likely to represent the women and their quilts. Art museums are less inclined to promote tours of the quilts. Ultimately, the value of these art forms could decline and the demand for them will diminish. This is to the detriment of everyone involved with Gee’s Bend Quilts.

###

Press Release sent to Quilter’s Muse Publications:
by Dindy Yokel,
(305) 632-4455,

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Wednesday, June 27th, 2007

What exactly does the word “primitive” mean? Today, we have a relatively new embroidery style that folks are calling “primitive.” This embroidery genre is based on simple line drawings of angels, pumpkins, houses, fences, and other “folksy” designs, all drawn to give a purposely unschooled look. There is nothing fancy about the work. It is often worked on tea-dyed fabric and executed with straight lines or outline stitch. The idea of “primitive” motifs has led me to think about the term, as it applies to ancient people and their art.

First, the work of prehistoric, Paleolithic man comes to mind, as seen in the images that were painted, incised, or sculpted onto the walls of a cave in Altamira, Spain. The most famous of the figures, perhaps, is a wounded bison that has fallen to the ground.

Cave paintings are a reflection of the culture that created them. Nor is that cave in Spain the only one to feature “art.” One lesser known cave in Spain depicts the processes of procreation and reflects an early understanding of biological actions and results. A cave in Lascaux, France also feature painted animals. Some art historians have considered the hunting scenes of early cave paintings to have been used as a good luck omen to cast a magical spell on the good fortunes of the hunt.

Another group, North American Indian “artists,” has now, mysteriously, disappeared. Once a thriving population, the Anasazi Indians of the Four Corners region of the U.S., were an advanced, sophisticated, and savvy group. Their ruins are a place that still calls many visitors to the southwest, each year. On rocks, the Anasazi etched “petroglyphs,” still studied by artists and archaeologists.

A third group of “primitive” people were the Mayans. They also had a very advanced culture. Please read the entry under “Art Discoveries,” on this blog, that describes how a professor from the University of New Hampshire discovered some new “finds,” not too long ago.

People have always found art to be pleasing, hopeful, satisfying, expressive, a good luck omen, spiritual, magical, reflective, and many other words we could use to describe what we generally just call “art.” The lesson to be learned, in this discussion, is that there really is “nothing new under the sun,” as is stated in the Bible. As long as there are people, I predict that many of those individuals will continue to want to create “art,” for its own sake. Primitive Art, in general, gives us a window into the creative processes of the human mind and its expression in art from times passed.
Patricia Cummings

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Tuesday, June 26th, 2007

Press Release
July 1, 2007
Susan Plump

viagra free trial offer…Billings Farm & Museum, gateway to Vermont’s rural heritage, will host its viagra free trial offer from August 4 – September 23. Extended through late September this year, the exhibit will feature more than 50 quilts made by today’s quilters of Windsor County, plus quilting activities and demonstrations for all ages.

A variety of challenge quilts will also be exhibited. viagra free trial offer, using blue and green fabrics, is the theme of viagra free trial offer viagra free trial offer challenge. A challenge requires certain design and construction rules agreed upon by the guild members to increase their quilting skills, while they enjoy comparing results. There will be two quilting bees held by Upper Valley quilting guilds during the Quilt Exhibition.

Quilts have been a part of American rural life for over 300 years. They are colorful testimony to the fact that farm life, while sometimes austere, held celebration. The women who settled in Vermont during the late 18th century brought with them the hand skills, thrift, imagination, and traditional designs which would develop into a peculiarly American art form: the patchwork quilt.

Today’s Vermont quilters carry on a continuing and evolving tradition. Much of the contemporary work of Windsor County quilters is composed of patterns handed down from earlier generations and executed by hand; some adapt the traditional craft to more modern expressions and materials. All require skill, patience, and imagination.

Admission to Billings farm & Museum’s 21st Annual Quilt Exhibition includes the working dairy farm, orientation and farm life exhibits, the restored and furnished 1890 Farm House, plus daily programs and activities.

The Billings Farm & Museum is owned and operated by The Woodstock Foundation Inc., a charitable non-profit institution founded by Mary French and Laurance Spelman Rockefeller. For further information: (802) 457-2355 or www.billingsfarm.org

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Monday, June 25th, 2007

The phenomena has always been with us. We have the artists, and we have the art critics. We have the quilters, and we have the art quilters (never the twain shall meet, according to some). Then, we have the quilt historians, who attempt to assess quilts and place them within a context. Many of those individuals are NOT quilters, or have made only a feeble stab at learning to quilt. In summary, there are those who do the actual work of creating something, (quilts), for others to either appreciate, or to denigrate, as suits them.

When is a quilt to be considered art? “Art is in the eye of the beholder,” or so it is said. However, “art” is also in the intention of the quilter.

Today, many people, especially baby-boomers who have wanted a change of direction in their lives, have left former occupations, for both medical and mental health reasons. They have sought creative outlets, and they have found that quilting is a good venue for self-expression. Quilting can garner a few sheckles, too, besides getting these folks noticed via various showings of their work in galleries, etc.

Today’s “so-called” art quilters approach quilting from varying viewpoints, and on a number of levels, but usually need a quick turn-around time for finishing a piece because they want to sell it. This sometimes results in poor workmanship. Mostly, it seems that people who tag themselves with the name of “art quilter” do not often take the time to solidly learn the basics of traditionally acceptable quilting practices. Their goal is mainly to express themselves.

One cannot generalize about a large group of people, with any certainty, but it does appear that they engage in quilting as a way to share their feelings about life’s challenges, disappointments, joys, discoveries, as well as their angst and anger at situations in which they have been victimized: incest, partner abuse, and more. No one shoe will fit all, and I am sure that no person, art quilter or not, would like to be summarily lumped into a category. Above all, they are individuals.

Each person has his/her own reason for making a quilt.

Personally, I am both an artist and a crafter. My early experiences were as an oil painter and needleworker. My formal art training is in art history, not studio art. My certification is as a “master craftsman in quilting.” That means that I learned how to do all types of quilting and embroidery and was able to prove my proficiency in quilting techniques by passing a series of tests. I am happy that I signed up for the national testing program, and I am happy that I now know how to do many needlework techniques, as a result of the motivation the program instilled in me, to learn on my own.

When I made a baby quilt recently, I considered myself a technician, a “crafter,” not because I used anyone else’s design but rather because of the simplicity of the design, (squares), and because I chose to quickly finish the quilt by machine quilting it.

On the other hand, when I design every facet of a quilt, from my own imagination, choosing the shapes, the colors, and the choice of materials, such as I did when I made a wall quilt titled, “On Windy Whispers,” then I consider myself to be quite “artistic,” and furthermore, I think of myself as an “artist.” At that point, it matters not what anyone else thinks of my completed work.

On Windy Whispers wall quilt made by Patricia Cummings, and inspired by a song

“On Windy Whispers” designed by Pat Cummings

I tend to think of ugly quilts as non-artistic. They show a lack of understanding of how color concepts work. When I see a quilt that is poorly pieced, or poorly quilted, I think – “What a shame that the quilter didn’t know better.” However, I have met quilters who have told me that they slap their quilts together and don’t give a care – the quilts are just made for warmth and that is that.

From what I have seen of antique quilts, I have to guess that an idea like that was more prevalent than we might realize because when we look at old quilts in books and magazines, we are viewing the pristine ones, still in fine condition. We are not seeing the ones with the mice holes, the stains, and the chewed up corners from when the dog was having a tizzy from being left alone.

This is a weighty subject, and also one that many people will continue to think about in light of the current Gee’s Bend quilt issues. Are those quilts truly art, or are they craft? I could go on and on because I am so heavily involved in quilting, as both a hobbyist and as a professional. However, your opinion is as good as mine. The important thing is that we all continue to think.
Pat

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Monday, June 25th, 2007

The latest news coming out of Alabama is that yet another lawsuit has been filed, this one on behalf of Lucinda Pettway Franklin who is suing Matt Arnett, Gee’s Bend quilts promoter, saying that he took two valuable family quilts, made by slave ancestors, that are worth “as much as $100,000″ each.

If the quilt(s) did exist, or still currently exist, it seems that they should have a stronger sentimental value than a monetary one. At best, appraisal values are subjective and arbitrary, and values are based on the intrinsic quality of the quilt, its materials and condition, who made it, if it’s been published, and comparisons to “sold” price values within any given geographical area. As I have said before, the bottom line is this: A quilt is worth only as much as someone else will pay for it.

Stating that one “thinks” that a quilt is worth a million dollars will not make it so. To exclaim that one has/had an irreplaceable family heirloom is more likely a true statement, but of course that won’t get a huge money settlement in a court of law. Money, here, seems to be the name of the game.

According to the online Press-Register of June 23, 2007, in a story filed by Ben Raines, Staff Reporter, Arnett alternatively told Franklin that the quilts were burnt up in a fire, were on his desk ready to mail to her, were accidentally thrown away, or were lost in a flood.

Someone is being dishonest. Pardon me, but it seems as though someone is engaging in gradations of “untruths.”

The Brass Ring Has Tarnished

From the get-go, the general public cozied up to the idea of celebrating the quilts found in the remote and very impoverished area of Gee’s Bend, Alabama, a town with one main road, in and out, that was not even paved until 1967.

The quilts were given exhibit space at major museum venues in the U.S., including the prestigious Whitney Museum in New York City, thanks to the advocacy and marketing skills of Matt Arnett and his father, William Arnett. The quilters themselves were flown in to attend the gala openings at museums around the country, and by all accounts, they were happy to greet lines of people, sign the various books that have been written about Gee’s Bend Quilts, and talk about their work to “patrons of the arts.”

In recent weeks, the joy of discovery and promotion seems to have dissolved as one lawsuit against the Arnetts has followed another, generated by certain Gee’s Bend quilters. One of the allegations is that the Arnetts broke copyright law in licensing derivative products that contain images of the quilts. Some legal paperwork had been signed by the quilters, however, after the fact, they claimed that since they are illiterate, they did not know what they were signing.

The question remains as to who, if anyone, has been exploited. One figure cited is that the quilters were paid one million dollars for their quilts from money provided by Jane Fonda. I have no way of knowing if that is true, at the moment.

Divisiveness is occurring between the Gee’s Bend quilters. They are reportedly squabbling among themselves over these lawsuits. I would have to wonder if, in the end, the money they gained from their experience did them any good whatsoever, and I also have to wonder if fighting for more money from the Arnetts will help viagra free trial offer of the quilters, or their community. It seems that the naivete that made their work so appealing in the first place, has been lost to the Money God.

While the debate is ongoing in certain circles in the quilt world, as to whether or not these quilters really produced “art,” or if we should better call what they did and do a “craft,” this whole situation leaves a bad taste in one’s mouth. For some reason, there is something that just doesn’t seem right about what is going on. I know none of the parties involved, nor am I affiliated with them, and I wish everyone well, knowing full well that in any lawsuit, somebody loses. In this case, in my humble opinion, everyone loses, and that loss will not just be money, but intangibles such as respect, pride, and a sense of well-being.

The attention given these quilts was supposed to have helped to increase the affluence of this little Black community that is dirt poor. Instead, and in spite of some people’s denial of this, there appears to be a certain kind of racism going on, but it is not what you think.

It is a reverse racism in which personal responsibility in signing legal documents is supposed to be overlooked under the guise of, “Oh, well, they are poor and stupid and easily taken advantage of by some slick business person.” As much as we’d like to deny it, racism is alive and well in the South, only this time, “Massa” is the man in the flannel shirt, with the deep pockets.

We do not have all the facts yet. We shall eagerly await the judgment of the courts, on these matters.

Your comments are welcome.

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Sunday, June 24th, 2007

Quince Bush at the Cummings' residence

One of our non-pushy plants, a Flowering Quince.
photo by James Cummings/ photo edit by Pat

All I can safely tell you is that our garden areas used to be more organized, or so it seemed. Sometimes, we have made some mistakes, albeit lovely mistakes. One year, we planted Coreopsis, a beautiful, Daisy-like, all-yellow flower. They took over our entire front side yard.

We wanted a different look, so Jim created a garden with bricked pathways, loaded with bark mulch for walking paths. That was a good idea…while it lasted. You see, he was given the gift of Strawberry plants that were to be planted in a high tech plastic bag, to hang. The result was that the plants at the bottom got soaked to death and the ones at the top were barely surviving, so Jim transplanted them. They simply LOVED the area and have now spread as an endless ground cover, spewing over and into the walking paths.

The Tiger Lilies are another affair. There were some of these growing by the fence under a Mulberry tree. The tree was getting dangerous, with heavy branches falling off into our yard and the neighbor’s yard, with each passing storm. So it was cut down, no longer shading the Lilies. We discovered that Lilies LOVE sun. They proliferated and grew taller than ever, and yes, Jim had moved a few of them into the new garden area where they now grow as tall as Sunflowers. Ok, I do exaggerate…but only a little!

Another pushy plant is Blue Salvia. These are a tall variety and spread like wildfire. They are showy when they bloom, but they just “take over!” They overgrew an area where previously there had been Echinacea.

Right now, Purslane weeds are crowding out the carrot seedlings, in the vegetable patch. We will have to replant some seeds, soon. Perennial Sweet Pea plants, are spreading across the yard, and in one case, fighting with the Rugosa Rose neighbors for space. I could go on and on with my descriptions of the territorial warfare going on, right under my nose, in my own yard. Raspberry bushes have invaded the Siberian Iris patch. With all the rain, we simply have not done as much weeding as we normally do. Unwanted grass has turned into strands of hay before our very eyes. Things have gotten ahead of us, but the plants are happy, waging their own little games of warfare.

And, so it goes. These perennial plants will grow here long after I’m six feet under. That is unless this house is turned into an office building for lawyers who then will pave the yard for a parking lot. Suffer the thought! I can’t think about that for too long a time! Guess I’ll go take a walk in the garden and “smell the roses,” while I ponder the similarities between all growing species. :-)
Pat

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Saturday, June 23rd, 2007

Charlotte Croft has sent us a very pretty photo of Caspian Lake which is located in the Northeast Kingdom of Vermont. This would be great image for an oil painter to try to recreate. See the reflection of the clouds in the water? Lovely! Wish we were there, too!

Caspian Lake

photo by Charlotte Croft

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Friday, June 22nd, 2007

An article of mine, “Gunboat Quilts: Fundraisers for the Confederacy” has just been published in viagra free trial offer, a print publication that is sent to subscribers bimonthly. To round out the article, Barbara Brackman provided six photos of Civil War quilts which add much color and interest. My article is on pages 25-28.

Before receiving a comp. copy today, I had never seen this magazine. Other topics covered include nineteenth century needlework, food articles, tips on buying online, and other worthy subjects. The magazine is intended primarily for Civil War Re-enactors. Their phone number to call in orders is 1-800-624-0281. The e-mail is:

Patricia Cummings

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Friday, June 22nd, 2007

June 21,2007: The summer solstice gave us a thunderstorm, and after the storm, a double rainbow arching over the old fire station tower in West Concord, NH.

Double rainbow in West Concord NH

photo taken by James Cummings, view from our upstairs window
There are various songs about rainbows, my favorite being “The Rainbow Connection,” from the Muppet Movie. The song was written by Paul Williams and Kenny Ascher, “Some day we’ll find it the rainbow connection, the lovers, the dreamers, and me.”

Of course, we have the now classic song, “Somewhere Over the Rainbow,” immortalized by child star, Judy Garland. That song was written by E.Y Harburg, and the music was composed by Harold Arlen. “Somewhere over the rainbow, bluebirds fly…..If happy little bluebirds fly beyond the rainbow, why, oh, why can’t I?”

I can count on three fingers the number of times I’ve seen a so-called “double rainbow.” Those who care to be more specific will tell you that such a thing does not exist. One arc is a reflection of the other. I’m not that technically-minded. I just enjoy the beauty. Man can send a man to the moon. Man cannot manufacture a rainbow of the same magnitude as God’s own.

Wishing you rainbows,

Pat

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Tuesday, June 19th, 2007

On June 28, 2007, one of New Hampshire’s finest, Walpole native and film maker, Ken Burns, will be on hand at the Capitol Center for the Arts in Concord, New Hampshire. He will be answering questions after the audience has had a chance to preview his new documentary series about World War II, titled simply, “The War.”

Interviewed several weeks ago on our local PBS station, Burns reports that the two words, “The War,” are all that are needed to describe World War II, the biggest and most devastating conflict of the twentieth century. Over the years, Burns has provided many quality documentary films, not the least of which was his coverage of the Shakers, and his dynamic Civil War series.

The event is free to the public and doors open at 6:15 p.m. Among honored guests is the newly-appointed director of the Wright Museum, Mark Foynes. The Wright Museum tells the story of the Home Front during WWII, through educational exhibits and artifacts. They have the largest fleet of working vehicles from the war, and a special exhibit, often. If you are in the area, plan on also taking a trek “up the road” to the Wright Museum in Wolfeboro, NH. More information is on our website.

Pat

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Monday, June 18th, 2007

Well, folks, last week, we brought you news of a Blue Lobster. This week, a friend in Florida, who visited the Palm Beach Zoo, reports that the zoo now owns “Mardi” from Louisiana, a nine foot long, white alligator.

The following photo was sent to us by Terri Chevalier. She has lots of experience with alligators. They periodically show up in her backyard. A “favorite” one was dubbed “George.” Now, I don’t want to read any political intent into the name. A lot of people have been called “George,” including George Washington, and also my great nephew. Luckily, “George, the Alligator,” finally went away.

Here is “Mardi,” the white alligator:

Mardi, the White Alligator

photo by Terri Chevalier

Thanks, Terri!

Pat

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Sunday, June 17th, 2007

My friend, Gloria, just sent a wonderful photo of a quilt that she made to give to an exchange student who is returning to his country of Denmark. The picture is posted on the front page of my website. Gloria loves paper piecing. Enjoy the view!

Pat

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