Catching up

It's been a hot summer and autumn; no sign of relief in sight and we're still in a drought situation. We did have a bit of rain last week but could use a week of steady, constant rain. Pray God it will soon happen.

I went to the Field Day of the Past Festival and had a rollicking good time. They were lots of visitors but sales were unfortunate; the only thing selling was cold drinks and ice cream. It's always difficult for folks to consider woollens when the temps say nekkid. This was the first event I've used my 10x10 canopy and it provided welcome shade. Never again will I do a festival without shelter.I took time out to ride around the 50 acre grounds and sightsee. A gentleman sitting nearby asked, "do you ever have your photograph taken or are you always working?" I smiled and answered, "always working." He then asked for my camera and took this photo of me. I look quite the period, don't I, and my Grandmother's cameo pin adds an authentic touch.

Funny how people, men especially, would compliment me on my "costume". They seemed to think by-gone days means better days but hardly anyone realizes the main cause of female death was first by fire and secondly by childbirth. Women's dresses would burn when women got to close to the fire when cooking and, as dresses were, usually, cotton or linen, they would ignite and flame in mere moments.

Dave asked me one time, "when are you going to start making all our clothing?" My response, "just as soon as you start killing all our food."

Yep, we both laughed...let me tell you...the good old days are NOW! I seriously enjoy dressing up and playing "pioneer woman" but wouldn't trade even. I'm living the good life now and thank God every day. I met one dear, older woman who spent UNTOLD hours making this very beautiful queen sized Garden Path quilt. She's eighty-four and would like to sell this quilt; if anyone is interested, please let me know and I'll put you in touch.



Kat, my quilting guild friend, made the gorgeous Double Wedding Ring queen size quilt show below. She's selling this quilt which represents, perhaps, a thousand hours of work, maybe more. People see the price of quilts and think, "too much!" but how many people would work for $1 an hour? At least in the good ole USA.

This Turning Twenty quilt pattern in a double bed size, is for sale as well. Katherine and Donna worked together to make this quilt and it's made in a pleasing design of blues and yellows.

This coming weekend I'm headed to the National Folk Festival in Richmond, VA. I'm there as a guest of the Folklife Apprenticeship Program through the VA Humanities Foundation and will demonstrate spinning, knitting and the fiber arts. The Folk Festival is always a Very Fine Time and this is the third and final year in Richmond. Next year it will move somewhere else but, I understand, folks in Richmond have plans to host their own folk festival so it will continue.

Jon Lohman, Director of the Folklife Apprenticeship Program, has written In Good Keeping: Virginia's Folklife Apprenticeships with free lance photographer Morgan Miller. This coffee table sized book, published by the UVA Press showcases the first five years of the program and is resplendent with marvelous photographs of the various Masters and Apprentices.

On the home front...even though we've yet to see much cooler weather, the Canada Geese know it's time to move on. There are great flocks of them, wheeling across the sky, honking to each other and to those of us land bound below. Winter is coming and with it, hopefully, some moisture. I'm preparing to hunker down, as Daddy likes to say, and complete my preparations for winter. My winter projects are quilting, both for warmth and for art; working in my studio on a great new project I'm developing; making lots of comfort foods in the form of soups, stews and breads; finish reading the Bible. I try to read the Bible through every year and every year I learn something new and find it always a joy. Well, okay. Maybe those Old Testament geneology parts aren't a *total* joy but they are still interesting...sort of.
Blessings ~ family, always family ~ crisp Autumn days ~ festivals & the Folklife Apprenticeship Program & Jon ~ quilting ~ the good old days of NOW~ the strength to do the work He has set before us ~