Had to post this photo of a herd of elephants we spied huddled under the tree during the hot part of the day...when we visited the Kruger Park....a long time ago. As spring finally seems to be coming...much warmer here since the weekend..... found this funny picture on computer of the Elephants hogging the shade tree! IT brings back good memories for me!Special thanks to the Pampa Texas quilt guild, your lovely quilt books arrived for the much appreciative Queenstown South African (Saturday strippers....as I call them) quilters. There is much excitement and anticipation by my fellow, "strippers". I picked up the books on Monday, thinking they were library books for my library, and when I saw they came from Pampa, realized they were from you wonderful ladies. I ran in quickly to a Monday night meeting at a fellow quilters house...( to give her money and the empty package of Bob's favorite saltine crackers...only available after a two hour drive...and she was going to said city on Tuesday...) and mentioned that the quilt books had arrived as a "pay it forward" gesture from you. There were several quilters present...and they got very excited about getting to peruse these new treasures. Thanks so much to you wonderful ladies. I am sure they will use them, pass them on to their maids ....several of whom have begun making their own quilts! So you are helping a community you can be sure. We also just finished a little girls quilt...with fairies on it, as a donation quilt to be raffled off for one of the local Old Age Homes. I am hoping to get some of the girls to do mile a minute quilts to donate to the local rape/trauma center for young girls here. There is a crisis room for children of crimes here...and several of my friends knit teddy bears to be given to the children who have to go through that area. Unfortunately there are too many of them. It is sad. There are also several street children being helped through a local church and the list goes on. We all recently made over 200 beanies, warm hats for the Illinge Childrens project...they are all aids orphans, and we have donated cloth to some of the local grannies to make up into bed throws. It is sad, but the Nun's who assist in this project actually collect opened lotions, soaps and shampoos, from several of my friends B&B's for these children. They explained to me that they can use just about anything. We found them a used tv and vcr to use during the after school /homework program ..... and then someone told me they had a bunch of good used towels..the nuns were thrilled to get those for the children. It seems that nothing ever goes to waste here....there is always someone who needs it! In fact the other day, I saw a man, with a toilet and a sink in a wheel barrow...walking over the bridge going to town. Who knows what he will do with it....but they are definitely into recycling. I so admire the things that they make from trash here..... I love it all. I think I will be much more aware of what we actaully need to be happy from now on. My list has gotten shorter as a result of living here that is for sure. I am still hoping to buy a little scooter to ride on when we come home....it makes so much sense for most of the year.... I am picturing myself riding on the thing....an old round granny with my hair blowing in the breeze, weaving in and out of traffic...heading to the fabric store..or craft shop...or grocery store....with my backpack to put my goodies in! I would buy one here....but finding parts might be a problem back home...so will wait until we return. I may have to sort some kind of umbrella hat...so I can ride it in the wet...but I am open to that. Told Bob, I'm not riding it in snow...but the rest of the seasons...I am up for it. Can't you just picture me doing it?????? Enjoy your day, hoping to sew....tomorrow...before I go to play cards with the girls... and after I get back from haircut....shame...Have to drive 2 hrs to get mine cut....EACH WAY.But haven't had it cut since late May, and it needs it! But did scrap several pages today with the girls....and made up chocolate chip cookies...used up all but one batchful of my hoarded chocolate chips. Don't know if I mentioned you can't get them here! Figured I will bring back a package or two when I return from stateside trip...along with Creamy Italian for Bob and chow mein noodles...another thing we can't live without! Unless one of the kids send us a couple of bags....Yikes...we are down to our last bag.... Bob must be eating them at night after I go to bed!
1 comment:
Hi Coleen, thanks for the lovely comment you left at the Orphan Train blog.
You know, all I need to keep doing what I am doing, is ONE sincere person like you! I really don't mind that people lurk rather than comment, so many of us, include me are basically shy. The site meter just lets me know someone has been there.
What I needed to know(I guess) is whether or not anyone shares this insanity I have of 'making do'..finding a purpose and use for things that others throw away..like my 5 children. And Ebony too!
I'm not a hero of any sort, it seems to be the mission that the Universe has assigned to me *VBS*
Don't get discouraged on your MAM blocks, they DO grow, even if slowly.
The quilt in the picture is a twin size..I think it took 15 or 16 rows of 12 blocks each. But it does let you use the tinest bits. I don't work the same way as the tutorial on Patti's blog. She takes a long strip and just adds pieces to it and then cuts them apart and does it again. I'm most likely to take TWO scraps of any size shape or form and sew them together, rather like loading the ark...LOL Two by Two by Two! Then I snip them apart and select another scrap and add that on to the first 2 I combined. You get some pretty strange shapes, and often a scrap may only end up showing a 1/2" or less.
Occasionally I add a longer or wider piece by the time I get to the outside. Or if I'm getting tired of it..LOL
Your Texas time will come eventually and you'll be reunited with all those lovely scraps again. In the meantime, you're doing fine with what you have..right? And I love that!! Hugs, Finn
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