my winter smphony

To live content with small means;
to seek elegance,
rather than luxury,
and refinement,
rather than fashion;
to be worthy, not respectable,
and wealthy, not rich;
to study hard, think quietly,
talk gently, act frankly;
to listen to stars and birds,
to babes and sages,
with an open heart;
to bear all cheerfully,
do all bravely,
await occasions, hurry never.
In a word, to let the spiritual,
unbidden, and unconscious
grow up through the commonplace.

This is to be my symphony.

William Henry Channing

It seems like I have been on the road for this whole month. And the worst thing about being on the road is to be sick on the road. Why is it that the most wonderful bed and the finests linens in the world are no comfort compared to ones own bed at times like these.

A couple of days after I arrived home the snows came,and a get well card arrived in the mail with those lovely words from William Henry Channing hand written in them. My own bed, family, friends and inspiration. That is my symphony.

fabric is like rabbits

Eileen asked where was my New Year's post. Too much going on I guess. I have taken the New Year's plunge to bust that stash. Kim posted from Jennifer Chiaverini's new book The New Year's Quilt that '"Some people don't have your self-discipline," said Sylvia, smiling. "Some people need an important occasion to herald a time for change."' Well, I certainly have no self-discipline.

My sewing room is not quite in the condition of some others. One lady commented on my Yahoo group that she had to walk into hers sideways. LOL. But mine is close.

I have spent most of the past ten years working temporarily all over the country. I would take my sewing machine, basic quilting supplies and not much fabric because I already had so much. Who do I think I was fooling. I would get to a new place, visit the local quilt shop and buy a few things to make a quilt while I was there and a little extra. Well, the quilt never got made, the little extra never got used and it came back home and was stored.

Once I got a sewing room, I unpacked all of the fabric, cutting mats into one place and was overwhelmed at how much I have. Maybe fabric is like rabbits and just multiplies all over the place when we are not looking. I have already posted about my UFOs but that is pieces. Fabric is yardage and I have the yardage. I would take a picture, but my camera battery has fiven up the rechargable ghost.

So I am joining Judy Laquidara's challenge. I don't know if I will be able to post every Sunday in January. This is one of the month's I will be gone more than I am here but I have made the commitment. And keeping my word is very important.

I am off to Colorado Sunday but hope to post before then about a wonderful memory about my grandmother's and mother's hand quilting that came back to me as a result of a question from another quilter.

I hope you have a warm, safe day. We are projected to get two to five feet of snow in the next three days and wind gust to 50 miles per hour.

Mary