Me, Myself and Memories

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  Noreen 2:07 am on August 27, 2013 Permalink  

  Closer to Closure 

  Back in March of 2013 I posted in the “sewing projects” portion of my blog this entry:

  

  The original work of Grandma Laura

  

  My Grandmother: Laura Wendlandt

  “Here I am working with my Grandmother Laura Wendlandt’s (my father’s mother) handiwork from the mid 1960’s. This work of butterflies was done on grandma’s treadle sewing machine. The stitches are so small and tight. In today’s world and with today’s sewing machines when we are finished with a seam we do a back stitch to secure the tread from unraveling. In the blocks of pink butterflies the black thread is hand knotted on the back side to prevent them from becoming undone. All of the pink fabrics have been turned under so no raw material can show. I cannot imagine the hours her arthritic fingers spent securing the fabric and then sewing around each pattern. I have not quite decided how to work with it, but I do know that all of her handiwork will not be in vain. Sometime in the future there will be an update of a portion of these blocks. Just don’t hold your breath.”

  

  Colors Were Chosen

  Now as the fall of 2013 is right here at my doorstep I can let you know the breath no longer needs to be held and mostly it was my own. I left the butterflies lie on my work table and every day since March determined that they would not go back into the cedar chest. When I went downstairs they would beckon me as if to ask me to please make them useful. I thought about every color I could think of and decided on nothing. What to do with so much pink? Not knowing where the finished quilt would end up I wanted to keep as many options open as possible. I felt the butterflies should be surrounded by as much color as they would be if they were flying free. The first task was to totally cut all of Grandma’s blocks apart. Initially I thought it was a total of 82 but as I cut and stacked, lo and behold I had 99. I did have to cut them apart as the stitches were too tiny, and too many for my arthritic fingers to undo all that had been sewn.

  

  Colors to Surround the Butterflies

  I did have one night when sleep would not come as I ruminated. I wanted to lay this 50 plus year project to bed, making sure to give Grandma Laura’s work the accolades it deserved. For several days I pulled fabric out of my stashes and laid them next to the blocks to see what tripped my trigger. Putting down four different prints and picking up three of them as it just didn’t seem to be the right fit. It was harder than I had ever envisioned. Once the work table was full of chosen selected fabric I promised myself “no more second guesses.” From that point on it was cutting the fabric and setting nine blocks aside to make a larger block from the nine blocks.

  

  The Prepared Quilt Top

  August 23rd, 2013: It was time for a photo shoot on the north wall of the garage. There was just no way of getting around it. I needed proof via a photo that we were gaining on Grandma Laura’s butterflies. I have an appointment at the Old Alley Quilt Shop in Sherburn, Minnesota, to have the top joined to batting and backing and quilted with Sharon’s long arm sewing machine. Hand stitching/quilting a king sized project is just not in my capabilities. The sad news is that Sharon is booked up until December. That will work as I have waited all these years to put some closure on this project, so a few more months can’t hurt. I just can’t express how happy and relieved I feel that Grandma’s Butterflies have been released from storage and will fly for many years giving someone comfort as they snuggle under them. The king sized quilt used 81 of the 99 blocks. The remaining 18 blocks have been used in two smaller wall hangings with which to surprise someone when they least expect it to have a reminder of this grand lady.

  As I had posted on August 25th, I desperately needed to give the sewing room a clean up. Thread, scraps, lint and a couple of forgotten empty coffee cups needed to have some TLC. It looks so nice and clean down there I need to just step back and enjoy the view before the next project, aka: mayhem, takes over.

   
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  Noreen 3:38 am on August 26, 2013 Permalink  

  Hello world,
  I took some time off yesterday to regroup in the sewing and craft room. The floors are free of scraps, thread and lint and Dennis even cleaned and oiled the sewing machine. Today we traveled to the metro to see daughter Carrie and her family. Carrie went through a huge surgery to repair a torn labrum muscle as well as remove a cyst that had nestled itself deep within that and was beginning to calcify. It felt good to check in on her recovery. We were able to make plans for Megan and Nicholas to come for one last summer visit the last part of next week. I must say it is good to be back home this afternoon as the temps are dangerously high to be out on the highways. Take care and stay comfortable. It’s not too late for me to enjoy a cup of cold coffee this afternoon.

   
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  Noreen 7:28 am on August 24, 2013 Permalink  

  Lots of errands today in the big city of Mankato. I don’t think I could do Minneapolis shopping as I did many times in the past. Possibly my needs are less. Possibly it’s not always greener on the other side of the fence. Time to put the feet up and see what the mail has brought. More than likely the recycling bin will get most of it. Catch ya later.

   
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  Noreen 5:08 am on August 23, 2013 Permalink  

  State Fair Time 

  

  Lena’s Purchase at the Minnesota State Fair

  Today I took in all the hot spots at the Minnesota State Fair – via the news coverage.  I would have totally wore out my shoes if I had covered all the events in person compared to a close and personal view with the news cameras.  I did get into the spirit of fair food goodies by using my old garden butcher knife slicing open a cantaloupe and handing off a spoon for Dennis and one for me.  Yup, right there in the backyard we enjoyed the juicy sticky treat.

  During the Farmer’s Market season I am reminded on a regular basis of the best buy my Mom ever made at the Minnesota State Fair.  In today’s kitchen gadget world it is called a Mandolin.  In the early 1950s it was called a food slicer.  For decades my Mom used this as a main stay in her kitchen.  I was very happy to add this little workhorse to my kitchen. Dennis has sharpened the blade several times and it does wonders on carrots, potatoes, cucumber and onions.  The only thing it does not do is protect the user from the flood of tears when doing onions.  The notches that set and regulate the thickness of the slices have been worn smooth over the years but a little pressure of the left hand while the right hand whips the produce through makes for saving a lot of time compared to hand slicing. This for sure is one of my favorite things.

   
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  Noreen 3:50 am on August 22, 2013 Permalink  

  Slim Pickings to Protect 

  

  The Story of Farming Days Gone By

  I almost feel as if a glacier covered our backyard this last winter. The last winter rains came when temps were warm, followed by bitter cold.  Our flower gardens did not fare very well.  In visiting with other perennial gardeners the consensus was the same: winter kill.  I am enjoying what did come up and will wait until the spring of 2014 before I raid a garden nursery for replanting.  This year is a year of being content with what I have.

  Garden art is more fun than decorating within the home.  The fact that dusting is not required tells the whole story. This particular piece of garden art just drew me in.  It speaks volumes of times past.  Hats off to the home welder that saw resources in someone’s junk pile. Though there was not a lot for this garden sentinel to protect this year as evident of all the bare dirt around him, I know he will be primed to be on board next spring after spending all winter in the potting shed.

   
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  Noreen 2:41 am on August 21, 2013 Permalink  

  Not up to much today. The air is heavy with temps stretching into the higher 80s. A trip to the farmer’s market and we are stocked with cucumbers, tomatoes, cantaloupe and green beans. We are so thankful that the market is here three times a week with wonderful bounty. Our yard being 90% shade really doesn’t make for a great vegetable garden. Dennis is tending to some tomato and cucumber plants but it looks doubtful. Most of my day has been in the sewing corner of the basement. Catch ya later.

   
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  Noreen 5:37 am on August 20, 2013 Permalink  

  How Much is Too Much of an Increase? 

  

  Labels Tell the Whole Story

  Today the humidity rose as much as the outside temps and I did not hesitate to find my way into the basement sewing area. Doing some multi-colored patch work quilting is a good way to use up spools of thread that were purchased for specific color-matched items.  It may have been a ripped seam or hemming up a pair of pants or skirt and the amount of thread taken off the spool didn’t make a dent in the 250 yards that a spool contains.

  The spools that reflect their cost each held the same amount of thread: 250 yards.  Each spool was also polyester thread.  I know I am getting up there in age, but to be honest, I doubt that the older spool that were listed for “5 for $1.00” that sold in Woolworths could be too old as the core is compressed foam and no longer the wooden type.  I was taken aback when I reached for an unopened spool from my stash and took the time to see the price.  From $.20 per spool to $2.65 per spool tells me why it is no longer cost effective to sew clothing for the family as all other sewing aids and materials have also soared in price.  This is indeed inflation to the max.

   
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  Noreen 6:48 am on August 19, 2013 Permalink  

  Cousin Reunion in Brownton 

  Oh my gosh, my jaws are weary.  This was the grandchildren of Laura and Christ Wendlandt.  There were fourteen out of the twenty seven originals, some attended with spouses, some with grandchildren.    Over time four have passed away.  The oldest living is seventy five and the youngest being forty five.

  

  Aunt Janet Alsleben and Uncle Kenneth Wendlandt

  Aunt Janet is 79 and Uncle Kenneth is 81.  Two of the original nine remain.

  Aunt Janet had to share with me a story of a time when Christ’s boys worked together during harvest as the machinery was co-owned.  It was harvest time and Dad was absent from our farm from morning to night.  Aunt Janet at age 12 came to stay with my Mom and Dad to help take care of my sister (age 8) and me (age 2) while Mom totally had to do the livestock chores and the dairy milking.  At that time the cows were all milked by hand.  In 1946 there was no electricity on that rental farm. Out of the blue Aunt Janet noticed I had stuck a kernel of corn up my nose.  She panicked as she had no way to know how to work with a toddler that would do nothing but squirm when help was offered.

  Eventually Aunt Janet had to take me down to the dairy barn knowing that Mom would know better than her how to handle this.  By this time I was crying.  Janet said that without missing a beat Mom took the safety pin that was holding up the strap on my romper, pinched my nose very tight above where the corn kernel was – just as if she had to do this on a daily basis – with the pin opened she snagged the kernel with the pointed tip.  Mom went back to stripping the utters on the cows and Janet took a crying toddler back to the house.  Knowing how much mischief I did get into as I child I don’t doubt one bit that on a daily basis I gave my Mom grief.  Janet remembered it as if it were yesterday.  Janet never did have any children.  Maybe I scarred her for life.

  This entire day was spent with many stories of “do you remember when.”  We all agreed that we need to get together again as this was just an awesome time of family.

   
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  Noreen 4:47 am on August 18, 2013 Permalink  

  No Grass Growing Under These Feet 

  I am known to sleep until 8 a.m. and then begin enjoying the day.  This morning I was wide awake before seven and when the feet hit the floor it was all systems go.

  

  Good Eats on Stauffer

  I think it began yesterday when I went to the grocery store and they were literally giving away ripe bananas. I have never seen a grocery cart – top and bottom filled to the brim.  Before I went to bed I had a banana bread recipe laid out.  All during the night of sleep I must have been formulating the plan for today.  By 8:30 the kitchen was filled with good smells as the bread was cooling on the wire rack.  Another pot of coffee was finishing up and that was my cue to take a fresh cup and enjoy the patio before I rolled into making a cold salad for a family gathering tomorrow.  Oh course the batch ended up being large enough for Dennis to sample some this evening for supper.

  It is the year for weddings in our distant families and there can be no wedding without a bridal shower.  It does get to be a challenge for a shower gift when you know that within the month a wedding gift will also be needed.  I went and made nice this afternoon but did hurry home to help Dennis with the yard mowing.

  My job is the push mower and trimming and I must say the yards look good enough to stay home and pretend we are at a resort.  What more could we ask?  A comfortable bed with a familiar bathroom and the food is always exceptional.  As busy as this day was, no grass had a chance to grow under my feet but I managed to accumulate quite a bit of it on my clothes, in my hair and of course the eye glasses really got splattered from the weed whip.  This was a great day.

   
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  Noreen 3:29 am on August 17, 2013 Permalink  

  The Lull of Early Fall Weather 

  Here it is a Friday of what has been just the best week of outdoor temperatures ever.  They are forecasting heat and humidity coming back for the week of August 19th.  I can easily put that on the back burner until I have to deal with it. We have been able to be outside until we decide we have had enough rather than being driven inside by heat and biting bugs.  For right now the house windows are open and the symphony from birds is just filling the house this afternoon.  The huge evergreen on the northwest corner of the house does not discriminate.  The tiers of branches are home for nests of all sizes. I have been in and out of the house multiple times but decided on doing hand sewing in the living room as I didn’t want to miss out on the happy chirping by being in the basement sewing room.

  According to all the music we are enjoying we must have the happiest birds in the entire neighborhood. Dennis and I do have several birdbaths in the backyard but the saving grace for our birds is a creek that runs just a block east from our home. The small amount of water we can offer our feathered friends is nothing more than a quick fix in comparison. The awning on the west side of our home has been the Thrush’s paradise for many years running. Every once in a while something will catch my eye as I look out the west windows and then realize the mama Thrush is cleaning house and we have wisps of nesting materials dangling. Clean on Mrs. Thrush.

  This is just the type of lazy hazy days I wish would repeat itself over and over. It’s the peace that surpasses all understanding. My hope is that many of my family and friends can feel this blessed and peaceful as well.