Contrary Wife in A Quilter's Reader

A Contrary Wife Block



This post is almost a month overdue. Where has time gone? I really should be posting my May block for the book club's selection of Alice's Tulips, but alas, I'm not there yet.

The April book club selection was The Quilter's Apprentice by Jennifer Chiverini. What a delightful book!

One of the characters, Sarah McClure, the young wife in the story, was moved to an area where she had no job, no job prospects, no friends(other than her husband), and no family. In the midst of it all she meets Mrs. Sylvia Compson, another "contrary" wife/widow with no children of her own and a lifetime of sorrow and sadness that kept her heart in its own prison of solitary confinement.
Both women were lonesome for a myriad of reasons with a dose of regret thrown in for good measure. Out of these circumstances the beginnings of a beautiful transgenerational friendship emerges. Through the medium of quilting, Sylvia, the teacher and Sarah the student, both begin a journey of healing.

The magnificent pink crabapple tree in full bloom down the street just last week.

On another note, it appears that somewhere in the great beyond, the switch for Summer has been hit. We went from cold damp days into hot and humid in an instant. Just a few days ago we had the furnace running to get the chill out of the air. Last night we had to fire up the air conditioner. Currently, close to eleven o'clock at night, we still have a temperature of 84F. Not good!

Needless to say, the Spring flowering bulbs and flowering trees are finished! The green has flushed totally out on the trees.

Respectfully submitted,
the Baroness of Thomas Haus, Queen Yours Truly

A Simple Woman's Daybook for May

The Baroness's Daybook (as adapted from ....The Simple Woman's Daybook blog)
http://thesimplewomansdaybook.blogspot.com

For Today..... "Fuer Heute Genug"

Outside My Window....the grass is green, trim, lush and freshly washed by a day of persistant Spring rain. The trees are coming into full flush. The Spring flowers have given their last gasp before beginning the retreat into the ground in preparation for next season. The flowering trees are in splendid glory.

I am thinking...I should get going and cleaning...my bachelor B-I-L is coming for a visit and by his phone call is about an hour(or less) out.

I am thankful.......that I get to celebrate Mother's Day tomorrow with my daughter (and her two little girls), who faced down death in March and won.

In the kitchen....is Dr. Viking, cleaning out the coffee pot from this morning's brew. Sirloin steaks will be marinating shortly, for this evening's fare.

I am wearing.....comfy jeans and sweatshirt....and fuzzy pink slippers.

I am creating....my niece/goddaughter's T-shirt quilt of most of her college T-shirts. All I have to do is border it, make the back and send it to the long armer for quilting. She graduated from college last May, but life and technical challenges (I'd never made a T-shirt quilt ever) came in to play and caused the delay.

I am going....nowhere today, except maybe grocery shopping to fill the larder here @ Thomas Haus in preparation for the company today and tomorrow.

I am wondering....how the Summer will play out this year. We have vacation plans, plans for gatherings here, days at the beach, good books to read....hmmmm and perhaps I'll pick up the golf clubs....I have some fabulous looking equipment, shoes, it'd be a shame if I didn't.

I am reading....Sandra Dallas, "Alice's Tulips" as part of my Starwood Quilter reading group. We read and discuss the selection for each month and then make a quilt block (or two) to depict that book, by theme, location characters, ...or whatever inspires us from the book.
I am annoyed every time I pick the book up and begin reading. The main character is so annoying, immature and self centered I could spit. Perhaps the tide will turn as I get further into the book.

I am hoping....for grace and peace in the remainder of this season, continued blessing of good friendships and memorable gatherings.

I am looking forward....to the Grande Buffet, Mother's Day brunch @ CiC tomorrow. Two of the three children will be there, as well as my beautiful, beloved, treasured granddaughters.

I am learning....how to do improvisational piecing with the above mentioned T-shirt quilt. It turned out rather spectacular.  Picture to be posted soon.When it's finished it will no doubt be a treasure of memories of her college years for my neice.

Around the house...the graden beds have been freshly mulched. The big, red, outdoor pots are planted with deep red geraniums and white allysum and a green spike in the middle. When they are filled out and in full flush this summer they should be a treat for the eye.

I am pondering....no pondering this morning.

A favorite quotes of the day....
"Not us...not this day...we are going home to our families!"
"A day may come when the courage of men fails....but it is not this day!"
"Courage is Faith in the face of fear!"

One of my favorite things....Red Geraniums!!! Nothing like them in full flush in the Summer. Perhaps it's genetic, a throwback to my German heritage.

A few plans for the rest of the week....quilt group Monday, rug hookers introductory class, Tuesday, working Thursday, friends for cookout of burgers, brats and beer (I'll have wine...hate beer) Saturday ...much more, but that's a start.

A peek into my day...picture to come soon.  :)

Joyfully submitted this day,
by the Baroness of Thomas Haus, Queen Yours Truly

"May the fourth be with you!"

Today, May 4th, was a day of great celebration. It brought forth a tremendous amount of raw emotion. We began our day in Cleveland, celebrating our youngest granddaughter's First Holy Communion. She was a beautiful little angel in white. May Jesus remain with her from this day forward and throughout her life.

The evening brought a celebration of life and survival. My daughter, a police officer and her partner, on a traffic stop, for running a stop sign, encountered a man with an AK 47. He leaped from the vehicle shooting. Both officers were injured, my daughter has months of healing and more surgeries as a result, but she is alive and kicking. She can't wait until she can get back to work again. Her collegue returned to work less than two weeks later.

Tonight the local Police Patrolman's Association had a fund raiser for my daughter, her partner and the their police department. It was a celebration of life, love and gratitude. Looking around the room, I was humbled by the massive outpouring of fraternal affection that enveloped them both. It is difficult to capture all the emotions encompassed in this day. For today, the good guys won, a bad guy was taken out and is no longer capable to carry out the dastardly plans he may have been construing.

Two of my three children are police officers. May God keep His protective Hand upon them always. May St. Michael be with them every step of the way while on duty. This is a dangerous world and the devil is alive and well.

Gratefully and humbly submitted,
The Baroness of Thomas Haus, Queen Yours Truly

All Wonderous Things on the 1st of May

So 1st of May, someone hit a switch here in Northern Ohio and we hit Summer. The temperatures were in the mid 80's and the sun shone brightly all day. My Spring flowers are in full tilt. The tulips are hitting their stride. If these temps continue, they'll be gone by week's end. Enjoy the daffodil and the hyacinths pictures.

This is a momentous day, not just for the spectacular weather we had today, (considering ol' man Winter just kept hanging around), but because today my parents celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary. Theirs is a love story that spans 2 continents and a myriad of countries. It would make a fabulous movie. We made a wedding flower arch and installed it in front of their front porch steps. In Germany, where they are from, the neighbors in your town would decorate a wedding flower arch in honor of your special anniversary. Instead, my husband and I did it for them. They were tickled pink.

 

 

 

Thanks Mutti and Vati for a wonderful journey and witness of faithful love. We know it wasn't always easy. We are so very blessed to be able to celebrate this monumental milestone with you. We're looking forward to celebrating with you at Mass this Sunday. Blessings to you both.

Respectfully submitted,
The Baroness von Thomashaus, Queen Yours Truly