Quick note

Just a quick note to remind my Maine quilting friends that the Pine Tree Quilter's Guild members' meeting is this Saturday. I knew it was coming up, but was surprised when I saw that it is this Saturday, September 6 starting at 9:30 a.m. at Jewett Hall in Augusta.

The guild has three members' meetings each year. We have a business meeting in the morning where those in the audience bring handwork and listen to various reports ranging from a long report on the Maine Quilts show to brief reports from the Area reps. It is all interesting and a good chance to see members from other chapters and catch up on their news, too. After lunch the guest speaker will be Jan Krueger from Wisconson. Jan will be giving a talk titled "I Love Log Cabins."

While looking at the guild website I saw information and photos of the winners and their quilts from the August show. In due time all the quilts will be up on the website, I'm sure.J104 "Pennsylvania Palette" by Wendy Caton Reed received an Exceptional Merit ribbon and was selected Judge's Choice (Dianne S. Hire) and Merchants' Choice.

Take a look and see if your favorite quilt won a ribbon! Isn't it nice to see the quilt maker beside their quilt?

P.S. Don't forget your lunch and camera on Saturday!

Flagstaff

Not much sewing happening on Quilt Island this past week. On Monday my daughter and I caught the bus to Boston and visited the New England Aquarium. Mint green sea anemones, a weedy sea dragon of unbelievable beauty, and a 75 year old turtle were a few of the highlights of that adventure.
On Wednesday the library ladies gave me an afternoon to remember for a long time. It was my last day as librarian at Bowdoinham Public Library. There were fragrant lilies, iced teas, chocolate goodies, and many dear friends. It was a wonderful good bye to a job I have loved.

On Thursday I spent a busy morning training the new librarian and then home for a quick lunch before taking my son shopping and running errands for back to college.

On Friday my daughter and I drove to Portland for her back to college shopping. Friday night we had my son's birthday dinner. I made him scalloped potatoes with potatoes from the garden. I checked to see how they were doing after 50 minutes only to find the oven wasn't turned on! Good grief. Well, somehow they turned out just fine. For dessert we had chocolate cake with mocha frosting, at his request. That was my mother's favorite cake, too. We also had coffee ice cream. Wow! Bill's folks joined us and so it was a happy occasion for all.

On Saturday (this is sounding like The Very Hungry Caterpillar, isn't it?) I sat around watching tv knowing I DID NOT HAVE TO GO TO WORK!!! Highly enjoyable. Later, after supper we packed two cars and headed for Orono. The kids are back at college and ready for a new year of classes and fun.


On Sunday I rested. Just kidding. On Sunday we drove to Flagstaff Lake, the Bigelow Mountain Preserve campground. Flagstaff Lake was made in 1950 when the town was dismantled and the area flooded for a hydroelectric dam. You can still see some remains of the town. There is an old paved road running through the campground that ends at the lake.

Yes, it is a gem

I had a really fun afternoon Sunday with my friend Donna. We went to Mainely Sewing in Nobleboro, Maine. What a fantastic quilt shop! I have been there a couple of times and am always impressed with their fabrics. Many really interesting fabrics I have never seen anywhere else. Lots of cool contemporary fabrics and a big line of Kaffe Fasset, too. Lots of kits and quilts made up that are so inspiring. Highly recommended!

I bought a Janome Little Gem at Mainely Sewing! It weighs eleven pounds and will be perfect for taking to classes. I've always taken my Pfaff with me, but it is heavy and I have been concerned that something will get damaged in transit. This Little Gem stitches very nicely. I bought the quarter inch foot so I am good to go.

I think I will set up this machine downstairs this winter so I can get some sewing time in during the evening. My other really big news is that I have a new job. I will be leaving the library where I have worked for almost ten years. My new job is assistant town clerk in Lisbon. I will be working full time instead of part time. I am sad to be leaving the library where I have met so many wonderful and interesting people over the years. But, I am also excited to begin this new career, this new chapter in my life.

One big change will be that I won't be able to be part of my Tacoma Lakes quilt group. We meet Wednesday mornings, so that is not an option. Do you think I should discuss that with my new boss? Well, a closes and a new one opens. I will join another chapter, either Back Road or Kaleidoscope. Both meet a fair distance from me and I feel a tug to join each group. Many of my Tacoma Lakes friends are also in Back Road, but I know people in Kaleidoscope, too and it is a bit closer.

I am really looking forward to having Saturdays free to take quilting classes, go on retreats, or go to guild meetings. I've worked Saturdays for years and now I will get to see what I have been missing.

I will leave you with a quote from John Muir and a photo from Baxter State Park......
Here is calm so deep, grasses cease waving. . . . Wonderful how completely everything in wild nature fits into us, as if truly part and parent of us. The sun shines not on us but in us. The rivers flow not past, but through us, thrilling, tingling, vibrating every fiber and cell of the substance of our bodies, making them glide and sing. The trees wave and the flowers bloom in our bodies as well as our souls, and every bird song, wind song, and; tremendous storm song of the rocks in the heart of the mountains is our song, our very own, and sings our love.
Note: "Mountain Thoughts", written by Muir during the 1870s, were collected by Linnie Marsh Wolfe and published in John of the Mountains (1938).

So busy, busy

Pine Tree Quilt Guild has a blog! Take a look at what Tina started and leave her a comment. http://ptqg.blogspot.com/

I will leave you with this photo taken two weekends ago at Baxter State Park. We sure have had our fill of rain, haven't we?I will post more quilty news tomorrow.