Tuesday, April 24, 2012

A Story of Lilacs

 
 
 
 
 
Hey GORGEOUS!!
 
 
What's Happenin' w/ ya?! 
 
 
 
 
Yesterday was my first day back at work after a couple of vacation days.  It was the most perfect day, weather-wise...about 80-degrees; sunshine and blue-sky.  Would've been perfect for June, even--but APRIL?!!
 
 
 
 
 
Caught a glance at my Lilacs yesterday morning, pulling out of the driveway, and they are purply little nibs, maybe a week from bursting into fragrant showers!!!
 
 
I can't wait!!
 
 
 
 
 
 
Once upon a time, in a neighborhood not so far away...(actually my EXACT
NEIGHBORHOOD!!)
 
 
 
there was a young lady (i was a little younger then!), and she and her two loving parents were building her PURPLE dream house.   As the house was under construction, the father shared a memory of his own, from the Neighborhood-not-so-Far-Away; in which there was a local home which, in the spring, had an entire ROW of Lilac trees
 
(not mere bushes!!) 
 
 
and because of the quantity, size, and SHEER GLORY!  that the ENTIRE neighborhood for blocks around--had the wafting of Lilac fragrance upon the air--
 
 
 
how divine!
 
 
 
(how could a girl not crave that for herself, and crave duplicating it for the Man she Loves more than Anything--her DAD?!!)
 
 
 
 
 
I love my Lilacs!  I have a whole 'windrow' in front of my house, which act as a screen/fence from the world (or will, when it gets larger/thicker). Five of the lilacs came from my Grandma's house next door--we transplanted them using a backhoe, shovels, two-man/1-woman power, chains and binders, on a pouring-rain Saturday, about 5 years ago.
 
 
And, much to my angst--we DID leave two large lilac trees BEHIND!!
 
 
I wanted them ALL!  I begged Dad to help me get them.  and, (although I'm sure I'm his FAVORITE between two daughters!!  haha!)...he told me
 
 
"NO!
 
 
SAVE SOME FOR THE OTHER PEOPLE!!  YOU HAVE ENOUGH!!"
 
 
 
 
 
 
geez, DAD!
 
 
 
 
 
Despite what Grandma had: double-white, a couple lavender, and two double-purple...
 
 
I did NOT have the really dark-purple Lilac.  SO--my dad and I went shopping and bought one.  It's wonderful, and took it's place proudly at the front of the line. 
 
 
HOWEVER--
 
DID I HAVE ENOUGH?  I'm sure I wanted more, More, MORE!!!
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
In spite of my father saying, "Carole, you have enough Lilacs! You don't need any more!"  of course...what DID my father know about that?!!
 
 
 
 
(my father is a brilliant, funny, wonderful perfect man...He knows everything in this world; however, I could NOT resist another LILAC!! )
 
 
 
 
a couple years ago, when my quilting friend, Sue, asked me if I might want some cool plants from her house to flesh our my collection--
 
 
 
and one was a LILAC---
 
 
 
i'll just say, the little kid in me came out--
 
 
 
 
 
I found a spot for it!!!!
 
 
 
 
 
I didn't say anything at all about it (which I hope is a pink one)
 
 
 
 
but one day, as my parents were dropping me off from some family event...
 
 
 
(and I'll save the topic of being a grown adult woman, with my own car/driver's license/somewhat responsible; and STILL riding in the 
back seat of my parents Explorer with the kiddie door-locks which
automatically LOCK at 3 MILES PER HOUR!!!
 
for another time) 
 
 
 
 
my dad looked over the steering wheel at the plants, and said, 'Carole,
 
is that another lilac bush?'
 
 
 
 
'Haha, Dad!  I hoped you wouldn't notice...A friend gave it to me, and in spite of you telling me I had enough--'
 
 
 
 
Then, although I secretly hoped for a little teeny bit of scolding, and, 'Oh, for CRYING OUT LOUD!!',
 
 
 
he just said,
 
 
 
"Well, good for you!"
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Friday, April 13, 2012

Oh My Goodness!

Hello My Friend!


I have missed being here, but I've been so busy!


How does that happen? 


The Bursting Forth of Spring!






(there are green leaves budding on my Lilacs!!)

(we're not quite here, but soon!!!)








One Full-Time Job
(Everyone needs Sand and Gravel!)




(the glory that is Greenbaum's Quilted Forest!)


One Part-Time Job
(a 'Top-20 Quilt Shop' needing 215 Kits for their 'First Saturday' program!)





(here's the cool banner we made!


Being Part of a small Quilting Group
(we've met for 10 years; working on one another's quilts--my 'home girls!')





Writing a quilt guild newsletter
(a volunteer postion, --8 pages this month!)



Going to Church
(Good Friday, and Easter services were heart-inspiring!)






(early layout of
'Henrietta Habenero (one Hot Chick) and the Polka Pears!!'


Particpating in a quilt guild Challenge:

'Quilts from the A & P'--



Challenge Criteria:
  • food-related, (as the A & P was an old grocery store chain)
  • 24" or less on a side,
  • containing Applique & Piecing (there's the 'A' and 'P' again!)

and--

Taking quilt classes
                                                        (gotta use up that STASH!!)




sleep is very good, when you have a life like mine...I had two naps on Easter weekend.  Some days after you get the studded tires removed, and grocery shop--


you're DONE for the day!



I have lots of fun things on the horizon!!



A weekend away with quilting friends to do WHAT?!!



Eat some clam chowder, I hope!!!!



and quilt!




Then, next week, I have a little spot waiting just for me in two, count 'em, TWO classes with the fun, amazing, singing, quilting author and artist:


Laura Wasilowski!!



This is a life goal, coming to Fruition!!!





Lots of amazingly great things in my Life!  I am SO thankful for All of them. 

(one of Laura's 'Village' quilts)




i'll take some photos of the weekend quilting madness-just for YOU!!



(during construction of my Challenge Quilt)

I wish I knew what she was singing...

                                                                      maybe...

'Love's Not All It's Cracked Up To Beeeee.....'