Saturday Sampler

 

Yesterday, my friend Laurel came to quilt and after lunch we drove down to Norwell to Hornstra Farm. The sky was deep blue and I thought we might get some good images. We pulled into the parking lot, and I hopped out to grab a couple of photos. Actually, I didn't really 'hop out' as unfortunately, my reprieve from the big, black boot was short-lived.)

 

Besides quilting, I have been reading quite a few books: some good, some not so good. Don't count me as a fan of The Boys in the Boat. If ever there was a book in desperate need of a good editor, it was this one. Though many, many people have applauded this work, frankly, it just wore me out.  Perhaps if it had been pared down, I would have felt differently.

Have you heard of BookBub? It's a free site which offers access to inexpensive best sellers. What I like about it is that it suggests titles that I would never have come across on my own. Case in point, Gettysburg, 1913: The Complete Novel of the Great Reunion by Alan Simon. What a compelling read! I would recommend it to anyone, not just history buffs. My great grandfather fought in the Civil War but was discharged before his regiment, the Massachusetts 9th, fought at Gettysburg. The book offered interesting insights into the lasting impact those three bloody day in July 1863 had on the men from both sides who fought there and some of the reasons that over 50,000 old veterans aged sixty-one to 100 returned for the 50th three-day anniversary commemoration.  For many it proved to be a time of great healing.  I found it to be a wonderful read. After finishing it, I wanted to find out more about this Great Reunion. Since it was 1913, there is some film available. Simply search for "Gettysburg Reunion 1913." One clip I found showed a gathering of very old Confederate soldiers. One by one they slowly approached the microphone and then gave the rebel yell. One can only image the effect of those bloodcurdling screams had on the battlefield. It was a very well covered reunion and there are many photos and articles available.

Finally, a package arrived today which put a smile on my face :-) I had ordered a few things from Piece of Cake including a Lap App and a Yazzii Mini Organizer.

I'm excited to try the lap app. If you are not familiar with it, it's an ingenious little lap table for doing applique. Two large nobs allow the surface to be adjusted. It also comes with an ironing board cover and a sandpaper surface under the padded cover.

 

Here's the cute little Yazzii organizer which has six zippered compartments. It will hold all of my applique tools.

I have a birthday gift to finish and another project, and then I'll start my new applique project.