Tuesday, November 14, 2017

This and that... just want to connect!



 
 It's Fall y'all. 

I grew up in Tampa Fl. and we didn't really have a "weather" Fall. We started to school which told us Fall was coming, we planned Thanksgiving dinner which meant Fall, we watched movies set in other states that had colored leaves, we made handprint turkeys

 but it wasn't til I visited my husband in Amherst MA that I really saw Fall. 
 Then we moved to Maryland and I got to know Fall up close and personal.  
This is an older quilt made to celebrate my poodle Cole when he was Milo's age. He loved picking up a twig with dried leaves and shaking it like a maraca. Glee! 

I painted the leaves then appliqued them with Cole buddy and his teeth are rick rack and stand out! 
The picture was taken on my bed recently while I'm cataloguing all my quilts, I'm taking pics of each one. 

Now for a few random shots from recent trips

Step into my parler... 
don't you love seeing into a house through a window as you pass by? 
This house turned out to be too small for us however... I am a quilter so I need more square footage! lol
It was in the antique store I visited recently in Mt. Holly. The store was an old car repair maybe an old wagon repair building. 
I coveted this type set drawer unit. OMG to have the space to have one of these to hold beads, buttons and trims! 
Ditto this writing desk/chair combo. I like it, but you need the right space and that's larger than we've found. 
"S" for stained glass
How pretty to have one or all of these in your home's windows! Did you ever try stained glass? I did as a young woman. I took so many craft classes as a young 20 something. I really love stained glass but I didn't listen to my instructor, and just made a quick cut in class and hadn't put back on my goggles. Yup, a bit of glass scratched my cornea turning me into what looked like a pirate with patch for a week. I recently gave up my glass scoring tool and lead came. 
I kept a couple items I made in class. 
I thought this was an odd but interesting awning... never saw one like this before, have you? 
It feels really good to walk where our ancestors did. Compared to Wethersfield this is a Johnny-come-lately home but I still think about the person building this before the Revolution happened. What did they think? Did they realize life would change here in the colonies in just a few years? What an act of faith to build a house in a land as wild as America. Still is. 
I enjoyed this Fall display of white pumpkins even though I love orange ones. With the wagon and hay it creates a tableau. I wonder if children pulled each other with this wagon long ago. I wish it could tell the story to us now. 

Hindsight makes us think people who lived before us should know what was coming but they like us, just live that day not knowing if their decisions were good or not. They had to make life decisions and cope with the changes as they cropped up like we do. 
I need a good time traveler to tell me what's coming. 

 The sign under this window says, "please watch your step" 
I know, I know... life is watching your steps...
Being careful, looking ahead, making decisions and dealing with the problems that happen anyway despite your careful planning. As a friend told me recently, "you can make plans but you can't plan the outcome" 

It's a balance of planning, thinking and taking risks
A precarious balance of pots!
As a person who seldom fit in, I loved seeing this sign...


 People are always telling me how I am "different" and somehow it doesn't sound like the celebration it should be, know what I mean? We are all "different" and it's just the differences which make us interesting. 
If we accepted that people are different and it's okay, and actually valued that,  we could go through this life easier I suspect.


 Milo's stick has no dried leaves to rattle, but he could still carry it around. 
So he did. 
(He was just as content since he didn't know he was missing dried leaves) 

What do you think?  

Did you enjoy this post? There is another one from the same trip right HERE! click to see it!

linking to these parties:

32 comments:

Ann said...

Well written. Tieing Cole and Milo behavior is so sweet.
Good luck with your move.

Shannon said...

I love fall- it's truly my favorite favorite season, and your whimsical fall Cole quilt is fabulous! So very perfect.

Home Sewn By Us said...

Hi LeeAnna,
Wow, deep thoughts for a Tuesday. Every person is unique, different and has value. We may not see the good in everyone, but it is there - that's what I try to remember in everyone I meet/see. Some people really challenge that concept . . . just sayin'. That awning - very unique but would allow for better air flow without the sun/rain/weather getting in except in extreme situations. AND that typeset drawer!!! OMG! That is so cool. I would love to have that along with a library card catalogue holder. I would make room for them, somewhere in my house. I never go to antique shops but you sure are showing me pieces that entice me into wanting to visit. I love seeing Milo just being happy with a stick. I love dogs. ~smile~ Roseanne

Joanne said...

Why be all the same? That is so boring!
The world is a better place with creative people sharing their talents...like you! BE proud of who you are! Smile and say out loud..." I made that" ! Isn't it good! I learned this from you!
Love your creativity!
They sure made cool stuff in the olden days!

Nancy said...

Your friends quote reminds me of my favorite life quote. 'Life is what happens while you're making other plans.' It is from John Lennon's Beautiful Boy(darling boy)

By the way I am glad you are different. I think all creative people tend to be different. How boring would that be? I doubt we would have this wonderful thing called the internet because no one would have thought of it. Heck we may still not have the Wheel or Fire.

Lin said...

Good to hear from you - I love the desk/chair. xx

sonja said...

"Be yourself, everyone else is already taken!" Oscar Wilde.
This is one of my favorite quotes and apply it almost daily as needed.I also took a leaded/stain glass class in my 20's and i only one piece to show for it , a cicular lotus blossom. i needed too many bandages for my fingers so i gave my tools a friend. I love red leaves, any color leaves hold a certain fasination for me.The sweet poodle quilt is priceless.

PaintedThread said...

I love that Cole quilt. I've never made stained glass... need to put that on my bucket list.

claudia said...

I relish my own uniqueness, and I love it in others! How boring life would be if we were all the same.
I thoroughly enjoyed your post today!

MissPat said...

Hi, LeeAnna,

I was so excited when I saw an email for today's post. I thought, "Oh goodie, the email notices are working again". Imagine my surprise when I discovered links to your last 25! posts. Good thing I've already read most of them or I'd be up all night.
As far as being "different", it is something to celebrate. I'm glad your different. As a virtual friend, I've come to love you just the way you are. You're a creative, thoughtful person and I wouldn't want you to change a single thing.
Here's hoping the email notification snafu is resolved, but if not, I'll keep checking the blog every few days, but especially on "I like Thursday".
Pat

Diane in TX said...

I enjoyed the list of a bunch of your posts, easy to check if I missed any! Oh, Cole, you captured him beautifully. I never met him but seeing his likeness brings a tear. Very cool that you captured both boys with sticks. Milo looks great, he has big paw prints to fill.

Unknown said...

Nice to 'hear' from you! Celebrate just being you!

Mari said...

I can totally see that Dr. Seuss quote as a quilt for you! It describes you perfectly! I love the stained glass and the printer's trays, too. Hope your troubles resolve soon.

Paige said...

Enjoyed the tour! That awning IS very intersting. I've never thought about not having a fall, but you are right!

Brooke said...

thanks so much for sharing and for linking up!

brooke@sillymamaquilts.com

LIttle Penguin Quilts said...

I love your little fall quilt of Cole! So fun to see how you use different materials! You always find the most interesting and unique things to share from your travels, too - always fun to read about!

Mary in Peoria Handmade said...

Cole's quilt is so beautiful. Glad you made it and kept it! My DIL made one of those pot poles and loves it on her patio because she has herbs in the pots and it's so easy to water while taking up minimum space. . Take care. mary in Az

Susan said...

Cole's quilt is too damn cute! You really captured the spirit of a young dog - well done! Thank you so much for sharing.

Christine Slaughter said...

I don't experience much of Fall either, living in Arizona. I know it's Fall when we get a reprieve from the heat! I enjoy our mild winters here so much, that it's definitely worth 4 months of feeling like walking into an oven when we go outside. ;) I love your pictures, and all of the history they show. Thank you for linking up with To-Do Tuesday!!

Tu-Na Quilts said...

I've been out of touch a bit...I follow the emails. So imagine my surprise when I got an email with lots and lots of posts!! I had a lot of reading to do to catch up. You've been busy.

likeschocolate said...

I love the stained glass windows! Have an awesome week!

Karen @ Beatrice Euphemie said...

Lots of interesting things and thoughts to ponder here. Love the quilt you made and the pretty stained glass. When I lived in Arizona I really missed fall. My favorite season! Enjoy your week! x K

eileen said...

Living on the Mediterranean coast, I miss the fall colors of New England....and we're suffering a drought as well. An interesting post, being different is just fine, as long as we respect one another! Enjoy reading your posts!

Jane Holbrook said...

Hi! I saw your photo on Sew Fresh Quilts and loved the wackiness of it. Your description of how you made Cole's teeth is wonderful. I love love love your pillow, and even more seeing a pic of your doggie. YOur entire blog is wonderful, but I especially am fond of the dog pillow and will have to figure out how to do one with our labradog and her water toy. You are inspiring.

Sharon - IN said...

You Cole quilt is fabulous! Pretty leaves, and what a great idea to use rick rack for teeth. Hubs and I grew up in MD but live Midwest now. Still enjoying Fall foliage but miss the rolling hills and mountains.

Kate @ Smiles From Kate said...

Such an interesting post, much to think about. Autumn is the most beautiful time of year.

Lynette said...

This is a wonderful post, LeeAnna. I agree completely about how much nicer things would be if folks would genuinely accept individuality. Those painted leaves are so pretty! Here in the Colorado mountains, we don't get the same degree of striking color variety as in New England, but we do get a quite pretty Fall, unlike the ones we "had" in Florida (but you know all about that). I would completely love some stained glass windows in my house! In fact, I have two different spots where I'd install some if I ever come across the right ones. . . Maybe some day I'll encounter them!

Sandy said...

Thanks for linking up with Let's S.E.W. what a great project...I love all the detail you added! And your trip looked like a lot of fun too! That antique store was full of treasures!! Have a great weekend

Alastriona, The Cats and Dogs said...

We mostly have evergreens where we live and Mommy has never made it out of State during the Fall, sooo....
we appreciated hearing about your autumn.

Tails Around the Ranch said...

LOVE the Cole quilt. And baby Milo with his stick...too cute.

Linda in Calif. said...

Yes, I enjoyed your post very much. I like the your thoughts on watching your step throughout life, being different and love the picture of Milo and his stick and love your block. Being content with being different certainly will make the difference as we go though our life. Thanks for the good time this morning.

sanpiseth40 said...

Awesome blog, i always enjoy & read the post you are sharing!
Thank for your very good article...!
ผลบอล