We must give more in order to get more.It is the generous giving of ourselves
that produces the generous harvest.
We've got another entry in the Attitude Changes Everything Summer Blog Party -- this time, from a fabulous quilter!
Terry over at Quilt Nut has written a touching reminder that each one of us has the ability to choose how we go through life. We can be scared and stay within our small comfort zone, or we can spread our wings and get out into the world, giving ourselves the opportunity to grow and to thrive. As she points out, it's not easy, but the rewards are sure worth it. Check out her post. Terry, you rock! Thanks for entering.
For details on how you can enter the contest - and what you might win! - click here.
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I titled this post Quilters are the Best because it's true! My blogger friend Mary (Needled Mom) and I attended our second meeting of a local quilt guild yesterday. I learned that the guild has several small groups that do quilts for charities, then three times a year, they have representatives from those charities come to the guild meeting and accept the quilts. Yesterday was one of those meetings. We got to hear from each group: what they do, some of their success stories, and how the quilts make a difference to the women and children these organizations help. Then the quilts were paraded around the room so we could all ooh and aah over them.
Folks, this one guild gave away 202 quilts yesterday! Isn't that amazing? And I know this effort goes on in quilt groups all over the country. Our guild's quilts went to places that house mothers and kids in crisis, the neo-natal unit of one of our local hospital, another place that helps troubled teenaged girls. It was an amazing experience, to not only see the talent and artistry of the quilt makers, but to glimpse their generous hearts, as well.
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As Mary pointed out yesterday, this is a great time of year to be reading blogs because everyone's posting pictures from their garden. So, I'm jumping on the bandwagon! My hydrangea has its first mop-head ball. Isn't it beautiful?
And my one lone tomato plant, which flourishes in a half-whiskey barrel outside my bedroom window, actually has a few tomatoes that are almost ready for harvest - in June!
I can hardly wait until one of them is ripe enough to pick and eat right off the vine. In my humble opinion, there isn't much in this world that tastes better than that!
Until next time...
13 comments:
That is amazing to have a ripe tomoato in June. And I love your blue hydrangea. Mine are just buds but growing fast.
Isn't that a wonderful thing with the quilts. I heard that happens around here as well. Who knows.. maybe one day I'll pick up quilting!
The flowers are beautiful, and think of how healthy your tomatoes are. That recall is crazy!
Hi Pattie,
I was just starting to comment on your post and your comment came into my mail! Too funny :)
Loved seeing your quilts and the pictures of your garden. We have our cherry tomatoes in half whiskey barrels too. They are loaded with blooms and a few small tomatoes. With all the scare about tomatoes and salmonella, I'm glad we'll have some homegrown soon!
Have a wonderful day!
hugs
Quilters are a great group of people. I recently joined a local quilt guild and discovered that they are a great group of people. I've also met some wonderful quilters in the blogosphere that have encouraged my beginning quilting efforts. So I agree quilters are the best!
The hydrangea is beautiful. Mine is still growing leaves right now so I hope to have flowers in a few weeks.
I, too, was in awe of all the beautiful quilts yesterday. So glad you let the world know about it.
The hydrangea is beautiful. My favorites are the blues. Wouldn't they look pretty under one of those jacaranda trees that we saw yesterday? And, yes, the tomatoes are heaven on earth. It is so nice to grow them at home these days with all the fear of the St. Paul salmonella.
Gorgeous hydrangea! I'm so jealous of your tomatoes. Mine are only a foot tall; they won't be putting out tomatoes anytime soon. :o(
I agree, nothing better than homegrown tomatoes in the summer (I like mine with ff cottage cheese).
Luckily we planted four tomato plants since tomatoes have been recalled right now. But no tomatoes yet, just buds.
Have a great day.
Your plants look lovely, it makes me miss my mums garden at home. She has a big vegetable garden and some fruit trees, it's nice.
I'm in Mie prefecture in Japan, also teaching esl. I came over on the JET programme and got placed in a highschool here.
I haven't even planted my tomatoes yet! I'm going to put them in tomorrow as it's not supposed to be so hot and humid.
What an amazing thing for those quilt groups to do! Having someone give a child or someone in crisis their own quilt must be such a wonderful thing to be able to do! Very rewarding.
I must hop over to Terri's and check out her post!
Thanks for your blog today, Pattie. I woke up this morning, turned on the tv for the news and found another round of weather related stories that left me saying,"oh, my God" over and over. Between that and the local flood devastation, I just felt so drained and joyless.
But I decided to catch up on reading my favorite blogs before heading off to do something else and yours was the first on my reader. And I'm so happy it was.
The story of the quilters and their charity work was heart warming. The picture of your beautiful hydrangea reminded me of the beauty that is all around us even on the worst of days and how much joy I've found lately working with my own flowers.
But the picture of the tomato really lifted me out of my sadness because tomatoes on the vine always remind me of home and hot summer days and the simple pleasure of picking a tomato and eating it right there in the garden still warm from the vine. My husband and I have a little ritual of sharing our first tomato every year and smiling with pleasure at how absolutely fabulous a homegrown tomato tastes!
So, I feel better already...and it's a good thing, cause we all know..."attitude changes everything"!
Thanks, Pattie!
LOVE the blue hydrangea. I have yet to attempt to turn mine into that colour!
And picking tomatoes in June--mine just started to get flowers on it and that's the early variety. At least I know there won't be any salmonella on them ;)
I'm off to pick strawberries and will post a bit later on my blog.
Have a great day!
YAY for the quilt essays!
I'm looking at your tomatoes and drooling. I've never craved tomatoes so much as I have since this recall. I need to get a few plants of my own because its too far of a drive to raid your garden at midnight ;-)
It is so nice to hear of a quilt guild doing so much for charities! Thanks for sharing your story.
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