Sunday, February 1, 2009

Celebrating Grace-( Continued...)


I am so excited - I was able to finally get all my film photos put onto my computer- It makes me so happy to have access to some of the older quilts and to be able to show you some of my quilts in a more organized way. My son was able to get the scanner working so I have spent the day transferring and rotating photos.
The pictures vary in quality but I have lots of material yet to share before I run out of things to blog about .... are you groaning yet? :D)

(I hope that you won't get too bored with my old quilts in the process-... it conjures up the imagine of the endless photos of someone's travel log where they may had had a wonderful time but they are putting the audience to sleep by sharing every possible place they saw during their journey).. I will try not to be like that!!

Today's pictures are of my beloved gran on the day she received the Gran's garden quilt. Isn't she beautiful? She was gorgeous as a young woman and remained that way her whole life- her inner as well as her outer beauty radiated from her. She was always tidy and neat in her dress: even when she had curlers in her hair and was dressed for farm work. There are so many things I thought of last week after I had posted the piece about her- of things we shared and did together.When I look at the pictures of her with her quilt they give me comfort and pride. I remember the joy and love that she brought me with our times together.

One of the things I remember the most is the love that she enjoyed with my grandfather. One day when I was a teenager, I happened to run into my grandparents when they had come to town and I happened to be out shopping. They were walking down the street holding hand like my teenage friends. I was struck by how much they were still in love with one another and showed that to the world around them. It was a wonderful role model to have in life - They celebrated and expressed their love for one another in both big and small ways(a kind word,a loving touch, a beautiful meal). She believed that the road to a happy marriage and a happy life was to put the needs of others first and to tell them that they are loved on a daily basis.
My grandfather passed away on February 2, 1988, six weeks after our son was born. My gran was never quite the same person that she was before his death. She did eventually adapt to have a different kind of fulfilling life but I know that Gran missed my grandfather all the rest of her life.

On some of the blogs I have been reading - the writer has posed the question: "What keeps you quilting?"
My answer to the question is that it gives me pleasure to give quilts to others - I like to celebrate our relationship and to give them something to wrap themselves in - its like sharing a permanent Hug..

I love fabric and creating new things with fabric and buying fabric but its more about the opportunity to create something that leaves a lasting legacy and giving that permanent HUG to the people who are important to me.
One can never have too many Hugs...or too many quilts...

Now I am off to work on my winding ways quilt... One needs to keep making new quilts too...
Regards,
Anna

6 comments:

Maggi said...

What a happy photograph of your beautiful grandmother. And what a wonderful reason you have to keep quilting.

Barbara C said...

I enjoyed reading your memories of your grandmother. She sounds like a very special person. And your new header looks great--very colorful.

Micki said...

I never knew my grandmother, so reading the post was so nice!
Micki

meggie said...

Grandmothers are so precious!! I think most of them are beautiful, too.

Thimbleanna said...

How fun to read about your grandmother Anna! Especially how she was always neat and tidy -- isn't that just the way their generation was? I remember my grandmother being the same way. I love her quilt and you're so lucky that you were able to make her one!

Oh, and you're so cute -- I'd love to be learning the different ways to count to 100 -- sounds like a perfect day to me!

Anne Marie said...

Hi Anna!! I so enjoy reading your blog and I don't think I would ever get bored looking at your beautiful quilts!! I too have so many fond memories of both my grandmothers, I never saw them in slacks -- they always wore dresses!!! I always thought they were so lady like even when they were doing their gardening unlike me who is covered from head to toe in dirt and grass clippings LOL!!