August Favorites

1. If you’ve seen my Twitter account lately, you’ll know — WSM AM radio. Since The Pandemic started, the radio has been a constant companion. What I love about WSM is that the commercials are not “commercially.” They’re for chicken, a store and a funeral home. Since Bill Cody and Eddie Stubbs voice most of them, they’re not overly loud either. I’m still adjusting to Jeff Hoag’s new schedule — and missing The Week That Was on Saturday nights. Jeff’s shows are like comfort food at your grandmother’s. You don’t know what’s coming next, but dadgum it’s gonna be good.
2. The recipe blog Chocolate Covered Katie. I keep coming back to her desserts. The recipes are easy to follow and everything I’ve tried has turned out well. Favorites so far are the lemon loaf, and the peanut butter chocolate chip bars.
3. My sweet little quilt shop in Alcoa, Tennessee. (Twisted Sisters) All the quilt shops that have the fabric styles I prefer have closed here in the Bay Area. So I’m supporting TS online. TS is my favorite shop in Tennessee and I can’t wait to visit it again once Life As We Once Knew It can happen. Also it’s just a stone’s throw from the Smokies.
4. After a year and a half of complaints, my apartment complex replaced the air conditioner unit. Now instead of waking up to an 83 degrees apartment at night/the afternoon — THE TEMPERATURE STAYS A STEADY 75. It’s amazing. I highly endorse air conditioning.
5. Applique quilts. I’m getting a bit better at appliqué. My stitches are still pretty huge and noticeable, but it’s no longer a chore like it was when I first learned. I want to get better at basting, which I think will help. Still, I very much enjoy the effect needle turn appliqué gives, and I’m pondering doing a lap quilt with four big (like 24 inch) blocks. If I don’t like doing it, one block can turn into a wall hanging.

Goodbye, my darlin’

Writer’s note: I wrote this in the aftermath of Grandma’s death back in 2016, possibly in September of that year. In 2020, I edited out an unfinished thought at the end, added in the soup memory, and added some pictures.

Hello, my darlin’!

Grandma always started conversations and visits with that particular hello. And she gently pulled you in for a kiss to the cheek and a hug if you cooperated. Many a times I’d walk around unknowingly with lipstick on my cheek.

She unknowingly was the stoic one. Over her 93 years of this mortal life, she buried two husbands, two daughters. Lost her mother before she turned ten.  Raised three girls as a widow for years. Survived the Great Depression in a place that is still “the sticks” all these years later.

Grandma was always an example of whatever you have is enough. The food will stretch. Work will keep you busy. Fun can be simple.

I remember playing with the green plastic strawberry baskets, soap bubbles and just following her around the farm. One summer we rode through a mild hurricane out there. I still remember being disappointed we couldn’t get anything on the old black and white television. Another strong memory is me spending the night out there with just Grandma and Grandpa. She protected me from the little-girl-eating cows while Grandpa called the babies to the feed. They let me pick out alphabet soup at the grocery store.

She had a heart of gold. When I was having troubles, I just remembered how much tribulations she made it through and made it to the other side with a joyful heart. Ok, truthfully, she was stubborn too. But I’m pretty sure that’s how she survived as well. It’s how I survive.

It is said that wealth never survives three generations. Three generations can also be seen as one getting out of poverty, one to accumulate the foundation and the third to have the luxury of pursuing their dreams.

Grandma, while never wealthy in the bank, was wise with farm knowledge. Manure tea recipe and all. I know how to save thread while hand sewing, my gut tells me to keep everything besides the kitchen sink in my purse, and stay away from the electric fence.

This mortal life was a mix of hard times and good times for her, I know that. It’s like that for all of us.

 

 

 

 

The end

Last July, I began quilting. It was a way to get back into creating something just for myself, and a way to honor my Grandma.

I have officially finished the blocks for my first quilt. 15 blocks. The next step up is 24 and I don’t want to push myself to speed through it — because the entire point of this is to slow down, let my brain and hands wonder and focus on one thing.

Quilting gives me permission to be imperfect. It gives me the creative outlet that has been empty since I stopped painting (which I need to pick up again). It gives me joy and accomplishment, when so many of the tasks in front of me repeat themselves day after day.