Here is Norma’s address.
Norma Becker
Westview Acres Rm E44
Here’s what I’m working on tonight.
One feature fabric and 12 strips – only 11 shown here but I wanted to keep it simple so I added one more. Here is my feature fabric:
Yup, a man’s shirt. I didn’t cut up this front piece because I was so impressed by the design match. Can you see where the pocket is? Such excellent workmanship!
Reader photos:
Look at this great idea to keep special cards!
See the water coming out of my rain barrel? That means it’s full!
I’m going to ask you to please write down Norma’s address if you have any idea you’d like to mail her a card in the future. I think we’ll move on to another care center resident. Thank you for taking part in my thoughtfulness campaign!
And here’s a question for you to ponder – if you could have a 30 minute radio/tv/podcast time slot, what would your theme be? What would it be about? Politics are not accepted as a subject matter. (You’re shocked, right? Haha!)
Talk tomorrow!
My theme would be “Walks in the Woods”
Think where that can take you.
My podcast would be gratitude for the small stuff….even the really small stuff!
I could talk for hours about my son and his wife and their little farm in the woods. Don’t ask me about them unless you have a lot of free time. And I have pictures….
Oh wow, that pocket is nearly invisible in the shirt. If you hadn’t mentioned it I would never have seen it. My current project is a quilt made from plaid men’s shirts. As I cut them up, I decided to leave interesting parts that normally get removed: logos, pockets, buttons on cuffs, interesting linings at the yoke. The result is unique and fun I think! Who made the rule that all that stuff needs to be removed anyway?
Eileen the dog is adorable and I want to play ball with her! How sweet!
I would love to have a few of those rain barrels around the barn. Where did you get them?
I so enjoy reading your posts in the evenings. It’s become a part of my routine at night. Thanks so much for sharing!
Amy – my rain barrel was purchased at Menards years ago as a birthday gift. My job now is to get those empty jugs filled .
I would discuss the joy of collecting vintage and antique sewing machines.
My oldest sewing machine is a complete Folsom hand crank from the 1870s. My favorites are Wheeler & Wilson 9s, D9s and Singer 9Ws.
I love old sewing machines. My most unusual one is only about 50 years old, but it has a curve needle in it. My most prized is a hand crank, made before the Civil War. My sister brought it while on a job assignment in England…$.25. Yep a quarter. I have a cobblers, 2 level. And a precious Cinderella. Not a toy, just a bit smaller than Featherweights. Many more, but these are the most unusual.
Phyllis – could you send some pictures of your machines to my email? We would all like to see them!
Mary, my mom used to melt snow and water her plants with it. Just an idea if you run out of rain water.
My podcast would be inspirational stories, prayers, music, and helpful tips,
Thanks for all you do.
My podcast would be: If you could take one trip where would you go to? I would go to the Galapagos Island. I really like the pattern in that man’s shirt.
Martha, the Galápagos Islands are where my daughter and her husband, married July 1st this year, are spending their honeymoon!
I thought about sending a greeting card and realized I didn’t have a suitable card to send. I do have beautiful embossed blank cards & envelopes with my initial on it, so I wrote out a little note to her. I’ve done at least 500 hexie flower garden pieces (7 pieces including the center) and as I walked by my stacks of flowers I realized I was looking at the perfect thing to send her. I took the one I felt would most appeal to her, applied to a white background, attached batting, a backing and binding on it. It has pinks, purples, yellows & lighter blues on it and is quite feminine. In my card I mentioned that I was including a mug rug and explained what its purpose is, just in case she doesn’t know. I wrote that I hoped she would enjoy putting her cups of tea and little snacks on it, maybe on a table next to her bed or on a table next to her sitting chair. I popped it into the mail, so Norma should have it early next week. I realized I picked the perfect colors when I saw the bedspread on her bed on the most recent picture you posted on the blog. Thank you for that — I was fretting the colors might be wrong. Hopefully she will enjoy her little package as much as she’s enjoying all the lovely cards she’s receiving! Thank you from all of us for pointing out a need that often goes unfulfilled….some special attention from others. I will be looking to make some small lap quilts, mug rugs and other items for local seniors in this area….to gift to some seniors (in person) that don’t receive visitors very often. Best wishes to you!
What a lovely idea and sweet gift! I really must get back to Concord to see Mary Ann – I think she should be our next resident to receive cards.
I love that so many cards were sent to Norma… such a great idea to help brighten the days for care center residents!
30 minutes on the radio is easy for me to answer – I share an hour on our local radio station occasionally. The subject is always gardening; our local Master Gardener Volunteers group is on the air for an hour every month. Since I’m retired and have a big mouth, I’ve been on several months this year. A couple of years ago, 3 other women and I represented Sweet Adelines on the radio for a half-hour – we even sang a little bit! And not one word of politics…. 🙂
Gail – I love this!!! Connie is a Master Gardener but doesn’t talk – she could never fill 30 minutes. Me, you ask? You know I could fill several hours. You could probably give us all some gardening tips Feel free to chime in anytime!!
Thanks, Mary! And yep – I’m sure you could fill hours – and it would all be very interesting!
Oh, and my podcast topic would be: I would challenge EVERY SINGLE PERSON listening to do 3 kindnesses a day for someone else as a daily habit for the next 30 days. Think how much better our world would be just by doing this regularly and also, how much better we could help others feel about their lives….not to mention making yourself feel better about everything.
I’m reading Five-Star Weekend by Elin Hilderbrand. On my podcast I would discuss the people I would choose to invite to my own 5-star weekend. A friend from each decade of my life who highly influenced me in some way. I’ve had fun and much insight reviewing my 60 decades in choosing my guests.
My theme would be “Kindness to my fellow man/woman/person” and nothing g about ME
Mary, your newest project needs a little more red in it.
Eileen is adorable. Love the reader quilts, as always.
My radio show would have to be finding the fun in daily life.
Today I got rear ended on my way to a Dr’s. appointment for a very painful foot issue! I missed the appointment, but got rescheduled for next week. Now…where’s the fun in that? I stopped and got a mocha chiller for me and my husband. I generally only get one for him, but today I got a treat as I’ll be getting a new rear end in a little while.
We both are fine, but the autos will need repaired.
Jo, was it a sliding issue with the cars? First snow falls?
It was a construction zone and the young lady was on her phone!
Get a load of this…the police didn’t issue a ticket. The officer hopes we can work it out civilly.
I’m calling my insurance today.
Jo – how unfair is that? The officer must know the girl!! I’d take them to court – civilly ? Her paying for your repair would be civil. I’ve always heard that the person who rear ends the other is always at fault. I would be fuming!!
Oh, Jo! Not another life changing issue for you!!! I assume your car is drive-able but when it goes to the body shop you’ll be without a car. Now what’s wrong with your foot? If it’s very painful it must be serious. Do you need surgery? And then if you’re laid up and can’t walk who will take care of Steve? Once again I wish I lived closer to you!
I simply can’t do surgery. Who will take care of me? Steve would have to go to a nursing home while I recover and that would be the end of him. It’s a big bump on the side of my heal. It hurts less when I sit, but that’s not always an option.
I’m very thankful it was my dr’s appointment, not taking Steve to one.
Jo – two years ago I developed a hard bump on top of my left foot and I got steroid shots in it. I was told it was arthritis – nothing to be done. I know the feeling – I’d better stay healthy because there’s nobody to take care of me and everything else if I have surgery.
Hi Mary, thank you for showing my brother’s dog Eileen at the dog park in Townsville, tropical Queensland, Australia. Ian, my brother, is a child mental health doctor who does locum work in Australia and New Zealand.
My podcast would be how we can recycle things to help save the world from rubbish overload.
Can we see some of the sewing machines, antique machines are beautiful. Take care everyone, best wishes from Sandy
the 5-minute quilt pattern is free at quiltexpression.com . happy to share. i will need to think on what i would do on a podcast. happy quilting to all. patti in FL
oops!! i gave out the wrong information. the 5 minute quilt is at https://quiltexpressions.com . so sorry. patti in FL
Talk show for me would be similar to the radio show in the book Standing in the Rainbow by Fannie Flagg. In the book, set in Elmwood Springs, MO, Dorothy’s broadcasts were about the local news.
Fun book!
Love today’s quilts, decor, and animals.
I put aside the 40 hydrangea blocks I’ve stalled out on – at least for a bit, anyway. This evening, I worked on some “no cut” blocks. All it takes is a layer cake and a charm pack. Very interesting to see them come together. I just started and had 3 blocks done in 20 minutes! So far, I am sold on the “no cut” block theory, so I’ll continue on.
Thanks for sharing, Mary.
Love the blog.
Interesting topic. Since I’m up and awake in the middle of the night with my senior dog who is starting to suffer from anxiety, I have time to comment! I would talk about a group that I volunteer for called Days for Girls. We make washable, reusable menstrual kits for girls around the world. Many girls don’t have the supplies that they need in order to go to school while they are menstruating. The kits last the girls for three years. It’s a topic that many don’t like to talk about. The group has served 3 million girls and women all over the world, but the need is still greater than that. Thanks for listening!
Jill, I helped sew these kits that a group of nursing students from a local university who then traveled to impoverished areas to hand them out. I am sure it opened their young minds.
I love that you know about Days for Girls and have helped! You’ve helped to keep a girl in school!
Jill – I have never heard of this organization – if I look it up would the list of supplies be there. I was awake till 4 am – wind and anxiety on my part and because I can’t find Gracie!!!
Some of the info may be available online, some may be available only to teams. If you’d like me to, I could send pictures of the kit components to your email. Another interesting thing to watch is the Days for Girls founder, Celeste Mergens, TED talk. It’s 18 minutes long and discusses how she discovered the need for these kits. You a find that on YouTube.
Oh! The website is DaysforGirls.org
Jill – are you on a “team”?
Yes…I’m the team leader for Fair Oaks Ranch, TX.
Mary, love your idea of finding another resident! I’m off to get cards today (thought I had some) so I’ve been delaying in mailing my card to Norma. As far as the podcast, my topic would be kindness. Society has gotten selfish and grumpy and we need to get back to being kind to each other. We never know what battle someone is facing and life is short. We need to lift each other up. I feel like you do that in your “blog about nothing” — like us mailing cards, inspiring photos of quilts and projects and such cute cats and pups! I hope everyone has a great day ! Starting off foggy here by me………… (I find fog creepy…….)
Lynette – loved your comment but have to say – I love fog!
Thank you for posting so many wonderful pictures for us to admire. And Patti in FL I like your quilts for our charity group at church for a new pattern. I also get a kick out of seeing how some of your readers decorate and the table with the pumpkins and 12” stand with mini quilt on it. The striped pumpkin is cute. And the rain barrel set up is interesting to me too. How lucky we are to live in this country and have a chance to celebrate each beautiful day of life.
My topic for a podcast would be busy hands, happy heart. The more we use our hands to cook, bake, write cards, drive shut ins to appts, knit, crochet, sew to create love and warmth to someone who needs it, the happier we feel inside. So much everyone can do on a small or large scale to help brighten a child, an animal, an adult.
I admire the work of Patti’s group. How nice to make and give quilts! Today, I particularly like the Halloween table topper shown below the bat wall hanging. It would be an easy pattern to make and could showcase a variety of colors, whatever the season. Mary, I am glad your rain barrel is full, so you can fill some jugs for winter. Will be interested in how your quilt turns out. It is neat to start with unique fabric and build around it.
Lots happening on this blog. Thank you for posting again Norma’s address. I like the idea of cards for seniors, I am one myself and if I was in that position of living not at home, I would love to get mail, real mail! Looks like you got lots of rain. Wish I could say the same here in SW Iowa. We did get some rain last night but since it was dark I have no clue to how much. I heard it though. The river that runs through town is terribly dry. Bet you could walk across it. Loved the quilt pics. It’s early morning eye candy.
That piece of fabric would make a lovely vest! Wow! And no, I do not see the pocket!
Yes, it rained and rained and thundered and rained! So far in this storm we have had 1.4 inches but some reports in Nebraska have had 6 inches! Not sure when this system is suppose to move out but the grass is nice and green.
Love all the pictures! I would like a rain barrel but I don’t think it will happen. Does any one remember back in the day when the rain would drain into a cistern beside the house and then you would pump water to heat to use for washing dishes? This is midwestern farm life when I was young! My mom didn’t have a bathroom until I was in high school! Maybe that could be my podcast….remember when
I love the idea of another nursing home resident receiving cards!
Jill Klop – I also work for a group that make kits for girls. We no long belong to Days for Girls but went on our own as we have some local missionaries that take the kits to their countries they serve. We just had our annual sew day with a salad lunch and speakers from two missionaries! It was so interesting and inspiring. Yesterday, I went to a friends house and we sewed one part of kit for the day! So fun to sew together and share recipes and chatter.
Good for you for helping women and girls in this way! It changes their lives!
So fun to read everyone’s idea for a 30 minute talk series. I think my topic would be about seemingly ordinary people who have done extraordinary things. Or just people’s interesting stories. Many times as I’ve walked with someone I’ve been acquainted with for a while and they would mention something they had done that you’d never think.
I think some people who read (or write) this blog could be the first subjects.
Mary,
The podcasts that I enjoy most are about books. And since you are a published author you have great qualifications. Through the years we as your followers have read lots of books and have recommended lots of books for each other.
I follow Modern Mrs. Darcy…..podcasts, her blog and her great kindle deals.
Check it out.
Lee North Carolina
Mary,
Thanks for posting Norma’s address again! I had written it down and put it in an envelope with favorite stamps. So I wouldn’t lose it. LOL
Eileen must be a great playmate. Our dog, Pepper, is a ball or toy hog…teases us to take them away from her.
Happy Friday the 13th! Just a little fog early. Very cold 🥶 this morning! Hunters are out as are Bears 🐻!
Launa
Thanks for publishing Norma’s address, I sent her a card today. I found the pocket! It really was hidden but I followed the thread. We also have a Days for Girls group that meets monthly to sew for these girls. It’s very rewarding to participate in something like this.
Rickie
I’m so glad to hear that people know about the group. It’s not always my favorite type of sewing, but the fellowship of the women who meet, in addition to knowing that we are making a difference in a girl’s life is immeasurable!
I like the Wait, wait…don’t tell me! podcast. Kind and funny.
Definitely trying to convince people to spay and neuter their pets!