Saturday Night, 2-4-23

It’s hard to believe I’m celebrating 30 degrees at 10 pm but I am! I feel like we’ve come out on the other side of winter knowing of course that there’s more winter to come. But the last 10 days were brutal.

You really liked “never buy a dog when you’re drunk”! Haha, so did I! And Deb from Japan sent this to me after the blog posted and I laughed again.

Reader quilts or seen online – if everybody would put their names on their photos I wouldn’t have this problem!

A friend sent this photo of a funeral program to me and asked if this was our quilt and yes, it is Garden Club. I did not know Darlene Shaw but she could easily have been a customer that I didn’t know by name. I was so touched by this cover – Darlene must have made this quilt and loved it. I hope that’s the case. Did anybody know Darlene Shaw? Let’s solve this mystery together.

Finn and Ivy are coming home from church with me tomorrow – it’s going to be an even nicer day than today and we all need to get outside.

This is what I’m working on. Also this, my own version of an I Spy quilt.

More on both of these projects later.

And once again, that’s the blog about nothing! Good night!

39 thoughts on “Saturday Night, 2-4-23

  1. Nancy Schulz

    Love your brown/neutral trellis quilt! Can’t wait to see it quilted. You have such a good color sense that changes the look of the project entirely! Was concerned you had given up, just busy!!

    1. Mary Etherington Post author

      Linda – let me look for Point of No Return – it must be here somewhere.

  2. Sherry Whalen

    I was astonished to see Darlene while reading the blog. I knew Darlene! She from Cresco and I went to high school with her children – we were in concert band together. She was married to superintendent Harold Harris, he was one of the 4 men (school personnel, superintendent, principal and teachers ) who died on a fishing trip in 1968, in Canada, from carbon monoxide poisoning. She later married David Shaw, a local dentist. She and David were chaperones on the band trip to Europe that the Crestwood band took in the summer of 1972 – 50 years ago – holy cow!

    She was a lovely woman – she was a quilter, and a church organist among many other things until she suffered a stroke in 2019.

    And I know it was much better weather today…but I know it isn’t spring yet, but we still get to enjoy the nice days.
    Sherry from Kasson

    1. Mary Etherington Post author

      Sherry – thank you!!! Do you know if she made the quilt shown? Why would they use it as background on her funeral pamphlet? It looks like the original to me.

  3. Marilyn Cook

    Mary, and what basketball games we saw yesterday! Iowa State beating Kansas and a couple other ranked teams going down..

    1. Mary Etherington Post author

      Marilyn – what a day of college basketball! Iowa State, Indiana, St. Mary’s and more – it was a college basketball lover’s delight!!

  4. Anita

    The “German Shepherd” made me laugh out loud. That’s a great way to start the day. Thank you.

    1. Teresa in Indiana

      The German Shepherd is awesome. I laughed so hard. I needed that. I lost my Mom suddenly on Thursday after a very brief illness.
      Reader quilts are beautiful as usual! I look forward to reading your blog about nothing.

      1. Mary Etherington Post author

        Teresa – oh, poor you losing your mom! I’m never sure if dying suddenly or after a long illness is worse – the shock of losing someone suddenly is so hard for the survivors but probably better for the one leaving. The long death gives one time to prepare but leaves the one dying in misery to suffer longer. I’m sorry for your loss.

        1. Kathy in western NY

          Teresa,
          My sympathies to you in the sudden loss of your mom. We will keep you in our prayers in your days ahead.

        2. Teresa in Indiana

          Thank you Mary. Mom was a Mary too. It’s so very hard to accept, but I wouldn’t have wanted her to suffer any more than that day.
          I’ll post pics of the quilts that I’ve made for her sometime soon. I’ll get back to sewing sometime.

      2. patti leal

        teresa, thoughts and prayers with you in your time of grief. i am truly sorry for your loss. patti in florida

  5. Sandra Goddard

    I just had to read all the comments about who Darlene was. Sherry thanks so much for sharing. What wonderful memories to share. The dog jokes are so funny. This blog is so wonderful thanks Mary.

  6. Joy in NW Iowa

    Good morning! 19 degrees here at 7 am. Not bad!! Especially, when not long ago it was with a – in front! Suppose to get up in the lower 30s today! Woohoo! Take care and have a good Sunday!

    1. Mary Etherington Post author

      Joy – isn’t it funny how we can be so tickled with 26 degrees? Haha! You have a good Sunday, too!

      1. Vicki Ibarra

        We often grill when it is a “balmy” 30 degrees. Some of our neighbors look at us like we are crazy, but after bitter cold it feels like a good day to grill.

        I am working on a small quilt that is similar to your Stand up Straight quilt. I am making it in Christmas colors, but think the next one I make will be more like the one you pictured – both in color and size. Thanks for the idea.

  7. Kathy in western NY

    I’d love bringing home two cute dogs after church today! Lucky you. It’s Scout Sunday today for us so I love seeing the young people shine with their good deeds. Your Ispy quilt is adorable. I say whatever catches kids eyes in one is what is needed to make them. Like they say make baby quilts from red and black fabrics as babies see them more readily and yet so many baby fabrics are muted colors. We will get to 40 today so understand saying Hallelujah to warmer days too. It’s a see saw anyways just like life.

  8. Sandy in Indiana

    Loved the “German Shepard”…Laughed out loud! Great way to start the day. Thanks for sharing

    Enjoy your Sunday!

    Sandy

  9. Diane, Squeak, and Buddy in Central Ohio

    This blog is never about nothing! I go to it first in the emails😀. Thanks to Donna and Sherry for the obit and info on Mrs. Shaw. I would guess she had made that quilt, but if not, the one you made is beautiful. I, too, like the ones you are making. I found many squares I had cut for an Eye Spy so will take to retreat soon. It is 45* here—almost summer—ha!

    1. Kris in WI

      Diane and Mary–I save the best for last and read Country Threads before closing down the computer. That way I have all those great quilt ideas to savor, a lovely picture of life on the farm, and a good laugh (German shepherd, indeed!) or sage comment to think about the rest of the day. Many thanks, Mary for keeping the blog going through thick and thin and to the readers who take the time to comment.

  10. Ginger S

    I LOVE your blog Mary. I wonder if Darlene Shaw was one of Jo Kramer’s “Cresco Ladies”, the makers of oh so many wonderful donation quilt tops. We just experienced a brutally cold weather couple of days here in New Hampshire. Coldest recorded temperatures in the US were recorded on the top of Mount Washington. I am thankful it was only for a couple of days knowing that you have had cold weather and wind chill temperatures for several days. Looking forward to spring.

    1. Mary Etherington Post author

      Ginger – I never thought about her being one of Jo’s Cresco ladies. I will ask her. I’m most curious as to why our Garden Club Quilt is on the cover.

  11. Deb in Idaho

    Loves the “German shepherd “ joke . Lol to funny. Beautiful quilts, I haven’t been doing much sewing,busy with painting. Your blog is not about nothing, I enjoy it so much. Have a warm sunday

  12. Sue H

    My brother just bought a German shepherd off of Craig’s List and I know he’d laugh at your little comic like I did. So funny! Really hit my funny bone!

  13. Patty in Southern California

    I love peeking into your home and life. The German Shepherd piece is Great!
    With all the children’s fabrics I have collected through the years I think I will copy your version of the I Spy quilt for my great grandson.
    I wish you a happily blessed week!

  14. Joyce from NY

    I love your blog about nothing, keep it coming! It was 44 degrees here today compared to minus 7 yesterday, glad it only lasted a couple days.

  15. Betty Klosterman

    This blog connects us to the rest of the world. People’s lives, deaths, births, every day stuff. It is all what makes the world go round, especially sharing with friends and family.

    Just got pictures made of my latest quilts and people could tell I made them because of the same fabrics….. I’m jealous of your stash! You gray/brown/black quilt is beautiful. And there are no rules to make an I Spy quilt. Go for it as it will entertain a little kid no matter what. And who are we to try to guess what will thrill a baby as everything is new to them? I always go for the bright stuff.

    Isn’t Mt. Washington where the weather station is that records so many of the extreme temps? I’ve seen videos of people following ropes so they don’t get lost in winter storms — 6288′ high.

    Take care everybody, and just enjoy every day whatever the weather.
    Betty in Rapid City

      1. Betty Klosterman

        The stock show ended Saturday evening. I’m sure all the dirt is hauled out by now and everything is cleaned up. The Sport’s Show will be setting up all their wares, trailers and Big Boy toys and will be ready to open on noon on Friday.

        And our hockey team will be back home Friday night for a big game.

        Betty

  16. Susan K in Texas

    That German shepherd joke is funny! I’ll have to send it to my brother who has a German shepherd dog.
    The quilt show is great and I enjoyed learning about Darlene Shaw. She sounds like a busy special person. I like the idea of having a quilt pictured on your funeral program.
    It’s warmed up to 60+ again. Texas weather is spastic at this time of the year. The Fat Stock Show & rodeo is in Fort Worth at the end of January/beginning of February and the weather will be beautiful one week and horrible the next. It ended on Sunday on a good day.

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