And now I know why we haven’t heard from Patti in Florida. I reached her husband, Mr. Ed, this afternoon and learned that Patti died on April 4 after a struggle with pancreatic cancer. Oh, she was such a prolific quilter, wasn’t she? And I miss hearing from her. She intended to leave a note of those to notify of her death but things moved too fast.
Let this be a lesson to us all – have a list of email addresses that aren’t local enough to see a funeral notice! As a group of blog friends, this is so important and I am the wheel that turns the blog. Please list my email address in case of a death so that I can let readers know – especially if you’re a regular commenter. Becky has instructions to leave a comment on the blog if something would happen to me that I could not post.
Here’s the aftermath of getting the tree off the fence this morning. When parts of my grove literally get destroyed, it hurts me. All those little volunteer saplings are gone – the little trees that will grow up to keep the grove healthy are mowed over like grass. I don’t want it mowed like a lawn – I want it brushy and thick with vegetation. I only want the wilderness trail cleared through the grove – I don’t want a cleared field.
So we kept going to the hay ground where the dogs love to run – I actually covered my body with a sheet because the mosquitoes are so bad.
And back to the porch for a cold drink! The chickens love to,eat the seed that falls from the bird feeder and evidently Three likes to watch.
After the discussion about APQ I gathered the first few issues and sent them an email with a link to the blog post and comments from you readers so they’ll know it’s not just me who thinks the magazine is worthless.
Reader photos
Remember yesterday when we went for a ride? Rick decided we should go right then and I was working on Dove in the Window so I just put it down. When I came back I didn’t look carefully. So here it is sewed together wrong – wrong rows next to the wrong row, etc so now I’ll be taking several blocks apart. sigh. Why didn’t I lay it out again? Too much of a hurry.
I got another favorite summer quilt out today – this is an improv quilt which started with the cockscomb block and then I grabbed all the pink pieces in the bin.
And more.
They’re waiting to go out – so goodnight!
Sorry to hear about Patti. Kind wishes to all of you, Seize the day!
I, too, am very sorry to hear about Patti. She was always so positive and made so many beautiful quilts that she gave away. I enjoyed hearing about what she was doing. I hope her family is doing ok.
I loved seeing the wind turbines yesterday and that little Boots is adorable.
Somehow I have ended up being the organizer of our Card Club, Thursday Sewing group, Grant committee, and family!! It is fun to get together with everyone, but it does take time.
I just started the binding on our son’s quilt for his birthday at the end of this month. I am finishing a binding on a table runner AND I totally cleaned the sewing room. Whew!
WE had SOOOO much rain and wind on Saturday. It was the worst I’ve ever seen except for a Hurricane many years ago in NY.
I am impressed with what you got done today.
Pamela
Pamela – hope I have the right Pamela – how’s the pain by now? Any better?
Diane – I don’t know how you manage to organize all those groups! I would hate it – I’d quit them all if I had to be the organizer – haha!!! And all your projects to finish, too? You are busy!
Very sad to hear of Patti passing. I recently send her another card not knowing she had died back in April. Thank you for reaching out to Mr Ed so that we have closure. I enjoyed reading Patti’s comments and seeing her quilts. As mentioned by others, she was a very positive and upbeat person. I plan to make her version of the Maggie Pearl quilt pattern that she shared with us about a year ago. Mary, Thank you for the blog, and providing us with a community of quilters. Many nice quilts today. Love the Cockscomb quilt. Janice, Traverse City area
Janice – I asked Mr. Ed about all the cards we sent – I don’t think he opened any of them – I think he’s been overwhelmed. Here’s a fun fact – he might take up quilting and work on all of Patti’s UFOs!!
That would be amazing if Mr Ed finished Patti’s UFOs! Will he join this blog and keep us posted? Lol. I am so sorry about Patti passing — I enjoyed all her contributions to this blog. Seemed like she commented on every one.
Sara – I did ask him that very question and he went to her computer and immediately found my post Dusk On the Farm. He reads every day, I think. I asked if he’d like to receive sympathy cards and he grudgingly said no,it was just too much. So I’m hoping in time he WILL join us here.
Mary, Ditto on Sara comment. That would be amazing for Mr Ed to finish Patti’s UFO’s . . . and then maybe start a few new quilts. And yes, hopefully he will join us here on the blog. I am so glad you had the opportunity to talk with him directly.
Hi Mary, I sent a picture of our corn and one of our dog, Carly. We have dry land corn since we do not have enough water at our farm to irrigate. My mom and dad built our house in 1956 the year they were married. Back then I am guessing they did not use as much water as we do now otherwise they may have considered building somewhere else. We have to be careful when we do not get rain and not water the garden or grass too much. We did get 2″ of rain Sunday night, very much needed. The first we had in quite awhile. The rain was always going around us.
Valarie in South Central Nebraska
Valerie – what so you mean “dry land corn”? As in any corn that you simply don’t irrigate like when we were kids? We all just waited for rain back then. Irrigation is a big deal around here but many farmers don’t have it.
I’m very sorry to hear that Patti passed away in April. I miss reading her comments and seeing the pictures of her quilts. She was so good about continuing to make quilts, whatever adjustments she had to make due to her health. Thank you Mary, for confirming what we suspected.
Your pink cockscomb quilt is beautiful!
I am so sorry to hear about Patti. I had a sinking feeling that she had passed away. My niece was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer last winter. She was doctoring with Mayo Clinic . There is a procedure called Whipple that can remove the cancerous pancreas but she had an added complication of a main artery was wrapped around the pancreas. Mayo told her she would not survive the surgery. So she researched other hospitals and was accepted at a hospital in Colorado. She had the Whipple surgery, was in the hospital for six weeks and as of last week is cancer free. She only had two choices: go home and die or take a chance that she would survive the Whipple surgery. Quite a success story since there is a low rate of survival with pancreatic cancer.
Gloria – that IS a miracle! I don’t know what the WHIPPLE procedure is but if it worked, she’s the first person I’ve ever heard of that survived pancreatic cancer. Such an uplifting story!!
Is your arm still in a sling or are you now sling less and adjusting? Think of all the work you’re getting out of this summer but poor Gaylen! He’s got his hands full, doesn’t he? And hugs to little Caitlin! Did you watch the game tonight?
Yes it is a miracle – lots of prayers for sure. I got my sling off two weeks ago which was a relief. My shoulder and elbow were getting Charlie horses and that hurt! Once the sling was off that stopped. PT is still extremely painful but every day that goes by brings me closer to the day that I’ll wake up with no pain (I hope).
I wasn’t able to watch the Fever game but I kept track of the score on my iPhone.
Happy Birthday tomorrow!
Gloria – gosh, I’m sorry you’re still in so much pain! You’ve had your share by now. Where do you go for PT?
I go to my surgeons office in Waterloo for PT. It is very well equipped and Dr. Serrano gives them exact exercises they need to follow. And that’s how he gages my progress too. If I went to PT in CC my progress would be lost.
I, too, thought Patti had died. But I still sent some cards. I also looked for an obituary, to no avail. Thank you for reaching out to Mr. Ed. Pancreatic cancer can go very quickly. My best friend died within a week after finding out she had it. Very tragic.
All the pictures you post are always so much fun. For the want-to-be famers, the has been farmers, the children of farmers; we all love to live vicariously through your blog. I come from city folk. My mother graduated from high school on Long Island and went directly to work in New York City. My dad went to college in New York City. Ended up in Ohio since 1961 (off and on) and live a few blocks away from farm fields of corn and soy beans. With my love of quilts and small towns i like living near the farms.
Your improv quilt with the Cockscomb flower sure is attractive. I love all of your original quilts. Thanks for sharing.
I hate to think of part of your property being destroyed. Hopefully the trees will come back.I
All my best wishes to everyone for a Happy Fourth of July.
You are right, Mary. I think we all knew that Patti had passed, although I don’t think we knew what type of cancer she had. I always enjoyed reading her comments & loved seeing her quilts! I have to believe her quilting kept her going! Like many of us, her quilting room was her happy place! I just returned from a trip to Costco. Ron & I shop there once a month. I’m thankful I kept my freezer when I moved as I buy meat whenever it’s on sale & it’s nice to have a variety to choose from when preparing meals. They also had my favorite beverage (Ice) on sale, so I’m set for a few months! Another rainy day today. I plan to finish quilting a baby quilt today for a new momma at church. Love Greta napping in the bird feeder. Most of the time our fur babies like to be very close to us. Boots loves my recliner & lays between my legs with his chin on my ankle. I’ve called him a Velcro pup quite often!
Alice – when I do get a chance to sit in the recliner that’s exactly how Hazel lays, too!
As a longtime AP&Q reader, I have also discontinued my subscription. Check your library – I am able to peruse issues online. There is still inspiration, new fabrics, etc. without the paper waste. Also make use of the many free patterns at allpeoplequilt.com. The phrase “don’t throw the baby out with the bathwater” comes to mind.
First, so sorry to hear about Patti, and especially the type of cancer. My mother succumbed to it 40 years ago – first time I’d ever heard of that cancer. Beryl, agreed, a nasty one. Mr. Ed has lost a gem. Thank you for letting us know, Mary.
When the grandma posted her airplane quilt, on the blog, made for the newest grandchild, I thought, that is so cool and unique. Then Mary posted the pattern which I bought . . . because I might need it one day. Two weeks later my grand nephew told me they were were expecting a boy in July and the theme of the room would be aviation.
The porcelain flowered box in the photo sat on my father’s side of my parents dresser for as long as I can remember. It had belonged to his mother. Now it sits on the left hand side of my dresser. When I started quilting I also started looking for material to match that design.. A few years back I found some material, not the same flower colors, but the background vining was close enough. Snatched all the FQs there and one 1/2 yard piece. Last year i gathered materials to finally get the quilt done. Pattern still elusive until I decided to create my own using three blocks – log cabin ( which I love), and two blocks in a quilt my grandmother made using the snowball and a nine patch. ( I am blessed to have four of her quilts, including one that was on my bed as a child.) The FQ print was called ‘Abigail’s Garden.” For my titled quilt I’ve inserted my grandmother’s name, Nellie, instead. Unfortunately, I never met her as she passed almost a decade before I was born. I made a teddy bear for both my children, from a pattern my mom had, during the Cabbage Patch rage. So, I created an adoption certificate for each bear and the first name of the bear given to my oldest daughter was named after my Grandmother Nellie. Keeping the memory/heritage alive!
Jan
Jan – I love your sentimental tributes to your family!!! I’m sure they know!
There are so many lovely quilts today. I, too, am sorry to read of Patti’s death. I very much appreciated her blog comments. Pancreatic cancer is a nasty one; it is rarely diagnosed in an early stage.
We have had a very rainy June. In the last few days there were flash flood watches in SW Ohio. The weeds in the garden are getting so big and it’s too wet to get in to get them out, Last year, July and August were very dry; I wonder what they will be this year.
Beryl – that’s what happened with my weeding, too -it finally quit raining but everything is very soggy
So sorry to hear about Patti’s passing. My sister-in-law was a health nut. Ran marathons, did swim marathons. biked the Rocky Mountains. She was tall & lean but very strong like my husband. I remember that she wouldn’t even eat ketchup because it had sugar in it, no bread or carbs. She was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer & she died 5 months later. I remember the words of singer Warren Zevon when he was diagnosed with mesothelioma, “Enjoy every sandwich”. Slow down, appreciate the simple things in life, live in the present.
To Des and all: You are so right about appreciating the simple things in life. After being diagnosed with kidney cancer and trying immunotherapy, only to find it had no effect on the tumor, I’m scheduled for surgery in the middle of this month. I decided early on that I will live each day as it comes and not worry about tomorrow. I’ve told myself to sing out loud, cut into the pretty fabric, use the good china, listen to the birds, and now I’ll say, “Enjoy every sandwich!” That would be BLT’s two days in a row. Yum!
I always admired Patti’s generous spirit, and I can only hope that my scrappy LWR quilts will bring comfort to an unfortunate soul somewhere in the world as well. As always, prayers continue for Mary and her readers. Kris in WI
Kris – so mid July for surgery? Will you please leave my email for a family member and ask them to send me an update? Please?
Kris – please send me your email – send to my email. I thought I had you but not sure which Kris you are.
So sorry to hear about Patti; she was a delight. I always enjoyed hearing about her projects. Her last posts mentioned her sister was going to visit; I hope that visit happened.
The pictures of Three watching the chickens eating birdseed and Greta napping in the bird feeder are adorable.
I love the mostly pink summer quilt you recently hung outdoors.
Thanks, Mary 🥰
I, too, always enjoyed reading Patti’s posts. She was an amazing lady. She kept doing the things she loved to do till the end. So glad you got in touch with her husband.
I am working on some 30’s prints again. I made two baby quilts from them earlier, and had some leftovers, so trying to come up with another quilt using 2.5″ squares. My goal is to use all of them up.
This afternoon I will go to the church and sew with our quilting ladies. Sometimes we don’t have as many come in the summer for various reasons, but we still meet. It is a good time of fellowship.
Thanks again for the blog and thanks to all that comment. I enjoy reading everyone’s comments. Your blog is like no other that I have been a part of!🥰
Mary, thanks for liking my scrap quilt. It was a great way of using up lots of fabric. Everything was a scrap except for the binding. It has pieces of past projects and many pieces from clothing I made for myself or my children. It’s almost like a fabric scrapbook of my life. The pattern is from Quilt Sampler magazine Fall/Winter 2017. The magazine is still available on the secondary market. The quilt shop the designed it for the magazine is called Apron Strings Quilt Shop. The name of the quilt is tic tac toe. It’s a super fun quilt to make. It starts out with strip sets and 25 patch blocks that you cut up and put back together. You don’t know what you get until all is resewn back together.
So sad to hear about Patti! I bet she was sewing right up to the end.
Long arming yesterday was how I spent my afternoon. I had problems with thread and finally got it worked out only to get a long tuck in the backing which I did not know happened until I rolled. So lots of stitching had to come out. I will work on it tomorrow as I have a dental appt this afternoon. But I have the days ahead through the weekend to work in my sewing room as I have no plans for the holiday.,
What fun riding on the golf cart for you Mary. Sure brings back memories for me. Now I live in town and my walks are on pavement. So I enjoy your tales and photos.
Thank you Mary for your diligence so we have closure too on what happened to Patti. We knew she was diagnosed with cancer but I guess we kept hoping she’d be one of the lucky ones. I loved hearing her stories of scraps becoming charity quilts and hope her Angel quilting group is probably piecing together her beloved scraps. Again Mary we all appreciate your blog for the effort you put into your posts.
I love seeing your cockscomb quilt and have started a bag as I clean out of assorted blocks to become an improv quilt someday. Your readers and you are the reason I don’t need a magazine to inspire me to make a new quilt. You all provide plenty of ideas.
Kathy – I agree about not needing a magazine to be inspired. I get plenty of inspiration from you readers and from the internet. More ideas than I can possibly sew up!
So sorry to hear Patti passed away. I loved her comments. She was so upbeat and loved new fabric!
It is a beautiful morning. We have lots of new baby kittens that play in front of the shed while the mommas lay and twitch their tail for them to play with. So cute. All black and one gray.
All the pets and quilts are beautiful.
I was sorry to hear about Patti. Glad you were finally able to contact her family and let them know she is missed in the blog community. I love your coxcomb quilt. I think it is a great example of the kind of contemporary style that could be featured in quilt magazines. Unfortunately, I think it must be very hard for them to compete with the online communities and quilt “influencers “ who present much of the current ideas and patterns for dare I say younger quilters who have grown up digital and don’t have the experience of reading and looking to magazines for ideas. I too find myself going online to look for quick and easy projects for baby quilts or gifts. So they are trying to keep their “legacy” readers but attract newer ones and not succeeding very well. As many of said, I already have more fabric and patterns than I can ever use, but I still like to see new ideas in magazines. Hopefully, they will find a balance that works.
Our AC has been out of order for five days with lots of hrpeat and humidity here in MD. After three visits from the AC techs we have our fingers crossed they’ve finally found the answer. No plans for the 4th. We are leaving shortly thereafter to come to Iowa to visit my brother and a nephew back for a visit from Taiwan with his two young children. Order some good weather for us!
Karen C in MD
Karen – I hope our nice Iowa weather continues for you! We aren’t even running our AC but you sure must be missing it!
I am sorry to hear about Patti, but I think we pretty much knew that was why we hadn’t heard from her, as she was so prolific.
I smiled when I saw the reader’s quilt that is below the plane quilt. I made that almost “flower like” design many years ago. It went together quickly. As I try to work through my stash, I should try that pattern again in a different color way. Inspiration!
It is July! Summer is flying.
I’m so sorry to hear about Patti’s passing. She was certainly a quilting inspiration. It wasso nice to see what she was working on. She will be missed by many. Your cat in the bird feeder made me laugh. And Three keeping a close watch on your chickens. Too cute! All the quilts today are wonderful! As always, I look forward to reading your blog with my coffee every morning. Thank you Mary.
Wow, that storm did a real number in your woods area. However, I’m sure we will see Hazel rooting all over it shortly. Was that Barney in the bird feeder? Such a sweet picture. My long arm quilter hadn’t got around to quilting my R/W/B log cabin quilt so I got it back and cut it down to a twin size (plus about 10 inches for men’s body size). Now it is ready to go back to her for quilting. It will be the first quilt to go to the fire station.
Frances – that was Greta in the bird feeder. Yes, that storm combined with my old trees sure caused a lot of trouble. The fence has not been an issue all these years and I simply have to have it to keep the dogs alive because there’s a busy highway bordering my farm on the north side.
I am so sorry to hear that Patti passed. It was so inspiring to read her blog comments as, she was always sewing even through all her pain. Thank you so much for reaching out to her husband.
I love the picture of the kitty in the bird feeder. Hopefully, with all this rain, the vegetation will grow quickly in your grove. I’m sure it looks bare right now.
So sorry to hear about Patty’s passing . I’m sure she is in Quilter’s Heaven working on an angelic quilt for some lucky soul. Will say a Rosary in her honor for her journey to the other side. As an Emergency Room Night Charge nurse for 40 years before I retired, I spent many times holding the hands of someone passing on because family/friends couldn’t make it into the hospital in time to be with their loved ones.. I worked the night shift. Up tonight with my sick grandson who is 3 years old. He fell asleep at 7:30 last evening and now is wide awake watching his IPod. Lucky me.
Barbara – sounds like me – sleepy in the early evening and awake at 3 am! 3 year olds have IPods?
Mary, The IPod is mine; I was desperate. This is why you have kids in your early 20’s.
Barbara – oh, I am chuckling!! So I’m assuming a 3 year old can watch something or is he just holding it – I can hear the desperation in your voice. Haha!!!
I’m sad to read that Patti dies back in April. I enjoyed reading her long blog comments. The idea of making a list of emails and blogs so a family member can contact people when I pass. My husband has no clue about my online social accounts. Ha! It’s fun to see the dogs eagerness to go out. You can’t say that about your cats!
I am writing tonight while feeling both sad and angry. My daughter and I live in town and have enjoyed watching three adorable baby bunnies who were born under our front porch a couple of eeeks ago. Tonight the neighbor’s cat got hold of one and killed it right on our porch. It’s not fair that people’s cats can roam freely and destroy property and small animals. Dogs have to be confined or on a leash. Why don’t the same laws apply to cats?
So sad to hear of Patti’s death. I have missed her blogs too. She sure was an inspiration to us. Even up to the end of her life she was making quilts for charities. Rest in peace, dear Patti. Sending my condolences to Mr. Ed. Patti will be missed by all is on the blog.
Jeanne in Colo.
That cockscomb quilt is so neat – love it!
More rain here today, but it did cool it off a little – not quite so humid now. They say there will be more rain tomorrow, the it should be good Wednesday. I need to put down more ant bait and it says not to put it down if it’s going to rain in the next 24 hours, so I hope the forecast is correct! I did get some mowing done yesterday, so I won’t have a hay field… I hope!
My sympathies about Patti… and good advice about leaving a list of names with addresses, e-mails…
Hello Mary, I love your coxcomb quilt. I remember seeing part of it on your iron board several years. Now I get to see the whole quilt. I am thinking of hooking a small piece with a coxcomb. There has been many changes in my life since March but I look forward to your blog each day. It is nice to see what other people are working on for crafts. I am working my second Emotional Support Chicken is knitted. It has been real hot ere in the valley. Ten days ago just before we had the heat wave a mother cat and her 3 kittens moved in behind our pole barn. She and her kittens found a place underneath a piece of equipment. When I realized where they hiding I have put out water and food for them 4 times a day. Called the vet to get with some advice to capture and get them in the house. She must be a feral cat as runs when any one is near.
Carolyn b Shenandoah Valley VA
Carolyn – I hope you can capture the feral momma so you can save those babies! Do you want to tell us about those changes in your life? Are you ok? When readers tell me they look for my blog every morning it becomes pressure because you know I’ve always said it’s a blog about nothing. Some days are just boring and I have nothing to write so I take pictures which must get boring for you readers.
Mary – your pictures are not boring at all. It shows we all have different yards, preferences to where we sit to relax (I will never tire of your porch pictures) and what we leave on our counters. Ha! I’m looking at my sewing room knowing it needs a tidy clean up for me to feel better about it.
I know you don’t have a lot of stores to shop for clothes there Mary but I have to tell you how much I just paid for a basic Bali bra at Penney’s – $44. Now how’s that for something boring to buy!
i made a list of phone #’s for my daughter, friends to call and let them know if something happens to me I just had a cousin die and I looked at fb to be sure he was still at the nursing home and there was a message from his step daughter that he was gone. He had told me the last time I was there that he hoped he wouldn’t be there when I came again. I also hate to see the old trees to be gone. We planted a couple thousand trees at our farm years ago, then we had a horrible flood and they all died. What I have left of them are a small grove of flowering plums in my front pasture. I always want to hug all the animals. Take care .
I’m so sorry to hear Patti passed. I’m glad you were able to get hold of her husband to learn what happened. One more thing I’ll add to my end of life notebook – text or email!
Dee – oh, all that work and your trees didn’t make it? I can understand your pain. Yes, in my heart I knew Patti was gone but I had to be sure.
Hi Mary, so sorry to hear about Patti, l have an instruction on my will to get my son to notify you if anything happens to me. Stella has just lost her first tooth while on holiday at waitomo caves, a beautiful glow worm cave area up north. They are going to visit hobbiton where the hobbit houses are,built for lord of the rings movies. Meanwhile l stay home, quilt and feed the cats!Happy days! Take care everyone, best wishes from Sandy
Sandy – I need to make some changes to my will and include those same instructions. Stella lost her first tooth! What amount of money does the tooth fairy bring in your area?