The weather is going to be in the low 50’s on Thursday, and our daughter came up with a plan to share a meal in an area where we can have good cross ventilation. Let me just say one thing – life is good. 🙂
I was lucky twice this month when I got to spend time with friends.
I had coffee and pastry one morning with a friend, and it was wonderful. Instead of our usual very busy coffee spot, we picked a quiet bakery/catering company with a large cafeteria style seating area. Most of the time, we were the only ones sitting in our area.
Last week, I enjoyed a Boston adventure with another friend. She’s a member of the Boston Museum of Fine Arts, and we went to see a quilt show, Fabric of a Nation American Quilt Stories. They have timed entry and everyone has to wear a mask.
It was a different type of quilt show than I usually attend in that most of the quilts told stories. There were several quilts like the first one pointing to different uses of fabric throughout the ages, but there were also a lot of others including messages about slavery, gun violence, and current gender and sexual differences.
We were able to have lunch there, and it happened to be a warm 60 degrees so about fifty people were in the outside courtyard enjoying their food and beverage. It was a fun day trip.
I’m also very thankful for the blogging community which has been a special source of friendship during this very challenging times. Take a bow, all of you. ❤️
As we get ready to celebrate Thanksgiving here in the US, I send wishes for each of you to have a nice Thanksgiving with safe travels, good conversation, delicious food, and most importantly a few well deserved hugs.
If traveling to New England, be safe and bring a mask because our Covid numbers are not good. That’s my public service announcement from me to you to keep us all safe and healthy. 😷
NewEnglandGardenAndThread 
Thanks for sharing the quilts – they are amazing.
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I am always amazed at what our ancestors did with simple fabric and hand sewing. Humbling. It’s also interesting to see how current quilters express their interests and feelings.
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What a wonderful show Judy! Do you know how long it is going on?
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It’s on until January 17, 2022. You’ve got plenty of time. 🙂
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Wonderful! Thanks!
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Amazing quilt show! I am in love with the traditional styles like your first photo, but the ones constructed to bring awareness to social issues are truly admirable. The quilted ball, though! My, my! In my opinion, I think that one just rolled away with “best of show!”
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Yes, you would have loved all the hand sewing of the early quilts. It just absolutely amazes me thinking about how they sat sewing with only lamps for light. When I sew, I have enough lights going that it can probably be viewed from space. 🙂 Isn’t that ball something? It was tight as a drum but as I walked around I could see where the seam was closed with velcro. I can’t even imagine assembling it. It was definitely something I’ve never seen before. A+.
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Those were really different quilts! Good to be able to get out safely.
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Usually a quilt show consists of many quilts in a similar category. This one was very unusual and kept me thinking as I walked around. It’s always good to stretch the mind, and with the timed entries and mask requirements, it did seem kind of safe and fun for sure.
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Hello Judy! I am thrilled that you are able to have Thanksgiving with your daughter and she was able to find a place that works perfectly for all of you! Happy Dance for all of you!
What an amazing quilt show! They are all amazing!
Happy Thanksgiving Judy! Enjoy your day with family!
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It was definitely a happy dance moment! I hope you have a wonderful day, and your temps will be much warmer than ours for sure. Enjoy. 🙂
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That quilt show must have been marvelous. Happy Thanksgiving to you, too.
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It was definitely the most unique quilt show I’ve ever attended, and it certainly stretched my thoughts about what a quilt is suppose to be. Happy week to you too!
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Nowadays, those outings are precious. I love the idea of story quilts. Your advice about New England is spot-on. The numbers in Maine are terrible, too. Finally, so great that your daughter has found a way for you all to get together and celebrate safely. A happy Thanksgiving to you and yours!
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Our Covid numbers are the highest since the start of the pandemic. It absolutely boggles my mind to go to the store and very few people have masks on. I am so thrilled about Thursday’s family meal, I will be doing a happy dance. I hope your daughter is still with you so at least half of your family will be there with you and Clif. Happy Thanksgiving and stay safe.
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Same here in Maine when it comes to people wearing masks. Recently, in one store I went to, probably 10 percent were wearing masks. Yikes! No wonder COVID rates are so high. Our daughter is indeed still with us! And do that happy dance!
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Looks like a wonderful quilt exhibit. Quilting is an art form that is often overlooked, so I’m glad to see the MFA has put on an exhibit.
There is much to be grateful for, indeed, despite the outward appearance of things these days. It is truly the small joys of love and companionship that are the most important. Hope your Thanksgiving is a splendid one, Judy!
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Have a wonderful Thanksgiving, Eliza.
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Happy Thanksgiving!
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Right back at you, my friend. Hope you and your family have a wonderful day. I won’t worry about whether you have a good dinner because I know you will, and it will probably be followed up with one of your delicious pies. Happy turkey day!
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I’m glad you were able to get out with friends and see/do some fun things. Believe it or not, I went to see a quilt exhibit at the CT Historic Society a little over a year ago. I was fascinated by the way they were reusing material as they made quilts (that was a big section of the exhibit).
I hope you have a very nice Thanksgiving. Despite all we are dealing with, there is much to be thankful for.
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There was one quilt on display that had some material and some feed bags, and then it was hand quilted. The material they found to use is always interesting, but their hand sewing skills is amazing, and the fact that they did it without the lighting that we have today just humbles me. They were true artisans even though they may have initiated the project to keep family members warm from the cold.
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Beautiful quilts, but that quilted ball is just awesome! My Great Aunt Emma made the most gorgeous quilts you can imagine, all hand stitched. Each one was a work of art.
I am thrilled to hear you’re having Thanksgiving dinner with your family. Weather will be cooperating. Food will be delicious. And spending time with those you love is is awesome.
Continue to keep safe. You’re allowed to remove your mask while you chow down!
Ginger
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Aunt Emma would have loved to have strolled through that quilt exhibit. I do so admire all the folks who have hand quilting skills because I don’t and I’m in awe of them. Yes – family dinner! It’s a good thing. Taking my mask off to chow down sounds like a good plan. 🙂 I did some errands today, and was in a CVS. I was one of the very few with a mask, but there was one lady who had two masks on. It just made me stop and think about what a wide range of responses there is to Covid. Happy turkey day, Miss Ginger. 🙂
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Sounds like some good days, Judy. The RR quilt is so interesting as is the quilt-wrapped ball. Have you read any off Earlene Fowler’s Benni Harper books? Each title is the name of a quilt and quilts figure in the stories. They’re mysteries but filled with people you’ll love.
I hope you have a blessed Thanksgiving.
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Thank you! I will check those books out. I was at the library when they opened the door this morning to get my supply for the week. I hope you have a wonderful holiday and that all of your family, near and far, are well..
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I don’t have the words to respond to those quilts. The skill and patience are…well, I don’t have the word for it. Besides skill and patience, though, is the essential ability to imagine the results, to see what is going to be. Imagination. This quilt show was surely a tribute to imagining. Thanks for these photos! And congratulations on those rare and wonderful times with friends! Getting out is a real trick these days — numbers are bad here also. Rare and wonderful are the times with family too — a very happy Thanksgiving to you and your family as you gather safely!
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Quilters from 100+ years ago just make me shake my head at their wonderful set of skills. To be able to piece a top in most cases by hand, quilt it all by hand, and bind it is just more than I can almost comprehend. I would have loved to have seen the back, but there are alarms if you even lean too close. I got told to back up one time by a security guard. 🙂 I hope you see your family and enjoy a Happy Thanksgiving as well.
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You got told to step back by a security guard?? Couldn’t he tell you were a quilter and HAD to look closely? Wow. Yes, thank you, I will see my family on Thanksgiving and am knee-deep in bread cubes today!
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Judy, what a wonderful week with friends and quilts. So thankful we are friends across the blogosphere! Happy Thanksgiving 🍁🍽🦃
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Yes, I am so glad we get to chat each week. I still need an in-depth lesson on storing photos so you can find them. 🙂 Happy Thanksgiving to you both.
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It is snowing here in upstate New York — Happy Thanksgiving.
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Oh, wow! The ski areas will be thrilled. It was 27 degrees when I made coffee this morning, and they showed on the news that several of our ski areas were making snow. 🙂 Happy Thanksgiving!
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Happy Thanksgiving!
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To you too! Hope accounting is going well.
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The quilts are fascinating. The quilt around the sphere is something else. I rather like it. I, of course, love Snoopy and Woodstock dressed like pilgrims. Happy Thanksgiving, Judy!
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Happy Thanksgiving to you and the mister as well. Enjoy your day.
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How lovely for you to have two nice outings with friends, and that gorgeous quilt show – what a treat. Best wishes to you and your family for Thanksgiving Judy. I hope you all have a lovely day. Stay safe and well.
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Thank you, and you and your loved ones be safe too.
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The quilts, the quilts! I love them all, and such talent to produce these delightful works of art. (having tried quilting, I am doubly in awe).
So pleased to read your daughter has worked out a way to meet up, and I agree, being able to chat to individual friends and family is wonderful. This dreadful pandemic has taught us how precious time with friends and family is for all of us. People need people! I also agree that blogging friends have been very special during Covid.
Happy Thanksgiving Judy, and yes we have there is reasons to be thankful.
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I am always in awe of the talent of those quilters. Yes, people need people, and if we take just a moment, we can come up with a list a mile long of things to be thankful for. Stay well, it’s dangerous out there.
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The last sentence should be….. yes, there are reasons to be thankful.
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I’ve never seen a ball quilt. That looks pretty neat. How wonderful that you got to get out with friends, and you are having a Thanksgiving with family this year! I hope you have a lovely day, and get some hugs in too. Happy Thanksgiving, Judy!
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I hope you have plenty of grandma time with those two handsome boys on your lap, next to you, or with their arms wrapped around your neck. Those are good times.
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Oh my Judy – that round quilt is so beautiful. Have never seen anything like that before. Sounds like you’ve had an excellent month, especially having 60s in November up there! We’re having an odd cold snap here, very unusual but it almost feels like the old days up north – except no beautiful autumn leaves 😢. Hope you had a lovely TG – sadly we were unable to be with family this year but had a nice evening with 3 other couples, all very safe. The good news….I didn’t have to cook LOL
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Not having to cook but enjoying friends, now that is a win-win in my book. 🙂
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That ball is incredible! Very special to see in real life!
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It certainly put me in awe of their skills to pull that pattern off.
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Glad you were able to be your your daughter. Ours came too and it made the day truly special. The quilting show is amazing.
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One of the many lessons that has been reinforced in this pandemic is how special family and friends are to us all.
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Loved the photos from the quilt show, it must have been a lovely outing. My husband and I were one of those that got to have Thanksgiving with friends and family. After not seeing each other for 2 years we indeed had a lot to be thankful for. I hope you enjoyed your day with your daughter. I was so surprised to learn that New Hampshire’s Covid numbers are the highest since the start of the pandemic. I just don’t understand why people won’t get vaccinated.
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It sounds like you definitely had a Happy Thanksgiving, and that is a wonderful thing to have in your memory bank. NH’s numbers are putting our healthcare systems in a really tough place. Parking patients in ambulance bays is not what you envision here. No one in any government position, state or city, will suggest wearing masks and those that decided not to get vaccinated are now finding lines to do so and supplies dwindling. Sad state of affairs.
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Hand quilting is one of my favorite things to do. That and binge-watching Netflix or some series on the tube simultaneously. Now the hand piecing is another thing altogether. Lol
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Hand quilting and hand piecing – they both cause me to bow to the skills required. I can understand hand quilting as I would embroidery, but hand piecing is a whole other subject matter. I applaud your skills for sure.
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Aww! As do I yours! 🙂
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