New Week, New Tuesday To Do

Last week was a whirlwind!  Did anyone else experience the same???  It was as if I blinked and a new week started... yet with all that took place last week, it was as if time stood still.

There were memories made, conversations over breakfasts, late night chats, fellowship with some of the bestest of friends, pedicures, snuggles with grand-daughters, giggles and squeals of laughter, legos, video games and Barbies, worship and stories about Jesus, water fights, desserts, hot days that didn't ever want to cool off.

I finished the commissioned quilt on Monday and sewed a label on it before washing it and then made a quick adjustment to my plans to be able to deliver it in person.  And I am SO glad that my customer and I were able to fit it into our schedules.  I didn't even have time to be able to write up a post about meeting the previous week's goals!  BUT they were crushed like a boss. 😃

I was ready to join some girlfriends for a fun mid-week time together.  The husband of the hostess of the get together had an Alaskan fishing trip planned.  Sadly, because of CV-19, it was cancelled.  However, he was gracious enough to make plans to stay with his brother who lived just across town.  What a guy!  They recently celebrated their 24th wedding anniversary and I think she should keep him around for awhile longer. 

Three of us met up for lunch and a fourth friend that lives locally joined us for dinner.  I was elected head cook given my dietary restrictions, and I was totally comfortable with the role. 

Appointments were made for the next day to have pedicures done, followed by lunch.  The options were then to either visit the Royal Gorge or enjoy some wine at the local winery, The Abbey.  It was way too hot (100 degrees+) to be walking across the Gorge bridge so the winery won out.  We had really wanted to do a wine tasting, but we didn't have reservations, so we pulled up an outdoor table in the shade and visited for an hour.

Late that afternoon we were notified that we were on stand-by for emergency evacuation because of a wildfire.  A bit scary, but we heard helicopters and planes flying over the house for several hours and there was no need to evacuate.  Whew!

We enjoyed the company of the local friend for the evening again and another dear one made a short drive and made the trek for dinner and the evening as well.  There was chatter among us as we all caught up and learned details of each others lives since we last saw each other.  For some of us it had been several years.

These special ladies enrich my life and rejoining them, even if for an hour or two, it is as if we were never apart.  Some of them I have known for nearly 20 years.  We met through a unique Christian weekend and I think that is what makes the bond so strong... we have all been there for each other when difficult times in life have thrown challenges in our paths - challenges like losing a job, facing cancer or other serious health issues and children who make poor decisions - challenges that could easily trip us up, but walking the path with friends along our side, even when the next step seems impossible, is how we have survived.

After another late night of laughter, a few tears and lots of conversation I called it a night.  Thursday was delivery day of the commissioned quilt - I have now named the quilt "The Legacy".  A post is in process to be able to share details and the story... stay tuned!

The remainder of the week was spent with grand-children.  A blessed time for sure!  After returning them home on Sunday evening we were wiped out.  It is time to catch up with some laundry and housework and then I'll get to my studio.

What are my plans for my Tuesday Two?

❧ I have been asked to finish a quilt that a friend started.  This is her first quilt ever!  She was moving along quite well and then she ended up with the needle in her finger.  OUCH!

She said they had to cut her finger open to get the needle out of it!  And now she is afraid... It's a shame because she had something great going on!  

You can see in the dark pink block where the "scene of the accident" occurred.  

Her stippling is much tighter than I tend to do, so the challenge for me will be trying to match her density of stitches.  Wish me luck!

❧ I was asked for a few more masks - Colorado sports team themed.


As the temperatures have risen to some uncomfortable levels I have been wondering if it is the winter or summer season that is my least favorite.  I don't like the extreme temps... this I have always known, but I am thinking that summer is my least favorite... In the winter I can always add more layers... in the summer... well, it wouldn't be a pretty sight!  LOL!

What is your favorite season?

What do you do to stay cool?

Leave a comment!  I love to hear from all of you.

Quilt Happy!

Melva

Melva Loves Scraps - Home of the Pieces From The Past Sew Along

that features vintage Kansas City Star quilt blocks!

Linking with:

Colour & Inspiration at Clever Chameleon Quilting
To Do Tuesday at Home Sewn By Us

Mid-week Makers at Quilt Fabrication

Pieces From The Past - The Dragon Fly

Herbert Wenzel's letter, dated November 18, 1946...

Hohenlimburg, Nov 18, 1946

Very Honored Mr. Schleich:

You will not know what to make of this writer.  In June of last year, I was sent to work from Camp Trinidad, first with Mister Eckert and then, in the same group, with you in the sugar beet fields.  We all hoped to also come help you with the harvest, but unfortunately we were employed elsewhere.  We were then quickly discharged and started our homeward journey in San Francisco.   The trip will remain unforgettable for me.  But once in Europe, I had a tough time.   My homeland is Silesia, which was ceded to Poland   It was said that most of the people were still there and that I could go there.  However, in reality, most of the people had been evacuated to the British Zone.  I went with many friends to our homeland but we were all detained by the Russians.   First we were in a concentration camp for 5 months and then another 2 months in a camp awaiting discharge.  Over half of our group was sent to Russia on work details, but the older and unfit ones were released.  For this reason I am only just recently free even though I had supposedly been out of captivity since February.  It has only been a few days since I have learned the fate of my family:  mother dead, father-in-law dead, one brother dead, one brother missing, sister dead.  The only ones left are a completely ill brother and my wife.  My son was died in 1944.   My wife is one of the few who is still in Poland and I am now allowed to go there.  She is so badly affected by the ordeal that I worry about her.  The takeover of the area by Poland has caused much misery.  The evacuation happened hurriedly and many, many of my old acquaintances have lost their lives.   My wife has been classified as a domestic servant in a guesthouse, but I expect that some time soon that she will be able to come to me.

And now, Mr. Schleich I dare to express a very big request.  I am, as I have already written, very worried about my wife and I must try everything to bring her up [raise her spirits or improve her health?].  The present circumstances are such that I cannot take care of her in the proper way.  Would you have the great, great kindness to help me?  I know that my begging is not proper but I do it only once and because of a certain crisis.  Would you just one time send a small package with a bit of coffee (as a stimulant for the heart) and some fat for strengthening?  Margarine is completely sufficient; it would be a help.  How I can ever repay you, I don’t know but maybe destiny would will that thanks be given not just in words [your reward will be in heaven?].

I hope, Mr. Schleich, that you are not angry with my request.  If you can help me, then I ask that you send the little package to the following address since I don’t have a permanent abode and might need to move:  Mister Fritz Brandt [address given in Hohenlimburg, British zone].

And now I hope that these lines find you and yours in the best of health, and that you experience a good winter.

Best wishes to you and yours from your ever devoted,

Herbert Wenzel  

A small experience of a friend of mine who is a watchmaker and is still in the old homeland: a Russian came to him with an alarm clock and asked him to use the alarm clock to him make a wristwatch.


Each letter I have read requesting a small care package has somewhat boggled my mind.  I have considered the options of what Phillip and Katie could have sent to the men making the requests, trying to come up with items that would not perish and travel well.  Coffee, sugar, some canned goods, hard candies... perhaps some rice.  How could they afford the contents of a package, not to mention the cost of postage?  I had assumed it was just not feasible...

But then I read one of the Eleanor Roosevelt's journal/column and there was mention of a CARE package that could be sent to a specific person or address overseas for just $10.  ($10 in 1946, with inflation equals $131.48 currently.  WOW!)

In 1945, the newly formed CARE (then the Cooperative for American Remittances to Europe) initiated a program to send food relief to Europe, where large numbers of people were at risk of starvation in the wake of World War II.  Arthur Ringland and Dr. Lincoln Clark approached 22 American charities to propose a non-profit corporation to funnel food parcels from Americans to loved ones in Europe. The charities agreed and on November 27, they incorporated CARE.

CARE’s leaders worked tirelessly with the U.S. Army to acquire 2.8 million Army surplus "10-in-1" food rations that had been stockpiled for an invasion of Japan that never transpired. These parcels, a form of MRE (Meals Ready to Eat), were sent to Europe. These rations become the world’s first CARE Packages.   After six months, CARE delivered the first CARE Packages to the battered port city of Le Havre, France.  

It wasn't until February 1946 though that the US government permitted the aid parcels to be sent to Germany.  ( The first request made to Phillip and Katie was written May 6, 1946)  

On May 11, 1946, relief arrived from across the ocean as the cargo ship American Traveler steamed into the war-torn city’s harbor with a shipment of food—and hope. Aboard were 15,000 brown cardboard boxes paid for by CARE to bring humanitarian aid to millions starving in post-war Europe. These first “CARE Packages” contained everything from whole-milk powder and liver loaf to margarine and coffee. The contents of CARE Packages soon expanded to include soap, diapers, school supplies and medicine as well as fabric, thread and needles to allow recipients to make and mend clothes.

Americans were invited to purchase a CARE Package for $10 to send to friends or relatives in Europe. Packages were guaranteed to arrive within four months. Even when a donor did not know an address of a recipient, CARE would find that person using the last address known. The CARE package thus became a "missing persons" service in the chaos following World War II.


President Harry Truman, Herbert Hoover and Dwight Eisenhower asked Americans to support CARE. In fact, the purchase of the first CARE Package was made by President Truman himself.  By year’s end, CARE had operations in 10 European nations.  CARE developed other kinds of CARE Packages, including wool and baby food. CARE created a distribution system, regional sales offices, and stepped up promotion with advertisements featuring actor Douglas Fairbanks, Jr.

You can read the story of one recipient's memory of receiving CARE package, just how much it meant to her and her family and the impact the box had on her life over on the web-page for the History Channel.

It all makes sense now!  The men in Germany knew of these care packages.  But it seems evident that, Phillip and Katie did not.  When I shared this bit of info with my Mom, just 5-1/2 years old at the end of WWII, she stated that she had never heard of such a thing.  But given the fact that it was a newly formed organization, we all know that it takes time to promote and advertise to get the word out.  Remember news of such opportunities would have been spread by newspaper and radio... there was no social media to help spread the news. 

Phillip and Katie probably would not have been able to spare the $10 to send a package, but had they had the knowledge and opportunity to do so, they may have considered doing as Eleanor Roosevelt suggested and pool resources so that the men could receive the much needed help. 

Mr. Wenzel told of returning home to discover that multiple family members had been killed or were missing.  One legend/myth of Dragonflies explains that dragonflies are not your average insects. These mysterious and ancient creatures have lived on earth for millions of years, far longer than humans. They sometimes appear fearless and maybe even a bit nosey, not hesitating to land on a nearby twig or even on a gardener’s hat. 

If a dragonfly repeatedly flies alongside someone as they take a morning walk, following the passing of a loved one, what would it mean to them?  For those involved, these real life experiences symbolize hope, immortality, and the afterlife. They offer comfort during a time of need. 

It is for this reason that I chose a pattern from the 1936 Kansas City Star entitled The Dragon Fly.

This block, while a foundation paper pieced block, is a very simple and quick block to piece - only four pieces per quarter section.  Don't be scared... You can refer to the fpp tips I had over on Our Country if you need a little more assistance.  NOTE:  You need to make two identical quarter sections and two identical reverse color quarter sections.  

I started with 6"x7" rectangles to cover the large outside areas and a 4" square, cut on the diagonal for the center of the block.  

It is best to keep the straight of grain on the edges of the blocks, as shown in the pictures, indicated by the arrows, to avoid bias edges.

In the lower picture you will see that I trimmed away the excess purple and double check that the piece is large enough and sill square.

Trim each quarter section to 6-1/2 inches square and join together to make the 12-1/2 inch unfinished block.  Still have questions?  Send me an email at MelvaLovesScraps@NolanQualityCustoms.com and I will answer your questions.

Don't forget to come back and link up for the free fat quarter give away!  Tag me on instagram - @MelvaLovesScraps and use the #piecesfromthepastsewalong or share on the Melva Loves Scraps facebook page.  

And before you leave, tell me...

Is this the first time you, like me, heard of CARE packages?

I just thought you sent a package because you cared!  As Paul Harvey used to say... "Now you know the rest of the story."  Leave a comment, you know I love to hear from my readers. :)

Quilt Happy!
Melva

Melva Loves Scraps - Home of the Pieces From The Past Sew Along

that features vintage Kansas City Star quilt blocks!

All of the previous patterns are still available as well... You can find all of the links and info over on the announcement post.

Linking with:

Put Your Foot Down at For the Love of Geese
Needle & Thread Thursday at My Quilt Infatuation
Creative Compulsions at Bijou Bead Boutique
Can I Get A Whoop Whoop at Confessions of a Fabric Addict
Off The Wall Friday with Nina Marie
Brag About Your Beauties at From Bolt to Beauty
Peacock Party at Wendy’s Quilts and More
Friday Foto Fun at Powered by Quilting
Finished or Not Friday at Alycia Quilts
Scrap Happy Saturday at Super Scrappy
UFO Busting at Tish’s Wonderland
BOMs Away at What A Hoot Quilts

Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness

As we celebrate our Nation's  Independence Day  I am wondering about life, liberty and pursuit of happiness...

Life... the life of the current age is so very different from when I was a child.  An age when accepting, admitting your responsibility for choices made and dealing with the consequences that came with said choices.

Make good choices... get good, may even great, results.  Make poor choices, pay the price of the consequence.

In the pursuit of happiness I have recently made the decision to remove facebook from my tablet.  Too much time spent with the time suck and increased agitation and frustration with reading conflicting opinions and stories.  I can surely find a better way to spend my time and being more efficient!  (I have pulled out some quilting magazines and peruse them while I make breakfast or dinner.  I have found several inspiring ideas for some small projects in the very near future.)  Have you ever unplugged from social media?  Has it been a "forever thing" or just a temporary fast?

With the Fourth of July rapidly approaching I was asked by my Uncle for a Red/White/Blue mug rug.

So I kindly obliged...  This little improv project was quick to make and finished at 5" x 7"... all from my scrap bin with no concern over precise measurements or need for much accuracy. 

As I pieced this mug rug (I also refer to them as hand-sewn hellos) as a break from quilting the borders of the king-sized commissioned quilt, I considered my life... my life as a US Citizen with the privilege of voting and opportunities for freedom of speech and religion, along with the right to bear arms... for all the men and women (my own Dad included) that have served in the US Military to protect and defend not only our Land, but all the rights that we seem to take for granted.

May I never forget the hardships of my Grandparents as arrived in the US as immigrants... May I never forget that, as it states on our US currency, In God We (I) Trust... 

Recently, while on social media on the desktop computer, I saw a statement...

On March 17th we are all Irish...  On May 5th we are all Mexican...  How about on July 4th we all act like Americans.  A profound statement! 

America - the melting pot of the world... where people of all nationalities come to have an opportunity for a better life than the life they were living in another country.  

Are you proud to be an American?  I am.  If you have a few minutes, take a listen... you may have seen this before - it is a several years old, but it worth listening to... and it is Robin Williams!  He is always good for a laugh or two.

Have a safe weekend!  And don't forget the responsibility that comes with being a US citizen.

Piece Out,

Melva

Melva Loves Scraps - Home of the Pieces From The Past Sew Along

that features vintage Kansas City Star quilt blocks! 

Linking with:

Put Your Foot Down at For the Love of Geese

Needle & Thread Thursday at My Quilt Infatuation

Creative Compulsions at Bijou Bead Boutique

Can I Get A Whoop Whoop at Confessions of a Fabric Addict

Off The Wall Friday with Nina Marie

Brag About Your Beauties at From Bolt to Beauty

Peacock Party at Wendy’s Quilts and More

Friday Foto Fun at Powered by Quilting

Finished or Not Friday at Alycia Quilts

Scrap Happy Saturday at Super Scrappy

Tuesday To-Do and Brainstorming

As I worked on meeting last week's Tuesday's Two Goals I was pondering...

I pondered life in general, but more specifically I was pondering the digital quilting community.  Through this blog, as well as social media (fb, instagram and bloglovin') I have met so many wonderful and talented quilters.

And with my current Pieces From The Past Sew Along that community has grown even more.  If you are not familiar with the sew along, it features vintage Kansas City Star patterns that my Grandma had collected and letters that were written to my Grandparents from former German Prisoners of War that were housed at Camp Trinidad from 1943 to 1946.  With each letter and pattern there is a brief story or memory from one of my cousins, a recipe that Grandma may have used, or a tidbit of history that is connected to the letter.

Along with each pattern there is an opportunity to link a photo of your finished block to be entered for a chance to win a free fat-quarter.  No need to be a blogger or even to be on social media.  Email me a picture of your finished block and I will make it all happen!

In order to make linky opportunity available for the sew along I have a one-year subscription with link-up provider.  BUT because the sew along is scheduled to run more than just 12 months (and a need to renew extend the subscription for another year) I don't want to let the remainder of the subscription to go unused.  So..... that is where the brainstorming comes into play.  

I am looking for ideas for link up opportunities, again with no need to be a blog writer.

One idea that I have considered is a weekly "Throwback Thursday" party... We work so diligently on our quilts, photo shoots and posts and then move on.  Why not revisit some of our favorite projects and show them some love and attention again.  Each link up will likely have a "theme" or subject matter... such as most challenging quilt or the various techniques (applique, paper pieced, hand-quilted, etc.) or featured colors.

But enough of my pondering...  Did I meet my two Tuesday goals?



✔  Borders and sandwiching the king-sized quilt


✔  And if all goes well, start quilting said quilt!

I DID!  Woo hoo!

Here's a better shot of the quilt with borders. 

My two things to complete before next Tuesday will be to: 

❧  Finish quilting this quilt... 

❧  Bind the quilt.

Don't forget to leave an idea for future linky parties!  I am ready to hear all of the ideas. :)

Piece Out,

Melva

Melva Loves Scraps - Home of the Pieces From The Past Sew Along

that features vintage Kansas City Star quilt blocks!

Linking with:

Oh Scrap! at Quilting is More Fun Than Housework
Sunday Stash at QuiltPaintCreate
Patchwork & Quilts at The Quilting Patch
What I Made Monday at Pretty Piney
Monday Making at Love Laugh Quilt
Design Wall Monday at Small Quilts and Doll Quilts
Colour & Inspiration at Clever Chameleon Quilting
To Do Tuesday at Home Sewn By Us
Mid-week Makers at Quilt Fabrication
Wednesday Wait Loss at The Inquiring Quilter
UFO Busting at Tish’s Wonderland

Ta-Da! Tuesday

I squeaked by, just barely, but I did it!  Ta-Da!  My two To-Do things on the list are checked off successfully.

✔  Work on a few "postcard blocks" for our Camping Journal Quilt


Here is Lake Corpus Christie...  the picture didn't quite capture the brilliance of the sky, but I like the block.


Below is the lighthouse on Bolivar Island, across the bay from Galveston, TX....

That lighthouse was definitely a tricky one to get straight and centered.  It required some unpicking of stitches, and while still not perfect, I can accept it as it is.

This is a block I designed to represent the San Antonio Riverwalk...  I do recall seeing some of the medallions with the rounded sections, but I must not have snapped a picture of that one.  And perhaps I should have looked at the photo before I prepped the block... Oh, well... close enough!







✔  Make 104 flying geese for a border on the commissioned quilt.  I will be making them using Eleanor Burns' "4 at a time method" so it should be too terribly hard.

I used, for the first time, a small ruler that had been passed on to me about 8-9 years ago, and it made the trimming of the FG very accurate and consistent.

I loved it!  That 45 degree line is slightly raised on the back of the ruler and it snugged right up to the seam.  

The 4-at-a-time method is not hard, and probably faster than making each FG unit individually, it was still SOOOO moving.  Wah, wah, wah.  

Camping was a great time... S'mores did happen.  One of the couples that we were with brought GIGANTIC marshmallows.  It was fun watching the roasting of them as individuals attempted to not lose into them fire because they were spinning or torching them because they wanted them just a little more toasty.

My one vegan, gluten-free s'more was delish!

What's up on the agenda for the coming week?   

❧  Borders and sandwiching the king-sized quilt

❧  And if all goes well, start quilting said quilt!

I don't have a ton of specialty rulers... but what is one specialty ruler YOU would recommend?  

Leave a comment... you know I love to hear from my readers.

Piece happy!

Melva

Melva Loves Scraps - Home of the Pieces From The Past Sew Along

that features vintage Kansas City Star quilt blocks!

Linking with:

To Do Tuesday at Home Sewn By Us
Mid-week Makers at Quilt Fabrication
Wednesday Wait Loss at The Inquiring Quilter
Put Your Foot Down at For the Love of Geese
Needle & Thread Thursday at My Quilt Infatuation
Creative Compulsions at Bijou Bead Boutique

Can I Get A Whoop Whoop at Confessions of a Fabric Addict
Off The Wall Friday with Nina Marie
Brag About Your Beauties at From Bolt to Beauty
Peacock Party at Wendy’s Quilts and More
Friday Foto Fun at Powered by Quilting
Finished or Not Friday at Alycia Quilts

Pieces From The Past - Friendship Quilt

Bremen, Germany
American Enclave
November 10, 1946

Dear Family Schleich!

You will be certainly astonished to receive a letter from a former German prisoner of war, who returned home three months ago.

Because you were the best farmer I ever worked for, I want to tell you that I like to remember those some days when I did farmwork at your farm.  It was really a good job, the five days beet-topping at your farm (after three days by water-Hart) and I’ll never forget Trinidad, Colorado and the friendly family of Phil Schleich.

Before I continue my letter, I should like to thank you for the correct treatment and I hope you, your wife, the three sons, daughter and the little grandson, I think Harold was his name, to be always in good health, till now and also in the future.

Perhaps you don’t know me at once but you will remind you on me by telling something about the farmwork in October/November 1945:  I was the youngest in the group “Woerthmuller” (the name of our supervisor an old Lt. Colonel) and with me together were Jokisch, the actor, Hoeppuer and Mueller, the artists and the long fellow Kalle from Cologne/Rhine who imitated the radio-speakers.

Now I am at home again after an absence of more than 3 years.  The damned war made Germany, the country of your forefathers, a poor country and my hometown Bremen, which is now the only embarkation-port used by the Americans for the Bremen-Enclave and for the American Zone of occupation in southern Germany, is heavily bombed down, but my parents and sister are still alive.  But it is hard to live in the present Germany.  We have much to do with the rebuilding of my country and my hometown Bremen, but the Americans help us and it is well to cooperate with the American authorities.

The matters I remember best are the trips with your red truck from and to our camp, but especially the very good meals your good wife was cooking.  Furthermore the visit to your farmhouse on the last day, when you told me that you, Mr. Schleich, left Germany as a Volga-Deucher (German from Russia) many years ago at Bremen and…  I never forget the Mutter (mother) Schleich’s special doughnuts.  It is the best remembrance and a fine good-bye to Colorado.  After we left Trinidad, we came to California.  We started our home voyage at San Francisco and we shipped through the Panama Canal to France.  

Today is Sunday and so I am reminding to you and to the good time I have had in the U.S.A.

I would like to help you beet-topping this year again.  Many greetings, please, to Mr. Eckert and his wife -  and his radio truck.

I would be very glad and very obliged to you, if you would be so kind and give me an answer.

Once more, I thank you and with the best wishes and kind regards, I say:  Good luck for you all!

Yours sincerely,

Karl-Heinz Künemŭnd

A few things to focus on... The fact that Karl mentions the ENTIRE family tells me that it wasn't just Grandma and Grandpa that spent time with the prisoners.  The three sons, my Dad was the youngest at 13 when the prisoners last made a trip to the Schleich farm.  Bill was the oldest son (24) and was the driver of the truck to transport the workers.  

The daughter, Clara, (I shared her zucchini brownie recipe over on the Flower Garden Block post) was married and had a child, Howard, not Harold as Karl mentioned.  (Pictured at the left at about 3-1/2 years.)  

Howard would have been 5 years old at the time of the last harvest.  Here's one of his personal memories, probably from fall of 1946... Post WWII.

"I was the first born grandchild, so I was doted over more so than the rest of the grandchildren.  Also the grandparents were younger and able to be more active with me.

One of the first things I remember was it was late in the fall and Granddad and the uncles were picking corn by hand and tossing it on the wagon. With three Uncles and Granddad they could pick 2 rows each, but they needed a tractor driver.  I was excited to drive the tractor - I must have been around 5 or 6 (I'm guessing).  They got the wagon full and came to the house to unload.  I refused to go back out, because the Uncles was yelling at me and it was cold.  The way they got me to go back out was fix me some graham crackers and put pink frosting on them.  At that same time, they had not harvested all the pumpkins and winter Queen Watermelons.  So I helped them gather the smaller pumpkins and melons."

Haha!  Bribery works every time!

Karl mentions the other men that he worked with, including Mueller, an artist.  I think this was Helmut Müller who wrote the previous letter and had given Phillip and Katie the painting of Fishers Peak on glass.  The first letter that Phillip and Katie received was from Worthmüller.

Another item that is worth focusing on... The red truck that transported the men from the camp to the farm.  I recently listened to a recording of a conversation between Uncle Bill and my Dad, Melvin as they studied a map of Camp Trinidad.  I couldn't help but laugh as they shared memories.  

Bill talks about how he would pull up to the camp where the men would load up, and how they would scramble to climb into the back of the truck equipped with stock racks and be on their way.  

They recalled how the men looked forward to the opportunity to work at with the Schleich's and enjoy "Mama's cooking"... Just as Karl mentioned "Mutter Schleich's special doughnuts".  

Well... you take a listen.  My apologies for any bad language that may have been missed in editing. 

There are endless recipes for doughnuts in the Germans From Russia cookbook that I have... Along with the doughnut recipes there are recipes for Krepple or Grebble... They were rectangular in shape with slits and the dough twisted back through them.  My Mom has told me numerous times of how the family loved Katie's "tangled britches"... probably the same sort of twisted, fried pastry. 

The easiest doughnuts I have ever made were with canned biscuits.  Poke a hole in the center and deep fry.  I used to enjoy them immensely, but no longer. 😢  I figured I could make my own biscuits with Einkorn flour and deep fry... total fail!  The doughnuts just fell apart as they were cooking...

So I recently purchased a baked donut pan from pampered chef and have a recipe for Bakes Apple Cider Dounuts.  I'll let you know how they turn out when I receive the pan.

Because of Karl's mention of his friends that worked along side him at the beet harvest, I have chosen a second Friendship Quilt block.  Like the first friendship block - The Signature Block - where I copied Katie's signature, I traced Phillip's signature from his Naturalization Certificate.  I chose to include his years of birth and death, as well as the locations of both events.

I have rambled on long enough... go grab your pattern and then come back and link up for the free fat quarter give away.

But before you go let me know...

What was the "stand out" of this letter for you?  

Leave a comment... 

Piece happy,

Melva

Linking with:

Mid-week Makers at Quilt Fabrication
Wednesday Wait Loss at The Inquiring Quilter
Put Your Foot Down at For the Love of Geese
Needle & Thread Thursday at My Quilt Infatuation
Creative Compulsions at Bijou Bead Boutique
Can I Get A Whoop Whoop at Confessions of a Fabric Addict
Off The Wall Friday with Nina Marie
Brag About Your Beauties at From Bolt to Beauty
Peacock Party at Wendy’s Quilts and More
Friday Foto Fun at Powered by Quilting
Finished or Not Friday at Alycia Quilts
Scrap Happy Saturday at Super Scrappy

Oh Scrap! at Quilting is More Fun Than Housework
Sunday Stash at QuiltPaintCreate
Patchwork & Quilts at The Quilting Patch

What I Made Monday at Pretty Piney
Design Wall Monday at Small Quilts and Doll Quilts

Colour & Inspiration at Clever Chameleon Quilting
BOMs Away at What A Hoot Quilts