Welcome back to Melva Loves Scraps and this week's installation of Sew & Tell! I don't have much to share in progress or completion of quilts...
You see, I was knocked flat on my rumpuss with allergies. Not just a day or two... Nooooo. Four days! I had been doing SO well! In fact, I had spent time outside on Saturday AND Sunday planting flower seeds and actually enjoying easy weeding since the ground had been well saturated after several days of rain.
I don't do much gardening, but I planted flower mats I purchased to support my granddaughters and an assortment of old seeds that were kept around at Mom's house. Some were very out of date. 🤷♀️ Sweet peas from 1969! Holly Hocks from 2008! And several others from the 20teens. 🤣
I am counting on a little help from my dad who could make anything grow. 😁
Dave and I trimmed up a tree near the back of the property that had been damaged in November when we had 42 inches of snow. It was so pleasant!
And then... WHAMO! Monday morning, I had burning and watery eyes and nose and my throat felt on fire. An allergy pill helped some... temporarily. On Tuesday it had progressed, and the allergy meds didn't seem to be helping. I was fortunate blessed to be able to snag an appointment that morning for a laser treatment and allergy clearing. Said treatment and other natural remedies did help... It did indeed move on through the various stages but at rapid speed in comparison to what I have experienced for years.
I was out of commission for 2 days and eventually felt well enough to begin adding green hexagons to my RSC project. As I sat and allowed my body to rest and heal, I listened to several audio books. One was the Museum of Lost Quilts. I enjoyed reading it earlier this year and lucky enough to get it on the Libby app just as I began to crash. It was comforting to listen to as I snoozed on occasion as the story played.
I listened to a few other books, but nothing spectacular, in my opinion.
Since I had finished Fractured Emeralds Tuesday morning, I had plenty of time to sit and ponder the significance of that name as well as the beauty of how each scrap worked with the others to "shine". I recalled lots of happy memories as I looked at the scraps... I recalled the stuffed Christmas trees Grandma T made for each of her kids and grandkids. I remembered the excitement I felt as I announced and kicked off the Pieces From the Past sew along as I looked at some of the depression era reproduction fabrics... and the civil war reproduction fabrics I used in my Pieces of the Santa Fe Trail sew along...
My friend Connie who had cleared out her Mom's fabric stash and gave it all to me... Heather as I giggled about the monkey fabric she had selected for me to make her some scrubs as she started her career in the hospital lab. And my brother's wife who passed away last summer as the binding fabric came from strips of fabric she would use to crochet assorted baskets and such with.
I was reminded that with each memory, life is not always roses and rainbows. There have been losses and fractured relationships. And then... I remembered Anne of Green Gables and her flair for drama... "This is the most tragical thing that has ever happened to me!" **back of hand on forehead with your head tipped back as it is said** If Anne could recover time and time again... so could I! So SHOULD I!
I reminded myself that it is often in the times spent in the valley that we notice, as we look back, the most growth. It doesn't mean it is easy, but it IS possible. For, with God, ALL things are possible. We must endure the thorns and the rainstorms... and we don't have to do it alone.
I've pulled up my big-girl pants and am moving forward... in just a bit ;)
I saw a thing about Mother's Day and how to avoid having a "bad" one. It said to tell your children or spouse exactly what you want when they ask you... Ok... thing is, I don't get asked. That's the reason I decided to give myself a gift, exactly what I wanted... and a tradition that I'll continue, thank you very much. I do appreciate the kind thoughts and comments recently. My pity party is truly over. 😁 NOW, I will move forward.
This week's party attendance was down. :( I could speculate about why, but I don't have the energy or desire to do so...
This week's feature is Donna Lee Q. She shared some great bargains from JoAnn Fabric as they approach the end of the going out of business sales, including this storage unit. Head over to her blog to see what else she found!
The closest JoAnn Store is 80 miles... if I lived closer, I would certainly be making frequent visits. ;)
Have you taken advantage of any of liquidation sales?
Leave a comment telling me what you picked up! I'd love to hear from you.
Keep Piecing,
Melva
Linking with:
Oh Scrap! at Quilting is More Fun Than Housework
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