Here are some photos of Ezriel enjoying Grandma’s Mother’s Day cake from Aunt Emily.
New baby quilt design
I’ve been working on a new quilt design for using noodles (2.5 inches x width of fabric). It also lets me do some freezer paper piecing which is nice for lap work at night when I want to sit for a few minutes before bedtime. I have a miniature iron and a lap-size pressing board and can do almost everything in my lap except the seams. If we’re watching TV, I can go to the machine and do all the stitching during commercials. Here’s the picture, and the Electric Quilt 6 project link is below the picture. I think this is a possible baby quilt for Kes in June, or maybe one of the twins in the fall.
Right click on the link and save as a file. Use Electric Quilt 6 software to open.
My instructions for paper piecing are in the Freezer Paper Piecing Post from February. There’s a whole file you can download there.
Being present and giving all
“When we do the best that we can, we never know what miracle is wrought in our life, or in the life of another.” Helen Keller
As I reflect on the last few weeks/months of my life at work, I am struck over and over by how important everything we do or say means to sucess and happiness in the lives of others. Giving less than our best, whether it is in kindness or in productivity, can have profound effects. I think of this in terms of our beautiful granddaughter, Ezri, and her brain tumor and our continuing search for a scientific miracle. I think of this in terms of the individuals who work for me who trust me to promote the business of research so that they have jobs to support their families. I think of this in terms of those same individuals who have to do their best in order for me to promote the business of research. I think of this in terms of my peers who provide lateral support for my work and how much my best depends upon their best. And I think of this in terms of the scientists who cannot discover miracles unless they get the best from me. Miracles depend on everyone, and when one person is not present and does not do their best, then those miracles will be delayed or perhaps they don’t happen at all and that hurts someone.
This week we got house plans from Food for the Poor for houses for individuals in Nicaragua, Dominican Republic, Haiti, and Guyana. These houses are designed to withstand weather conditions and to provide safe shelter for the residents there. The cost of one of these houses is about $2600. That’s just a little more than we Americans would spend for an HDTV. How different are our needs and their needs. How much are we willing to give?