Lots of misc.....good stuff though!

It's been a few weeks since our trip to Indiana but I still have a few pictures I'd like to share with you.

The bronze sculpture of composer, singer, pianist, performer and actor Hoagy Carmichael rests just north of the auditorium on the campus of Indiana University, in Bloomington, IN. Hoagy was born in Bloomington IN, and attended IU where he earned both a bachelors and a law degree. After practicing law for a short time he realized music was really his passion and so pursued that with vigor.

You might think you don't recognize his name; however, you probably do know his music.  He composed, "Stardust", "Georgia on my Mind", The Nearness of You" and "Heart and Soul" among many others.  His was a wonderful style of jazz and his voice lent a believable sound to his music.  "He described his unique laconic voice as being, "the way a shaggy dog looks....I have Wabash fog and sycamore twigs in my throat." (Wikipedeia)

He performed in many movies and with well known music stars, musicians and composers of the first half of the 20th century.  One of those "hidden" people that you never know about behind the music.  Below is a video/audio  compilation of him performing one of his older songs.  When Ukester and I mentioned that we wanted to stop and take pictures of this sculpture of Hoagy my Mom, age 84, instantly recognized his name and started singing, "Old Buttermilk Sky".  So, here is Hoagy performing that song....

A little on down the road in Nashville, IN my Mom and I went to the Pioneer Women's Quilt Show in Brown County.  We happened upon it and were quite pleased with what we found.  My camera battery decided to die on about the fifth picture so I only have a few pics to show.

A wonderful solution to the problem of various size squares for this quilt, don't you agree? :) I thought the strips of fabric added a quirky, homespun look to this quilt.  I loved it.

Next was this antique quilt.  I apologize for not getting the information of the owner, again, my camera was dying.

While in Nashville, IN we decided to eat at a place that I first sampled over 35 years ago.  I remember eating here and having a wonderful salad and being bold enough to ask for the recipe for the salad dressing! (I would never be that bold now - chalk it up to teenage naivete.) I don't know if giving the recipe away was something that they did regularly or not because I noticed that they still use the same salad dressing and call it their "famous house dressing".  Anyway, I have never given the recipe away because I felt rather special in receiving it. 

Bobby Knight, the famous IU basketball coach, is a friend of the owner and would often eat here. Meanwhile, over the years the restaurant has became a depository of the owner's vast collection of Bobby Knight memorabilia. Now the inside looks like a memorial to Bobby Knight and IU.  I don't remember it looking like that years ago - I guess it was at its earlier stages.  Anyway, they have great sandwiches and a wonderful salad.  If you are ever in the area be sure to go downstairs to That Sandwich Place....

I have more to show you but this post has become incredibly long and if you have hung in here with me this long you deserve a gold star or something!!  Hint....The next post has something to do with the Civil War....

Have a wonderful day and thanks for reading!!

  

Memories

This favorite old hymn has been in my mind the past few weeks.  Can't seem to let it go.  Do you know this one? The original text, written sometime in the 6th century and translated to English, has been set to the tune of a beautiful old Irish folk song.

When I was growing up we sang hymns in church with just a piano and an organ.  It was much different than what we see and hear in a lot of churches today.  Sometimes I miss the simplicity of less instrumentation with no distractions.

Below is a You Tube recording of this hymn with just a piano and organ somewhere in a church service.  Perhaps you would like to sing along with it - no one will know if you hit any wrong notes!  :)

Be Thou My Vision

Be Thou my vision, O Lord of my heart;

Naught be all else to me, save that Thou art-

Thou my best thought, by day or by night,

Waking or sleeping, Thy presence my light.

Be Thou my Wisdom, and Thou my true Word;

I ever with Thee and Thou with me Lord;

Thou my great Father, I Thy true son,

Thou in me dwelling, and I with Thee one.

Be Thou my breastplate, Sword for the fight;

Be Thou my armor,  and be Thou my might;

Thou my soul's shelter, Thou my high tower,

Raise Thou me heavenward, O Power of my power.

Riches I heed not, nor man's empty praise,

Thou mine inheritance, now and always;

Thou and Thou only, first in my heart,

High King of heaven, my Treasure Thou art.

High King of heaven, my victory won,

May I reach heaven's joys, O bright heav'n's Sun!

Heart of my own heart, whatever be fall,

Still be my vision, O Ruler of all.

Text: Ancient Irish hymn, translated by Mary E. Byrne; versified by Eleanor H. Hull

Music:  Irish Folk melody, Slane

Creativity and history abounds

Yesterday, the Ukester and I went to the Stone Arch Bridge Festival of Art and Music in downtown Minneapolis.  The weather was fantastic (when we were there!) cool and sunny.  :)

Creativity and energy is everywhere at art shows and one never lacks for something to gaze at. This particular show is named for the bridge built by James J. Hill in 1881 to carry passengers and freight across the Mississippi River specifically on his railroad. 

The picture looks fuzzy because of the spray from the water coming from St. Anthony Falls behind my right shoulder.

This is St. Anthony Falls and across the river you can see the old Gold Medal Flour sign.  Milling played a very important part in the history of Minneapolis and St. Anthony Falls was critical to that process. 

A fun day and I am glad we got out of there before the downpour! 

The results are in!

Today I traveled south to Rochester, MN to attend the 2012 MN Quilt Show one of the largest volunteer quilt shows in the USA, if not the largest.  I try to get to it every year and have been to most of the shows for the last 24 years. 

One of the highlights for me this year was being able to meet two fellow bloggers.  It is always fun to make a connection online but so much more fun to make a personal connection face to face.  I was able to have lunch and visit with Karen from KOcanQuilt and to visit briefly with Kristen from meadowbrook-kristen.  Thanks ladies for taking time to visit  - it was great to put a face with a blog!  :)

I have to admit that one of my favorite things about quilt shows is the vendors - I always hit them first - then look at the quilts.  Yes, I did buy some more fabric from Bolines.  :)  But the one thing I bought that I think is really great is  thread for applique.  I have already tried it tonight on an applique project and I like it better than the silk I had been using.  I read about this on Janet's blog, quiltsalott.  She produces impeccable applique so I figure I can trust her judgment on thread!!

As I strolled the aisles of the quilts I was reminded again of how much I really like traditional and scrappy quilts.  I just keep coming back to those time and time again as my favorites.  I took pictures to share with you of the quilts or quilting that struck me as unique or special.  Some are award winners and some are not - but I think all of them are pretty special.

This first quilt just sparkled. I really liked the variety of fabrics she used in her color palette.

"Fabric Fusion"

Kim Simenson

Chanhassen, MN

Quilted by KARS Quilting Service, Chanhassen

This little girl brought back so many happy memories!  Very well executed quilt and not very big either, I want to say no larger than 16 x 20? Not sure.

"Jumping for Joy"

Carolyn Jensen

The next quilt I really liked because of the simplicity and beauty of both the piecing and the quilting. This is a quilt that will age gracefully with "fun" fabric to boot - not all quilts can do that.   I really like this one.

"Birds of a Feather, Java Together"

Jan Blixt

Amenia, ND

OK, here's my favorite scrappy one this year....absolutely fun!

"Stripes, Plaids and Polka Dots"

Victoria Findlay Wolfe

New York, NY

I have always wondered what to do with all the little, itsy, bitsty slivers at the end of a project....I thought this was very pretty.  It was much brighter in person and maybe only 12' x 16" or so.  Very cheerful!

"My Secret Garden"

Renelle Kunau

Plymouth, MN

My picture for this doesn't do it justice...you simply cannot see the detail of the dates, sayings, and clocks.  This also was only about 16 x 18 or so (I am guessing).  A wonderful reminder that we each have only 24 hours a day.

"It's about Time"

Kim Frisk

Green Bay, WI

Hope you enjoyed the show!

Take the road less traveled

A few years ago while at the MN Quilt Show I purchased several bundles of fabric from a gentleman running one of the vendor booths.  When I paid for my purchase he handed me a business card and mentioned that they had an online business as well.

We chatted a bit more and he mentioned that he and his wife lived in the Bloomington/Normal area of Illinois.  Since I travel through that area about once a year I asked if he might also have a brick and mortar store. Long story short they have a little shop that they run when they are not on the road.

Fast forward several years.  I filed them in my brain as "shop in IL to stop at", kept their business card,   looked them up on the web and stopped in two weeks ago.  They are a little off the beaten path - definitely the road less traveled - but absolutely worth the trip.

Bolines Quilt Fabric  typically sells half yard bundles,  5- one yard bundles, and single half yards plus patterns and kits at the shows around the country.  However, if you go to their warehouse you can buy fabric right off the bolt at the same low price.  Nothing is more than $7 a yard and all first quality quilt shop fabric. Their shop is very clean, orderly, organized and they are very friendly.  Be sure to check their schedule to make sure their shop is open before stopping in.  They are closed when they are on the road.

If you will be attending the MN Quilt Show in Rochester, MN this coming weekend be sure to stop at their booth and see what I am talking about.  I don't think you will be disappointed.

 For 20+ years he has built the oak folding card table for the black Singer Featherweight sewing machines and promised himself when he ran out of the table legs he was not going to build any more tables.  When I was there they had three tables left so if you are looking for one of these - this is the place. The information is on their website.

Oh, I almost forgot!  Yes, I did buy some beautiful reproductions and left some behind to purchase in case I make it to the MN Quilt show.  Maybe you will see me there, if so, be sure to say hello!  :)

On the road with Ukester

Traveling the back roads of southern Indiana we passed this.....

doesn't it look like it has everything one could possibly need?  It's a good thing they hang an "open" sign.

Will post again soon.  :)