Monday photos

High Definition television is simply amazing. I remember looking at it in a television store perhaps 10 years ago and thinking then it was incredible. In the intervening years it has improved AND better yet, it has gotten much, much cheaper to own. And so, EVER grateful that I am able, I bought an HD TV. In some ways it might be silly, as I watch so little television, but I find some of the programming captivating. In the mornings (here it is 7-8am) there is a program on that I believe is simply called "Morning". There is no commentator, only the sounds eminating from the scenes shown. Each day is from a different location. Last week, one day, they were at a children's school in Cambodia and another day along the River Li in China. This morning they were in Iceland. I'm not sure these photos do it justice, but I was so amazed at the sight - I tried to capture it. I couldn't find the locale on my atlas - the name was something like Gulfool - nenetheless, I was just mesmerized.

> So having had that morning up-lift, I left for Stone Soup Quilting. I've talked about this before - it is a group with many participants who make kits to make quilts for folks who are undergoing cancer treatment at the Fred Hutchison Cancer Center. After the tops are made by folks in the community, they are returned, a back chosen and basted by another group of volunteers. The quilts are quilted on our "big" machine. Then they are handed off to another group who bind them and put on a label. These are given to the patients for them to keep - or we are told, occasionally the quilt is given to a family member who seems to need it more. It is a wonderful way to spend my Monday mornings. I get to play with fabric, choosing colors and patterns that I find pleasing, and finding backs for completed tops. The majority of quilts are a log cabin pattern, requiring 12 fabrics, plus center squares. The fabrics are sorted by size and whether light or dark, and so the maker will know what we picked out for which log in the pattern. The volunteers cut the strips and sew it all together. Beside log cabin, we have started to use the left-overs to make a Chinese coin pattern and even a tesselated-type of design. ALL the fabric and batting and thread are donated, as well as the generous time of the volunteers. Great fun and such a worthwhile cause.
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