Pioneer Spirit

Without tradition, art is a flock of sheep without a shepherd. Without innovation, it is a corpse.

Winston Churchill, British author and politician (1874-1965)

Sunglasses? Check. Sunscreen? Check. Wallets? Check. Road trip! On what turned out to be the hottest day of the summer, Mom and I headed for Black Creek Pioneer Village and the annual "Quilts at the Creek" art exhibition -- making a detour along the way to check out a recommended quilt shop in the countryside of Halton Hills. Navigational challenges licked, we enjoyed a great outing.

I haven't been to the village since I was a child and so I was seeing it with new, old eyes. Pinned throughout the village, the quilts honoured tradition while bringing out their own pioneering spirit.

The 1858 town hall, traditionally used for the circuit judge proceedings, town council meetings, concerts and other community gatherings made a perfect setting for 'trunk shows' in which a quilter presents their quilting journey illustrated with their numerous creations pulled out like magic from suitcases. Lots of oohs and aahs and inspiration shared. Robert Gutcher's use of machine embroidery amazed all.

This exhibitions has been marked in my calendar since the cold, snowy days of February or March when I spotted an advance announcement. The sun and warmth of July and the show were things to look forward to and I wasn't disappointed. Over 200 colourful and unique quilts lined the streets and yards of the historic buildings. We came away with some ideas as well as some fabric to add to the stash. ;-) I'm already looking forward to next year!

Working from Home

In every job that must be done there is an element of fun.

Mary Poppins, lead character in children's books written by P. L. Travers (1899-1996)

An appointment meant that I worked from home today. There was a lot of work to be done and some intense activity but Supervisor Cat kept me grounded and added more than a teaspoon of sugar to the day.

Summer Road Trip

And so with the sunshine and the great bursts of leaves growing on the trees, just as things grow in fast movies, I had that familiar conviction that life was beginning over again with the summer.

F. Scott Fitzgerald, American author (1896-1940)

Warm temperatures and sunny days shone through the windshield as Mom and I made a couple of road trips this weekend. Swaths of yellow flowers lined the country roads. I figured they were dandelions but when we stopped for a closer look they turned out to be delicate, buttercup-like flowers. Ah, there is a lesson to be learned there! Our journeys over the two days took us East, and South and Southwest,  across country to quilt shops promoting themselves with a July shop hop. The one set beside a river, where a young family and grandparents fished, was so quiet that I could hear the fly buzz and and Canada Geese splashing as they took their bath. That peaceful view capped the weekend of views across green farmlands, white shaded porches, and the odd magnificent hawk flying overhead.

The road home passed by the old diary bar -- it's not quite as old as me, but it's close, so perhaps I should call it 'vintage'. Never one to miss what might be the last opportunity to enjoy vintage treats from my childhood days, we indulged in some wonderful real ice cream. Life is good! :-)