Thank Goodness it's March...

Today is March 1st. March. Did you catch that? March! Surely that means that spring is not too far off (20 days actually... well, supposedly...) Enough with the snowstorms!! We got another foot of snow on Saturday, and more yesterday - I don't know how much, I didn't even venture out. I'm sick of boots, mitts and cold weather. I want spring! NOW!! If someone out there is still praying for snow -pullleeeeze stop! At the rate we're going it won't all be melted 'til July! I'm afraid there will be serious flooding this year- not for us as we're high and safe on a hill, but the low farmland down river is sure to get a good "watering", methinks...
My friend Gail M emailed me this morning; they are currently on a cruise docking in South and Central America- she was saying how hot it was (in Columbia) at 10a.m. I'm thinkin' "Soak it all up girl ". Sorry- no sympathy at all...
My two kiddos are back at school - Mark's final two months there, as he will graduate in May. Laura is approaching the "halfway mark"... Mark turned 22 yesterday, and Laura has her 20th next week. Where do the years go? I'm feeling old.....
Laura is anxiously awaiting more info this week on her trip to Poland. I am going to try to do as many of the assigned readings she gets, as I can so that I can be better informed and perhaps able to help her in some way. We watched Schindler's List together on the weekend -I had never seen it. A very powerful movie, most of it filmed around Krakow Poland, and not the only one we will watch, I'm sure. I am so sorry now that I did not have more interest in History while in school. "Too soon old and too late smart" as the Pennsylvania Dutch say? This journey will be an interesting one for Laura, and for all of us as we support her through the preparations and the emotional "aftermath"...
Now that the calendar page has been turned to March, I am feeling some pressure, as I have several classes to teach coming up, several pieces to finish for our upcoming Quilt Show in April, not to mention some other major commitments. I keep telling myself I work better under pressure.. (who am I kidding?) I seem to have been in a funk lately as far as quilting and "inspiration" goes... just can't seem to get fired up ... all I want to do on these snowy days is curl up with a good book. (Just finished a great one - Mistress of Nothing by Kate Pullinger, winner of the Governor General's Award, based on a true story, set in Victorian times, and largely in Egypt. Quote from the book jacket: "When Lady Duff Gordon, toast of Victorian London society, departs for the hot dry climate of Egypt to seek relief from the debilitating effects of her tuberculosis, her devoted lady's maid, Sally, doesn't think twice about remaining by her mistress's side. Sally and Lady Duff Gordon throw themselves into their exotic surroundings adopting native dress, learning Arabic, and visiting the tombs of ancient Pharaohs. Along the way, Sally comes to experience freedoms she, as a servant, has never known before as well as her first taste of romance. But freedom is a luxury that a maid can ill afford, and when Sally grasps far more than status entitles her to, she is brutally reminded that she is mistress of nothing. " A great read!
On a lighter note, I finally found some inspiration this morning. Yippeee! In conjunction with our April Quilt Show, we have issued a "Challenge" for our members. The rules are few, the theme is "Spring" and we are encouraging creativity. I have been wracking my brain for an idea and finally today, I know what I will do. So now I'm looking through books and magazines to try and figure out just how I will execute this. There will be a three dimensional aspect to it, and how to attach that is what I'm pondering right now... I'm keeping my entry under wraps 'til it is due at our April Guild meeting when Viewers' Choice voting takes place. After that I'll share some "in progress" photos with you...
Stay warm....

Peace,
Linda

"Life is a great big canvas and you should throw all the paint on it you can." ~ Danny Kaye