Catching Up

I'm back! No excuses for the break... just busy! The weather these last two weeks has been rain, rain and yes even more rain. I can almost feel my Vit. D. level waning... Just kidding, but we are more than ready for some serious sunshine. Today was supposed to be sunny but it was minimal. I'm hoping the forecast for the next four days is accurate - lots of sun and warming temps. Bring. It. On.
Despite all the wet weather I have managed to get my vegetable garden planted (well mostly planted- the tomatoes and cukes aren't in yet).

My annuals are all in - snapdragons, zinnias, jolt dianthus, osteospurmum, geraniums, cosmos and cleome. I've added a few new perennials - a pink baby's breath, a shasta daisy and catmint. My glad bulbs are all started in flats, and the large bed of geraniums around the company sign is planted. Seeds for nasturtiums, poppies, nigella and bachelor buttons are in. And lastly my hanging pots, large planters at the front of the house and a new mandevilla are all in place and growing nicely.  So I'm feeling good! Now all we need is some warm sunny weather to get things moving along! With all the rain our property is lush and green, and I am thoroughly enjoying my daily feathered visitors- lots of chickadees, sparrows, goldfinches, hummers and yesterday a male cardinal.

Northern Lights, 103" x 101" by Mrs. Lloyd Kuepfer, for this year's auction

I have a few more photos to share with you from my Ontario trip. After time in Toronto, I headed to the Kitchener-Waterloo area to take in a bit of the Waterloo County Quilt Festival. I have always wanted to attend it, but the timing has never been right, so I was happy to find myself in Ontario during the right week this time! The Festival has many events in various locations, so I had to make choices as my time was very limited. I drove to St. Jacobs and despite the entire main street being torn up for construction, and a sudden downpour just as I arrived, I took in several displays. After a lovely chat with guest artist Kathy White

In Good Company IV , 100" x 102" by Pix Martin, for this year's auction.

of Stratford who had a solo exhibition of her contemporary fibre art, I also quickly toured displays by the Grand Guild of Fibre Artists, the Guelph chapter of the Canadian Embroiderers' Association and the Group of Eight, a collaboration of eight fibre artists with diverse styles and mediums.
The big event during the festival is on the weekend - the New Hamburg Mennonite Relief Sale and Quilt Auction. It is a huge event,  raising over $300,000.00 annually for the last 25 years. This year was the 50th year and although I could not stay for it, I did get to see a "preview." In the St. Jacob's Mennonite Church there was a display of some quilts destined for this year's auction as well as a number of quilts purchased at previous auctions. All the quilts shown in this post are from that exhibit. A few of the quilts from past auctions had interesting stories and I have included them for your reading pleasure...

Flowers for Lois, purchased in 2004 for $6,100.

Black and White and Teal All Over, purchased in 2013 for $2,000.

 Included in this display was the quilt which sold for the highest price in the history of NHMRS - $44,000. in 2003!! Kaleidoscope of Nations. the 2003 feature quilt, was appliqued and pieced by the Waterloo County Quilters' Guild and quilted by the ladies of the Listowel Mennonite Church.
Co-ordinated by Renske Helmuth, the quilt was designed to celebrate friendship and understanding. It was an incredible piece of work and my photos do not do it justice.

At the request of Renske Helmuth. the designer, fabrics from 40 countries were collected and used for the national costumes including bark cloth from Uganda, silk from Bangladesh, damask from Ireland, and caribou hide from Labrador.

You can view all of this year's auction quilts by clicking here.

Piece,
Linda

"Real generosity toward the future lies in giving all to the present." ~ Albert Camus