Monday, July 30, 2018

The Gift of a Day.....

This day has felt like a lovely gift.
I woke up to the sounds and smell of rain.
This was something special. And it was not 100 degrees today.
No, a cold front came in and it topped off at 90!


I flung open the French doors and our bedroom door to the patio.
Then I decided to do something truly special - I turned the attic fan on and the cool fresh air swept through the entire house!
I enjoyed that so much! It wasn't but a couple of hours and then I closed the house back up and turned the AC on. Still - what a blessing.


I spent the afternoon cleaning and organizing the guest room.
I cleaned all these dresser drawers out - as in taking the contents and relocating them to the drawers in the staircase to the bunk beds. I did keep two drawers - one for the grands color books and one for some of my things. The other seven drawers belong to Louis Dean and I filled them up for him!
He had been keeping his t-shirts, socks and pajama pants in the bathroom cupboards - and in various tubs in his music room. ??
Now everything is all neat and tidy and organized.


I found some notes from the last Quad Day in one of the stair drawers.
These are from Kailey to Harrison.
I saved them for her.


As I lit the candle pronouncing this a Clean Room, I noticed the painting there.


Benjamin painted this in 1995.
He was seven.
We home schooled and were studying Monet.
As we studied the different artists, we would all paint our version of one of their works.


Benjamin loved using the palette knife and he mixed the oils himself.
Cadmium yellow medium and burnt umber for the green.


It's still a beautiful painting and I am so happy I am a 'Keeper of Nearly Everything.'

I moved on the clean the bedroom, hall and both bathrooms before settling down to my sewing.
I have a lot to do.
Three crib quilts and two regular ones for wedding gifts.
All made using denim squares.


This first one is for my Cousin Joe's new baby girl.
Her name is Charleigh. Isn't that a beautiful name?


Tomorrow I must decide on the backing and whether to put right sides together and stitch around and pull it inside out or make a sandwich and fold the backing to the front to form a border all around.
I am not a true quilter. I'm just a crafter who whacks the denim up and sews it together. I purposely don't even try to match the seams. I think true quilters are mathematical geniuses. Like my Cousin Pam or our dear Ruth Ann. They do works of art. I do crafts.

It's been a treasure of a day. 
I stayed in my gown until an hour ago when I took a shower and put on a fresh one.
I took lots of little breaks throughout the day.


Most of them I spent in San Francisco.
That's the setting for the book Virgina gave me and I am loving it.
I am going to go gently through these next three weeks.
I plan to sew. And clean. And get the yard in shape.
And be. 
I am going to do my dead level best not run around like my hair is on fire.

And now, I am going to go back to San Francisco for an hour or so before bed.
I'm already looking forward to where I will go after this book.


From my Friend Dawn's Facebook Page.
She's the most avid reader I know!

17 comments:

Ginny Hartzler said...

I just cannot believe a 7 year old child painted this!!! He has inherited your talent! Plus your wonderful teaching. I could not do even half as good. I find that straightening out drawers and cabinets relaxes me. Getting things all in order is a good feeling. Only, for a long time afterward I tend to forget where I moved things to, and cannot find them!

Joy@aVintageGreen said...

What a lovely day you had Linda. Organizing and cleaning and making good places for things, I love that. Benjamin's age 7 painting is amazing. So talented. Lovely that you have relaxed into your home rhythms and you are 'crafting' more gift quilts.
Hugs.
Joy

mxtodis123 said...

7 years old and already painting like that. So much talent. And what a sense of accomplishment you must have had. I can't ever seem to get to the bottom of my closets and cabinets. Have to keep at it, though. When I finally do find a new place, I really have to leave a lot...or some...of the stuff I accumulated. Your quilts are looking fabulous. I've always loved quilts, but have never really had the patience to take it up. You are very talented.

Susie said...

Linda, I love the painting by Ben. Your children were good artists, so young. I can't throw everything away either. I have kept cards and letters that mean things to me. Little things the grands have made me. Your crafted quilts are special . I like looking at them. I wish I could get back into sewing. I was suppose to have cataract surgery this past spring...here it is almost fall again and I have not gone thru with it. I need to do it so I can actually thread needles again. LOL. Glad it rained and gave a bit of a cool down for all of you Texans. It rain most all day yesterday and it is cooler here also. Too wet for Teddy to go golfing this morning. Linda, I would love to read more about how and why you got into home schooling. Blessings to you and sweet LD, love you, xoxo, Susie

Arlene G said...

Well Linda, we are getting closer to September!! We will have a busy month as we are going to GA Tech Football games, hosting a siblings get together for Marvin's side of the family. We are renting a cabin at Carters Lake in North Ga. We also have our week at Gulf Shores!! I know you have your Alaskan cruise to look forward to. I cant wait to hear about it. I loved the painting that Ben did...I would hang it proudly in my house. No one would believe a 7 year old painted that.

MadSnapper said...

I have lived my whole life since age 5 inside books. I can go anywhere, do anything, I am fearless and love adventure. so NOT the real me... I would love to be an FBI agent but my fears would never let me, but in books I can be Jack Reacher.... that painting form Ben at 7 is amazing, no matter what age. he has a true gift, and so do you, whether painting or making quilts or running around with your hair on fire, you are so gifted.

Vee said...

The simple days are some of the finest. Love Love Love those love notes from Kailey to Harrison. I think she’s a “jenis,” too! You make me want to clean something, but today is my nursing home visit. We’re going to have soups and brioche from Panera Bread. It’ll be a party.

I'm mostly known as 'MA' said...

It does sound like a wonderful day for you. I love the days we get, very rarely, that you can open up the house and circulate some fresh air. What a blessing it is. I need to get busy cleaning but I've been lazy here. Only doing what is required and today is laundry. Should have done it yesterday, but that never happened. It's hard to believe your son was only 7 when doing that painting. What a beautiful picture it is. Good that you are a keeper! Happy Tuesday!

Stacey said...

I really enjoyed this sweet post, Linda. It's just the perfect reminder of what's important. ♥

Changes in the wind said...

What a special day and if your Ben painted that at 7 yrs. he should be a full time artist!

Estelle's said...

Y'all are so lucky you got some rain...not a drop up here....cannot wait for your fall decor and all those sunflowers!

Deanna Rabe - Creekside Cottage Blog said...

Your plan for the next several weeks sound like just what you need!

Benjamin's painting is amazing!

Carole said...

I do hope Benjamin is still doing creative work - he clearly has a lot of talent - a chip off the old block (ooops not implying your are old or a block) Cheers and enjoy your quieter week to come.

Anonymous said...

that painting is stunning,, what a god given talent! You are a busy woman with all that quilting going on and I hope your cool down lasts!

Debbie said...

You passed your talent on, what a gift to give!!! I love cleaning and organizing, it always feels so good!!!!!!!

Judy said...

A 7 year old? Well, I have always felt home schooling afforded the children a way to be more creative then being placed in their, "this is how you should be" boxed at public school.

I find that although my back is breaking, after cleaning the house and especially on days I can have clean air blowing through every room, I always feel so satisfied. I abhor clutter and why I allow my kitchen counter tops to get cluttered mystifies me.

Judy said...

I love that quote...about books being the cheapest vacation you can buy! I can't say I love cleaning and organizing...but I do love being in a clean and organized space!