Autumn Views

Two days of warm, sunny weather must have been "Indian Summer" but now the rains have come. Several years ago I took pictures of the lovely foliage in this area. Many of them I worked into chapter headers in my book of poems. This is my favorite time of year. Sometimes the glowing hues take my breath away...

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Autumn's colors proudly blaze,

then drift to earth on silent sighs.

copyright 1985

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Along the back treeline across a field behind one country place I lived and never should have left, many animals made their homes. Here's my sign-out thought:

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Sundown In The Country

(Slab City memories...)

The scream of the red-tail, the hoot of an owl,

and whimpers of wild creatures settling to night...

1980's copyright

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Summer's End Postcards

"Green Sparkle" was another fabric collage with fusible-web backed cut out leaves. The overlay of netting adds little points of reflectivity to the postcards; ribbon, trim and beads were the final addition. I also made QTC's with the same fabric.

The postcard series "Melancholy Nets" seemed to need wedges of different colored netting to match the melon slices. I even worked the sparkly green into all of them. Then I topstitched whenever possible to accentuate the grainlines of the fruit. Looks almost good enough to eat, yes?

Shake a stick?

Once upon a time I was a teacher. By choice, not by profession or training. I designed a twelve-week beginning quilting course with original materials, sketches and samples. My first run-through was in my home. The local co-operative extension office agreed to host my next series of classes, so I had a nice bright facility to use for several years. Then I put together an advanced quilting course which was held elsewhere.

Most of my students were eager learners. A few were hesitant, and their joyful realization that "I CAN do this!" pleased me as well.

One student, however, was not a beginner and she made it quite clear that she had a lot to add to my curriculum. When I tried to be encouraging, it only gave her the floor, which meant I lost it. I was perplexed about how to keep the class on track without hurting her feelings, until one day in a streak of creativity I thought up the "Magic Quiet Stick."

My idea was to walk around the room during my presentation. If someone was talking incessantly out of turn, I would touch her on the shoulder and "BLING!" she would instantly become silent and attentive.

Doubting the effectiveness of my invention, I decided to abandon the plan. I won't relate the sad conclusion of the matter, but I do have good memories of the first three out of four teaching sessions given at that facility. And I still have the "Magic Quiet Stick." It has never been tried. maybe it should have been...