Grandmother's Flower Garden

I have something to show you...

It is a quilt top made by my great grandma. That's what we called her, too, was just Great Grandma. 

My Grandma Rose (whom we called Big Grandma when we were little kids) gave this to me to finish.  She'd heard I was enjoying making quilts and she thought I'd enjoy finishing this one.

I was so excited when I received this gift! I'd never done real quilting, mostly just patchwork quilts. My experience did not extend to hand stitched quilts such as this one. This was going to be a big project for me but I really wanted to do it!

Well, my life got busy and years passed by. Every time I looked at that quilt top I'd think that soon I'd have the time to learn how to do it right. I kept putting it off, though. Then one day this summer I went to Facebook and I saw this posted by my cousin, Diahann.  

(Yes, I totally stole this photo from Facebook without permission.)

She'd just completed this quilt. Is it not beautiful?!  It must have taken a lot of talent and a lot of time and patience. I instantly knew who needed to have Great Grandma's quilt top! I wasn't as instant about actually sending it to her (it has taken 2 months for me to get around to it) but this week I finally shipped it off . Mike asked if I felt sad about it. I told him it was kind of like when you find a dog that you really liked and had for a bit but then its real owner was found.  Yes, I know I no longer have this precious piece of history at my house, but I am most certain that quilt top has found its way to the correct great-granddaughter. 

And, as long as I am stealing photos, this one came off my Aunt Michelle's blog, A Wyoming 

Woman's Thoughts.  It is my great grandma (the one who made the quilt top) in the teal dress, surrounded by her daughters. Grandma Rose is the one in red.

What kind of family treasures do you have tucked away in your homes?

The Plant That Keeps on Giving

About 20 some years ago I received a slip from my Grandma Rose's dieffenbachia plant. Grandma Rose had a wonderfully green thumb and her house had lots and lots of plants in it. The dieffenbachia seemed like the queen of them all. She'd grow to the ceiling and Grandma would cut off pieces and give them away. That plant grew an inch or two a day...or something like that.

When we moved from Montana to Southern New Mexico in 1995, we knew we were in for a cozy drive. We had a Ford Taurus packed with 2 adults, an almost 10 year old boy, a just-turned 14 year old girl and a 21 month old Sam. Throw in 2 frightened cats, no, make that 1 frightened cat and 1 psycho cat. Did you know it is hard to walk cats to go potty when you are on a trip? So, in our trunk we had to make room for a litter box. I have no idea how we brought any clothing along but I'm sure we did.

So.

I think you can understand why I had to give my dieffenbachia away. There was no place to set it in our car! I gave it to a good home, though. I gave it to my friend, Joey. I knew she would nurture  it.

Fast forward about 9 years. We moved back North, this time to Wyoming. Within that first year here, Joey came to Wyoming with a present for me... a cut from Grandma Rose's plant! I had not thought of it in some time but Joey remembered that it was from Grandma so she made a point of returning some of it to me.

This morning I was looking at the latest slip I cut from that plant. It is in water near a kitchen window and the morning light on it made me happy. It gave me happiness to think of this connection to Grandma Rose. It also gave me joy to have had a friend like Joey who knew how much I'd appreciate this returned gift.

Hold On To Your Earrings!

Tonight, on the way home from work, I stopped at the grocery store for a couple of items. When I got out of my car I was stunned by the power of the wind! It was crazy! I could FEEL my earrings trying to sail off without me! We've lived here for 10 years and I am still amazed by the freakishly wild Wyoming winds.

My earrings came from my Grandma Rose, very precious to me. So, I had to do the man-with-a-hat-walk. Do you know what I mean? It is that walk that men do when they are wearing hats that want to blow off. I know I've seen Mike do that walk so I knew how to handle it. I turned a bit sideways and tipped the crown of my head into the wind. That way, the direction of the wind encouraged the earrings to stay in their piercings rather than rip out of my ears.

Anyway, I made it without loss of earrings. See? They are pretty, aren't they?

After I left the grocery store I saw a flashing sign that the highway department had set up. It was warning of 70 mph wind gusts! Good grief! Oh well. Me and my Grandma Rose earrings are safely home and still intact. 

Grandma Rose

My Grandma Rose left for heaven more than 2 years ago. I still miss her so much!

When I was younger I used to always find rose things such as perfume, stationery, etc. to give to Grandma. I wonder if she got kind of tired of that. She would never have told me that, of course. I liked her name, though. I always thought it was pretty classy and fit her well. I liked it so much, our daughter's middle name is Rose. In fact, a LOT of Grandma Rose's descendants have her name incorporated into their own identities, including our own granddaughter. I love that. So, in honor of Grandma Rose, I am leaving you with these pretty photographs...

Mixing It Up a Bit

I was rushing around, hurrying to get out the door and head to church.  I had set out two pairs of earrings earlier in the morning, undecided as to which pair I would be wearing.

Both pairs were actually made by my Grandma Rose.  She always wore dangling earrings and when I wear them, I like thinking of her.  She was so creative, always making things.  That is why our Etsy store, Wyoming Rose Boutique, was named after her.

Anyway...  just as I was leaving the bathroom I glanced in the mirror as I was tucking my hair behind my ears.  What I saw made me chuckle at myself.  I had picked up one earring from each pair.  Of course, I had to get my camera.  That seems pretty dumb but any blogger who tries to post daily knows that EVERYTHING seems like a potential post.  

There once was a time when I would not have even considered putting such a weird photo of myself on the fireplace mantel, much less on the internet.  Oh well, pride isn't always a good thing so maybe this is progress.  The point is, I was wearing a mismatched pair of earrings and I'd nearly headed off to church that way.  

A few minutes later, just before I pulled out of the driveway, I realized I still had NOT TAKEN OFF THE MISMATCHED PAIR! I was running late so I just took them out and headed on down the road.

THEN, I thought about a new fad I've seen many times now... mismatched but coordinating socks.  Have you seen that?  You can even buy a pair of mismatched socks!  Now, that is a fashion statement that seems kind of sensible to me.  We all lose socks, right? Well, now you can just pair up the left-over singles.  It is practical AND cool.


Well, I asked myself, "Why not?"  I put on the mismatched earrings and went on in to church.  I have to say, I did feel kind of cool all morning.  As far as I know, only one person even noticed but I'm hoping it will catch on.

Drive Safe and Sanitary

Last week-end, when I was headed to Billings, I received a sweet text from our daughter, Maria.  In the text I was instructed to "drive safe and sanitary".  In fact, I received multiple similar messages.  Mike also directed me to drive safe and sanitary as I left that morning.  Actually, I stood there until he remembered to say it, refusing to make my exit until he did.  Those are words of love in our family and they pretty much always make me happy.

Reminding a loved one to "drive safe" probably isn't so weird, but are you now wondering if I am known for driving in an unsanitary fashion?  How would someone do that?  Maybe I drive with the windows down and cough out the window at pedestrians?  Maybe I sneeze into my hand and transfer germs onto the steering wheel, endangering the next driver?  Do I throw used tissues willy nilly around the car?  Well, just in case you are worried about any of that, I try my best to cough into the crook of my elbow, pick up any tissues I may use and I even have hand sanitizer in my car and I know how to use it.  Sometimes, if I am sick, I even put a gob of it on my hands and smear it around the entire steering wheel.

When Maria and Mike commanded the "safe and sanitary" trip they were simply carrying on family tradition.  Here's the story, at least my memory of it...  I think it was my great-grandfather who started the strange send-off.





He was seeing off some relatives, you know, how you all stand awkwardly around a car as you say your "good-byes".  That is also the time when someone remembers that they never took photos of their loved ones during the visit so they snap them just before they leave.  In fact, I was fascinated by how many "leaving" photos I saw in the old family photo collection.  The first two below are my Grandma Rose.  Wasn't she a beauty?

Sometimes those send offs take awhile, huh?  Anyway, he started talking without thinking out his entire sentence.  Of course, I've never done that.  He said, "Drive safe and....." I don't know what he meant to say and maybe he didn't either.  Finally, out came "sanitary".  What?

My great-grandfather's words to "drive safe and sanitary" became part of family lore and is now the send-off for multiple generations of descendants, people who live all over this country.  It's silly, isn't it?  I'm sure it brought laughs for awhile, making fun of the original speaker of that odd phrase.  Now, it is just an expected part of our tradition.  I hope none of us become superstitious, thinking we won't be safe if we don't hear it, but it does kind of make us feel sealed with love.  The funny times are when one of us says it to someone outside the family.  Oddly, they just don't get it.  Trust me, I've done it.

I am guessing my great-grandfather had no idea that his quirky little phrase would only gain steam over the generations.  I'm quite certain he never imaged that phrase being texted to people not yet even born when he first uttered it.  I'm sure he never conceived the idea of someone blogging about it.  Funny, huh?  Today, I am sending the "Drive safe and sanitary!" directive to a loved one via this post...you know who you are!

Now, it is your turn.  Anyone brave enough to share some odd little family sayings or traditions of your own?

Today I am thinking especially about my Grandma Rose.  I got to have my grandma in my life for almost 53 years.  I am so grateful for that fact.  Still, I selfishly wanted more.

Last year on this day my Mom called me to tell me Grandma Rose was dying.  I got in the car and drove up to the town where she lives.  When I arrived my Mom, my aunt and my cousin were with her.  I couldn't find a way to be close to her so I just climbed up on her bed and lay near her on top of the blankets.  Grandma fussed because she thought I would be cold on top of the covers.  I assured her I was fine but in true Grandma Rose fashion she needed to be the hostess.  She couldn't get up but she showed me where there was an extra blanket so I cuddled up under it and she relaxed.  I will always treasure that memory of Grandma taking care of me like that just an hour or so before she died.  She was a remarkable woman.

Grandma Rose loved babies.  She loved her garden.  She loved hand crafts; our shop, Wyoming Rose, is named after her.  She loved reading.  She loved following the political scene.  She loved reading her Bible.  Most importantly, Grandma Rose loved God.  She passed that on to her children and to her grandkids.  For that, I am most grateful.

There are a lot of us descendents of this beautiful woman.

She had a big impact on our lives.

We miss her.

I miss her.

Dora Has Left the Building!

I've been BUSY working on the room where I do my projects for Wyoming Rose Boutique.  (See here... http://onlythemanager.blogspot.com/2011/04/good-bye-dora.html)  I still haven't settled on the name for that room but I am considering some of the suggestions I've already received.  Any more ideas? 

Every smidge of Dora and the castle is off the walls and they are now painted a soothing color called "Timothy Tan".  That's kind of a weird name but I really enjoy the calming effect of "just enough" color. 

I ripped out the lavender carpet and plucked a lot of staples out of the floor.  New carpet soon!

Yesterday I was ready to finish it all up.  I drug all my supplies and junk out into the hallway.  It looked like the hallway of a hoarder! 

Sam got up and made a comment that he hoped DFS (Dept. of Family Services) didn't come and take him away.  That puts a funny mental image in my head.  Sam, at 17, is probably 6'3' or more and I pictured a little petite social worker coming to his rescue.

My plan was to arrange the furniture and then move everything back in.  The new carpet is probably a month or so from happening so I wasn't going to wait for that.  I have sewing to do!  So, I started to move things around to see how I wanted it to be.

One of the pieces of furniture there is an old dresser of Sam's.  We'd got it when he was a baby but somewhere in his younger years he'd started putting stickers on it.  He was so pleased with himself, I left them there.   

It then became kind of a joke.  He'd add stickers on it all the time.  By the time he was a teen-ager he was adding things like the long sticky strip that comes on a new t-shirt that says

medium

medium

medium

medium.

I looked over all the stickers and it was kind of like a little tour of Sam's childhood.

     

My favorite was the "Hello My Name Is" sticker from a church event.  He'd written his name and below it in paranthesis he'd written (catman).  That made me smile because for years he referred to himself as Catman.  He still really enjoys our cats but I'd not thought of that nickname in awhile.

After that nostalgic moment I decided that instead of just putting the dresser in with plans to clean  it up later, maybe I'd better follow Nike's advice and "Just Do It".  So, I got out my little bottle of Goof Off The Miracle Remover and started scraping.  I felt like I was being watched... 

... but I kept at it.  It took a long time to get them all off.  I was pleased when I stood back and looked at it.  But, there was another problem.  The drawers didn't all close properly.  So, I took out all the drawers and identified the screws that were prohibiting closures.  I got that problem fixed but one drawer didn't close right still.  So, I played musical drawers until I found that there was just one drawer that fit in one of the spaces.  This was not ever a top quality piece of furniture but at least it was now usable.  I'd used most of my morning just scraping stickers!

THEN, I got a brainstorm!  I remember a can of green spray paint I'd purchased for another project.  I opened the window for fresh air and started spraying.  I was so excited!  Unfortunately, I ran out.  By now it was early afternoon so I jumped in the car and went in search of matching spray paint.  It took 3 stores until I found the match, across town of course.  I finished up the dresser and liked the result.  What do you think?

THEN, I glanced at the old Christmas Popcorn Tin I'd been using for my trash.  I know, I know, classy.

So I just kept spraying...

FINALLY, I was ready to move into the room.  That seems like a simple thing until you know that I had FOUR big tubs of things such as quilt squares, jewelry parts, patterns, old clothes that may become quilts, and lots of things difficult to identify.  Much of this was from my Grandma Rose's home and I needed to sort and organize.

Grandma Rose died just before Christmas.  She was the original Wyoming Rose.  She did everything crafty and saved left-over bits and parts for potential future use.  She also seemed to have the same problem as me, starting a new project before finishing the previous one.  This results in a lot of half-completed treasures!  When her house was cleaned out and things were being taken to thrift stores, craft things were saved for me and my cousin, Diahann, to add to our own craft supplies.  I was a bit overwhelmed by the bulk of all this but it is so precious to me.  I opened one tub and the smell of Grandma's house come poofing up to my face.  I just stood there weeping.  I miss her so much!

I never did completely clean out our hallway before I crashed into bed.  Luckily, DFS hasn't shown up but rather than risk it, I'd better finish up the job.

I'll show the final pictures of the room soon!