Putting together the Pieces

A few weeks ago I indulged in a retreat with three friends in the hill country.  We stayed at a "Quilt Haus" with a quilting instructor nearby, teaching and cooking wonderful meals in her home.  We spent hours in front of windows boasting of a lovely daylight view of the valley outside.  Cutting tables were in the center of the room and ironing tables on either side were handy as we sewed from the tables provided. The views out those windows! Oh yes, hummingbirds frantically feeding and beautiful sunrises. It would have been wonderful even without the expect instruction we received.

Late summer in Texas Hill Country is hot and dry, but leaves one with a sense of vastness that is breathtaking.  From the hillside where Emile's Quilt Haus rested, we looked out over a countryside that appeared to be endless.  While our lodging was modern with air conditioning and indoor plumbing, a feel for the past was all around us.  The owner had moved a cabin belonging to her grandmother onto the property a year of so ago.  The view to the left was from her front porch. The tiny cabin felt amazingly spacious when standing just inside the front door, though it was smaller than a single garage.  I am not sure where it was originally built, but it looked right at home here.

We spent three days cutting and sewing and enjoying the views of the countryside.  Since I've been home, the quilt blocks are untouched.  Winter is coming and I know I'll enjoy taking advantage of some cool weather to indulge in "indoor activity" like quilt making.  I still have a lot of work to do.