Red, White and Blue Giveaway!

A week or so ago, I wrote about our recent trip to Washington, D.C.  We invited our oldest son and his family to come with us because his children are the perfect ages for learning about our country.  


They've been studying American history and will have more of it in high school.  Besides, it's also a great way to instill a little national pride in our grandchildren, which is really important to our family.  


Between our trip to D.C. and July Fourth about to occur, I had the idea to giveaway a pack of red and blue fabrics.  My assumption, of course, is that the winner will add some white fabrics to the mix, but that is completely up to whomever wins.


Included in the pack of fabrics is 40 die cut 4 1/2 inch squares--20 in red and 20 in blue.  I cut them today from fabrics in stash using my Accuquilt Studio.  It took only a little while to cut all 40 squares.


The question, of course, is what do you do for a chance to win?  Let's make it easy and fun with only two rules:


1. be a follower or become one.


2. leave a comment telling how your family celebrates the Fourth of July.  


In a few days I'll tell you how you can earn extra chances to win, so come back and check it out.  I'd also appreciate if my bloggy friends helped to get the word out.

And since July 4th is right around the corner, I'll draw the winner on June 27.  That will give me a week to get the fabrics to the winner.
This giveaway is open to anyone living in the United States and to any U.S. citizen living our of the country since it's meant to celebrate our Independence Day.  Unfortunately that does eliminate some folks, but we'll have another giveaway soon that will be open to everyone. 

Happy Father's Day

From today's first reading: 

“‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: I myself will take a shoot from the very top of a cedar and plant it; I will break off a tender sprig from its topmost shoots and plant it on a high and lofty mountain. ²³ On the mountain heights of Israel I will plant it; it will produce branches and bear fruit and become a splendid cedar. Birds of every kind will nest in it; they will find shelter in the shade of its branches. ²⁴ All the trees of the forest will know that I the Lord bring down the tall tree and make the low tree grow tall. I dry up the green tree and make the dry tree flourish.

“‘I the Lord have spoken, and I will do it. ’”        Ezekiel 17:22-24

Reading this passage as lector during mass today, I could not help but think of my father, Riley.  He was so much like the cedar tree in the reading.  A farmer for most of my life, he planted vegetables that fed the family both at the table and by bringing in money, so today's reading and gospel were especially poignant to me.  


I guess if dad was the cedar, that would make my seven sisters and I the fruit.  In my mind, the birds would be the cousins who spend summers at our house, our many friends and our husbands. 






Of course, at the time I was reading to the entire congregation. Thanks to my ADD, I managed without too many errors, but I could not think through the idea while reading aloud.  When I did have the time this afternoon, my thoughts were mostly about my dad and the kind of person he was, his love for momma and us girls, his faith and integrity and pride.  I am blessed to have known him and to have had the opportunity to learn from him.  

I miss him terribly and this weekend has taken a toll my emotions, but the hurt and grief are signs of how much he has meant to us all.  I can only hope I leave such a legacy.

Maggie's Memory Quilt

Last month I wrote a bit about making a memory quilt for one of my students who graduated just a few days later.  She showed her tee shirt quilt to a friend, Maggie, and within a few days I had more tee shirts to cut and sew.  Maggie's quilt is now finished.  In fact, I just put the binding on it this afternoon.  


Like I did with Lindsey's quilt, I found a place to add in Maggie's initials.  I want these quilts to be a little more than just a quilt made from their tee shirts.  


Originally I had planned to sash it in red, but after auditioning several reds, I decided to use the black.  A red that worked with one tee looked orange next to a different tee and had purple undertones next to a third tee.  Since there are four red shirts and one that is almost an orange, I decided that we needed some thing much more neutral.  The black works well, don't you think?


After finishing the binding, I raced outside to snap a few pics before the rain started.  I just made it!  It's pouring right now, which we're thrilled about, despite the sweltering humidity.




Back to the photo shoot, the camera is giving me trouble again.  I'm going to have to return it.  I really think this has more issues than just "operator challenges."  I've read the paperwork and there is nothing about when the picture is split like this.  And notice how the bottom is washed out.  The truer colors are always on the top section.

My assumption is that it's not supposed to happen, otherwise the info would tell me how to make it stop happening, right?


Worse is that some of the photos get split and when they're stitched back together, they are off kilter.  Take a look at the close up  of the panel with Maggie's initials.  Notice how the word "Bunkie" is broken up so that the letters don't match above and below the split?  That's it.  I promise I did not do that.


That noted, I'll have to call the company and find out what I can do for the return. It's not a terribly expensive camera (as cameras go) but $300 for something that doesn't work correctly is a terribly big expense.  Nikon will just have to make it right.

Swampin'

Laura and her new camera....
photography is one of her hobbies.

My sister, Laura, and her two daughters were here last week for a visit.  She phoned ahead and told me she had a plan for at least one day of her vacation in Louisiana: she wanted to go on a swamp tour.  


I've been on a trip something like this before, when the boys were young, and I wasn't so impressed, but I could be convinced provided she brought along mosquito spray.  She agreed.  Turns out we didn't need it but I didn't know that at the time.

Haley and Riley (sorry the photo is so bad girls)

She invited our other sisters and made arrangements with Cajun Country Swamp Tours which is located in Breaux Bridge, and headed by a zoologist/botanist tour guide who unabashedly loves the water, the swamp, and the Acadians.

Sisters Angie and Sid

Lake Martin

I must admit, it was way more interesting than I could have hoped for.  In fact, I really want to take the grandchildren on a tour in a few weeks.  


The weather was perfect, bright and sunny, warm but not sweltering and breezy.  Of course, I would not have wanted to be going out at 11:00 when we returned to shore!  We were tired but it was getting a bit too warm.  The tours last two hours, so that means the 11:00 tour ends at 1:00, a very hot part of the day. 


We saw all sorts of birds from roseate spoonbills, several egrets, a great blue heron, anhingas, an owl, Carolina chickadees, and maybe a few more I've forgotten.


My favorite were the beautiful water lilies, which I photographed, but my camera is acting up again and those pics did not come out.
Since we were in a swamp, there were only two types of trees, but don't let that make you think that there's no variety.  It's amazing how beautiful the trees are.  

Cypress tree 

Check out these beauties.  Isn't it interesting how this tree on the right is alive but has no center?  I love it that the guide points out these sights and explains them.


That he explains them in a humorous, entertaining way made the tour even more fun.  These guys are serious about their Cajun hospitality!  

An alligator

A bit of land

Of course, he was good about pointing out those things we expected to see.  Spanish moss, cypress knees, alligators, they were all there!  And we got to see them all from a crawfish skiff deep enough to feel safe but open so that we could easily see and snap photos.  Definitely worth the trip!    And as an extra special bonus......no mosquitoes!

Spanish moss

Cypress knees

National Zoo

If I were to recommend any of the many things we did while in Washington, D.C. last week, one would definitely have to be the National Zoo.  

I wasn't surprised by the variety of animals, their enclosures or how well they are kept.  In fact, I fully expect that this zoo would be one of the best in the world.  

 What surprised me most is the educational opportunities that the zoo provides for its patrons and for the world in general.
I tend to read everything I can get my eyes on.  

So our visit naturally includes my reading every sign, every post, every pamphlet.  In fact, it was a bit of a problem since we were supposed to get to the end of the trail at some point so that we could go on to another place.

Richard rushed me, and hurried me along, and came back for me, and well, didn't give me time enough to read everything.  I mean, how am I supposed to remember the name of this quirky bird if I didn't even have time to read the poster, connect the live bird to the picture and tell someone?  See, that's how I learn.  I read, make a connection, and then teach.  So we arrive at the famed panda bear exhibit.

I have a special connection to panda....first off, they're just cute and darling and cuddly.  But also, I once had a stuffed toy panda as a child.  My panda was accidentally left in a train station and my dad, who was trying to catch up to the rest of the family, saw the toy bear on a bench and recognized it.  He didn't pick it up but, the story goes, he knew he was getting close when he saw my bear, and indeed, found us just a short time later.   

So, I had to read all about the near extinction of the pandas in China, how the National Zoo has helped that government in recovery efforts, and how those efforts helped the two government to begin talks and work toward peace.  Isn't that a great story for a sweet, peaceful little bear?  Yes, well, to get the whole story (and I did) I had to throw a southern girl hissy fit.....but it work!  Want to read it for yourself?  Here it is!  The link will take you to the zoo website page for the giant panda center.  There you can get e-newsletters and watch live action on the panda cam.

We loved the panda exhibit, but I do believe we spent the most time in the aviary buildings.  

There are both an indoor and an outdoor building, and the variety of birds is pretty special and beautiful.

I'll close with a recommendation that if you have the opportunity to visit Washington with children (or without) visit the National Zoo. 

Marble and Memorials

First Division Monument

Spending some time in Washington, D.C. almost requires one to walk on marble and view a memorial or two.  Firstly, we were pretty impressed that the curbs are, literally, made of marble.  How awesome is that?  

Washington Memorial from across the Reflecting Pool

Well, other than that it's really rather wasteful and expensive, but still, beside the fact that I have not one inch of marble anywhere in my house, it's pretty amazing that the streets are curbed in marble.  



Once a person gets over that fact (and yes, it takes a while for some of us) it's rather interesting to try to figure out how much marble D.C. actually has.  

Korean War Memorial

I could not, of course, that would require way more math than I'm capable of, so we'll move on to the monuments....which are made of, you guessed it, MARBLE.

World War II Memorial

So, there we were, a family of gawkers taking in the marble, and walking.  The plan was to spend most of one day viewing the memorials around the Tidal Basin, which is a good 2 1/2 mile hike, if one doesn't waste steps taking any long routes.  


I carefully figured out where to get off the Metro (gotta love that system), the walking route and a return with as few steps as possible, and researched some info on each of the memorials.  

Lincoln Memorial

Well, things change sometimes.  We ended up tired before getting to the Washington Memorial, which happens to be the first one on the route!  


By the time we arrived at the Lincoln Memorial, we were all done for.  There was no more pushing or cajoling kids, nor did the adults want to push, prod or promise anything.  We just couldn't deliver.

Arlington Bridge Equestrian Statues

So, no where near the Metro, we had to figure an affordable way to get back to the hotel.  Turns out one can walk across the Potomac River Bridge and catch a Metro fairly easily.  


Thank goodness we all found a second wind crossing the river.  By the time we reached Georgetown, we were ready for a sit-down supper, showers and sleep.  Isn't it amazing how well we can sleep even when we're away from home?

D.C. and home

Richard (my darling) and I in front of the White House

Half of my family just spent a week in Washington, D.C. as our summer vacation.  Our oldest son, Will and his wife and kids came in part because we were planning to take the children.  At 9-13, they are the perfect ages for a trip filled with educational places and history.  

Lane, Stacey, Jolie, Will, and Dusti

We started out with a ride on the Amtrak train out of New Orleans.  After 26 hours in the same seat, we were thrilled to see Union Station.  Because we had several hours before checking into the hotel, we spent the afternoon at the National Archives, the Navy Memorial and had an early dinner.  

The following day we visited the National Zoo.  We also visited the Capitol, the Sculpture Garden, Library of Congress, Botanical Garden, White House,  Natural History Museum, American History Museum, Air and Space Museum, several art museums, Holocaust Museum, the Mall and every memorial between the Washington and Lincoln Memorials, and several churches.  And all on a very tight budget!  Remind me later and I'll share some of my D.C. on a budget tricks. 

I am so happy that we did D.C. with the kids and only wish that the little grands were able to come with us, but they could not have kept up with our racing pace.  It was perhaps the best vacation we've ever had and certainly the most educational.  I've only about 1200 photos (thanks Will) but I couldn't possibly post them all.  I will, though only for a while, drop in a photo or two of our trip when I've had a chance to enhance them.  I might even share a story or two of this crazy Cajun family in the big city.


For now, though, I've got to get to work on a quilt!
Happy Quilting,
Mary