Musings about quilts and much more; website: http://www.quiltersmuse.com
I have just added the full text of an article about a unique, silk piece, made in Vermont in 1830. Previously this story that I wrote was published in The Quilter magazine in 2002. I hope that you find the history of the design to be enchanting.
http://www.quiltersmuse.com/Gossips_a_very_old_design.htm
Patricia
Yesterday, we decided to go on a little outing for ourselves, to a site in Vermont, not far from the Connecticut River. On the drive north, through little towns, we passed some small ponds and were surprised to see snowmobiles on the ice, as well as people and dogs. The ice has melted away from the banks, in places, and in two instances, people were spotted walking on the Connecticut River. This seems like a suicidal thing to do because if the ice gave way, that water is so cold now, and the currents so fast, hypothermia and/or drowning would occur quickly.
Aside from the anxiety of watching all of that happening as we whizzed by, we took a wrong turn. After traveling for a few minutes, we realized our mistake and pulled over to the side of the road to double check the map.
When we did, I noticed a landmark sign, such as those put up in New Hampshire to mark important historical events. As luck would have it, the sign was a tribute to Merino sheep and their history as part of Vermont’s heritage.
Wool from Merino sheep, a breed that originated in Spain, is the softest, long-staple, sheep’s wool around. According to a friend who was awarded the title of “master spinner,” the wool is a dream to spin. She has spun every fiber imaginable, including hair from a Newfoundland dog from which she knit a sweater for its owner to wear when showing his prizewinning animal.
I just love it when history pops up in unexpected places. At my request, Jim took a photo of the sign. The Merino sheep was smuggled into the colonies, in total defiance of the King who wanted total monopoly on textile goods, and did not want the colonies to be self-sufficient. “We” were clever though, just like Samuel Slater who memorized all the working parts of English textile machinery and set up a mill in Pawtucket, Rhode Island for producing cotton thread. (We have visited that mill and the mill museum. It’s worth the trip!)
Sometimes, taking a wrong turn, whether on a road, or in life, can open up new possibilities and a new way of thinking. During my lifetime, I’ve taken a few wrong turns myself, but I will have to say that all of the wrong turns, as well as the right turns, have made me the person who I am today.
Adversity and challenges always make us stronger. They are good antidotes for a boring life. Ultimately, I am thankful for all of my life’s experiences and all of the people with whom I have interacted.
Patricia
Although the words “shop” and “save” were not strung together, in my father’s day, I know he would get a kick out of the concept. In my mind, I can picture him shaking his head and chuckling, and saying, “How can one spend money and save it at the same time?” Yet, today, the words are a great marketing gimic.
The gist of the concept is to spend now because a store’s prices are the lowest they ever will be, or they definitely are lower than Competitor X. In fact, some stores resort to price matching, or they say that they will not be undercut in their price, also a good strategy.
My father lived at a simpler time, a time when there was food rationing during the war, a time when his mother darned his socks rather than throw out two socks if one got a hole in it, a time when having enough money to put gas in Mother’s car to go on a “date” in the Model A, was a big deal. Of course, there were always built-in chaperones along, namely, my mother’s younger siblings.
Saving money, in his day, was a really important thing to do. After the stock market crash of 1929, he never quite trusted stock investments. However, his brother-in-law talked him into buying stock, just once, and he “lost his shirt,” so to speak. Forevermore, he swore off on repeating that mistake.
No, Dad had a different sort of vision about money management. He had studied this subject. His ancestry was Irish. Need I say more? The Irish have always struggled financially, been subjugated to foreign rule, been involved in religious disputes, and also, God love them, have always eaten a lot of potatoes (out of necessity.) With the potato famine, many Irishmen came to America, only to be met with signs that said, “Irish Need Not Apply.”
Dad began looking into the idea of credit unions, and during his lifetime, founded seventeen of them throughout the state of New Hampshire. The most successful one is the one that he personally managed and where he was treasurer for close to thirty years. That organization is now called Granite State Credit Union, an ever expanding operation, with branch offices all over the state.
The idea between Credit Unions is to share the use of money. The Credit Union itself is not intended to be profit-making. Rather, the entire entity is owned by members. My father was ahead of his time, and although he, personally, did not become as wealthy as a banker would have in doing essentially the same thing, he had peace of mind and that is something that cannot be bought or sold.
I am proud of my Dad. I only wish that he had lived longer than sixty-three years. He passed away close to thirty-three years ago. Yet, his fruits of his work live on, a multi-million dollar organization that is still service-oriented, and that he started with just a fifteen dollar deposit and a lot of faith.
At the present time, America’s Credit Union Museum in Manchester, NH has a special exhibit set up to honor my father, John E. Grace.
I still wish that he were here to tell me what he thinks of this concept of “shop and save.” If I were living in the nineteenth century, perhaps I would have to find some other interested parties and hold a seance…
http://www.quiltersmuse.com/granite_state_credit_union_founder.htm
Patricia Cummings
