Archive for May, 2009

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On Being Blind

Sunday, May 31st, 2009

For some reason, this week I have been thinking a lot about my friend, Donna Maglin. Blinded at birth by a machine that delivered too much oxygen, she could rattle off the long name of the condition from which she suffered for a lifetime. She never tried to hide the fact that she was blind by wearing sunglasses. She was a “real” gal. She walked with a cane, took buses and planes, and was fearless.

When I think about her life, it is easy to see that she accomplished much more than some people who have sight. She was a graduate of Bates College with a B.S. in psychology. She worked for the state of New Hampshire as a word processor for seventeen years. That was what she did to earn her daily bread. However, she had a rich life beyond the confines of work.

Donna played the banjo. She collected old, funky records of very early music – country music, that is. She was a contra-dancer and traveled all over New England to participate in dance events. She would find a way to travel all over the country to attend conventions of the National Federation of the Blind, or meetings associated with rats and mice, critters that she could not see, but loved and owned.

Wherever she went, Donna put friends at ease because of her infectious laugh. Her sense of humor was unbeatable as was her passion for life. Sadly, in 1996, a brain tumor ended her life, at the age of 42. It is hard to believe that she has been among the missing for such a long time now.

I have many good memories of Donna, and she is just one of the friends that God placed in my life for only a short time. We can all inspire each other, and Donna’s love of life, in spite of not being able to see at all, taught me some basic life lessons:

1) No matter how little we may think we have, we can always give something to others.

2) Those who dwell on their own disabilities, limit themselves from reaching out to help anyone else.

3) Perceived obstacles to our happiness, are often just that: perceptions. We can get around the boulder, climb over it, or crawl under it. We might even chisel our way through it. Anyone who wants to find a way to do something, will eventually be able to do it.

4) A smile costs us nothing, but is the best gift we can give to each other.

5) Laugh at your problems and you’ll begin to diminish them. You win. They don’t.

I could go on, but I think I’ve made my point.

We never know how long we will be here, and the odds of continued longevity decrease with age. In the 42 years that Donna Maglin spent on this earth, she brought sunshine into the lives of others, and developed a network of friends who were there for her, in good times and in bad.

I was blessed to know this funny, quirky, old maid who loved life, music, and other people, and who taught me to look past the obvious fact that she was blind, and enjoy her for who she was. I would only wish that in your life, you could look past someone’s disability, whatever it is, and see who the real person is, behind the problem. You may be blessed with a life-enriching experience greater than imagined.

Patricia Cummings
Quilter’s Muse Publications

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Trip Through the Country: Destination Maine

Friday, May 29th, 2009

We just returned from an all day trip, part of a quest to track down some information and partly a “let’s fly the coop today” day. We beat over the roads to find a tiny town in Maine where a quilter and her family once lived. I had never been to that area of Maine before. Although she has long since gone to her reward, she left behind a quilt that must speak for itself, via the clues in its construction, its colors, and its pattern.

Elusive genealogical tidbits of data, are beginning to fall into place. How wonderful that a descendant recalls some circumstances that no one else would be able to tell. First hand information serves well, in terms of understanding what may have happened.

You know, all of us are witnesses to the deeds of other living souls. When someone is gone, all that is left are examples of their work, if they created art, or potholders, or quilts, wrote a poem, or left other extant works.

Unless there is a written record of our life and work, somewhere, then when we pass on, no proof, except perhaps a grave marker, will signal that we were here at all. Of course, there are loved ones and friends who will remember us, until they reckon with the same fate as all mankind.

Today was an adventure! Just this morning, Jim and I were discussing yellow lady slippers, (as seen in my e-book about Ellen Webster), and pink lady slippers (wildflowers). We were saying that neither of us have seen them lately. Riding along a Maine road I spotted some pink lady slippers. They are delicate and do not do well if transplanted. In fact, I believe it is against the law to disturb them.

I saw one deer, from the Maine turnpike, along a little riverlet. On a back road, there was a flock of newly-shorn sheep in a wooded pasture. It was a cold, rainy day and they looked rather cold. We saw many miniature horses in a big field, and Swiss cows, those black and white bovines that are marked in a very unusual way, in wide vertical stripes. We passed a horse farm, Christmas tree plantations, and too many antique shops that we simply did not have time to stop at!

I’m always on the lookout for wildlife, birds, and animals. Before leaving Concord, I saw five Great Blue Heron standing in a low bog, down the hill from the turnpike. There were 9 of them together, yesterday. I do not see any signs of a rookery there, and they usually nest atop dead swamp trees. They look so awkward while trying to feed their young in these huge treetop nests which I’ve seen just off the turnpike near Londonderry, NH and again, near Grantham, NH. Never before have I ever seen more than one Heron, at a time, unless one was feeding its young.

We stopped for lunch at Governor’s in Waterville, Maine. The Haddock Chowder there is “to die for.” Jim had breakfast (at 2 p.m.) and I had a shrimp roll. Around the perimeter of the restaurant, a train set runs along an extended shelf, for ambience.

This was a rare “vacation day,” so we splurged and had a dessert (I’m so glad we decided to share it, as the Apple Fritter with vanilla ice cream was huge!). We did not bother eating supper, and at 11:37 p.m., I am not sure I want anything else to eat today!

All in all, when we got to our destination, we found the town to have no signs of visible life, except for a country store and a post office. I was able to find someone to ask a few questions and her answers will be helpful, I believe.

I have much more to do in tracking down some additional information, but this was a fun, but exhausting trip. Sitting for about 14 hours is more tiring than anything I can imagine. Yet it is for a good cause: quilt history, my passion. Much more to follow …

Patricia Cummings
Quilter’s Muse Publications

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Artists in New Hampshire

Thursday, May 28th, 2009

Art is alive and well in New Hampshire in the home of Bill and Betsy Davis, our longtime friends. Bill has been in love with drawing, ever since he could hold a pencil. Although he has tried other media, he always comes back to charcoal, graphite, and watercolors. He states that he loves the large selections of color that are included in some professional watercolor paint sets, as that precludes having to mix colors. Trying to mix the same watercolor hue, a second time, is a bear.

Just recently, Bill posted a website that shows a small portion of his work that is for sale: William Davis Fine Art. He is semi-retired, having owned his own drafting business in Webster, New Hampshire, for a number of years, called DraftTech.

sketch by Bill Davis of horse drawn mower

The sketch above is one by Bill Davis, seen here, with his permission. It is one of my favorites, reminding me of the farm and small town where I grew up. The drawing shows a horse-drawn mower from circa 1925.

I have lost track of the number of Christmas cards that Bill and Betsy have artistically-drawn and painted. Of course, I have saved them all. Here is an example of a greeting card, used here with Bill’s permission.

Wood Lilies card by Bill Davis

“Wood Lilies” by Bill Davis, 2002

The Internet version cannot capture the true color of the sky, which is blue. Called “Wood Lilies,” Bill created the card in memory of his beloved sister, Paddy. On the back of the card, he identifies the summit of Rattlesnake Mountain, West Rumney, New Hampshire as the place where he saw these Lilies. This was a favorite destination for his sister. She held a deep appreciation for nature. He painted the image in 2002.

Bill and Betsy Davis

This is a photo of Bill and Betsy when they were visiting Pat and Jim Cummings at the Cummings’ home on 11-14-1994.

Betsy, who is a State of New Hampshire retiree in the field of health promotion, is currently studying with Elaine Farmer of Londonderry, a renowned local artist who sells her work in galleries.

Betsy prefers acrylic paints. Having done some oil painting in my teen years, I asked her if the acrylics dry too fast, and she replied that she likes to purchase Utrecht paints and the company sells a retardant that slows down the drying process. However, with acrylics, once they are dry, they can be painted over.

She also likes the company called Gamblin because they stress that their products are safe for the environment and people! However, she is always sure to wash her hands before eating, especially if she has been working with “Cadmium Red” that contains Cadmium, not something that is good to ingest.

After dabbling in “En plein air” painting, which simply means painting outside to take advantage of natural light, the couple has traveled to Spain, Morocco, Portugal, Ireland, Great Britain, Italy, and Switzerland, in search of places to set up their easels and record bridges, buildings, and other sights.

In New Hampshire, a favorite place to do plein air painting is in Tamworth, at the Remick Farm & Museum, with its view of Mt. Chocorua and the yellow farm buildings.

For more information about plein air painting, a favorite technique of the school of French Impressionism, see this website.

I hope that you have enjoyed this little profile of two of my favorite people. We wish them all the best in all of their artistic endeavors.

Patricia Cummings
Quilter’s Muse Publications

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Jim’s Cooking Blog

Thursday, May 28th, 2009

I am happy to say that my husband not only “brings home the bacon,” he cooks it, too! In fact, he cooks a lot more than bacon, and he has started a new blog to reveal all of his cooking secrets.

He hopes to add new items, daily, with wonderful photos to tempt you to try the recipes for yourself. New England regional cooking is a bit different than elsewhere, and was always based on what could be grown or raised, here.

Here is the link: Jim’s Cooking Blog

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Don’t Let Preconceived Notions Prejudice Your Thoughts

Thursday, May 28th, 2009

We are all victims of our own preconceived notions about most anything. When it comes to quilt history, we must approach it with an open mind, and bring to any study, knowledge that we know to ring true.

Due to the fact that quilts were not often marked with labels, in the past, it is often a guessing game as to which ancestor might have made a quilt. However, quilt historians can look at available fabrics, styles in vogue during the quiltmaker’s lifetime, published patterns, and other clues that help a lot to determine when a quilt could have been made.

The more family information that is available, the better.

That said, even the people who are expected to be “experts” are just willing volunteers who are new to quilt documentation, and while they do their best, their best is often not accurate.

I am thankful to see the growth of quilt history and women’s studies in the past thirty years. Those of us who are interested are digging for the “right” information to add to the mix. In many instances, even the most respected historians or quilt historians have turned out to be wrong in their hunches or guesses. With any luck, we all learn from each other. Quilt history is a worthy study and elevates common, everyday, household objects to a new level, and has engendered the remarkable transition into the realm of art quilting, a fairly new phenomena in the scheme of things.

Patricia Cummings
Quilter’s Muse Publications

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Quilter Picks Up the Needle for Visitors at Genesee Country Village Museum in New York state

Saturday, May 23rd, 2009

Beth Davis hand quilting

Beth Davis spends her weekends demonstrating the art of quilting, with a hexagon project of her own, off to the side, to show visitors.

Beth Davis of Rush, New York, is an avid quilt history enthusiast and quilt appraiser. She wrote a book, Stitches in Time, about the quilts owned by the Genesee Country Village Museum, where she has served as a volunteer for years.

Since the museum re-opened for the summer and fall season 2009, Beth has been greeting visitors and discussing quilting with them. Many who visit the historic house, where she sits and quilts, remember a grandmother or aunt as enjoying quilting and then, there is an instant rapport.

Beth Davis

Beth in her period attire. The quilt on the bed is a reproduction quilt in a “Strippy Quilt/ Flying Geese” style, one of two of this type in the museum’s collection.

Dressed in simulated 1836 attire, Beth wears a Colonial cap while indoors, and points out that at that time, a lady would have worn a straw hat outdoors. The pink drape called a “pelease” (sp?) is just the right touch to wear with the full length, full style, paisley, cotton dress.

Beth is quite slim and would like her friends to know that she has not suddenly gained a lot of weight. She is actually wearing layers of clothing under the museum-owned dress!

The Foster-Tufts home is a lovely old Federal style home built by a wheat farmer who moved to the area and had eight children. The family occupied a log cabin for a decade before moving into more stately surrounds.

The Foster-Tufts historic home is where one can find Beth every Saturday and Sunday and holiday, between 10 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. Copies of Beth’s book are available through the museum store.

Patricia Cummings
Quilter’s Muse Publications

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Of Mice and Men

Friday, May 22nd, 2009

I have never heard of a mouse wake, or a mouse funeral, except perhaps for a domesticated mouse owned by a little girl, as a pet. I guess the difference between a mouse passing on and a man dying is the measure of their respective worth in the world. When an “important” political leader dies, there is much to do, with long lines of limousines, 21 gun salutes, lying in state, and much fanfare. When an ordinary human dies, he or she is picked up by the undertaker, shuffled into a body bag, and whisked away to be buried or cremated. A mouse just dies, sinking into the earth, eventually, wherever he falls, if he doesn’t become a cat’s lunch, first.

Men make everything so complicated, and often, choices revolve around money. In order to save money, an old man I once knew had his wife cremated. He kept Charlotte in a box at the top of his cellar stairs so that he would remember her, at least when he was going down there. However, he was always afraid of somehow kicking the box down the stairs, scattering her ashes on the cellar floor. A good day was when this did not happen. “How are you doing, Carl?” reaped the answer, “Good day! Didn’t kick Charlotte down the stairs!”

Mice seem to be uncomplicated creatures. They seek food, shelter, and the chance to pro-create, and the latter activity they do with aplomb! As far as I know, there are no mouse cemeteries, no “perpetual care,” (a term I find to be a bit odd), and I have never heard of mice fighting over their parents’ home, or stash of goodies they had acquired during lifetime. I like it! Give me simple, any day.

There are no gravestones that are shaped like the greatest mouse of all time: Mickey Mouse, or his wife, Minnie Mouse. No mouse mausoleums, either. Is there a mouse pecking order? Or, do they live such solitary lives that hierarchies are not even part of the equation?

In many a New England town, there is a statue dedicated to some important figure. “Important” often translates into this: “their legacy was in leaving enough money so that a huge monument to themselves could be built” – the ultimate in “You will remember me.” On the other hand, we honor soldiers, sanctified by the blood of battle, no matter what other earthly transgressions were part of their former repertoire of behavior. On the State House lawn, we have statues to notables in New Hampshire history – Franklin Pierce, Daniel Webster …

I ask one question – Is one life more significant than another? We are all flesh and blood, sweat and sinew. Is having money, or more material goods, or more popularity than others, the key to heaven? I have been taught not. The Bible states that it is more difficult for a rich man to enter the gates of heaven than it is for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle.

Death is the leveling factor for us all. We cannot avoid it. We cannot prevent it. There is no pill that will make us live forever. In the meantime, we live with all the faith we can muster, believing that there must be something beyond our present circumstances. Hmmm … I wonder if there are mice … in heaven.

Patricia Cummings
Quilter’s Muse Publications

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Lecture about New England Food

Wednesday, May 20th, 2009

Edie Clark, long time writer for Yankee Magazine, gave a wonderful talk about New England foods tonight. The lecture was sponsored by the NH Humanities Council and the meeting in the Congregational Church Hall in Hopkinton, New Hampshire attracted many people. She discussed Fanny Farmer and her famous cooking school in Boston; Julia Child of PBS fame and author of books about French cooking; and Hayden Pearson, an early New Hampshire writer of cookbooks. We thoroughly enjoyed hearing about typical New England dishes, and at least one of them was new to me: the fish, Shad. These series of lectures are free to the public and very worthwhile.

Baked Beans and Brown Bread

Jim’s baked beans and brown bread, typical New England fare.

On the way home, we saw tiny goslings with their two Canadian Geese parents, finding food on a Hopkinton lawn.

Patricia Cummings
Quilter’s Muse Publications

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Reader’s Letter Prompts More Research – “Sailors’ Valentines”

Sunday, May 17th, 2009

Have you ever heard of a sailors’ Valentine? I knew nothing of this old tradition until I found this letter in my mailbox this morning.

Dear Pat,

I saw your article on the Sweetheart Pillows. My dad was in the Navy and I have a few put away in a cedar chest. I don’t think my mom ever used them. They are very interesting. What’s even more ironic is that I make sailor valentines. If you don’t know what they are, just do a search on them and you will see that the concept was very similar. Except these were octagonal boxes made of seashells. The whalers would bring these home for their sweetheart after being away for almost two years.

Kathy

Immediately, I went to eBay, and one seller, “bouvard15,” from the United Kingdom, is offering a Sailors’ Valentine that was made circa 1860, in Barbados. He notes that it is a “double.” You will understand what that means when you view the photo. This is a beautiful example! There is a heart on one side, and the words, “Remember Me,” on the other side. Boxes like this one are hinged and can be closed for safe transport and to keep the shells clean. I think that the picture says much more than I could. This is auction #200341855951.

Sailors Valentine eBay

Circa 1860 Sailors’ Valentine made in Barbados, photo courtesy of “bouvard15.” Click here to go to this auction.

Oh, my! I keyed in the words “sailors’ valentines” in a Google search and came up with 542,000 entries. Who knew?

The first site I visited was that of Lynda Susan Hennigan, a contemporary artist. Her work has been exhibited widely and she has been written about by the media. In the short history provided on her site, Lynda states that octagonal wooden boxes, made of Spanish cedar (cedrella), were decorated with shells.

According to Shannon Webster, a pair of brothers hired children to make these boxes which were sold in Barbados, a West Indies island, between 1830 and 1860, to English and American sailors. Upon returning home, these decorative boxes were presented to girlfriends or wives. Antique examples, when found, are now highly-prized and collected by individuals and museums, (sometimes whaling museums).

Due to their high prices, some artists today make their own, and it seems that this is a thriving craft, if the Internet is any indication.

Gregg Roberts creation -

The photo above shows just one of the lovely boxes created by contemporary artist, Gregg Roberts.

Gregg Roberts uses Honduran mahogany to create his Sailors Valentines. He sometimes does museum restoration work, and he teaches classes in the Spring and Autumn. He is willing to do commission work. He maintains a small museum (in Cape Cod, Massachusetts) that he opens to visitors, by appointment only. For more information about his work, please contact Gregg Roberts or visit his website.

One site, Sailors Valentines, sells supplies and well as finished boxes. One could spend a whole day, just enjoying the various sites dedicated to this work! There are many listings on eBay for supplies to make new examples of this item. Amazing!

Books about Seashells, shells for sale, examples of finished Sailors’ Valentine boxes, and the booklet, “How To Make A Sailors Valentine,” are available at www.seashells.com.

A DVD video on the subject of Sailors Valentines, by Bill Jordan, is for sale.

Kits for making a sailors’ valentine are sold here.

Hope you have enjoyed this file!

Patricia Cummings
Quilter’s Muse Publications

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Life as a Patchwork Quilt

Saturday, May 16th, 2009

Commonly heard phrases are: “When life hands you lemons, make lemonade,” and “When the going gets tough, the tough get going.” If you lived during the Great Depression, you would have heard, “Use it up, wear it out, make it do, or do without.”

We all have to respond somehow to the circumstances of life and make the best of what we do have, treasuring the people and material things in our lives that make us the most happy, and tolerating other necessary but annoying situations.

portion of an old quilt in the Lewis Collection

This is a view of just a portion of an old patchwork quilt in the Lewis Family Collection.

I just received a letter from a dear friend, Louise Traunstein. She has shared with me the words of Olive Woodward MacDonald, Louise’s late husband’s childhood sweetheart. She had become friends with Olive and her penpal correspondent, after returning a photo of Olive to her, that was taken at a much earlier time. Olive died on Dec. 10, 2005, but meanwhile, had sent to Louise the following lines, that she had written in 1978. Olive had many losses and heartaches during her lifetime. Her words are worth remembering.

Life’s Quilt

Our memories hold in life much that is sad, discouraging and difficult
but also much that is happy, hopeful and fulfilling.
Each memory is a patch in Life’s Quilt.
The light squares are the happy and the dark represent the sad.
So we just have to rest under it as a whole
and we will be warm and comfortable
and taken altogether it won’t be too heavy.

Thanks to Louise for sharing these thoughts. We are reminded again not to become too burdened by the world and its issues. Who cannot help but think happy thoughts, if we consider the elements of Life as just part of a patchwork quilt?

Patricia Cummings
Quilter’s Muse Publications

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