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Sunday, May 30, 2010

The sister, the Royal Gorge, and the bag of shirts.

Well, as is want to happen in my life, sometimes I had the pleasure of entertaining my sister, Donna and her friends, Karen and Alice. They were on vacation! The word vacation usually strikes fear in my heart, but this time I handled it well.  Probably because it did not entail my driving 400-600 miles one way to visit and then drive right back home.
And so they arrived. Plans were made to the Royal Gorge just outside of Canon City on the following day. And so we did. It was a lovely day to do that!  Donna and I took the incline to the bottom of the Royal Gorge. It was maybe a 10 minute ride down, but it seems a lot longer when I have to actually worry about whether anyone checked the cables to see if they were frayed, oiled or greased all the moving parts, checked that the locks were working properly on the doors.  I don't know who died and left me in charge of controlling the world, but I strongly suspect it was my mother!
It was indeed a beautiful, panoramic view. At the bottom we got to see the rapids very close.  I had to worry about Donna falling in and drowning. She fared well.  Back up and then the quest to find the other 2 members of the party. Karen was easy, but Alice was lost. After contacting the Rangers and starting the hunt, we happened to spot her standing outside the entrance gate waving. Alice, get in here!
One more thing to do. Walk to the center of the bridge to take our pictures by the Kansas Flag. Let's see, drive 400 miles to get your picture taken by the flag of the state you drove 400 miles to leave. OK! Got it!  After a flurry of picture taking we were looking down and trying to figure if we wanted to bungee jump or not when here came the ranger again. He stopped by us and pointed at a bag on the other side of the bridge. I quickly spotted our tee shirt bag and sprinted over to get it. He said "Glad that is yours! I thought we were going to have to vacate the whole area. Al Quaida, you know"
That was it for the day. We arrived home very tired little puppies, and I decided it was great fun to go on vaction, if I did not actually have to go anywhere!

Wednesday, May 26, 2010

Pueblo Aids Memorial Quilt Panel #1.


This is the first group of panels that were assembled for our quilt.  The blue one on the top left is for Craig.  Craig was a friend of mine. He loved Charlie Chaplin and if you look closely you will see Charlie on his panel. You will also see his little dog. He was born 6/6/60 and passed 3/12/94.
Below Craig is Shawn. Shawn was born 8/26/66 and passed 7/31/97. I did not know him very well, although I made this panel for him. He loved to cook and he loved the great outdoors and his panel reflects that.
The yellow one with the red heart belongs to David. He was born 8/25/47 and passed 8/23/89. This block was made by his sister. His sister has worked tirelessly to keep AIDS in the fore front of our minds and to always be sure there is an observance of World AIDS Day every year on December 1.
The one on the right with the eagle is for Randy.  He was a very good friend of my nephew.  He was born 5/15/63 and passed 10/1/91, which just happened to be my birthday.  He was in the Marine Corps. Seems ironic in the world before "Don't ask, don't tell" that one who held "Semper Fi" in highest esteem should die of AIDS.
Down below on the left is Frank.  He was born 6/12/62 and passed 11/13/95.  I did not know Frank, but I helped his brother make this panel.
The panel with the dove is for Steven. He was born 4/12/52 and passed 4/5/95.  I received a frantic call after there had been an article in the paper about the quilt from Steven's Aunt.  Would I please make a memorial for her nephew.  It says on the panel that he is missed by his sisters and mourned deeply by Aunt Kathy.  That is all I know about him.

The rainbow music panel belongs to Danny.  It was mde by his mother.  Below is a picture of the big panel that is in the big quilt in San Francisco.  A labor of love. He was born 5/26/60 and passed 10/12/93
The green one is for Father James.  He was born 5/6/37 and passed 10/25/89
So you see, there are young and old, gay and straight. There are brothers, fathers, nephews. The face of AIDS takes many different form, but one death is not diminished by a thousand deaths.  Each one is unique in it's own way and by the people who are left to mourn.  Please look on this post as an act of love  and watch for the next one.

Monday, May 24, 2010

Pueblo AIDS Memorial Quilt; Inception and Evolution.

I now know the year!  In 1996 I had given a class on building a panel for the big quilt in San Francisco.  Someone wanted to know why there was no memorial of any kind for people who had died from AIDS in this area; why it was all so far away.  So a few of us got to kicking it around. I don't remember who all was there and if I did I could not tell you anyway as that is a matter of privacy. (Did I say that out loud!)

AIDS was at that time a very misunderstood disease. We have come a long ways, but it is still misunderstood.  It is a different kind of misunderstanding now though.  People actually  think there is a cure for AIDS.  Nothing could be further from the truth. It is no longer a Gay Disease and knows no class distinction or color line. People are now living far longer, thanks to the "cocktails". But they are now dying from aging factors. The medications are so strong and the body is so toxic from them that bodies are aging very quickly. PWA's (People  With Aids) never did die from AIDS. They died from opportunistic infections contracted through a compromised immune system.

I digress! I am not here to give you a history of the disease, I am here to tell you why we have this memorial.  We thought about doing copper leaves on a brass tree. That was cost prohibitive. All kinds of ideas were kicked around and nothing fit just right. Then I had the brilliant idea, "Why improve on perfection! Duplicate the Big Quilt only do it little." That was the perfect fit! The quilt is displayed several times a year.  Always on December 1, which is World AIDS Day  and then a couple more times. 

The blocks are 12 inches by 24 inches. The big blocks are 3 feet by 6 feet. That is the size of a grave. Our blocks are miniatures of the big blocks but they are no less reverent. Each block is stitched with love and memories and represents some one that was loved by someone. Not all the blocks have names. One says just Mark. Some give the full name, birth and death and a detailed picture of that persons life.  The most moving block.... 

I think I will save that for later.  I will get my first post up on Wednesday. It will be the first section we  finished.  I have got to be honest with you on this point, I am not sure I will be able to do more than 2 posts a month on this quilt. My heart and soul is in every block that is on this quilt. Some of these people were people I was very close to at one time or another.  Some were children of friends, some were husbands, some lovers of friends. This will be very draining on me, but I fill back up rather quickly when I am doing something that I am as passionate about as this project.  See you on Wednesday!

Friday, May 21, 2010

Pueblo AIDS Memorial Quilt

Ok, I been promising this for quite some time, so it is time for it to actually come to fruition!  I am going to do the history of the Pueblo AIDS Memorial Quilt, but first I have homework for you!  I need you to familiarize yourselves with the original AIDS Quilt.  Here is your link: AIDS Quilt   Just click on that and away you will go.  I set it up that way!  This will give you all kinds of resources so when I actually start writing about our quilt, you will not feel that you are in Never, Never  Land.

By reading on this site you will be able to see the correlation, between the big quilt that lives in California and our quilt which lives in my basement! The big quilt is not displayed all together any more, because there is no place that can hold the complete work.  It is rather displayed in panels as they are requested, ie. if it is in Texas they will send mostly Texas panels, but you can request  a panel and that one will be sent.  It is definitely a work of love.  So, go do your homework and I will probably get my first installment posted Sunday or Monday.

Have a great weekend!!

Sunday, May 16, 2010

There is a genius inside me and it wants to be free!

Every time I set at this keyboard I think, "This  is the day I shall write something  that will actually change the world!"  Maybe not so much change the world, but at least make a little bit of difference in someones way of thinking.  I keep thinking that today is the day that I will write something that will at least be remembered, if not for a long time at least until you are through reading what I have written.

Maybe I have writer's block!  I have heard of that and I guess it could be possible.  I set here looking at the leaves on the Cherry Tree, sipping my coffee, staring at the screen and nothing happens. Well, actually something is happening!  What is happening is that I am typing like a fool  and the letters are appearing very slowly.  See I am done typing this line and it is just now putting up the word "fool".  Now I wait for it to finish so I can go back and redo the words I spelled wrong or where I hit the wrong key, which happens with amazing regularity.  No wonder I am frustrated!  The best part of all of this is if I will just walk away, when I come back it will no doubt be functioning like it is meant to and all my stress will have been for nothing.

Instead I set here like an idiot and continue beating my brains over nothing.  I give up!  We had quite a little storm out here last night.  Scared the ducks and geese and, beat my trees, bushes and garden to a pulp.  At least it did all this before I had vegetables that were almost ready to eat.  That is what usually happens!

Ok, I am off to get ready for church.   You all have a nice day and I shall check in tomorrow or the next day.

Thursday, May 13, 2010

Today at my house with the Choke Cherries and Llama's!

Here you see my lovely Choke Cherry Bush! I am afraid the Choke Cherry is about to take my back yard.  It is hard to believe that this started out as one little twig about the size of a healthy piece of bindweed.  On the right you can see my house and look right in my bedroom window.  Don't strain your eyes, cause I am not in there sleeping in the middle of the day!  It does give you some idea of how high the Choke Cherry has grown!

And here are the Llama's trying to carry on a conversation with me.  The Choke Cherry bush is on my right as I talk to the kids here.  Actually they just finished eating 2 carrots and are waiting to see if I will run back in the house and get any more.  Alas, they will be disappointed.  No more carrots.

If you could see the ground at the bottom of this fence you would see where Asparagus should be growing for me to pick.  If you look closely at these innocent looking creatures you may see Asparagus on their teeth!
I ask you, though, who can stay mad at a Llama? They have the biggest, brownest eyes, and the prettiest eyelashes.  They have not spit on me yet.  I expect if they do that I may be a little angry.

So this is my tale for today. Choke Cherry bushes are loaded with blooms, but I will not get a berry off the bush because the birds are way to fast for me. The only way we get Choke Cherry Jelly around here is to go to the Farmers Market and buy the cherries.  Asparagus plants that flourish and I can not get a piece for my table, because I am not as fast as a Llama. Got lots of bindweed coming and I am sure I will get to take care of that!  The Bindweed and the stickers are all mine.  The ducks and geese will not touch the stickers, I don't care what you have heard! 

Wednesday, May 12, 2010

Here he comes! The Baby is crawling!

Here is the little Jayvan working his way across the floor.  Not really working too hard, he is actually moving pretty fast!  He knows what he wants and he knows how to go about getting it. In this case he wants Grandma Lou! I am Grandma Lou to everyone under 30.  Mostly because I am Grandma, cause I got 20 of the grandkids and a bunch of great grandkids. Not real sure, but I think I have about a dozen or more of those counting all the steps. But there are a ton of kids who call me Grandma Lou just because someone else does.  Before the Grandma Lou business it was Condom Grandma, but that is a whole 'nother story!


Now here is the little fellow and he has arrived at his destination and pulled himself up to give me a big smile! Now isn't that cute?  This is what makes life worth living.  This and the fact that someone will come and pick him up at 5:00 PM!  Life is good, but makes me miss all the other little ones out there who are too far away to come and play for a few hours.

Now today I am going to have this one and his 11 weeks old cousin.  Not for very long though, just long enough for me to thank the Good Lord that I have  the child bearing years behind me!
You all have a good day and remember "This too shall pass!"

Thursday, May 6, 2010

Some one referred to me as BOSSY!!

Well, we were just setting around visiting the other day, and the subject of personalities happened to arise.  My friend pointed out that I was perhaps a bit pushy in my opinions. She then pointed out the time when I was involved in Operation Paintbrush, but refused to go the next year because they did not "do it my way!"  I want to set the record straight here and now.

I was merely trying to point out to those people that they were screwing around and there was work to be done and I tried to tell them the better way to approach the job. Had they listened to me, we would have been done and off to better things in short order!  But no, they wanted to eat donuts, and quibble over which brush to use and by that time it was lunch time. I just knew better ways and they did not want to listen.

And I like to drive because I know I am a safe driver and I am not going to fall asleep at the wheel. Of course I will give you tips on how to improve your cooking!  I want you to be the best you can be, and if you expect me to eat it, I want it to be good!  I did manage a restaurant for many years and did own my own, which was very successful, I might add.  The point I am trying to make is, I am not overbearing and bossy. I am just trying to give you the benefit of my many, many years of experience! If I ever run across anyone who knows more than I do, I will be most happy to defer to their expertise!  It just hasn't happened yet.

Now, just to conduct a little survey here for my own info, I want you to do this:  See down there where you can mark how this article affected you? There is also a comment thing.  Just sign in on the comment thing and say if you think I am bossy and overbearing or not.  Now I think you can remain anonymous. I would recommend that you remain anonymous.  Not because I would be upset, because Lord knows I can take criticism, but rather so you you can sleep at night. If you do not want to do that just mark one of the boxes funny, interesting, cool.  Mark interesting if you think I am a b---- and cool if not.

I will let you know how the survey went next time I am on.  So for now I bid you a fond, humble farewell.

Wednesday, May 5, 2010

The Lilac bush could pass as a tree!!

Here is the Lilac beside my back sidewalk!  I do not understand what happened.  When I planted it, it was very tiny and now it looks like a tree.  See how I have timmed up the one side so I can get through?  I do know this is the most beautiful Lilac on the place and oh, it smells so sweet!  I think the Lilac, whether this one or some other one, is the definite harbinger of Spring.

When I go out in the evening and early morning, all I can smell it the Lilac.  No other bush carries this particular scent.  I like it so much I have evern made soap, lotion and body butter with the Lilac Fragrance.  I call it Bad Girl, because it is a definite conundrum! Who would ever think that someone who smells like Lilac could ever be a Bad Girl?

I have a total of  7 Lilac bushes around the place here, but this one seems to be my favorite.  I wonder if it is because it is right there and I run into it every time I go to the back of the place?  Probably.  I know soon the flowers will be gone and the fragrance a fleeting thing of the past and I will get my pruner thing out and start whacking it back so I can get out of the yard. And then alas and alack, it shall be winter again.




KEEP SPRING IN YOUR HEARTS!!!!

Sunday, May 2, 2010

I love Spring and I love my Spring Fever!!

Here is a close up of my Apple tree and on the other side is my humble abode.  On the center left is the pooch and a few sprigs of the Red Bud tree.  On the lower left is the lid to the septic tank.  All is well there, also. I will put a pot of Geraniums on it when they are in season, which will be pretty soon.  It is about to quit freezing at night, for which I shall be very happy!

Right now, blooming in my yard are the Lilacs.  The Apple tree is about done, as is the Red Bud and the Cherry.  Flowering Pink Almond  is all done. Forsythia never bloomed at all.  The Apple tree will have green apples. They will have bugs, cause I do not spray.  I throw them over the fence to the fowl and they like bugs.  Apricots are going to be prolific and buggy as well.  The Cherry tree has never had even one cherry.

But anyway, I am trying to tell you about my Spring Fever!  Did you ever hear that saying, "In Spring a young man's fancy turns to thoughts of love?"  Well, in Spring, this old ladies thoughts turns to thoughts of naps!  I think I could completely sleep all the way through Spring if it were not for that wretched phone!  I know we get that urge to dig in the dirt and plant stuff, but the more I look around at what needs to me done in the yard, the sleepier I get.

Hey!  Maybe I am secretly a bear!  I could sleep all winter and then kind of start stirring the end of the Winter, which is the beginning of Spring.  Oh, oh!  Gotta go to church.  We will continue my sleeping habits at a different time! 


Another year down the tubes!

Counting today, there are only 5 days left in this year.    Momma nailed it when she said "When you are over the hill you pick up speed...