Central Plateau, North Island

Central Plateau, North Island
View from a friend's farm

Sunday 12 February 2017

Life in the Slow Lane!!!

 

Some visits to the Doctor, the X-Ray department, the physiotherapist, and another doctor, consensus is a sprained ligament in my right knee. By the time I finally get to see a specialist, in 6 to 8 weeks ( I have to remember there are 22 people ahead of me in the queue) it will either be better or NOT. So no driving or kneeling for a while yet.Just as well I can manage to sit at the sewing machine.

The Knee Brace!!!

 

The 150 Canadian Women blocks are so interesting,  and as well there is the Canada 150 Birthday Logo. I have sewed in random, not in the methodical #1 to #150, but have managed to do the difficult #30, the card block, and # 37, with freezer paper, and points that magically all lined up.

this is a little darker than the actual fabrics.

Blocks finished #37, #30,#35

Blocks 23,24,31,32,33,34 finished

Canada 150 logo Block E

There was a competition for the  Canada 150 Logo, and some dissension after the winner was chosen.  Some of the group have sewn this in colours, some in reds, and another did this and the Canada 100 Logo, on a bag, It was stunning. Mine will be in reds and purples, as white batik is not in my stash, and quite hard to find

Canada 150 Birthday Logo

Image result for Canada 100 birthday logo

Image result for canada 150 birthday logo

As a New Zealander, I feel very honoured and humbled to be accepted into the group, and to take part as a sewer and quilter  in this celebration. A tribute to all my friends throughout Canada.

Each week as I scan the weather in US and Canada, I realise how little I know about the snow, freezing rain, ice on the streets, Yaktracks on your boots, and roofs that have to be shovelled clear of snow!!! Maybe I  might just stay down here.But lately my Geography knowledge has improved beyond what I ever managed at High School.

This week, our daughter’s best man Stephen Allpress passed away ,  in Rotorua, and in Auckland,  my dear friend Jeanette, their best man also passed away. Life is fleeting and fragile.

Quotation of the day,  from Bob Perks ( copyright)…….

 

I wish you enough

I wish you enough sun to keep your attitude bright no matter how grey the day may appear.

I wish you enough rain to appreciate the sun even more.

I wish you enough happiness to keep your spirit alive and everlasting.

I wish you enough pain so that even the smallest of joys in life may appear bigger.

I wish you enough gain to satisfy your wanting.

I wish you enough loss to appreciate all that you possess.

I wish you enough hellos to get you through the final good-bye.

 

Greetings from Jean

33 comments:

Jane said...

So sorry about all the losses and your knee, Jean. I made a couple blocks of the card block before. Back in the day when quilters used templates. It was fun. Hope better days are ahead of you.

Hugs
Jane

FlowerLady Lorraine said...

Dear Jean ~ I am so sorry to hear about your knee and hope as you rest your leg, it will heal up nicely.

I'm sorry about the loss of friends. Yes, life is fleeting and fragile, here today and gone tomorrow. We must let others know we care about and love them when we can.

Happy Quilting and Be Well ~ Love, hugs & prayers ~ FlowerLady

eileeninmd said...

Hello Jean, I am sorry to hear about your knee. It seems like a long time to wait to see a specialist. The quilting competition for the Canada's celebration sounds interesting, Good Luck. Sending my prayers for your friends who passed away. Pretty poem, thanks for sharing.
Have a happy day and new week ahead.

Jenn Jilks said...

It's a good thing you can still sew!!!
There is some controversy around the 150th, as First Nations were here for ages before. Until we have done Truth and Reconciliation, I am having some difficulties with it. The abuses in the Sixties Scoop were awful, picking up kids and taking them away from their families. I have a hard time with it all.

Jenn Jilks said...

I'm so sorry about your knee. It's awful. My left one goes, from time-to-time, and it's nothing compared to yours. It is frustrating, isn't it?

Kate said...

Your blocks are looking wonderful. I am sure I have some of that punk polka dot batik.
We have 10-15 cm of snow coming today, so the cat and I have already reserved our spot by the fire.

Jocelyn is Canadian Needle Nana said...

Good luck to you with your knee but how fortunate you can still sew...a slightly silver lining.
Your blocks are beauties all and I admire your skill at recreating them. I now know what it takes after my Farmer's Wife foray last year.
I am also so happy you are making them. Having friends (both personally and country-wise) around the globe is so important and no more so than these days, it seems.
Sending healing wishes to you from my still icy but peaceful corner of the world.

~Kim at Golden Pines~ said...

Healing vibes coming to you from my corner in the US - I'm glad you can manage sewing, you're so talented and good at it, and I so love seeing the works of art you're creating - The group will be made better because of your being part of it!

Take care, you're being thought of in a very WARM place in Virginia! :-)

Carol Mattingly said...

I love the 150 logo and all of those beautiful colors. Oh my, it sounds like you are going to be moving very very slow for quite a while. Ouch. I am amazed to this day at all the sewing and quilting you get done. It is mind boggling. Have a wonderful Valentine Jean to you and Hugh. Carol

Susan Heather said...

So sorry to read about your knee - if it's not one thing it is another keeping you visiting that hospital.

That "enough" poem came up on my facebook page only yesterday.

Take care - hugs Sue

Janet said...

Keep your spirits up Jean. These troubles too will pass. Love your blocks and it is great that you can still sew!

Jenny said...

My goodness Jean - what have you been doing to damage that knee? It's a long time to wait, but as we know, hospitals are like that. Keep the knee rested and just do a little sewing. You don't want to overdo it and damage your shoulders now, do you?
Sending you Get Well Soon wishes from us both.

Leeanne said...

Oh Bother said Pooh................you will be pleased you can at least use your sewing machine. Did they say you had to stay away from housework?? best wishes............

Jim said...

My goodness, Jean! Can't leave you alone for a second!! You're not a Capricorn by any chance, are you?
We really hope your knee heals in no time and that you won't need any specialist at all. Please take care of yourself and be careful.
Your quilt work is unbelievable! ....precise, sharp and crisp! It is our honour to have you in anything 'Canadian'!
Now to Canadian winters..... our main winter month has always been February. I remember as a child having to attend at piano concert all the way downtown in a blizzard on February 3rd! That was before things were all cancelled like they are today. we were a tough lot!! lol
We are sitting here expecting two storms to hit at the same time. Actually they joined forces in northern New York Sate and are heading our way tonight and all day tomorrow. They say up to 70cm of snow.
The 'plow guy' has been called and reserved and we got another shovel just in case today. we are ready....we are NOVA SCOTIANS!! lol

Please take care Jean and we hope you heal up real soon.

Inger said...

I'm so sorry about your knee and so impressed you still can sew. I'm sorry for the losses. Hope your knee will feel a bit better on its own.

QuiltinLibraryLady said...

Sorry to hear about your knee, that brace looks very cumbersome. Is there a shortage of specialists in New Zealand? Seems like a long time to wait for a needed appointment.

That Maple Leaf logo block looks prety challenging. My brain just doesn't do paper piecing. :)

The Furry Gnome said...

Looks like fun quilting! Hope your knee is ok.

Mystic Quilter said...

Sorry to hear of the loss of two of your friends Jean.
Keep resting that knee!

Nancy J said...

Thank you all so much for caring, loving and comforting words. The brace is a necessity, but as long as I can sit and sew, do a crossword or two, and solve a puzzle, life is good. I hope for you all up North, the Far North, you are safe in the horrendous weather that is coming, has gone, or is to arrive any time now.

Hannah said...

That's quite the knee brace, Jean! I had my knees get injured from heavy gardening work 2 summers ago but thankfully they slowly improved with the help of magnets and some supplements. Your quilting blocks seem to be keeping you busy and productive, I admire your quilting skills. The Canadian Maple leaf block looks quite challenging. I'm wondering if your sewing machine has a knee or foot control, that could be difficult. Maybe most are foot controls now. With spring approaching here, you must be approaching fall and that means a lot of work carrying firewood. I hope you are able to manage the things you need to do. I know having injured knees made me appreciate it when my knees were better, but was depressing. They slowly got better and I was able to do a lot of the gardening work last summer, though it is still hard to get down on my knees so I learned to do most things by bending over. I hope you get better soon.

Tanya said...

Ah dear me! Deja vu. I was wearing one of those knee braces (looks identical!) in December. Now two months later I'm walking around fine again. Hang in there and keep those fingers busy!

Millie said...

Hope your knee gets better and congrats on sewing that Canadian logo. Very pretty but I'd rather go to the dentist than do paper piecing. Actually, I'd rather go outside and shovel snow than do paper piecing.

Snow's kinda fun. It's pretty to look at when it's falling and when it's pristine, but it becomes a pain pretty quick. First because it occupies space and has to be moved (from the driveway, walkways and flattish roofs like mine.) It can be tricky to walk on, and definitely interesting to drive in. It makes crunching noises when you walk on it when it's cold, and I like the way the air smells after a storm. It's brisk and refreshing. A lot of people equate cold with snow, and that's not right. We can have a lot of snow and it isn't really COLD and it can be very cold with no snow.

Take care and get better soon!
Lynne

Our photos said...

That is not nice. I hope it will be better soon !

KB said...

I am so sorry about your knee. I missed how it happened but I sure hope that it heals faster than you expect. I'm also so very sorry about you losses. I'm glad that you can focus on quilting. I love the poem, although it has a touch of sadness.

Hang in there, my friend.

Lorna McMahon said...

Your blocks all look fabulous... But, as a Canadian, I am so excited to see you making your way through the process of the tribute to Canada block. Praying for your speedy recovery!!!

What Karen Sees said...

Your quilting is beautiful! When I look at your work, I always think I need to get back to this hobby. But it seems that when I have free time, photography always wins out! Not enough hours in the day! Sorry about your knee. My husband is recovering from a total knee replacement he had 2 weeks ago, so our activities are somewhat limited for awhile!! Hope you are not in a lot of pain.

Allie-oops Designs said...

Well that is a very long time to see a specialist!!! I hope you're all healed up by then. Thank goodness you can still sew - and such gorgeous blocks~!!

The weather isn't bad....I live on the Canadian border [we actually have to go south to cross]and it's just what you're used to. My friend in Alaska says there's no bad weather, just bad clothing! Dress for it and you're fine.

Sandra Walker said...

How I LOVE seeing your Canada blocks my friend! It is a wonderful project; did you hear Kat on Pat Sloan's podcast on Monday? I know about it, just haven't listened, going to do that before bed. Funny you are probably done breakfast and half way through your morning tomorrow! Not good to have to wait so long about your knee, but yay that you can sew. QBL has increased my geographical knowledge too; thought I was pretty good but always room and so great to learn more. Wonderful closing as always.

Nancy J said...

How small our world is!1! I was in the nearest town to us, looking for some white/pale/ to go with the red swap fabrics that have come and the ones that will be here on Saturday. As I do... I was telling the man about the 150 Canadian Women, and how the envelops went to Annette when she was staying at Big White, and that they went on to Kamloops.Well... he and his wife are off to Vancouver on Saturday, travel across to Calgary for a niece's wedding, and they stay at Kamloops for a night. He opened the page on his phone and we zoomed in on it all. How magical is that. Update, I see the specialist on 9th March.

Sharon said...

Hi Jean your quilting looks lovely, I an so pleased you have an appointment for the specialist, not long to wait now. My specialist said that I can now start to put weight on my foot, yay! So one crutch has been dumped!!

Eggs In My Pocket said...

So very sorry for the loss of your friends........and I hope your knee heals soon! Such pretty blocks! I always love the quotes at the end of each one of your posts!

Fundy Blue said...

Hi, Jean! I'm sorry to hear about the loses in your life. I realize more and more every day how fleeting and fragile life is. I'm grateful for every day that I have, even if a few are tinged with sadness or ill health. It must be painful to have a sprained ligament in your knee! I hope it heals quickly. Health care is a huge debate in the US right now; and it makes me stop and think when I hear that you have to wait 6 to 8 weeks. I don't know what the sweet spot for health care is. I hesitate to say I'll be back to catch up ~ Every time I say that something happens ~ but I will be back. I do hope that you hit a patch of carefree health soon! Love to you all!

Quilter Kathy said...

SO fun that you are sewing along with the 150 Canadian Women project... I am really enjoying reading the stories of these amazing women!