Legacy Quilt, Part I

I've been working on a very special project. It has been tempting to blog its progress, but I wanted its recipient (and my collaborators) to be the first to see it. I've written in this space before about the amazing woman Papa's Grandma Wilson is. Among the many other things she has given in her life are a collection of spectacular quilts commemorating her descendants' weddings and children (the two she has given to my family are shown in this post).

Some of her daughters and granddaughters and I decided to return the favor. For the last several weeks, the women of the Wilson family have been lovingly crafting unique, commemorative quilt squares in Grandma's honor. Meanwhile, using Noni's photographic chronicle of the family, I have been creating log cabin pieced photo squares showing the faces of Grandma's 6 children, 13 grandchildren, 17 great grandchildren and 1 great great granddaughter.

I made photo squares depicting Grandma and Granddaddy Wilson when they were newly married, and joined them with a simple pieced heart of vinatage fabric.

When all the squares were complete, I pushed our dining room table aside and began piecing the story of this woman's amazing life.

Sometimes, there are greater things at work than we can put a name on. I had been collecting everyone's squares for weeks, without counting them or designing the finished product until I had all squares in my possession. For the photo squares, I created four for each of Grandma's six children and their families, plus two of Grandma with her children and one each of Grandma and Granddaddy--that's 28 squares. When I finally counted the squares everyone had created, I was amazed--but somehow not surprised--to find 28. The quilt designed itself.

We decided to present the quilt top the night before Sunday's family reunion. Noni and I snuck into Grandma's room and spread the quilt out on the bed, then invited Grammy and her sisters to come in. Somehow they all made it in before Grandma did, and when she arrived, she noticed it right away--and I think it began to sink in, as she looked at every face, every square, what a life of love she has led.

The next day, Papa and his cousin hung the quilt high at the family reunion. Dozens of relatives took their time looking at the quilt, appreciating the love this woman's family has for her. I held it together pretty well, despite sleep deprivation and a swell of pride and gratitude--but when I caught Big B telling little b who some of the people were on the quilt, wrapping his arm around his little brother, I almost melted. Without this woman, my children would never know a family of this size, with these traditions, woven with strong love and togetherness through generations. This family has inspired me to begin family reunions on my side of the family tree, the first of which we held earlier this summer. New traditions. Another chapter in her legacy.

Look at these beautiful women! We will all gather together this fall to finish the quilt in the only way Grandma ever has: by hand. Many hands, working together, weaving the story of a family.

It was indeed a true honor to stitch together the story of this woman's life thus far. She has many stories left to tell, I suspect. I am just grateful to be included in her circle so I can hear them.

"I see the wise woman. She carries a blanket of compassion. She wears robes of wisdom. Around her throat flutters a veil of shifting shapes. From her shoulders, a mantle of power flows. A story band encircles her forehead. She stitches a quilt; she spins fibers into yarn; she knits; she sews; she weaves. She ties the threads of our lives together. She forms a web of spiraling threads: our lives invented and shared."

-Susun S. Weed

New Traditions: Good Morning, Beach

Little b began preschool this week. My heart has been in my throat for three days straight. As much as I love the school, the teacher, the children, the families...he's gone, and I miss him. Sure, I'm able to work more. Sure, the house is cleaner. Sure, I can have a phone conversation. But I feel like part of my body is gone. And with Big B now in first grade, on these preschool days the house is just so...quiet.

To help us both with the transition, little b and I have started a morning ritual. After dropping Big B off at big kid school, we head south to little b's school. The trip puts us there about ten minutes early, so we stop at a quiet beach nearby and say, "Good morning, Beach!" Little b finds flowers and shells, and I watch him, secretly wrapping him up with love and hoping it's enough to carry him through the day.

This is really, really hard.

New Traditions: Earth Day Nature Devotionals

Happy Earth Day! We were inspired by a display of nature devotionals we saw while viewing the sand mandala this week. This afternoon, in honor of Mother Earth, we recreated the activity. We collected stones, feathers, ferns, flowers, sticks, moss, leaves and fruit. The kids in my wonderful neighborhood joined us as we symbolically gave thanks to the Earth by creating beauty from her objects. The kids really just enjoyed being outside together, fulfilling Big B's New Moon intention. In the process, many lovely arrangements were made.
Little b could not be trusted to keep the creations intact. This prompted a conversation, also aided by the teachings of the mandala, about the impermanence of all things. Little b finally complied with the big kids and instead found joy in squishier sensations. Toes in rocks......and fingers in loquats, ripening one by one on our tree.
The fallen fruit became the inspiration for a series of faces. Mother Nature has a sense of humor!
I think I have found our family's new Earth Day tradition. What is yours?

New Traditions: New Moon Tea Party

Yesterday was the New Moon in Aries, the first New Moon in the zodiac year. It provides us with a clean slate for the year ahead, a chance for new beginnings and clear intentions. It seemed that spring listened. Little b and I spent the morning marveling at the colors and baby delights that seemed to have blossomed overnight in our garden.At one point, little b went into the backyard, savored a big breeze, looked up and sighed, saying "aaaah, pretty day." And it was, just perfect. Last night, I savored our monthly mama gathering to celebrate this new lunar cycle. Signs of new beginnings blossoming were everywhere. This morning, Big B asked me when he could come to a New Moon Circle with me. I told him they were only for mamas, to be together and celebrate the great riches of motherhood. He said, "Awwww, but I heard you have tea and crackers there," which was very cute and sometimes true. So while he was away exercising his brain, little b and I set up this surprise: a post-New-Moon-Circle New Moon Tea Party.Sometimes we do special things for our children, and, though we try to squelch our expectations for their enjoyment, we can't help being slightly disappointed by anything less than a stellar reaction. This was not one of those times. Big B could not have been more excited or grateful. Little b was just as excited to show him. They carefully and politely poured and prepared their tea.Of course, as things would happen only in a house of boys, Cyclops found himself a guest in the circle.I explained that the purpose of our New Moon Circles is to give thanks and to set intentions for the month ahead. Big B's intention was pure and beautiful: "to have fun playing outside in the warm weather." On the table, representing the cardinal elements for which we are thankful, were a piece of clay, a shell, spring clover and a candle. Eventually, all items were introduced to tea.It was the highest honor to share these moments with my little gentlemen, who displayed their innate understanding of the specialness of it all. I am grateful and rich beyond measure.

New Traditions: Easter Nests

We have returned, safely and soundly, from our annual Easter trip to Georgia. We usually arrive as the wisteria carpets the ground beneath us and the dogwoods and redbuds have long since bloomed, but this year, due to the calendar and the unseasonably chilly winter, we arrived at the perfect time to witness nature's southern masterpiece.Big B and little b experienced the wonders of nature, big and small. They helped Grandma plant her summer garden, poking little fingers into rich, fertile soil.They went exploring and hunting for treasure, using vivid imagination to make games from pinecones, sticks and clay rocks.
They helped Papa make a minnow trap and paid attention to the sounds and cycles of the pond.We tried our hands at creating different kinds of eggs...
...and of course, hunted them, with great excitement and reward.
But the wonder of nature that impressed upon us most deeply was the discovery of this goose nest, hidden among the reeds on a pond dam not far from Grandma's house. We diligently checked "our" nest every day. We all marveled at how large the eggs were, and how carefully they were laid upon a soft, downy featherbed.
This technique stuck with Big B. As of the night before Easter, we had seen five deer, two fox squirrels and three bunny rabbits. I suggested that since the bunnies obviously liked to hop in pine straw beds, perhaps we should line our baskets with the brown needles. Big B took it one step further, and carefully made a downy grass bed, goose style, upon which the Easter bunny could leave his gifts.
We set the baskets out to wait just before sunset and set off for one last ride through the woods. As luck would have it, we saw two Easter bunnies on that ride, awaiting nightfall to work their magic. Big B was mesmerized.
On Easter morning, Big B and little b woke us to tell us the geese were visiting. They noticed the majestic birds before even noticing their baskets full of treasure. Such is the power and the wonder of nature. For all of the pomp and circumstance of the holidays, nothing holds more magic for a child than watching the world unfold before his eyes.April is Children and Nature Awareness Month. Play along by posting a photograph of your children outdoors every day this month.