So Much More Than Vintage Pillowcases

Today was not a day I thought I'd be blogging about. The morning began with one of those not-so-proud mommy moments: I lost my temper. I know, I know, we all do--but still. It was not without benefit, as Big B and I seemed to really connect to the solutions we laid out for preventing such a fiasco in the future. We talked, we resolved, we loved, we hugged, but there seemed to be a little black cloud over my head as we loaded up our requisite Wednesday cooler and beach bag. This past week has also been heavy in our village due to the loss of family members for two in our New Moon Circle, as well as a close friend of Papa's family. Even the ocean--my ocean, whose healing waters usually cleanse me of any negative energy still hanging on by Wednesday--even she was thick, full of seaweed, and a carrier of funk.

But then, just as I was packing up our sandy crew to call it a day, feeling full with emotion and as unclear as the mirky water, I was given a reminder of just how beautiful my little life here is. Not one but two of my dear friends handed me vintage pillowcases they had brought for me. Just because. What for them was a simple, thoughtful gesture was for me, so much more. I was reminded that I am doing a-okay. I have a deep connection to this place and these people. If I have a not-so-great morning, there are people here to lift me right back up and remind me that I am doing a good job with these boys--these sweet boys, who have never lived without the innate knowledge that they are part of a true community.

Two friends, coincidentally and separately, bring me something I love, on the day I really needed love most. I don't know how these things happen. I just give abundant and humble GRATITUDE.

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

Summer Beach Quilt, Part One

I am so happy that summer is here I could kiss the sky. It seems my habitual Goodwill thrifting anticipated my giddiness. For many cooler months, each trip to my favorite Goodwill yielded at least one or two vintage pillowcases or sheets. I had been making aprons with them for a little while, but this stack seemed to be growing into something...more.

Enter: Beach Season. Wednesday was the first official Beach Day for our sweet village of friends. We've been coming to this oasis as a tribe now for six summers, sharing wisdom and picnics and watching our growing babes discover this sweet spot anew each June.

Just look at them--they are all so big now. The girls lead the rescue missions and collect their creatures in buckets...

...while the boys, a la Lord of the Flies, climb their mountain of twisting sea grape branches and beach boulders.

And the mamas watch, talk, feed, nourish, occasionally knit, support, learn, and breathe.

To pay homage to this season of our lives, I rather easily decided to transform that stack of vintage linens into a summer beach quilt. This satisfies so many of my summer goals: carving out more time for creativity as a release, making beauty for our family, having a productive home, and spending as much time outside as possible. Using this square as inspiration, I am well on my way.

These colors just sing summer, don't they?

The Greatest Gifts

I have not posted here since December 1st. For me, that seems an eternity. It isn't for lack of material--goodness knows we've been a busy family. It just felt like the time to post and write about the things that bring us joy simply wasn't there. There has not been a moment's pause, a deep breath, a sit-and-relax hour in a very, very long time.

It is amazing how the universe works.

Today, just as things are spiraling a bit too chaotically for my comfort level, I receive the sweetest, most grounding gift imaginable. My twin sister, Aunt S, created a beautiful, 400+ page, hardcover book, comprised of all of the posts published here in this space over the last two years, as my Christmas present. Its slight belatedness added to its reception, as I was able to spend still moments looking through its gorgeous pages, remembering small details about my children, their papa, our creations, our adventures, our color walks, our love.

...and now, ironically, all I can think about is chronicling the wonderful things we did over the holiday, and rediscovering my pride in being the keeper of this family's story. I am so grateful to Aunt S for this gift, and can already feel my roots sinking deeper into the earth.

BONUS GIFT: as if that wasn't enough...a few hours later I received a surprise visit from The Voice of the Village, with the sole purpose of gifting me a bread machine--something I recently coveted at Aunt S's house. A full circle indeed. If there is anything that can help get one back to the basics, its breadmaking. And that's just what I intend to do. Live, laugh, love, create, write--and bake bread.