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becky: I am a shop hop nut and have done 2002 to 2008 and now amy trying to go back and do eary ones. Know any one with kits or squares from 1999, 2000, or 2001? Would love to swap, buy, what ever. Becky
Marla: Bobbi, in all the excitement of visiting the store periodically, I don't know if I ever have taken the time to tell you how much you are appreciated in our town. What would we do without our own special quilt store at our point of need. Thanks much.

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Tuesday, September 9th 2008

8:14 AM

Early morning

Greetings everyone,

It is 5:30 in the morning on Sept. 9th 2008.  When I woke up this morning it came to me that we were in the midst of an extraordinary Indian Summer.  These last few days of clear sunny days and starry nights have just made me feel alive again after our gray August.   I'm enjoying zipping around on my bike (thanks Aunt Judy!) and pretending I am footloose.

Now for the role as "the farmer's wife" for the last 31 years, which really is a much bigger part of me than you see in the shop. I want to tell you how I really feel about September.  I LOVE it.  It is the end of the whirlwind season, the days are shorter which allows us to stop whatever we are doing by dark, so we are down to maybe twelve hour days now.  We are still busy making hay, doing some combining and planting cover crops as well as seed crops.  We just planted carrots and swiss chard for next years seed, which will also require irrigation to get it sprouted.  So there is still much to  do, but you can see the end in sight.  

One thing you can think about the next time you buy an ear of corn, or a package of frozen beans or peas is that this veggie required a multitude of hours getting the field ready to plant, planting, irrigation, cultivation, more irrigation and harvesting.  This is a huge process that my family has undertaken for three generations, it is our way of life.  So eat your veggies all the while thinking about the work, care and pride that has gone into putting it on your table.

Now, moving on to the next part, grandma to be... girls are doing wonderful, and it is getting very exciting, days ticking away much faster than they realize.  There is no way to explain how their lives will be changing, but we all find out in our own way.  I still go back to holding my babies and coming to the realization of the power of love.  You always know that you are loved, but until you "hold your own" it is just one of those things you can't imagine.  So as soon as Expo is over I will start sewing for the nursery.  

Now on to EXPO. Check it out on line http://www.nwquiltingexpo.com/ then make your plans to attend.  This is an amazing treat for quilters.  All quilting, all inspiration!  Of course we have gone into our own little frenzy of making new models, collecting new patterns, wondering where that fabric group that they promised was and, and, and...  It feels a bit like being a gerbil on a wheel, going fast but getting no where.  Then suddenly, it is here and we are done and it is wonderful.  Right now there are about four projects going at once in my little sewing room, seems I'm more productive that way.

And those of you who know me really well, it is time for me to start my annoying habit of telling you Christmas is coming.  You know that it can't all be accomplished in the short time that we have between Thanksgiving and Christmas, so it is time to start thinking about it.  

This is my favorite time of the year.  I vow to savor every day with gratitude for for how far we have come this year and the joys that are ahead of us.

Bobbi
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Thursday, July 31st 2008

1:37 PM

Here's comes August

Greetings,

Don't know where the time goes, but I do know it has been most 
interesting and unique summer.  The store is packed with such amazing 
new fabrics that it is really hard to know where to start.  We have 
been enjoying visitors from all over the country.  We so enjoy 
visiting with people finding out where they are from and what brings 
them to Chehalis.

As many of you may know my husband and I are so thrilled to be 
expecting grandbabies in the next few months as both of our girls are 
pregnant.  Everyone tells me that grandchildren are the best, but my 
daughters and son in laws are so wonderful it is hard to imagine 
anything better than what we have right now.  Which brings me to tell 
you that you may see some new faces around the shop in the coming 
months, we are so happy to have Karen, Teri and Virginia ready to 
help us out.  As you know, new faces, new smiles and new quilting 
ideas are always a good thing.

On a more serious note, our family has a nephew who is battling 
aplastic anemia and will  undergo a bone marrow transplant Aug 1
This brings me to encouraging everyone to donate blood.  There are 
many ways to donate, you can give blood at any blood bank, you can 
donate platelets and also be typed to be a bone marrow donor.  All of 
this gifts are ways to help save lives.  You really never think it 
will happen to someone in your life, but it can.  It is easy to get 
busy and forget that we have the ability to help others in a very 
profound way.

The farming is coming along, the peas will be harvested soon and the 
beans are blooming nicely.  Corn is getting tall and so are the weeds 
in my garden which I attack on a semi-daily basis.  Also have painted 
my kitchen and made a new valance which makes it look like a brand 
new room, love it.  Quilted a new throw for my bed and am trying to 
spruce things up a bit.  It is a busy time of year and it is 
certainly going quickly.

Speaking of time going quickly most of the holiday fabric is in the 
shop now, watch our website for our upcoming "Christmas in August" 
sale.  There are
new paper piecing shapes for more new project.  Lots of new patterns 
for layer cakes and jelly rolls, so stop in and check them out.

Hope you are enjoying today, it is the most important day.

Bobbi

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Monday, June 23rd 2008

11:54 AM

THE DAY AFTER

We just finished the 10th annual Western Washington Quilt Shop Hop and it was so wonderful to have so many smiling faces in the shop.  While I am tired this morning, I have to say that the stamina of the shop hoppers totally amazes me.  You were all wonderful!  Susan Hoover is the winner of our $500 gift basket we look forward to presenting that to her.

The shop is full of wonderful new fabrics that just make me want to sit and sew.  Maybe out on the deck now that we are finally getting some summer weather.  I love sitting in the warm sun out on the deck soaking up a "piece of quiet".

For those of you who don't know yet, I am working on a paper pieced honeycomb quilt that has become a total addiction.  It is accurate, fast and just so soothing.  Now I have never really been a long term project person, but this one will take me a while, and I am totally enjoying it.  Next time you are in the shop ask about the English Paper Piecing.  Everyone who works there has done this and we just love it.  

Now if you don't know that I have another life, I am married to a wonderful guy who is a third generation farmer.  This year with the flooding things have been a bit of a challenge.  We were only able to farm about 50% of our fields, but we still consider our family to be very lucky.  My 81 year old momma's home flooded, as did our daughter and son in laws home, so it has been a very busy year for us.  Life on the farm is very busy this time of the year, but we love it.  The field that are planted with peas, corn, beets and beans are growing, the hay is getting tall, and the cows are laying peacefully out in the field.  This makes us feel like things will be normal around here again in time.

So I am taking today to find my house once again, there is a week of catching up to do, but believe me, there will be some quilting time as well.
Enjoy summer....

Bobbi
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