Arabella's Cabin

I wanted it to be true. I really did. It made me happy to think that in this world of celebrities who are famous simply for being famous, there was a hero worth the hero worship. Lance Armstrong had beaten cancer even though it had spread to his brain and his lungs. He’d won the Tour de France seven times in a row. His work to support cancer charities was phenomenal. He even appeared to be a proud father who shared his accomplishments with his children. When he was accused of doping, I put it down to jealousy. After all, hadn’t he passed the drug tests again and again? So when he finally admitted to the lie, I felt let down. I feel sorry for myself, and for everyone else who believed in him. I feel even more sorry for all the young athletes who will think this means cheating isn't a big deal, or that they have to cheat to win.

Old Fashioned Star

The mother of a disabled man spoke on Sunday. She recited Annie Johnson Flint’s poem A Red Sea Place. I’d like to share part of it with you. “Have you come to the Red Sea place in your life, where in spite of all you can do, there is no way out, there is no way back, there is no other way but through? Then wait on the Lord with a trust serene till the night of your fear is gone; He will send the wind, He will heap the floods, when He says to your soul, ‘Go on.’ And His hand will lead you through – clear through – ere the watery walls roll down, No foe can reach you, no wave can touch, no mightiest sea can drown. The tossing billows may rear their crests, their foam at your feet may break, but over their bed you shall walk dry shod in the path that your Lord shall make.”

Starburst

I learned something new the other day. Maybe you’ve known this forever, but it was a revelation to me. I have several recipes that call for cream of tartar. If I was out of cream of tartar, I ran to the store or I chose another recipe. But if you understand what cream of tartar is there for, you can make do without it. Cream of tartar serves one of three purposes in the kitchen: it stabilizes egg whites in meringues, it prevents sugar from crystallizing in frosting, and when combined with baking soda it can act as a leavening agent. If you’re working with egg whites, you can substitute an equal amount of vinegar or lemon juice. If you’re baking cookies, replace the baking soda AND cream of tartar with an equal amount of baking powder. If you’re making frosting, just skip the cream of tartar. You’ll never miss it.

And the Winners Are...

January 4 I posted a link to Patchwork Party’s website and asked my viewers to help me choose which two of the twelve finishing kits there I should order. The settings are all very different and very lovely. I honestly couldn’t decide which I liked best. Among the six that used green and raspberry fabric, the vote was very clear. They all got a few votes, but Thornfield Hall from Grandma’s Attic was the hands-down winner. We actually had a three-way split among the six purple and rust tops. In the end, I wrote “Stitchin’ Heaven’s Arabella Manor,” “Rose Garden Path from Quilting by the Bay,” and “Fabric Essentials’ Stained Glass” on strips of paper. I put the strips in a jar, had Heather close her eyes and pull one out. Arabella Manor was the one she picked. I can hardly wait until they arrive! 

For the Asking

Thursday was Visit Your Local Quilt Shop Day. As if I needed an excuse. There are several wonderful shops nearby. I wasn't able to stop by any of them Thursday, but I can certainly try today. I love to see what other quilters are doing, what classes are offered, and what new prints are coming out. I like window shopping online at shops all over the country, but nothing beats actually being there. The blocks I posted yesterday and Thursday are part of a kit I bought online in 2011, when the nearest brick-and-mortar quilt store was miles away. I liked the way it looked in the photos, but I felt very differently when the fabric arrived. It’s good quality fabric, 100% cotton. I just don’t like the colors. If you do, the kit is yours. I’ll gladly send it to the first person who asks. The blocks are fun and easy to make, and the first two are done already!

Twilight Star

So much has been said recently about gun control and the right to bear arms. Everyone seems firmly settled on one side of the fence or the other, unwilling to listen to the other side. I believe in the foresight of our founding fathers. They knew a people can only be free if they have the right to protect themselves. I know none of the laws considered as a reaction to mass shootings would have saved a single life had they been enacted sooner. Still, I refuse to carry or even own a gun. There’s no way to overestimate the curiosity, creative resourcefulness and destructive capability of children, especially my own. No weapon could be completely safe from them. And if it were, it would have no hope of protecting us from a home invasion. Maybe my best hope is letting bad guys THINK I own a gun: I’d have all of the protection with none of the risk.