Remembering Friends While on Vacation

Is it true that when you care for someone, things pop up that remind you of them? At the Orange County Fair I was at an art exhibit and darn if some of my friends didn't pop into my mind. I was in the quilt section and a beautiful African blanket brought to memory a friend who had just traveled to Africa. My thought was, I bet she would like this blanket!

Then a pineapple quilt brought to mind a friend who had spend time in Hawaii. At one of our lunches she had brought a pineapple with banana dessert. I know she would have liked the many colored pineapples in the quilt.

The cat quilt made me think of a friend and her cat Ralph. There were many other quilts but these three made me think that my friends would love these quilts!

Quilting has been in existence since time began but usually it is considered an American way to decorate a bed or to be used to keep warm. On the Internet:  Throughout history women have used the art of quilting to keep warm, decorations like wall hangings, expressing a view or remembering loved ones. As pioneers traveled west one of the much needed supplies they brought were hand made quilts. Later, quilts were made to give as gifts to a new born baby, an up-coming wedding, or to express a political view. 

I recall my mother making quilts out of scraps of material and hers were not fancy but more to keep us warm. I did not know that a blanket could be bought in a store because growing up I thought all blankets were made at home. Imagine my surprise when I spent a night at my grandmother's house and she had a light blue down blanket that was warm, fluffy and light!

"I've embarked on personal 

adventures with each of these 

quilts. I want to teach you how

to do the same."

Paula Belyea