3.01.2012

Thank you Frances...

I have a tiny little start on the antique reproduction piece, Frances Pool - 1832. 
I'm really liking the floss selection thus far on this sampler.  
While stitching those purple and blue berries I had a thought. 
 Don't you love it
 how your mind just goes somewhere else
when you stitch? 
Is this just me?
 While stitching those purple berries, 
I decided that they must be mulberries. 
 A bird will get stitched upon that twig of mulberries...

Those little X's of mulberry purple and blue
 reminded me of our young little family,
several years ago, 
dating back to when the dh was a student at Iowa State University. 

  Our young little family 
lived in married student housing
 that sat on the outskirts of campus, 
near a pasture 
where the horses were kept,
 just a hop and a skip from the horse barns 
on campus. 
 Yes, there are horse barns on campus..
ISU is well known for it's
 agriculture
 and vet med studies.  

On summer evenings, 
Erin would hop onto her white Huffy bicycle, 
with the purple banana seat and white wicker basket,
and 
little brother Matthew would be on his
 Big Wheel...
legs going just as fast as can be,
 to keep up, 
I must add. 
Click, click, click...
remember the sounds those Big Wheels made?
 Mom and Dad would be on foot
 and
 we'd go for a 
walk/ride to the feed the horses.
It was decided upon 
by the kids
 that horses eat carrots,
so that is what they fed them!

 After the horses were stuffed of carrots,
 (dear lord, I'm hoping those horses weren't any big part of any research study...)
 we would head east to a bike path
 that ran through a fairly heavily wooded area.
Trees hung over both sides of the path,
 it always felt 20 degrees cooler upon entering the path.
The area was brimming with birds,
 lots and lots of cardinals
 and 
mulberry trees.
  If we were lucky enough to beat the birds to the mulberries,
 we'd each pick a handful
 and
 put them in Erin's little white bicycle basket
 and
 head home to enjoy a treat of 
sugared mulberries and ice cream...
yummy!  

That was 25 plus years ago,
I had forgotten about those
 mulberry
 and
 ice cream days,
until
 I put those X's onto my linen.
 The thought of those days
 brought a smile to my face...  
Thank you 
Frances Pool.

Digging out from yesterdays blizzard,
Brenda

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

love the colors

Suzanne said...

I have always said stitching is "therapeutic" for the soul! I can be having one of the most hectic days, but my stitching always brings me peace....unless I have to tear out a mistake:( Love the looks of "Frances Pool", itching to get my fingers going on this one! Thanks for the beautiful post Brenda and sharing such fond memories.
Suzanne G.

Chocolates4Breakfast (Terri Malinovich) said...

Stitching not only brings memories to mind but now, when I look at pieces I've stitched, I'm reminded of what was going on in my life at the time.

I can tell that Frances is going to be another must have for me. I really love the colors! I just got Ann Sandles back from the framer and posted her on my blog. I will be ready to tackle Frances whenever you are ready to release her. Can't wait!

Lynn said...

My mind always wanders while I'm stitching and I do some of my best thinking then. For seven years I was a single parent and my stitching was my stress therapy. I would often ponder how to handle a situation with the boys while I stitched. When I look at some of my finishes it evokes a lot of memories most of which were good ones!

gracie said...

Yes, I sometimes "go" elsewhere while stitching. A memeory triggered and I am lost in threads.....

DSFinn said...

Such sweet, wonderful memories. I love how our minds take us back like that when we are quiet enough to sit and listen.

Charlene ♥ NC said...

DS told me recently that I ruined his big wheel when I cut the clickers off... See what they remember? It's 80` here in SC today! Lovely mulberries ;-)

Becky G said...

What a sweet reminiscence!

Poussy Stitches My Love said...

JUST BEAUTIFUL


HAVE A GOOD DAY

Gloria said...

Such sweet memories... love them... Gloria P