Covid-19 Life: Quilts, Books, and News

It was a windy day when the quilters met in the park. I showed my latest quilt top completion, the wind blowing it like a sail! The central block is from Esther Aliu's Little Hazel pattern. I used reproduction fabrics from my stash to complete the top.

When I saw this panel I had to buy it. I did thread work and machine quilting to enhance it. The golden thread really makes the acorns pop!

I got book mail from LibraryThing early reviewer giveaway, Angry Weather by Friederike Otto, looking at the human sources of climate change.

New to my NetGalley shelf

• Beethoven by Laura Tunbridge, a biography through nine of his works
• Girl Explorers by Jayne Zanglein 
• The Dangers of Smoking in Bed by Mariana Enriquez whose Things We Lost in the Fire I reviewed
• The Mission House by Carys Davies whose West I reviewed

Halloween displays have cropped up all over town.

Including at our son's house!

We bought a new kitchen table! It is a retro style chrome and laminate table with a pedestal base. We were able to special order the WilsonArt Betty laminate that is on our countertops!

I bought a new laptop computer for Zooming. I have Zoomed with my library book club and several times with a neighboring library book club. I also am starting to go to virtual author events.

This week we are having a warm wave, with temperatures close to seventy. But soon enough it will be cold. The quilters won't be able to meet in the city park, and we will again Zoom together.

The maple trees turned red and orange early, but the silver maples and oaks are just not yellowing. There are roses in the garden, and the bees still come to the geranium.

We in Michigan have had such a shock learning of the militia plan for a terrorist attack on our elected officials and to kidnap Governor Whitmer. The Republicans have removed the governor's power to mandate protections during the pandemic and local communities are scrambling to create their own requirements. Our county instantly took action, and masks and other protections remain in place. We took our ballets to city hall this week. Now, we pray that anarchist groups don't interfere with at the polls.

Right now, I can hear the national anthem being played at the stadium down the street. Someone practicing on an electric guitar for the high school football game tonight. Flags fly at the field and the DPW and in front yards.

Yet we can not agree what patriotism is in this country. 

I am reading What Unites Us: Reflections on Patriotism by Dan Rather. Last night I read,

“No one has a monopoly on the truth, but the whole premise of our democracy is that truth and justice must win out. And the role of a trained journalist is to get as close to the truth as is humanly possible. Make no mistake: We are being tested. Without a vibrant, fearless free press, our great American experiment may fail.”― Dan Rather, What Unites Us: Reflections on Patriotism

So much is at stake.