Cats, Chili, and Ranch Dressing
Have you started your spring cleaning yet? I can remember when deep cleaning was done every spring—not just the usual vacuuming, dusting, and straightening up, but washing walls, cleaning baseboards, upholstery, drapes, and chandeliers; winter linens were laundered and put away; storm windows and doors stored in the basement and screens put up. We cleaned out closets and polished everything in cupboards and drawers.
Many state and local associations are beginning their new terms and the old/new boards are exchanging files. Are you spring cleaning those files or are you going to start your year doing exactly what you’ve done before, recreating old programs with traditional and proven methods? What a perfect time to revitalize your association with fresh perspectives … new ideas to make even familiar, comfortable programs alive again.
I have a quilting cat named Sullivan (as in Gilbert and Sullivan). Sully inspects every piece of fabric that comes through the door, supervises all cutting, and frequently brings me pieces of fabric when I get stuck doing the same color palette or block over and over. For example, the NALS quilt now at the Resource Center was on my design wall for several days and I just wasn’t happy with it, but didn’t know what to do. Sully judiciously knocked several random blocks off the wall and then went and sat on a stack of fabric I had set aside. Lo and behold, those fabrics turned out to be just what the quilt needed.
In the current issue of Quilter’s Newsletter magazine, columnist Helen Kelley says that adventure is all about trying something new. Her family has always eaten their spicy chili with green onions, cheese and sour cream. Lacking sour cream one night, her husband liberally doused the chili with ranch dressing which was a revelation to Helen. “If I can look beyond the usual ways that I do things, the ways that I’ve done things before, and if I play a bit and am impulsive, then perhaps I can relearn the old excitement of spontaneity. Exploring expands our horizons and our hearts. I’ve discovered the fun of savoring chili with ranch dressing. With a little derring-do and imagination …I can regain the zest that once flavored my days.”
I hope you and your association embrace the flavor and excitement of exploring new ways to do things this spring. If needed, I can send Sully over to knock a few blocks off the wall ….
Many state and local associations are beginning their new terms and the old/new boards are exchanging files. Are you spring cleaning those files or are you going to start your year doing exactly what you’ve done before, recreating old programs with traditional and proven methods? What a perfect time to revitalize your association with fresh perspectives … new ideas to make even familiar, comfortable programs alive again.
I have a quilting cat named Sullivan (as in Gilbert and Sullivan). Sully inspects every piece of fabric that comes through the door, supervises all cutting, and frequently brings me pieces of fabric when I get stuck doing the same color palette or block over and over. For example, the NALS quilt now at the Resource Center was on my design wall for several days and I just wasn’t happy with it, but didn’t know what to do. Sully judiciously knocked several random blocks off the wall and then went and sat on a stack of fabric I had set aside. Lo and behold, those fabrics turned out to be just what the quilt needed.
In the current issue of Quilter’s Newsletter magazine, columnist Helen Kelley says that adventure is all about trying something new. Her family has always eaten their spicy chili with green onions, cheese and sour cream. Lacking sour cream one night, her husband liberally doused the chili with ranch dressing which was a revelation to Helen. “If I can look beyond the usual ways that I do things, the ways that I’ve done things before, and if I play a bit and am impulsive, then perhaps I can relearn the old excitement of spontaneity. Exploring expands our horizons and our hearts. I’ve discovered the fun of savoring chili with ranch dressing. With a little derring-do and imagination …I can regain the zest that once flavored my days.”
I hope you and your association embrace the flavor and excitement of exploring new ways to do things this spring. If needed, I can send Sully over to knock a few blocks off the wall ….
posted by President Dee at
3:32 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home