A Thundery Saturday

Ah, this economy.  Not the least of the terrible fallout from it is the closing of many museums and the sale of its contents.  If only they could simply close the doors, preserve the collection, and wait for better times.  As a former museum worker (manuscript librarian in the Indiana Historical Society and assistant archivist at Conner Prairie Pioneer Settlement), I can hardly bear to read of these closings and dispersals.  


At the same time, there are such wonderful exhibits going on this summer and beyond.  The Cheddar Quilt exhibit in Cedarburg.  The quilt exhibit at The Mercer Museum in Pennsylvania.  "Gather Up the Fragments", the Andrews Shaker Collection in Washington D.C.  And also in D.C., an exhibit so gloriously indifferent to the collapsed economy, so beautiful in its distinctive art form, that it takes my breath away: Prêt-à-Papier - Trompe L'Oeil Gowns by Isabelle de Borchgrave, 

"who recreates fabulous iconic historic fashion by simply crumpling bits of paper...".  Here is a link further describing the exhibit:

Also please watch the video below showing a bit of her work process:  

Ah, if there is a way to get to D.C. for these two exhibits....count me in.


Timothy went in to see the Marines this week to see about the latest extension of Emergency Family Leave.  We hope it will be granted once again.  Each time, the Marine in charge says, "well, Marine?  How is your mother?"  and Timothy replies loudly, "Still has cancer, sir!".


The first time he went in to see the local Marines to register himself as being stationed in Atlanta on the Emergency Leave, there was some kind of paperwork saying my newbie Marine son was going to instruct the local Marines in various skills.  Timothy basically had had some tentative emergency medical training only.  The head Marine saw him then.  He was head of the Special Forces Unit stationed there.  Timothy said he had so many stickers over his chest certifying to advanced training proficiency that there was no fabric showing on his shirt.
Head Guy: (looking over his papers) "Marine.  What are you going to teach my Special Forces Men?"
Timmy: "Sir!  Nothing, sir!"
Head Guy: "Go home, Marine, and take care of your mother."


Well, the Emergency Leave continues on while the rest of Timmy's group languishes at the base with nothing to do, since the Marines are downsizing and Timothy's group and others are not getting ready to deploy.  I wonder to myself why they do not take them to the Great Smokies and have them do work there because they are going crazy with nothing to do and that base is not set up as a place to live for a long time.  One fellow in his group lost his leg during the deployment and was issued a prosthetic leg.  Yesterday's conversation:
Timmy: "Mom.  Remember my friend with the prosthetic leg?"
Mom: "Yes."
Timmy: "Well, he lost it."
Mom: "Where did he see it last?"
Timmy: "He doesn't know.  And the Marines won't issue him another one.  So he has to hop around.  All of our friends are trying to help him find part of it.  If they can find even a tiny piece of it, the Marines will issue him another leg."
Mom: [worried about Timmy's habit of drinking] "I'll tell you how this happened.  They were out drinking.  They were drinking too much.  And this is what happens when you drink too much.  You begin to lose body parts."
Timmy: "Duly noted, Mother."


Well, on to Temecula #3.  I don't even want to tell you the trouble I had doing this block.  And yet it is finished!

Guess I'd better start showing you some photos from my personal Wisconsin Shop Hop.  Others have shown photos from the cheddar quilt exhibit in Cedarburg, so let me refer you to those blogs for the cheddar wonders.  The first shop was Country Sampler in Spring Green, wonderful, incredible shop!  Lotsa pictures of this one, will show you part of them in this post.  Close to the shop, a wine bar in an old bank:

Close to the shop:

 In my spare time, I'm hunting for a new home in my price range.  This one fills the bill:

Here is the shop:

This is the very front of the shop, beautiful displays of the yummy primitives we all love shown on beds and trestle tables:

Some of the photos are fuzzy but I'm putting them in anyway.  Have several more shots of Country Sampler; better stop for now and put in next post.