Babies and Springtime!

A few days ago, I visited my friend and her new-born daughter to deliver the quilt I had made. Oh, it was so nice to hold a wee one again! Babies smell SO good! I couldn't believe how tiny she was! Although being born a month premature, she's already made a substantial weight gain and is such a happy, smiling little girl! We drank tea, reminisced and afterwards took a lovely walk in a nearby botanical park . The rhododendrons were just beginning to display their fantastic colours and the chorus of birds was incredible!

Afterwards, I couldn't help but think how fast the years go by. It seems like only yesterday that my children were this age and I was pushing them in their pram. Now, all of a sudden, I'm a grandmother, with the big 5-0 looming! The grandmother role is one I'm truly happy with, but turning half a century is rather frightening to think about!!! I have heard, though, that it's not quite as painful as one would imagine! We'll soon see!

Danish Colours!!!

We recently sent our little grandson a National League soccer jersey in Denmark's colours of red and white! Fortunately, Canada's colours are the same, so he'll hopefully feel at home in Denmark as well as Canada! I can't believe how much he's grown since he was here in December! I'm thinking that I'd better go out and find him a soccer ball, too, as I know he has lots of energy to spare!! I'm almost certain that our little darling is going to be quite the soccer player!!! We love you, sweetie!!!

Spring is Finally Here!!

Well, I am happy to say that spring has finally arrived here in Denmark! The new leaves on the trees are growing larger with each passing day and the colours around our garden are just fabulous! I've always been so inspired by the perseverance of the bulbs and perennials. Year after year, they survive the harsh danish winters to make their welcome re-appearance. They bring such a wonderful feeling of hope. Here are a few of my favorites! Grape hyacinths, pansies and last but not least, miniature daffs! I planted them in a little porcelain dish and keep them out on our patio so they'll last a little longer!

These Kejserkrone (or translated to english: Emperor's Crown) appear each spring, bigger and more beautiful than they did the previous year! Earlier, I wasn't quite sure of their name, but a friend of mine just informed me that their latin name is fritillaria imperialis! (Thanks, Lee Ann!) They are so pretty...they remind me a bit of the Bird of Paradise with its little tuft on top! Unfortunately, their flowers do not last very long, so they have to be enjoyed in the short time that they're in bloom.

Here is a beautiful danish native plant, the Anemone. It grows wild in the forests of Denmark and the abundant flowers resemble a fresh dusting of snow between the stately beech trees. The delicate blooms are star-shaped and have inspired poets, artists and nature-lovers alike. These anemones were transplanted from the forest to our yard and we hope that they'll quickly spread throughout the garden! I remember my mother lovingly describing the anemone to me when I was a child. Mom was so fond of those beech forests with their carpet of white anemones, and living in Canada, I knew that she missed the danish springtime very much. This time of year, we like to take a picnic basket and spend a day in the forest. I always pick a big bouquet of anemones and think of my Mom.

Spring is really such a special time of year, not only for it's subtle, delicate hues but for the beautiful memories it awakes in me....

My Dear Jane Journey

In November of 2004, I embarked upon a remarkable journey. I had first become interested in the Jane Stickle quilt in 2002, hoping that it would some day hold a place in my future. Thanks to Brenda Papadakis, the author of Dear Jane, my dream became a reality! Having just taken up the wonderful hobby of quilting, I came across a picture and article on The Quilt. I just knew that one day I had to test my skills and try to recreate this quilt on my own. I educated myself as much as I could about The Quilt, happily discovering Brenda's book containing the drafted patterns of all 169 blocks, 52 triangles and 4 corner kites! Since that day in 2004, I have completed 149 blocks and 16 triangles! Although my first blocks started out as machine-pieced creations, learning the art of appliqué and hand-piecing convinced me that a needle, thread and thimble could easily fulfill my stitching needs. Thus, most of my blocks are now hand-sewn. I have met countless quilters from all over the world through my journey and the bonds of friendship that have been created with these ladies is just so wonderful. Although my relationship with The Quilt is sometimes put on hold due to the challenges of life, I know that my Baby Jane will always be waiting for me to lovingly place my stitches in her beautiful cloth!

Mormor's Little Sweetie!

I wanted to share a picture of our grandson. He is a wonderful little person who just turned one in the beginning of March. This past December, my daughter, son-in-law and grandson came to visit us from Canada. This picture was taken at the Roskilde Viking Museum, where we had fun playing dress-up with some "viking" garb! Becoming a grandmother has been just a fantastic experience for me. I remember hearing once that life is complete only after you've become a grandparent....I must say that I totally agree.

Blogging...A New Experience!!!

Well, I've decided to try my hand at blogging, something I've been wanting to do for a while now. I thought that being able to post recent pics and events, would be a good way to keep in touch with friends and family. So, here is my little corner of the web!

Today has been a beautiful day with lots of sunshine. Cold though. I've been working on a little pram quilt this afternoon that I'm making for a friend. Her little girl was born a month early, so needless to say, I'm in rather a hurry to get it finished! I've posted an earlier picture of it. I'm attaching the binding right now and have the label made, so hopefully, it should soon be done!