Thursday, October 4, 2012

Autumn and some Miscellany

                Autumn and some Miscellany....

"Autumn is a second Spring...when every leaf is a flower"
 Albert Camus



I have been very busy. Some weeks ago I joined forces with Jan Kerbo.  Jan is one of those humble women that works hard and does so much....and she does so much for others. Jan is a 'coupon queen', using most of her 'couponing skills' to buy things for charity.

One day she was talking about the Women's Safety and Resource Center, a place where women in distress can find safe heaven. I had contributed canned goods and quilts to the center before, but when I heard that Jan was trying to fill 150 bags with toiletries and items for women that arrive to the shelter with nothing, I committed to making all the bags. I felt the project was worth the time and effort. We women must support and protect each other.

The newspaper wrote an article about what we were about to do and the donations came pouring!

Jan Kerbo and I, working on the Bless Your Heart Bags

You may read the newspaper article on the following link:
 http://theworldlink.com/news/local/group-gathers-items-for-women-in-crises/article_54afcaec-e452-5c04-8237-56f28f9df599.html?print=true&cid=print

The community response to the article was outstanding! My store has been filled with the generosity of human beings! Jan, the Soroptimists  and I have filled many bags, and next Tuesday, I have enlisted my women's PEO CZ chapter to finish the job and present the Womens Safety and Resource Center with a total of 150 + filled Bless Your Heart Bags.
Why the name "Bless Your Heart"? Simple...bless your heart for helping fill these bags!!!
And we have not "just filled the bags"....our friend Linda made over 100 lavender sachets....what a lovely, human touch! Imagine, this goes beyond being  a charitable donation...these lovely touches turn the bags into a gift!



Soroptimist women gather around a table to fill the bags.





Jan (center) labeled each box with information... 'take one toothpaste', take 4 hair-ties'.... she is extremely organized!


Delightful Lavender sachets, decorated with hearts!!!



And the pile grew....

And grew...
And grew!!!!

I had some friends travel from all over the US to spend a week in Bandon this summer...they heard about the bag project and those who drove, brought with them loads of goodies and toiletries...others purchased them when they arrived and some gave cash donations.... women helping women.....from everywhere!
Some humans have brought yards of fabrics, and washcloths tied with ribbons. Men have come to my store asking for a dolly to go and unload their trucks filled with donations..... what an awesome project!
And on the sidelines, I have been able to provide translation services to the shelter. I spent a morning at the court with a family that needed assistance....and the  Women's Safety and Resource Center volunteer should have wings....she played with the children  the entire morning, with a huge smile on her face while Mom took care of paperwork....God bless her!!!

And on other news:

On the long arm quilter:

I am in the process of quilting a beautiful Mariner's Compass quilt pieced  by my sister in law for her daughter's wedding. It is big, and lovely and she put so much work on this art-piece.


 I want to finish it soon, in between my other little jobs. I know I have been thinking about it ... a lot ... because last night I had a dream that my sister in law had traveled from North Carolina to Oregon to see the progress and was so disappointed that I had ignored "an extra quilt" that she had tucked in the batting for me to add to the backing....now, if you are a quilter, you would know that it is not how quilts are made...but in my dream, I was devastated. I woke up as I enlisted dozens of friends with sharp scissors to come and help me undo the zillions of stitches and return the quilt, undone, to her owner who was angrily waiting to retrieve her art piece...  phew!!! So glad it was only a dream!!!  Merrily..the quilt is nearly finish..and I think it looks awesome!!!!
I will only post one picture until I get the 'OK' to do more... :) 


,
And I went on a quick trip to San Francisco to the Chilean Consulate. It is the ONLY place where I can renew my Chilean Passport. It makes for such an expensive and difficult transaction. I left in the morning from Portland, Oregon, and was back in the early afternoon. I would love to spend time in San Francisco. There is so much to see and interesting people to watch. The Chilean Consulate is on Powell St, right where the Cable Car turns around. I love that part of town, it reminds me of Chile.  I have become proficient at taking the BART from the San Francisco International airport and finding my way to Powell Station, then taking BART back. This time, there was some kind of a brawl at the entrance to the station and a police man came and offered to do the transaction and buy my ticket...I was so impressed. He said..."you look like you are from out of town"....I wonder what gave me away...the lost look on my face? My "coughcough age"? The fact that I carried a big purse without hugging it with both arms??? ... "You have to be very cautious around here, let me help you"....and so he did! Then he escorted me to the entrance to the station and wished me safe travels....GO SAN FRANCISCO POLICE!!!

"To be where little cable cars, climb halfway to the stars
The morning fog may chill the air....."

A choir of pigeons at the entrance of the BART station

And...husband celebrated his 60th birthday... (yes... I am older than him...) He received a computer, courtesy of his girls, and a canoe trip, courtesy of his boy...and his 7 year old grandaughter made him a 'manly computer bag' all by herself!  He uses it everyday, and is so proud of it!

Happy Birthday, to you.....
Can you feel the love???
Isn't it cute????


Let's try it on!
Fits perfectly!!! One of a kind!!!!

And Fall is making its arrival....you know the name of this blog..."A Maria kind of Day"....as some humans become energized with the arrival of Spring and Summer, this human becomes energized with the arrival of Fall and Winter....Lovely sights signal the impending arrival  of Autumn...

Windchimes swaying in the chilled Autumn breeze
The last of Joe's most delicious garden tomatoes...
The grape vine and kiwi branches looking for more sun....
Grapes that never made it to the table... too cold....


And some strange things begin to appear in my house....some destined to travel 1000's of miles where some special children will enjoy them! 


Happy ~Maria kind of Day~ to all....

Maria

4 comments:

  1. I can't even begin to tell you how wonderful the gift of those 'care bags' are. About 12 years ago I was in the unfortunate position of having to leave with nothing but the clothes on my back, injured and found my way to a safe 'house' which was a motel room. All alone and in another state, far from my family and friends, some women who had gotten together and made bags such as those, made sure I received one and it was such a blessing, helped me to feel human and get through the time I had to wait until I could get a hold of family to come and get me, which was weeks. So thank you ladies for caring.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Aww Shari....my heart goes out to you...glad you are ok now...
      Maria

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  2. Thank you for the Halloween care package! Olivia and I wore mustaches in the car and then she leaped out and put on the pink unicorn costume. We are ready to trick-o-treat!!!!
    Love,
    PEN ;)

    ReplyDelete
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