Wednesday, May 19, 2010

Violet River Woods and Christopher Paul Ruesch are Married!

I don't think I'll find anything more thrilling to write about from here on Blueberry Road, than seeing my son dance with his bride on their wedding day.
Paul and I left home a little after 9 last Thursday morning and drove to Minneapolis in pouring rain reminiscent of our own wedding day to pick up Alyssa. Evan and Ned left about an hour earlier for Karl and Alissa Diane in Eau Claire. From our appointed first destinations, we all headed toward Oklahoma for Kit and Violet's wedding.
Much to Alyssa's chagrin, we left our road atlas and lodging confirmations on the dining room table, but thanks to the wonders of cell phones, the boys and Alyssa orchestrated a meeting point with Kit near Kansas City (Violet flew to Tulsa the previous week). We all went out for a dinner (melt-in-your-mouth barbequed brisket for me) and stayed at the same crappy motel and had a good time.
Friday morning's breakfast confirmed our opinion of the crappy motel and reassured me that baking up a batch of Smooth Move Bran Muffins for the trip was indeed a good idea. It was a pretty cold, gloomy day, but our spirits remained high as we made the last leg of our journey to Oklahoma's Keystone State Park near Tulsa for Saturday's wedding. Even the point of interest sign at the rest area where we stopped to make sandwiches from the cooler didn't dampen our spirits. The lengthy history of a bloody local family isn't what we'd normally expect as a roadside highlight, but this trip was about a wedding, not sightseeing.
Keystone State Park is beautiful. We stayed in a very reasonably priced, well equipped and nicely furnished 3-bedroom cabin that offered most of the comforts of home. Other than some absurdly squeaking bunk beds in one room, the place was great.
Saturday was, of course, the highlight of our trip with Kit and Violet's 2 p.m. wedding. Held in the park's community center, it was a lovely ceremony. The sun even decided to make an appearance for the wedding. In fact, the afternoon of the wedding was really the only non-gloomy weather period of the entire weekend. Now, there's a good sign!
And how could it be gloomy with a wedding cake like this?
Violet's great aunt made this little lovely. The lemon cake was just as delicious as it was cute. And, she claimed, it was her first attempt at a wedding cake.
The same aunt also made a masterpiece of a groom's cake with a delicious chocolate cake that honored Kit's dedication to his favorite past time, disc golf. You'd never guess that this crafty lady had never seen a disc golf course from the cake she created. She even made the basket and monogrammed the discs. A truly talented lady who added delightful flavor to the day. Violet's mom, aunts and friends did a wonderful job with the wedding. The meal was good, their company good and of course, the bride and groom were perfect.

Tuesday, May 4, 2010

When there's nothing new under the sun, look at the old in a new light

Sometimes it's the little things that bring the biggest thrill. My little basket chair quilt is a good example. It was created during a non-quilting zone much like the one I'm experiencing now. One of those times when nothing seems to come out right, or feels overwhelming or ... or ... or ..., which of course breeds hesitation in all quilty undertakings. Then, just a little spark of an idea can turn it all around.
I made this quilt a couple of years ago and forgot all about this spring. I just brought it out again a couple of weeks ago and have to admit --- I love this little gem.
Chair quilts, by their very nature, are very talented little creatures. They keep furniture clean, add a spot of brightness and provide just enough quilt therapy to put a squelch on the most severe quilting drought. This one happened bit by bit over the course of a weekend. First the plain little baskets with appliqued handles. Then, the whimsy of a few eggs. Then, a bird to watch over those eggs. Finally, a thin red border to frame it and I had it all: A spark of creative juices, a little applique fix and a bright new quilt for everyone's favorite chair. And, best of all, a reminder that putting things away for a while means you can rediscover them and fall in love all over again.