Friday, September 23, 2011

Farmer's Wife Friday: Well-Balanced and Happily Busy

This week's writer was from Marion County, Indiana, and her writing style amused me. She starts out by saying, "There are two types of folk in this world who 'muss up my disposition,' to an absurd degree and I'm not sure which is the more obnoxious to me..., I think the people rank first who admit that life on the farm 'is all right for a few weeks in the summer, when you can hard all the fried chicken you want, for nothing; and it might be all right all the year 'round, if you had all the comforts of the city.'"

#21 Contrary Wife. The writer certainly has a contrary tone to her writing. As far as the block itself, this was one of the easiest blocks to construct to this point.

I can just imagine her wagging her finger when she says, "Let me tell you that the woman who can't keep her mind well-balanced and happily busy, on a farm, would probably be an entirely useless member of society, no matter where she lived."  Ha!

"We live in one of those much-talked-about homes where folks do not have all the modern conveniences but we do have good books, good music and a wealth of flowers and growing things about us. Above all else, we live together, working and playing and planning together..."

#35 Flower Basket. I do not like this block. I don't like the colors I chose. I do not like the handle. But I'm not changing it and decided instead to move on. In the scheme of 111 blocks, who will even notice? How is that for being contrary?

#8 Bouquet. By contrast, I really like this block. It was easier to put together than I anticipated and I would probably make this one again.
"Our children are learning to be self-supporting, self-respecting citizens, and they're doing it under the guidance of a father and mother whose lives are consecrated to that very task and through that task, to the service of humanity...our family live could never have been kept so intact, nor our happiness so secure, if we had lived any place other than on the farm."

#65 Peaceful Hours. While there was a lot of work to be done on this family's farm, I'm sure they enjoyed peaceful hours after the work was done. I was dreading this block, and not anticipating peaceful hours. Advice? Templates and pins are your friends!
I'm anxious to read what Carla has to say about this spunky farmer's wife.

13 comments:

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Archie The Wonder Dog said... #

She sounds like a right one...bit of a tartar in fact!! Still, she inspired you to make four wonderful blocks and I particularly love 'peaceful hours' and 'bouquet'!!

Shocking Hocking said... #

love your eaceful hours - i haven't made that one yet, but i think it's coming up soon. your blocks are looking fabulous together and it'll be a sensational quilt

Shocking Hocking said... #

i have fat finger syndrome this evening - i meant Peaceful hours, of course

verykerryberry said... #

Your peaceful hours is stunning! A tricky looking one too- beautifully made

Cindy said... #

I really like your Farmer's Wife posts. Your blocks are beautiful, but I also like the letters you share. Keep it up!

The Luedtke Family said... #

This stop here is always a fanciful delight on my Friday's!

Janine @ Rainbow Hare said... #

Those blocks are truly lovely:)

pinsandneedles said... #

These blocks are beautiful done in shot cottons, some of my favorites this week. Love the Peaceful Hours block.

felicity said... #

She's quite the pistol, that Farmer's Wife of the Week! I am happy that you're not redoing the basket. It's cute and it totally goes with all the other blocks!

Letterpress said... #

Oh, man. I feel like the cranky one today. I've been in the grading galaxy and when I had to check my email (for student emails, nothing fun) I saw in my reader that you'd put up the Farm Wife tales. It's one of the things that kept me going today on those (hideous) essays--knowing that I could relax tonight and read blogs and sew!

So I laughed when I read cranky wife's letter, and realized that it takes all kinds to make up a batch of farm wives. Sometimes I think I cover all the moods your wrote about in one day!

I love the blocks and I love how they're all coming together. You have 111 to make?? You're amazing.

Have a great evening--
Elizabeth E.
P.S. Did you miss having WIP Wednesday this week? I did.

Rebecca Lynne said... #

I love reading these posts! I'm such a bookworm you make me want to create this quilt just to read these letters! Peaceful, I'm all over that.

Mary said... #

Love those blocks! Peaceful Hours is very impressive!

Mama Pea said... #

Your blocks are always so beautiful, and this is no exception. I am working on getting the Marti Michell templates and patterns so I can get started on this. Maybe January?