Block 35 ~ Flower Basket

I am wondering if I need throw my hat into the blog?  Many days, weeks even, have passed since I last posted.  Excuses?  None.

Block 35, Flower Basket should have been easy had I kept the stitching momentum up.  First I traced the templates onto the right side of the fabric, then forgot to cut the handle on the bias!  I guess the price one pays for absence is lost time.

Flower Basket is a joyous block as one can imagine the lady of the house, be it mother or daughter, wandering around the garden in the early morning choosing a few flowers to brighten the home.  No matter where we live, or how seemingly barren the landscape, a few carefully chosen flowers, for there are flowers for every corner of the world, lighten and brighten the landscape and the home.

Block 34 ~ Flock

When I first looked at this block my imagination went into overdrive.  Was the flock sheep, a flower, or birds?  Reading back to the letter this block pertained to I found the explanation ...

"I have more genuine enjoyment in caring for and breeding up my flock of beautiful White Rock chickens; ..."

and immediately felt an empathy with the farmer's wife of early last century.  You may have noticed I chose as my blog header some chickens, not White Rock, but Rhode Island Reds  that belonged to my late brother, on whose farmlet the photo was taken.

Block 33 Farmer's Puzzle

Farmer's Puzzle caused some worries, not because of its difficulty, but because I could not find a suitable fabric for the 'puzzle' in my stash.  Nothing stood out.  In the end a trip to the fabric shop solved the problem.

I found the letter that related to this block endearing.  It's author lived in the country, moved to the city and had an education, but fell in love with a farmer.  She moved back to the land, despising everything except her husband.  In an effort to reconcile her dislike she listed the Pros and Cons of country life.

Pros

1. Husband interested and contented.
2. Independence, and so many hours together.
3. Higher moral tone than city life.
4. Abundance of room and fresh air.
5. Fresh eggs, milk and vegetables.

Cons

1. Mud.
2. Inconveniences.
3. Lack of money.
4. Lack of water.
5. Lack of society.
6. Lack of beauty.
7. Monotony of diet.
8. Monotony of thought.
9. Untidyness of everything.
10. "Early to bed, early to rise".

She did reach a compromise!  Remember this was in the 1920's, but whether then, or today, compromises need to be made whether living in town or country.

Block 32 Farmer's Daughter

Farmer's Daughter is a pretty block, pink with a pale grey flower fabric that may represent a blouse, the floral the skirt, and the plainer pink a pinafore to cover the feminine garb whilst attacking chores around the farm. 

Block 31 ~ Evening Star

Block 31, Evening Star brought to mind the strange pale light that shines upon the earth when the moon is simply a pale sliver of gold that barely allows us to glimpse into the shadows. 

It was easy to choose fabric for this block.  Imagine the great outdoors in star light ... the flora is a mysterious shadow with some plants standing out, while others hide in the shadows of darkness.

Block 30 ~ End of Day

The meaning of this block came to me in an instant.  We can all identify with the end of a day with the sun setting in a golden orb in the west and casting shadows over the garden.  There is a feeling of inextricable peace before the darkness of the night descends. 

It only took a few moments to extract the fabrics I needed from my box of stash ... picturing the garden in shadows I chose the gold to represent the setting sun, the light print for the sunshine area of the garden and the darker print for that part in shadows.

As my journey along the Farmer's Wife Quilt meaders along I find myself becoming immersed in what each block represents, and wonder who invented each block and why.

Block 29, Economy

How wonderful it would be if I could achieve the impossible!  Make a block a day, but being realistic I realise this is but a pipe dream.

Block 29, Economy, was economical in the use of my time!  The block is simple, but simply effective, as I guess are most matters of economy.  Sometimes we go the long way round when a simple, and economic, solution is there before us.  Perhaps Block 29 should be my ideal as a life journey?  If the result of that life journey is as effective as this block in its simplicity the challenge would be worth taking.