20 years of blogging

My first post included this photograph and explaination:
Klein meisje is Dutch for little girl--what my beloved grandfather called his 12 granddaughters because, I fear, it was easier than trying to remember our names.
I continue to take pleasure in sharing my quilting life.
Thank you for being with me!
Lynn

bookends

It is a bittersweet time as I enter my retirement. 
My nursing career began in 1980 upon graduation from Morningside College and I was able this spring to attend their Maud Adams Research Day, named in honor our our first nursing professor who has remained a voice in my head at every patient and student encounter for 45 years.
I've worked at the bedside at The University of Iowa, Rush University, and several hospices, for a nursing association, and have taught as adjunct at Oakton College for nearly 20 years and adjunct and full time at Northern Illinois University for nearly 15. I am grateful for my colleagues.
A phrase I have often used in lecture is, "Your identity as a nurse is not tied to a paycheck. You are a nurse in your family, in your community, and in the voting booth."
Now it is my time to focus on those places.

Oakton's 104 team

Oakton's 103 team

I was honored at half court at NIU this winter

Morningside faculty and guests attending the Maud Adams Research Day
Their new chair of undergraduate studies, Amanda Haverhals (on my left), is a cousin of mine! 

My final end-of-life lecture

Kalamazoo Log Cabin Quilters

I was delighted to speak and hold a workshop at the Kalamazoo Log Cabin Quilters this week. What a welcoming bunch!
I included this circa 1910 photograph of my grandmother and great-grandmother, both Michigan born.

 

Thanksgiving 2023, visiting my quilts (and my sisters)

My sister's kleiderschrank with quilts piled above.
Some are mine.

A quilt signature quilt of mine from our family gathering in the mid 1990s.
Beth is eating oyster stew, our family's traditional meal after the harvest is complete.

Lynn, Beth, Janna
The Dykstra Sisters, sitting on their parents' davenport.
And remembering what
an excellent jumping on davenport it was.
It belongs to Janna now, who had the pokey broken spring repaired.

orange rind garland making!

Hammers add to the fun

smells and looks good!

A full table, around and atop.

more from the wedding weekend

 

sisters
Janna, Lynn, Beth

favors for guests at the bridal tea--my knit dishcloths

the bridal tea

We placed the rehearsal flowers in the chancel for St Pauls Sunday worship

Cake cutter borrowed from Andy's mother, was used at his parents' 1951 wedding

A dear neighbor gave Eve a floral crown to wear at her bridal tea

Seth, minder of his sister's dog and bouquet 

my sisters came the morning of the wedding to wash windows and scrub the stoep

We used my mother's china at the wedding breakfast

what is a Chicago wedding without a Giant Cannoli?

we had a wedding!

 This spring Eve and Sam were married at an intimate and lovely backyard ceremony with 12 of our immediate family, followed by a reception with extended family and friends at a restaurant.
We had a delightful day!
Textiles were featured: my mother's rag rugs were the runner and Sam's grandfather's tallit from Soviet era was used.
Photography by the talented Allie Idrac  https://allieidrac.com/
See more: https://allieidrac.com/weddings/eveandsam
And the rehearsal dinner: https://allieidrac.com/couples/eveandsamrehearsaldinner

dia de los muertos

In honor of Dia De Los Muertos, I am sharing photographs from my mother's funeral from 2019. 
We put my tulip quilt on her casket and a bouquet of tulips.
The casket was from Trappist Caskets, made in Iowa. They are wonderful to work with and it was the beautiful, simple casket that our mother asked for.
At the cemetery we placed dirt from the farm where she grew up on the casket.
And we had her buried with a thimble on her finger.

Remembering her today with love, and with love for my sisters with whom  thoughtful decisions were made.