wild horses

  This is a small wall quilt with wild horses running. It's basically hand quilted into a whole cloth quilt. I just loved the scrap of fabric. I know a couple people who covet this. Right now it is still mine. Made 8/2011, about 10"x 14". Now it belongs to my mother Fran Hale, because she wanted it the most. Enjoy.

mendocino ocean sunset woven blanket, again

  Here are a few pics I took of the Mendocino ocean sunset woven blanket. These were taken in Sept .2011 on The Land, near where it was woven in 1972. I had rebuilt an antique counterbalance handmade floor loom, 42" wide, six heddles, four treadles.... sitting in the Big House I wove with hopes for the future. Some of my dreams from that time came true, some did not.

  Living in a world of answered prayer, I give you new pics of this old weaving. It has hardly faded at all, unlike some of us.
It was warm and cosy on a rainy night in Faith cabin, near my 62nd birthday.

question, answer

question

ancient wisdom guiding me
new pathways of freedom
lessons come to me now
learn to trust again
learn to love again
learn to trust the longing
is this the one
I waited for
many dark nights
many lonely days
are you guiding me
sweet mother of my soul
are you teaching me
your true ways?


answer

I will bring you to
a place of peace and rest
I will care for you
as a mother cares
for her small child
I will quiet you
as a child on her mother's shoulder
I will bring you to
meet your grandchild
rest in a place of healing
know my peace today

written around 1993


I am a burning coal in your heart
I am the song you sing inside
I will wash you free inside
and in my cleansing fire
I will burn healing in
healing in your life
I will burn you deep inside
sweet peace steal in my soul
sweet kindness of the Lord
waters of the holy life
will wash me deep inside
2/2/92

 the rain is mine
and the sun is mine
and what will you give me,
says the Lord
give me your life
that I may use you
give me your hands
that I may heal others
give me your time
that we may be one
for what will you give me
says the Lord
that I have not given you?
that's how my love
will come through you
the stars are mine
the warm earth is mine
what will you give me,
says the Lord
the trees are mine
and the hills are mine
what will you give me,
says the Lord...

4/8/89

flight

written over the appalachians in flight

who raised up these mountains
straight in dusky rows
arranged them all with care
so we'd find peace out there

who drew paths for rivers
and sent them to the sea?
who made this earth beautiful
and made a place for me?

11/21/83

manna

manna

in the desert where we lived in tents
we had no need for meat
but lived on manna from the blessed one's hand
enough only for each day
but we longed for the food we left behind
and wished to trade for our own fish and leeks
and the flesh of our young goats
tamed and loving
and now we, longing again for those days
that we may be sustained only
by the love

9/18/03

guardian poems

Being with shar pei I always am aware of the fu lion/guardian spirit necessary in our world, and am learning how.

guardian

guardian
grandmother spirit
whose name I do not know
mother of my father's mother
your life lost in childbirth
watch over me
and the mothers and babies
that I in turn guard
that none may suffer your fate
give me wisdom daily
to keep all my trust
and guard me also
your shar pei
wrinkled messengers of the animal world
keeping me safe
at home
9/03

quilter's song/ new quilt blessing

guardians of our secret selves
when they travel in the night
little bits of joy and beauty
washing over all our dreams
magic blankets of protection
and of grace
wrapping love all around me
wrapping love around my people
in hope and strength and comfortings
cotton pieces color me

7/26/03

ellie's book

  My girl Ellie Snow was found at a yard sale in Berkeley. Only 5 weeks old, big brown eyes, velveteen fur, enchanting and smart as the dickens, She was my first "my own" dog.I picked her up and I belonged to her.she grew up to be an amazing athlete, hero, wonderful girl who died at 8 from cancer. She used to always win at wrestlemania with Leo, who was almost twice her size.He had a wonderful goofy grin when he won. He could put her whole head in his giant maw.
Here's the little book she wrote for me.

ellie's book

go outside
go for a walk
learn to dance with people
bark in funny voices
dance with your people
kiss your people a lot
lick the places that hurt
lick your people's hurt places
dance at the door when it is time to go for a walk
chase balls
play tug of war
line up your toys in a row
bones are good
guard your people carefully from harm
sleep with the people you love
snuggle a lot and put your head on the leg of your favorite person
spend as much time as you can with your people
sleep a lot but always be alert to dangers
drink water deeply and often
take naps on the couch, hang out on the window seat, lie down on the front porch in the sunniest spot
smell every flower and herb in the garden
run as fast as you can
make friends with all the people you meet and introduce everybody
wag your tail as hard as you can
greet life with joy and excitement
and greet your people with joy and excitement and be sure they know you love them each time they come in
kiss babies' hands and play ball with boy children
wait to get out of the car until it's ok
the vet is a good person, let her help you and say thank you
say thank you and say you are sorry
accept apologies when someone hurts you by accident and forgive fully
hide under the bed
steal socks and bring them back when you are finished
remind your person to feed the cat
ask nicely for treats
invite people to games with balls and tug of war
always join in games when invited
wrestle
get up and prance when the music is good
go to the beach
roll on grass
dig in wet sand
save something tasty for later
always say hello to children
keep yourself clean
dont stay out when you feel cold
growl fiercely at wrongness
smell things carefully, understand the messages others leave behind
never pee or poop in the house or car, instead go to the right place
when someone feels sick or low, watch them carefully and help them anyway you can, sleep at their feet and keep their feet warm
let them know you care and are willing to help
play hard run and jump
always stretch well when you get up,stretch some more with your person
accept all love offered with joy
life is good be happy and give out lots of love
is it time for a walk yet?

LOVE

ELLIE

mindy

mindy
most faithful of friends
how shall I tell your value
or how forlorn and empty
I'd be
without you
in my life
darling most enchanting child
and wise woman, healing goddess
to us all
my great treasure
thanks for your love

8/03  sally crystal

quaker letter

  I wrote this one a while back and called it Quaker Letter. Sometimes I feel that I am channeling old spirits, good ones.

Quaker Letter

  That we live a peaceful and orderly life is all that He requires. We are not called to go here and go there but to be faithful to those in our own place.To them we can speak intimately of the work of God in our own lives. As we strive to fulfill that calling in simplicity and truth, our little lights will shine together to make the night warm. Then will the world see that we are present and have made a difference in the end.

lifting the spirit

 
  Here's a quote I love, taken from an old cover of Quilter's Newsletter Magazine.

"How can a few pieces of music, some paint on canvas, mere pieces of cloth sewed together have this power to lift the human spirit? No one can explain this: it is the mystery of art."
Rose Wilder Lane,Womans's Day Book of American Needlework, 1963

         yeah

The quilt top is called "Under African Skies". I made it a couple years ago in spite of having my annual holiday season flu. Right now it is at the top of the "to be quilted" pile. In places in Africa, women paint the front of their houses with amazing abstract and geometrical patterns. Thats what inspired this quilt. I do have a whole series of house quilts going.
Finished 3/2012
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