Fat Cat Quilts

Insomniac Nightmares

It's 3:34am and I can't sleep.

I have decided this is the worst feeling in the world. Ok, maybe not the actual worst feeling. I'm not so far removed from reality that I don't acknowledge that there are far more tragic feelings than being exhausted and not being able to close off the universe long enough to catch some Z's. There are calamities among us on a daily basis, and those elicit the absolute worst feelings, I am sure. But for me, right now, right here, this is the worst feeling in the world.

To be tired but not sleepy. 

Count sheep. Ha! The problem with this is two-fold. The OCD in me is frustrated that the darn sheep don't stay in equally proportionate pens, or they stray from the flock altogether. Or worse, there's a few black sheep among them and I can't keep tabs on where they are or what they're up to. Secondly, and more absurdly, I'm so focused on not losing my place in my count, that I stay awake even more as not to forget what number I'm on. Being Type-A has always worked for me. Until the sheep come back to the fold.

Imagine a blank piece of paper. With nothing on it. Seriously? I'm a list-maker. I make lists of the lists I need to make. And you want to offer me up a sheet of paper? Does the universe not know me at all? A blank sheet of paper, crisp and clean, is an open invitation to enumerate the many things that must be keeping me up in the first place. I might as well open the drawer in my nightstand, pull out my journal and start off with "Dear Diary..." 

4:19am. Scrambled eggs and toast.

Warm milk. A tried and true solution to insomnia. I'll use that tall pink Mickey Mouse mug, the one we picked up on our last trip to Disneyland. Oh! Disneyland! I was supposed to look online and see what rides are scheduled to be closed for refurbishment in October, cause I'm thinking of a weekend getaway, but if Thunder Mountain Railroad is closed, it's a no go. Oh no, what if it is...? Should I push the trip back to November? That reminds me, did you know November is National Pomegranate Month? Did you even KNOW there was a whole month devoted to pomegranates? Pomegranates are over-rated. They're pretty, and tasty in theory, but have you ever actually tried to eat one without making a mess? I have a Hard Rock t-shirt from Sacramento that still has pomegranate stains on it from like forever ago. Actually, I guess it really doesn't matter. The Hard Rock in Sac closed eons ago. It was a short-lived giant gold guitar in the middle of the K Street Mall. I remember when I was in high school and our choir went on trip to the K Street Mall to serenade bustling shoppers with Christmas Carols or something and we ate dinner at the Spaghetti Factory - is it Ye Olde Spaghetti Factory or just THE Spaghetti Factory? - it seems like at one point or another, it's been both. I wonder where those pictures are of Todd and I hanging spoons on our noses? Is Hard Rock even cool anymore? I remember when it was the pinnacle of coolness (cooldom?) to sport a Hard Rock Cafe t-shirt, preferably from some obscure location that none of my friends had ventured off to. But I'm thinking it's lost it's edge. You don't see shirts everywhere, and the cafes are closing down left and right, although we did spot one in the Cayman Islands, which really, didn't surprise me much. The Cayman Islands has everything. Jimmy Buffet's Margaritaville. The Royal Bank of Canada, which is so funny, since it's not even in Canada. Ah! Canadian Thanksgiving! I knew something important was coming up. That's the best part about straddling two countries. Twice the turkey. Twice the pumpkin pie. Did I ever print off that recipe I found for Pumpkin Pecan Pie? I wonder what I did with that? I really want to try it this year. I am so glad we didn't see the effects of the pumpkin shortage that everyone was talking about last year. I mean, I stocked up on canned pumpkin anyway, just out of principle, but we are so lucky it wasn't the pumpkin catastrophe the news was calling for....

...can you imagine if I actually went with the blank sheet of paper method?

The Midas Touch

Fall is definitely in the air throughout Alaska and the Yukon. It's a crying shame, I tell you, that we have to subject ourselves to such gorgeous landscapes day in and day out. Life is tough. 

PS. Thank you for all the sweet comments about Tigger. His presence is sure missed, but we have hearts full of wonderful memories.

Tigger

Today we lost Tigger.

It is the most bittersweet of days. Tigger was nineteen years old, and in every sense of the word, a crotchety old man. He liked things just so. But he was funny and loving and we will forever miss his sweet little face. 

 

More Quilt Show Pictures and Some Sunny Days

Well, I promised you more on our quilt show, so here goes...

I love the criss cross pattern used in this teal and brown batik quilt. Does anyone know anything about where I can find the pattern? I asked the gal who made the quilt and she doesnt remember, but she thinks it might have been from a book, rather than a single pattern. I think I might need to unearth my collection of brown and teal batiks that I've been hoarding for too long and start diving in!

We've had some awesome sunny days this past week, which bring out the inner tourist in me. I stopped several times along the highway, snapping pictures on my way to Fraser to load trains. I drive a 25 mile stretch between Skagway, AK and Fraser, BC twice a day, loading trains in both our US and Canadian depots. I get asked quite often if I get sick of the drive. Never. Not once. There is always something new to see. Always beautiful. And it never ceases to amaze me how the view is always changing. 

Have a good weekend!

Since This Is A Quilt Blog....

...and I haven't been doing any sewing, I thought I'd break into the archives and show you some quilts from our show last December. If you remember, I was heading down South for the winter the day after the show, so I couldn't infringe on my shoe-packing time to post them then. And then I got to Utah and just plain forgot about them, and here they've sat - on my camera, still, mind you - for almost eight months. Hey now, I've always said I'm easily distracted. This is not a secret. 

Our little quilt group has dwindled over the years to a handful of quilters, really. I remember when we had a good strong group of thirty or so, which I realize must still sound so small to those who belong to large guilds of hundreds of women. But we were once thirty+ and going strong, and it's sad to see quilters move away or just stop sewing altogether. Unfortunately, new quilters have not moved into the mix to take their places and we have shrunk to a group that easily fits around a dining room table. But for those who remain, we are enjoying the camaraderie and continue to sew all through the long winter months. Every December, at our annual quilt show, it amazes me what we turn out. We are a mighty group of stitchers, that's for sure. 

As you can see, we like our batiks here in Skagway. 

This quilt was mind blowing. The piecing was gorgeous, especially the seminole border. And to top it off, it was hand quilted.

You might recognize parts of this country crow quilt. It's the finished quilt from a round-robin I participated in last winter. I love how it turned out.  

Another finished Round Robin from our group last winter. The variegated purple stars were my round. I love the vine applique border that was added. It brought back the curves form the center block. These round robins were so much fun to work on. 

More to come....

 

 

This Is My Life: Part 3

Dyea. Seriously, I never get tired of this view.

On a Sunday afternoon drive, we followed a sandy little road-less-traveled, and came up on the backside of Carcross, where the Watson River flows into Lake Bennett. It was super windy, so we were squinty-eyed as we trekked across the sand dunes. But it sure felt great to dig our toes in the warm sand!

Then we ran into some critters on the drive home. This one was really interested in what we had in the back seat. He moseyed on up to take a peek. 

Emerald Lake as the sun sets....see, the sun DOES set in Alaska. Just not until the end of July.

 

I Miss Quilting

Summer in Skagway is lovely. 

Skagway is blissfully chock full of sights and sounds that distract even the most ardent quilter from holing up inside and hovering over her Bernina. I am neither an ardent quilter or an indoor person. I'm easily distracted and can barely sit still long enough to get through a 30-minute sit-com, let alone a sunny day indoors. 

That being said, I miss quilting. 

We're just past mid-season, and the long days are waning. As the darker evenings creep in, not only do I anticipate the upcoming spectacular Northern Lights, but I also start gravitating towards my neglected pile of quilt books and magazines. I think, because of my seasonally divided lifestyle, it's natural for me to associate quilting with cooler temps and quieter nights. Now, surely July hasn't found us any quieter nights, but sadly, it has brought us cooler days. While we make the best of the sunny ones that come our way, this summer has certainly been cooler than normal. That hasn't stopped us from sitting around bonfires on the tidal flats or climbing mountains; we've just been doing it with a lot more clothes on. We're Alaskan tough like that. 

So with eight(ish) weeks of our season ahead of us, I'm mentally gearing up for the onslaught of fabric and cutting that awaits me. My grand reward for welcoming back the last train. A bittersweet moment that closes another season will quickly become a welcome rush of expendible time. For the next seven months, anyway.

Until then, here's a little more of what I've been up to. You know, besides loading trains and making tourists' dreams come true.

The Chilkoot River in Haines, Alaska. We took a ferry over here one Saturday and enjoyed hanging out on the lake in 92° sunshine. For reals. No joke. Then we drove up the highway for burgers at the famed Mile 33 Roadhouse and ran into Parker Schnabel from the Discovery Channel's Gold Rush Alaska. I didn't know who he was, but trust me, the guys in our group were just beside themselves. I guess it would be akin to me running into Edyta Sitar on a trip to the Home Depot or something. 

Being silly on the pilings on the Dyea tidal flats. We were supposed to ALL jump on the count of three. But I had a hard enough time just staying upright on my post, let alone adding in the toxic mix of jumping. Plus, I've broken my feet four times. I have no desire to relive summertime in a cast. 

On Thursdays, when the Disney Wonder is in port, there are a few special excursions involving character experiences. I played hooky for a few hours and went out to Liarsville to hang with Chip and Dale and Donald Duck. Chip was busy gold panning and couldn't abandon his riches long enough to take a photo, but Dale was more than happy to. 

It's been a fun summer, full of laughs, excellent friends, and high adventures. I'm loving every minute of it. But I sure do wish I knew where my sewing machine was...

 

 

This Is My Life: Part 2

Caribou in Carcross, Yukon.

This herd (gaggle? flock?) of geese have been hanging around the train depot in Fraser, BC for weeks. We've dubbed them the dual-citizenship Geese, since they've taken up residence on the border. Not quite sure if they're Canadian geese or American geese. They fly around, circling above the train and buses, scoping out crumbs, I'm sure. Then they settle down for a bit on the frozen lake. One of them even has a bum leg....but no worries, he's got it on ice. 

 

 

This Is My Life: Part 1

Yes, there are beaches in Alaska. Soft, fine white sand warmed from the sun. Crashing waves. The pungent smell of seaweed.

And freezing waters! 

Life in the Big Top

If you've been following my blog for any lengthy amount of time over six months, you know by now that my life is divided into two distinct seasons. Tourist Season. And Winter. 

The Tourist Season spans May through September, and Winter is everything else. 

Today marks the beginning of the Tourist Season. Which means I'll see you back in blogland in about five months or so. Just kidding....sorta....

Recap: If you're new to my blog, I live in a cruise port in Southeast Alaska. Our town is a mile long and four blocks wide, and rich with Gold Rush history. 850 people call this place home, but nearly a million people from all over the world come to see us each summer. It's all rather exciting and cacophonous and I love every blessed minute of it. Cruise ships are in port every day of the week, sometimes four and five at a time. Seriously people, the Ringling Brothers have nothing on us. The Tourist Season quintessentially defines a Circus. Only on a bigger scale. With moose and grizzly bears and humpback whales instead of dancing tigers and monkeys.

The Carnival Spirit greeted us bright and early today amidst snowy mountains bathed in early morning light. It was chilly and windy and cold, but once the sun came out from behind the clouds, it was worth the biting breeze to take in the view. And I think everyone was happy to be here. Even when it started snowing up on the Summit. 

Our weather recently took a sharp U-turn. We had all settled in with the warm sunshine and mild 50-60° weather for the month of April. It felt like a good old-fashioned Alaskan Summer, rife with afternoon hikes to the lake and coatless walks around town. And then, most likely because Mother Nature has a curiously cynical sense of humor, just as our season is about to start, the wind blows across the ice and brings in snow and cold. While I prefer the warm sun, I like that this is Alaska, and tourists get to experience it in its veritable state. There's a stereotype that surrounds cruising, full of lush tropics, blazing sunburns and fruity drinks with paper umbrellas, none of which you find here in Alaska. And when people step off the ship, bundled up in coats, gloves and scarves, I like knowing that many of them are experiencing something new and unexpected. They're here for an adventure.