Details, Details

Here is a detail shot of the new quilt, which is officially named "Flame Trees". The close-up photo shows you how I made the virtually solid yellow-green cloth strips look as though part of the background of the quilt were bleeding through. Yesterday I continued the design from the purple background fabric onto the top of the green strips with a purple pen. This morning, I took a mauve pencil and filled in to match the design on the background fabric. This afternoon I quilted the background quilt, using a smoke-coloured nylon filament, following the gentle water-like pattern. I have now made the hanging sleeve. On Monday, at my sewing circle meeting, I will hand-stitch the quiltlet to its background quilt and then hand-stitch the hanging sleeve to the back.

Last night's organizational meeting of the Friends of Cognac was most enjoyable. We saw some people we knew from other venues (two of whom were patchworkers, some of whom were people Don has met on the golf course, and some we know through music groups). We learned more about the association and its activities.

In even-numbered years, Friends of Cognac members go together to Cognac (Charente, to be exact) where they have a few days of sight-seeing, spend a weekend with host families, and then do some more sight-seeing before heading back. The sight-seeing includes visits to brandy-distillers and wineries as well as markets, attractions, and chateaus. During the weekend there will be a dinner involving us and our host families at which local entertainment will be put on and at which an official recognition ceremony will take place. Visitors are matched up with host families according to language need as obviously we don't all speak French, but neither do all host families speak English. During the period spent with host families, they will show us places they think are worth seeing, perhaps take us to visit their family or friends, and maybe even take us to holiday homes, picnics, or other outings.

In odd-numbered years, members of the Cognac group (Les Amis de Perth) travel here. We have heard that their numbers of visitors are double those of us who travel to France. Naturally, we reciprocate with similar type activities and home hospitality, including visits to distilleries.

During the rest of the year, there are numerous social events, occasions for Perthshire Friends to get together. We attended the Bring a Friend night at which we were so impressed, we joined on the spot. In March there will be a wine-tasting; in April, a Sunday luncheon at a French restaurant; and in May, the Annual General Meeting and Quiz Night. The trip to Cognac is set for October 11th through 18th and we hope to be along for the fun (if you hadn't already figured that out).

We got up this morning to find a small amount of snow on the ground. It was a bit more than a dusting but as the day went on, it eventually melted. Don didn't let that stop him from leaving the house at 8:30 for the regularly scheduled golf game at St Fillans Golf Course. The village of St Fillans is only 5 miles west of here but it often has it's own weather because it is right on Loch Earn and sits beneath quite high hills. It rained more than snowed there and Don came home soaked to the bone and not well pleased with his game. His consolation is that no one played well this morning and everyone went home wet and miserable.

The prognosis for his being able to play the course at Carnoustie tomorrow isn't looking good either as heavy rain is predicted for that area tomorrow. Carnoustie is a links course (the British Open Tournament was played there a couple of years ago) right on the North Sea. Conditions can be pretty awful under normal conditions so plans for tomorrow are iffy at the moment.

We are looking forward to having a nice long visit and Sunday lunch with our friends, Bill and Val Campbell in Arbroath (just north of Dundee).