The Poem

I mentioned in my post of "Why Blog" that I am the Chapter Coordinator for a local non-profit called Project Linus.  Project Linus is made up of a group of volunteers who quilt, crochet, knit, or make fleece blankets for children.  Our mission is this:  To provide love, a sense of security, warmth and comfort to children who are seriously ill, traumatized, or otherwise in need, through the gifts of new handmade blankets or afghans, lovingly created by volunteer "blanketeers".

Saturday, July 19, 2014 was our Annual Volunteer Appreciation Dinner.  We had loads of fun.  I like to highlight the volunteers that go out of their way to help our cause every year.  One of the volunteers we highlighted this year was the lady who delivers all of our blankets.  Believe it or not, she doesn't even sew!  I know, I can't believe it either.  Who in the world doesn't love to sit down with fabric and thread and make something?  I have absolutely no idea.  But this wonderful person is my mom.  Not sure where I got my love of quilting from; I just saw some fabric one day at a local store and bought it.  The sales lady told me to start with 12" blocks, so I did.  I made my brother a Dallas Cowboy blanket for Christmas.  That will be another blog for another day.

To honor my mom at the dinner I wrote the following poem:

What do you get for someone who doesn’t sew, crochet, or knit.

I really have no clue, it has me in a snit.

Who doesn’t love needles, yarn, and thread,

I don’t know; do you think they may be dead?

For needles, yarn, and thread bring a smile

and a yearning to go buy; regardless of the mile.

The sale is on, we really must go,

It doesn’t matter how far, rain, shine, or snow. 

For someone at some time, we must make a gift

And it must be quality; this is not the time for thrift.

But alas, this person doesn’t care for these things,

So what do we do, she must be made to feel like a queen.

For you see, she does so much to help our cause

Without her, we would really be lost.

So help me decide what she really could use;

because right now; I don’t have a clue.

She doesn’t wear jewelry, much makeup or perfume;

She doesn’t do much shopping; or care to own heirlooms.

For buying for her is so very hard,

And it must be something good; she should feel like a star.

For you see, her position is really important.

Without her, we would be lost and dormant.

She delivers all our blankets, for this we must take care,

for there is no one else who can come close to compare.

So Mom or Clara, we thank you for all the miles,

That you place on your car, to bring children a smile.

From the bottom of our hearts, we love what you do.

And your job is secure, we will never bid you adieu.

So alas, back to our question, what do we do?

because we really still don’t have a clue.

So we got together and thought some more,

And we decided we would get you something special we swore.

So a gift card it is, we hope you like it because

No one is better at spreading the word about our cause.

So we hope you have fun, enjoy, and attend

That your time with Project Linus must never end.

We thank you for spreading the word, that we can Give Love, One Quilt at a Time.

For more information on Project Linus, check out our national website at www.projectlinus.org or our local website at www.plcatawbavalley.org.




























It is simple to become a blanketeer, you just find your local chapter, contact that coordinator, and they will gladly put you to work!

The Old Ways

What will happen when the day comes that no one knows how to grow their own food, or how to sew a blanket for warmth.

It is very important for those of us with the knowledge of these things to share with those who don't.

My husband Richard and I both grew up with parents who gardened.  And we have tried to pass this knowledge to our children and grandchildren.

There is no age that is too young to learn of these things.  Lawton, our grandson, not quite yet three years old, took a trip with his Grandfather this morning to the garden.   They picked green beans, and Lawton thought this fun.  He learned that the plants he helped plant weeks ago grew food that he will enjoy eating for the next year.

For now, he thinks walking behind Grandpa is the greatest thing in the world.  And I sincerely hope he continues to think this.  But what happens when school starts.  Homework, sports, friends, those things are important.  However, children today need to be taught these things; for one day they may need it.

The old ways are the old ways, but that does not make them any less important.  Progress has come far since our parents were young; but the knowledge on how to grow food that is actually good for you should never be forgotten.

It is not just gardening that is in danger.  Pottery, Basket Making, Quilting, etc are all crafts that need to be handed down.  If you look at the age group that are active in these types of crafts, the majority are middle aged or older.  Once we are gone, will the children we leave behind remember what they have been taught?

Knowledge is not something that we should be stingy with.    All of us have the responsibility to show each other the things we know so all can be successful in their endeavors.  Let  us never grow weary of this important challenge.  Let us all join together and strive to teach the younger generations the joy and sense of achievement that comes from making something on their own.  Let us teach them they do not have to rely on a government or a grocery store to be able to meet their needs.

If we can leave them with the joy of this knowledge; we have truly left them with a great inheritance.

Why Blog?

Welcome to my new blog Sew This Farm That.  I hope you will find lots of helpful and exciting ideas while you are here.

My name is Julie.  Wife to Richard, mother to Trey and Amber, and grandma to Lawton and Emelyn.
We have two dogs, Jack and Dixie; both of which are rescue dogs.

We are a Christian family that believes in helping others.  We like to live quite, peaceful lives regardless of what is going on around us.

I work a full time job for a financial institution, and my husband is a local truck driver.   In my spare time I am the Chapter Coordinator for the Catawba Valley Chapter of Project Linus.  If you are not familiar with Project Linus, we make blankets for children who are ill or traumatized in any way.  In Richard's spare time, he is the farmer.

My son Trey is married to a wonderful young lady named Ashley.  They have blessed me with two beautiful grandchildren.  My daughter Amber is currently in college studying to be a Veterinary Technician.

Why Blog?  Since I was a child I wanted to be a writer.  I can remember in school one of my favorite subjects was spelling.  My teacher would tell us to take at least 15 of our spelling words and write a paragraph using the words with their correct meaning.

Needless to say my writing has been used for family poems and stories I have written throughout the years. Some of which I will share with you as time goes on.

While at a Quilt Show where I was promoting Project Linus, I ran into a friend I hadn't seen in awhile.   She started helping me with our local chapter, and we soon became a great team.   One thing Brenna loves to do is blog.  And the more she talked about it, the more I wanted to do it.

I thought I would wait until I had more time to spare, but alas, that day will never come.  So here we are, July 4, 2014, starting a blog where I can write to my heart's content.

I hope you enjoy your time spent with us.