Looking Back 2022

Can you believe that another year has flown by? Here is a look back on mine. I’ve put links above the pictures to relevant blog posts.

January

I loved stretching myself by using just my black and white fabric. I also found it easier to just use these two colors.

It was also nice to be able to travel again. Hawaii was a bit different from when we were there before COVID.

And there is always so much inspiration there.

February

I loved using all of my free motion practice fabric to make some hearts.

March

On February 24, Russia invaded Ukraine. For the SAQA Spotlight Auction I made a quilt inspired by Ukraine.

In the process of researching my great grandmother’s family, I found that her sister owned a farm that had been in the Meyer family since the beginning. The village, Merzen, is located in the district of Osnabruck, in Lower Saxony, Germany. Merzen has a Facebook page so I contacted them about the farm. The owner Martin Meyer Luhrmann emailed me back. From our conversations I found out quickly that he is my third cousin, 1x removed. Through my research I was able to answer some questions his family has had about his great great grandmother’s family especially the ones who immigrated to the US. We both have a lot of questions, so we’ve been emailing since. He sent this picture at Christmas.

April

Several friends and I took a day trip to the Carnegie Center in New Albany to see Penny Sisto’s exhibit celebrating her 80th birthday. An added treat was meeting Lesley Riley, an artist I’ve followed for years. She flew in for the day just to see the exhibit. We were able to talk over lunch, and then spent time with Penny who gave us a personal tour.

I had no idea that this month would start the beginning of my 7-month of coughing spell, leading to lots of tests and meds.

May

Late April through May was, as every year, all about irises. This year 31 different varieties showed up. Even though my cough was taking over my life, my irises soothed my spirit.

Linda and I are high school/college friends and I was in her wedding 50 years ago, but we lost touch when she started her family. Since her children are now grown, we’ve had lunch every once in awhile and kept in contact on Facebook. She loves water aerobics so I decide this year to sign up. It would give me that much needed exercise, but also a way of renewing our connection. One day in the pool she asked for some advice about planting hostas in an area they had recently removed some bushes. I told her I’d dig up some of my hostas, and we could plant them together. We had such a fun time. After we were finished, her husband Rick took this picture. The three of us then sat in the backyard catching up. I had not spent that much time with Rick in a long time, so it was good seeing him. His health had been declining but when asked about it, he commented that we all have issues we have to deal with. He talked about how he loved hunting and fishing, but hadn’t been able to do any of that recently. He died five months after he took this picture. He was a wonderful husband, father, and grandfather. I was so glad I had a chance to spend time with him on that beautiful spring day. My heart aches for Linda and her family. It again reminds me that we only have today.

June

I started to work on my temperature quilt, documenting the high and low of each birthday since 1950. It took quite a bit of time just to figure out how many temperature ranges, and what colors to use. I ended up dyeing two different fabrics in all of the colors.

July

I pretty much worked on the temperature quilt, between napping and binge-watching television. But I was making progress.

August

I made a lot of decisions this month. One was closing my classroom. Current students can still get the pdfs and view the videos, but I just wasn’t going to continue the classroom. Having the classroom was putting pressure on me to do more, and I just didn’t have the energy. I am still offering my Icy Delights through this website for a reduced rate to $25. I’ll be updating the website about it soon. If you are interested, just email me at lsheines@gmail.com, and I’ll give you all of the information.

I also decided to cut my hair. The last time I cut it was in January of 2020. I felt I had enough to donate – needed 12 inches – and I was ready. My hairdresser documented it for me. The salon filled out all of the paperwork and sent my hair on to be made into a wig for one of the organizations that supplies cancer survivors with wigs. (If you are wondering why the water bottle was in the picture was because I had to always have water with me in case one of my coughing attacks would come on.)

I did end up a couple months later having her cut it even shorter though.

September

I finished the temperature quilt. Yipee! I was so happy to finish it, and it’s now hanging in our livingroom.

October

With some new meds, my struggle with my coughing was easing up, although I was still coughing at night. But I was getting at least more sleep, and I was making several video tutorials including this one.

We also spent some time in Sedona.

November

I continued reading, and really enjoying reading essays. I really feel pushed to write.

December

That brings us to December. I’m finally feeling better and really enjoying sewing. I reorganized the studio again, but this time really did a deep clean. My new plastic drawers make it so much easier for me to find stuff. I also made an area for all of my genealogy information close to my desk.

I wasn’t as creative this year. I felt my muse had left me for most of it, but she has returned. I am looking forward to the new year, and I hope to do more videos.

If you or someone you love has a chronic cough, I will be posting my journey in my next blog in hopes that they can find the relief as I have.

Thanks for dropping by.