The FWS Pony Club Quilt-Along wk 17 Everyone's Favorite & Fishing Boat Discussion Pg
 

I have one block done for this week..I don't know why I just can't get the second one done on time..Maybe it's because I can't seem to find fabric to suit the block...I'm trying to keep to novelty prints and I get discouraged when they're not available....I, like JeanieG will be making twins or just lap size quilts...I have 2 young grandsons that I hope will appreciate them down the road...
I'm going to De. tomorrow for several days to visit with my sister Carolyn....maybe I can find some suitable fabric there....There's an Amish quiltshop that I love to browse thru....reasonable prices too... I checked out some of the Fusions line today...didn't see all of them tho...this shop didn't keep the line together....all over the store...I did stop at Tuesday Morning and found a few tidbits...nothing dramatic ...just adding to the stash.....


I made the sails of my fishing boat block an orangy color...I went on a windjammer cruise off the coast of Maine quite a few years ago and couldn't believe the color of the sails on the sailboats as the sun was going down...more red than my orange sails...I toned them down a bit...just didn't want yellow...
We have a few more gals showing blocks....Real happy about that....More the Merrier!

Now for a Letter....# 10

Selma Isabell Dillberg, the winner of "Bud" was the youngest of seven
children. Her father Swan (b. 1858) and mother Dorothea (b. 1855) both came from
Sweden. Her older siblings were born in Illinois, but Selma was born in
Minnesota, so they must have recently moved there.
I have spent a couple of hours on genealogical sites tracing her family. They
are really very interesting and a bit complicated to explain. Some random
thoughts...
First of all, their names changed...a lot! Brother Evest is also Fred; brother
Ernest is also Cernent; sister Gertrude is also Yarda; and Selma is also Zelma.
In that era it was common for the family to stay in one area. Not so with the
Dillberg clan. I have found death records for the family in Minneapolis,
Minnesota; Boise, Idaho, and Los Angeles, California.
I wonder if the Dillberg parents enjoyed having a full house or an empty one.
It seems that it was either feast or famine for them. In 1900, they lived with
their seven children, the oldest being 19. In the 1910 census, all the children
were still at home, along with Mr. Dillberg's widowed brother Adolph and his two
motherless children, Josie, age three and Robert age one; and a 21 year old
female boarder.
In the 1920 census when they were in their 60s they lived alone. By 1930,
however, their house was full again! Their household included, daughter Gertrude
and her husband Ollie and their three daughters ages 11-15. A nine year old
grandson, Keith Dillberg, is also listed.
Now back to Selma. She was born on May 25, 1899, in Minnesota. In the 1920
census we find that she is single and she and her sister Rose are boarders in
Minneapolis, Minnesota about 150 miles from their Lyon County home. (I wonder
who was taking care of "Bud?" :) My, but the next ten years must have been very
interesting for her! I wish I knew her story. In 1930 she is living in Los
Angeles, California, and she is the wife of James Donald Bellor. There is also a
child by the name of Kenneth Girard, (age eight) living with them. Rather
curious, I thought, until I discovered Selma's death record which lists her name
as Zelma Girard Bellor. It appears that Selma (Zelma) had a son with her first
husband Mr. Girard before she married Mr. Bellor. Unfortunately, I can find no
records of her first marriage, but I do know that her son Keith was born in
Minnesota in 1921 and died in 1967 in San Diego, California. Selma died on
January 13, 1947, in Los Angeles, California, never reaching her 48th birthday.
Awfully young, wasn't she?

Sad, yes. My Father never seen his 43rd birthday; Mother died at 63. Life is short...so, go enjoy it!!! Hug those grand and great grands an extra hug. Yes, I want to enjoy all my flowers while I am alive!! so our property has lots of flowers on it.

I had fun with this week's blocks; have managed by pure luck to work ahead a bit; add my first 30 photo to the list, update the poultry pictures on Spring Break site...and tried to add my Picasso Petunia flowers, but the sizing of the picture was not right yet... will correct that later. And will try to add a picture of the four pieces of fabric that the FabHopShop sent me as a prize.

Another great story Honchey, I do enjoy reading them. I had fun with this weeks blocks too QNS (after last week's:shock:) A coulple of easy week will be nice
I chose another blocks instead of the sailboat. Hope you like it.

Thanks Anne for posting this info--it's so interesting and we appreciate you taking the time to share it.

Mirabelle, I also did a substitute block for the sail boat. I made the block; it just stuck out like a sore thumb. I needed some ponies in my Pony Quilt so did a block that showed them off. Still not sure about the mishmash of block styles I have going but at least I'll know it's mine LOL.

I hope you guys realize that these letters are written by Laurie...She does the research/geneology/history. I'm just forwarding them as she suggested. H

Thanks to Laurie for sharing your added research
... and thanks to you too Honchey for forwarding them on to us!
To me, Selma's family's story, just reminds me how much things have changed ... yet how much they are the same! :)

Life is short and precious ... and it's important for all to remember to live each day to the fullest and with no regrets!! I truly believe that for each person, there are moments in time which strike that home and alters our life attitude and approach.

ITA ... nice little break with some simpler blocks to do for a breather. Mine are done and will photo/post them later today. I'm stubborn, as I said before ... so yes, I have made the sailboat, even though it doesn't seem to fit. Yet, it might have been a side diversion for some .... certainly not for this farm raised kid! :) The y's in Everyone's Fav were "nice" y's ... not too miserable to work with! Now THAT I appreciated !!!! :)

QuiltE....I agree about the y's in EF...the sailboat?...not on my past either but it was still fun to play with.

I didn't get too excited with the sail boat, but fishing was a big thing for a lot of people back when.......so I did one. Not sure if I think it fits in the mix but will determine that later when I start to put it all together. I'm still thinking two lap sized quilts....one with horses and the other with the novelty type prints......time will tell. Right now I am deciding if I want to make subs for next weeks blocks as I know I won't do them.....I may just take the week off and work on the following week's blocks.........but I will definitely be watching all the lovely blocks posted by this group........so many ideas and eye candy......makes my coffee taste so much better...LOL!

GGal ... After I had mine done, all I could think of was...........
♪♪♫ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S0c0C...eature=related ♫♪♪
If I had thought this way first ... well, there just may not have been any sails! :D

WendiQ ... I'll be doing the same as I did with FWS and make some extra blocks. What surprised me when I came to deciding the layout, some of the ones that I thought were definites got set aside ... and likewise, ones I thought that just wouldn't fit, absolutely did!

It is an opportunity for me to pull out a red, white, and blue UFO and have some accountability for getting it done. It's been sitting idle for over a year and I could use the space it's taking up.

QuiltE I have made a promise not to start anything new until I have some of my ufo's under control. I AM going to finish my son's quilt TODAY!!!! then I have to finish an embroidered medallion quilt. then I have to finish ????? then there's that one ???? oh then there's the one I started a year ago and the list goes on.. and on and on and on...

So have fun on your new project, I will pop in occassionally to see what you are up to

QuiltE.....as much as I enjoy this group with your wonderful messages, I just can't engage in another until I finish up a few of my current involvements.....I know, I know....but I really do tend to have too much going and I am learning to say "no".
I wish you another fun group. But for me, I'm just hanging in here........these last couple of blocks have taken a bit of time so I "know" I need to work on just these to get done......

These are some photos sent to me by my dear friend. They are taken at a cattle station about 100 miles north of where we used to live (yes it was in the middle of nowhere)
Some interesting statistics
There are 17 road trains (trucks) with 3 trailers and 2 decks per trailer
There are a total of 102 decks and approximately 28 cattle per deck, total 2,856
Each trailer has 24 tyres plus a dolly with 8 tyres
For the 72 truck/trailer combos there are 6,192 tyres on the road

I used to drive our highway and have to pass these mammoth road trains, they are not called trucks in the Northern Territory and this is the only place in Australia where you will see them

Thanks for sharing the pictures. Wow, what a sight to our eyes. 'Eye' Candy for trail riders.

Mirabelle-Those are neat pictures! Wow! 3 trailers each. That's a lot of beef!
Ok-That's so funny! :D:D My DSon couldn't figure out what I was laughing at, 'cause I just burst out laughin'.

A few more statistics for you to ponder
Each head of cattle weigh approx 1102 lbs
The sale price is approx 75c per lb
Each animal will therefore be sold for approx $825
Total revenue from this is approx $2,356,200

Remembering that cattle stations in the Northern Territory are larger than some European countries, it is just wide open country out there.

This cattle station is called Helen Springs Station and the Managers wife used to travel into town every month to take classes with our patchwork group. They have since moved interstate to manage other properties.

Independent farmer here wants about $335 per quarter of a beef. Quite a difference in price for local USA meat compared with the price there.

I just looked at the cattle prices for last week and they would average about $1/lb. With corn and beans at the prices they are, the growers don't have much margin. Mirabelle, are all these cattle in feedlots or do they graze on the range? Sure a lot of them in one place. How many times a year do they have these caravans?

I think its corn feed steers and that is with processing, wrapped and frozen; twice as much for a half, four times the price for a whole beef. His Mother (also neighbor) quoted me that price for a 'mixed' quarter balanced with what would be in a half or whole steer processed and wrapped.

GGal they are not in feed lots, this cattle station is 198 square kilometres, which converts to 123 square miles, and is one of the smaller stations in the Territory. This road train of cattle to the sale yards would happen every couple of years.
All freight is transported in the Northern Territory by these road trains.

It certainly a different world in farming than what I grew up with; small independent farmers. In fact, my great Aunt put her steer into close quarters the last 10 days and feed him Molasses and brown sugar with grains and hay. It flavored meat, unbelievable well.

...and for the farmers on this thread, I saw one brilliant farmer making haylage last Saturday. Bloom was at the perfect stage. He had done a patch of oats up from the looks of things, too. He has a small beef herd. No action on the beautiful alfalfa to the west of town.

**s*m*i*l*e*s**
Taking note of the multi-task shopping trip .... farm supplies and dress 'em up clothes!
OKSGlad ... Have a fun weekend with your DD!

OKSGlad...I think it is so funny we are both from Iowa and going to KY this weekend! The kids (10, 12, and 14) are really excited for the archery tournament. I am not quite as excited for the drive! My dad is going along so it will be nice to spend some time with him.

Hope you all have a great rest of the week...if I get all the packing done early enough tomorrow I might get to sew (haven't done much at all in the last two weeks so kind of going into withdrawal) :)

Carrie