Gary gets the quilts

On Thursday, Gary bought lunch for the Firehouse Bee and me, and got to see his wife's finished quilts.


(I'm in the aqua sweater on the left)

The Bee ladies had no trouble talking him into entering the quilt in the local guild show next September. It can be displayed as an exhibition quilt. The woman in charge of the show layout is the one just behind Gary's shoulder on the right. She can make sure it gets a place that properly shows it off. Gary said he and Barbara went to the show every year, even when she was in a wheelchair.

When Gary phoned me Wednesday to make sure I would be there for lunch, he said he was concerned he was going to fall apart at the sight of the finished quilt. Helen (of the Bee) had set it up so he would see it when he first came in the door.


After the lunch and photos, Gary said it was good it was displayed like that, and that it was such a beautiful spring - it was a happy quilt and he felt happy to see it (and he didn't break down at all, though some of the ladies did.)

I know some readers will be interested to know about the framed quilt on the wall in the back of the previous photo. Here's a closeup. The bee ladies made it for the firehouse, in appreciation for use of the community room there for years.


One of the senior firefighters Norris works with was so taken with it he had it framed, making sure the label with its dedication was readable under the glass.

This bee meets at a sort of "substation" to the one in our neighborhood - a good 20-25 minutes drive from our house. Everything they do is a "community quilt." These are quilts that are given to shelters and social services organizations. Gary had given them Barbara's quilting equipment and fabrics which are now stored in the bee's lockers at the fire station. Some of the fabrics have already gone into quilts for deserving families.