Cozy Quilt Cottage

Tucked in the lush green farmlands of southern Minnesota. A retreat from the hustle and bustle of every day life.

The Cozy Quilt Cottage.

We had a wedding in Lanesboro, Minnesota last weekend and I wanted a place where everyone could relax and regenerate. This was the perfect place.

The owner of the cottage, Anne, lives right across the driveway from the cottage. She is originally from Stillwater and has owned the home for nearly 8 years. Her husband Bob just passed away last June and she is slowly adjusting to life without him. She told me since his passing she has come to realize the things that need to done.....and things that don't need done so much. Her committment is to keep The Cozy Quilt Cottage up and running and I pray that she is able to maintain.

The cottage was originally built as a handicap residence for the two sons of the original owners of the house that Anne now lives in. The sons were adults and because of certain disabilities were able to live on their own, but not without some supervision. Their parents built the cottage for them, and the cottage is completely handicap accessible. After that family moved on the main house and cottage were purchased by someone who owned a quilting shop. She turned the cottage into a quilt shop. Lovely handmade quilts filled the cottage, quilts that she made and also quilts that were made by nearby Amish families, and she lived in the main house. The quilt business and the amazing quilts soon outgrew the cottage and began taking over her own house as well. She was forced to sell the property to move to a larger location.

When Bob and Anne looked at the home they discussed with the woman who owned it their thoughts of purchasing it and turning it into a whole house rental. The woman was very excited for them and told them it was her quilt shop and was called The Cozy Quilt Cottage. They really didn't know if they wanted to keep the name. She convinced them it could be lovely to keep the "quilt" theme. Anne and Bob decided she was right and asked if she could leave a quilt to get them started and they would pay her for it. She told them she would be happy to leave one, but insisted they did not pay her for it.

After closing on the property Bob and Anne returned to The Cozy Quilt Cottage. Opened the front door to take a look at what was going to become their new cottage rental and were excited to see what the quilt looked like the previous owner had left for them.

They were surprised and amazed beyond belief.

She had not only left one beautiful quilt......

She had left a beautiful handmade quilt on every single bed!

She had also left quilted runners and throw pillows that matched, quilted wall hangings, quilted placemats and even quilted squares to put your drink on. She also left several non-quilted items such as hangings and plaques about quilting.

They couldn't believe their eyes. The Cozy Quilt Cottage was filled with handmade beautiful quilts gifted with much thought and love. How perfect.


And it is.

When I was talking to Anne about the gifted quilts and their lovely story she told me of another story.

She had a group of women quilters stay at the cottage. There was about 8 of them. Anne and Bob had went into town and were not present when they checked out.

Upon Anne and Bob's return they went into the cottage to begin to clean it. She noticed the ladies had left an envelope on the kitchen table, which she assumed contained their check for the fee for their stay inside. Anne didn't pay it much mind as she went about her business of cleaning. When she entered the twin bed guest room she noticed the amazing heart quilt that hangs on the wall there.........was......gone!

She was beside herself and broken. How on earth could they have taken it. How could this happen?

She went back to the envelope that she figured contained their check for their stay and opened it. There was indeed a check in there for their stay......but also another one........for several hundreds of dollars and in the memo on the check it said "Quilt".

What? How could they assume that they could just take one of her quilts and leave a check for it. Again....how could this happen?

She tried several times to contact the ladies, but never did get them. She said she then released it to God and had to accept that as much as it broke her, it was gone.

Two years later she was on vacation several hundred miles away from her home and she decided to go to a quilting show that was going on downtown in the little town she was passing thru. As she was walking along she looked up at one of the display tents and she recognized the ladies in the tent. They were the ones that had stayed at her cottage and had taken her quilt!

She approached them and she told me she couldn't control her emotion. As tears began to flow down her cheeks the words just started to come out of her mouth. How the quilts had been gifted to her.......that they were like her children.......and she would never consider selling any of them for any amount of money because of what they meant to her.

The ladies were stunned. They had no idea and a horrible mistake had been made.

They explained to Anne that while staying at the cottage they had seen a little plaque that read "Quilts for Sale". This was something the previous owner had left behind as it was not really a "For Sale" sign, but just a cute little sign for the cottage. Well, because of this sign they began to look on the back of the hanging quilts and noticed there were little tiny price tags on the back of each quilt. Of course, this made perfect sense, because it had been a quilt shop and the previous owner and the Amish had had these quilts for sale. The previous owner had not thought about removing the tags and Anne had not known they were there. These ladies had seen the little sign, seen the little tags on the back of the hanging quilts, put two and two together and thought they were for sale. They made their choice, left a check and took their quilt.

They promptly got Anne's quilt returned to her and to its home on the wall in the twin bed room.




I can guarantee you......there are no longer little price tags hanging on the back of the quilts and the little plaque has been removed as well. Although it has been replaced........


If you are in need of some rejuvenation and meditation this is the perfect place. If you love to look at and appreciate the time, hard work and talent that are required for beautiful quilting and would like to wrap yourself in it for a delightful stay.......

The Cozy Quilt Cottage has you covered!

______________________________

Anne working in her garden

A Ride In The Sunshine

It has been very busy around here. Feels like the world is spinning around and with it my mind. I have hard a hard time writing for my beloved blog because of busyness of tasks and of mind.

Last week I had a wedding in Lanesboro, Minnesota.

It was quaint, charming and lovely.

The weekend provided a step back in time and provided a much needed slowing of my spirit, body and mind.

I rented a house for the weekend. "The Cozy Quilt Cottage". Oh the charm and warmth. I loved every second of my time spent inside. A true retreat for me. I will try and post tomorrow of "The Cozy Quilt Cottage", as it deserves a post all its own.

We brought along our bicycles and Sunday we spent riding them along the beautiful paths that Lanesboro is known for. We all rode at our own speed and often I found myself completely by myself, which was absolutely perfect. My mind embraced the peace, calm and music of the nature around me. The calmness of the river gently flowing beside me. The beautiful sound of the grasses blowing in the light breeze, and the complete silence,warm sunshine, and familiar scent as I found myself crossing and stopping to soak it all in on the various railroad bridges I crossed. That sweet smell of the railroad bridges brings back peaceful childhood days spent in Greybull , Wyoming at my Grandma's. We would walk along the railroad ties for hours in the sun, with only a brief break to stop and skip stones into the Greybull River. Not a care in the world. What a feeling that is and so hard to come by these days.

A glorious ride in the sunshine. Warmth of the soul, mind and spirit.

May we all be blessed with many.

Silence fulfills an important function in mental regeneration. It is only in the passivity of silence that the things which have deeply impressed us may resound and grow in our soul, and strike root in our being. Silence alone evokes that inward calm which is a prerequisite of recollection.

It is not merely outward abstaining from speech...we must also cultimvate an inward stillness.

I cannot become transformed in Thee unless that holy stillness spreads out in me; unless Thy gifts of grace and the calls of Thy love slowly expand and mature in my soul.

Making Scents

It was a long weekend and I had high hopes of getting caught up with my blog. I had so many things turning and swirling in my head it is not until now that I am finally able to process and get things down.

I want to thank everyone for your support during this difficult time. I cannot express to you enough what your prayers, thoughts, phone calls, emails, visits and everything you have done and provided to me and my family have meant to us. Thank you feels so small and insignificant for the outpouring of love, kindness and presence you have given.

My mom and Martin are doing much better. Recovery Road, albeit a long one, they are both on it. Both are out of hospitals and surgeries and in the care of home health care and rehabilitation. Please continue to lift them up in your prayers as they continue their difficult journey.

Dave, Gregory and I made a trip out to Cody and Powell to be near them. It was a long trip done in a short amount of time. I am thankful we were able to go.

Immediately before leaving, I was working on my annual project for Head Start. Immediately upon returning, I had a wedding. I have been feeling a bit overwhelmed by everything and stretched to the limits. It is nice to now have a more familiar routine back in place and time to have processed all that has happened in the last month.

Our faith will be tested. It must remain unwavering. God is good. No. Matter. What.

On our way out to Wyoming, amidst much uncertainty of what God's plan was for my mother and brother, He showed me once again. Believe. Trust in Him.

I don't know how many of you have ever traveled the road between Gillette, Wyoming and Buffalo, Wyoming. If you are familiar with the area, you know....there is not a whole lot going on around Gillette. The earth is dry, there are very few trees, not much to look at, and I must say, one of my least favorite places I have ever been.

When you are traveling west from Gillette, you are driving and driving.....with nothing to look at. All is dry and barren, very boring, very dull. Just when I am getting beside myself with the unpleasantness of the area........there.........out of nowhere.......the most beautiful sight......

the glorious Big Horn Mountains appear out of nowhere. This was the scene when I came up over a hill from the dry, coarse earth around Gillette and what my eyes laid upon. The sunlight radiated from the clouds and the majestic mountains stood strong in the distance.

I told Dave that drive to me is a lot like believing in God. Like the Bighorns, although we cannot always see them......they are there, beautiful, amazing and welcoming. Unwavering, ALWAYS there.

As we are traveling down that long, dull, barren road, much like many days of our lives, we have to believe, we have to trust there is beauty, goodness, and something wonderful and amazing......there.....in the distance.....that we cannot see. Then we come up over a hill and out of nowhere.........standing before us. Strength, majesty, and beauty calling to us and welcoming us.

Just like God.

I may not be able to physically see him now, but I know...He is there. ALWAYS there. Some day I will come up over a hill and He will be standing there before me. Welcoming me. Looking to me, just like the Big Horn Mountains did that day. Strong, majestic, beautiful and amazing.

When we are wavering, just when our minds start playing tricks on us that all there is going to be is ongoing desolation, we must have faith. He is right over the hill. He is there. He IS there.

That is what happened to me that day driving across Wyoming. After all the questions in my mind, he reminded me once again........just because you can't physically see......doesn't mean it can't be. See with your heart. Believe. He IS there. Trust in Him.

The last few days of being home I have been sitting in my office. My windows open with a soft breeze swirling about and with it the glorious scents of the blooming trees and flowers in my yard. My own little piece of heaven.

As I delight in the scents surrounding me and thank Him for all His glorious creations and marvel at how wonderful His plan works out. How everything must fall into place so precisely for me to be able to enjoy these wonderful scents filling the air in my office, I take pause. Why is it so easy to believe in Him when things are going wonderful and to give him thanks and praise for His plan when it is to our benefit, and yet, so difficult to trust in His plan when the unfolding of that plan is yielding us an unfavorable moment or something we feel conflicts with our own plan and desires. Something that may even appear to tear our world apart.


I do feel we are entitled to express sadness, grief and concern when we are faced with difficult and life-changing circumstances, but we do not know the rest of the story.......what is next in His plan......and who are WE to say when His plan is good and when it is not. When we should show Him glory and when we should doubt.

We will praise the glorious scents from the trees He has given us, but we will turn our back and turn away when things turn sour and don't make sense to us?

Things don't have to and will not always make sense to us, and my experience is, good things make much more sense to us than bad things.

It ALL makes perfect sense to Him.

We need to remember God is good no mater what. He has a plan and it is not for us to question or doubt. After a long hard winter, with dark days and rough, bitter nights, buds emerge and glorious flowers and air filled with heavenly scents surround us.

Even in the darkest days.....have faith.......He will eventually bring glorious scents and He will eventually appear over the hill.

It doesn't make sense. It just is.

Prayers Needed

Lord Hear Our Prayers:

For my mom and brother. They were in a horrible car accident tonight. They hit a propane truck head-on on a highway in Wyoming. Please lift them up in your prayers.

We wait in hope for the Lord; He is our help and our shield.
In Him our hearts rejoice, for we trust His holy name.
May Your unfailing love rest upon us, O Lord, even as we put our hope in You.

Psalms 33: 20-22

Goodbye Dave

Dave (the fish) had a really hard day today.

This morning he was still looking awful. I did some reading on what could be going on with him and I felt a bit "enlightened". I went and bought him some antibiotics. I came home and measured out how much to put in his amount of water.

I needed to go to Head Start after that to take some photos for the DVD I am working on. I was gone for about 2 hours and when I got home I thought Dave looked a bit better. He swam to the top of his bowl to greet me.

I was working the rest of the day in my office and came out and checked on him about every 30 minutes. About 3:30 he started to look really bad again. He continued to decline.

It was a very helpless feeling not being able to do anything for him. He was really struggling.

Dave died at 6:31 p.m.

I will have a little "service" for him tomorrow.

We will miss him.

Fish Vigil

Keeping a watchful eye on Dave the fish.

He is not looking so good. I was telling Dave (my husband) that Dave wasn't looking too good. Well, what do you want to do, take him to the vet? Can we?

I guess not.

We will have to see how he does tonight.

It has been quite a day around here.

We had court this morning with Dave's ex-wife Michelle. It is always difficult to see her and her husband and spend the day in court presenting your personal business to a court for them to decide what you are going to do instead of being able to handle it personally. I feel it is such an enormous waste of time and energy.

Following that we spent some time on a community service project I am working on that hit a huge roadblock today. I will be able to get through it, but it will require much more work than anticipated and I am running out of time.

I then returned home at 7:30 this evening after leaving this morning at 5:30 to two weddings in crisis.

Now Dave.

It all leaves me feeling very tired.

Yet not too tired to focus on how thankful I am and to trust in Him.

Last night Dave and I prayed about court today. We told Him we knew He knew how today was going to turn out, that we are fully aware that He already knew the outcome and whatever that would be, we would accept it. We just wanted to talk to him about us being with Michelle and Bill in court with peace in our hearts, gentleness in our word and grace. Things that we typically find very difficult to present in her presence.

I know I always struggle with peace, gentleness and grace when I need it the most, and my experience has been, when Dave and I are in the presence of Michelle, it is a time I need it the most and struggle the hardest. Today was different. Dave and I were both at peace and very calm. We were pleasant in a very unpleasant situation and are both very thankful that our prayers of peace, gentleness and grace were answered and how our experience was so much better for it.

Now I must remain the same with everything else that is going on. None of the circumstances of the day are within my control. I must sit back with peace in knowing that He is in control and watch His will play out.

I will continue my fish vigil and also my vigil of all the other things going on in my life right now. Knowing I have done all I can do and if enlightened with more, will do more, while trusting Him and His plan and accepting that, whatever it may be.

Eagle When She Flies

Women are so amazing and strong.

This goes out to all of you.

For those of you that feel a little broken right now........Spread your wings and soar!

Oh Lord bless us all.

Cockleburs

Yesterday afternoon I was having one of those days that was actually quite a few days (different moments from several days) coming.

It all kind of hit at about 4:04 (to be exact :) ).

I am getting very busy with work....lots of weddings, lots of brides, lots of invitations, lots of flowers, lots of budgets....and lots of changes. I am also designing and planning a graduation party for Stillwater Head Start and designing and making a DVD for presentation at the party and an individual one for each family. I have been bombarded with resumes and job inquiries for wedding coordinators, which I am sifting through and interviewing. I have been having "issues" with Justin. Then yesterday at 4:03 Gregory came home from school and after asking him where my not so inexpensive thermos from Starbucks that I had sent clam chowder with him to school in the morning in for a field trip was and he told me he had "accidentally" thrown it away with his paper bag after lunch. At 4:04 it all kind of mixed together and I decided I was having one of those days.

Nothing big. Nothing dramatic. Like a bunch of cockleburs stuck to my pant leg and in my shoe laces. Annoying, rather prickly, hard to shake off.

I tried to maintain these cockleburs all week. Attempting to pick each one apart piece by piece and throw it away, but yesterday, at 4:04 they were all there. Poking at me and irritating me from all directions.

My friend Kris had sent me an email yesterday morning:

The Wheels on the Bus go round and round, the horn on the bus goes beep, beep, beep. The driver Kris on the bus would like to pick you up this evening at 5:50 and it will take you to a wonderful event in your home town of New Richmond. Call me for more details. I would highly suggest not missing this bus! Don't be late.

I had no idea what she was up to. When I called her to "get details" she told me there was a presentation from Jon Gordon, author of "The Energy Bus" among other positive motivational books and she had got me a ticket to attend with her.

I told Dave and he was interested as well and decided to go.

Kris was going to pick us up at 5:50.

From 4:04 on I tried to get rid of the cockleburs. I prayed that I could just let things go, but they didn't seem to be going anywhere. I had worked myself up into a petty irritated mood.

We went outside on the porch to wait for Kris at 5:40. It was a beautiful evening and I tried to count my blessings. Still wasn't working. At 6:00 Kris called.........she was running late. She had been baking some bars for a friend and they had not been getting done and she had needed to wait for them. Something totally understandable.......but for me......at the moment.....another cocklebur. I told her we would meet her there.

Dave and I got there and there were lots of people, probably about 300. It seemed like every. single. one of them. was wayyyyy too happy. They were cheerful and polite and energetic and although we had never met any of them before they acted like we were long lost friends. I told Dave "there is something wrong with these people!". He just looked at me and grinned.

I was being quite the krumudgen if I day say so myself.

Kris arrived and gave me a big hug and smile and I thought "oh great....another happy person!!"

We went to the bar to get something to drink before the presentation started and she asked me how I was. WELL........let me tell you!!!!!......I know she was so sorry she had asked! I then complained about the long line and how long it was taking. I mean I was covering myself with my own cockleburs at this point. Kris told me "it's not like you, you are really complaining tonight". I told her "It's not complaining.....it's bitching".

Is there a difference?

By the time we sat down for the presentation I was sooo tired. I had really been working myself to death since 4:04. I told her "It would be just like my day today if here I am at this energy presentation and I fall asleep".

The presentation was wonderful. Jon Gordon is a wonderful speaker and his message was very uplifting and contained some very powerful and helpful advice. I was very glad I had attended and very thankful to Kris for the opportunity.

Following his presentation he took out a large bucket that contained the stubs of all the tickets, probably about 300. He was going to raffle off some of his books "The Energy Bus" and some shirts. I looked at my ticket.....1347.

He began to call numbers and gave away about 5 of his books and then about 5 shirts.

After he finished calling the last number and gave away the last shirt he looked sadly at his side and everything to give away was gone. "That was so much fun" he said. He walked up to the podium and retrieved his copy of a book that he just finished writing and had not brought with because it is just coming out.

"That was so much fun.....I want to give away one more. This is my copy of my new book "The No Complaining Rule".....positive ways to deal with negativity.

I thought to myself...........this is the book I sure needed today.

No sooner had I thought that he called the next number............1347. Mine!!!

He walked back to where I sat and made me stand up and receive my book from him. He said "repeat after me.......I promise I will live by the the no complaining rule".

Kris and Dave were laughing hysterically. I was shaking my head and laughing. "I promise" I said.

Out of all those people. All those ticket stubs. A book that wasn't even meant to be given away. I received it.

He signed my book and in doing so explained to focus on Get To vs. Have To. If you look at things with the "Get To" perspective rather than the "Have To" perspective you will experience a much more positive outcome.

He signed my book "Get To".

What a great tool to use in getting the cockleburs off!!

Once again.....what we need......when we need it.


Kris also had some photos taken with me and Jon, but I don't have copies of those yet.

She thought it was pretty funny :)

Planting Joy

As many of you know, Dave has been laid off from work now for over a month and a half.

Things have been much different around our house. Not only financially, but also for him, not having "somewhere" to go every day and for me, not having "somewhere" for him to go every day.

I am rather flexible. I can go in my office and work regardless who is in the house or really what is going on around me.

Dave....on the other hand..........

When Dave lost his job many, including myself, and including Dave, were worried about what not having that place to go everyday was going to do to him mentally and emotionally. Dave is the kind of person that likes to have a "purpose". He needs to have a plan and schedule....a full-time, busy job......or so he thought........so we all thought.

He has been doing amazingly well, much better than we anticipated and actually, much better than before when he had a schedule, plan, place to go, "purpose". Everything he, and we, thought he needed. Well, as we all know, HE knows Dave better than anyone and HE truly knew what Dave needed , and at the time everything changed it was not what Dave and all of us thought he needed. Again, who are we to know?

I am learning that, when things, as we see them, are turned upside down, they are actually being turned upside right......by Him.

Dave has been actively pursuing employment opportunities, as few as there have been, and it has forced him to come out of his comfort zone, which in and of itself can be a wonderful thing. He has assisted with freelance opportunities that he loves to do......instead of the everyday grind of the same old thing.

Most importantly, it has given him the opportunity to explore other things....outside of audio/visual and hotels. It has given him some free time. Something in the hotel and event industry you get very little of. He has been using it for self-exploration, attending worship more frequently, working in the garage, and something I had no idea he enjoyed and I think something he had long forgotten he enjoyed........

Working in the garden.

When Dave was a young boy he worked in the garden with his dad. They had a huge garden.....full of corn, carrots, beans, peas, cabbage, potatoes, cucumbers, radishes, tomatoes, strawberries, rhubarb, and lots more things, some I have never even heard of. Dave's dad died unexpectedly when he was 11 years old. Life suddenly changed. Gardening, something he shared with his dad, who was now gone, stopped. He has never gardened since. Until now.

The previous owners to the previous owner of our new house loved to garden and brought in rich, nutritious dirt and everything else needed for a wonderful garden. The previous owner before us was a single guy with three kids, and he didn't have the time. He had a few tomato plants and some peas, but that was it. Although the beautiful flowers and crops were not there, the rich soil remained.

The last couple of weeks I have seen Dave sizing up the areas he was considering doing something with. He would talk briefly about different vegetables and I would see this spark in his eye. I then found he was talking about it a bit more and a bit more. I think he began to realize how much he loved to garden when he was a boy and it was something he would really like to do now......since he had been given a bit of free time.

He has moved some large timbers around and made a nice garden area for some rhubarb that we already had growing and is adding strawberries to today. He has been preparing the soil in another area for beans, tomatoes, cucumbers, lettuce and cabbage. He has another area he is getting ready to plant glads and dahlias.

I really have never seen him happier. There is a freedom about him and an inner joy that is growing and growing. I have also found him talking more about his dad. Something he has really never done in the past. It has been wonderful and something he would have never given the opportunity or thought to had his situation not drastically changed. HE knows exactly what we need and when we need it. HE knew Dave needed to begin growing some peace, comfort and joy. HE had already planted the seeds, Dave needed the opportunity to nurture them and give them a chance to grow.

I'm praying for a bumper crop this year!

Theodore "helping"

Picture Day

"How does this smile look?"

I opened my eyes to a squint to see Gregory's face nearly pressed against mine with this fixed "fake" smile on it.

I lifted my head. Looked at the clock.....7:00 a.m. What.....I had overslept on picture day!!

I gathered my thoughts and sat up and looked at Gregory still wearing the "fake" smile pasted on his face.

He looked odd to me.

It wasn't the smile........but what in the world did he have going on with his hair???!!!!

I asked him the same thing. I got up late too mom. I used a spray bottle and sprayed down one side of it. The bad side.

I would have hated to see what that side looked like!

Gregory, you need to jump in the shower. I don't have time, I will miss the bus. It is not a problem, I will take you if you do.

Fastest shower in shower history. I didn't even know water could come out that fast. (He was planning on comparing some game playing notes with someone on the bus this morning......it was very important he kept his scheduled appointment!)

Come on Gregory, let's go dry it.

I sprayed it down with the picture taking spray all the boys get on picture day and pulled out the blow dryer. While I dried he put on his pants, socks and shoes, (you can imagine how well the blow drying was coming out).

There he was in all his clean hair, poofed out glory.

Mom, I have to go. I have to keep my appointment.

Wait....those pants....what were you thinking? Off we go to find a different pair of pants. Then a new shirt and a new sweatshirt.

He is now trying to run for the front door. I quick run to the bathroom and grab the Aqua Net off the counter (for those of you that read my facebook you will understand why I even have the Aqua Net) and as he is dashing out the front door I am spritzing his flying bob with the Aqua Net.

I really do think the "fake" smile he is going to paste on his face is going to be the least of our troubles.

I'll let you know how the pictures turn out.