newsletter

Old Alley Quilt Shop LLP

115 N Main St., Box 143, Sherburn, MN 56171, 507-764-4088 oldalleyquiltshop@frontiernet.net

Newsletter

Old Alley Spring/Early Summer Newsletter 2012

Happy Spring! It almost doesn't feel like spring today - a little colder the third week of April than it has been all of March - in fact, I was just out and decided we were lucky it wasn't snowing - the rain is cold. It also seems that the doggone wind just doesn't want to quit blowing! But really, I have no complaints. It has been a great spring.

Our flowers are up and blooming and some - hyacinths, daffodils and tulips - have already bloomed and are distant memories. The purple iris are in full bloom, clematis are climbing and the astic lilies are growing like crazy - and as always, so are the weeds. I also need to clean out some of last year's leftover dead stuff. I hate to clear it all away in the fall because I think that the birds like the seed heads to dine on all winter, but in the spring, I sort of wish I had gotten rid of all of it. Oh, well, one good afternoon, and it should look a little better around here. As I said last year, this really is my favorite time of the year. I love to see the earth come alive as the birds return, the flowers start peeking through, my gravel road dries up, and the golf course opens!

Already we are gearing up for the Quilt Minnesota Shop Hop. We should be receiving our exclusive fabric in May, and we already have our SW Section cookbook sample on display along with the Baker's Dozen FQ pack of Believe batiks which is our section's incentive for visiting all ten shops. We are also sponsoring a bus trip around the SW Section, August 12 and 13. For $99.00 you get to leave the driving to us, stay overnight at Jackpot Junction in Morton, breakfast Monday morning, two sack lunches, receive your Baker's Dozen FQs, a Vol. 2 SW Section Cookbook, and chances at bus "door" prizes plus visit 10 great shops! Call to sign up!

June is busy as our Rummage Sale in the Park is Saturday, June 9th. Clean out your stash and set up a booth or come to buy outside and inside (20% off inside). This is also Sherburn's City Wide Rummage Sale Day. Then we are going to be vending at the Minnesota Quilt Show in Rochester. This our second try at the state show. Hopefully, we learned a few things from the first try and will pack a little smarter and a little lighter - stop in and say "hi" if you are at the show.

I think things slow down in July, at least at the shop. Then August 3rd the Minnesota Statewide Shop Hop starts! If you visit all the SW Section shops, you will receive a Baker's Dozen FQ pack of Moda's Believe Batiks! (We have a limited supply - the first 800 participants will receive the bundle - bus riders are guaranteed a bundle!)

Our class list is a little limited this summer. Between quilt shows, vacations, and shop hops there just isn't much available time. We are attending the International Quilt Show in May. Hopefully, we will be inspired by all sorts of new ideas or new looks at old ideas and will have a great line-up for fall classes or will make some late additions via store and emails to the summer schedule.

My July is looking busy as our middle son is getting married towards the end of July, and then the next week we leave for our annual Jensen family fishing trip (around 40 years of tradition) to Lake of the Woods. Even the newlyweds are planning on being there - maybe we can come up with a separate cabin for them - this year staying in ours with two brothers' families (three kids at 3 years old and one 5 year old) might not be a great idea for a honeymoon!

You know, it is amazing how hard it is to do what you know needs to be done. My husband and I keep trying to walk, ride bike, etc. at a minimum four times a week for thirty or forty minutes. It seems to be easier to do that in the winter - maybe even getting in five or six days - then it is at this time of the year. There just seems so much more to do and so little time to exercise in. However, we still like to sit and drink coffee and watch the birds at the feeders for a half-hour every morning no matter what ... so we could take that time and exercise... but we really like the coffee and it is hard to drink coffee while walking. We are also tired of the treadmill and exercise bike in the basement, but as we live on a gravel road which has a hard time drying up lately, it is difficult to walk outside. From our garage to the corner is about a mile so there and back makes it easy to put in a couple of miles because once you get there you have to come back. We keep trying though. I do feel better when I get the walk in. I just have to keep thinking of that while I am debating if I have the time to do it or not. Something about making it a priority... maybe if I walked the golf course in the morning instead of the road it would seem like a better deal... but that takes two hours... even more time. Oh, well. We will keep plugging away!

May your flowers all bloom this spring and the weeds die! Though sometimes it is hard to determine what is exactly a weed or a flower. By definition, a lamb's ear is a flower, but by the way it is taking over the north side of the building it is becoming a weed.... I think the definition also applies to the vines growing up the side of the building and into the eave troughs and spreading out to the sidewalk. Amazing how hard it was to get them started.

Happy Spring from Becky, Sharon, and the Old Alley Crew!