Needle Arts Corner
By Madonna A. Terlizzi
Needle Arts Corner - January 2012
Welcome 2012, you could not get here fast enough! What a year I just had! I mean it was just staggering. So here we are in a new fresh year, what am I going to do this year that is any different than the rest? Well for starters, I am going to put gratitude before everything else. What no weight loss resolution? How about not buying things that I don’t need, or de-cluttering and organizing my teaching studio. No, I am going to mindfully say thank you for what I have and make good decisions. I really try to make good decisions, but there is a side of me that takes over and well, here I am. By being mindful, I will put myself into a better position to attain the aforementioned and keep my world in better shape. These are a few of the things that I am grateful for, you probably have some similar items, so here me out.
I am grateful for my recent trips to the dentist. No, I do not like to have my teeth looked at never mind having certain tools used on them. I am able to walk, talk and sit still long enough to have them maintained. I am also very happy that I don’t have to see him till June! I am grateful that I am not filthy rich. What! Yes, my Studio has allowed me to keep my edge, meet wonderful people all over the world, teach ladies and gals how to sew among many other things, and I also enjoy being resourceful. If I had too much money I would be lazy and phoney, who wants to have that on their back? I am also grateful for my family and friends. Just to have them in my life is wonderful. In fact, I try to relish each minute that I get to spend with them and not take anyone for granted. Heat, our house, food, piles of fabric, etc. just pause during the day and be content. You get my drift. Make your own list and see how you feel during the upcoming months, I bet that you will feel much better inside, I know I will.
I have two books that I have been reading. They are from two very different perspectives. As you well know these are very brief overviews, you will have to check them out yourself and see if you like them too!
The first book that I am reading is called the Great Silence by Juliet Nicolson. I found this book to be a fascinating snapshot of time beginning on the original Armistice Day which was on November 11, 1918 to its two year anniversary in 1920. The book gives you a feel of the times, with all its sadness and despair. There are many accounts and pictures from ordinary citizens who lived through that era, encompassing their everyday life, and of friends and relatives. The book takes place in England and highlights the returning debilitated war veterans, mental illness and huge death counts. It was a very bleak time in history with so many losses, endless amounts of wounded soldiers and a high unemployment rate. The book also talks about how the British pulled their lives back together, despite the hard times that they had endured, and started to feel a sense of happiness again.
The other book that I am reading is called Golda, by Ralph G. Martin. This book is about the life of Golda Meir. It covers her birth in Russia, her immigrating to the United States, then on to Palestine to live in a kibbutz. There are true accounts from her many friends and relatives, as well as a couple of sections featuring pictures of Golda and her family.
The book also covers a sizable amount of factual history. Golda was a very strong and determined woman who has left a huge mark on history by following her personal goals and religious beliefs. This book has also been a real eye opener regarding the plight of the Jewish people and how badly they have been treated over the centuries. I love women like Golda; she never wavered from her convictions, despite the prejudices of the time, and kept fighting for what she knew was right for herself and her people. She had similar characteristics as my idol, Eleanor Roosevelt, not only were these ladies smart, brave and strong but they preserved even when times were tough and the odds were stack against them. Oh, how I wish I could have met them! These books can be found at the Uxbridge Free Public Library. I am grateful to live in a country where I can walk into our local library, pick out any book I want and read it. I do not have to have permission or an escort, the books are not censored, I can be dressed the way I like and am literate. Think about it.
I have also purchased some new quilting magazines and books recently and am adding many new ideas for the Studio. You may want to come to the Studio and have some fabric fun for a change, give me a ring and we will set something up. It is a new year after all…
America is beautiful, thank a veteran. Peace. Madonna A. Terlizzi 508-294-5721
