Month: July 2025

Table Runner

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Table Runner

Moving quickly. I have the background assembled and I can immediately see a problem I want to fix – that dark strip in the bottom left corner has to go! Needs to be lighter. I’m not sure about the second one- I think it may be OK.

The circles are pinned in place for the moment – looking at the photo I can see I want to move them about some more. I’ve also decided the whole thing will be an appliqué work – I’m not going to fight to insert the large circles into the background! So I’m moving along.

Tomorrow I’ll take all the circles off, and reposition them, overlap different ones, underlap others. But first, I need to take that dark strip out!

I also need a piece of buckram to stiffen the runner so it will hold its shape when I hang it horizontally. I’ll pick that up tomorrow, as well.

Circle Quilt #5

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Circle Quilt #5
Quilt Back

I actually started this quilt in the middle of May; I got sewing on it on June 18 (a month ago). I finished it last night (label and hand sewn hidden binding)!

Now I’m ready for the Art Labs show in Parrsboro, Aug 10-30.

I should be able to hang four throw quilts, including this one. I’m calling my contribution to this 2-person exhibit “Circles”.

Circle Quilt #5
Circles On Pink
Drunkard’s Path #5
Planets and Moons

In reserve I have two others:

Skyline #3
Study in Blue / Green

There’s also a narrow wall in the gallery where I may get to hang this small piece

Circles #4

I have time to create one more project – this one potentially will be a table runner, although if it gets hung at all it will be hung horizontally. Approximate dimensions – 45″ x 15″. An assembled background of five 9″ blocks in much lighter grey fabrics than Circles #4, each block with an embedded whole circle finished with appliqué embroidered circles, wherever.

Circles #4 is the only time I have tried embedding an entire circle in a background. I will give it another go just to get better at the technique.

I have until August 5 or so to complete the piece – that should be enough time.

Better get going!

What’s in trump’s Bill?

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From the NYT Newsletter this morning – July 1 2025

I’ve just provided headings and a link to much more information. We’ve all been hearing about this BBB – but we should know what’s in it. It’s not going to affect us here in Canada directly – but god help us if we should turn into the 51st state! All of this crap would affect us big time!

The Senate is still debating a key part of President Trump’s domestic agenda this morning — what he has called his big, beautiful bill. Senators are racing to pass it before the July 4 deadline.

By now, you have probably heard two things about the proposal. First, it would cut taxes in a way that would largely benefit the wealthiest Americans. Second, to recoup some of that lost revenue, it would cut health care programs, particularly Medicaid, and would leave nearly 12 million more Americans uninsured over 10 years.

Those parts are important, but they are far from the only elements in the sprawling 940-page bill. The legislation also touches on food stamps, clean energy, mass deportations, student loans, military spending and more. Today, I’ll explain some of those less discussed provisions.

The other pieces

Because this bill is foremost about the federal budget, it goes through a special procedure — called reconciliation — that lets the Senate pass it with a simple majority, no filibuster allowed. Republican lawmakers have therefore treated this as a rare opportunity to accomplish a bunch of different priorities.

Food stamp cuts

Clean energy disinvestment

Funding for deportations

Less student loan relief

More military spending

And much more: The proposal would create tax-advantaged savings accounts for newborns, called “Trump accounts,” that would start with $1,000 in government contributions. It would increase money for air traffic control and the Secret Service. And it would help pay for America’s 250th anniversary celebrations next year.

To see all of the provisions — there are nearly 300 — check out this list that my colleagues have put together, which explains everything in the bill and how much it would cost or save.

What’s next

It’s still not clear whether the bill, as it currently stands, will become law. Senators need to vote on their version, and then it will go back to the House for final passage. Republicans control the House by a thinner margin than they do the Senate, and a few defectors could complicate things. Still, Trump has demanded they pass it — and Republicans have not bucked the president much since his return to office.

I just felt you might want to stay informed!

Good luck keeping up with it all.

Heed The Message!

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Heed the message!

And I’ll tell you: there are things happening in America right now that feel like I’m living in a Soviet Union 

I was thankfully too young to see, but had the misfortune to live in my first years. A president threatening to jail opponents while the crowd cheers.

TV networks turned into pure propaganda, calling it “news”

Armed militias patroling the streets, calling it “freedom.”

Laws bent to protect the powerful, not the people.

As you know, the U.S.S.R. was already a terrible of a place to live, so that many people ran away at the first chance.

That’s why when I hear Americans say “my vote doesn’t matter” or “all politicians are the same,” I feel something crack inside me

Victor Kravchuk

Day by day this is what is happening in the US. It’s unbearably painful watching this scenario unfold. I’m sitting here in Canada on edge, because once full dictatorship is realized in the US, Canada will be under the gun, if not literally, economically, for certain. trump has repeatedly threatened that.

trump says he holds all the cards – I’m not sure what cards Canada holds, some, for sure. But it’s not hard to imagine Canada as Ukraine in the not distant future! Canadians aren’t ready for what could be ahead for us.

I think Carney is smart enough to see this possible reality ahead of us. I’m just hoping he’s smart enough to outmanoeuvre trump. I’m ambivalent about the rescinding of the digital tax this past weekend. Yes, it reinstated the trade talks but trump is braying that we “caved”.

I feel trump is playing cat and mouse – ya, the trade talks are back on for the moment, but he can call them off on any pretext he wants. Look at him side eye and we’re back to the beginning.

Nothing he says or does is reliable. I’m expecting any trade deal that gets hammered out will not be good for Canada. That will leave us feeling betrayed by our government (although nobody would be able to have “negotiated” anything better).

I’m not sure what that will do to Canadian nationalist feeling and tenuous unity we’re experiencing at the moment.

In some ways, Canadians are more aware of what’s going on in the US than most US citizens. We certainly understand the threat trump represents. I’m just nervous that our solidarity isn’t strong enough for us to stand together when the going gets really rough economically; when the 51st state threats become more insistent (those threats are again being made – I hope we’re all hearing them – I hope our boycott of US travel and products holds).

Canadians, like Americans, are used to a basic level of affluence. Our young people expect instant gratification. They’re not used to doing without – they complain if they have to work hard to achieve some goal – many expect opportunities will be handed them on a platter.

It’s our fault – we older folks who grew up making do with a whole lot less – pampered them, we fulfilled the desires of our children and grandchildren because we could afford to. We didn’t ask them to earn that gratification. Hence, they expect life will be easy for them.

It’s been getting harder, and many are struggling to find a way to carry on. When the going gets a whole lot harder – and I’m expecting it will – will they decide to give in to trump’s demands for the 51st state?

So many Canadians have no idea what it could be like living in a US controlled by this dictator! This current BBB (Big Beautiful Bill) would eliminate health care for many Canadians living in a 51st state; it would increase food insecurity for our children; it would mean loss of any environmental protection; no support to help after the harm wrought by hurricanes, wildfires, flooding; and on an on, Most of what’s in that bill is aimed at destroying the lives of middle class and poor Americans so the wealthy can live as they want. A good proportion of Canadians would fall into that group of disadvantaged.

It looks like we’re between a rock and a hard place.

Kravchuk is laying out for us what’s ahead. He’s letting us know, as clearly as he can, that it’s not a life we want to choose.

It’s obvious that there’s no sitting this one out – everybody is going to have to take participate in the resistance if we’re going to survive with any independence, and our values intact!

Freedom Line by Viktor Kravchuk 🇺🇦🇺🇸