Practicing the Piano

 This year I have begun to practice the piano regularly. I taught piano for twelve years and have a Bachelor of Arts in music but not performance. I haven't played in perhaps twenty-five years. I stopped because I got my engineering degree.  I remember when my Dad was in his seventies and wanted to learn to play the guitar. He practiced diligently but those of us who listened saw little improvement. He stuck with it for over a decade. Now I am practicing. I find it is not my ability to concentrate that determines how long I play but how long before my arthritis in my hands dictates. I am really enjoying the struggle. I find a real thrill in discovering the abundance of information in the score. It is like my mind is eager to learn,  Hubby must feel a lot like we did when my Dad practiced. He keeps suggesting I try easier pieces. Soon the weather will get warmer and he will be able to work in the garden and I will continue to practice.

Sammy's Quilt

 I finished a double bed quilt for my Grandson, Sammy.  I had been given the Accuquilt dies, The Northern woods, from my son, Jim, for Christmas.  I had never done the machine applique before but I got some good advice from my friend, Cathy, and it turned out fairly well.  I machine quilted, which I am not the best at. I had less trouble quilting the animals and trees than the straight lines on the blocks. My machine has a stitch regulator attachment and I am getting the hang of that. (It stitches as fast as the quilt moves, within reason )  On the border I used the walking foot and that worked better for the straight lines.