Life With Linda

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Late 80's wall hangings.

Work in progress on the snow boarder quilt

Book signing, Havre Montana Kaleidoscope quilt in background.

Linda, wild land fire fighter since 2000, Photo published in "The Western News" 8/23/00, Libby, MT

Deer in the back yard of my house

I became a wild land fire fighter the summer of 2000, when my youngest graduated from high school. I started as an emergency fire fighter for DNRC and then worked for the forest service and private contractors. I have been a few Some of the more interesting places I’ve worked are Canyon Ferry Complex in 2000, Rex Creek in 2001, Cannon Fire 2002, Sheep Camp in 2003 and the Space Shuttle Recovery in Corsicana, Texas 2003. I hope to spend one more summer as a firefighter. Besides quilting it is the most rewarding thing I have ever done. Except of course raising my children--that tops the list.

The post cards are from the Canyon Ferry Complex summer of 2000.

Ode to Grandmother

Yesterday I was contemplating moving my Grandmother's old Singer out to the storage building, but I just could not do it ( the machine is in the middle of the kitchen ) I realized she was the last person to put thread on it--the last one to sew with the machine I learned to sew on--and I needed her to be close and a part of my everyday life even now. I have not talked much about myself or my personal life in terms of quilts and quilting. It is a hard thing for me to do. So to my Grandmother I would like to say “Thank You!” even though she is gone. I learned to piece and tie quilts from her, when I lived with her in Havre for 2 of the best years of my life, 1976-1979. Every time I pick up a needle and thread or sew on a machine there is a part of her with me. She was 96 when she died. She saw outdoor toilets fall into disrepair; she canned her own fruit and vegetables; she watched man walk on the moon after having had horses be her primary mode of transportation. She never had a drivers license and she did not read well or much, but boy could she quilt. She taught me how to make cup cakes. She was ALWAYS busy, but never too busy for me. Part of the time I lived with her I worked late and would come home to sew. She would bring me a cup of Cafe Vienna at midnight so I could keep working. I learned about unconditional love from her my grandmother Florence and I hope that love is reflected in my work I hope, too, that this love is reflected in my interaction with my Grandson Keagan who is now with me. I tell him that when he looks back on his time with me that t he will be able to say "My Grandmother loved me a lot and we had a lot of fun--she enriched my life." Because that is the gift my Grams gave to me.