Red Middles

Chris and I are having girlfriend time, celebrating our friendship, her getting a medical assistant's certificate and spring.  We both had read a historical trilogy, by Jane Kirkpatrick, about a communal group who had settled south of Portland about thirty minutes, in Aurora

The museum was unique and told it's own story of those pioneers, some of the secrets still being revealed, some of the stories recently confirmed by a single plate donated by a descendent.  Some stories still haven't been unraveled.  

Towns really do have personalities and houses absolutely do absorb the laughter, pain, warmth and memories of the ones who lived there.   The curator loved what she did and enthusiastically shared a sort of living history.  It felt like she knew these people intimately.   I loved her story of the log cabin quilts that they had found.  

One couple had to wait 30 years to get married, because they didn't have the leader's permission and wouldn't disobey him.  The log cabin quilt made by her had red centers in all the squares, which was her way of silently expressing that she was in a warm, cozy, contented place in her home and life.  Her hearth and heart warmed by the fire of love. 

If I ever make a quilt, it will have red centers.