As part of my celebration of Black History Month, I am researching the Quilt Code that was part of the Underground Railroad’s efforts to help slaves flee bondage. Master Quilter Eleanor Burns has provided the public with several books and videos that are an invaluable resource for both quilters and historians who are interested in…
Month: January 2025
Let’s Make an Underground Railroad Quilt Together & Let’s Learn about the Secret Underground Railroad Quilt Code
My Underground Railroad Sampler Book Came in the Mail Today, and It is Perfect! I try to do something special during February for Black History Month, and I bumped into this outstanding book while researching the Underground Railroad. The book itself is excellently produced, and the photography is outstanding. The book provides a detailed history…
Cotton Fabrics for Quilting
Rose Prints Boao on Amazon 5 Star Bella Rose on Tan Joann’s Plaids Tatuo on Amazon 4 Stars Solid Sets 8″ Squares Gnognauq on Amazon 4″ Square Gnognauq on Amazon Blacks Cottage Rose Floral Calico Cotton Hobby Lobby 5 Star Beiges and Browns Vines on Cream Joann’s Tiny Mums on Neutral Joann’s Square Clusters on…
The Underground Railroad Sampler – Examining the Quilt Code that Helped Slaves Flee from Slavery
In honor of Black History Month, I am studying the Underground Railroad. During February, I’ll be sharing several books about the Underground Railroad, and I’ll also be examining the theory that the slaves developed a quilt code to help them navigate the route toward freedom. I acknowledge that some scholars reject the thought that there…
Plants that Survived 9° in My Zone 8a Winter Garden & Plants I Added in January
After having lived in New Jersey for several years, I am back in Mississippi, and I am in awe of all my garden plants that were not phased by January’s brutally cold weather. In spite of the fact that the temperature dropped down to 9° this past month, several of my plants are still growing…
The Underground Railroad: Excerpts from Reminiscences by Levi Coffin
THE UNDERGROUND RAILROAD: LEVI COFFIN RECEIVING A COMPANY OF FUGITIVES IN THE OUTSKIRTS OF CINCINNATI, OHIO. (From a painting by C. T. Webber, Cincinnati, Ohio.) – INTRODUCTORY CHAPTER. GENEALOGY. ” THE following brief sketch of the Coffin family is gathered from the first number of the American Historical Record, published at Philadelphia, and from private…
The Episcopal Calendar – The Feast Days & Seasons of the Episopal Year
AdventThe Episcopal Church Calendar Begins with Advent. “The first season of the church year, beginning with the fourth Sunday before Christmas and continuing through the day before Christmas. The name is derived from a Latin word for ‘coming.’The season is a time of preparation and expectation for the coming celebration of our Lord’s nativity, and…
What Is the Drinking Gourd in the Night Sky & How Did Slaves Follow the Drinking Gourd North to Freedom
Night sky illustration of the Big Dipper, or Drinking Gourd, in relation to the North Star and Little Dipper. nps.gov “As slave lore tells it, the North Star played a key role in helping slaves to find their way—a beacon to true north and freedom. Escaping slaves could find it by locating the Big Dipper,…
The Evening Prayer – Looking at Some of the “Other” Things Written in the Episcopal Book of Common Prayer & Comparing that to Other Evening Prayers and Light versus Darkness
I recently came across a phrase suggesting that other than the well-used “Dirty Pages” of the Book of Common Prayer, most Episcopalians know little about is written in their official book of prayers and services. I decided it was time to check out what else this book contains. At my recent Episcopalian Inquirer’s Class, our…
What Do Episcopalians Believe? Episcopalians Believe in Inclusion – Bishop Budde Spoke about Inclusion at the National Prayer Service in 2025
I have been an Episcopalian most of my life, but as a child, I was a Southern Baptist. Before I became an Episcopalian, I participated in an Episcopalian Inquirer’s Class, but that was many years ago. This past week, I have joined another Episcopalian Inquirer’s Class. It has been about 40 years since I became…