Louisa Enright's Blog

Turkey Tracks:  May 9, 2015

New Porch Railing and “To The Lake” Quilt

Lt. Gen. Jammie Mendall Philpott USAF, 1919-1999

Stephen Pennoyer, who is the most amazing carpenter, was here this week–working through the list of needed repairs.

When we first moved to Maine in June 2004, one of the first things we did was to build this deck.

I was all about NOT using plastic anything but keeping materials “natural.”  Husband John went along with me, though he did not agree on this one, as we put in a wooden railing.

Can I tell you that he spent every spring thereafter repainting that railing.

The bottoms of the wooden posts and the spindles all began rotting right away in this challenging winter climate.  Plus, this deck is on the north side of the house.

So, I was double delighted when Stephen came to rebuild the railing with plastic coated sleeves, etc.

No more painting, no more rot.  These railings are standing up super well on the front porch.

And here’s the best picture of all:  a finished quilt draped over the railing, à la a Bonnie Hunter photo of a finished quilt.  (See her blog at quiltville.com)

“At The Lake” is dedicated to my dad, Lt. Gen. Jammie Mendall Philpott USAF, 1919-1999, who was a fisherman heart and soul.  My dad was a decorated war hero, courageous, daring, kind, patient, and gentle.  He fished lakes, ponds, streams, rivers, and the ocean all across the world.  He taught all of us to fly fish and at one stage, made his own flies.  I remember him patiently unsnarling our fishing lines from nearby tree limbs and bushes until we got old enough to do it.  It would never have occurred to any of us to be squeamish about putting a worm on a hook–not when our corks would shortly start to bob and run under the water as a bream took the bait and ran.  We learned to clean those fish.  And, to cook and eat them with relish, too.  Those were good days.

I like the back of this quilt as much as the front and had great fun piecing it with the loon fabric, leftover blocks, and odd bits of fabric:

Here’s the binding:

And a few of the front motifs:

The writing on the cream fabric is from Lincoln’s Gettysburg address–which seemed fitting as my dad fought to protect this nation.

Here’s a corner:

I quilted with the Bishop’s Fan groovy board with a warm mustard thread.

Here’s a corner–and I liked the piano keys border a lot.