Win a reading quilt by answering a question in a humorous way. Answer one of the questions at the back of the book, Chickens in Birthday Suits. The story is a true one about a friend of mine who threw birthday parties at the park for her chickens on each of their birthdays, or Hatch Days, as the hens call them.

To  see the quilt refer to yesterday’s blog, and read the book now or order it as a free Ebook from Amazon from July 16 to sometime on July 20.

I’ve been asked, “What’s a reading Quilt?”  My children invented the idea. They each turned a square of good memory, their baby quilts, into reading quilts. They’d rap up in them in the winter as they read and the summer they threw them on the floor and wallowed on top with their books. What a wonderful idea, mix the memory of being loved and cherished as a baby with the comfort and excitement of books as they face the challenges of growing up. My children are in their thirties and still love to read, and the last time I heard,they still have scrapes of what used to be their reading quilts   nancymauerman.com

From the children’s book ‘Chickens In Birthday Suits’

A hand appliqued Reading Quilt will be awarded to the person or chicken who answers one of the questions at the back of the book, Chickens in Birthday Suites, in the most humorous way. Contact me now or wait a few days, Chickens in Birthday Suits will be offered free for several days as an Ebook at Amazon starting July 16 2014.

“I’m a chicken you can trust so you can believe me when I recommend this book to all hens and their people.”  The chicken who told me her story allowed me to paint pictures and write the story down for you and I applique her portrait on this small quilt that came be sat on or under while reading.   nancymauerman.com

Contest To Win This Quilt With A Chicken On IT. Based On The Book Chickens In Birthday Suits.

Reading  is cheating, is what I thought in first grade. Up to this point I’d pick a story by the pictures, trying to ignore the ugly choppy black marks at the bottom of every page. My Mom would glance at the picture to remind herself of the story then she’d recite it for me. She was a wonder; she knew hundreds of them.

In first grade I found out the marks were telling my Mom what to say, bossing her around and cheating. I  wanted nothing to do with that unethical behavior and I was very disappointed in my mother. Guess what; I was a slow reader.   nancymauerman.com

Tar Boy

“You NEED one too,” my mind told me when I see a dress on someone I like. When I grew up bit I would see a dress and comprehend I didn’t need it, wrong color for me, the stile looked good on another but would be hideous on me, but my mind still said, “You NEED that.”  Finally I learned to let go and say, “What a beautiful dress on her, I don’t want one.”  Lest any male feel superior, that same thing happens in connection to games, cars, and tools.

Then I learned I wasn’t accountable to follow through on every THOUGHT that wanders my way.  I see weeds, have an idea for a picture, see dirty dishes, laundry, a book I want to read, I should call a friend, sew on my quilt, play with my cat, the fence needs paint, it goes on.  I do not need to own them all. I chose one;  the rest aren’t mine to own, I don’t affect guilt on my self for what is unrealistic. It seems as soon as I think a thought I FEEL accountable to do it. Not now.  nancymauerman.com

Roxanne

joy summer breezes

unfashionably long hair

skirt swirls hairy legs      nancymauerman.com

Pink Dress

I named the painting below from something John said, “When I Was a Kid We Didn’t Have Virtual Reality- We Had Dirt.”  He had a wonderful guy- type childhood. There were bunches of boys about his age, REAL bows and arrows for everyone, and KNIVES, and once they even found DYNAMITE.

But after serving in the Vietnam War John is not crazy about things that go pop any longer. My Dad, having served in WWII didn’t like fireworks either for years. John is just now easing into poppers, those tiny little packages that HE throws to make mini explosions. He wouldn’t like those either if I was doing the throwing.

Last night as John and I sat outside, on the front porch enjoying cool breezes in the dark, wars were averted and friendships were saved. Vietnam War II, and a cultural war, and a U. S. Revolutionary War II were not waged.

John was letting his mind go were the rest of him was afraid to tread. Our next door neighbor to the east served at the same time as John but for eleven years because he was a South Vietnamese. Those two men have laughed and cried together over that period knowing the complete understanding of the other. With that understanding in mind, John thought, “Wouldn’t it be fun to fasten twenty poppers to the bottom of Dom’s front security door?  When he snaps it closed, it would explode behind him.”  “Oh yea, that- would- be- fun, just don’t be surprised if he seeks vengeance,” I said.

But John’s already off to fantasy war number two. “Well, we could string poppers on Richard’s metal gate; make more of a bang than a clang when it shuts.”  Richard lives across the street and is a little leary of John anyway (gender differences and voting patterns).  I moaned, John restrained himself and thus a cultural war was diverted.

Johns’ mind wandered to our western neighbor, Matt.  Matt doesn’t use his front door but John visualized his surprise when his garage door would bang shut with sonic accessories!  I punched him playfully in the arm and thus The American Revolutionary War II was averted in Portland, Oregon last night.

But my mind visualizes too. What if John acted out his fantasy and all three offended neighbors formed a coalition?  nancymauerman.com

When I Was a Kid We Didn’t Have Virtual Reality – We Had Dirt

Scientists can’t get funding unless they research and twist a proof into a conclusion that is politically correct. I had a teacher in college who complained about this; his area of interest was not “in”.  I read about it repeatedly in “Science News Magazine.”

There You Go Destroying My Scientific Mind Again – Confusing Me With Facts speaks of this idea and is also a portrait of John.  A plank of wood is painted with acrylic paint except John’s jacket which is gouged into the plank leaving raw wood. The wood frame is extended with old yard sticks reminding us of “the facts”.   nancymauerman.com

There You Go Destroying My Scientific Mind Again – Confusing Me With Facts