The more I travel to wild places over the years, the more I am compelled to read books about the history of humans intersecting with these wilderness habitats, and the flora and fauna that were there long before we ‘discovered’ these cradles of natural diversity. The more I learn, the more I realize I don’t know. How glorious.
On this Winter Solstice, as a ‘Cyclone Bomb’ roars across the Northern US with some of the coldest temperatures of our lifetime, I am thinking of the creatures that are hibernating under the snow, or who have migrated to warmer climes. They have been flying overhead for the last couple months, stopping to rest and feed in our fields and ponds.
This year the arrival of Winter is actually accompanied by blizzard conditions for many of us, which may disrupt holiday travel, but I have heard from many quilters that they are simply staying home to sew in peace and quiet. They are hibernating with fabric and thread as the storm passes over.
This week, after much consideration, I have decided to go back to photograph the Alaskan Brown Bears in August 2023. There is nothing like going out in Nature to clear the head and calm the soul, and to do a total re-set of body and mind. Some people go kayaking, camping and hiking. I go to observe and photograph bears in the wild. I have a limited window of time to sign up fellow travelers to join me in late August 2023, and this time it is at a very remote location called “Bear Camp” that I know will completely remove me from the cares of the outside world for a few days. If you are curious, go to this link, and call Aly in the next week or two if you want to secure a seat with me at the Bear Camp. The highlight last time was hanging out for an afternoon on a small islet in a river, with a Mama Bear and her 3 cubs. We were so still and quiet that she laid down and took a nap while her cubs wrestled and played. What a day.
Well, we got through the 3rd year of the pandemic, and even though it is not over yet, we are starting to return to activities like attending quilt guild meetings, quilt festivals, and long lunches with our quilty friends. I am exhausted by the last 3 years, but I am energized and enriched by my time spent with many of you at quilt events the last few months. I imagine you are like me, just taking it one week at a time, and hoping to spend more time with my stash in the new year.
For all of you who have gone on this tumultuous pandemic journey with us the last few years, I thank you again for supporting our family business. Together we will reach the amazing goal of raising $2 million for non-profits and charities next year … around the time that I’ll be at Bear Camp. That accomplishment belongs just as much to all of you, and I thank you. I am truly dumbfounded by this approaching milestone.
I hope you can stay warm and safe, wherever you may be in this season of love and celebration.
Be sure to take some time to appreciate all you have accomplished in 2022, and to contemplate your goals for 2023.
Sharing your love of fabric,
Luana and Paul
* The top photo in this collage is a photo taken by Luana in Katmai National Park in Sept 2021. The other images are fabrics currently in stock at eQuilter.com
Travel/Quilt Calendar:
Feb 15 – Virtual lecture for Victoria BC Quilt Guild
Feb 22-25 – QuiltCon – GOLD SPONSOR – Atlanta
April 18-26 – Pour l’Amour du Fil – Nantes, France
June 8-10 – Quilt Canada – Halifax, Nova Scotia
August 18-24 – Bear Camp in Alaska
