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This is retreat week for 10 quilters who have come to La Veta to find the creative muse. Today begins day four (have you wondered where I've been?) of five days of independant study. Each morning begins with a talk followed by a list of journaling questions designed to foster their creativity and help them rediscover who they are. During the day I work with each individual on the process of design and offer suggestions, and if necessary, provide demonstrations on how to assemble their vision. No two people are doing anything alike. Are you anxious to see what they have done? I'll post a montage photo soon, but first -- off to work.

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I referred to my Granny (as I often do) and her quilts during the opening of Episode 104. You can see one of her quilts under Find Out More on the Show 104 page. From 1979-1991, she was a widow and lived directly across the street from our home in Wichita Falls, Texas. Granny loved to garden! On occasion I did too.

During my college days, I planted some beautiful white Shasta daisies in our front flower beds. Year after year they would put on a glorious display. Granny had planted some wild petunias in her front flower bed. In about 1985, after I had gone off to seek my fortune (ha), Granny saw in her Farmer’s Almanac that it was transplanting time. While mom and dad were at work, she dug up our beautiful Shasta daisies and replaced them with her wild petunias. Needless to say mom was not pleased, but Granny insisted that plants needed to be moved around in order for the flower to put on their best show. We didn’t argue. It wasn’t worth it.

In recent years mom has tried to dig up those old petunias and replace them with something a bit less leggy. However, they are hardy and nothing seems to prevent them from coming up. So she finally gave up trying.

Granny passed away in 1993. Her house has long since been sold. The Shasta daisies across the street no longer bloom. However, Granny’s wild petunias persist. Every year about Easter time, those petunias start to bloom - some in the front flower bed of our family home, but most come up and bloom in the cracks of the driveway. Dad will go outside on a spring day, come in and say to my mom, “Granny is in the driveway!” – and we know she’s still with us.

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I just got into my hotel room and wanted to write while my thoughts are still fresh on my mind. I have traveled to wonderful places and seen wonderful things. I've met some of the greatest people on the planet and I have been welcomed with warmth and love all over the world. How lucky am I? How can anyone be blessed more than that?

However, in most of my travels I rarely get to do 'special' things. I'm on the road to work - to teach. The extent of my sight seeing is mostly limited to the hotel room and the classroom. I have had the occasion to have a quick treat, but it is more rare than usual.

Most of you know that music has always been my passion. I've had the great privilege of performing, producing, and conducting. The last concert I ever conducted before moving into a full-time traveling quilt teacher career was one of the most memorable moments of my life. I conducted a concert in St. Louis with an 85 voice community chorus and 30 members of the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra. It was amazing. Choral music has been a big part of my musical life and I love hearing great choirs. Choral music stirs my soul in ways that other music cannot.

Today was set up and Schoolhouse day at market. However, tonight I was free - rare for sure. I guess the stars were aligned because tonight was also the open rehearsal for the Mormon Tabernacle Choir - just around the corner from the convention center in Temple Square. I went!

The 360 voice choir was rehearsing with the orchestra for next week's performance of "Elijah," an Oratorio by Felix Mendelssohn. I will mark it down along with my other "most inspiring musical experiences." Even though it was 'just a rehearsal,' It left me humble, reflective, and numb.

So why would I share this on our blog? Because it is this sort of experience that I wish for each of you to enjoy. I hope that you are able to find those opportunities that blow you away. That inspirational moment that is few and far between. The rehearsal reminded me that excellence is of the utmost importance and that, while the technical aspects of a discipline is important, doing it with passion rules above it all.

What experiences have you had that have moved you - sharpened your skills - paved your way to reach beyond the ordinary and strive for the sublime? Tonight, for me, was one of those times and I just wanted to share it with all of you. Thanks for letting me - Ricky

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Just before leaving for Paducah and the AQS show, I received a package in the mail from Australia. It contained this WONDERFUL quilt from two of the quilters who had helped to make my trip there two year ago such a success. Kim and Helen both worked on this quilt. It is based on my Harmonic Convergence method, but the borders are all original. It uses fabrics with Aboriginal designs and the border is classically Australian. The details are amazing. As you can see in the detail photos, the map of Australia and the quilting.

I look forward to returning to Australia someday. It was one of my most memorable trips. My main profile photo (in white hat) was taken on the beach at the Gold Coast.

Thanks Kim/Helen, for such a thoughtful gift. I'll be hanging it in my office. The colors are perfect! - Ricky

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The AQS show in Paducah was just great. We are now en route home with one day there before heading to Spring Market in Salt Lake City, UT. A couple of days ago, this wonderful group of Japanese quilters stopped by to say hi. One of them (Kayoko, back center) had made this quilted 'kite', based on a traditional design. Isn't it just great?!

The World Quilt Community here at TQS continues to grow - making the real quilting world smaller and better connected. Thanks to everyone who stopped by our booth in Paducah. It's a new day!

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Last night, Quilt Show Stars (our World Quilt Community Members) came into our booth proclaiming - "It's a New Day!" The first to arrive was DLQuilter from Missisippi. She was wearing her newly made badge and as the first to arrive at our booth was awarded our new Quilt Show Pin. She had found just the right colors for her badge from a piece of Ricky Tims Original Hand-dyed fabric. Her friends thought she was crazy to have done so and she actually brought the fabric to show me. See the holes? Now that's commitment.

By the way, we'll be putting the pins in the Quilt Show Store soon so you can have one, too. Most likely it will be after Spring Market, in Mid May. We'll keep you posted.

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Hey Gang! I'm en route to Paducah, Kentucky for the annual show and contest that starts with the Awards Ceremony on Tuesday night. I'll post some news about the awards immediatly following the event - so plan to check the blog later that evening or early Wednesday morning for all the scoop.

Justin and I will be manning the Tims Art Quilt Studio booth. Please plan to stop by and say Hi -but you know that means to use our code phrase, "It's a new day!". In case you missed this week's newsletter, check it out. There is information on making an identifying name badge so other World Quilt Community members can recognize you. Don't forget to greet them with the secret password - "It's a new day!"

Does anyone have any special memories to share about past AQS shows?

Ricky

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Don't you just love going to guild meetings! I really miss my old gang in St. Louis (hey all). I remember so many great programs and the inspiring show-and-tell at the end. However, I'm sure there are many great programs happening all around the world and we'd like to hear about them.

What was your most fun, remarkable, or memorable guild meeting. Was there a special guest? Was there a theme? What interesting programs have been presented that might have seemed strange or unusual at first, but really made a splash?

C'mon - it's time to fess up. We'd like to highlight some of these ideas on future shows.

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Yikes - well, I'm just at a loss. You try everything and then - Kaput! Crash - and the whole thing just goes up in smoke! Just kidding - April Fools!

Now that I've got your attention! Congratulations to all of you - our World Quilt Community Members. Your enthusiasm has exceeded our hopes for membership totals at the launch date - over 15,000 total members and over 10,000 Gold Star Charter Members! This evening/tonight at midnight East Coast Time, the option for Gold Star Charter Member will disappear forever and the first show will be clickable. The long wait is over - well, at least we think so.

We want to continue to ask for your patience as we have no idea what the draw will be on the servers. What we do know is that everything works as it should. If it is not working there is most likely something amiss on your end. The servers will be monitored and if something is awry on our end, we'll hop in it immediately.

For example, wireless connections can be very good and strong and then just blip out for seconds causing pauses or delays in the video. We understand that firewalls on personal computers may or may not interfere with the streaming content. We also reaize that tech support questions will continue to come in and we want you to know that we will answer all of them as soon as possible. There are a million reasons why you might not get a smooth playing video, but 95% of you should have no problem at all.

The biggest thing we know is that what we are doing could not have been done six months ago. The technology we are using is THAT new. All of you that have had technical issues have been extrememly gracious and patient. Thanks for that attitude - it really helps!

Please remember if the video is not playing at all, there might be a server overload - like phone calls to grandma on Christmas Day several years ago. But, once again we'll be monitoring this and if necessary, we'll make reports to you right here on the blog.

Now - it really is A NEW DAY!

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Well, we completed the first Super Seminar in Escondido, near San Diego, CA - last night. WOW - what a great time we had. Here on stage from left to right are: Yours Truly, Libby Lehman, Alex Anderson, and Bob Purcell (The Thread Gudy, Superior Threads). We don't need to write a lot here about it, we want those who were there to post a comment and tell the story. - Blog away gang - and thanks for such a wonderful experience? Ricky