Memorial Tree

When my dad passed away in January, some of my very good friends gave us a gift card to purchase a tree to plant in our yard in Dad's memory.  We haven't been able to go shopping for one because we have been quarantined due to Covid for the last couple of months. We were finally able to go pick one out yesterday.  The gift card was from Ritter's Nursery in West Burlington, IA and I would highly recommend them.  Steve waited on us, and he was so helpful and nice.  After we told him that we wanted a memorial tree and that I want it to be pretty (haha) he took us out and showed us several different trees that he thought might fit the bill.  I honestly liked them all and it was a difficult decision, but we ended up choosing a variegated red bud.  It will have purple blooms in the early spring like a regular red bud, but has really pretty white and green leaves the rest of the time. The white leaves actually look like flowers from a distance. Here it is in its new home outside of my sewing room window...

A little background on my friends who gave me this wonderful tree...they are Becky, Jill, Kim and Vicki.  I met Vicki first - at the very first show that I ever set up as a vendor.  The show was kind of a disaster because it was in Galena and the town completely flooded right before the show was to be held.  They had to postpone it and also move to a different location because the downtown tourist area was completely trashed.  So, it was slow, but that was fine - it was my first show and was still a lot of fun.  My mom was with me and Vicki's mom was with her.  Fortunately Vicki purchased jewelry from me for their shop - Yellow Creek Quilt Designs and that's when our friendship started. At the time Vicki and her sister, Jill, were in business together.  Vicki has since retired and Jill now owns the shop herself - she also designs quilt patterns and fabric.  If you aren't familiar with Yellow Creek, you should make yourself familiar. They are great people and it's a wonderful shop.  Several years later, we were all vending together at a show in Shipshewana, IN when they invited me to go to a quilt retreat in Wisconsin where they and several other quilt designers gathered twice a year.  I actually kind of drug my feet, which was nuts because now it's my favorite thing to do and they will never get rid of me!  Retreat is where I met Becky and Kim - the owners of Plays With Wool (recently retired).  We now go to retreat just as often as we can get a spot!  It's funny - looking back at how my friendship with Vicki started and how it blossomed into such a great friendship with all of them. 

When my dad passed in January, we had a retreat scheduled the following week.  Because Dad didn't want a funeral or anything, there really wasn't much to do, so I decided to still attend retreat.  Unfortunately Jill and Vicki lost their mom one week after Dad passed.  UGH!  That's one thing it would have been nice NOT to share.  Anyway...all four of the girls are very thoughtful and kind, not to mention a blast to hang out with and super helpful any time I send out an SOS!  Gifting us the tree was such a great idea, and I am so grateful for it.  Greg picked out the perfect place for the new tree and I'm thankful that he is so helpful!  So...thanks girls and thanks Greg for going to get it and planting it in the perfect spot.  I will think of Dad and friendships when I see it!