A Great Week! ;-)

The weather in our remote corner of the planet this past week was mostly cold, cloudy and wet ... yep ... typical for us!

But I love our extended hours of daylight.  This sunset photo was taken around 11:00 pm when the sun found a little space amongst the cloud cover to peak through.  Sunrise occurs about 3:00 am ... now you know why I don't have any pictures of that! ;-)

I spent this week participating in "Teacher Inservice Training", it is common for us to complain about this sort of thing ... teachers can be a tough audience, especially the week after they have finished a school year ... but the week flew by, and it was enjoyable!  I have taught for 27 years (how did that happen?) and this was the first time I've ever felt inspired about inservice training.  The key reason why was not the subject ... I've had tons of technology training!  The difference lies in that the person who organized the training and the presenters used the same successful formula every good teacher uses ... 1. Begin with where their ability level is.  2.  Assist them in feeling capable.  Be their cheerleader.  3.  Show them the applicable and practical uses for what they're learning.  This formula leaves learners empowered and more confident in their abilities.  Yes ... teaching is as simple as 123.  Well ... maybe not that simple, but that is where every successful teacher begins.

Normally I don't drag my professional work into this personal blog ... but the truth is that we are all teachers ... we spend everyday teaching those around us ... sometimes we're teaching formally ... but mostly it is informal teaching, impacting those around us with our words and actions.  The "Teaching 123" formula will make us better teachers in our personal and dillydally lives as well!  ;-)

Speaking of a dillydally lifestyle ...

... the dillydally winds shifted in this direction... I bet you can guess?  I love Americana themed everything ... yes ... I tear up everytime I hear the national anthem!  We are far from perfect, but I love being an American!  For the past two years I've been collecting fat quarters and halves of Americana fabric because I was inspired by this...

It was hanging behind the cutting counter at Back Porch Quilts in Detroit Lakes, Minnesota.  It was my first visit to this inspiring quilt store ... during the 2009 MN Shop Hop ... and I immediately fell in love with this quilt!  You can read about that visit here!  They were out of the pattern at that time ... they were super busy ... a tour bus of customers were also there ... owner Terry, took down my name and information ... and said she would order it for me.  Honestly, I didn't think that would happen considering the circumstances.

Oh me of little faith ... in September of that year, Terry called and within days it arrived in my home!  Gosh, don't you just appreciate customer service like that?  I was so impressed with that shop that QBee Diane and I visited it last summer as well ... read about my second visit here ... I can't wait to go back with the QBees again this summer.  Great shop!

Sooo ... the cutting and piecing began ... the pattern is set up in 8 separate sections ... enabling you to complete one section at a time.  That concept works out great for me ... this quilt is a personal one and has no deadlines ... so I can work on it when the dillydally whim hits me.  No pressure ... I love it!

I completed the first section at our guild's Time to Sew event this weekend.  Of course, I had to scrap it up!  Even though that makes it more time consuming ... I'm very happy with the results!

I have one more day of inservice training ... yeah! And then my summer stint at full-time dillydallying begins!  Double yeah!  Envision Mrs. DillyDally doing a happy dance!  Then again, maybe you shouldn't! ;-)

Do dillydally!  God bless America!