sunday stories: no place like home

DOROTHY LANDED ON MY DOORSTEP five separate times last night -- and it wasn't because there was a little bit of Kansas brewing outside. The gingham-clad, ruby-slippered trick or treaters ranging in ages from four to twelve showed up throughout the busy night of Halloween activity. Amid the usual goblins, ghosts and superheroes the innocence and simplicity of the pig-tailed Dorothy seemed quite the contrast.

It's true that the Wizard of Oz has remained a perennial favorite throughout these many years. According to Wikipedia, it was the repeated network showings, between 1959 and 1991, which helped it become a family tradition. And, Harold Arlen and E.Y. Harburg's Over the Rainbow ballad is considered one of the most popular songs ever written and recorded in the American Songbook. But to see such a wide-spread embrace of the iconic Dorothy this season seems to speak more to a rediscovered appreciation of our core values.

Along with that simple costume comes the widespread embrace and longing for a simpler life. Can it be just a coincidence that vegetable gardening (your own piece of Kansas) has seen significant growth? Or, that canning has become a popular by-product (be ready for all those lovely holiday gift baskets filled with preserves). Oh, and if you didn't know, crafting has become a 30+ billion dollar industry embraced by both indie artisans and grandmoms alike. There is something special sprouting from the seeds of common sense planted alongside all those vegetables.

Perhaps it's just what Dorothy says before bursting into song as she longs to go "someplace where there isn't any trouble." An escape. The ability to feel at peace. Have some control. Find a creative outlet. Give me those ruby slippers, my pretty!

sunday stories: aunt sylvia's closet

AS I ENGAGED IN THE SEASONAL RITUAL of switching over the clothes in my closet from summer to fall, my mind drifted to memories of my Aunt Sylvia ― a New York native who was my early guide as I began navigating the concepts of "style." When she passed away a few years ago, my sister Sandra and I carefully sorted through a collection of fashion memories as we cleared out the walk-in closet in her Florida condo.

We sifted through the closets, drawers and storage boxes that housed sweater sets, pantsuits (Hilary Clinton had nothin' on Aunt Sylvia), matching bags and shoes. We found clothes with price tags still on them. We counted 32 house dresses, representing her daily after-work transition as she would change into one at the end of each day (to wear between the time she arrived home and before she dressed for bed). We discovered organized drawers of undergarments and unearthed expensive scarves preserved in their original gift boxes.

Soon we were laying out her outfits on the bed, coordinating the shoes and the jewelry into her memorable ensembles. We'd take a moment to admire them before they were packed away into the boxes for charity ― a pause, a smile, a small tribute to her talent.

While certainly appreciative, my cousin Larry admitted if it had been left up to him he would have dumped all the clothing into several green garbage bags, dropped them off at Goodwill and called it a day. We stood there in disbelief. Unceremoniously dumped? Never. Touched by a maven's influence, obviously only two sisters could give their Aunt's carefully curated collection of clothes the proper goodbye that a lifetime of thoughtful fashion decisions deserved.

sunday stories: quilting in the sisters hood

IS THERE A MORE PERFECT PLACE for women to gather than in a city called Sisters? For the past 35 years, on every second Saturday in July, this small Oregon town has been hostess to passionate quilters and enthusiasts from near and very far.

This past July was no exception, with The Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show drawing a crowd of 30,000 quilting fans, who walked the downtown streets to view the 1,200 quilts hung in, around and on the local buildings.

As true to the legacy of quilting, each quilt display in the non-juried show had a "Quilt Story" pinned to the corner.

While the origins of quilting are about creating beauty and comfort from essentially scrap material, there is the important element of self-expression that emerged over the years and has become the golden thread that seamlessly stitches generation to generation. When women did not have the option to learn to read or write, it was the needle, thread and fabric that became their means for storytelling and preserving family history.

Quilting has long offered women a chance to gather, socialize, share news and offer support, and this event is no exception. Although the official quilt show is just the one day, there are activities the week prior, including classes, events, artist receptions and even a musical production called, appropriately, "Quilters, The Musical".

The mood is unlike any festival you have attended. Though packed and crowded, the estrogen-infused air leads all to be good-spirited, willing to share their tips and show their stuff. There are a few loyal husbands and good-natured male companions scattered throughout the mostly female crowd — but when in Sisters, on this particular weekend, it's really all about the ladies.