September was a bittersweet month. The Queen’s passing on September 8th hit me hard. I had a renewed interest in British history due to watching both “The Crown” and “Downton Abbey” earlier this year. I had also recently discovered a black & white photo of the Queen my (late) mother had saved from when she had seen the Queen during her United States tour in 1957. I was looking for old black & white photos to colorize as part of a Photoshop assignment.
I’m not sure why the Queen’s death was so personally upsetting. Perhaps it’s because I know that there will never be another Queen in my lifetime. She represented nearly a century of history, meeting with Prime Ministers from Winston Churchill to Liz Truss two days before she died. She witnessed so much history and it seemed like she would always be there. Just like that, she was gone.
I had just finished watching the Royal Funeral, when I learned that one of my dearest childhood friends had lost her mother, who was also 96. The funeral was local, so I was able to attend. Before the end of the month yet another dear childhood friend lost her 95 year-old mother. I felt like the world had lost three queens. I had known these women since I was about twelve, they were devoted to both family and God. Like Queen Elizabeth II, they were strong, steadfast, and always proper ladies. I always enjoyed spending time in their homes.
Fortunately, I could also happily celebrate my Mother-in-Law’s 90th Birthday. I made her two quilts to commemorate the occasion. I also made a quilt for a good friend using beautiful fabric designed by the artist Abraham Hunter.
