A to Z Challenge: Quail Run and Quilts

I mentioned earlier on that DH and I often spent time together in the kitchen at either his apartment or mine, but we also had some lovely evenings eating out.  One of the first special evenings we enjoyed together was in July of 1981 when we had dinner together at a restaurant called Quail Run.  The restaurant was located up in the foothills and dinners were seated next to large picture windows overlooking the meadow and forest outside.   Little creatures such as rabbits and quail were often seen scampering around outside, and perhaps a deterrent to the appetite if you happened to order something similar from the offerings on the menu.   I don't actually remember what I ordered that night, but I don't believe it was rabbit or qual.

I can't seem to create a letter Q blog post without bringing up one of my favorite subjects:  Quilts.
This is especially true this year that I am blogging about our courtship.    Quilting is quite the tradition in our family.   My dear mother-in-law created a gorgeous work of art during the time that I was in Colombia, and presented it to DH for Christmas while I was gone. The photo below doesn't do justice to the hand quilted fan quilt pictured below, where it is folded in half over a small twin bed.  This quilt is a true treasure in our home.

My own dear mother has made several quilts for us over the years, including the colorful patchwork quilt pictured below.

Every time a young couple becomes engaged to be married, my extended family gathers together to create a quilt for them, so one summer day in 1983 we all gathered at my Aunt's home to work on the family quilt.

As you can see, all family members, young and old, male and female were invited to eat and visit and quilt,   My dear father no undoubtedly put in a few stitches, as did my brother with his long arms.  My mother and one of my dear aunts are pictured above . .

And who else is sitting there right in the middle putting in his own stitches? 

 You're absolutely right.  It's my own DH.

This beautiful quilt has been used well and often in our home throughout the years, as a covering for our bed, to bundle up cold babies and children watching TV, and even as a prop in a favorite game invented by the kids that they called  "The Green Blob"  I'm still not sure exactly what the rules were, but somehow involved older brothers covered by the quilt sneaking up on and scaring younger sisters.   Even though the batting in the quilt is now quite compressed and the fabric is very well worn,this is still a popular bed covering for visitors in our home.   

But perhaps the most cherished attribute of this beautiful quilt is a special message stitched along one edge, the brainchild and creation of my own DH.

Can you see it???