Good Things

That Hattie! She has friends all over the place. And I get to benefit from that, in so many ways. If you've followed the weather here in the Pacific Northwest, you know it's been cold, gray and snowy. But the Larson house is full of light and cheer, thanks especially to two of Hattie's pals.

The quilt that Hattie makes in the book (and ultimately gives to Perilee) has inspired many quilters to snip and piece. Here is a picture of a version made by M., a recent transplant from Montana to North Carolina:
I love the way the blue center evokes that endless Montana sky and the brown triangles can speak of mountain peaks (western Montana) or desert prairie (eastern Montana). The calico prints remind me of something Hattie might have worn, too.

I shared one piece of art from my Missouri buddy, Kaelen, but Monday brought a package bursting at the seams with other samples of her work. Of course, one of my favorites of Kaelen's pieces is her rendition of the cover of Hattie Big Sky. This photo doesn't do justice to the art; this is a reduction of a copy. Wish you could see it in person!
Kaelen is 13 or 14; can't you just imagine what kind of artist she's going to grow up to be? Maybe I'll be lucky enough to have her illustrate one of my books someday!

As I vacillate between liking and hating the current WIP, it's good to have these reminders of the power of story to build bridges between the hearts of complete strangers. These gifts from M. and Kaelen encourage me to keep going.

Hope they do the same for you!