the quilts of Ann Brauer--still standing edition

What a whirlwind of activity the last month has been.  As you may remember my beloved studio at 2 Conway Street floated down the Deerfield River while I was doing the American Craft Exposition in Evanston, IL at the end of August. Fortunately I had my best quilts and my craft fair display with me. The building floated and then got held up by two maple trees just before it would have gone into the River--my DH managed to rescue my sewing machine, the two quilts my grandmother made and some items stored up high. Most of the quilts in the building, much of the stash and supplies and many of the furnishings were lost--sigh--but it could have been worse.

No,  I did not have flood insurance--why should I?--the home nearest my studio had been standing for over 160 years. Unfortunately the water pressure at the Harriman Reservoir built up to the point where the utility company had to release water from the flood gates or risk having the entire reservoir go. Certainly if they had not had to do this release my lovely building would still be standing. Could they have drawn down the water level more before Irene? Could they have provided sufficient notice that this was even a possibility so more could have been save? Questions that haunt me in the wee hours of the morning. And no, FEMA does not help small businesses.

Meanwhile so many people and organizations have been so kind. I can't thank them enough--although I try.  CERF+ has been truly outstanding. I must also give shout outs to the Mary Lyon Foundation, the Shelburne Falls Area Business Association and A Notion to Quilt. There have been donations of time and money from friends and even strangers--all much appreciated, quiltmakers who managed to give me priced donations of stash--usually managing to choose just the right fabric I needed for the particular project, customers who made purchases to help me, suppliers who waced fees and of course my wonderful DH who has born more than his fair share of helping me deal with these events. Oh so many people--I appreciate each and every thing that has been done. I could go on--but if you want to follow my progress more--I usually post about it on my Facebook Page--
http://www.facebook.com/AnnBrauerQuiltStudio

My studio is now usually open at 6 Bridge Street in Shelburne Falls--just across the river from where the darling pink building was. This week-end I will be at the Paradise City Arts Festival in Northampton, MA. I love this show--there is so much wonderful work there, as well as great food and music as well as plenty of free parking. Have you ever visited it? Definitely worth a trip or a visit while you look at the leaves changing into their autumn splendor. I am Booth 837. Do stop by. For further information or discounted tickets--their web site is http://www.paradisecityarts.com Note--when I do a craft show, the studio is closed.

Meanwhile I still cannot do a quilt of the month--I hope you will understand--but I did want to share an image of a new quilt I just finished that does show reflections of Irene. I call it "above the river".  What do you think?