The next quilt block is “Going Around the Mountain”. It is supposed to look like squares radiating out to the edge. I intentionally changed it up to be “Courthouse Steps”. I love this block. The foundation paper pattern was not changed, just the fabric placement. Ideally the colors would’ve progressed from the lightest tan to the deepest brown, but I was constrained by the quantity of each scrap piece. I’m sewing them up to within an inch of their lives, or in this case, 1/4 of an inch. I am bothered by too much waste, and I don’t want leftover that will have to be revisited later. I want them used all the way up!
The scripture passage reports that the Hebrews have safely crossed the Red Sea and have set up camp at the base of Mount Sinai. Moses leaves them there in the desert and climbs up the mountain to talk with God.
I’m “going around the mountain” too. I’m not walking in the dust and sand of the Sinai desert, rather I’m zooming in a car towards Phoenix. But my trip is exceptional, too, because of this sight out my passenger seat window:
This is a sight I’ve not seen before near Palm Springs. Snow! This just does not happen in the Southwest.
Are you a mountain person, a desert person, a beach person? I live in a place where I can experience all three in a day’s drive around my county. But if I had to choose one, I’d say I’m a mountain person. I love the smell of the evergreens and the sounds of the birds that play in them. These desert mountains are more the sawtooth variety, with cactus growing at their sandy bases.
Some people love the desert, and I am not one of them. When the Bible has something happening in the desert, it’s usually accompanied by hardship and struggle. There is wandering and doubt and fear. But mountains, on the other hand, are where God meets with us to encourage and reassure us of His love.
I’m attending a Best Practices Conference with a group from my church. Surrounded by likeminded people and quality speakers, it’s truly a “mountaintop experience”. In the desert.
Cuts With Scissors 