Cats and Mice Quilt Block

     I love the color combination of this 12" Cats and Mice quilt block.  It was not difficult to put together.  I used the directions found here:   http://www.quilterscache.com/C/CatandMiceBlock.html
     In this diary entry, Elmo and Orv are hired men who live on the farm.  Mrs. Hile is a neighbor who helps with housework and lives with them most of the week.  Lyndon is the county seat of Osage County, Kansas.  
     Hattie plays One Old Cat with her twelve-year-old siblings, Anna and George.  I found out information on Wikipedia about this old game:  One Old Cat is a bat and ball game, with a giver (pitcher), a striker (batter), a catcher, and sometimes another fielder or two. The striker, upon hitting the ball thrown by the giver, attempts to run to a single base (often the giver's position) and back again. The fielders try to "sting" the striker-runner with a thrown ball while he/she is not touching the base. The striker is also out if the struck ball is caught in the air, or if he swings three times at the giver's deliveries and misses. Once the striker is out, players rotate positions.  One Old Cat is a game of individuals—one against all—and not a team sport. Each base touched before 'out' (or just home) scores a point, although the score is often not kept.

Friday, April 21, 1916 -
"It's almost eleven o'clock, but we had to look over the mail after Elmo brought it, of course.  I am a little 'tahred' as Florine used to say.  Mrs. Hile and I cleaned both this morning and a while this afternoon.  Papa went to Lyndon today and was gone almost all day.  He doesn't intend to go to Kansas City tomorrow, so I told him I would be willing to wait until next week if he'd let me go along.

"Today has been bright but rather cool and windy.  I nearly blew off of the upper north porch this A.M. while cleaning rugs.  Orv told me I needed an anchor. 

"Anna, George, and I had a very exciting game of 'one old cat' this evening.  The roosters are beginning to crow; I had better turn in."

You might also enjoy reading my previous blog entry:
 http://starwoodquilter.blogspot.com/2011/10/four-winds-quilt-block.html