Nonsense Quilt Block

    
     I found this Nonsense quilt pattern in 5,500 Quilt Block Designs by Maggie Malone.  It's also known as Boy's Nonsense.
     In these diary entries, Minerva is Hattie's oldest sister.  She's married and lives in the nearest town of Olivet, Kansas.  Donald is Minerva's son, who wants to name his new brother Sardine!  Howard and Ted are Hattie's younger brothers.
     Hattie attends Chautauqua with Frank George, her future husband and my grandfather.  The Chautauqua Movement - traveling shows and local assemblies that flourished in the United States in the late 19th and early 20th centuries - provided popular education combined with entertainment in the form of lectures, concerts, and plays, and were modeled after activities at the Chautauqua Institution of western New York (Merriam-Webster On-Line Dictionary).
     Note that Mother thinks Hattie's diary keeping is "a waste of time and sleep" but that Hattie thinks in fifty years she might enjoy seeing what her life used to be like. 

Friday, August 4, 1916 -
"Well, I have a new nephew born last night.  He surely is a fine, big boy - 9-1/2 pounds.  We were up to see him and Minerva tonight.  He has an abundance of light hair.  Donald said he was going to name him Sardine!"

Saturday, August 5, 1916 -
"Papa and Howard and Ted went to Emporia today, and I had them get me a new supply of paper.  I crowded last night's account in such a small space, and now I just discovered several more sheets in the desk drawer.  But I have plenty now.  Mother says it's a waste of time and sleep, but perhaps fifty years from now I'll enjoy seeing how I used to be.

"Papa also brought me some new, pink silk stockings and some letter paper and some good things for tomorrow - watermelon, peaches, cherries, and a fine roast."

Sunday, August 6, 1916 -

"I am so tired - it is a little after 11 o'clock, and I'm anxious to pile in bed.  Frank and I made another trip to Osage City tonight - but no alarming disasters this time.  We attended Chautauqua.  The entertainment was very good -  Hannah Gove and the Pilgrim Girls as a prelude to a scientific lecture on Wireless, Radium, and Liquid Air.  We were each given a snowball!

"We kids went to church this morning in the car.  I drove coming home, and we were caught in a little sprinkle this side of the big hill. Frank brought Fannie and Verning Speer out to Sunday School, and for the first time on record our class won the banner on Missionary Sunday - and only five in the class!"

You might also enjoy reading my previous blog post:
http://www.starwoodquilter.blogspot.com/2012/03/village-square-quilt-block.html