Maple Leaf Quilt Block and Pumpkin Day

This 12" Maple Leaf block is the 19th block of my Starwood Sampler Quilt, created to tell the story of my home and community.  I made it as a block of the month with my quilting group, the Persian Pickles.  A friend and I chose the blocks, and we found this pattern free on-line at: http://www.quilterscache.com/M/MapleLeafBlock.html.  Alternate blocks in my quilt are set straight and on point.  This block is set on point. 

In my yard, the Rocky Mountain Maple, aspen, scrub oak, and chokecherry trees change colors in the fall in contrast to the steady, dark green color of the pines and firs.     

Fall means Pumpkin Day.  My dad has a large garden in my parents' yard and, until recently, even an extra garden of pumpkins and corn in his neighbor's yard.  Each year, all the family gathers at my parents' home for Pumpkin Day.

My mom prepares a meal for all of us.

Pumpkin Day Dip

2 cups powdered sugar

1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese

15 ounce can pumpkin

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1 teaspoon ginger

1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

1.  Beat the powdered sugar and cream cheese until well blended.  Blend in remaining ingredients.  Store in an airtight container.

2.  Serve with gingersnaps, vanilla wafers, and/or apple slices.  
       

Everyone chooses a pumpkin to take home.  Relatives from Sweden also came for Pumpkin Day one year.

          

  

Even Chloe chooses a pumpkin!

Pumpkin Picking

Let’s go picking in the pumpkin patch.

Now we’re jiggling the old gate latch.

Gate swings wide and we step inside.

Pumpkins spread like an ocean tide.

You take the one like a fat balloon.

I’ll take the one like an orange moon.

Hike to the house in fifty paces.

Then we’ll carve out the pumpkin faces.

            Sandra Olson Liatsos
 

 

 

You might also enjoy reading my previous post:

http://www.starwoodquilter.blogspot.com/2013/01/hummingbird-quilt-block.html