Quilt Goes to Alpine, TX

A Good Name

​I love the name of this west Texas town. Being at an elevation of 4,500. (high for Texas) makes it worthy of its name.  

When I realized Don and I would be in Alpine for 2 days in February, I searched online for a place to volunteer. Sunshine House! Another perfect name.

Tuesday Morning
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​It was a perfect sunshiny morning, when I arrived at the welcoming, white brick building. It turns out this building has been many things since it was built in 1893. First it was a public school. 

In years following, it was a hospital, college dorm, Border Patrol Station and then an office for US Agricultural and Soil Conservation. For my visit, Sunshine House was a cozy center, offering hot lunches and social activities to the senior community.

A Cozy Place
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I loved entering through screened doors! (There are not enough screened door in Texas!) And there were open windows too, letting in the pleasant morning air.

There were Valentine decorations, on the tables and doorway. An antique quilt decorated the wall, near the welcoming desk. That was a good sign. Quilts are welcoming, that's why I use mine. ​​

Setting Up

 

I was introduced to the director, Cathy. She helped find a space for me to use, even though I wasn't even sure what I'd be doing. ​​

We had spoken on the phone weeks earlier. Cathy said some of the women really enjoyed quilting. I hoped some might arrive that morning. But it didn't really matter. I spread out the quilt with a few things to open conversation and I waited to see what would happen.

Designs & Talking

​It was a quiet morning and the first two people I met were men.  I promised them, this wasn't a "Just For Ladies Thing" and invited them to the table. As we sat and talked (not about quilts) the men both gravitated towards the colored wood shapes. ​

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As we visited, they pieced together designs and then teased each other about whose was best. I loved sitting in that quiet little room chatting about how Cruz had moved from Mexico in 1962. He talked fondly about the different places he had lived and the different crops he had worked with. I loved the soft spoken answer from Nick, when I asked if Alpine had changed much since he was a boy growing up. "Hmm. Not really."  I smiled at that surprising answer.

Casual Visiting

​I never did an actual program. As it turns out, I never had a group at one time. I had a number of people coming in and visiting with me, as well as each other.

It was a nice change from what I do regularly. The quilt did its job, giving us a cozy area to gather and share a story or two.  And I did get a chance to pull out my traveling quilt project. A few were happy to decorate a quilt square, to add to the growing quilt.  

Squares & Stories

Cathy joined our little gathering at one point, to share some antique quilts that had been donated to the center.  As she visited with us, I told her what a  great storyteller Avalon was. "Oh I know!" Cathy laughed with nothing but appreciation. ​​

Avalon told a few more stories about her maternal grandmother, who used to host quilting bees. She talked about her violin-playing and her Choctaw grandfather. Avalon picked a piece of fabric with woven baskets. Cruz picked fabric with yellow corn on it.  "Did you ever pick corn on any of the farms where you worked?" I asked. "Oh yes!" Cruz answered.

The Dining Room
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​Across the hall I could smell chicken fried steak cooking. 

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It was obvious I could not compete with the smells that lured the noontime visitors into the dining room. "Come eat with us!" They asked. I told them my husband was arriving to pick me up.  "I'll stay for lunch next time I visit!" I promised.

Visiting with the Diners

​I didn't have time to eat, but I did visit with a few tables. I asked what was the best thing about Sunshine House. A few agreed it was the food they liked best.

Some said Cathy was the best! Many said, it was the friends they met. A sweet, smiling woman name Lila, said it was her kids who convinced her to come to the center. She laughed, "I always mind my kids!" But you could tell they didn't have to persuade her anymore. She pointed to Cruz across the table and grinned. "Cruz gave me flowers on my birthday."  Then she smiled to the woman next to her. "Carmen doesn't speak any English and I don't speak Spanish. But we hug a lot!" ​.

What did I learn?
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I was reminded about small town warmth.  There are wonderful centers like this in big cities, but there was something small and safe and cozy about this little neighborhood building, that sits in a small town.

When I said I would eat lunch next time, I wasn't just saying that. I really hope I'll be back. And I don't even think I need The Quilt to pave the way.
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