'O' is for Organ . . .

 "And Ruth the Moabitess said unto Naomi,

Let me now go to the field,

and glean ears of corn after him

In whose sight I shall find grace.

And she said unto her, Go, my daughter."

Ruth 2:2  KJV

'O' is for organ . . . Western Yearly Meeting is blessed to have an amazing pipe organ in the Meetingroom along with several talented/gifted Friends who play it during Yearly Meeting sessions and other times throughout the year.

As I sat in Yearly Meeting sessions, last July, looking at the organ and listening to Friends play it I decided that I would have to share it with you. The following is the organ's history taken from the posting next to the organ:

"The organ was built in 1899 by August Prante & Sons. It was first installed in the Assumption Roman Catholic Church on Blaine Avenue in southwest Indianapolis and served there until that church closed around 1990. The building was then taken over by St. Athanasius Church, a Byzantine rite congregation which does not use musical instruments. The bellows leather deteriorated and by 1996 the organ was unplayable. Because of a leaking window behind the instrument, the floor under the organ required repair and the instrument was put on the market. The organ celebrated its centennial with a move to its present location & a complete restoration in 1999.

The Prante family were organbuilders for at least three generations. The father, Joseph Charles Prante, emigrated with his family from the Westphalia district of Prussia in 1852. By 1856 the family was in Louisville, Kentucky. Prante built several instruments from a small organ shop at St. Meinrad, Indiana before returning to Kentucky and southern Indiana. By 1896 his four sons were also identified with the business. August died in 1900 and the sons continued the business into the 1920's. There are only four Prante instruments still in existence, all from August Prante's workshop. A twin to the Plainfield organ, also from 1899, is located in St. Phillip Neri Church in Louisville.

The moving and restoration of the organ was carried out by Goulding and Wood, Organbuilders, of Indianapolis. They remarked about the solid construction and good workmanship of the instrument. It consists of 896 pipes in 16 ranks or sets, five of which are of wood and the remaining 11 of zinc and pipe metal, an alloy of tin and lead. Two of the stops are for the pedal keyboard and seven each are for the manual keyboards. Two of the stops are reeds, the Oboe and the Trumpet. The swellbox is elevated at the back of the organ, allowing better projection of the sound. The action of the organ is entirely mechanical, called "tracker action" and the original hand pump projects from the left rear of the organ so that it can be played without any electricity being available. A modern Swiss electric blower is now attached. The colors of the exposed pipes and the stenciling designs, reminiscent of those used at the time the organ was built were selected and applied by Marilyn  Wittmer-Etchison. This Victorian era design and the oak paneling on the case sides allow the instrument to blend into the atmosphere of our 157 year old Meetinghouse."

This year I am not attending/participating in Western Yearly Meeting sessions as I am across the Pond traveling around England (see the blogs I'm publishing about that journey). Instead . . . I'll be attending/participating in YMG 2017 with over 1,300 British Friends and guests! So whilst I'll be missing hearing this beautiful organ being played this weekend . . . I'm enjoying visiting 1652 Territory/The Lake District and the beginning of my visit to YMG and seeing old Friends and meeting so many new Friends.

Western Yearly Meeting is truly blessed!

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'O' is for "Old Maid's Puzzle" block . . . A fairly simple block, often taught to beginning quilters. This block only contains squares and half-square triangles. The colors you choose and how you arrange the blocks will have an impact on your finished quilt.

This block also appears to look a lot like the 'Fox and Geese' block. Perhaps this is yet another one of those blocks that has multiple names.

Making several of these blocks and rotating them in different ways can give the illusion of a new block. Adding sashing or placing the blocks on point achieves even more variations.

I don't have a photo of my "Old Maid's Puzzle" block with me, so I'll have to post a photo when I get home.