I had a real treat last night when I went to hear from 6 of the Gees Bend Quilters. They all told briefly how they learned to quilt and about their lives. They made quilts to keep warm....not because they considered it art. They used scraps from the local cotton gin to fill their quilts. (That is why they had to quilt so close together). They all now own machines and use commericial batting but still mostly quilt by hand. The discovery of these quilts allowed these women to rise above the extreme poverty they were in and have opened doors for travel and new experiences.
But the most suprising part of the evening was the a cappella gospel concert they gave us. They had the diverse audience on their feet, clapping along with the rythm by the end of the session.
I quilt because I like the art form, not to stay warm. I buy fabric, patterns, and batting without thinking about the cost. But I know my grandmother made utilitarian quilts from scraps because I know have some! Whether from new or old they are made to wrap up loved ones.
If you get a chance to see these Quilts you should...not because of their workmanship but because of their visual impact and the stories behind the quilts.
We drove to Cana, Va yesterday afternoon along the Blue Ridge parkway to see some foilage and shop for apples. We tasted a few, then decided on the York. It is really crunchy and not too sweet. Old timers called this a hillside apple due to the way it is shaped. 
Here are some of my ski club buddies on a beautiful Fall afternoon. We all use radio names when skiing so let me introduce you from left to right: Whole Wheat, Dairy Queen, Sugar Maple, Tree Hugger (they are married....get it?), Bunny Foo Foo and Go Postal. Seated is Shutterbug. As much as we all enjoyed this perfect afternoon we would gradly trade it for a long soaking rain. The usually wide waterfall at the end of the hike was barely a trickle.
