Revisiting The Conroy Center

Back a couple of weeks ago, just after we returned from our mini-vacation to South Carolina, I wrote this post about how we practically tripped over the Pat Conroy Literacy Center. Why, if we'd planned that as our destination, we probably never would have found it, yet there it was waiting for us as on a leisurely jaunt through Beaufort. 

Since that earlier post, I have additional thoughts to share - not so much quilting related (fair warning!) - but more literary in nature. Please indulge me!

First, I sent an email to Pat's sister, Kathy, to share the link to that first post. Incredibly, she responded! She included info about her friend who IS a quilter and who helped her navigate through the quilt-making process. Her response was very cordial, and she had a single request - to please include her friend's name. 

In Kathy's own words, "...my teacher ... Brenda Wagner, as it would not be possible without a great teacher. When I asked Brenda if she would teach me how to quilt she said yes. I said we have a slight problem - I don't know how to sew. She was not afraid of me."

Sweet. I always knew we quilters were fearless people. *grin* Consider it mentioned, Kathy.

I shared just a couple of pictures of the Conroy Center in the first post, so I will add the remaining ones here.

By any chance are you familiar with a world-wide effort known as Little Free Library? I am aware of it because one of the friends in my book club has actively established some in our area, and she continues to make sure our local Little Free Library is stocked with books. Well, before I even entered the front door at the Conroy Center, I snapped these two pictures of their Little Free Library. Click on each pic to get an enlarged view so you can read the quotes. So apropos. I knew before walking into the place, I was gonna' love it!

And speaking of Conroy quotes, note the one on this bench which along with the scene represents Conroy's year of teaching on Daufuskie Island, the subject of his memoir The Water Is Wide. I highly recommend this book; I'm planning to reread it this summer. So good. Anyway, I learned that the bench is a new addition to the Center because I now subscribe to the Conroy Center email newsletter; an artist's profile is featured in the most recent edition. I'm learning quite a lot about the Center's activities as well as the cultural scene in Beaufort. 

I mentioned in the first post (link up top) that I remember reading The Prince of Tides in the summer of '88. In response to the post, I had an email from my friend Dee (yes, our sew along Dee), in which she recollected one particularly vivid scene - and it is memorable for me from her reading it aloud when Sharon and I were gathered at her house. The scene is hilarious; Dee's email synopsised perfectly, "...Mom served pleasingly disguised dog food to the tyrannical abusive dad who had complained about the original dinner..." Yep. Perfect. The scene served to lighten the mood and tamp down the book's intensity as it came on the heels of an especially harrowing episode.

Well, that is all I have in regard to revisiting Beaufort and the Conroy Center. Hopefully, you've not been too bored.

If you've stayed with me through all that literary stuff, then you deserve to see a quilt picture. *grin* Almost exactly one year ago, I was finishing up Larkspur Stars, and I love it as much now as I did when I made it. Oh! It needs to be quilted!

Happy Quilting, Friends!