Kim Hanson

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The Birth Place Forest of Silver Springs

August 30, 2021 | 5 Comments

Good day everyone. I wrote this piece for Woods Reader, a beautiful, inspiring publication based in Spring Lake, Minnesota. It can be found in their Winter 2020/2021 issue.

 

The grassy green field was alive with energy and vitality. School children, in groups of five or so, squealed with delight taking turns kicking the black and white soccer ball. Dogs barked; their owners allowing them freedom to run and play. The rush of four lanes of traffic roared by, leading in and out of the neighbourhood. Yet, the instant I stepped onto the spongy path of the Birth Place Forest, all outside sound was muffled. I was embraced, instead, by the sounds of nature.

 

Two prodigious things happened in the year 2002. First, our tiny, healthy, precious grandson, Jacob was born. Second, spawned from the creative minds of community-conscious individuals at BP Canada Energy Group, Calgary Parks/Regional Health and Golden Acres Garden Centre, the Birth Place Forest of Silver Springs was also born. The urban oasis took root on some land originally set aside as a roadway allowance or potential right-of-way. As each baby was born in Calgary, a tiny, healthy, significant tree was planted. Poplar, pine, ash, aspen, bur oak, spruce and Brandon elm began to stake-out their territory. . . roots traversing deep into the soil, establishing new life. The goals of the Birth Place Forest program were simple. To educate, to establish pride and ownership through connection and to form a deep abiding legacy to the trees planted in the urban forest.

Years passed by. Jacob grew. A visit to his tree became an adventure for us. He rode his bike to the Birth Place Forest while I walked alongside. He always rode ahead – so excited to reach our destination.

“Grandma!” he’d shout. “Hurry. Catch up. We’ve still got a long ways to go.”

We always easily found his green ash tree, right where the map led us. Jacob, upon arriving, would drop his bike on the ground and stand beside his tree or duck under his tree or lay on the ground beside his tree.

“Look how big it’s getting Grandma!” he’d say as I snapped a photo.

“Yes, and look how big you are getting my sweet boy!”

We would sit on the cedar bark cushion beside the ash tree and talk, all the while having a snack of juice and cheese and crackers. The perfect picnic.

The Birth Place Forest in Silver Springs grew in unison. The mass of trees began to stretch high into the sky, offering sanctuary and refuge to all the wildlife in the neighbourhood. On hot summer days, the forest was like slurping a popsicle; cool and delicious. In the chilly winter months, the trees seemed to huddle together, offering shelter from the cold, harsh, north winds. But it’s best foot forward came in the fall, when the leaves changed from sage green to amber and golden and glorious.

Calgary, with extraordinary prescience, created nine Birth Place Forests in different neighbourhoods around the city – the first of its kind in Canada. Planting trees began in 2001 and continued until 2009 when planting ceased due to a dearth of suitable land and a sudden lack of funding.

“We require about five hectares of land to plant the trees and we need a site that can accommodate at least 3,000 families. Those sites can be hard to find,” said the city’s urban forestry coordinator.

But in those nine years, the City of Calgary planted 62,000 life-affirming new trees.

Silver Springs volunteers have taken over maintenance and management of the Birth Place Forest, ensuring care continuity. Botanical gardens were created and abut the forest, together stretching over 20 acres of land. Strolling the paths is a spiritual antidote to the stress and chaos in our lives.

“I grew up in a forest. It’s like a room. It’s protected. Like a cathedral… it is a place between
heaven and earth.”
― Anselm Kiefer

Jacob is turning 19 years of age soon. So is his green ash tree. Both are tall, strong and purposeful. He doesn’t visit the Birth Place Forest often, but I do. I walk the paths, revel in the sounds of nature and sit on the bench to collect my thoughts or write in my journal.

“And into the forest I go, to lose my mind and find my soul.”
— John Muir


 

It’s a space and a place of peace. I reminisce about my sweet grandson, the wonder pooling in his eyes and the excitement spilling out of every pore. Here in the Birth Place Forest, my connection to Jacob is palpable. Here in the Birth Place Forest there is a deep, abiding legacy to the trees that surround me. Here is nature at its very best.

Filed Under: Beautiful Calgary urban parks, Gardening, Photography, Press, Stories & Essays, Writing | Tagged With: autumn, BirthPlaceForest, Calgary, SilverSprings, trees

A Wonderful Early Christmas Gift

December 22, 2016 | 1 Comment

Good day everyone.  Thanks ever so much for stopping by.

Today, I was so thrilled to see my quilt, which I call Carina, on the cover of Annie’s Quilting book – More Quick & Easy Quilts for Kids

annies

Special thanks to the lovely editors at Annie’s Quilting. I am very appreciative.

You can purchase a copy of this book here.

Merry Christmas everyone. Take some time to relax and enjoy your families this weekend.

Take good care of yourself.

Kim

Filed Under: Decorating with Quilts, Magazine quilts, Press, Quilt Patterns, Quilt Photography, Quilts, Uncategorized |

American Quilter magazine – 21st Annual Festival of Quilts, Heritage Park, Calgary, Alberta

August 24, 2016 | Leave a Comment

Good morning everyone. It’s a sunny and fabulous, if a little windy, Wednesday here in beautiful Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Although it’s only August 24th, there are definite signs of Fall rapidly approaching. The weather here can basically change overnight; the feeling of an instant chill in the air near the end of August is a sure sign that summer is coming to an abrupt halt. I think it’s exciting – cooler weather is not my enemy and I love the “feel” of the day when school starts again.

I had the pleasure of writing an article on Calgary’s Festival of Quilts for American Quilter magazine. The article is featured in the most recent issue of AQ, September 2016.

AQ

The Festival of Quilts is a spectacular quilt show held each year in Calgary’s Heritage Park in late May. The Park itself forms the perfect backdrop for all the beauty of hanging quilts.

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HP17

FofQ

This year’s rendition took place outdoors in blue, sunny skies for most of Saturday and Sunday. But a huge deluge of rain swept in to drench the Park on Saturday and most of the quilts had to be hauled indoors by volunteers and then re-hung outdoors once the skies cleared. During the downpour, the quilted cow stood alone!

cow

The best part of having written this article was meeting and speaking with some pretty special quilters. Margaret Jones Jessop was the Festival’s Quilter of Distinction. Her work is truly unparalleled…her quest for new and exciting ways to quilt is always inspiring. Rachel Elliott and Charla MacPhee, both members of the busy and active Facebook group, Calgary’s Modern Quilt Guild, contributed tremendously to the success of my article. Thank you so much to these three ladies and to Vanecea Greene and Mya MacPhee (Charla’s pint-sized quilting daughter). You can see my photos of their work in American Quilter magazine.

Next Wednesday I will feature Rachel Elliott’s quilts, photographed in Invermere, B.C. Stay tuned!

Thank you all so much.

Kim

Filed Under: Beautiful Calgary urban parks, Decorating with Quilts, Magazine quilts, Photography, Press, Quilt Photography, Quilters, Quilts, Writing |

Where Does Quilt Inspiration Come From? My Zen Garden, A Modern Day, Sweetly Imperfect Pieced and Appliqued Quilt

July 13, 2016 | Leave a Comment

Happy Wednesday everyone.

I was out for my walk awhile back and came across this cute little “library box” planted firmly in someone’s frontyard. It was jammed full of books and I couldn’t help but go over and take a peek. Just like a regular lending library, it seems one could easily “borrow” a book, read it and return it. Unlike a regular library, though, one needn’t sign out the book but would operate on the honour system and dutifully return the book when they were finished reading it. So simple!

I decided to ring the homes’ doorbell, something I ordinarily would NEVER do! An adorable lady by the name of Fern answered the door. I asked her if she would mind if I returned to take some photos on her front lawn with my quilts, her library box and her bench. She immediately gave me the green light and told me that she had planted the box to commemorate her late husband’s long and distinguished career in education. By coincidence she was also a quilter…but pointed out to me that she “did all her quilting by hand”. While I was at her front door, a neighbour came by for their daily walk and off they went. They were both such lovely women with sweet and positive dispositions.

I did return to Fern’s front lawn with some of my quilts and my granddaughter in tow. The quilt in this photo I call My Zen Garden which was previously featured in 2012’s Best Fat Quarter Quilts magazine by Quilter’s Newsletter.

HLibrary9

Fern was home at the time and popped out to take her own photos of both Harlow and me sitting on her bench.

KimandHarlow1

One of these days soon, I will ask Fern to let me photograph her quilts.

My Zen Garden, like most of my quilts, is imperfect. In retrospect, looking at it now there are several things I would change in the structure, colour and make-up of the quilt. But one thing I would not change is the feeling I get when I look at it. It genuinely makes me feel happy. It is a simple, unsophisticated and very child-like quilt. A large part of the charm comes from the fabrics – Riley Blake’s collection called Happy Sunny Skies. The collection is amazingly bright, beautiful and so, so appealing. Since My Zen Garden is meant to be a child’s snuggle quilt, it’s backed with pink flannel.

MyZenGarden

My inspiration for this quilt came from an actual “zen” garden built across the street from my parents’ house in West Hillhurst. The gardener of the property had sectioned off a small dirt patch in the front yard and divided the space into smaller squares with 2×4’s. In each little section, perennials had been planted ones that did not spread or flower, but just grew close to the ground. It was super simple but I loved it! So I fashioned this project idea after that little garden; the quilt is sectioned off into blocks, but it has flowers and trees and hearts for love. Puff cakes fill two of the blocks….a flower applique with a yo-yo, a small, circular piece of coordinating fabric and a button sewn on top. Nothing could be more simple, fun and creative to make!

MyZenGarden

My Zen Garden in Invermere, B.C.by the fountain at the public beach.

MyZenGarden1

My Zen Garden in magnificient Waterton, Alberta

Zen5

The notion of quilting with perfection has always haunted me. I’ve decided to let the whole thought go. Sometimes things work out in the way you hoped and sometimes they do not. Although I’m a quilt designer with lots and lots of patterns published in the quilting world, I must admit that I do not like writing patterns. Instead, I love the creative process – coming up with an idea, drawing it out and stitching until it resembles what was in my brain. Going back and writing the pattern is a stress-inducing activity for me! However, having said that I would happily post my pattern for My Zen Garden is you would like it….just let me know.

Next Wednesday – Charla MacPhee’s beautiful quilts.

Kim

Filed Under: Decorating with Quilts, Gardening, Magazine quilts, Photography, Press, Quilt Inspiration - Where Do Pattern Ideas Come From?, Quilt Patterns, Quilt Photography, Quilters, Quilts, Writing |

Free machine embroidery designs, a quilt pattern and a little girl named Hadlie

May 27, 2016 | Leave a Comment

A child’s bucket list, a quilt and a golden opportunity to make a difference.

Good day everyone.  I’m so very happy to introduce you all to my brand new website.  Crafted again by the genius of Shelly Caldwell, the wizard of all things WordPress and the goddess of creativity.   I love my new site and all that it offers; and look forward to being able to share so many more wonderful things with all of you in the near future.

For now, though, it’s all about Hadlie and her family.

Hadlie….a little girl living in central Alberta, Canada who was diagnosed with DIPG in her precious third year of life.  Her parents started a Facebook page for her by posting her bucklet list online and following up with photos and stories of their daily lives and how they checked items off the list.  A three year old child having to compose a bucket list?  Unimaginable.  It’s hard enough for old people to face their mortality, but a child?  Unimaginable.  While I was writing this post, I scrolled back through Hadlie’s Facebook page – back to the beginning in 2014.  It’s impossible for tears not to flow as I journeyed again with the family through all their ups and downs.

Hadlie’s family faced their challenges with amazing grace, love and support for their wonderful little girl.  She captured many hearts, including mine.  I never met Hadlie or any members of her family but I loved her right away.

HadliesFBphotoShe was so spunky; an individual with energy and love inside her. I mean, just look at that face!  The illumination of pure joy.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I made Hadlie a quilt and Quilter’s Connection (a Canadian quilt magazine) published it on their cover.

HadliesQuilt

Hadlie passed away one day after her 4th birthday on March 28, 2015.  Her family, one year later, is so sad not to have their baby girl in their lives any longer and want so desperately to help others in the same situation.  They have launched Hadlie’s Bucket List Foundation for research into the monster that is DIPG.

For this post, my inaugural post on my new blog, I wrote the pattern for my Hadlie Quilt and it is listed for sale here for the sum of $5.00 Canadian (which today translates into $3.81 US).  All the proceeds from the pattern sale will go to Hadlie’s Foundation.  Since my pattern incorporates three separate machine applique embroidery designs,  you may download two of the three designs for free!  Thanks so very much to Julie Hesketh of Designs by JuJu and to Cherry of Cherry Stitch Designs (on etsy)  for their amazing kindness and support for Hadlie’s Foundation.

So, you can purchase a pattern for a very reasonable price, download two free embroidery designs and help to support a resilient and brave family all at the same time.  Help me support Hadlie’s Bucket List Foundation.  Help Hadlie’s family eradicate DIPG and do it all in the name of their sweet and special little girl, Hadlie.

Thank you so much everyone.

NewSignature

 

 

Filed Under: Magazine quilts, Photography, Press, Quilt Patterns, Quilt Photography, Quilters, Quilts, Quilts and Machine Embroidery | Tagged With: free embroidery designs, Hadlie, machine embroidery, photo quilt, quilt, quilt pattern, quilt photo, quilt photography

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