Friday, March 13, 2009

Ghost Birds


My brother, David, has written a book called Chasing the Ghost Birds, Saving Swans and Cranes from Extinction.


From the Barnes and Noble website:
"Part environmental essay and part adventure story," Chasing the Ghost Birds takes readers to the front lines of three of the most important and innovative wildlife conservation projects of our time:
* Returning the trumpeter swan to the Midwest Flyway after an absence of 120 years
* International efforts to save the last of Russia's Siberian cranes
* Saving North America's whooping cranes from the brink of extinction

The book offers up details about the birds' biology, behavior, and habitats, and of the meticulous fieldwork required, without losing the sense of drama and excitement inherent in these efforts. Sometimes heartbreaking, sometimes funny, Chasing the Ghost Birds ultimately gives us hope that "with enough brains, resources, determination, and hard work," we humans can preserve and protect the wild world around us.

No other book, no other source, covers any of these three projects in as much depth and breadth as Chasing the Ghost Birds. Yet it remains a very engaging and readable book. George Archibald, co-founder of the International Crane Foundation, calls it, "a remarkable chronicle," told with "balance, accuracy, and lucid detail."

Since he is my brother, I may be biased (I doubt it) but I have to tell you, the book is really a good read. I even thought it might be dull until I picked it up and couldn't put it down. Read more about the book, and then go here to buy a copy.

Last year I decided to make a quilt for him and asked what he'd like. He said earth tones and if it had a crane on it, he wouldn't mind. So here is the result.




This was a quilt that didn't want to be made. I found the crane fabric and cut wedges - each block needed 6 identical wedges. I sewed them together by hand because it's more accurate. Then I found the blue-green fabric and decided the blocks needed that for sashing. Turns out the only way to attach sashing to a hexagon is to undo part of each seam, sew the sashing and then resew the seam.



I finally got it together and took it to my friend Marge's house so I could quilt it on her longarm. It sat there for months. Finally I loaded it on the frame and started to quilt the border using dark redish brown thread. I wasn't totally sold on it and was afraid that if I started quilting the center I'd really mess it up. So it sat on the frame for a month and I very carefully avoided quilting.





Finally she asked if I would mind if she quilted it. No! Of course I wouldn't mind! Thank you!!!! So she used metallic thread and outlined every feather. It turned out gorgeous. Then I had to take it back and pick out all the quilting I had done so that part of the border could be requilted with the metallic.












I gave it to him last summer (a late, or early, birthday, Christmas, Easter, valentine's, fourth of July present). It was supposed to be for his office, but he said it's going in his living room so he needs another quilt for his office. I'm working on it.










This is the back.