Lily and The Rabbit

Incentive Days!

and the winner is
Marcia Smith
she won the Keepsake box.
thank you for donating!

JUNE’S LILY AND THE RABBIT
Quilter: Candy Kramlich
Artist: Linda Hobbet

From this.........                                        to this!

Candy writes:
Shortly after moving into my new house, I contacted the Airedale Terrier Club of Metropolitan Washington, D.C., Rescue to volunteer as a foster home.  

ATCMW’s Pam McKusick had recently been contacted by a former rescue volunteer, June Dudley, who was undergoing treatments for cancer. June had a 12-year-old rescue Airedale, Lily, with severe hip dysplasia. June wanted someone to temporarily take care of Lily, in hope that once her treatments were over she would be able to take Lily home.

Lily stayed with me off and on for about 4 months during the summer of 2011. She was able to get up the stairs to my front door and could manage a short walk up the driveway several times a day. She loved to search for the wildlife that lived in the bushes surrounding my house. Lily was the sweetest, happiest dog to have around. She just wanted to lie around on her dog bed(s), get an occasional treat each day, play with her toys, sit out on the back deck and watch the woods, etc.

My quilt block was inspired by our meeting a rabbit early one morning as we went out the front door. The rabbit was right by one of the planters by the stairs. The three of us all stood looking at one another for what seemed like a few minutes, but was probably only seconds! All of a sudden Lily barked and lurched for the rabbit and it scampered away. But for those few seconds, they just were transfixed by one another. They weren't as close as they appear in the quilt block (a mistake of a first timer in spacing her pieces!) because there was a planter between them.

It turned out that June was not able to bring Lily home. It was hard for this kind lady to give up her beloved Airedale, but she could no longer take care of Lily. I wasn't able to keep her because Lily needed someone who was home most of the time and I work outside the home. June was able to find a friend who didn't work outside of the home who adopted Lily. The last I heard, Lily was queen of the house with her own room and comfy dog bed where she could safely and happily live out her last days.

I wanted my block to memorialize June, a long-time Airedale Rescue volunteer who always took in the sick, hard-to-place dogs and her sweet companion, Lily.  They signify what Rescue is all about. June so loved her Lily and it was so touching to see how animated Lily became when someone would bring June up from Annapolis to visit. I used to tell her the day of June's visit that "your Junie is coming to see you" and she new exactly what I was saying. I know how very hard it was for June to let Lily go, especially at a time when she needed the companionship and comfort that Lily gave her. But she put Lily's needs before her own and I know what a sacrifice that was. I learned a lot about living and dying gracefully from June. We became good friends in that short period of time bonding by our love for a sweet old Airedale named Lily.

Incentive Prize!  

donate from Sept 3 12:01AM until Sept 4th 8pm EDT 

This little keepsake box is rosewood stained wood with a lock and key.  It measures approximately 6 1/2" x 6 1/2" x 2 1/2".  The satin finish tile size is 4 1/4" x 4 1/4 inches with an image taken from the 2012 Airedale Garden Party quilt.  Receiving this keepsake box would be like having your own little piece of the amazing quilt.  The only way to have a chance at either the quilt or the box is to donate today!

Made and donated by Jan Williams of Arctic Aire