One of the first thing I did when I returned was to check on my vegetable garden. Since retiring from the University of Connecticut in 2008 I’ve worked full time on my quilts, and have spent the last two Summers expanding the size of our garden. – Last year was a fabulous year for tomatoes – I used large ORANGE tomato cages – and continue to use them this year.
Orange Tomato Cages - 2011
As noted they are Orange – even though I had the option of several other wonderful colors – lime green, yellow, purple, or magenta – I picked the Orange ones. These round circular towers reminded me of one of my 2009 pieces titled “Autumn Swirls”. This piece continued my exploration of a simple line and the visual space it creates as you move across the quilt. During that time I used alot of dotted and patterned fabrics. Eventually I developed a “comfort zone” with solid colors -due in part to a workshop I participated in taught by Nancy Crow in January of 2010 at the Fuller Craft Musum in Brockton, Mass.
"Autumn Swirls" 2009 Circle Series- CWSmith.All rights reserved
Catherine Whall Smith 
You’ve had a busy summer. Welcome back home. Your garden looks like it’s thriving. Gardens have always been a welcome theme for my work and looks like the same goes for you. I am working with Val Poitier to try to find a place in RI for a SAQA meeting in September. If I can get a place we will be inviting all of the NE groups to come. I’ll keep you in touch. Enjoy that garden and your juicy tomatoes! Nancy T.
i love all your multi-color, dotted fabrics!! they’re so alive!!