Pursuing Passions: Artistic Expression at Timber Ridge Empowers Seniors to Thrive
Timber Ridge at Talus senior living community cultivates the artistic pursuits and cultural experiences of its residents. Some might say that the snowcapped Cascade Mountain views provide inspiration enough, but Timber Ridge staff also work hard to ensure that residents don’t have to look far to find inspiration. Opportunities to experience the local arts offerings in Issaquah, Washington where Timber Ridge is located, or inside the community are abundant and well attended by residents.
Quilting: A Pattern That Builds Community
Ruth M., a resident since February of this year found that her love of quilting proved helpful in getting involved and meeting new people at Timber Ridge.
Watching her mother and grandmother sew from an early age made Ruth quite familiar with fiber arts, but it wasn’t until she and her husband settled into a house after an eight-year stint of RV living and travel that she picked up quilting.
“The RV life was a social one and once we stopped I realized I needed something to do to fill that void. A number of my friends were quilting, so I decided to take it up,” says Ruth.
That was 15 years ago, and since then Ruth has become quite an accomplished quilter, creating a wide variety of quilts: memory quilts, paper piecing quilts, and double quilts. She is currently working on a graduation quilt for her grandson and another with an entire rainbow of colors set up as a gradient and each square is comprised of 80 pieces of fabric. One of Ruth’s quilts was even selected to be in the Arizona Quilters’ Hall of Fame!
“Quilting allows me an outlet for my creative energy. I’ll start with an idea of what I want to do, and the colors and fabrics that I come across will inspire me to go one direction or another,” says Ruth.
Ruth also enjoys the Timber Ridge knitting group that meets weekly and is comprised of eight to ten residents, half of which are working on afghans for the Briarwood Health Center residents for Christmas.
“For me, knitting is more social than it is creative because I stay with simpler projects, like scarves, afghans, and hats. It provides a nice chance to get together and chat,” says Ruth.
The Arts and Lifelong Learning Go Hand-in-Hand
Like many other residents, Ruth regularly attends Issaquah’s local Village Theatre and Seattle Symphony. In addition, she takes advantage of the classes at Timber Ridge University and is currently enjoying lessons on medieval history and the solar system. Weekly line dancing rounds out Ruth’s busy schedule.
“I moved here not too long after my husband passed away as a way to get my life re-started again. It turns out I made an excellent choice; it’s been a big help for me getting adjusted as a single person,” says Ruth.
Located just 15 miles from downtown Seattle, Timber Ridge offers an abundance of life-enriching activities that both enhance current passions and spark new ones. Unique opportunities that cross-cultural boundaries are a common sight on the monthly activities calendar at Timber Ridge. To learn more about Timber Ridge or its rich offerings, call 425-427-2929.