daviequiltguild.bogspot.com

Saturday, December 14, 2013

MONDAY - December 16 - Christmas Dinner - 6:00 PM

MONDAY - December 16 - 6:00 PM

Christmas Dinner 

We will begin our evening with a covered dish meal. 

Ham will be provided by the guild along with beverages and paper products. Please bring a side dish or dessert to share, or another meat if you would like to. 

After a brief business meeting we will show our "Ugly Fabric Challenge"projects (finished top...doesn't have to be quilted).  The members will vote for the winners and prizes will be awarded to 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place. 

Show and Tell - always fun - we love seeing what others have been working on.

Gift exchange - bring a $10 gift if you want to participate in the gift exchange. 

In the spirit of Christmas - bring canned food to share with the less fortunate.

Davie Quilt Guild Meeting

Our Davie County Quilt Guild meeting is this Monday, November 18.  Our snack/social time is at 6:30 and our meeting starts at 7:00.  We have a special guest speaker this month - Lee Monroe.  She makes beautiful quilts and teaches quilting at numerous places.  Her blog is maychappell.com

If you are a quilter or are interested in quilting - come join us.  We meet at Davie County Sen ior Services (278 Meroney; Mocksville, NC 27028) which is next to Davie Hospital. The meeting starts at 7. Hope to see you there!  

Chicago, Windmills, Classic Car Shopping

Navy Pier - Chicago

We are home from a trip to Chicago.  Lakeshore Drive is such a beautiful part of the city - and the traffic was not bad when we were there.  Big cities fascinate me - but I sure don't want to live in one.  Lake Michigan is beautiful - are we really sure it's not an ocean?  Sure looks like one.

Fowler Ridge Wind Farm is  Benton County, Indiana. Spread over 50,000 acres, it is one of the largest onshore wind farms in the world.  We drove for about 30 minutes alongside the windmills - yeah I know they're called turbines.  They are huge.  

We bought a Classic Car!  The one Ken had been hoping to find for a long time.  He's a happy man.

Loaded that beauty on an auto transport trailer and headed home.  Lots of fun driving home - people would pass and give us a thumbs up or beep the horn.  After passing us, one truck slowed until we got beside it and held a note in the window asking what year our car was. 

Home safely - Life is good. 

WebRep

currentVote

noRating

noWeight

Three Quilts Came Home with Us...

Elsewhere (the Motorhome) didn't get much rest!  We just got home from a few days in the beautiful Shenandoah Mountains of Virginia.  One of the most beautiful areas of our country - and the Mennonite people are so very nice.  But...we may have to put a stop to going to their annual sale since we can't resist buying beautiful quilts!!!  Only three came home with us - we justify this extravagance by knowing that all the quilts, furniture and other items are made and donated by the Mennonite people and all proceeds go to charities.

Making Ice Cream by riding a bicycle

If you ever get a chance - you should go to one of these events - delicious food, all kinds of beautiful handmade things...and some great music.  Apple Butter, Pies, Cakes, Ice Cream. They churn the ice cream by riding a bicycle hooked up to the ice cream maker!

There are numerous sales all over the US and some in Canada.

We spent some time in Harrisonburg - beautiful town - home of James Madison University, Eastern Mennonite University --- and the Virginia Quilt Museum.  Yep we did go to the Quilt Museum - how in the world did they make those wonderful quilts back then without all our nice tools?  Guess it took a long time.

Ken went to the tractor pull Saturday night since it was conveniently located at the same location as the Auction Sale - and we were enjoying one of their campsites - even had wi-fi.

Apple Fest at some small town on the way home - bought several varieties - some I have not seen before.  I only took a short nap - accidentally fell asleep while reading on the sofa - what a way to travel!

One Road Trip that I Didn't Take

Ken recently returned home from a 16 day Road Trip.  Hard to believe - I stayed home!  Usually I am the one on the Road Trips.  He and a friend (cousin) drove Elsewhere (the motorhome) to a family reunion in Trenton, Nebraska.  They spent a few days getting to know cousins and other kinfolk and eating lots of good food.

They left Nebraska and headed north and west - even to Sturgis, Crater Lake, California and Las Vegas (of all places!).  Took lots and lots of pictures.

Sturgis, South Dakota

Of course I had given them a list of places "not to miss" and they agreed they were all great places.  I just forgot to mention that some of those places were a little difficult to get to.  I think they probably wanted to wring my neck by the time they got to Crater Lake (but it was worth it).  The road is more than a little steep and very narrow - even in a car - but Elsewhere hung in there and they made it.

Crater Lake

All of us who know Ken made sure he would be home in 7 days.  Guess he fooled us.  Thought I might have to go find him.

They had a great trip - but I'm ready for the next one.  

That is a Cow in the Door of the Store!

We just had to drive into the parking lot of this store in Dillard, Georgia - who can resist taking a picture of a huge cow standing in the door of a store?  The little boy in this picture seemed a little unsure about walking by the cow - I think he finally ran in.   When you go to the Cupboard Cafe in Dillard for a great dinner you can stop by here to visit the cow.

After a week of beautiful weather, yesterday was a "rainy day in Georgia" - made it a little easier to leave the beautiful mountains.  

Ya just gotta love your GPS sometimes.  After my trip through one of the curviest, most isolated roads in the country on my trip down - I realized that my GPS was set to find the shortest route - think twice before you do that!  I was beginning to think I was going to be walking a log across a creek to get there.  Seestah George called me about 30 minutes after we left to say, "These things don't work so good in the mountains".  She drove in a circle and ended up back where she started!  What fun!  

Don't know which is better - going?  Or coming home?  Life is good.

Life in the Mountains is Good

View from our deck

Life can't get much more relaxing than today.  Watching the mountains light up with morning, hearing the birds, drinking tea.  Perfect way to start my day.

Only tv we've watched is all the episodes of "House of Cards".  I don't watch much television but I really liked this series.  It was nominated for 10 Primetime Emmys.   I do admit to watching "NCIS" all the time - doesn't matter how many times I've seen it - do love that show and all the characters.

We went to Dillard this afternoon for a late lunch at Cupboard Cafe - a surprise in this small mountain town.  The food was delicious - all kinds of entrees, sandwiches - huge selection of vegetables and desserts. Everything we ate was great - although I didn't like the Peanut Butter Pie that we shared - guess I just prefer my peanut butter on crackers.  They also have a nice gift shop, a fudge and jelly bean shop.  Nice afternoon.


Across the street from the cafe is a "Metal Folk Art" place - that's the only way I know to describe it.  Everything from an old VW Bug to metal horses and all kinds of metal thing a ma jigs. 

I think we were the only people in Dillard today without jackets or sweaters!  It was really cool - I wonder if this is typical weather for August in the North Georgia mountains. 

Tonight the raccoons came to visit - they stayed on the deck for hours eating all the bird seed.  They ran all over the deck and even had a couple of fights.  Sure hope they don't bring bears with them next time.

High on the Mountain in Georgia

Rain Chain at Tiger Mountain Vineyards - I want one.

Yesterday - great weather - we drove to Helen - stopping at several interesting places along the way.  Helen is really a touristy town - fun to visit but don't care about going back.  We did have a delicious german lunch in Hofer's German Restaurant.  Good food and good service.  The red cabbage was delicious and Seestah really made the waitresses day when she asked, "What makes the cabbage red?"  It was even funnier since Seestah is a great cook and knows all about vegetables - guess it was just one of those momentary brain freezes.

Crane Creek Vineyards in Young Harris is on an old farm - as so many vineyards are.  The tasting room is in the old farmhouse - very nice people.  I don't know much about wine but I did buy one bottle of blush - need to support small businesses you know.

We stopped at Hightower Vineyards on the way back.  We had a frozen peach belini - wonderful!
I sat on the back porch and chatted with a young lady - Professor of Medieval Art at Young Harris College.  Really interesting to talk to her.  The vineyard owner invited us to come back Friday evening for "Swine and Wine" - barbecue sandwich, slaw and first glass of wine - sounds like fun.

We saw a zip line - Seestah wanted very badly to  zip down the line - but since her foot is still healing, we decided to skip the zip.  I didn't want to go zipping without her - that would not have been good.  Maybe next time.

This morning - 60 degrees - high this afternoon - 72.  Absolutely perfect weather - perfect day.  There are so many birds eating from the feeders on the decks - I think they come just to visit with us.  Leisurely morning watching the birds, playing Scrabble.  We headed down the mountain about 11:00 - drove to Clayton - really nice little town.

There is a store in Clayton that sells restored stoves and refrigerators made from the 1800's through the 1970's.  They are completely restored and ready to use.  The older ones have the original porcelain and chrome finish.  One stove was made from copper.  They are beautiful.  He ships them all over the world - does a lot of custom work for people.

There are several nice shops along the streets of Clayton.  We had a great lunch at Clayton Cafe - fried chicken breast that was huge - can't imagine a chicken that big.  Field peas, greens, cornbread squash casserole and lots of other vegetables on the menu.

All kinds of stuff to look at.  RC Cola and Mini Moon Pie for $2.50.  We did NOT get one.

Stopped in Tiger, Georgia at Linda's Sweet Treats and Antiques - just happened to see it.  Yes, there is a town called Tiger.  I got just one piece of Blackberry Wine Cake - delicious.  Guess what kind of cake Seestah got??Chocolate on Chocolate!  Just a mile or two down the road we stopped at Tiger Mountain Vineyards.  Very nice - Seestah said the wine was the best yet - maybe she just liked the handsome young man from Australia who works there.

We are watching "House of Cards" on Netflix - evil people.  But we can't stop watching...

Seestah brought home a couple of left over cornbread muffins to try to bait a bear into coming to the cabin.  I tried to stop her - a man at the Cafe told her it really wasn't safe to feed the bears so she told him it was for the birds.

Girls Week in the Mountains!!!

One whole, complete week in the mountains with nothing to do except what we want to do.  Wish you could hear the wonderful night sounds.  We are high on the mountain overlooking a lake  in Georgia.  Such a beautiful place.

We got here yesterday afternoon - one of our bff's couldn't make it - we sure miss her.  So it's the two of us - been way too long since our last trip together - the three of us were in Charleston, 

Christmas 2011.

We have friends - good friends - but some of us are lucky enough to have "forever friends" who know us better than we know ourselves.  If we're really lucky - they are also great travel friends.  What fun.

We have all these places to see and things to do on our list - the nice thing is we don't have to do any of them unless we want to.  Today we didn't want to do any of them.  Stayed here all day - sat on the deck - talked - ate, read - cooked a simple, delicious dinner.  Talked, ate, read, watched some Netflix. 

A really good day.

This cabin has three levels with three beautiful decks with a swing, rockers, table and chairs and bird feeders.  Lots of birds - although the flying squirrels eat most of the bird seed.

I have friends who own a beautiful house in the North Carolina mountains that I've visited many times.  I thought it had the steepest possible driveway - Not!  I stopped and took a long look before I started up this driveway - will be interesting to go down tomorrow!

Day One of National Street Rod Show

Thursday, August 1 - Riding down the street in Louisville is a like car show!  I never imagined this many old cars - beautiful cars.  There are over 10,000 cars registered for the show and thousands more just cruising (I think).  

Beautiful weather - not too hot and not humid - how nice.  There are hundreds of vendors here selling all kinds of things.  One huge building is "Woman's World".  Can't wait to check that out.

First thing - they come get us - we go to Papa John Stadium - hook the truck to the trailer (I wondered why - since Frank and Leslie were going to drive it to the show).  Duh!  so the trailer wouldn't tilt when the car was backed off on the ramp.  I wouldn't have thought of that until it happened.  They drive the car - we drive the truck, then go in to find them - cell phones are good when there are over 10,000 show cars.

We had a perfect location for the car - in the lot next to the street so we could watch cars cruising by all day.  The street is on the Expo property since it covers 300 acres and it is all full of cars.  Lawn chairs, umbrellas, cold drinks - meeting great people and hearing about their cars.  

Nancy - drove her beautiful street rod truck from Wisconsin by herself.  Said her husband showed their cars for years while she stayed home with four kids.  Kids are grown - hubby is tired of going - so she goes all over the country showing their cars - they have several.  In fact, they have several Woodies.  She was such a fun person - enjoying life to the fullest.  And guess what - she sold her street rod!  She went into the vendor area to shop for parts for the next one.  Wish I had a picture of her bright yellow street rod. 

Car back and locked in trailer - time for dinner on the Louisville Riverfront.  Joe's Crab Shack - delicious seafood - great service and a beautiful setting.  A walk in the riverfront park - perfect end to a great - if tiring - day.  Glad to get back to Elsewhere and relax.

Sunday, August 4 - Time to Go Home

Sort of sad to see it end.  It's been a wonderful few days with two of our favorite people.  Sure hope we can do it all again.  Maybe we'll have a street rod next time.  Ken has one in the works.  Found one he thought he might buy - someone bought it before he had a chance.  Maybe next time.

On the road - all is well until we get to Charleston, West Virginia.  Remember this is where the truck trouble started on the way to Louisville.  Truck started losing power again - slow, slower then speed up.  I know it had to be so frustrating for Frank.  Took us longer but the important thing is we got home safely and the beautiful '57 Chevy is back home and all tucked in until next time.

A semi truck caught on fire and completely burned on I 64.  We sat in traffic for a while so we made sandwiches and delivered them to Frank and Leslie (in the truck in front of us).  A lady asked if we made milkshakes.  Think we could've made a little money if we had been there a little longer.

Good to be home - until next time.

Hope you have good travels and better homecomings!

Flowers at the Expo Center in Louisville

Saturday, April 3 - More Cars

More Cars - more car watching and people watching.

The NSRA gave away a car this afternoon.  We didn't win.  Only the registered car owners were eligible - Leslie and Frank didn't win either!  Shucks.

Don't even ask about this picture - yes it is our motorhome - Yes that is Ken climbing in the window.  Thank goodness I left that window unlocked.  And yes that's our nice neighbor holding the ladder.  I think Leslie and I were sitting in the shade trying not to let Ken hear us laughing.  Gotta love it.

How can we possibly top the wonderful food we've had the last three evenings?  We did!  A friend told Leslie about a place about 30 minutes from Louisville that we should try.  Okay.  We put the address in the GPS and drove - and drove - and drove.  Little curvy roads - lots of turns.  I think we turned on Stiller Road three times.  We laughed so much - wondering what in the world could possibly be this far out in the country.  Found it!!  Parking lot full of cars - beautiful grounds and big white farmhouse - playgrounds - lakes.  Joe Huber's Farm and Restaurant.  Joe Huber knows how to do things - Huber's winery - Huber's Lakehouse for rent - rides for the kids - gift shop and fresh produce store.  And the restaurant - huge and beautiful - and busy.   Check it out:  joehubers.com.


More great food - we had chicken and dumplings, ham, catfish, corn, summer salad (my favorite), slaw, lima beans,  yeast rolls.  So, so good.  Coconut Cream Pie for dessert.  Four evenings - four great meals - not one complaint.

Friday, August 2 - Another Beautiful Day!

We're getting pretty good at this loading and unloading - guess I should say Ken and Frank are getting good at it.  Leslie and I mostly stay in the cool and watch.

The Chevy was in a different area today - something about a pro class - beats me - I just know they're great cars!  This place is so big - we're getting plenty of exercise walking.

Leslie and I spent a few hours in "Woman's World" today.  Hundreds of vendors selling so many great things.  We did a little shopping - mostly looking.

Ken and I were walking across one of the showrooms admiring the cars when someone called Ken's name - hard to believe some friends from Davie County were there.  It was fun to see them and catch up on things.  They have a car but it isn't finished yet.

We drove out to see Churchill Downs - beautiful.  Took some pictures and found our way across the river.

Since we are right on the great Ohio River, Leslie and I decided we should drive across the bridge to Indiana and eat on their waterfront.  Same river - different state.  We ate at Kingfish Restaurant on the Riverfront.  Beautiful.  The food was delicious - we all ate steak and lobster - so good.  The service was great - really nice waitress.  Kentucky Silk Pie for dessert - we did all share one dessert.  I forgot to tell you that we had Key Lime Pie for dessert at Joe's last night - really, really good.

After dinner we spent some time riding around Jeffersonville - a beautiful old town right on the river.

Back to Elsewhere.  We are parked in the midst of some beautiful motorhomes and friendly people.  The people next to us are in the most beautiful motorhome we have ever seen - a Prevost Private Coach.  Don't get me wrong - we love Elsewhere - we got him new in March and I think he'll be around for a long time.  They're beautiful but we really don't want one that large - there are so many places you can't go in the huge ones.  We never thought we would get one as large as Elsewhere but so far we're really loving it (he's 30 feet).  He has so much personality and electric jacks!  an overhead bunk that comes down with the push of a button - fun.

Our neighbor in the Prevost has a street rod - handed me the keys and told us to take it for a ride!  Can you believe that?  Ken decided we shouldn't - guess he was right - but it sure was tempting.

Another perfect day.  

Street Rod Nationals Plus. August 1 - 4, 2013

Wednesday, July 31 - We had Elsewhere loaded and ready to ride at 6:15 AM!  Headed to the 44th Annual Street Rod Nationals Plus. August 1 - 4, 2013, at Kentucky Exposition Center in Louisville, Kentucky with Leslie and Frank - who are so much more than just good friends!  They are taking their amazing '57 Chevy to the show.  I haven't seen it yet - it was in the trailer and ready to go when we met them to go to Kentucky.  They pulled the trailer with a pick up truck.

All went well until we got about half way - uh oh!  truck problems - thought it might be the transmission.  The two guys scratched their heads - discussed their options - pull it with Elsewhere?  leave the truck?  Whatever it takes we are going to this car show!  Guess the truck decided it was best to go ahead and pull the trailer.  For some reason it made it the rest of the way just fine.

Got there in time for Leslie and Frank to get the car registered and parked in the secure area at Papa John Stadium.  We had reserved a space in one of the parking lots at the Expo Center.   It was set up for motorhomes.  Really nice to park there so we didn't have to drive to the car show. Leslie and Frank had already made reservation at a hotel about 3 miles away - they headed out with the dear gps - hope they found it.  

Dinner time - Texas Roadhouse!  Only problem was when I put it in the GPS I didn't notice that it was the Texas Roadhouse at the airport!  Oh well - ya just gotta start over and try again.  Found it - the ribs were excellent.

Long day!  We're excited about the show tomorrow.  There are street rods and old cars of all kinds all over this city.  Which one do I want?

A Real Mud Sale! Too Many Quilts

We finally made it to an Amish Mud Sale!  We started a couple of times, got sidetracked and went elsewhere in Elsewhere (our motorhome)!   We left Thursday morning - stopped at Cracker Barrel for a late breakfast - always good.

A beautiful drive until we got to somewhere on Interstate 81 in West Virginia - sat in traffic for two hours - hardly moving at all. Finally decided to stop in Martinsburg for the night and leave early Friday for Pennsylvania.  We spent the night at Cracker Barrel - nice quiet area.  Watched a movie - nice evening.  We did run the generator all night since it was hot and humid.  Very comfortable evening.

We were on the road at 5:15 AM - determined to make it to the sale this time.  We got to Bird in Hand (yes that is the name of the town) just as the sale was starting.  I have never seen so much mud in my life - it must have rained all day Thursday.  They were putting sawdust down by the truck loads.  A real Mud Sale!  There were several tents with auctions going on - selling horses, carts, buggies, tools, furniture, antiques, flowers, saddles and Quilts!  Lots of quilts - all kinds of quilts.  Big ones, Little ones, new ones, old ones. So much fun looking at all the quilts and talking to all the nice people.  

I think we may have to have some kind of intervention or something - we absolutely can NOT continue to go to these sales!  We don't seem to be able to resist the beautiful quilts.  I know - it is weird since I make quilts - why should we want more?  I think it's because I know how much time and hard work goes into a beautiful quilt.  And Ken bids more often than I do - he really should be helping me resist!  I really hate to put into writing how many quilts we bought - but maybe that will be the first step to our recovery!  We bought 5 quilts - large quilts - beautiful hand quilted quilts.  I don't have pictures yet - check back later.  

One of the quilts is a beautiful whole cloth quilt.  It really should have sold for three times what we paid for it.  After we bought it, an Amish lady sitting right in front of us turned to me and said, "That was my quilt".  She was so nice and so pleased that we loved her quilt so much.  She gave me her name and permission to put her name on the quilt label.  I told her that I realized how much work was in her quilt and how beautiful it is.  A very special quilt.  But where oh where will I put all the quilts?

We made a (probably very wise) decision not to go to the Mud Sale on Saturday.  It was in a town a few miles away - Refton.  We drove by on Friday afternoon and decided to keep driving so we wouldn't be tempted to bring home more quilts.  

We decided to drive through Lancaster - usually a nice town to visit.  Not this time.  They were having a street festival so the downtown streets were closed.  Took quite a while to get through town.  There are lots of "Rotaries" (we call them traffic circles). Thing is up there they use the Rotary very differently than we do.  It seems to be a free for all - jump in and hope for the best while they all keep going.  Not sure they understand what yield means.  I guess it helped that Elsewhere is a lot bigger than most of them!

We were exhausted by the time we survived the closed streets and Rotaries so we found the closest Walmart for the night.  We always ask permission - and they're always so nice.  Sometimes they cannot allow overnight stays because of city ordinance or not owning the lot.  When that happens they go out of their way to tell us where we can stay nearby.  

Saturday morning we drove to Gettysburg - took the two hour bus tour.  Very interesting.   The North Carolina Memorial on the battlefield is one of the most beautiful. It was created by Gutzon Borglum - who also created Mount Rushmore.  The views are spectacular.  This photo is the Eisenhower Farm - President and Mrs. Eisenhower donated their farm to the National Park Service.  This year is the 150th anniversary of The Battle of Gettysburg - lots of special events.  

We stopped by The Round Barn - only 8 miles west of Gettysburg.  Unusual and rare - huge round barn built around a silo.  They sell fruits and vegetables and all kinds of crafts and unusual foods.  We walked up to the second floor and took this photo.  Bet it was fun to watch this barn being built. Check it out at roundbarngettysburg.com.

Good to go - good to get home!  Elsewhere took good care of us.  Oh - I almost forgot!  I drove Elsewhere.  Decided it was about time.  I kept it between the lines!  Fun.

Where is It? It Was Here 25 years ago!

Elsewhere (our motorhome) just got us home from a really nice trip to the coast - not quite long enough.    Traveling makes me happy - I relax more, sleep better and just live in the moment.

We left early Friday morning - nice relaxing drive.  Spent some time in Wilmington - boondocked at a nice Wilmington Walmart.  

Saturday we drove to Southport and Oak Island then decided go to Carolina Beach and Fort Fisher.  Ken enjoyed the Civil War Museum while I sat under a shade tree and read a good book...nice.

View from Elsewhere in Snead's Ferry Campground

Next stop: Snead's Ferry.  We spent some time fishing there about 25 years ago and remembered it so well.  We got there and just couldn't find it.  The place we remembered is no more.  Snead's Ferry is still a small fishing village with docks and fishing shops and restaurants - but not the ones we remembered.  I guess you really can't go home again.  Sort of sad.

We spent the night at Fulcher's Campground - right on the water - walked to the Riverview Cafe for dinner.  It's been there since 1946 - we just didn't find it when we went there long ago.  If you're ever in the area - try it.  The food was wonderful - some of the best seafood we've had in ages.  Very busy place.

My favorite stop - since Ken was wounded in Vietnam:  The Onslow Vietnam Veterans Memorial dedicated to all the men and women who served during the Vietnam confilct. 

Onslow Vietnam Veterans Memorial

The glass walls lists the names of the 58,229 heroes                                 who made the ultimate sacrifice to their country.  Each time we visit the wall in Washington and now this one - we feel compelled to find names of some of those we knew who gave their lives.  I can only imagine how hard it is for Ken - he lost so many friends and fellow soldiers.  Wish you all could see it.

There is also a steel beam from the World Trade Center on display.


No idea why - Ken decided we should drive north to Aurora, NC - neither of us had ever heard of it.  We like just going wherever the spirit leads!  Little road with not much of anything.  We begin to see what looks like mountains of sand - or something.  I think there were miles of what looked like the terrain of some other planet.    Then we see this huge industrial complex - PotashCorp - the world's largest fertilizer company.  Very interesting.  

Aurora also has a ferry that runs to Bayview.  We like ferries, but didn't need to go to Bayview.  Nice drive home - didn't start raining until we were a few miles from home.

WebRep

currentVote

noRating

noWeight

Elsewhere...Tennessee, Georgia, Alabama

Which is better?  Going?  Or coming home?

We just got home from a trip in our motorhome, "Elsewhere".  Hard to explain to people who don't travel in an RV - it's a different lifestyle - we meet the nicest, most interesting people.  

Great trip - just a few little blips - like wanting to tear the new GPS into a thousand pieces.  Electronics are just wonderful.  We reached the absolute limit with the one we bought recently - returned it and bought a different brand.  This one seems to think it's fun to send us on the backroads - seriously.  For a few miles we were on narrow two lane - some one lane roads - I'm sure were were going in circles.  Time to get out the Atlas and shut her up.  We gave her one more chance and she seemed to realize that it was do or die - she behaved for the rest of the trip.  She is still on probation - any more backroads and she's outta here!  You don't want to know what we named her.

Lookout Mountain Incline Railway!!!  It really is as steep as it looks - fun ride - spectacular view from the top.   “America’s Most Amazing Mile,” -  trolley-style cars climb  almost straight up Lookout Mountain at a 72.7% grade!   Interesting history - hard to believe we had never been there before.

We spent the night in Chattanooga - very nice Walmart parking lot.  RVers don't stay at Walmart to save money - it is just so convenient - there are Walmarts everywhere so we don't spend time searching for a campground. There are usually several RV's spending the night.  Since we're self contained we don't need anything except a safe place to park.  Of course it is usually expensive because we think of things we want from Walmart!  We call ahead and ask permission - and they are always extremely nice.  We just started doing this recently after hearing so many others talk about it.   Makes good business sense for Walmart - brings in RV business and keeps customers happy. 

Unclaimed Baggage Center in Scottsboro, Alabama - fun place - it is amazing what people leave on planes and buses.  Does anybody get to their destination with their stuff?  Huge stock of jewelry of all kinds - all kinds of electronics - computers, iPads, cameras, games.  Thousands of books, clothes of all kinds - some household items.  Even some saddles.  Good prices if you find what you want.  I bought some books - great selection of all kinds of books.  

Can you tell? - I like to go to weird places.  Someday I want to go to the Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, where the US Air Force sends their outdated and decommissioned planes to rest.  "The Boneyard," as the location is known, covers 2,600 acres and houses over 4,200 military aircraft valued at roughly $35 billion dollars.  I just know that would be a fun place to visit.

The U.S. Space and Rocket Center in Huntsville, Alabama is great.  Loved seeing all that space stuff.  We saw two IMAX movies - excellent. Popcorn was good too.  I didn't realize until our visit that adults can go to SpaceCamp - maybe I can go?  Maybe not?  

We spent the night in the U.S. Space and Rocket Campground - beautiful - quiet and peaceful.  Nice evening.

We had not heard of Ave Maria Grotto in Culman, Alabama - truly amazing and inspiring.  Benedictine Monk - Brother Joseph Zoettl began building the miniatures as a hobby in the 1890's.  He built them of colored glass, marbles, cold cream jars, punctured commode floats, wrecked marble, broken bathroom tile, costume jewelry that people sent from all every state in the union and from many foreign countries. Brother Joseph continued his work for over 40 years - Hh built his last model, the Basilica in Lourdes, at the age of 80, in 1958.  Hope you can see it someday.

Spent the night somewhere in Alabama - really not sure where we were - guess that new GPS could have told us (maybe).  Watched a DVD and enjoyed a quiet evening after spending some money at another Walmart somewhere in Alabama.

We and a GPS on her best behavior chose a different route coming home today.  We went to the huge Anderson, SC Flea market - didn't stay long - was not impressed at all.  Only thing we bought was a red lace oak tree (think that's what she called it).  Just because it's pretty.

Good trip.

WebRep

currentVote

noRating

noWeight

Quilt City, USA - Paducah, Kentucky

I thought I was going to a quilt show last week - it really was more than a quilt show.  The whole town of Paducah turns into "Quilt City".  We saw a man with a superman cape made from a quilt!

Truly amazing quilts - 
Mobs of people - 
Hundreds of vendors selling all kinds of temptation for quilters.
Hancock's of Paducah was like another quilt show.  Lots more shopping temptation.
The Rotary Antique Signature Quilt Show was another great show.

I think Beverly and I exercised remarkable restraint - didn't have to pawn our wedding rings or sell the car.  Just added a few more projects to our list.

Kentucky does things a little differently - we went to a store that was inside a huge warehouse type building - just drove right into the building and parked!  

It's a long drive to Paducah.  An especially long drive home Saturday - rained all the way home.

Of course I had my own personal driver!  Beverly drove all the way home - I leaned back and relaxed.  What a friend.

Life

There are people in my life whom I love so much who are so strong and so good.  So accepting of what life offers.  So deep and calm in their Christian faith.  So loved and so needed.  Makes everything I do; everything I worry about; all the things I let upset me - seem completely insignificant.  

I take her a quilt. Not that she needs a quilt.  It is that I need to do something for her - I hope she knows and can feel the love in the fabric - in the stitches.  I pray for her - sometimes I cry for her.  

She comforts me - tells me she is okay.  She is teaching me.  Hard lessons.  Lessons I don't want to learn.  Her faith is amazing.  I know that she is much more than okay.

A Really Good Day

Four year olds enjoy life so much!  Jeremiah came yesterday afternoon to spend the night with us.  When he is not busy eating, he is busy playing, watching everything I do - and asking questions.  His papa bought him a pair of bib overalls.  We asked him to try them on and he informed us that "I only work on Friday - that's when I'll wear them."  Papa asked why he worked on Fridays - he said "I have a super burst of energy on Friday."  Not sure I could keep up with him on a Friday!  

Jeremiah's favorite place to sit is in the recliner with me - of course I sort of like it too.  He watches me pretty closely and if I'm not giving him my full attention - he lets me know it.  Everything is more interesting with a four year old boy around.  Our plan was to take him home at lunch - but he "needed to stay longer".  We had a fun afternoon - he spent all day in his pajamas!  Too rainy to go outside so why not?  His dad picked him up about 6:00.  

No stitching for me today - I had much more important things to do.  

A really good day.

Easter - Memories - Faith

Easter - so many good memories of Easters past.  Easter - hope - new beginnings - faith - spring - family.  Is our faith shown in what we say or what we do?  In what we have or what we give?  The ones in my life who have exemplified faith have been the quiet ones who didn't seek attention - who were just there quietly doing what needed to be done.  They have left an imprint on my heart and life. 

Have you read In His Steps  by Charles Monroe Sheldon?  It is one of the best selling books in the world.  It will make you think about the decisions you make every day - it might change the decisions you make in the future.  Faith is not easy - at least not for me.  It is a daily choice - to live by faith.

Family here for dinner tonight.  Life is good.  Our best times together are usually around the dinner table.  More laughter than usual tonight.  Mostly laughing at memories of ourselves.  Having a four year old and a seven month old at the table brings a special joy.  

Good food - our family likes good southern country food.  Tonight it was Honey Baked Ham (Aunt Honey does a great job with that), creamed potatoes, green beans, marinated slaw, deviled eggs, broccoli casserole, yeast rolls and carrot cake for dessert.  It is so wonderful to have a daughter in law who is a great cook and loves to help with family dinners.  J knew he was getting a wonderful wife - don't think he realized what a good cook she would become.  They are such good parents - how blessed LJ and LA are to have them as Mommy and Daddy.

Our teenaged grandsons are on a trip to the mountains with their mom and her family.  They're lucky to have lots of family - even great grandparents on their mother's side.

I'm still working on the double wedding ring quilt for Josh and Becky.  Quilting two quilts for Veterans for our quilt guild.  Working on some wool appliqué.  Knitting a block for the Great American Afghan. All good.

I finished my Wonky Star Quilt!  Yeah - the stars are supposed to look like that...it's wonky.  It was a fun quilt to make - first quilt I've made using solid color fabrics.  Machine quilted on my Janome Horizon.  It feels so good to finish something.  I have so many projects that need finishing.

The very air I breathe feels heavy today.  Thinking about the thirteen month old baby boy who was shot and killed by a teenager in Brunswick, Georgia.  My "Seestah" and her family live in Brunswick so this feels very close to home for us.  My heart and mind can't begin to comprehend someone shooting a baby.  

Bev and I went to "Charm Club" this morning.  Bet you might not know about charm clubs.  It really is not about learning to be charming!  Twelve of us meet once a month and exchange cotton squares so someday we can make a charm quilt with hundreds of different fabrics!  Those of us addicted to quilting and all such things think it is quite a fun thing to do.  

Four weeks until we go to Paducah, Kentucky to THE Quilt Show!  Nothing like 50 quilters on a bus trip!