Thank you!

Big hugs and a giant 'Thank You!' go out to all of you for your lovely condolences for my mother's passing.  Your comments were truly appreciated.

Things are nearly back to a routine here now, so I'm back to blogging!  And quilting!  Yay!  I've nearly finished the quilting on my crumby/orange wall hanging.  Should finish it up today, and get a binding on it, then I'll post it!  :o)  And again......someone please remind me next time to never EVER choose pebbles as the all over background again!  Cripes!  What was I thinking!?!  LOL

And while our trip out west to see family did not turn out to be the vacation we had planned on, John and I did manage to see a couple of things on the drive back from Seattle.  Of course, knowing we could get 'the' call from my sister at any moment, our hearts were just not into having any real fun, but the 7 day drive back allowed for a couple of moments here and there.

Let me just say, that if we didn't love Maine so much, we would instantly move to Wyoming!  The drive on I-80 is one of the most beautiful areas we've ever seen!  It was breathtaking!  Riding along the top of the Rockies, at 8,000 feet, you can practically touch the clouds!  The mountains were fantastic, and there's so much wide open space!  We just loved it!  And being 'stuck' overnight because the highway was closed for a blizzard was a blessing.  We got to linger in the beauty of it all.

And let me just say that the Walmart in Rock Springs, Wyoming is the cleanest, well-kept, friendliest Walmart we've ever been in!  Seriously!

And......we were totally shocked that we found excellent Mexican food at El Maguey's in Kearney, Nebraska!  Who'da thunk!?!  lol

Somewhere along the way, (can't remember....it was kindof a blur!), we were at a rest stop, and the whole place is decked out in quilt blocks!  It was a stop on the underground railroad, and they have the folk-lore quilt symbols throughout!  Very sweet!

While stopping for lunch in Walnut, Iowa, we popped into an antique shop, and saw this quilt under a tower of tv electronics.  No chance to move it for a better look.....but I'm just loving that quirky pattern with the oversized centers!  :o)  I just may have to add that to my list of "Must Make"!

Our plan was always to stop in Shipshewana, Indiana for a few days (cuz I guess I didn't get enough of the Amish in my 10 days in Lancaster two months ago), but we only stayed an afternoon!  It was enough for now, but there is always the chance to go back on some trip!  I did get to Lolly's basement bargain center.....and did just a little spending!  lol  And, of course, we had lunch at the Blue Gate!  Yummy!

We spent a wonderful afternoon at the Bennington, Vermont Museum!  It was in the plan from the start, because one of the permanent exhibits is the Martin WASP Car......built by my hubby's grandfather, Karl Martin!  John had only seen pictures of it, so getting to see it up close and personal was a real treat!

The Bennington Museum is also the home of the Jane Stickle quilt (Dear Jane!), but it is only on display at certain times, and not right now!  We'll definitely go back in August when they put it out!  But they did have a  LOT of other handwork........

And a few antique sewing machines.........awesome!........

Sorry....sideways!

And then there were some really odd crafts.......

And some really REALLY odd (and kindof gross!) crafts.......

 Sorry.....blurry.....taken through a glass case.

Yep.....those are thousands of moths and beetles!  Ewww!


It really is an amazing museum, tucked away in the hills of Vermont.  And just on your way out of Bennington, is a great little diner, Papa Pete's, with the world biggest pancake!  They are served on a 14" pizza tray, and they are wonderful!  I just can't imagine anyone ordering the double or triple stack!  Cripes!  I couldn't even finish my one!  lol

But John did!  LOL

Ok......so I'm headed back to the sewing room!  Can't wait to finish that crumby quilt!  :o)

regan  :o)