Today is a busy travel day!
I’m being picked up at 9:30am to get to the airport --- I hope I have an easier time getting HOME than I did getting here ----but that’s small potatoes. It’s been a great time here, the memory of my horrendous time getting here is just that --- a memory.
Yesterday was the busy day – but I took time to take a walk down by the river in the early morning – there are bike trails that go all over.
This was the sight that awaited me as I found my way to the bike trails --- the morning mist hung low over the surface of the river, giving it an other-worldy quality ---I love watching the birds, hearing their cries and calls ---
I love reflections in still water!
Further down the river I caught this view looking back at the bridge that crosses to the Iowa side of the MIsssissippi--
There is one little black duck starting to make his way out there --- I watched him for quite a while – his feathers smooth and unruffled, just gliding on the top of the water, but I knew---all the while---that his feet were paddling like crazy beneath the calm surface to get him where he wanted to be.
Life is kind of like that sometimes --- we try to be all smooth and calm on the surface, but inside our hearts are fluttering, our fears are rising their taunting heads.
JUST KEEP PADDLING ON!
The trees are heavy-laden with spring blooms….gentle breezes are carrying all the petals to the ground and scattering them like snow--- within a few days there won’t be blossoms left on this tree. My allergy-afflicted eyes will be happier----but my heart will be sad that the blossom time passed so quickly.
Further down the road I made it to one of several paddle boats --- these do dinner cruises up and down the river. Doesn’t that sound like fun?
Here’s the bigger one, from behind….look at the size of that massive paddle wheel! This always makes me think of that old musical “Show Boat”.
A beautiful public grassy spot for picnicing along the river --- those purple trees are just YUMMY.
I made my way back to the hotel after my walk----grabbed a quick shower, got myself ready and head out to face this:
What was it I said about keeping calm and unruffled on the outside, but paddling like mad underneath the surface? That’s exactly how I feel before getting up to speak in front of 160 people. I hope they had as good of a time as I did ----because this was so fun we did it twice! Once at 1pm, and again at 7!
A special thank you to the quilter who gifted me with this lovely bouquet of lilacs, fresh from her yard! She read on my blog about my love of lilacs and brought them to me --- such a lovely gesture! I brought them back to my room with me and slept with their fragrance filling my dreams ----
And so --- I’m on my way back to North Carolina. Thank you Quad Cities for the warm and friendly welcome, great food, great company, and a very memorable time with the Mississippi Valley Quilters Guild!
((We are working on dates to come back in the future! YEAH!))
Kelli brought along her leader/ender bow-tie blocks to work on in between other things this past weekend!
I feel put to complete shame!
I don’t know if you can tell that they are assembled into semi-blocks here in the container
((Insert personal thought --- don’t you LOVE snap ware?! :cD))
There are over 1,000 bow-ties in her quilt. I’m at 200+??
Man.
I am SUCH. A. SLACKER!
Here we are in April ---- I issued the challenge last July from Sister’s, Oregon ---how far have YOU gotten? Our 1 year challenge will be up by the time my Sisters trip rolls around again!
That gives me 3 months to buckle down more on them ----
Day 3 of workshops with the Mississippi Valley Quilters ----This has been such a great visit ---several of the ladies are INSANE enough to tackle 3 consecutive days of workshops, willingly adding not just one, but THREE UFOs to their long lists of current projects and challenges --- you just gotta LOVE that kind of determination!
Today we also had several quilters who were new ----they quickly set up their machines in the empty spaces left by those who had to go back to work on Monday morning –it was like changing of the quilt –guard!
Some of the" new" arrivals are SO dedicated --they were at a Quilt Retreat all weekend....but came to join us on Monday! I wonder if they even unpacked their cars? LOL! Now THAT is some dedication too!
It gave me a chance to meet some new faces, and to reconnect with some familiar ones who I’ve spent time with elsewhere in other parts of the country ---they traveled in to spend time with us!
And then there are the workshop-crashers! LOL! ((Okay, Michele, just so you know that I am a big tease, and sometimes I tease and want you to know I am because I don’t want you mad at me!))
Here, let Michele tell you her story herself! It’s priceless!
So now I’m hoping I’ll get to pop in on Dan and Michele during breakfast at the hotel this morning because I’m not being picked up until 11am for my first of 2 lectures today ---I get time to PLAY in the morning! ((I already feel a walk along the river in my future for tomorrow morning as well ---))
And then there was Shirley, who brought along her sister --- Shirley came to my classes in Venice, FL in January! And she brought me a picture of the two of us together that I get to keep. Now this is funny—pay attention ---
Look at my outfit above…..this is what I wore yesterday. Now look at my picture with Shirley in January ---
The woman must think that I never change my clothes! LOL!! And it’s true when I say that I get home and wash the contents of my suitcase and pack it right back up again…what works on the road works on the road, and it only changes when the seasons get hot or cold…I think it’s time to go shopping for some more variety in my teaching attire!
Here I am with the two sweet sisters ((In the same outfit I wore in January in Venice FL!)) who also spirited me away for an impromtu tour of the magnificent Butterworth house! So now I can say that I saw more than just the “Garage!”
Oh, I have laughed so much over the past 3 days that my cheek muscles hurt!
So let’s talk about a more serious thing. PLEASE be careful when rotary cutting. I know during class time that cutting space can be limited. Table heights vary, and lighting can be different than what we are used to in our own work spaces.
We had one Oopsie that ended up with a quilter having to be run to the emergency room after a rotary cutter got the better of her finger.
The other quilters around her were quick on their feet! There WAS no bleeding on the quilt! And a strip of muslin was found to wrap her finger which impressed the medical staff at the hospital to no end…do NOT wrap a cut with a tissue or paper towel – you’ll get paper debris in the wound…..grab a strip of muslin….. much cleaner than tissue!
4 stitches later, she was back in class. What a trooper! And this mishap does have its upside --- seems she MUST refrain from washing dishes for at LEAST a week……poor thing! :c)
Come along and see how we busied ourselves all day ---
I’m really looking forward to the two trunkshows today ---I expect this guild to continue to be a lively bunch and I’ve really enjoyed being a part of things here.
In between the two meetings we have some time to run around ----I’ve been told a stop at Whitey’s for ice cream is a MUST when in Moline ---so that is on the agenda, and I think I need to hit the John Deere Pavilion to see all the vintage tractors, don’t you? I need a picture by some good ole John Deere Green!
Happy Tuesday, Everyone!
