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Tuesday, April 07, 2009

From Frozen North to Frozen South!


I don't think I have ever seen a place so flat and vast...as the area around Winnipeg, MB!! And there out in the middle of nowhere, is this city. Amazing!

I flew into Winnipeg last Friday....and the worst of worst nightmares happened. My 2 duffel bags of quilts did NOT make my last connection and were still sitting in Chicago. :c( Linda, the gal who picked me up and hosted me at her house, gave the person at the counter her address and phone and we drove 3 hours east to Kenora, Ontario, Lake of the Woods country and hoped for the best!

Linda's house was so charming....she is a girl after my own heart, with 3 treadle machines between her dining/living room, and even the base of her dining room table is a treadle base! What's not to like? Her house is an adorable 100 year old house with all the quirks and quandries that old homes bring. I have loved the old houses I have owned in my past, and it was fun to imagine what this house was like when it was built, what the lady of the house wore as she descended the staircase, her hand on the carved banister. Many of the original light fixtures are still in use, and it was just a wonderful house for displaying quilts.

I had an upstairs bedroom, decorated with quilts, and 2 quilts also on the bed. I was cozy! The main bath also sported a claw foot tub, and I miss my old one! They are the best for lounging and soaking.

Luckily, we got a call that my bags would reach the little Kenora airport by 8am the next morning. Linda's hubby was great to offer to drive out there and pick them up...my big heavy winter jacket was IN one of the quilt duffels, and as cold as it was, I needed it!

The two workshops were Scrappy Mountain Majesties, and Smokey Mountain Stars. I guess we had a mountain theme going on! I was so happy to meet these ladies, some I have known through email for quite a while! We had people drive from as far away as Thunder Bay, Ontario, and Edmonton, Alberta!!! I was Canadian Topography Challeneged...so it floored me when I was told that Edmonton is about a 24 hour drive. I guess this proves that quilters are hearty stock! If we want to get together, not even mileage and snowy icy cold is going to stop us!

The workshops were held at the Lakeside Inn in Kenora. Linda gave me a quick giggle of a story when I commented on the "roundness" of the Inn....she said it is the world's largest replica of the STANLEY CUP! *LOL*

We ate in the dining room at the top floor a couple of times...and this is the view you get in the winter. I was told the ice can easily be 3 feet thick.

The snowy white winter cold against a radiant blue sky is a beauty to behold. The snow just sparkles when the sun shines.

So now I'm home, and trying to put life back together after a very fast and furious 4 days gone. My next class is with my OWN GUILD here in Winston Salem, and it will be fun to finally get the time to spend with the ladies and get to know them better.

Tonight? I'm tackling the hand sewing on the binding of the Cathedral Stars...feet up in the recliner...enjoying being HOME!

19 comments:

  1. sounds like you had fun - you sure have been traveling a lot lately it seems, it must be nice to see so many places and meet so many quilters.
    Karen
    http://karensquilting.com/blog/

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  2. You really are putting some miles in this year! Have a big cuppa tea and take it easy....

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  3. I am so very glad you made it home safe. And the snafu with your duffle bags did have a good ending. Makes one wonder how it happened!!!!
    Here in Indiana the season does not know it is Spring. We had 2" of snow yesterday with a temp of a balmy 33. Still flurries today but it is 35!
    Subee
    p.s. my Batik Virginia Bound is done and on my bed!

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  4. Well, in Canada, a 12 hr trip is 'just around the corner' and 24 means, you'll just have to sleep on the way!! It's nothing!!
    I am glad your home - and that you didn't loose the duffel bags!! Are you also glad to be out of the snow?? ;-)!!

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  5. Hi Bonnie,
    Friend Phyllis reads your blog often and was some disappointed to learn that you were to be up our way 4 days before the weekend. She/we would have loved the opportunity to have met and spend the weekend with you...We are from Winnipeg...Too bad our province's guild and the Kenora guild are not in contact with each other... 8-(
    You took some great shots here... 8-)
    Happy stitchings!

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  6. PS: You don't have to publish this comment, but just wondering if a few of the gals that had you up in Kenora have blogs. I would love to view their reports of the weekend...
    If so, would you mind directing me there?
    Thanks!

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  7. And to think I had been complaining about the cold here in Missouri today.

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  8. Cold Eh?

    I used to live in Thunder Bay (8 hours east of Winnipeg) And you don't know cold til you've been to Winnipeg!

    Keep warm!

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  9. Welcome back Bonnie, we've missed you.

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  10. glad the weather in our part of the world was cooperative at least -- no snow storm. Find it funny that you found it cold -- for us natives its spring, it gets above freezing most days, so wat's not to like! :-)

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  11. I am signed up for your workshop at our guild (NJ) next week - can't wait! Hopefully you won't see any snow here - or need a winter jacket!

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  12. Anonymous6:18 PM EDT

    Bonnie I was so tempted to take a run to Kenora, I'm in Thunder Bay, I found out about you coming a week before and just couldn't make it :(. One of my friends went though and I can hardly wait to hear about it and hopefully see some pictures. Now that you've seen winter you really should come up in the summer and see how pretty Thunder Bay is!!
    Wendy

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  13. There's no place like home.....enjoy every minute of it!
    My Mom was Canadian, aren't they hardy souls? I hope you had a good welcome there.
    But.....
    There's no place like HOME!

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  14. Wow. It sure is beautiful there although I have had enough snow for this year. It sounds like you had a good time.

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  15. Too much snow and cold for me! I live in Florida. Glad you got your bags. That would have been so terrible for them to be lost.

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  16. And I was whining to the DH today about our 50 degree weather here in SE Virginia...ok, I'm a whimp!!!
    Glad the luggage thing worked out, this is a potential nightmare when you depend on samples as you travelling teachers do!!

    Lori in VA

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  17. As you enjoy old quilts, I thought you might like seeing this one: http://disfordovey.blogspot.com/2009/03/vintage-quilt-top.html

    She also has a beautiful black and white trees quilt newly made.

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  18. We did miss you! Glad to hear that your trip was enjoyable... even with the snafoo! Snow, and ice are important... we still need them... good to know that some people can still handle it. Way to go Bonnie! I lived in Minnesota for a while and that was plenty cold... lots colder then here in Utah that's for sure!
    Kick back and relax... do you know how to do that? I'm thinking not...

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  19. People who live in the flatlands (like ME) prefer patterns with names that include the word mountains! yup, I've made the Mountain Majesties pattern too--Thanks Bonnie!!

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