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Tuesday, February 11, 2014

Road Trippin to Tucson!

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Dad and I left Sun Lakes this morning –a short little road trip of about 90 miles to drop me off in Tucson where I’ll be teaching over the next few days.

Ever since the weather got cold in November ---I’ve been holding this gem of a journey close, praying it would thaw me out and keep me warm through the rest of the winter blahs ---and it looks like I am about to miss the WORST storm to hit the South East and North East in 20 years.

Maybe it’s all my fault?? I jinxed the whole country?

I think not….but I’m not feeling TOO guilty either ---

I treated Dad to a birthday lunch in Casa Grande as we made our way south toward Tucson.

I am sending everyone in the frozen winter areas a bit of blooming sunshine:

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PETUNIAS!!!

Think hard, and see if you can conjure up how they smell.  Petunias have a very unique fragrance – and they definitely smell like SPRING to me.  I smelled them for you!

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For the tile lovers in all of us --

This was the tile in the entrance to the restaurant!  It reminds me of tile I saw in Ireland.  So pretty – wouldn’t that be a great quilt design?

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Picacho Peak outside of Tucson.

When I think of the Civil War –I don’t tend to think of battles being fought in Arizona.  But I learned something today --

The Battle of Picacho Pass or the Battle of Picacho Peak was an engagement of the American Civil War on April 15, 1862. The action occurred all around Picacho Peak, 50 miles (80 km) northwest of Tucson, Arizona. It was fought between a Union cavalry patrol from California and a party of Confederate pickets from Tucson, and marks the westernmost battle of the American Civil War.
The Westernmost battle of the Civil War!

Due to perceived neglect by the Federal government, Confederate sympathies were high in Tucson among the southern-born Anglo-American population. The Confederates proclaimed Tucson the capital of the western district of the Confederate Arizona Territory, which comprised what is now southern Arizona and southern New Mexico.
Wow!  I learn something new every day ---Dad and I had a very interesting discussion on our drive down, and I’m glad he volunteered to be my chauffer to get me here for my presentation this evening with the Tucson Quilt Guild.

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Dad, lugging quilt baggage!

Yes, the top had to go down on the PT Cruiser so we could lift the trunk show bags out of the car and put them on a luggage cart..LOL  What a trooper he is!

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I’m all checked in!

Look at the mountain view from my hotel window!  Oh, I feel SO guilty ((NOT!!)) for missing that snow storm back home!

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More Hexies!


I did a bit more hexie stitching while on the hour and a half drive to Tucson.  I’m adding the neutral path between and around the 4 diamond units..one at a time, they get sewn together.

I’m being picked up in about 45 minutes to go set up for the lecture, and grab a bite to eat for dinner.

Oh! And guess what else I spied here....There is a CULVERS in Casa Grande, and another one here in Tuscon.  There will be a Culvers run in my near future -- at LEAST once if not more..ha!

On other exciting fronts – I got some COVER IMAGES for my new book in my email this afternoon!!  Ohhhhhh! Which one will we choose?!  Getting so close now.  Any day I should have a cover, and once we do I can show you and we can start pre-orders!

If you are in the path of that storm…hunker down, stay warm and quilt-on ---

Much love from Tucson --


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18 comments:

  1. thanks for the smell of the flowers!

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  2. Bonnie!! Had already thought about you going to miss out on the storm!! Enjoy the sun...good job on the timing. haha! :) Hope you have a great time there.
    I'm anxious to see your new book!

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  3. WELCOME BONNIE--I FEEL your excitement! and I am delighted that the weather is just gorgeous for you--as it was for Pat Sloan and Mickey! could you pretty please bring your hexies to class or whatever--I am so addicted--I wanna see yours in person! If you need a ride to Culvers, I can promise to get you there--I have never been myself! Lunch will be brought in on Thursday and Friday.. :-) I am so very excited --I have spent a long time waiting to meet you in person!

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  4. I have always loved Tucson! My grandparents, aunt, uncle and cousins used to live there. That's where I became a "desert rat" even though I was living in the midwest at the time (have to live where the dad works!). When we moved to Las Vegas, NV, in 1962, I was in Heaven! It's a different type of desert than Tucson, but it has it's beauty, too. Enjoy the sunshine and warmth--I couldn't resist walking outside in the sunshine today--felt SO good!

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  5. I *think* you will have to return to Tucson. You're becoming a desert rat (well, maybe not - but we can dream, right?). Culver's is out East by Betsy Church Jennings and me. Definitely see a custard run in your future! We're doing our best for you, weather wise:it'll be >80 tomorrow if all goes as planned. So happy to see you tomorrow morning! Maria

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  6. Anonymous8:52 PM EST

    Bonnie, is this your second hexie quilt? I don't remember the red, green and neutral hexie quilt having any brown in it. Enjoy the summery weather, we are in the -20/-30 Celsius range in northeastern Alberta, Canada.


    Linda in Alberta Canada
    Linda1958laing@yahoo.ca

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  7. That is a beautiful area, enjoy and relax the storm will pass and all will be well. Oh by the way pick up a Raspberry Malt for me I'll be there soon. Laughn'

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  8. You have me hooked on hexis., I made a table topper now I am working on a waa hanging and have discovered if I use either Sulky or YLI invisable thread to sew them together my stitches are truly invisable.

    Thank you for all you do for us fellow quilters.

    Judy

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  9. Love your blog, very interesting and always love the pictures! My brother lives in So Carolina and they are concerned - if I was you I stay in AZ a little longer (tell em you can't get a flight home) Enjoy your free mysterys too - thanks! Bev Remillard
    www.ladylikedesigns.com

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  10. I spent my entire afternoon and evening sewing away on Ring Around the Hexies so I could bring it to Tuscon tomorrow..we are leaving here bright and early and will hook up with some other gals that went up today. So excited we are in the same hotel too...I can hardly wait to get up in the morning and get going (and I am NOT a morning person, lol!) See you soon!

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  11. Reading your post, and seeing your photographs is making me nostalgic for visiting relatives in Sun Lakes a Prescott years ago. I just think it is amazing how different the terrain out there looks. It is like being on another planet.

    Your hexie project looks like jewels.

    Soak up the warmth while you can. I live near Atlanta, and we are bracing for the worst-again! But, if the power stays on, I will be a warm, happy, sewing girl. Hope the power stays on and everyone is safe and warm at your house.

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  12. Love, Love the tile work! You need to do that pattern!!! Or some adaptation of it. Thanks for sharing.

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  13. EWWWWW! Pre-smelled petunias. YUCK. I'll smell them myself, thank you very much. You probably got germs all over them. (said in a little kid whiny voice)

    My Celtic Solstice is on my design wall finally. YAY!

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  14. Your pictures bring back happy memories of my vacation last spring in Arizona. Thanks. That tiled floor looks fabulous, would love to think you could translate it into a quilt. Dad looks happy again, I'm sure he is glad to see you again. Happy teaching.
    Linda Hodges

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  15. As a person who loves the snow and moved a bit north from Connecticut to escape humidity, I can't imagine being happy to miss the storm! I know that I'm unusual. Never been to Arizona and enjoyed the Civil War history, is Culvers a fabric shop?

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  16. Hi Bonnie! Thanks for sharing your beautiful pictures with us! So nice that you got to spend some fun time with your Dad. :)
    I don't think the storm will be that bad in the mid-Atlantic states...expecting 3 to 5 inches here in DE I think. Not good for me to get my motorcycle to DMV for inspection/registration renewal though. Eek...I have 16 days left before it expires.
    Enjoy the warm weather!

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  17. I am snowed and iced in my house & ( live in Louisiana, deep south. Your pics of the flowers make me fell soo much better. Thank you.

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  18. I love the tile!! Please create something like it. Have a great time with your dad. You're right, he is a trooper!!!

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