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Thursday, April 21, 2016

To the Shores of Okojobi -

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People make the world go round.

And I have to share with you the story of a new friend I made yesterday!  This is Joyce.

It’s not easy to get to this corner of Iowa from Anywhere, especially when flying out of Greensboro, NC.  My flights were full, but everything went swimmingly with no delays, even IF i did have to get up at 3:15am to leave the house by 4:00am to board a flight at 4:45am that left for Atlanta at 5:20.  This was Ordinary travel for me.

From Atlanta it was a flight to Minneapolis and that is where the extraordinary began.

I’m boarded on the plan in Minneapolis, the boarding door is soon to be closing which means things need to be turned off or switched to airplane mode.

Just before switching off, a facebook message pops up.

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Joyce became my Quilt Angel!

I had never met Joyce before.  She simply knows me from the blog and social media.  She read yesterday’s post about my worry in managing the luggage to the rental car with no carts and she came running.

She lives an easy 7 miles from the Sioux Falls airport, saw a need and answered it.  These are the moments that stop me in my tracks.  The kindness of others produces a ripple effect that simply makes the world a better place.  I hope to be able to return the favor to someone else at sometime!

And may you all have a Joyce who comes to your aid when you most need it!

She met me down in the baggage claim, helped me retrieve my luggage and sat with it like a mother hen while I got the rental car stuff taken care of. (I’m driving a big red Jeep Patriot! fun!)

Thank you, Joyce!

I asked the rental car agent what they would do if they were me with this luggage and no luggage carts (Oh, and it’s lightly raining at this point) and was told to go to the check in counter and explain it to a gate agent.  They went to the back, got me one of the big Delta carts, we got my luggage to the car, returned the cart, and Joyce went off to take care of her other errands while I made a beeline for Iowa.

Little things mean so much!  I can’t thank her enough.  What a chance encounter!  And it just reemphasizes to me how when we look for the little miracles, we find them EVERYWHERE.

Now – let’s go out and be someone else's miracle!

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Our retreat center!

The Lodge at Lakeshore Center at Okoboji!

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Quilters arriving and setting up!

That window is awesome!

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It overlooks the lake!

Beautiful even in rain.

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Looking back up at the retreaters setting up inside!

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There is some Allietare assembly going on!

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And vintage machine love and chat!

Now look at this photo ---Do you see the woman’s foot on the pedal in the manual?  She is wearing stiletto pumps!  The photo actually shows you how to rest the heel of your shoe on the special divot spot at the lip of the pedal – it has a heel rest for pumps.  SERIOUSLY?  Women really did sew with their high heels on?  Oh, 1950s, you crack me up!

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My little string blocks!

I even have a loaner machine to do some simple string piecing on.  I’m in between travel projects since I finished the QOV auction quilt (I’ve got it with me to bind) so I’m doing some little half light half dark string blocks to play with.  We will see what they become.

It didn’t take much before tiredness overtook me and off to bed I went, leaving busy stitchers behind in the sewing area.

It’s a good thing.  If I stayed up any later I would have missed this:

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Sunrise on Lake Okoboji!

This was so amazing, I threw on my clothes and went right down to the lake shore to catch the glory of it all:

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Let the world awaken!

We’ve got quilting to do!

I even took a short little clip so you can hear the birds and see the water ripple:



Today is an easy day – the other half of the retreaters that didn’t come for an early start yesterday will be arriving to day at 11am.  Our workshop starts at 1pm. It’s a Strip Twist Day followed by a lecture tonight in town.

And I hear the quilty chatter beginning outside my room and down the hall, so I’m going to go join them!

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Quiltville Quote of the Day!

This quote seems perfect for today after yesterday’s three flight journey!

4 patch X quilt from my book MORE Adventures with Leaders & Enders shared by a student during workshops in Michigan.

Have a great Thursday, Everyone!


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27 comments:

  1. Kudos to all the Joyces we meet in life. Even better is the inner satisfaction that Joyce must surely be feeling today even without your sweet post. Let's all try to find ways to be a "Joyce" for others as we move through this wonderful lifetime adventure!

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  2. Yeah to the angels in life! You never know when they will show up! Thanks for sharing your journey with us. What a wonderful way to greet the morning! Have an amazing time!

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  3. Hooray Joyce!!! Thank you for sharing a beautiful story and a beautiful sunrise.

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  4. Bonnie, your blog today filled me with hope - that kindness does exist and that sunrise brought tears to my eyes! Thank you!

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  5. Love this post. Quilters are such awesome people. Just got a lump in my throat seeing pictures of Okoboji. My grandparents used to own a cabin on the lake. My parents met at the Roof Garden in Arnold's Park and had their wedding at the cabin and reception on the Queen. We had lots of summer fun on that lake! Thanks for the memories.

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  6. Bonnie, I am so glad someone came to help you out. It looks like a lovely place to visit. Enjoy, and Wow, the sunset picture is beautiful. Thanks for sharing it.

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  7. Anonymous10:24 AM EDT

    Bonnie: I continue to love your posts! We are here for a purpose and the random opportunities to help, give us the chance to step out of our routine and be that special surprise for someone. I recognize that manual! I have my Mom's Pfaff. It looks to be a couple of years younger than this one. Am curious where she gets her supplies and parts. I need a new foot pedal for it. If you would share this comment with her, I will email you about this so she and I may be able to share information. THANK YOU!
    Bonnie S

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  8. I love your littles strippy blocks with half light, half dark, are you stitching those on a foundation piece?

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  9. Thank you Joyce; funny I read the facebook note and thought, Bonnie is coming thru SF, San Francisco, how did I miss that, LOL! Lovely sunrise, great post to wake up to. Thanks.

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  10. Bonnie, angels come in many forms, and Joyce is truly one of those!!! Will be coming with a couple of guild members for the trunk show tonight, and only have to drive about 60 miles to spend time with you, if I am lucky enough to get a ticket at the door!!! Can't wait to see your smiley face in person!! :) :) :)

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  11. May our lives be filled with gorgeous sunrises and lots of Joyce's!!!

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  12. So many others have already said it best. So, I'll just say smile and enjoy your time. What a gorgeous sunrise! Made my heart sing (and to hear your voice is always nice too). Hugs, Allison in Plano, Texas USA

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  13. Always sad when I hear you are in Iowa..... Because I want to be there with you. I live in Iowa. Welcome to Iowa Enjoy it all .
    Okaboji Blessings to you . You will love it there.
    Janita

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  14. Sorry to hear you encountered another airport with no luggage carts. Thank goodness you were able get a heavy duty cart to move those duffle. Viewed your sunrise clip and imagined I was there with you. Wonderful you had a great new friend in another state to help you along the way. Miss your laugh and smiles Bonnie. Hope to spend some time with you again.

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  15. I'm a late nighter so I thank you forthe Beautiful Sunrise! Yea for Angels who come to help!!! Barefoot treadler here. No stiletto pumps on my pedal.

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  16. Welcome back to Iowa. I haven't spent much time in the northwest corner but I have heard it's beautiful and your pictures support that. How nice to have an angel friend to help you! Have a great retreat. Wish I could be there :-)

    Jmrwdm@aol.com

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  17. That picture of the woman sewing in heels takes me back to my own youth. I did everything in heels housework, sewing, even painting the walls on ladders. I wonder now at my own stupidity, it seemed just the normal thing to do. Now I am always barefoot, my how things change.

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  18. That sunrise takes my breath away!
    Bless Joyce's heart!!

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  19. The machine manual showing sewing in heels gave me a chuckle. I always sewed barefoot, even back in the 60's. It also reminded me of a sketch in my Juki sewing machine manual showing a foot in what looked like a slip-on backless house slipper resting on the foot pedal. I always was a little perplexed by that sketch - why a house slipper? Then a blogger in Japan wrote about the slippers that are kept by the door to change into when you remove your shoes upon entering the house. These shoes for inside the house looked just like the slipper sketched in the Japanese sewing machine manual. So THAT'S what they meant!

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  20. Anonymous11:19 PM EDT

    Okaboji!!!! My love!!! SpEnt many a summer there. My folks owned the Oaks Motel for many years. So glad you found our little piece of heaven Bonnie.

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  21. Bonnie! I made that exact trip getting home from Florida last Sunday! Had to rent a car and drive back to Rapid Citty SD then get my pickup and drive to Wyoming. I did not realize where you were this week...I would definitely make the trip to see you! The retreat sounds wonderful!

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  22. Joyce is the kind of friend that we all want to have! How wonderful of you to spot a need and quickly solve it, Joyce. Bonnie, thanks for sharing about the unexpected help from Joyce. It adds a bit of optimism to my day.

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  23. Thanks for the gorgeous sunrise. May I be a blessing in someone's life today, may I recognize the opportunity and follow through.
    Enjoy the day with all those quilters!

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  24. Anonymous7:27 AM EDT

    A miracle each day, Joyce one day and the glorious sunrise the next. Thank you for the amazing picture and video. No matter how beautiful we make our quilts, nature in all it's glory seems to surpass our efforts.

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  25. Good morning from the california foothills. I was wondering if you ever have posted a video on fabric cutters. I remember that you use one. I am thinking of buying one and would love your opion The pictures of the lake our stunning.

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  26. The sunset you took was absolutely gorgeous! I'm looking forward to meeting you in Sioux City tomorrow for Jared Takes a Wife. Hope you have safe travels down from Okoboji. Pam Clark

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  27. I know where Lake Okoboji is located and there is no easy way to get there, in my opinion! I live in NC, near the you but spent 13 years in Iowa, wonderful place to live with wonderful people!!

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