>>>>

Saturday, April 14, 2018

Napa or Bust!

20180413_044328
This is what 4:30am at the airport looks like, for a 5am boarding time – Greensboro to Atlanta to Sacramento, nearly coast to coast.

I climbed into bed  = hopeful = that I’d be able to squeeze in 6 hours of good sleep before my 3am alarm went off so I could get myself to out the door by 3:45am to make it to the airport by 4:15 to do the luggage struggle and parking solo again.

Neighbor dogs barking madly at midnight did NOT help.  

There are no sky caps at his hour in Greensboro.  I grabbed their cart however and loaded all of my stuff and wheeled it into the terminal, giving myself extra points for weight bearing exercise on this day of long travel ahead.

Somewhere over Atlanta I dozed off…maybe 20 minutes, but that was enough to get me all the way to California with no extra shut eye.  It just wouldn’t come.

What does a girl do on a flight where her pop-up TV from between the seats in row 10 has NO AUDIO!? 


20180413_134500


We hexie.  All the way!

Border number 4 is growing!

9781443438896-l

I just finished an excellent audio book – The Baker’s Secret by Stephen P Kiernan.  If you are looking for a good read, or listen, give this one a try.

On June 5, 1944, as dawn rises over a small town on France’s Normandy coast, Emmanuelle is baking the bread that has sustained her fellow villagers in the dark days since the Germans invaded her country.
Only twenty-two, Emma learned to bake at the side of a master, Ezra Kuchen. Apprenticed to Ezra at thirteen, Emma watched with shame and anger as her mentor was forced to wear the six-pointed yellow star on his clothing. She was powerless to help when Ezra was pulled from his shop at gunpoint, the first of many villagers stolen away and never seen again.


In the years that her sleepy coastal village has suffered under the enemy, Emma has silently, stealthily fought back. Each day, she receives an extra ration of flour to bake a dozen baguettes for the occupying troops. And each day, she mixes that precious flour with ground straw to create enough dough for two extra loaves - contraband bread she shares with the hungry villagers. Under the watchful eyes of armed soldiers, she builds a clandestine network of barter and trade that she and the villagers use to thwart their occupiers.


But her gift to the village is more than these few crusty loaves. Emma gives the people a taste of hope - the faith that one day the Allies will arrive to save them. Stephen P. Kiernan paints a brilliant and vivid tableau of humanity during one of the most harrowing points of modern history.



20180413_133510

And before I knew it we were crossing the Sierras!

20180413_133643

Oh lovely!

I like flying into Sacramento.  It’s a very easy airport and Jamie was there to meet me, happy to help me with my trunk show bags:

IMG_20180413_111548_746

I think we are going to need MORE help! LOL!

After a delicious lunch out, we made our way from Sacramento out toward Fairfield where she lives.  We passed farms and fields, orchards and countryside – I love this part of California!

Click to play:


We had to stop at the "rusted tractor crossing" because the sign said antiques -- we didn't find anything to bring home, but the tractor display was fun, and we had a great time poking around before continuing up to Jamie's house.

20180413_144933

Walking on Jamie’s beautiful property!

20180413_143700

Does it get much better than this?

20180414_063909

It does this morning, at sunrise!

Click to play:



I’m rested and ready to meet with the Napa Valley area quilters and visiting friends this morning.  I have no idea what we’ll get up to this afternoon after the meeting, but my schedule is OPEN and I’m excited to see what we do to fill in this day.

I know I’m in good hands!

IMG_20180414_060025_099

Quiltville Quote of the Day!


Don't let the fear paralyze you. Take the step.

Have a wonderful Saturday, everyone!


15 comments:

  1. Beautiful Sunrise! Good to have that rest day before lecture and workshops days. No pictures of you and Jamie antiquing?? Have a great weekend in Napa Valley.

    ReplyDelete
  2. We'll be l8ke ships in the night as I leave today from Sacramento to fly to Memphis for a family visit. I'll be tu rggg b4ing yo California next Saturday, abt the time .you'll be leaving. Enjoy your time in the Napa valley and Bakersfield. Someday the stars might align and I'll be able to take a class.

    ReplyDelete
  3. I miss California, the cost of living is so ridiculous though! Enjoy your visit! Looks and sounds like lots of fun being had.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Bonnie! That vintage quilt behind your quote is lovely. Just yesterday I bought some more thrifted shirts to add to my (already ridiculous) recycled stash, including a 4XL shirt w a print over the woven check. Wasn't sure how I'd use it, bc it's kind of cool but odd, but it's a great shade of blue, and it was so big that I thought I could come up w a good way to feature it. And then the very next day, you come to the rescue and post a quilt that gives me some great ideas.

    I hope you get some good rest tonight to make up for the early morning and time change. Enjoy your open afternoon!

    ReplyDelete
  5. What gorgeous countryside!! I feel certain that you will find something fun to fill your afternoon. Enjoy all that beauty!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Anonymous6:29 PM EDT

    My brother worked in the construction of that airport terminal in Sacramento (he worked on all the air conditioning duck work for the building). According to my brother the luggage pillars are made from baggage that was in lost and found and never claimed. When the terminal opened those luggage pillars (in the baggage claim area) were quite the conversation piece. Hope you enjoy your stay in CA.

    ReplyDelete
  7. That sunrise video has a little white butterfly that flies across the lower edge and off towards the right. I thought it was a spot on the camera but then it reappeared. Enjoy your time in California!

    ReplyDelete
  8. WOW! That musta been in the fam a LONG time (either that or they're loaded!! LOL). Beautiful!

    ReplyDelete
  9. Looks like you going to have a memorable trip, such beautiful views and quilting fun to be had too!
    Have a lovely time .
    Quilty hugs xxx

    ReplyDelete
  10. Bluebonnets in California ?? I thought they only grew in Texas...shows what I know, huh?? Have a safe trip!!

    ReplyDelete
  11. Love your quotes, and we all no that fear is just False Evidence Appearing Real.Have a great week.

    ReplyDelete
  12. I grew up in California, and I sometimes miss it a great deal... good thing I can go and visit family there. One day I will be able to some to one of your workshops. I seem to be in the same neighborhood but at the wrong time. LOL.

    ReplyDelete
  13. A good audio book is, "The Tea Girl from Hummingbird Lane", especially since you plan to go to China this year.

    ReplyDelete
  14. I too grew up in California. I go back at least every other year to see nieces, nephews and cousins. You were here in Iowa but I didn't hear about it until you left. Other wise Our small quilt guild would have come to see you! Ginny R.

    ReplyDelete
  15. I listen to a LOT of audio books. One recently I just can NOT stop talking about!! It's called Radium Girls. It's historical but about the real Radium dial painters of the early 1900's. It was SO good!!
    Oh and have you yet seen Alias Grace on Netflix??? Kind of dark but really good (and a LOT of quilt references!!)

    ReplyDelete

If you are commenting as "anonymous" please leave your name at the end of your comment.

Did you know that ad space on this blog provides for all of the free patterns and free mysteries and challenges at no cost to you? Without ads, this blog would not be possible.

Thank you for understanding the many hours that go into this blog 6 days a week, 52 weeks a year. :)