Spring On Mount Rogers.

Sadie and I played getaway yesterday afternoon. 

The weather had settled into a breezy low 60’s hover for a while, and I harnessed her up with the intent to head up the road about 6 miles to Grayson Highlands State park.

It’s long past due time to get my winter butt out the door and start moving again.  I can feel it.  This fair weather walker just doesn’t like to get out in the winter –but it’s time.  Long over due time.

Spring green is emerging everywhere, though the hardwoods still don’t have their leaves.  There is a benefit to this – it means you can still see through the trees to the beautiful mountain ranges in the distance.

Are you a little hungry there, fella?  Or –lady?

The ponies were out in droves!

I had seen a few during December when we went up on what turned out to be a rainy day short hike.  But they were off in the brush, behind the rock walls.  Today – a bit of sunshine and fresh green grass to graze upon, they worked their way from area to area like 4 legged lawn mowers.

Dinner with a view!

This one was curious enough about me to walk up to me, give my hand a sniff and let me pet its nose before moving down the road to “greener pastures.”  Oh, I’m so glad we came up here!

Sadie sniffing at the trail post.

Oh yes, there are loads of smells as well!

Oh, these beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains.

There were other people hiking the trails as well.  Rhododendron Trail goes right into the Appalachian Trail and there were day hikers as well as hard core “hiking the whole thing” folks with backpacks, hiking sticks and all of the other must-have gear for camping out on their journey.

A chat with a family coming back down the trail let me know that there was something mighty special to see just up ahead:

Mama and new born foal. 

Precious!

I took so many photos  and video clips.  I combined them in this video – click to play:

It was windy - and getting colder by the time we reached as far as we were willing to go.  I needed to turn around before the rain started. (Where did that come from? It WAS sunny!)

At one point an Air Force jet flew noisily overhead – it seemed so out of place in this setting.

We made it back to the van and were soon on our way back down this mountain, toward another mountain – cabin home.

But I can guarantee that I’ll be back!

It is $7.00 per vehicle to get into the park.  I asked about a season pass, and it is something like $68.00.  I’d need to go more than 10 times to break even, so I think I’ll hold off until I’m 65 when it goes down to 1/2 price.

Evening sewing!

Did you receive your May/June 2018 Quiltmaker issue yet?  This is my Addicted to Scraps column block – Diamond Tile.  It was inspired by an antique quilt I found while on my journeys, and I’ve pulled the block together from Scrap User’s System sizes! 

I need a new “On the Go" project for hotel stitching while teaching, and I can easily kit these up and take them with me.  That’s next week’s goal – KIT. MANY. BLOCKS.

I was talking to my friend Terri about doing a sew along with these blocks, but I don’t have the ability to really do something organized. I’ll be posting my progress on these blocks, and if you would like to join in for yourself, pick up a copy of the issue and dig right in.  I’ll be posting to social media using the hash tags #quiltville #addictedtoscraps and #diamondtilequilt.  Tag your social media with these tags also and I’ll be able to find you and see what you are sharing.

**Note**  All information on this block is in the magazine and I am unable to post sizes of block units.  Thanks for understanding.

Oh, and I found the perfect place for that mirror!

Now in search of a small stand to go beneath it.

As the Hubster arrived last evening - this morning’s not so pleasurable chore involves taking both vehicles into town for their yearly inspections – I am not having what happened to me LAST year happen THIS YEAR. (I was caught driving with expired tags, remember?!)  We can have lunch out while we wait and catch up.

Quiltville Quote of the Day!

Quilt found in Illinois.

"Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that." - Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Be the light for someone who needs it. That someone just might be you!

Much love from my rainy corner of southwest Virginia -