A Gentle Mountain Sunday

Martha and I stopped here a few weeks past.

I find life in Appalachia to be full of kind, hardworking folk – where roots to community go deep – so deep!

Some have lived here in this corner of the Blue Ridge Mountains going back generations – and then others, like me – have adopted this area and are happily creating our own space here. These people are welcoming, inclusive, helpful, and enjoy the best of the simple things in life.

Laurel Valley Community Church in Konnarock, Virginia touched all the heartstrings and we had to pull over to see what we could see.  Rough hewn logs, red painted door, simple wooden cross.

We meant only to peek in the windows – but the door was open, and we wandered inside.

Simple pine pews with log stump legs.

Filtered afternoon light through the windows.

Beauty in all of its simplicity!

Isn’t this the cutest thing?

There was a guestbook – and in reading the entries came across some stories that touched the heart – one about a woman whose father has been buried nearby, the memorial service being held here at Laurel Valley.  Her next visit?  She is returning to be married to her sweetheart here.  Churches like this really are the center of the community.

Pump organ!

My grandpa Mach had a pump organ like this in his basement and as a young teen I was bound and determined to learn to play it – and would try tirelessly until my legs hurt.  LOL!  Good memories of summer visits -

And yes – this is the his/hers log outhouse!

It is so worth it to get “off the beaten path” and see what there is to see in small areas around you.  We could so easily have driven on by thinking “oh, isn’t that cute –“ and never have known what was inside. (Or out back!)

Further research let me know that the church was originally built in the 1940s, and community efforts have worked to restore the little church through donations.  Well done!

It’s so nice to see this happening with the beautiful older buildings, instead of just tearing it down.

Laurel Valley Community Church – 1940s to 1950s.

Meanwhile at Quilt Villa -

This has been going on!  Click to Play:

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A post shared by Bonnie K Hunter (@quiltville_bonnie) on Jul 5, 2019 at 8:24am PDT

Who needs an alarm clock when this guy wakes you up like clockwork every day! He loves the back door best, but he is known to knock on love front windows, the side windows, and the downstairs slider to my sewing room.

Crazy bird. Good morning!

Other flying things!

These beautiful moths go from quite the transformation from green caterpillar to this beautifully marked winged state – their only job once emerging is to mate and lay eggs.  They only live a couple of days, and this one was no longer able to fly once we spied it clinging to the screen.  Can you see how delicate the hairs are on the inside of the wings along its body?

Beauty like this reminds me how life is so very fleeting – appreciate every moment!

Found clinging to the deck umbrella after the rain -

Isn’t this one beautiful as well?  I love seeing how symmetrical the patterns on their wings are – and that bright leafy green!  Gorgeous!

We sewed ourselves silly up until lunch time. Needing a break, we hopped into the car between downpours and headed over to Grant so Lisa and I could have lunch at Sarah’s Fox Creek General Store. When they told us ribs with all the fixin’s were the special of the day, we caved!  And split a piece of chocolate raspberry cake when we were done and well stuffed.  This is a place not to be missed if you are driving by.

We dodged more rain all the way back to the cabin and spent the rest of our day sewing while stew in the crockpot bubbled away for dinner - 

Lisa’s productivity!

This one is going to be a shop sample, and she is so speedy fast!  She says I’d get a lot more done if I stopped using such small pieces.  LOL!  Thanks, Lisa!

My own mess PRODUCTIVITY.

Yes, you know what black and white photos mean!

But I can show you THIS in color!

In fact over the course of yesterday I have added more than a dozen more Leader & Ender Shoo Fly blocks to my done pile!  Have you jumped in?  The instructions for this year’s Leader & Ender Challenge were posted this past Thursday and are now found under the Free Patterns Tab at the top of the blog – just scroll down to S for Shoo, Fly, Shoo!

I will soon have to cut more out – I’m about out of block sets.

We finished off the evening watching Mama Mia (Which Lisa had never seen!) and called it a night.

Today is the last day of our long-awaited 4 day holiday weekend.  I’m sad to see it go.  I’ve waited for it for months, but i can honestly say I have done everything I wanted to do with it.  This whole past week – The long arm got moved, set up, fixed, and I finished the first of many quilts-to-come on it while viewing the Quiltville Inn porch beyond through the QPO windows.  This dream has become not a some-day reality, but a RIGHT NOW LIVING IT reality.

I’ve had long leisurely hours making progress on other projects this weekend – the Fancy Baskets quilt has reached top status.  our Leader & Ender Challenge has been posted and we are off and running on that – and all of those mysterious black and white photos mean something else BIG is well under way.

Quiltville Quote of the Day

We have been working for the past year plus at making our biggest dream ever a reality. It could have been so easy to stay on the same course I was on, work until retirement, and not follow through with this. But it is going to be so worth it!

Long term goals take focus, determination, positive energy, believing in your dream...and TIME.

Don't give up on your long-term goals!

Have a lovely Sunday, everyone!