It’s been a while… Nashville was fun. We stopped at Quilt Quarters in Carmel IN…
We worked out it was at least 8 years since we were last there… I found some South African screen printed squares that I will include in a future piece and a couple of patterns I thought were interesting and then we were back on the road with the bed frame still firmly attached.
Here is Kathy, the car, and you can just make out the bed head… firmly strapped on and padded with rags.
We got to Bob’s house in Bowling Green before he did so I was able to check out his wood pile
He’ll be OK when the revolution comes…
We delivered the bed and went out to a very nice Hibachi style dinner before heading off to Franklin KY for a good night’s sleep. The Hampton Inn there was the best one I’ve ever stayed in (thank you Steve for the points that made it possible). We had lots of pillows, comfy beds, clean work out room (exercise doesn’t stop for vacation) and an excellent breakfast. The staff in the breakfast room kept it constantly clean and well stocked… not something you always find.
Well rested, fed and ready to go we made our way to Nashville to find Jonathan. He had cleaned his bathroom in honor of our visit. If he had visited his father when he lived on his own (which of course he couldn’t have, but if he had…) he probably wouldn’t have bothered, but his mother is proud of him!
Jonathan had done his research and we set off to Cheekwood House, an art museum and gardens. It was very beautiful and gave me an excuse to take lots of pictures. (research for a future project?)
Pink berries…
Tree roots… (I really am working on a tree project)
And one of me and my boy…
I have more than a 100 pictures on my computer from Cheekwood. I have made some people view them all.
We were getting a little hot and bothered in the heat and humidity so we headed off to the mall and eventually ended up at the Melting Pot in downtown Nashville for dinner. The chocolate fondue was a wonderful ending to a fine meal.
All good things must come to an end so we said our goodbyes and headed off to a hotel that shall remain nameless… We stayed the night and left in the morning…
Time to go home. We (I…) chose two stopping points. First stop was Uniquely Yours Quilt Shop in Elizabethtown, KY. This little shop, out in the fields was jam packed full of good stuff at great prices. I bought a Kentucky batik that had the state outline as part of the pattern and a few other bits and pieces to use in the future..
Our second stop was some time later in Louisville. I had been practicing saying the L word all our trip to be able to say it the way the natives do. More practice required!
Among Friends is one of the 10 quilt shops highlighted in the latest Quilt Sampler magazine. When you walk through the door you can immediately see why it was chosen. It was light and bright with a wonderful range of fabrics and quilts on display. (The sort of shop I like – like Pieceful Heart Fabrics) It wasn’t difficult to find a few things I needed…
While we were waiting to pay a class got out and they seemed to have had a good day. They had enjoyed a class with Wendy Bauer who shared some of her quilts with us. She had some wonderful samples, all beautifully quilted and finished. I will have a “woven quilt” to show soon.
Back in the car for the final leg home. We did make a stop at a Starbucks for a little refreshment before we found the rain…
And then it rained while we finished the drive, rained while we unloaded the car, rained when Steve and I went out to dinner, rained when I went to church the next day and rained and rained… But the sump pump kept working and it did eventually stop. And then it got hot!
That trip seems a long time ago. After a busy week I was off again… this time to Boston MA.
Harvard University’s first president turns out to have been a former principal of Bury Grammar School in Bury, Lancashire. (UK) So where better to hold a meeting of the Old Boys and Girls than at Harvard?
We cashed in Steve’s air miles and flew into Boston on the Friday evening. We picked up a rental car and found our way out to Cambridge no problem. We even found the bed and breakfast we had booked and there was an open parking space! I knew there were no elevators but fourth floor with a suitcase was a long way…
Our meeting was at the Faculty Club. After coffee and introductions we went to see the archives. It was fascinating to see documents from the 17th century and hear about Henry Dunster. Then we went on a short walk through Harvard Yard…
to the graveyard…
The old graves demanded more pictures…
Just two of the many photographs I took…
Then lunch, more talking and back to our room to get ready for dinner. Dinner reservations had been made at “Upstairs on the Square”. It was an excellent dinner with great company. Everyone was so interesting. Politics, education, medical benefits, immigration law… we covered them all!!
Sunday afternoon we went to the Arboretum… no parking, no restaurant but lots of photo opportunities…
Another tree for the tree project.
Then home again on another packed plane. James met me at the airport. Steve had stayed behind to go to New Hampshire…
Back to work on Monday for a Machine Quilting 2 Class. Tuesday we booked classes for the next quarter. Now I’m busy working on samples. pictures will follow…
