My Florida adventure continues

What are the chances of three quilters taking the most direct route to Punta Gorda?

Slim to none, don’t you think?

You’d be right!

Our first stop was at Heartfelt Quilting and Sewing in Winter Haven.I recognize those people.Next stop, Heart to Hand, also in Winter Haven.Lots of fabric to choose from.I’d heard there was a Modern shop in Sarasota. It seemed like a long detour but Kitty didn’t complain one bit and we finally pulled up in front of The Modern Sewist.Lots of modern fabric on display,it’s not a big shop but everything needed to be examined closely.I might just have found a few things that needed to come home with me…

Back in the car and almost to our destination when we stopped at Anderson’s Bead Room  in Port Charlotte. There aren’t many bead stores around these days and it was great to be able to top up my bead supply,especially when there are bargain bins to dig through!That was enough retail therapy for one day, we were ready to go home to Kitty’s and settle in for the next few days.

Time to remember why I was in Florida on Friday morning… we headed out for the Peace River Quilters Guild meeting. There was a lovely crowd ready for my Lessons Learned While Quilting Lecture.A good-looking audience in both directions!The guild meets every Friday so there was only a very limited amount of business to take care of and just the show and tell from the retreat.

“Work” over for the day, Nancy took charge of my request to look for an alligator.We looked in all the usual places but there were no alligators be seen on Friday afternoon 🙁

We did see some ducks!Oh well, my other request was to watch the sun set over the ocean. Nancy was a good sport.  I didn’t realize how far it was to the shore…

We spent a happy afternoon on Englewood Beach on the Gulf of Mexico.The sun began to go down.We weren’t the only ones waiting but we weren’t quite as energetic as some people.So pretty.and then done.Definitely worth the trek, but I wasn’t driving!

Back to work on Saturday morning for a full class for Walking Foot Quilting.Straight lines,Organic curves,and a spiral!Everyone went home with lots of ideas to get their quilts finished.

How about a little trip out on the water?

Kitty’s husband owns a boat so off we set from their canal side home and into the harbor.

Past a pelican.
and out into the almost open water.We weren’t actually “sailing” but I liked the view looking up.And I really needed a picture of the sparkling wavesAll good things come to an end and we motored back, past the Mangroves.and into the canal system.As we sat in the lanai  enjoying a glass of wine, I noticed the sky was changing color and went to get a closer look.I noticed a disturbance in the water. It was coming towards us.It was a school of mullet! As they got closer we could see them jumping. They swam right by us but by then it was too dark to get a clear photograph.You’ll just have to believe me there was a whole lot of fish under the surface of the water!

What fun. The quilters of Punta Gorda know how to show a person a very good time… But I didn’t see an alligator so I do need to go back sometime?

I flew home Sunday. Steve picked me up at Midway and I have spent the last two days unpacking and then repacking and getting ready for my trip to Indiana tomorrow.

I’m going to be driving to the Convention Center in Bloomington for the Indiana Heritage Quilt Show. Three days of classes, quilts…and vendors. I’m teaching all three days but I’m sure I’ll get time to look around?

AND there will be a new butterfly on Thursday…

AND the first of those new grand babies is due very soon…

I’ll be keeping my phone on!