I thought I might share these thoughts with you They sure make sense to me.
I N S T R U C T I O N S F O R L I F E Dalai Lama
1. Take into account that great love and great achievements involve great risk.
2. When you lose, don't lose the lesson.
3. Follow the three Rs:
Respect for self
Respect for others and
Responsibility for all your actions.
4. Remember that not getting what you want is sometimes a wonderful stroke of luck.
5. Learn the rules so you know how to break them properly.
6. Don't let a little dispute injure a great friendship.
7. When you realize you've made a mistake, take immediate steps to correct it.
8. Spend some time alone every day.
9. Open your arms to change, but don't let go of your values.
10. Remember that silence is sometimes the best answer.
11. Live a good, honorable life. Then when you get older and think back, you'll able to enjoy it a second time.
12. Share your knowledge. It's a way to achieve immortality.
13.Once a year, go someplace you've never been before.
14.Judge your success by what you had to give up in order to get it.
2005/04/30
2005/04/26
Amish Country 2
We set out at 8.30. The day began clear and sunny. First stop the town of Nappanee.
Nappanee is the center of one of the largest Amish settlements in the United States. Nearly 2,500 Old Order Amish live, work and interact with residents and visitors. In the hustle and bustle of the new millennium, the Amish connect with one another heart to heart in a way that is often foreign to the modern mindset.
We stopped for our morning latte at an Amish coffee shop. I find that the Amish in this area are much more open than the order that live in Long Prairie, my home base.
Bourbon was our next stop... the houses are just wonderful, I took photos of the houses and we drove through the centre of town just admiring the beauty of some of these old rural towns.
We drove on through the wonderful countryside. We came upon huge houses set among brown soil fields. You can tell an Amish house by the washing on the line and horses standing by the fence. Occasionally we would see a buggy or horse drawn plough. Our destination was the town of Shipshewana. The home of the famous weekly flea market and Auction.
Every Wednesday year-round Livestock and antique auctions are held and horses and ponies are sold on Fridays. The sale barns and flea market occupy over 100 acres including 60 acres of parking. In the summers, you will find cars lining the streets of the small town of Shipshewana waiting to enter the flea market, with over 30,000 people in attendance.
We ate an Amish lunch consisting of broasted chicken, beans, mashed potato and gravy and sweet potato pie... finished off with coffee and desert... I'm going to roll onto the plane I think....
The scenery is spectacular and the camera was in full use... I have put up some photos on webshots....
Nappanee is the center of one of the largest Amish settlements in the United States. Nearly 2,500 Old Order Amish live, work and interact with residents and visitors. In the hustle and bustle of the new millennium, the Amish connect with one another heart to heart in a way that is often foreign to the modern mindset.
We stopped for our morning latte at an Amish coffee shop. I find that the Amish in this area are much more open than the order that live in Long Prairie, my home base.
Bourbon was our next stop... the houses are just wonderful, I took photos of the houses and we drove through the centre of town just admiring the beauty of some of these old rural towns.
We drove on through the wonderful countryside. We came upon huge houses set among brown soil fields. You can tell an Amish house by the washing on the line and horses standing by the fence. Occasionally we would see a buggy or horse drawn plough. Our destination was the town of Shipshewana. The home of the famous weekly flea market and Auction.
Every Wednesday year-round Livestock and antique auctions are held and horses and ponies are sold on Fridays. The sale barns and flea market occupy over 100 acres including 60 acres of parking. In the summers, you will find cars lining the streets of the small town of Shipshewana waiting to enter the flea market, with over 30,000 people in attendance.
We ate an Amish lunch consisting of broasted chicken, beans, mashed potato and gravy and sweet potato pie... finished off with coffee and desert... I'm going to roll onto the plane I think....
The scenery is spectacular and the camera was in full use... I have put up some photos on webshots....
Amish country
Di and I are sitting at the table working on dueling computers... Occasionally we have a hiccup with our wireless mouse... I try to go one way and she goes the other....makes for interesting navigating.
Where do I begin?
The past few days have been filled with so many wonderful sights and experiences.
Sunday we woke to a freezing landscape, snow covered the trees, road and cars... the temperature plummeted to below freezing. For these Aussie gals it was quite a shock. However, the gal sitting next to me in church had her flip flops on and short sleeves.
We brunched at a local restaurant located by a small regional airport. The pilots fly in, park their planes behind the fence and pop in for a bite.
This area seems popular for broasted chicken, it's delicious but I'm not too sure just how good it is for you.... Everyone came in after church. The guy who sat behind me in his red check shirt and bright red braces... with matching hat...Della says they are actually suspenders...I really want Keith to buy some of these.....
It was still freezing.... and snowing a little.
We headed over to Manchester to the covered bridge built in 1872. It spanned the Eel river and is a wonderful structure... Di and I braved the cold and the advances of the two wild geese and walked the planks.. There's not too much room for pedestrians and vehicles inside the bridge. There are several covered bridges in this area. They are of wooden construction and are generally painted red. I've only seen them in the movies before... it sure doesn't take too much to excite me...
The Green Oak Antiques in Rochester was amazing. We turned off onto a narrow country road lined with trees and then suddenly came upon a large barn. The surrounding area gave us a hint of what was to come. It was a treasure trove of vintage china, antique furniture and all manner of shabby chic goodies.. we were in heaven.
Di keeps asking everyone,...."we're from Australia, we don't have anything like that there so can I take a photograph"? gets us lots of photos and plenty of conversation...
I just didn't know where to photograph next. I sampled a few of the delights with the cheque book and they are winging their way home to Australia.
As the afternoon wore on the sun appeared and the day changed dramatically as the sun shone down on the newly ploughed fields.
This is corn country.... flat, brown earth surrounds the white farm houses that are picture perfectly balanced by tall trees that seem to accompany he statue of each house. The barns are often red and white , although we did see a blue one the other day.
Finally a visit to the Lake and more photos of Barns, and arid corn fields.... in just a few weeks everything will change. The corn will sprout and when I return in July, the skyline will be totally different.
Pizza and good conversation completed the evening... Di and I celebrated Anzac Day in our private ceremony.. we listened to John Williamson sing true Blue and Waltz in Matilda... very loudly.
This is a small saying we picked up in the Antique store.
When you get old and ulgly, as most people do. Remember you have a friend that's getting old and ugly too..... Pearl 1902
Where do I begin?
The past few days have been filled with so many wonderful sights and experiences.
Sunday we woke to a freezing landscape, snow covered the trees, road and cars... the temperature plummeted to below freezing. For these Aussie gals it was quite a shock. However, the gal sitting next to me in church had her flip flops on and short sleeves.
We brunched at a local restaurant located by a small regional airport. The pilots fly in, park their planes behind the fence and pop in for a bite.
This area seems popular for broasted chicken, it's delicious but I'm not too sure just how good it is for you.... Everyone came in after church. The guy who sat behind me in his red check shirt and bright red braces... with matching hat...Della says they are actually suspenders...I really want Keith to buy some of these.....
It was still freezing.... and snowing a little.
We headed over to Manchester to the covered bridge built in 1872. It spanned the Eel river and is a wonderful structure... Di and I braved the cold and the advances of the two wild geese and walked the planks.. There's not too much room for pedestrians and vehicles inside the bridge. There are several covered bridges in this area. They are of wooden construction and are generally painted red. I've only seen them in the movies before... it sure doesn't take too much to excite me...
The Green Oak Antiques in Rochester was amazing. We turned off onto a narrow country road lined with trees and then suddenly came upon a large barn. The surrounding area gave us a hint of what was to come. It was a treasure trove of vintage china, antique furniture and all manner of shabby chic goodies.. we were in heaven.
Di keeps asking everyone,...."we're from Australia, we don't have anything like that there so can I take a photograph"? gets us lots of photos and plenty of conversation...
I just didn't know where to photograph next. I sampled a few of the delights with the cheque book and they are winging their way home to Australia.
As the afternoon wore on the sun appeared and the day changed dramatically as the sun shone down on the newly ploughed fields.
This is corn country.... flat, brown earth surrounds the white farm houses that are picture perfectly balanced by tall trees that seem to accompany he statue of each house. The barns are often red and white , although we did see a blue one the other day.
Finally a visit to the Lake and more photos of Barns, and arid corn fields.... in just a few weeks everything will change. The corn will sprout and when I return in July, the skyline will be totally different.
Pizza and good conversation completed the evening... Di and I celebrated Anzac Day in our private ceremony.. we listened to John Williamson sing true Blue and Waltz in Matilda... very loudly.
This is a small saying we picked up in the Antique store.
When you get old and ulgly, as most people do. Remember you have a friend that's getting old and ugly too..... Pearl 1902
2005/04/24
No Responsibilty taken
Now Di's my friend. In fact she is in the US on business herself... and we are traveling together. I haven't actually hired her as a PA... but she likes to think she is folks....
Seriously we've had a great time and we're enjoying the ride.
As Di mentioned it's snowing today.... and just above zero. I don't think I have ever felt so cold in my life.... a bit different to 80 deg yesterday....
Seriously we've had a great time and we're enjoying the ride.
As Di mentioned it's snowing today.... and just above zero. I don't think I have ever felt so cold in my life.... a bit different to 80 deg yesterday....
diary of Pam's Entourage
Hi folk,
I thought I would write on the blog tonight and let you know just what it is like to be a member of Pam's entourage. I knew before I left that I would have certain duties to perform while travelling with Pam. She's a superstar you see - I know this is true because I read it in the April edition of the Readers Digest. It said that "Pam Holland is to quilting what Ian Thorpe is to swimming - a superstar with numerous international awards".
The first time my role of "entourage member" was called for was at Hancocks in Padcah. This place is awesome and Pam took off at great speed as she realised that there were many fabrics there that would be Perfect for her big project. Della and I slotted into our roles as Pam raced around grabbing bolts at great speed. We each had a trolley and I would follow closely behind pam, taking each bolt out of her arms and placing it in the trolley while constantly agreeing with her that "yes Pam -that fabic is perfect"! When the trolley was full, I would give Della a signal and she would shoot over with an empty trolley - we would quickly swap - then Della would head for the cutting table with instructions on what yardage was needed for each fabric. Della would then fold the perfect fabric - perfectly, while I continued to take the bolts of fabric from Pam. Sometimes it was difficult to follow her as there were so many people in the store, and the ailses are not wide. I would quickly look for another route and zip around so that I was at our Princesses side again. Once Pam was finished, all she had to do was collect her pre-cut and perfectly folded fabric and head for the checkout. Della and I breathed a sigh of relief and gave each other a "High five" for a job well done.
A member of Pam's entourage also has to listen to clicky disclocated fingers, look at bruised legs, give massages, and correct her when she starts talking with a southern accent. It's just "thankyou" pammy.....not "Thaaaaaankya".
It's been the best week - lots of laughs and I have loved every minute of being Pam's personal assistant while on the road. She is under pressure though. My parents phoned me yesterday to say that Pam hadn't posted to the blog recently and they had been checking everyday to see what I was up to! My mum said it's the best "Spying tool" she's ever had!
take care everyone........Di in Winamac.
I thought I would write on the blog tonight and let you know just what it is like to be a member of Pam's entourage. I knew before I left that I would have certain duties to perform while travelling with Pam. She's a superstar you see - I know this is true because I read it in the April edition of the Readers Digest. It said that "Pam Holland is to quilting what Ian Thorpe is to swimming - a superstar with numerous international awards".
The first time my role of "entourage member" was called for was at Hancocks in Padcah. This place is awesome and Pam took off at great speed as she realised that there were many fabrics there that would be Perfect for her big project. Della and I slotted into our roles as Pam raced around grabbing bolts at great speed. We each had a trolley and I would follow closely behind pam, taking each bolt out of her arms and placing it in the trolley while constantly agreeing with her that "yes Pam -that fabic is perfect"! When the trolley was full, I would give Della a signal and she would shoot over with an empty trolley - we would quickly swap - then Della would head for the cutting table with instructions on what yardage was needed for each fabric. Della would then fold the perfect fabric - perfectly, while I continued to take the bolts of fabric from Pam. Sometimes it was difficult to follow her as there were so many people in the store, and the ailses are not wide. I would quickly look for another route and zip around so that I was at our Princesses side again. Once Pam was finished, all she had to do was collect her pre-cut and perfectly folded fabric and head for the checkout. Della and I breathed a sigh of relief and gave each other a "High five" for a job well done.
A member of Pam's entourage also has to listen to clicky disclocated fingers, look at bruised legs, give massages, and correct her when she starts talking with a southern accent. It's just "thankyou" pammy.....not "Thaaaaaankya".
It's been the best week - lots of laughs and I have loved every minute of being Pam's personal assistant while on the road. She is under pressure though. My parents phoned me yesterday to say that Pam hadn't posted to the blog recently and they had been checking everyday to see what I was up to! My mum said it's the best "Spying tool" she's ever had!
take care everyone........Di in Winamac.
Interstate 70
It's 7.23 pm, dusk on a misty evening we're traveling from Paducah to Winamac Indiana.
We hope to be in Winamac in about 3 hours. We've encountered 100's of semi's and trucks.
Interstate 70 begins in San Francisco and runs to Washington DC. An Interstate is a major highway that runs from one point to another with no stops. To get to a town you need to exit the Interstate. However, a freeway (like we have at home) actually goes through the towns. With the amount of traffic on the roads here I can see how valuable the Interstate is.
Today we began our trip at about 1.30 driving through tree lined streets of downtown Paducah. It's been a gem of a day, 80 deg and a a caressing breeze. We began our day with a huge mug of hot coffee in downtown Paducah. The quilting gals were out in full. I have to admit to having a very small strawberry shortcake to accompany the coffee.
This is the most amazing place. Every shop has a sign in it welcoming quilters. The bank, the bookshop, and antique mall. Temporary shops selling quilting associated goods open and small stalls selling food appear in doorways and on pavements. Di, Della and I wandered into one shop after another. The antique malls were the most fascinating. I could have taken home a dozen antique quilt bargains however, a 1930's feedsack top for $29 and some hearts made from cutters (cut up quilts)will have to suffice.
We visited for some time with a local police officer on a push bike and the lady in the pie shop. 100's of quilters in quilting garb... walked the pavements. A gal dressed from head to toe in decorated and patched garments passed us on one occasion... I mentioned to Di that we can sure tell she is a quilter.. and lo and behold she turned around and passed us the other way... passing comment by saying... "I can tell your'e a quilter..." I looked down and had my antique quilt top peeking out of my bag... OK Pam a lesson......
We drove to view other parts of Paducah... The houses are gracious and embellished with porch swings, rocking chairs and terracotta pots bursting with colour. Flags salute the passers by and the front doors are festooned with wreaths and country decorations. Di and I walked the streets for a short time with Della following along in the car like a chauffeur..
Next stop was a quilt show put on by the local Rotary club. It was just lovely. Several dozen vendors displayed their wares... and Bobbie Aug showed her collection of antique double wedding ring quilts... they were just lovely. I bumped into friends and was also able to get more fabric for the big project from the Cherrywood booth.
I love this fabric with a passion. I have used it in almost all my major quilts... and the next one is no exception...
Time to get on the road again and I go back to the beginning of this blog... a warm sunny day, traveling on Interstate 70 through Kentucky, Illinois and on to Indiana..
The sky got darker and darker, in fact almost as if it was night... the radio flashed tornado warnings... but still the quilters drove through... suddenly the heavens opened and a wall of water hit us... Lightning lit the sky and we were pushed from side to side by by huge winds... the visibility was almost zero and the temperature dropped from 80 to 45....My goodness what a change..
After stopping to re-fuel the car and ourselves... we drove on for another 4 hours and arrived very tired in Winamac Indiana.
We hope to be in Winamac in about 3 hours. We've encountered 100's of semi's and trucks.
Interstate 70 begins in San Francisco and runs to Washington DC. An Interstate is a major highway that runs from one point to another with no stops. To get to a town you need to exit the Interstate. However, a freeway (like we have at home) actually goes through the towns. With the amount of traffic on the roads here I can see how valuable the Interstate is.
Today we began our trip at about 1.30 driving through tree lined streets of downtown Paducah. It's been a gem of a day, 80 deg and a a caressing breeze. We began our day with a huge mug of hot coffee in downtown Paducah. The quilting gals were out in full. I have to admit to having a very small strawberry shortcake to accompany the coffee.
This is the most amazing place. Every shop has a sign in it welcoming quilters. The bank, the bookshop, and antique mall. Temporary shops selling quilting associated goods open and small stalls selling food appear in doorways and on pavements. Di, Della and I wandered into one shop after another. The antique malls were the most fascinating. I could have taken home a dozen antique quilt bargains however, a 1930's feedsack top for $29 and some hearts made from cutters (cut up quilts)will have to suffice.
We visited for some time with a local police officer on a push bike and the lady in the pie shop. 100's of quilters in quilting garb... walked the pavements. A gal dressed from head to toe in decorated and patched garments passed us on one occasion... I mentioned to Di that we can sure tell she is a quilter.. and lo and behold she turned around and passed us the other way... passing comment by saying... "I can tell your'e a quilter..." I looked down and had my antique quilt top peeking out of my bag... OK Pam a lesson......
We drove to view other parts of Paducah... The houses are gracious and embellished with porch swings, rocking chairs and terracotta pots bursting with colour. Flags salute the passers by and the front doors are festooned with wreaths and country decorations. Di and I walked the streets for a short time with Della following along in the car like a chauffeur..
Next stop was a quilt show put on by the local Rotary club. It was just lovely. Several dozen vendors displayed their wares... and Bobbie Aug showed her collection of antique double wedding ring quilts... they were just lovely. I bumped into friends and was also able to get more fabric for the big project from the Cherrywood booth.
I love this fabric with a passion. I have used it in almost all my major quilts... and the next one is no exception...
Time to get on the road again and I go back to the beginning of this blog... a warm sunny day, traveling on Interstate 70 through Kentucky, Illinois and on to Indiana..
The sky got darker and darker, in fact almost as if it was night... the radio flashed tornado warnings... but still the quilters drove through... suddenly the heavens opened and a wall of water hit us... Lightning lit the sky and we were pushed from side to side by by huge winds... the visibility was almost zero and the temperature dropped from 80 to 45....My goodness what a change..
After stopping to re-fuel the car and ourselves... we drove on for another 4 hours and arrived very tired in Winamac Indiana.
Paducah Here we come.
We set out early for Paducah (a two hour drive from Nashville) and our first stop was in the small town of Grand River just some 20 miles from paducah. This town is a legend... once a thriving river town, it is now the hub for the wonderfull Pattis Restaurant and Gift shop
Folk I have never seen anything like this restaurant... it is a little over the top to say the least, but such fun. I will put photos up on webshots...
After a visit to the local quilt show and the purchase of an 1850's quilt we took off for Paducah.
A few evenings of calculations and I realized just how much fabric I needed for my large project... metres and metres more... so another stop at Hancocks was imperative.
Journey on to the quilt show and it was really all a bit too much. I'm a seasoned quilt show groupie and I must say I felt confused... however, we wandered from area to area and found quilts and vendors in the most unusual places.... like the pool room, and the basement... We enjoyed the ambiance, the quilts and visiting with folks from all over the world...but an afternoon was enough and it was real hot.
The first day we arrived in Paducah, we mentioned to the gals at the visitors bureau that we were staying in Nashville.... "That's not good enough" said one of the gals... and within a few minutes we had accommodation organised for us in Paducah. We stayed at a B&B.... it was lovely, however Di's excitement at finding a wooden porch swing on the front porch took our hostess Martha by surprise. Or it could have been the frosby flop she used to launch herself onto the seat in her enthusiasm.
That evening we returned to Patti's for dinner... we didn't get in until almost 9.30, but the meal was superb. Held in a dining room under 20 garlands of white roses and artificial weeping willow... we felt forever like Southern Bells as we sipped fresh lemonade and ate bread cooked in a flowerpot and served with strawberry butter.... We drove home to the B&B in a huge storm where God vented his fury in an amazing lightening show.
Folk I have never seen anything like this restaurant... it is a little over the top to say the least, but such fun. I will put photos up on webshots...
After a visit to the local quilt show and the purchase of an 1850's quilt we took off for Paducah.
A few evenings of calculations and I realized just how much fabric I needed for my large project... metres and metres more... so another stop at Hancocks was imperative.
Journey on to the quilt show and it was really all a bit too much. I'm a seasoned quilt show groupie and I must say I felt confused... however, we wandered from area to area and found quilts and vendors in the most unusual places.... like the pool room, and the basement... We enjoyed the ambiance, the quilts and visiting with folks from all over the world...but an afternoon was enough and it was real hot.
The first day we arrived in Paducah, we mentioned to the gals at the visitors bureau that we were staying in Nashville.... "That's not good enough" said one of the gals... and within a few minutes we had accommodation organised for us in Paducah. We stayed at a B&B.... it was lovely, however Di's excitement at finding a wooden porch swing on the front porch took our hostess Martha by surprise. Or it could have been the frosby flop she used to launch herself onto the seat in her enthusiasm.
That evening we returned to Patti's for dinner... we didn't get in until almost 9.30, but the meal was superb. Held in a dining room under 20 garlands of white roses and artificial weeping willow... we felt forever like Southern Bells as we sipped fresh lemonade and ate bread cooked in a flowerpot and served with strawberry butter.... We drove home to the B&B in a huge storm where God vented his fury in an amazing lightening show.
2005/04/21
Sight seeing in Nashville.
It's been an interesting day. Di, Della and I took the opportunity to take a look around Nashville.
We barely touched the surface and it's one of those places I've have bookmarked to come back to again.
Country music played a big part in my upbringing. Dad, makes and plays the steel guitar. I played the violin and guitar (quite badly) We knew the words of the latest Tex Ritter songs off by heart. However, new country is my passion and the poor old shed fairly vibrates at times... I have an idiosyncrasy of playing two songs by Jo Dee Messina very loudly before every class and Lecture... (to myself that is)Ipod in the ears.
We began with a tour... OK, I don't usually do tours... and honeys... I was so close to giving the tour guide a smack it wasn't funny. Well, first we had to be quiet, and secondly, we had to listen to his blonde jokes and crude stories about women.... I did a great deal of eye rolling.. heaven forbid if we were a minute late back to the bus. !!!
Did you know that most of the worlds bibles are printed here in Nashville, particularly the Gideon bibles and it is truly the bible belt of the USA with Churches numbering in the 100's. Country Music and Tourism prop the economy.
Sadly the Grand Ol Oprey is closed this evening, but we did go to the old Ryman Theatre and The Nashville Hall of Fame where we got to see Elvis's gold Cadillac up close and in great detail. He had crushed diamonds, fish scales and gold chips blended into 40 coats of white paint for the surface of the car.
Of interest to us quilters were the beautifully appliqued garments on display. They were absolute works of art.
Now small things amuse us Australians. If you ever want an interesting hour or two... visit The dog department in Target. You can buy your precious canine a denim Jacket if he is a boy, or little pink rompers it she's a girl. Then there's all sorts of accessories to match. Shoes, hats, toys and even leather jackets... However, if you live in the country you can have co-ordinated tweed garments.
You can purchase doggy biscuits done up like party favors with candy on the top and even toothbrushes and perfume !!!! Needless to say, our mirth was viewed with quizzical looks...
This evening we found ourselves in a bit of a worrying situation with an inebriated African American man who needed to be guided out of our restaurant ... We've been watching too much TV. None of us made eye contact with him as he demanded food from the gals behind the counter. A young man of superior height and weight escorted him from the establishment with clever words and sheer strength. We all looked at each other and said... Hope he hasn't got a gun!
Back to quilting tomorrow... It was an exciting evening last night and a priviledge to win.
I've spent some time this evening doing fabric calculations... I need a few more yards of fabric for my big project. (just in case) so we will have an early start tomorrow and I will have to brave the crowds in Hancocks to retrieve the special fabric.
Then we plan to visit the Quilt Museum and we have accommodation with a gal in the town so we pack up the cases again and we're on the road...
This is the 10th time in three weeks that I've packed and unpacked....I'm quite good at it by now.
Now I will tell you that this can be a dangerous occupation...I have dislocated my pointing finger and it is clicking in and out of joint... it happened when I pinned a quilt up in Chicago... then yesterday when I was rushing to change in the car. I slammed my leg in the car door. I've heard of fingers being jammed, but never a leg... I have the bruises to prove it.
take care folks.
We barely touched the surface and it's one of those places I've have bookmarked to come back to again.
Country music played a big part in my upbringing. Dad, makes and plays the steel guitar. I played the violin and guitar (quite badly) We knew the words of the latest Tex Ritter songs off by heart. However, new country is my passion and the poor old shed fairly vibrates at times... I have an idiosyncrasy of playing two songs by Jo Dee Messina very loudly before every class and Lecture... (to myself that is)Ipod in the ears.
We began with a tour... OK, I don't usually do tours... and honeys... I was so close to giving the tour guide a smack it wasn't funny. Well, first we had to be quiet, and secondly, we had to listen to his blonde jokes and crude stories about women.... I did a great deal of eye rolling.. heaven forbid if we were a minute late back to the bus. !!!
Did you know that most of the worlds bibles are printed here in Nashville, particularly the Gideon bibles and it is truly the bible belt of the USA with Churches numbering in the 100's. Country Music and Tourism prop the economy.
Sadly the Grand Ol Oprey is closed this evening, but we did go to the old Ryman Theatre and The Nashville Hall of Fame where we got to see Elvis's gold Cadillac up close and in great detail. He had crushed diamonds, fish scales and gold chips blended into 40 coats of white paint for the surface of the car.
Of interest to us quilters were the beautifully appliqued garments on display. They were absolute works of art.
Now small things amuse us Australians. If you ever want an interesting hour or two... visit The dog department in Target. You can buy your precious canine a denim Jacket if he is a boy, or little pink rompers it she's a girl. Then there's all sorts of accessories to match. Shoes, hats, toys and even leather jackets... However, if you live in the country you can have co-ordinated tweed garments.
You can purchase doggy biscuits done up like party favors with candy on the top and even toothbrushes and perfume !!!! Needless to say, our mirth was viewed with quizzical looks...
This evening we found ourselves in a bit of a worrying situation with an inebriated African American man who needed to be guided out of our restaurant ... We've been watching too much TV. None of us made eye contact with him as he demanded food from the gals behind the counter. A young man of superior height and weight escorted him from the establishment with clever words and sheer strength. We all looked at each other and said... Hope he hasn't got a gun!
Back to quilting tomorrow... It was an exciting evening last night and a priviledge to win.
I've spent some time this evening doing fabric calculations... I need a few more yards of fabric for my big project. (just in case) so we will have an early start tomorrow and I will have to brave the crowds in Hancocks to retrieve the special fabric.
Then we plan to visit the Quilt Museum and we have accommodation with a gal in the town so we pack up the cases again and we're on the road...
This is the 10th time in three weeks that I've packed and unpacked....I'm quite good at it by now.
Now I will tell you that this can be a dangerous occupation...I have dislocated my pointing finger and it is clicking in and out of joint... it happened when I pinned a quilt up in Chicago... then yesterday when I was rushing to change in the car. I slammed my leg in the car door. I've heard of fingers being jammed, but never a leg... I have the bruises to prove it.
take care folks.
2005/04/20
I've never been here before.
1.00 am and I'm relaxing listening to gospel music while the others sleep.
Finally I can relax.
We arrived home an hour or so ago after attending the 21st annual presentation to winners at Paducah Kentucky.
I guess I did it for the Aussies again.!!! 1st place and I was thrilled.
This is last time the 1776, Heartache, Heritage and happiness will be entered into competition. It will now be on exhibition in Paducah with other Australian Quiltmakers July through September.
I arrived in Nashville yesterday and was plunged full bloom into spring.
Di Mill flew in from Australia, Della Moon drove from Indianapolis and the three of us sat up till the wee hours visiting.
This morning we took off in anticipation of an exciting day. The air was warm and the countryside was bathed in an expectant mist. We drove through green fields fringed by pine and bright green birch trees. Pure white dogwood trees punctuated the lines of green and occasionally we saw flashes of pink.
Empty tobacco barns with doors wide open stood amidst tilled fields and sometimes ringed with bright yellow native mustard.
It took us two hours to get to Nashville and we chatted all the way with country music fielding the background.
Precious memories.
We arrived in Paducah early with the aim of trying to beat the bus loads of women who were about to descend on Hancocks of Paducah.
I didn't intend to purchase fabrics, but with some 10,000 bolts beconing... I just couldn't resist. We walked down each aisle, examining and touching every bolt of fabric.
I spied wonderful fabric for my big project... and very soon the shopping trolley was stacked...$4.50 to $7.00 yard and who could resist....
There were 100's of gals shopping and chatting. You should see this place... It is housed in a huge warehouse, between the wholesale cigarette seller and a used car lot.
A line of porta-potties give away a secret as to how many visitors they expect. I'm told the cars spill out onto the road and the police have to control the traffic on the busy days....!!
Off to another long line to register ... well I didn't need to as I was a finalist, but the others did....however, an hour in a line is a great way to share...
We found an elderly gal with a yard full of quilts and 1940's patterns and paraphenalia to sell... so a visit with her was compulsory. Her quilts were roughly made but she had some nice antique ones hanging over the fence.
Time for the presentation and we had our glad rags in the back of the car. Where do we change...? well right there in the car hiding behind coloured windows, but never the less it was a license for laughter I can assure you... We emerged from our cocoon, coifed and dressed to the nines...
Ricky Timms opened the evening with some light entertainment and interesting stories... The the nerve racking part began... I think I was more nervous than when I won at Houston...
One by one the awards were presented...and the excitement grew... I have to say I vowed I would never go through this again....
The room full of visitors were appreciative and generous with their support and applause. All those hours of work were worth it.
Evening over we retired to the Cracker barrel Restaurant where we dined on sugar cured ham, meatloaf and chicken and dumplings. Next came turnip leaf salad, potato stew and fried applies, served with cornbread. Amazing.....!!! I entered into a little song and dance in the restrooms as we waited for our turn... The music was loud country, slow and melodramatic... I did a few turns to the surprise of the other visitors to the loo....then they joined in. No idea of my excitement.
The eyes are failing and the mistakes are more than ever. So time to retire...
Best wishes.......
I've never been here before, so I hope you enjoy the posts over the next few weeks.
Finally I can relax.
We arrived home an hour or so ago after attending the 21st annual presentation to winners at Paducah Kentucky.
I guess I did it for the Aussies again.!!! 1st place and I was thrilled.
This is last time the 1776, Heartache, Heritage and happiness will be entered into competition. It will now be on exhibition in Paducah with other Australian Quiltmakers July through September.
I arrived in Nashville yesterday and was plunged full bloom into spring.
Di Mill flew in from Australia, Della Moon drove from Indianapolis and the three of us sat up till the wee hours visiting.
This morning we took off in anticipation of an exciting day. The air was warm and the countryside was bathed in an expectant mist. We drove through green fields fringed by pine and bright green birch trees. Pure white dogwood trees punctuated the lines of green and occasionally we saw flashes of pink.
Empty tobacco barns with doors wide open stood amidst tilled fields and sometimes ringed with bright yellow native mustard.
It took us two hours to get to Nashville and we chatted all the way with country music fielding the background.
Precious memories.
We arrived in Paducah early with the aim of trying to beat the bus loads of women who were about to descend on Hancocks of Paducah.
I didn't intend to purchase fabrics, but with some 10,000 bolts beconing... I just couldn't resist. We walked down each aisle, examining and touching every bolt of fabric.
I spied wonderful fabric for my big project... and very soon the shopping trolley was stacked...$4.50 to $7.00 yard and who could resist....
There were 100's of gals shopping and chatting. You should see this place... It is housed in a huge warehouse, between the wholesale cigarette seller and a used car lot.
A line of porta-potties give away a secret as to how many visitors they expect. I'm told the cars spill out onto the road and the police have to control the traffic on the busy days....!!
Off to another long line to register ... well I didn't need to as I was a finalist, but the others did....however, an hour in a line is a great way to share...
We found an elderly gal with a yard full of quilts and 1940's patterns and paraphenalia to sell... so a visit with her was compulsory. Her quilts were roughly made but she had some nice antique ones hanging over the fence.
Time for the presentation and we had our glad rags in the back of the car. Where do we change...? well right there in the car hiding behind coloured windows, but never the less it was a license for laughter I can assure you... We emerged from our cocoon, coifed and dressed to the nines...
Ricky Timms opened the evening with some light entertainment and interesting stories... The the nerve racking part began... I think I was more nervous than when I won at Houston...
One by one the awards were presented...and the excitement grew... I have to say I vowed I would never go through this again....
The room full of visitors were appreciative and generous with their support and applause. All those hours of work were worth it.
Evening over we retired to the Cracker barrel Restaurant where we dined on sugar cured ham, meatloaf and chicken and dumplings. Next came turnip leaf salad, potato stew and fried applies, served with cornbread. Amazing.....!!! I entered into a little song and dance in the restrooms as we waited for our turn... The music was loud country, slow and melodramatic... I did a few turns to the surprise of the other visitors to the loo....then they joined in. No idea of my excitement.
The eyes are failing and the mistakes are more than ever. So time to retire...
Best wishes.......
I've never been here before, so I hope you enjoy the posts over the next few weeks.
2005/04/17
Quilts and Movies
I had the opportunity to visit a local quilt showing yesterday. The gals have met weekly for some time to make about 200 quilts. Each quilt has been given a lot of thought, matching colors, squares and patterns. The batting in thick and comforting and the quilts are tied. We walked the aisles of quilts and marveled at the ingenuity of some of the participants. Some of the most interesting quilts were down the back of the hall and had a sign on them. Graduation. One of the gals explained that they made a quilt for each graduating student that year. So some 18 students will be recipients of their own special quilt.
Groups of folk sat round and ate huge slices of cake washed down with coffee and conversation.
A quick evening meal and then I set the computer up for an online chat with an online Quilt Group. The date had been set some months prior and if you have a computer you can fulfill the obligation no matter where you are in the world.
Well it took me a bit of time to find out the protocol and how I should reply... but one by one folk asked questions and we entered an hour of dialogue with gals from all round the world.
The room here was full of friends waiting for me to finish so we could watch a Chick Flick. The chocolates were waiting and the popcorn made. But there I was, earphones on with music loud in my ears and typing furiously.... I got up quite a sweat I must admit, but it was a great experience....
I had to answer the phone in the middle of typing like a fiend. My friends were exhausted just watching....
We watched the movie "Osama," the first movie shot entirely in Afghanistan since the Taliban regime was ousted.
The movie tells the story of a 12-year-old girl whose father and brother have died and who must disguise herself as a boy to leave her house and support her family. In the era of the Taliban, women could not leave home unless accompanied by male relatives.
"Osama" was filmed in Kabul, the nation's capital, and the actors were all amateurs.
Its star, Marina Golbahari, was a beggar discovered by writer-director Siddiq Barmak when he returned to Afghanistan after it was liberated from the hard-line Islamic regime.
Have you ever watched a movie where you just sit in silence at the end and take a deep breath. This is one of those movies.
"People often say that motivation doesn't last.
Well, neither does bathing - that's why we recommend it daily."
Zig Ziglar
Groups of folk sat round and ate huge slices of cake washed down with coffee and conversation.
A quick evening meal and then I set the computer up for an online chat with an online Quilt Group. The date had been set some months prior and if you have a computer you can fulfill the obligation no matter where you are in the world.
Well it took me a bit of time to find out the protocol and how I should reply... but one by one folk asked questions and we entered an hour of dialogue with gals from all round the world.
The room here was full of friends waiting for me to finish so we could watch a Chick Flick. The chocolates were waiting and the popcorn made. But there I was, earphones on with music loud in my ears and typing furiously.... I got up quite a sweat I must admit, but it was a great experience....
I had to answer the phone in the middle of typing like a fiend. My friends were exhausted just watching....
We watched the movie "Osama," the first movie shot entirely in Afghanistan since the Taliban regime was ousted.
The movie tells the story of a 12-year-old girl whose father and brother have died and who must disguise herself as a boy to leave her house and support her family. In the era of the Taliban, women could not leave home unless accompanied by male relatives.
"Osama" was filmed in Kabul, the nation's capital, and the actors were all amateurs.
Its star, Marina Golbahari, was a beggar discovered by writer-director Siddiq Barmak when he returned to Afghanistan after it was liberated from the hard-line Islamic regime.
Have you ever watched a movie where you just sit in silence at the end and take a deep breath. This is one of those movies.
"People often say that motivation doesn't last.
Well, neither does bathing - that's why we recommend it daily."
Zig Ziglar
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