Archive for October, 2014

More From New York and Book Review

Friday, October 24th, 2014

Here are a few more photos we took on our travels through New York.  This is the Barcelona Light House built in 1829.

 

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Below are some of the views we enjoyed.

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This old section of boat houses in Canandaigua were fascinating.

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Karon took my Garden Medley workshop during my recent visit to Chatauqua.  She brought her finished top to the retreat at “Needle In A Haystack”.  Nice job Karon.  I really like the background fabric choice.

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BOOK REVIEW

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My girlfriend loaned me this audio book,”The Fault In Our Stars”. I knew absolutely nothing about this author or this book.  Words of caution….you are going to need some tissues.  I liked the book.  I don’t mind when an author writes that well and makes me like his characters so much that it makes me cry.  To me this is the sign of a good writer.

 

 

Until next week.

First Leg of Our Trip to New York and Book Revieew

Friday, October 17th, 2014

On our journey to New York our first stop was “Needle In a Haystack” in Findley Lake, New York.  Judy Findley is the owner.  She and her husband have converted an old barn into a retreat center. They also live there.  The classroom holds 20 students and there is lodging for everyone.  The place also boasts a full kitchen.  If you are looking for a great place to hold a retreat you really should consider it.  http://www.millcreeksew.com/needle-in-a-haystack-retreat.htm

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I had a full workshop of 20 students and the work space was fantastic.

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Judy also has a nice quilt shop on premises…..just in case you did not bring enough fabric.

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I stopped on Sunday morning to check on the ladies before we headed to our next stop.  Several ladies had to leave Saturday night or early Sunday morning before I got there to take this photo.   But, you see how much they got done in the Majestic Mosaic machine applique workshop.

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We had a very nice drive through the beauty of fall in southwestern New York.

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Here are some fun photos .

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BOOK REVIEW

blog 12On the drive up we finished an audio book we stared just prior to our trip.  We read the most recent Janet Evanovich book called “Top Secret Twenty-One”.  We were laughing as Stephanie and Lulu got into some more interesting situations.  The book we started listening to on the way home is making me cry……I’ll fill you in later when I finish it.  So, laughing on the drive up and crying on the drive home……

 

Until next week……enjoy your fall, winter is coming.

Western Michigan

Friday, October 10th, 2014

I see this view a lot from the airplane. However, on this day it was so beautifully cloud covered.  I thought I’d share this photo.  I was on my way to teach in Muskegon, Michigan for the Patches of the Lakeshore Quilt Guild http://www.patchoflakeshore.com/

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The guild holds its workshops at Quilted Memories in Montague, Michigan.  The shop is owned by a lovely woman by the name of Jill. Find out more about Jill’s great shop by going to her website at http://www.quiltedmemoriesmi.com.  The classroom space was fantastic.  Each person had her own table with plenty of room to work.  If you are any where close to this area, you really should stop and check it out.

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Montague boosts the world’s largest weather vane.  And I think they may be right.  It’s really big and actually works.

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Here are some things we saw around the Montague and Muskegon area.

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We don’t have what I call Oreo cows around where we live so I am fascinated with their coloring.

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And Lake Michigan is so, so beautiful

 

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We were so happy to find an unpicked pumpkin patch!

 

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An unpicked vineyard….

 

 

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And, some phenomenal lighthouses.  I’m betting the state of Michigan has the most lighthouses of any of the 50 states.

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I had a great visit to Michigan.  I’ve been in Michigan before and I will go back again whenever I am asked.  The people, including Kathy who was my guild contact, are always so pleasant and wonderful to work with.

 

This week I am off to the Empire State and the leaves in western New York should look like a bowl of Trix!

Annual Vulture Update and Book Review

Thursday, October 2nd, 2014

Each summer I usually give you a report on our vultures.  For those of you who don’t know we have vultures that live in the vacant barn behind our house.  Some people think they are ugly.  But they are harmless and really fun to watch.

I missed the summer update so here is the fall update.  We have a baby vulture.  Check her out.

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Here is momma in the bird bath.  As always, I expect she will show the youngster the bird bath as soon as it can fly.  I think we’re going to need a bigger bird bath!

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Check out the rabbit under the shrub.  I was sitting looking out the window here at my desk and I thought it was injured.

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Glad I was wrong.

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BOOK REVIEW

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On our drive last weekend we started listening to the new Lee Child book “Personal”.  It is the 19th in the Jack Reacher series.  I love Jack Reacher.  He is one of my favorite reoccurring characters.  I always look forward to what he will do next.  Jack Reacher is a retired U.S. Military police officer.  He puts his toothbrush in his pants pocket and boards a bus to…….you just never know where he’ll end up.  He is a drifter. He is Sherlock Homeless.  But, you can be assured sooner rather than later he will kick some butt and make the world a better place.  Reacher gets pulled back into a military assignment because he arrested the suspect years earlier and is familiar with some of his habits.  I not only like the character I love the whit of Lee Child.  There are a lot of great (funny) lines that you could miss if you don’t listen closely.  And the reader for this series, Dick Hill, is simply the best.