Adirondack Vacation Day 1

We have limited internet access so I’ll be posting 2 or 3 days at one time on this trip.

We’re traveling again.

It seems like quite a long time since our last trip with the RV. We came back from a two-month stay in Florida at the end of February. In May and June we took two trips to Albany NY to participate in art fairs. (So I won’t count them because they were work related.)

We are now at Forked (pronounced fork ed’) Lake in the Adirondacks in northern New York. – One of our favorite places to camp in the Adirondacks. While this is actually a working vacation – Tom will be taking pictures at the Adirondack Museum on Saturday- we still have 5 days to relax and unwind. I plan to do a bit of quilting also – then some kayaking, quilting, hiking quilting, relaxing and quilting.

I’ve brought along a number of projects but will concentrate on three: my Celtic quilt (I have one side of the binding and the label to attach) , a wool appliqué project that I started last year at our quilters’ retreat at Watson Homestead. The project, Basket of Sunflowers was featured in the Fall/Winter 2007 edition of Quilt Sampler.

And the Third – my scrap stash. I have cut most of my blue stash into squares. It really is therapeutic to finally get some organization done

Right now Tom is down at the lake setting up for some sunset pictures. I’ll join him in a bit – Hope the sunset is good tonight.

Life sure is good!

There’s always time to quilt!

Day 2

Another Day in Paradise

What a way to spend a vacation! Tom decided to be chief and bottle washer today. A nice treat for me. When he prepared and did clean up for breakfast and lunch I was hoping that he would do the same for dinner. Now I’ll never know.

As we were preparing to have a glass of wine with a light snack before dinner, our neighbors in the next campsite invited us to share a drink with them. We ended up in our campsite however since we were all set up for “Happy Hour”. By the time we were finished visiting – it was nearly 7:30 so we decided on a quick dinner.   Tom wanted to go down to the lake again for some sunset pictures. The sunset has been really nice – not outstanding – but I don’t think you can get a bad sunset in the Adirondacks.

Today – the weather was perfect – in the 70′s. We spent most of the afternoon kayaking and exploring one of the streams that feeds Forked Lake.

And yes, I did get some quilting in – I’m still working on the binding for my Celtic quilt. I have about half of the final side to sew – and then the label.

There’s always time to quilt!

Day 3

Applique bedspread made as a retirement gift in 1894

We’re at the Adirondack Museum and I am enjoying the new quilt display, Common Threads Quilt Trail.  The collection consists of quilts from the 1800′s to present.  There are also quilts on display at various exhibits throughout the Museum grounds.

Touring the display is really worth the stop.

There’s always time to quilt!

Saturday morning at Morgan Samuels started off with a breakfast to top all breakfast’s and left us wondering “how did we eat it all”. If only it hadn’t tasted so good. Starting with a fruit tray of more cut fruits than I’ve seen in one place at one time (strawberries, blueberries, raspberries (red and yellow), blackberries, kumquats, melon (honeydew, cantaloupe, watermelon), dried fruits (figs, prunes, apricots), nectarines, plums, and pineapple to name just a few. This was followed by a homemade fruit muffin and a choice of herbed scrambled eggs, two different omelets, French toast or pancakes, each with sausage, bacon or ham. Needless to say, you don’t go away hungry. As always, when we are with Bill in Lynda we can count on two things: rain and good food. Thursday it rained and Saturday morning began our foray into meals that are quite different from what we usually eat.

After breakfast we were unsure that it was a good idea to have scheduled the seminar on wine and food paring at the New York Wine  & Culinary Center at noon. But true of our love of wine and food, we were intent on participating.

more…

Moon Morning Glory

Today was a beautiful Florida day. The temperature was in the 70′s with blue skies and fluffy white clouds. What a perfect day to take a walk on the boardwalk of Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary. The tranquil area is home to many birds, flowers and of course alligators!

The moon flower, moon morning glory, opens in the early evening that disappears by morning.

Little Blue Heron

This little blue heron was a bit camera shy, but was able to get decent shot of him anyway.

I caught the white ibis as they took a break from foraging for their dinner.

While my husband, Tom, is taking photos,
I walk; find a pituresque spot and take out some handwork

I am working on a wool wall hanging to be appliquéd with a buttonhole stitch.

When Tom meets up with me, we sit for a bit and then start walking agian.

Happy quilting!

I just recently retired, making it possible for my husband, Tom, and I to finally to do some wintertime RV’ing. Our first destination is the Florida Everglades where he will be able to add to his library of nature photos and I’ll be able to spend much of the time quilting!

We left Syracuse, NY (snow country) on December 27 and logged more than 30 hours of drive time by January 5. This translates into 30 plus hours for me to quilt on hand projects while traveling. My first completed project is a wool candle mat finished with the buttonhole stitch. (See detail of sttching below.)

While traveling, I organized floss, scissors, pattern and loose thread clippings (that always seem to get away from me) by using my 12″ square Quilt ‘n Press.

In addition I am working on a Seasons wall hanging that I had started last year. It is made up of 12 monthly blocks surrounding a 4-season block. Each of these blocks becomes the center of a churn dash block. The borders have 4 embroidered corner-stone blocks (Winter, Spring, Summer, Fall). I have only two of the corner border blocks left to embroider and then will be able to begin assembling the churn dash blocks.

Of course I brought along more projects than I can possibly finish in the month we will be here – but I couldn’t take a chance of running out. I am hoping to complete some of my unfinished projects (UFOs!) and certainly will have to visit the quilt stores in South Florida to find some new projects to replace them.

Happy Quilting!