Travel Nightmare!

Part of the reason I haven't posted was a short trip we took out to Nevada.  It wasn't the vacation that caused a long delay it was the MS episode brought on by an absolute travel nightmare with SPIRIT airlines.

Orange is the MS color...

Lesson learned: if you hear an airline you are booked with is having issues with employee contract negotiations rebook with another airline.  When we heard Spirit was having problems we called only to be told "a judge worked this out today.  Just check the news."  Sure enough there was a comment from the pilot's union saying they would abide by the Judge's order.  The next morning the pilots did not show up for our flight.

Lesson learned: if a customer service agent tells you to take the refund because they cannot book you on another airline (said there was an email from corporate telling them they had to keep the customers on Spirit flights)  take the refund immediately.  In Chicago when our second flight was cancelled the supervisor booked us on American Airlines and told us to cancel the reservations we made on our own credit card while inline.  You know that didn't work out...we ended up paying for both the AA tickets and the Spirit tickets.

Lesson learned:  discount airlines really mean discount.  The callback from a supervisor happened almost 8 hours late at 0150 - that is almost 2 am.  And she threatened to close the case if I didn't talk to her right then!  Needless to say that was over a week ago.  They asked for week to figure things out.  That was a week ago today...who knows.  Maybe they'll call a few minutes before midnight?!

That is only the tip of the story...in the end I ended up being so tired from the flights and the waiting and then the many hours on the phone that I had an MS relapse.  I was only able to stay one night at my guild retreat and am having to cancel a long list of commitments for the next month.

Now enough whining and complaining...back to sewing and writing!

Heggies Rock Photos

Three times a year a local photographer gives a "photo tour/workshop" at a local Nature Conservancy spot called Heggies Rock.  I got on the list and not matter how I felt I was going on this!

It is sort of a magical place.  There are plants that only live there.  Very hostile conditions.  It is a large outcropping of granite that basically is untouched.  Plants grow in the shallow "dishes" or moss-beds.

Reindeer Moss...

The limit the number of people who have access and require visitors to walk only in certain areas.

Water runs off the granite quickly.  This is called the "ephemeral stream."

There are a few areas with shrub and some lillies...

This species of mounding Quillwort is only found at Heggies Rock

The plants have wonderful names like Mounding Quillwort, Pool Sprite, Merlin Grass, and Granite Elf Orpine.  (I have to admit Hogworts came to mind!)

So today I am sore and tired but very happy went on the photo shoot!

Sedum which is what most photographers go to Heggies to shoot...

I spent  good part of the day just folding fabric, cleaning the cutting table, with one quick trip to the April sale at the LQS!  More on that later!

Storm on the way...

Can't believe that last week this time I was in the Bahamas.

Nassua Bahama

It was sunny and warm.  Today the islands are being hit with Hurricane Mathew.  Prayers are with them.

Small church on Half Moon Caye

Me on the tender back to or ship...

I live about 2 hours inland so we don't expect more than some rain and a bit of wind.  We are at the end of evacuation route.  I heard that all hotels in our area are booked!  I did volunteer a few hours at an evacuation shelter for pets...will even take some horses!

I figured it is appropriate to share a photo of my Ocean Waves quilt...

Hope all in Mathews path stay safe!  I'm going to go hide in my sewing room for awhile!  Maybe even finish up this Roll Roll Cotton boll!  Appropriate for the wind that is starting to kick up...

Redcliffe Plantation

A few years ago I helped document a signature quilt from an area of South Carolina called Beech Island.  Since then I've wanted to visit a state park there that had a Plantation House from the same time period as the quilt.

It was a hot humid Carolina day so we went over early!  The house was built by a former Governor of the state of S.C. prior to the civil war.

The trees around the house are really beautiful.  Lots of large oaks and magnolia trees which were in blossom.  These flowers are around 10 inches across!

Lots of patterns in the brickwork

 and tiles (Minton imported from England!) that made me think of quilts.

I can't believe it took me so long to visit this state park!  It is only 20 minutes from my house.  When I lived overseas I made a point of going to at least one historical site a month.

me under one of the large trees!

 I think I need to try doing that in my own area too!

As far as helping with the quilt history documentation...well, I did learn that there was a small booklet published about textiles in this area in the late 1840's.  I am hoping to get to read a copy of it soon and hope that it may give me some clues to the quilt's history as well.

New Mexico Roadtrip

Just came back from a great trip out to New Mexico!  It has been awhile since I've been out there to visit my sister and her family.  Amazing how fast the kids have grown (they are driving cars and at university!  how did that happen?!)  Anyway, autumn is my favorite time to visit New Mexico...partly due to weather and partly because of chili harvest!

The colors out in the southwest just seem so much more intense.  Even when the skies were overcast. 

Loads of both color and pattern inspiration all around!  Like these windows in the old railyard building in Albuquerque where they hold an art and farmers market on Sundays.

Or these tiled stars leading to a restaurant in Santa Fe.

and these tiles...hexies below the watchful dog and colorful tiles on the walls!

Visited a wonderful quilt shop in Corralles called "Quilt Ole."  Great selection of fabrics, notions, patterns, and staffed by some really nice folks.  (and if you go there make sure you stop at Hannah's for lunch and get their cranberry bread pudding for dessert!  amazing!)

Back home...

To celebrate my husband's retirement we went on a cruise...not the terrible one that is still out at sea but a Carnival Cruise to the Bahamas.  (All I can say is fate was with us on this one as we very nearly went on the ill-fated one!  We have been to the Bahamas many times and I wanted something different but my DH didn't want to fly and since it was "his" cruise...phew!)

It was nice and relaxing.  We did take a day trip on a tall ship, the Alexander von Humboldt, in Freeport.  I really enjoyed it.  Watching how much work it takes to put the sails up was amazing.   We were out on the water for about 2 hours and only got a fraction of the sails up.  The crew are some of the nicest folks you would ever want to meet.

I think my husband has read every Dewey Lambdin novel (The Navel Adventures of Alan Lewrie) as well as all of the Master and Commander series.  So seeing all those sails and ropes up close was good for him.

 I was surprised just how tight the quarters were...yikes!  Nowhere for all my quilting stuff so I guess a life at sea is off my list!

On another note:  Happy Valentines Day!  Cannot believe my Dh was organized enough to order flowers before we left...they delivered them as we were unpacking the car!  Now that is timing!

Screeching halt!

Sometimes you just need to take some time off...

that is what my doctor told me yesterday.  They had changed some of my MS meds and my body didn't like them one bit.  Bodies have a way of letting you know!  So my wildly packed schedule for the next week has been whittled down to drinking lots of fluids and a bit of stitching.

I'll continue to work on my Halloween quilt and maybe get some writing done.  Also want to organize my photo files a bit...amazing how quickly they get out of control!

I do love to look at them and see what I was doing a few years ago the same month...

Cotswold Village (2007)...

One of my favorite stops at the local boot sale (2007)...

Great quilt "finds" (2009)

Windy day in the Bahamas...(2010)

always seems more exciting than what I am doing right now! (but then we only take photos when things are interesting right!)

Back from Quilt Study...

                                                    A unique chintz applique block from a quilt at the IQSC&M
I am back from the American Quilt Study Seminar in Lincoln.  I haven't unpacked yet so this will be a short post...more photos than writing (I know you'd rather the pictures!)

                                                                Two quilts from the Indigo Exhibit at the IQSC&M
If you are interested in quilt history but never been to seminar you really need to treat yourself and check it out next year (it is in Charleston, SC which is a great spot too!)  The seminar is broken up into many types of events...

                                                                In the work room at the study center...
First there are tours.  This year I took tour of the International Quilts Study Center and Museum...the staff there were really great.  Not only did we see the exhibits hanging in the three galleries but we got a behind the scene tour...and who doesn't like that!

                                                                       Storage area of the Study Center....
Then there are study centers that this year ranged from World War II Quilts with Sue Reich, Beauty Secrets: 150 years of History in One Quilt Pattern with Bill Volckening, to Digital Imaging/Imagining: The 21st Century.   There was a long list of study centers so something for everybody!

There are research paper presentations that also span a wide range of topics.  The papers are published in AQSG's annual Uncoverings.  And yes,  there is more...

                                                                  Julie Silber running the live auction....

                                                                   The "Julietes" who help with the auction....

              My table doing its part to keep the bidding going...money goes to the American Quilt Study Group
There are roundtable discussions.  I went to the one on 300 years of plaids and was excited to see Roberta Horton and her sister attending!  There were also posters sessions where ongoing research was presented.  A book sale, a vendor area, a silent auction, a very not-silent live auction, and two exhibits - Quilt Study: Quilt Revival, and Pot-of-Flowers.

                                                         Sandra Starley and her Mom at the Quilt Revival Exhibit
There is also a show and tell night....

                                             Bill Volckening with an amazing applied Chintz which he is researching....

                                                                   Mary Bywater Cross with a wool quilt....

                                                            Cindy Rennels with a gorgeous Russian Sunflower....
So I hope you got the picture...there was a lot to do.  This doesn't even include the time just talking quilts with anyone you meet at breakfast, in the elevator, in the van on the ride to the airport....no wonder my brain is just a bit tired...but very happy!