Last summer while traveling out west we spent one night on the road so that we could meet a dead line in St. Louis. Paul drove until we got to the Wyoming state line and then pulled over to get some shut eye.

Dustin threw his sleeping bag on the ground for his bed.

Craig was afraid of rattlesnakes and opted to sleep on top of the van. Amy, Paul and I tipped our seats back and slept inside the van. We could hear creaks and movement every time Craig turned over.

In the morning we drove on to “Crazy Horse.”

We got there so early in the morning that they hadn’t opened yet. Rather than stay and wait we drove on to Mount Rushmore not far way.

We were a few of the first ones that day to Mount Rushmore and got a discount for being so early.

Paul and the boys washed their hair in the mens rest room and then blow dried it. It wasn’t until we got home and Dustin studied this picture that he realized what his hair really was standing straight up.

I hadn’t realized that you could get up so close to the monument. We took in all we could and went to the museum and displays and learned how the carvings were made.

Paul and Dustin freed a squirrel from this trash can.

This morning I enjoyed a class with some of the PTQers cutting and sewing a “Stack a Posie” quilt. Watana was our teacher.

She cut all the blocks from fabric like the border and got lots of different designs.

I’m anxious to see these lady’s blocks all put together.

Polly, Barbara, & I met at Paducah, KY, known as “Quilt City, USA”  for 3 days to enjoy the quilt show.

Please check out the winners of this year’s show at http://www.americanquilter.com/shows_contests/paducah/2009/contests/quilt_winners.php . There were lots and lots of beautiful and creative quilts. It was a feast of color and design.

One of the local lady’s from Columbus, CC, rode with me to Paducah. She finished up her “Star Tricks” quilt that she had started in Barbara’s class here in our home.

I enjoyed a lecture with Libby Lehman on “Creativity for Klutzes!”

This lady, Rebecca Barker does beautiful paintings of quilts in landscapes. Check out her web site at www.barkerquiltscapes.com.

Devotions with Polly & Barbara in our motel room.

We enjoyed a few meals at “Cracker Barrel” and here, I spotted this sign. It caught my attention because Paul & his brother Mark have a small trucking business they call “GraRock Trucking.” The “Gra’ stands for Graber and the “Rock” stands for Schrock as there were Grabers and Schrocks that started the business.

We also got to see the “Best of Show” quilts from the last 25 years at the National Quilt Museum. My “Bubbled Burgoyne” quilt was also in the museum in the exhibit of “New Quilts From an Old Favorite.”

Be sure and visit Polly’s site for more pictures of our time together.

One of the ladies that comes to PTQ, Watana, had gone to Florida for the last couple months. She is back and on Saturday she had quite a few quilts to share with us. Here are a few of my favorites.

This is what she calles a “Stack a Posey” quilt. I’d like to try this with some of my “ugly” fabric!

Here’s another “Stack a Posey” in lighter colors.

This is “A Monster in My Closet” for her first great grand baby when she has one. The doors open up and behind them are monsters. Very cute!

This is her Safari quilt.

This is a “Bowtie” quilt that she sewed up for charity. It was a pre-cut kit. I like how it looks so abstract and you can hardly tell that it’s even bowties unless you are up close.

Saturday was our monthly Possum Town Quilters meeting. Since it didn’t suit to meet at the Columbus Art Center; our president Judy Stokes opened her home for our meeting.

Lawana won the “Winding Ways” blocks.

Carolyn Ward won the “Easter” blocks.

Sue Skipper showed her “Turning Twenties” quilt.

CC Coggins showed her “Star Tricks” quilt that she made in my sister Barbara’s class.

Our members worked on and finished quilting this “Churn Dash” quilt during the annual Pilgrimage.

One of our guests showed this “Crazy Quilt” that is so creative. You can spend a lot of time just looking at each individual block. She has some great ideas.

Another guest showed this antique quilt that needs some repair.

Ever since we visited with Uncle Daniels last summer and saw his wood carvings, I’ve wanted to make the Amish boy & girl out of fabric. I think I’ll frame it instead of binding it as a quilt.

This is my rendition of

Uncle Daniels handiwork.

Mr. Stan ask me to take his high school class recently. I’m afraid I had too much fun in “art” class.

I took pictures of each of the students and then printed out their picture in black and white. Then they cut out a part of their picture from fabric and ironed it to their fabric print out. I took 2 sewing machines to school and then they had to quilt their own piece. I demonstrated how to do it by making Mr. Stan a little quilt also.

Darlene

Heather

Jerry

Justin

Earl

Chad

Yellowstone National Park is so diversified in it’s scenery from hot springs in my recent post to water falls

and steep cliffs

to forests burned with fire.

I could have spent an extra day there; but all too soon it was time to go.

This is driving east from Yellowstone.

Last weekend we attended an 80th Birthday Celebration for Edwin Knepp. Edwin has been the pastor & bishop at our church for many, many years. I stayed with them while I was teaching school before Paul and I got married. They are very special people, indeed.

Edwin & Tressa’s children hosted the party at our school.

We were priviledged to sit across from Ethan & Shirly Good. They are originally from Virginia and know so many people that I know. I found it wonderful to catch up on their family and some of their kin from VA.

I am certainly delighted. My sister Polly was in Lancaster at the Quilter’s Heritage Celebration. She called to tell me that my quilt “A Plate of Pineapples” was chosen as a Judge’s Choice. Then she sent met this picture. I think I need some pins stuck in me.