Planes, Ships, Trains, and Cars...

We went on a trip to celebrate our 40th wedding anniversary. I set up my last post to go on line while we were gone. It worked!

We flew to New York
Ate dinner at Sardi's
Enjoyed 9 to 5 in 2nd row front and center.
Made it to a quilt shop.

Next we boarded the Queen Mary II for a 6 day journey across the pond.
Our anniversary dinner was celebrated in the Todd English dining room.
When we disembarked in Southampton, England, we boarded a train to Gatwick and on a plane to Dublin. Got in a car and drove to Kilkenny for our first night.
At times I thought that Jack having to drive on the wrong side on NARROW roads would be the end of our 40 years together but we managed to enjoy the countryside and each town as we drove for the next 4 days.
We visited with Mary O'Leary who now lives in the house that my Grandfather inherited and lived in 1900. He didn't stay long before he returned to California and the life he had before the title of Baron and landlord to the estate.

We had a wonderful time.

Soaring

When Jack retired, he was given a gift for us to fly in a glider plane over East San Diego Co and an overnight at Warner Hot Springs Resort. Here we are squished behind the pilot ready for take off.

It was exhilarating, soaring over Mt Palomar (one of the largest telescopes in the US). As a native Southern Californian, I had never visited this area. It's sparsely populated with ranches, retirees, and camps. Beautiful yet desert like.



Warner Ranch dates back to the 1800's as a stage coach stop and headquarters for Kit Carson and Fremont. Later it became a resort frequented by early movie stars such as Bing Crosby. The pools are feed by the hot springs where we enjoyed a leisurely soak.


The next day we visited the historic mining town of Julian. We enjoyed breakfast, walking the shops and a milk shake at this original soda fountain/drug store.



On the way home, we stopped at Quilt's Coop, Old Town Temecula. Here's what I bought on sale (Didn't NEED but couldn't pass up). 1 yard cuts were $5 and fat-quarters $1.50.








FINAL STAGE of Country Garden from Kaffe Fassett. I'm hoping I'm making the correct choice for the sashing to make the borders wider. The contrast is good but is it too light?

Spring on the California Coast

I just returned from a 5 day trip to the Northern California Coast. We stayed in B & B's in Santa Cruz and Moss Beach which allowed us to drive to Monterey, Carmel, Pacific Grove, Half Moon Bay, San Francisco, and Salsalito. The weather was wonderful, crisp and clear allowing for beautiful vistas.
I found a gem of a quilt shop in Pacific Grove called Back Porch and of course bought fabric. The owner said they have quilters come from all over to stay and participate in workshops. We missed their quilt show by one week, Boo-Hoo.

The intersecting lines of these cypress trees inspired an idea for slashing strips and reassembling to create patterns.

We visited the Filoli Estate in Woodside off Hwy 280 on our way back to the San Jose Airport. The grand house and flowering English gardens were spectacular. This needlepoint picturing the garden house and grounds is part of a room screen.

Interlacing branches and colorful blooms give inspiration to quilt ideas.