On Monday we headed out early on the golf cart ride to visit the Sharon Rose Wiechens Reserve, where we went to look for alligators - and saw only one that made a few ripples in the water.
Then Di visited my improver/intermediate line dance class, followed by an ultra beginner class for her. We stopped at Starbucks before going to the Central Florida MQG meeting that evening (read about it here) where Di gave a program to 34 modern quilters called: "Meanderings of a (Moderately) Modern Quilter." She shared a little of her traditional to modern quiltmaking journey, and talked about the similarities and differences between quilting in Australia and the US. Her program was wonderful!
As a thank-you, Central Florida MQG President Karen (also a former Iowan), presented Di with a Pixie Basket filled with 50-weight Aurifil threads.
It rained a little in the afternoon, which chased out many visitors, but we contentedly stayed into the evening. I don't remember ever seeing the space ball at night, with colored lights. Very pretty.
Thursday morning after I line danced, we drove about an hour east to Homosassa Springs State Park. It was my third visit to this Florida wildlife park, and was the best visit yet! Wild manatees were in the channel to the springs where they keep warm when the ocean waters are cold. We saw lots of them, including this mama and baby.
We also enjoyed watching the flamingos that were doing some pattern "dancing" and squawking. As a group of about 20, they would repetitively run the length of a stream, potter around by waving their wings and weaving their beaks through their back feathers, squawking, and then running back the opposite direction to do it all over again.
On Tuesday Di gave the same program to Big Cypress Quilters, a chapter that is part of Quilting Guild of The Villages. Again, she did a great job, and everyone was impressed with the quilts she showed in her presentation.
Following her program, she gave a demo to make a Cathedral Window Pin Cushion. I was her stunt sewist, following her instructions and sewing on my Bernina to demonstrate the steps to make pin cushions like these.
Here Di is attempting to turn the pin cushion (the last step) through the too-small opening I left for turning the pin cushion right side out. I'm glad she managed to smile through that effort!
When needing to push out the corners of the pin cushion, a quilter let her use a Precision Turning Tool. It's all metal and has a small ball on the tip that doesn't poke a hole through fabric. It worked so nicely that Di and I have already been to local Sharky's Vac 'n Sew to buy one for ourselves ($14.99).
We spent all of Wednesday at Epcot. Though I was there last June with family, it's quite different visiting without grandchildren.
I saw this a lot... Di taking pictures and more pictures.
I think we rode/saw seven different attractions, and though we had Fast Passes for three of them, only "Soarin'" (my favorite ride, though I had to look away a couple times because of my fear of heights) had a line that made the pass worthwhile. Otherwise, we walked into most attractions with only a 10-15 minute wait. It was a good plan to go to Epcot before March 1, and the start of spring breaks.
It rained a little in the afternoon, which chased out many visitors, but we contentedly stayed into the evening. I don't remember ever seeing the space ball at night, with colored lights. Very pretty.
Thursday morning after I line danced, we drove about an hour east to Homosassa Springs State Park. It was my third visit to this Florida wildlife park, and was the best visit yet! Wild manatees were in the channel to the springs where they keep warm when the ocean waters are cold. We saw lots of them, including this mama and baby.
This manatee was the cutest one there!
We also enjoyed watching the flamingos that were doing some pattern "dancing" and squawking. As a group of about 20, they would repetitively run the length of a stream, potter around by waving their wings and weaving their beaks through their back feathers, squawking, and then running back the opposite direction to do it all over again.
The color of these American flamingos is definitely not Robert Kaufman Kona Pink Flamingo fabric, the 2017 color of the year, but they sure are pretty! While their bodies are pink toward the bottom, their upper bodies and necks gradate from coral to nearly orange on their heads. Quite striking among the other white, brown, and bluish waterfowl (white and brown pelicans, ibis, blue herons, and more) in the park.
No pictures were taken Friday, but we went to Bible study, and then to a luncheon for ladies on our street. Di and I are next preparing to drive north. Savannah, Georgia and QuiltCon are our ultimate destination. But before that, our first day of driving will get us to the Biltmore Estate in Asheville, North Carolina. I've heard such wonderful, positive things about it.
Di too is blogging about our activities, so if you want to see it all from her perspective here is where she blogged about The Villages. Here is where she blogged about some of our good eats!
Di gave me these lovely gifts when she first arrived - two hand-covered, padded hangers, one of the pin cushions she taught how to make, and a clock set to Australia time 😊 that will most assuredly be hung in my sewing room. She's so thoughtful.
And we're having such a good time together! A great friendship. More adventures, including QuiltCon, coming up soon! Linda
