Away to Georgia and Ohio

Hubs and I returned Wednesday afternoon from an eight-day 53rd anniversary getaway.

We'd seen a program on public television about Northern Georgia and decided to visit.

We first went to the town of Blue Ridge, Georgia. This area is considered the beginning of the Appalachian Mountains.

While there we wandered the small town, got a cupcake from "The Sweet Shoppe of the South" whose owners were Cupcake Wars Champions on Food Network... 

... and took a four-hour excursion on the Blue Ridge Scenic Railroad.

We opted for seating in an open railcar, and had gorgeous weather.

Traveling at about 15 mph, we spent an hour going out... and an hour returning, enjoying lovely scenery along a river. We can only imagine how stunning the fall colors will be in a few more weeks.  

The train left us for two hours in Copperhill, Tennessee. We walked back and forth several times, from Georgia to Tennessee, as we browsed shops. 

We continued to Ohio where we stayed for several days with my cousin and his wife who are always the consummate hosts, and friends with whom we share laughs, viewpoints, and stories. They taught us to play the card game "Thirteen."

Meeting-up with other cousins. I delighted in the opportunity to play my ukulele. We sang 60s and 70s songs, with cousins occasionally joining in with dancing. 

On our return trip, we again traveled through part of the Appalachian Mountains to Northern Georgia where we stayed in Dahlonega, another charming historical town mentioned in the public television program we'd watched. These Georgia wines came home with us.

Of course, cross-country travel isn't complete without several stops at Buc-ees! 

We came home with Beaver Nuggets, and too-good Praline Pecans and Pecan Pralines. There is a difference!

This Buc-ee's in Richmond, Kentucky was the busiest one I've ever visited, though that's probably expected on the Friday of Labor Day weekend. This one has 120 gas pumps. I read online that each Buc-ee's averages 4,000 visitors a day!

On the Quilt-y Side

I took two more quilts to Ohio for my cousin. That makes a total of five quilts I've given them to use in the dorm rooms where grandchildren stay when they're visiting from California and New York.

I made this "No-Name" quilt in 2022. It's pieced with solids and linen, quilted with 12 spirals, and was a QuiltCon reject.

 

In the photo below you can see the quilt I just gave them that's on the middle bed. It was made in 2012 for the first Instagram along I participated in - the Great-Granny Along. I've never used the quilt, and it suits the room with it's other two bright quilts.

The quilt at the top is Satisfaction, from a foundation paper piecing along with Amy Friend; the quilt at the bottom is Bonnie Lass, a scrap quilt pattern by Jen Kingwell. 

It does my heart good to see my quilts on beds, being used and loved.

It's good to be home again, digging into to-dos like: 

• writing the Central Florida MQG September newsletter
• dealing with customer service about that problematic "Ocean" diamond painting kit
• finishing a scrappy quilt top along with Big Cypress Quilters
• working on my Filmstrip Quilt
• meeting-up with a friend to get help with my failed attempts at crocheting an amigurumi bear
• having an overdue FaceTime chat with a good friend
• a quilt shop-visiting day with friends
• attending a Central Florida MQG Executive Committee meeting
• testing a clutch bag pattern for a friend
• preparing a mid-September blog giveaway (TAKE NOTE!)
• anticipating/preparing to teach a day-long domestic machine quilting workshop
• laundry
• housework
• exercise 

Does Calgon still do that "take me away" thing? Linda