On the Road Again . . .

Yeah--cheesy subject line, I know. But here I am on Day One of a 10-day trip. And there was a Texas connection today, so I didn't think y'all would mind.

Check out those longhorns; I turned around after photographing a lovely Sunbonnet Sue quilt, and there they were--just grazing along!

I had the pleasure of visiting with the Upper Cumberland Quilt Trail ladies today. They have done an extraordinary job of creating whole quilts instead of single blocks. Zoom in on the detail on the Mariner's Compass!! I had a difficult time deciding which one to post; this is one of the finer blocks, but the others photographed better.

Ten of us gathered at the Cracker Barrel. For those of you who are following my carbohydrate consumption--you know who you are-- no, I did NOT have pie. Actually, my fave CB carbs are dumplins, but we had work to do. Besides, Gracie--the barn quilting pup--is along for this trip, and she was waiting in the car.

Now before you think I am a bad doggie mom, I leave Gracie in the car with the engine running and the air on. She is the sweetest dog in the world--was quite the hit on the front porch of the Cracker Barrel after we all met--but I feel sure she wouldn't let anyone but me open that door. Hope I don't have to find out the hard way that I am wrong!

Ruth Dyal--the tourism director and one of the orignal committee members here--and fellow committee member Barbara Tolleson took us on the tour of their quilts--each one very different, and all pretty darned spectacular.

In TN, the Resource Conservation and Development offices help to pull the various counties together and encourage new ones to join. The ladies of Jackson and Fentress Counties are ready to go! I look forward to following their progress. Kathy Daugherty of the RC&D describes quilters as "the original recyclers, since they used everything." An interesting characterization and the perfect way to tie these projects to her work!

I have to admit that I like motels. Nothing better than eating canned salmon with capers and not having to take the trash out the next day.