field trips and good friends

7 of the girls in my quilt group and I went on our field trip today to Cave Spring, GA. I am not sure just how far that is from us but it took just a little over an hour on divided highway and/or two lane road. Just far enough away to know you had gone somewhere but not far enough to get butt weary from the trip.

It had rained during the night last night but it was a Chamber of Commerce gorgeous day today. I took the picture at left through the window of the historic Rolater Park (built in 1851) looking outside at this gorgeous pink dogwood through the stained glass windows.

I am showing you a few pictures of the church interior. The lady in the turqouise shirt is my friend Debora who organized the quilt show. The cat quilt up on the Balcony edge is my "Kitty City" quilt from a few years back. The quilt on the left side of the doorway is the raffle quilt for the quilt guild in Carterville, GA. Also you see an overview of the quilts that were on display. One in the middle of the 4th pew back was one we all were speculating over (near the loomed rugs on the back pew) It looked like a lace almost or perhaps some machine sewn lace that you sew to a water soluble stabilizer. Quite interesting however it was made. You can see the lady working on more of the rugs in the back of the room.

This is looking from the back of the church towards the front. There is Debora talking with fellow Belle Aline with our pal Lois with her back to the camera. Vangie is the other girl in green--from my row quilt group. The bed in the corner was set up for the bed turning presentation. Debora was kind enough to do an unscheduled session for us and the other attendees.

A slightly different view of the room. All my quilts that I had sent (other than the one on the balcony) were on a pew of the right hand side looking towards the rear of the church. I did take a picture of them but you have seen most of them already. I think that turtle quilt in front was too cute! And I love that Jack's Chain in the row behind it. (ed.note: Debora said that the turtle quilt was one of the viewers choice selections along with one on the itsy bitsy yo you quilts that may have shown up in another shot. I don't think I had shown a picture of the one that won Best of Show)

They were having an antique car show, pony rides for the kids and like a craft show/flea market thing in the park but other than taking a stroll around the grounds when we first arrived we didn't stop for that. There were two cafes nearby so we picked one and made sure they had pie--the girls in the other car had been chatting about it on the way up, LOL. You gotta have dessert on girls day out, right?

The girls also had a sweet surprise for me at lunch time. They all knew that I had lost my Pippi late last month and that Skyler had come to live with us two weeks ago. They gave me a Kitty Shower!! It was Marilyn's idea--she called the girls that she knew were coming on the field trip and asked them to bring a cat item today. Look at all the cool toys and such that Skyler got today! Toys that dangle, crinkle, roll, have catnip, feathers and all of that---well, one was in the living room with him---a big fat mouse that squeaks that hopefully won't get stuck under the coffee table, LOL. I am constantly going on mouse patrol for him.

The funniest thing is that one friend is not all that fond of cats to begin with and yet she had to go shop for a cat toy or cat item for me---definition of a friend, right? Just the way she said that at lunch made us all laugh. Another probably was a little embarrassed about walking all the way through the store with that squeaky mouse---every time you touch it it makes noise! They almost had me crying but they were ready with the kleenex just in case.

From Cave Spring, we decided to run back over to the AL side to the quilt shop in Collinsville--3 or 4 of the girls had never been there. Well, lets go then! I only got one 3 yard piece of fabric that I can use for backing on the 9PP. Trust me, the others made it worth their while. After dropping Marilyn back home, I got back in the door at 4.

What an excellent day! How blessed I am to have such loving and caring friends.