California to Kentucky

I have been absent from my blog since the end of May, and thought I'd catch up with a post about our trip to Kentucky the beginning of June.

We spend every summer and fall in Kentucky.  We take about a week or more to drive from California to Kentucky in order to see family, and to also see a little bit of the country along the way. We didn't stop at any of the National Parks in Utah this year, but there are places to stop and see the beautiful state just about everywhere.

Utah

Utah

Utah

John has a son near Denver, and I have a sister in Colorado Springs, so we ended up spending four days in Colorado - such a beautiful state.

Fruita is the first town after crossing the border from Utah, and we have eaten at The Hot Tomato a couple times now.  They serve pizza with homemade sauce and craft beer - yummy.

Hot Tomato Cafe

 The Enstrom candy factory in Grand Junction was making toffee, and there were samples - did I say yummy?  I bought a box for my upcoming visit with my sister.

The visitor center in Eagle is a great stop.  There is a cute gift shop that is in what looks like an old house, and a museum in a white barn.  They are next to the river, and there is a path along the river.

John outside the visitor center

Eagle Visitor Center Front - so cute!
That's the river on the right

There was still snow on the ground when we got to the Eisenhower/Johnson tunnels - brrrr,

Eisenhower Johnson Tunnels

We had a great visit with John's son.  Living so far apart isn't as hard when we get a chance to see them at least once a year.

Maura, Jim and John

Next we went to visit my sister in Colorado Springs, and she hosted a barbeque for us.

Pallas and Becky

Becky had to work during the day on the second day we were there, so John and I visited Garden of the Gods.  It is spectacularly beautiful and free to visit.

Garden of the Gods

John at visitor center overlooking the park
That's Pikes Peak in the background

Plaque

Our Docent

Balanced Rock

Garden of the Gods

Garden of the Gods

John outside trading post

After leaving Colorado we headed through Kansas.  The stop at the visitor center gave me a chance to clown around with some "old friends".

Pallas on the Yellow Brick Road to Oz

In Topeka we stopped at the First Presbyterian Church to see the beautiful Tiffany windows.  They are stunning.  I wasn't able to get any photographs that would do then justice, so I bought a little book and you can check out their website in the link.4

One of the Tiffany windows in the church

Antiques in Topeka, Kansas

Of course any trip wouldn't be complete without stopping to do a little antiquing.  I bought a few linens and an architectural salvage piece that I will post a picture of in a future post.

Lunch With Author, Barbara Anne Waite

Barb and Curt

Barb and Pallas

At the close of our beach trip, John and I met with Barb and her husband, Curt, for lunch in Oceanside. Barb and I became acquainted through email, and we set up a lunch date to meet.   Barb wrote a book that I loved, "Elsie - The Arizona Adventures of a Frontier Teacher 1913 - 1916", and she is working on her second book about Elsie's days on Palomar Mountain - I'm looking forward to reading that one too.  I was thrilled that she  signed a copy of the book for me as my copy is on my Kindle - thank you Barb.  Barb has an interesting website where she describes her book, and also includes interesting old photos.  In addition to the link in this post, I have also included a link to her website on my sidebar.  The book about Elsie can be purchased from her website as well as from Amazon - I highly recommend it!  It is a wonderful glimpse into life 100 years ago through Elsie's diary and letters home.

Barb's Book

A Beach Getaway

Each year around our anniversary, John and I enjoy a couple days at the beach. May weather isn't always predictable, but we were lucky to have sunny days. The water was cold, but I braved it one day. Our villa had its own patio, barbecue and fire pit. Wouldn't it be nice to live at the beach?

Disneyland With My Sis

Jodi and I spent three days at Disneyland & California Adventure last week. We go together every year, but thought we wouldn't get there this year because of my hip replacement. Well I'm healed and getting around great, so we decided to go. I got around great, and pain free too,

I Won This Pretty Quilted Wall Hanging

Beth over at her Gathering Dust blog held a giveaway for s pretty little quilted wall hanging. And, I won!  Thank you Beth. It came in the mail on Friday, and I love it. I'm going to take it to Kentucky and display it in our cottage. Isn't it lovely?

Handmade by Beth Leintz

Fabric Postcards From 1919

I've created and mailed fabric postcards, but I had no idea how far back they were made. 

A friend sent five of these old cards to me - one is dated 1919. The fabric looks like embroidered hankies that are enclosed in card stock. The backs are marked for postcards. 

They are addressed and written on without being stamped or canceled. Perhaps they were mailed inside an envelope or it could be postage wasn't charged for mail going to an APO. 

Have any of you seen early fabric postcards like these?

Winter in Palm Springs

While friends and family were sending pictures of the snow they received in Kentucky, John and I enjoyed an afternoon in nearby Palm Slrings. 

Old Town Orange Outing

After a great six week post op appointment with my surgeon, John and I spent a while in nearby Old Town Orange.

We shopped in Country Roads Antique mall where I found an interesting quilt scrap - never mind that I already have more than I could possibly use in my lifetime. 

We ate dinner in a nice little Cuban restaurant named Felix - yummy.

After dinner we walked and shopped a little more, and I bought a New York fashion print of a 1950s coat - I'll have to decide if I'm going to keep it in California or take it to Kentucky. 

Quilt Show Outing

Thank you to all my family and friends who sent well wishes to me after my hip replacement surgery. 

It has been four weeks today, and I was out with my sister and husband to see a small quilt show near us. I want to add, this was my first outing without a cane - yeah!

My friend, Wanda, is the featured quilter this year, and is pictured next to her thirty displayed works of art. 

My sister, Jodi, and I weren't able to attend the big quilt show, Road 2 California, this year but we'll be looking forward to it next year when I'm able to walk miles at a time.  It feels great to be on the mend. 

You never know what life has in store for you

Life can throw a curve once in a while, and getting older sure can sneak up on you.  I'm less than a week from having hip replacement surgery. At this point I'm passed being a little freaked out, and counting the days to the beginning of a new me.  Thankfully a cortisone shot lasted through our first trip to Europe, and I was able to get around quite well.  But the past few months have been difficult, and I am so ready for the new hip, and optimistic about my recovery.

My baby sister is going to spend a few days with me after surgery, and baby me.  I'm one lucky big sister to have her - I love you Jodi.

Jodi and me on her birthday in November

Of course my hubby has been babying me through all of this. And he has been doing most of the housework, and cooking a lot of meals too - I love you John.

John toasting me at Dels, our favorite New Mexico restaurant