Quilt Shop Hop

On Saturday morning, early (6 a.m.) I left for Emma's Quilt Shop in Franklin where a group of nearly 40 quilters boarded a coach (bus) for a day-long shopping extravaganza, quilt-style. We first went to Wellesley to the Button Box Quilt Shop where we shopped and picked up 10 more travelers. Then on to North Attleboro, Bellingham, back to Franklin at noon (the Wellesley crew hadn't yet shopped at Emma's) where we picked up our lunch and drinks, then on to 6 more shops in central Massachusetts. Each shop had drawings for magnificently outfitted baskets (quilting supplies, naturally) and a stamp-in. When all 9 shops were stamped on our 'passport', we were then entered into a major drawing for a new sewing machine. On the bus, between shops, the tour director drew names (numbers) for a myriad of little quilting trinkets, 40 in all during the day. Now, with these 40 prizes, 9 more baskets (from the shops) and the biggeeeeee (sewing machine) I figured my odds were fairly good for getting at least 1 prize, wouldn't you think so???? Not one! There were 49 people on the bus, 40 prizes drawn on the bus, and there I sat, waiting for the big one, at least. Not my day. However, enough said about prizes, the shop hop was lots of fun, we saw lots of fabulous quilts, tons of gorgeous fabric, and I came home with a very conservative collection (1 new foot for my Featherweight, 2 patterns, lots of inspiration, and fabric for a wall hanging (I've had the pattern for this in my sewing room for a couple of months, now, and decided that if I'm ever going to make that one, I'd be wise to get the fabric now)) Got home at 11 p.m., and slept through a thunderstorm during the night, at least that's what Tony said.
Joyce (my good friend) and her husband Dan are on a 2-week vacation in Montana. I'm in charge of "Barney", their loving Maine Coon Cat...what a dear. I go to her house early each morning and am greeted at the door (I think he knows the sound of my car) with purrs and leg-caresses. He eats his morning meal and then begs to go outside. I have been bringing some of my sewing/quilting projects with me, and spend a quiet morning in Joyce's quilting/sewing room while Barney explores the gardens, barns and bird-feeders. Usually, around noon, he's ready to go inside, again, and I've had enough sewing for one day. On days that I'm off to someplace else, he spends the day inside, not happy about it, but at least my mind is free of worry for those few hours. I'm getting lots of projects finished up.
I'm in the jelly-making mode...3 batches of blueberry jam are sitting on the shelves along with 1 batch of grape jelly. I have juice for 2 more batches of grape jelly in the fridge and pots full of simmering grapes on the stove, probably yielding juice for at least 3 more batches. I think I can also get a couple of batches of grape conserve (a jam), also from this same basket of grapes. Next week it'll be the late plums and peaches. The smell in the kitchen is ohhhh sooooo gooood. The taste of homemade jellies and jams is unequaled by anything you can buy in the stores. It's much fruitier and the aroma wafts freely as soon as you open a jar. Some of these will make good Chrismas gifts for folks in the neighborhood...along with a loaf of English Muffin bread.