Tripping South and a New Dog

 We've been home for over a week, and I'm just now getting a chance to sit down and rest.  Here is a small selection of pictures from our trip. 
First we stopped in Memphis overnight for BBQ and a hotel.  Then Vicksburg on our way to New Orleans.

 Overlooking the battlefield at Vicksburg.  Mr. Riley was quite thrilled to be here.

 A restaurant in New Orleans.  We ran through a down pour to get here, and then had to be sat at separate tables.  Girls vs boys.  We spent two nights in New Orleans, walked around, ate amazing food, visited a cemetery, and managed to spare the kids from anything too scary.

 Finally, the beach! We stayed along the Gulf in Alabama, right between the Gulf and Mobile Bay.  Good thing.  The waves were huge, with warnings the first couple of days.  After the baby got knocked down by the first wave, she had a total fear of the ocean.

 So we went to the bay side where is was calm and warm. 

 We went to Pensacola for a Blue Angels show and to check out the Naval Aviation Museum.  Very cool.

 The kids caught numerous sand crabs, and we even played with them in the bath tub one night.

 We were just down the road from Ft Morgan.  Mr. Riley bought this map.  I think it could make a brilliant mini quilt.

 There was "housewife" at the Ft. Museum.  Looks like silk!

 We also visited the USS Alabama Battleship in Mobile Bay and USS Drum submarine.  My boys were in heaven.  E did an obligatory shot for me.

It was a good trip.  Lots of sun, sand, salt, and car rides.  Vacation always makes you appreciate home!

And the day after we came home?  We got a new dog.  This is Loki.  Maybe 11 months?   We think he's a German Short Hair pointer mixed with lab?  Or shepard?  A good friendly dog, but he certainly needs some training.

A Short Getaway

 We just got back from a short 5 day vacation up north.  Squeezed in right before the start of school. (today)

 First stop:  Grand Marais and the Au Sable Dunes on Lake Superior.  4 Kids and Mr. Riley climbed down to meet the waves.

Baby Girl and I hung out at the top.

The joy of sliding down big sand hills.

Next stop: Lake Michigan.  I'm pretty sure I have a picture of WD like this from each year we've gone.  I should line them all up.

The lake is something like 15 feet below 'normal'.  Makes for lots of warm, shallow water to play in, but interestingly not much beach.  The sand is full of vegetation. 

I just love watching the waves come together over the sand bars.

Fabric Shopping in Boston

I did manage to find a couple of fabric stores in Boston.  I wouldn't call either a quilt store.

 The first one that I stopped in is called Winmill fabrics.  While it is located in the China Town district, it is run by a couple of older Bostonian ladies.  A large selection of all kinds of fabrics, including quilting cottons, but nothing particularly new or current.  In fact, I saw calicoes from when my mom started quilting probably more than 20 years ago.  On the plus side, it is all quite inexpensive, with the cottons averaging just $4.00 a yard.  I did pick up just a bit.   Blue and white for a future project in my head.  Thomas for a boy who may or may not get a quilt before he grows out of Thomas and a great tie-dye with lots of color variation.

 Here are a couple of shots of the inside.  Quite the mishmash.

 Here's the outside.

 I also managed to find my way to Van's Fabrics.  I did have a map, but it was pure luck that I happened to find it.  The whole building was covered in scaffolding and I just happened to walk past a window and saw fabric hanging from the ceiling.  Van's caters to the Asian market.  Lots of Brocades and silks for various Asisan sewists.  They have both the cheaper brocades made of polyester and also pure silk brocades.  I splurged, I bought myself a beautiful silk brocade.  Brown background and rainbow/cream butterflies.  I bought two yards, and as I discovered, they don't fold the fabric on the bolt - so it will be just enough for a shorter, fitted skirt.  Great fall colors.

 I didn't take any pictures there, since I felt rather out of my element, and I'm not sure the woman working there would have appreciated it.  Should you ever visit Van's, they keep the door locked, and buzz you in.  But they were nice and helpful and speak English.

Inspired by Boston

After our family trip up north, Mr. Riley and I headed to Boston for three days.  He conferenced and I toured.  With a quilter's eye I found many interesting architectural details to take pictures of.  It sort of brings to mind the chicken and the egg question.  Did the motifs appear in quilts first, or other places?  Are they just generally pleasing to the eye and that's why they are so popular?

Anyway, if I had much time to spend I could do a whole series of quilts inspired by Boston.  Unfortunately I'll probably just have to look at the pictures.  Which, by the way, aren't the greatest.  We decided to leave the 'good' camera home and just use cell pictures.

 The lobby floor in the hotel.

 Brick work at the Tremont Temple.  Originally a theatre, now a church.

 Commemorating the first school in Boston.

 Baptist Fan vent cover.

 Carpeting in the hotel.

 Floors in the Boston Public Library.

 Brick work on the sidewalk in front of Trinity Church.  Square in a square.

 Inside Trinity Church: Flooring

 Baptist Fan stained glass in the doors.

 Cathedral Windows - appropriate, no?

 More stained glass.

 Back to carpeting in the hotel.

 Our wallpaper in the room!

 Half square triangle 'quilts' in the subway station.  I love how they get more modern/abstract down the row.