Rowing Along Part 2

Yesterday I shared all of the Oregon Rows that we picked up.  I was sad that we could not find any California Rows to pick up while we were there.

I picked up just a couple of Washington Rows.

Long Beach, Washington has Boardwalk Quilts.  

Cute shop with lots of samples. I also purchased a couple of raffle tickets for a quilt raffle in 2016.  They had a kit that I fell in love with the pattern called A Crooked Mile by A Quilter's Dream.  I most definitely need that pattern, I just loved it. 

When we visited Mt. St. Helens we stopped at The Quilted Nest in Castle Rock, Washington.

They had a cute pattern and I loved their fabrics so I purchased the kit.

Unfortunately we left to head toward home on a Sunday so even though we went past lots of  Oregon, Washington quilt shops, most were not open. We also missed out on Idaho, and Montana, but I found a few in Wyoming after Yellowstone.  I really wanted to stop in Cody, but we could not find a motel within 100 miles of Cody.  Yikes.

We stopped at The Quilter's Fix in Sheridan, Wyoming.  Their kit was very cute, but they were out so I had to order it to be shipped. 

I will say I am not disappointed the fabrics are Northcott with the cowboy batik it is a sweet little kit.

The next stop in Wyoming was ET Quilts in Buffalo, Wyoming.  Cute shop, I have purchased from them online before and they had a sweet row, but I knew that I would never be able to make it so I bought the kit.

Some of the really cool things that happened in Wyoming at Yellowstone, we saw plenty of Bison which the boys loved, but we also saw Elk, and deer.  After leaving Yellowstone late in the evening, by the time we found a motel it was in a little town called Lovell.  When we left we went up a highway called 14 Alt, which took us way up into the mountains where we saw moose of all things.  It was a gorgeous drive through Wyoming, and we went past a prehistoric Native American site called the Medicine Wheel, which we had recently been reading about.

Have You Rowed?

Have you heard of the Row by Row Experience?  Quilts shops sign up, design a row with certain dimensions, following a specific theme. This year's theme was water.

Quilters visit participating quilt shops,  could pick up the pattern for the row free beginning June 21, many shops have put together kits and vary in price from just a few dollars to over $30.  Quilters have until October 31, 2015 to turn in a completed quilt featuring 8 different rows.

While driving to Oregon I didn't have any opportunities to find rows.  There was a time schedule in place for an appointment at the tribal office on Monday, July 6.

But once we got to Portland (home base as the boys called it), it was on.

I didn't take pictures of the shops, some allow pictures, and others do not so I decided to err on the side of caution.  

First stop was the local quilt shop called Feather Your Nest in Gresham, Oregon.

 I saw the books and knew that would make a great apron for someone, as would the one with the crayons and art supplies.  Starting to think Christmas here.  I had to have the bridge one it is of all of the bridges over the Willamette River in Portland.

The row was very cute, and the kit was inexpensive so I purchased the kit.

Looking over the kit they have pretty good instructions, and their fabrics were very cute.

Next stop Fabric Depot.  Imagine a store the size of Walmart full of fabric.  The only problem I have is that there is so much it is a bit overwhelming at times.

I did pick out some yardage, and a couple of fat quarters.

Fabric Depot had released 2 different rows and

I think I can manage to make these rows.  One is paper pieced and the other is applique. 

The next shop we visited was Quilting Delights in Happy Valley, Oregon. 
Very cute, newer shop. 

Cute row, great colors so I purchased the kit, and it is all cut out and ready to go, they were obviously using and accuquilt system.

Then across the river to Hollyhill Quilt Shoppe in West Linn, Oregon.  Super cute shop, lots of eye candy.

I bought these two cute fat quarters, and their row kit because it was all laser cut.

The next shop that we stopped at is a newer shop called Cool Cottons in the Hawthorne Neighborhood in Portland.  Very cool shop in an older home.

Lots of modern fabrics and I saw this and knew a little girl with an upcoming birthday that would love a pillowcase.

I also purchased their kit because of the preprinted labels in it.

There is a new quilt shop in the Alberta Neighborhood in Portland, which is experiencing a renaissance called Modern Domestic.  Love their pattern called Glass Half Full.

It is paper pieced and I just loved the pattern, and can't wait to pull fabrics from my stash for it. 

We went to the beach for a couple of days to can tuna.  There is nothing to compare to fresh canned tuna. 

We managed 24 half pints, and 24 pints. 

We stopped at The Quilted Dandelion in Clatskanie, Oregon.  Cute shop, lots of antique sewing machines on display.

Homespun Quilts in Astoria, Oregon, had lots of cute quilts, and fabrics.  I was a bit disappointed with their row by row though.  It was very cute, but they didn't have any kits remaining, and their instructions were in black and white.  They said I could take a picture of the row though.

Our final Oregon stop was at Center Diamond in Cannon Beach, Oregon.

They had a sweet batik of Haystack Rock which is off the coast at Cannon Beach. 

I just picked up their pattern.

The final Oregon stop was in Warren, Oregon at Fibers & Stitches.  Cute little shop

These were all of the shops that we had a chance to visit in Oregon.  I will share more about the Row by Row tomorrow.

Volcanoes and Such

Driving to the west coast the boys first spotted mountains in Wyoming  They saw some that were cylindrical and the volcano questions began.

When driving to the reservation we had to go into Lakeview, Oregon, drop down to Alturas, California, and then drive toward Yreka, California.  On our way we saw Mt. Lassen which is a dormant volcano, the last time it erupted was in 1917.

We drove over a portion of Mt. Shasta which erupted in 1786.

The boys visited Mt. Hood and Timberline Lodge.

The last eruption was 1866.

So we decided to visit Mt. St. Helens, which incidentally erupted 35 years ago in 1980, I remember because I was 16 and I could see the eruption from my home that morning.   The Mountain has since erupted once again in 2008.

Of course the day we visited it was cloudy, and the mountain was socked in.  I did get this picture where you can see the dome rebuilding.

Our next stop was Yellowstone National Park.  We explained to the boys that we were standing on the top of what is essentially a super volcano.

With hot springs which are boiling.

Paint pots which are hot springs with a lot of mud which bubble.

And boy are they stinky.

And geysers that are erupting.  Unfortunately the park was very busy that day we could not find a spot to park at Old Faithful after looking for over an hour, but they boys were mightily impressed with all of it overall.

Our parting shot of the day at Yellowstone Falls.

One fun vacation memory:  The most requested song on Grandma's Ipod?

There is nothing cuter than listening to the little boys sing the song. 

Going Home

Thomas Wolfe wrote "You Can't Go Home Again."  When I was younger I found it an interesting comment.  Maybe because I lived near my parents.  But also maybe because we visited my grandmother, and great grandmother in California and everyone was always so welcoming, it was like my mother never left, their homes were open, and they fell into their old routines quickly.

Now that I only manage to make it to my parents home on the rare occasion, and had not been to the reservations in over 13 years.  I understand the sentiment much better.  While walking into my parents home it is still homey and you can breathe a sign as all the old familiar things are still there,yet

many things have changed. 

This is just a small portion of some of the items throughout my family home. A relative once told my mother she had never slept in a museum before when she visited.

I wanted the little boys to see some of the things which I loved when I was growing up.

Trillium Lake which is up on Mt. Hood.  I used to love to swim in any lake or stream I could find.  The boys were skittish since they are used to pool swimming only.

We wandered to the nearby Sandy River for a family get together.  Wading in the cold water was fun.

Visiting Trees of Mystery in the Redwoods, and checking out Paul Bunyan and Babe the Blue Ox.  Appreciating nature, and explaining that these trees are ancient giants. 

 Enjoying Multnomah Falls where DH and I were married a couple of years ago.

Climbing rocks and exploring tide pools at the beach.

Visiting the family is bittersweet also.  I feel bad that there is no "family" home for my kids and grand kids since I am divorced.  Not that my home that DH and I share is not a family home, just not the one my children knew growing up.  The boys call the house the DH and I live in home, but the grand kids on the west coast don't know this home. Maybe someday they will come to visit and play.

Spending time with cousins is important though, making "new" friends, and experiencing new things. 

 Laughing and joking with cousins, and wearing some of them out.

Getting home I asked the boys what was their favorite thing about vacation.  Their answer?

Staying at the hotels! 

We are finally home and decompressing, and getting caught up.  Being gone and traveling is fun, but being home is great too.

Westcoast

After 4 days of ironman driving we made it to California.  

Mt Shasta

Turned in my paperwork at the tribal office.  Found out on the twisty turny curves toward the extended families houses that the oldest grandson gets car   

sick, snd marvelled at how much things have changed since I last visited 13 years ago.

Dipped our toes in the Pacific,

built our first sandcastle out of ocean sand, 

And watched the sun set.

Trying to find a hotel to spend the night!  Tomorrow the redwoods!