Cool, Autumn nights: makes me think of crackers

O.K., crackers and soup!  Don't you just love the weather?  Sunny or mostly sunny days with cool, wrap-up-in-a-quilt weather nights.  Ninety days ago, the Cicadas started their evening chirping.  I wrote it on my calendar for this week, Wednesday. 
Calendar note:  90 days ago:   heard Cicadas chirping. 
Do you know what that means?  My great-Grandma was a born and raised farm girl, through and through and she would tell you if she was still here:  "You hear those cicadas? Frost in 90 days".  I always just thought it was an "old wives tale".  Or "old great-Grandma tale".
Guess what, the local weatherman just predicted frost for Wednesday night.  There really is scientific reasoning for this.  Daylight, temperatures, photosynthesis and more, I suppose.  Old great-grandma's tale or not, it's feeling like soup and cracker weather!
So, speaking of crackers, have you ever made them?  Here's my favorite recipe, the basic recipe from my great-Grandma B, my additions follow. They're just named "Crackers", but I call them great-Grandma B's Crackers, so you can, too, if you want.  They're easy to make.  And, Bonus!, you get to play in flour with cookie cutters and measuring cups!  And they go great with any soup....since it's beginning to be that time of year!
Great-Grandma B's Crackers
1 1/2 c flour, maybe a little more
1 1/2 tsp cream of tartar
3/4 tsp salt
3/4 tsp soda
Mix well, add:
1/4 c oil (I use olive) and stir in until crumbly.

Add:
1/2 c water, stir until forms a dough ball.
In seperate bowl wisk together:
1 egg
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp vinegar (whatever you have on hand, I have used balsamic, apple cider, and rice wine)

Turn dough onto floured countertop and roll out very thin.  Brush with egg mixture.  Cut into cracker shapes, or just tear into strips.  (Great-Grandma B just knife-cut them into squares.) Sprinkle with salt.  Transfer to oiled baking sheet and bake at 350 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes (depending on how thinly they were rolled).  Cool and store in air-tight container.  If needed, re-crisp in oven at 250 degrees for 2 or 3 minutes.

Additions:  Whatever you like, basically.  I like to add cheese and herbs.  Blend the following mixture(s) in a food processor and add this mixture to dough after the addition of water, above.

Cheese: 2 heaping Tblsp Asiago or Parmesan Cheese, (dry cheeses work best)

1-2 tsp dry or 1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped finely

and about 2 Tblsp olive oil to moisten the dryness of the cheese (I go heavy on the basil, 'cause I really like it) 

Garlic: 2 good sized garlic cloves, peeled and finely minced

Other Variations:  Sprinkle egg-brushed cracker tops with any seed, herb, or seasoning you like:  poppy, sesame, pepitas (pumpkin), dill, rosemary, thyme, cracked pepper, etc.  They only take about 10 minutes prep, then bake and enjoy!

This time, mine have sun-dried tomato, basil and parmesan cheese.  See those bits of sun-dried tomato?  Tasty!

These are good with sliced cheeses as an appetizer, too - you can impress your friends with your "gourmet" skills if you want.  Great-Grandma and her "gourmet" crackers.  Makes me smile.  And makes me want to make another big ole pot of soup!  I'm thinking a hearty Tuscana: potato, celery, onion, kale and spicy hot sausage.  Yep, it's a plan!

How many flies can a fly tier tie if a fly tier can tie flies?

Many years ago I "drew" my B-I-L's name for the Christmas gift exchange.  He is a fly-fisherman extraordinaire, so I decided that since I like small, very detailed, hand work, I could learn to tie flies for his fishing and give him a great gift in the gift exchange, as nothing is better than a gift made from the heart, right? So.....
One:  I found a local gentleman that was well known for his expertise in fly-tying, was willing to give me a lesson or three, allowed me to purchase supplies from him according to where and what my B-I-L was fishing.
Two:  Flies are VERY small and even dozens of them don't make a very big or impressive gift unless they are "hooked" into something substantial - thus, I walked along Hoover Reservoir for many miles until I found a piece of driftwood I could use as a base for my flies to be attached to and gifted. 
Three:  I tied flies and flies and flies.  
Four:  I hooked those flies into the driftwood and dropped it into a large, wrapped box.
Five:  I gifted and it was loved!!!  
Six:  I had a new hobby that I loved.  ('cause I needed a another new hobby - har har) I don't know that it's really a great hobby for a non fly-fishermanwoman in inland Ohio, but I do like the creativity and fibers! And I was good at it, or so I was told. 
Seven:  Tying flies is the same process as making feather trees: a by-product NEW hobby (hee hee - another new hobby - I needed that!).
Anyway, fast forward to this month:  every year about this time, my brother-in-law asks me to make flies for him and his buddies for their annual fly fishing trip.  (The purpose of the different flies is to LOOK like something that would be in the river water at the time of fishing, like fish eggs, water creatures eating fish eggs, or flying insects hitting the surface of the water, etc.  Since I don't fly fish, I just make the flies that I am asked to make.)

Back to my original question:  How many flies can a fly tier tie if a fly tier can tie flies?

Eggs:

Egg-sucking leeches:

Wooly buggers:

A clamp, hooks, feathers, chennille, wool yarn, thread, glue aka head cement.  Tie on and wrap the thread, tie on the tail, tie on the chennille and feather, wrap the chenille, wrap the feather, wrap, wrap, wrap.  Wrap the thread around and tie off.  Cement the tie-off.  Remove from clamp and and hang to dry. (Here is a good part:  since I know how to make feather trees now, I have a bare tree armature awaiting wrapping with feathers, and that makes a great place to hang flies/hooks to dry.)

Bare feather tree armature:

Feather tree armature covered with drying flies:

The question again:

How many flies can a fly tier tie if a fly tier can tie flies?

100 eggs,

50 egg sucking leeches,

50 wooly buggers

Or until I'm out of supplies and/or time!

Then back to quilting!

Gwen's great "Turning Twenty",

Kay's great "Pastels"

Oh, and I baked some cookies for the OSU football game:

And the weekend is only half over!  Just think what I can get done tomorrow!

Sure am glad it rained all day, I got to enjoy time inside.  Hope your weekend is as enjoyable!  

EEEEEKKKKK!!

EEEEEKKKK!!

Double EEEEEKKKK!!

NOOOOOOOO!

I'm not readddddyyyy!

 

Autumnal equinox:

Sept 22, 2009;

5:18 P.M. EDT

The trees are trying to tell me.

Fall is arriving!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Oh, I know the calendar is saying it is so. And I know the weather is saying it.  The time of sunset is telling me, too.  And.....  I'm just not ready to admit it. 

In the early evenings I can hear the wild turkeys calling, and I know they are preparing for the season's change.  I even found a picture of a turkey getting ready for ...........something!

OK...this is really not the wild turkey I have been hearing, it's a cutie of a neice with her fair project turkey named "Chimichanga" in/during the costume contest.  They won for best costume in the turkey/participant category.

In this shot picture (probably shouldn't say shot around a turkey) Chimichanga was very tired of being a soccer ball.  But even he was making the noises like fall was here...

I guess I'll have to admit that another summer is gone.

I love Autumn, so it's not that I am not looking forward to the season that is coming. I really am!  I have decorations to put out, and quilts to move around.  I can start making soups everyday if I want and people won't think I'm crazy!  I don't know how to explain it. It just seems that time is flying by, and if summer is gone, then another year is half gone!  Just not ready for that either!

Country Living Fair in Ohio, Delaware County Fair, Centerburg Old Time Festival

This weekend was a whirlwind weekend of fun, fun, fun!
First, I visited the Ohio Historical Village for the Country Living Fair that was held here in Columbus, Ohio. 
If you have never visited the Ohio Historical Village, you should really take the time.  The first time I remember that I was there was maybe a school trip.  I say maybe, 'cause that was a LONG time ago for me and school.   I do know I was there with my children for fieldtrips, but that was also a long time ago.  The most recent time I was at the Village before this weekend was for a beautiful wedding in the old church.   Only about 100 people were in the entire village for the wedding, and I just meandered down the uncrowded boardwalks and paths. 

This weekend the Ohio Village was much different.  It was just crowded with tents and vendors and country stuff and antiques and almost antiques and rustic thingys and pumpkins and mums and fall decor and food and friendly people.

I took this picture because it shows a little of the village path and I Love the little yellow vintage trailer for lemon-shake-ups.  Double click on the pic and it will enlarge so you can see great little lemon trailer. 

This view shows from the church back toward the main vendor area. 

Notice all the people in the distance.  Notice all the people carrying shopping bags.  And weapons disguised as country thingys when you are in crowds like that. hehe
I had hoped to look for a little kit of quilting or hand embroidery, but the booth that I was looking for, Country Threads from Iowa, was just packed with people.  Just couldn't get in.  And by that time I had purchased this very nice, large, european market basket/weapon.
Here is that little something that I purchased.  It became my weapon of choice as I wandered through the crowd! 

I will fill it with cut perennials and weeds.  I joked that I had to purchase it just to carry my sweater and other finds.  It is a market basket after all.

 I found a great booth toward the back of the Village.  My favorite booth folks travelled from Pennsylvania to vend at this show.  Their display was gorgeous and made me drool.  If  I was a silly person, I would have to take a road trip for their open house later this fall. It WAS that droolably good!  My other finds I purchased from this booth.  They were a few floating things.  Yes, I said floating things.  Candles, gourds, candy corn, and little glass bubbles. I will post a picture in a few days as I change my decorations around the house.

It was a wonderful day at the Historical Village.  I just didn't expect that many people!

Then, because we could, sweetie and I went to the Delaware County Fair today.  The Delaware Fair was kind of quiet, since it was soon after church time on Sunday.  We were given a great tour by two tour guides: a Nephew and Neice who are new 4H members this year and last.  We got to see all the goats and cows and the turkey and dog and photos and posters and vegetables that they took this year as projects.

We will go back tonight for a surprise sweet 16 birthday party for a sweet 16 year old neice. Here's the pic of the cookie I made to take:

Then on to the Centerburg Old Time Festival with some neighbors.  While there, I saw a second cousin and his group of buddies.  They do entertainment for this type of outdoor show.  Their entertainment is:  you'll never guess, Tractor Square Dancing!.  Yes, square dancing on tractors in a dirt show arena.  And so that you can tell the guys from the girls while the tractors are a dancing, they put a "jean flag" on the boy tractors, and a "dress flag" on the girl tractors.  They always try to have guys drive the guy tractors and girls drive the girl tractors, but sometimes it doesn't come out evenly. They have to have a guy drive a girl tractor.  But to make it less confusing for the spectators, they have the guy driver dress like a girl on the girl tractor.  So, you can see from the pic that they didn't have enough girl drivers today and one of the guys  had to dress the girl part!

Yes, the very nicely dressed man in the pink party dress is my second cousin, Ed.   He and the other drivers are standing around having a rootbeer after the square dance.  Tractor Square Dancing is hard work.  By this time the blonde wig is off.  It's just too hot.
All in good fun, and the crowd enjoys it.


So off to the fair with the giant cookie.  And the rain has let up so maybe not as much muddy fun.
Later......

One year ago, today, at 8 o'clock in the evening I had a dinner party.
I called it the Hurricane Ike Dinner Party. 

Hurricane Ike had come barrelling through Ohio on Sunday, late afternoon. The winds roared loudly, and blew down trees and power lines and ripped roofs off  houses and crushed cars and just wreaked havoc on our lives. The county fair was evacuated, there were roads closed.  The local schools closed, some for most of the next week.
(I know there are some great pics somwhere of this event:  imagine some here!)
So, I decided to have a party, not to celebrate the hurricane and destruction, but to celebrate our lives and blessings.  Also to use up the food that was going to be trashed if not used as it thawed, as we still had no power 3 days later.
 
This dinner party was one of magnificant proportions.  I invited the entire neighborhood. 
My invitation was done in person, as there were very few phone calls made. Word of mouth.
It was casual, but formal.  Candlelight and only the musical sounds of a light breeze and crickets.
I mentioned the inviting was done in person:  The phone lines were down.
I mentioned the candlelight:  The power lines were still down.
I mentioned the musical sounds of a light breeze:  Most generators were off, as we learned to cycle them on.
I mentioned the musical sounds of crickets:  no chain saw noise as they were turned off as daylight waned.
I mentioned the 8:00 time: It was getting dark as dusk approached, we had no light by which to work.
I mentioned casual:  come as you are-jeans, t-shirts and sweat from no air conditioning and from hard labor.
I mentioned formal: candlelight, as there were only a few homes in the neighborhood to have power restored.
I mentioned magnificant proportions:  Any food that started to thaw in the last 3 days was going to be on the menu.  Bring anything and everything that had to be used.  The outdoor grill and firepit would be going.

And in the invitation, if you came earlier than 8 o'clock, you were to bring your chainsaw!  I said this part jokingly, as everyone had their own clean up to do.  But don't you know, some did come early and bring their chain saws and help with our mess!
(Imagine more pics here:  especially the ones of the very large bee hive and honey comb found in the largest of the downed trees in the front of the house.)
The Hurricane Ike Dinner Party was a great success!  Over twenty people came and sat on the deck, in candlelight, and ate and visited and talked and laughed and ate some more.  It was a very varied menu:  at least 12 kinds of meat were thrown on the grill or roasted over the fire, a soup, vegetables, fruits, yogurt and milk products.  Even a few desserts.  The evening was a hit.  I don't know if it was the promise of great company or the need to get out of the dark house after three nights of going to bed with the sun!  Maybe a combination of both.  The funny thing to me was that some of these folks had their power restored that evening.  They could have been eating in their own bright kitchens, totally bathed in unnatural light! 
Great neighbors, great life!

never say never

From the Merrian Webster Dictionary: 
inanimate:  not animate:
a: not endowed with life or spirit
b: lacking consciousness or power of motion

So do you Name Inanimate Objects?  I know of boats that are named, and houses and estates are named, and Tropical Storms are named. But....... I don't have a boat to name, and my house isn't named, and I have nothing do to with naming Tropical Storms.  Don't blame me, that's the weather service.  (And Tropical Storms named Ike:  I use the name of the storm - but that's tomorrows' blog!)
No, I don't usually name inanimate objects. Don't really see the need.
Well, maybe just this one time.  But there were extenuating circumstances:  DD. 
DD is the name of a machine.....

Of course, there is a story. There is always a story, isn't there?


So, here goes:
One day, many years ago, two friends proved to their husbands that they were crazy and went together and purchased a very nice quilting machine made by Handi Quilter.


The two friends decided that the "machine" as they called it when they first ordered it, would live at one house and the two friends would share the "machine" and supplies and fun. (I don't remember why the "machine" lives at my house, I'm just glad it does, something to do with space and maybe a kid or two, or, I really don't remember.)


So, the "machine" was delivered and a key to the house was given, and it was decided if, heaven forbid, something happened to either of the friends, the other would just get the "machine". This agreement the husbands both were made aware of, and the hubbies both agreed and still thought the friends were crazy!


The "machine" was delivered on a cold February day. Both friends already had quilt tops made and ready and waiting for the "machine".  Neither friend really knew what they were going to DO once the machine was up and going, but anticipation was high. Both friends were present for set-up and when instructions were given.  Both friends practiced and practiced on a pretend quilt sandwich. And both friends LOVED the new machine.

As sometimes happens with new toys and giddiness, it was decided between the two friends that this "machine" was a NEW FRIEND in their circle.   "It" became a "she".  And "she" needed a name. The two friends could no longer just call "it" a "machine"!

As fate would have it, one of the friends' names is Debra, and the other friends' name is Diane. And since this was a new friend in the circle, "she" became the welcomed new friend, DD!  D-from Debra and D-from Diane.  Or D-from Diane and D-from Debra.  Since they were both D names, It didn't matter which came first.  So.....DD:  friend of Debra and Diane.

The two friends loved DD and don't know how they functioned in their quilty little lives before DD was around. DD has helped with so many issues in their lives: weddings, babies, grandbabies, picnics, graduations, birthdays, friends locally, across the entire U.S. of A., and overseas.  And yes, even funerals.

Debra and Diane are so very pleased they made a new friend in DD. It's as if she has always been in their lives!  Neither is afraid or nervous around DD anymore.

The Moral of the story:  It's like this inanimate object needed to be named.  Ok, maybe thats not really a moral, but you understand, don't you? 

But I don't have any other names for any other inanimate objects.

meet, greet, sign, reunion, spit-shine

Saturday, I was supposed to be getting ready for my family reunion. 
Instead, I snuck out of the house for just a little bit and made it to the Author's "meet, greet,  & sign" for Sherry Hartzler's book:  "Three Moons Over Sedona". 

It was wonderful.  Sherry did a reading from the book, then question and answer time!  Very interesting on how the book and storyline came about, why certain parts of the book were there, and character development.  Over 30 women took time from their days to make the trip and visit with Sherry.  Some people knew Sherry before the book was published, some knew her because of the book.  There were women of all ages, a couple of book clubs, and just a few relatives, so it was not a "stacked" group. 

That's Sherry
on the stage
sitting in front
of the
greenish doors.
Sherry is just as down to earth, pleasant and funny in person as her writing is.  I was able to grab a couple of signed copies of her books (yes, I paid for them)- one for a friend, one for a Christmas gift. 
 
And, NEWS FLASH!!:  Sherry is writing a new book now!!!!  She expects publication in Spring 2010!  Isn't that wonderful? I think I can wait that long!
The working title is "Island Passage".  She said it is about "reconnecting with an old friend, an old house and an old lover!".
Great interlude, back to reality.
So, I went back home and finished getting ready for my family reunion.  I made home made chicken and noodles.  Baked the chicken the night before, made the egg noodles that afternoon, sauteed some celery and carrots, added the broth and cooked them right before family arrived.  Also baked a delicious pumpkin pie cake.  It's definately a keeper recipe!  Sweeties' brother dropped off a dozen straw bales for us to use around the fire for the weiner roast.  The only thing I didn't get done was mopping the kitchen.  Author meet/greet instead of mopping. I think that was a good trade off, don't you?  And it didn't matter!  If anyone noticed they were kind enough not to say!  Family is nice that way.
So, a couple of pictures...
Here's a group shot of most of the folks that made it:

And I should have taken a picture of the dessert table when it was loaded. 
It was an 8 foot table in the back sun room.  The desserts were all wonderful and just covered the whole 8 foot length.  That in itself deserved a picture, 
but what cracked me up:  my sweetie set up the dessert table next to the treadmill!!!!!  

So I took
a picture
of the
"after table"
with crumbs
and all
and treadmill.


I know that having the treadmill there next to all of those desserts DID NOT deter me one eensey, teensey, teeny, tiny bit.  I still tried them all!  And by looking at all the near empty plates and dishes, I think that everyone else did the same.  Crumbs, just crumbs left!
It sure was nice to connect again with family we don't get to see regularly.  And my house got spit-shined like it does only a couple of times a year!

My Crazy Pumpkin Patch

I am not ready to declare the summer going, going, gone, but I HAVE been working on an Autumn project...

This is a peek at my version of crazy patchwork and one of my favorite seasons-Autumn. It's paper piecing, but not miniature, so easy to do. This pattern I designed is for a class I'm offering this fall for beginning paper piecing, so it will be great for that purpose, but I think it's calling me to stitch and bead and embellish like "crazy"! I even may add some applique...it seems a little on the plain side, even though it's crazy patched. I used a lot of batiks hoping that would liven it up. What do you think? If you were doing it, would you jazz it up, add stitching, add applique?

The class is available at my local quilt shop:

Always in Stitches, Grove City, Ohio. Jump over to the A.I.S. page to check the schedule if you're interested. The pattern is also available at "Always In Stitches". Just give them a call (614-539-7845), and they can drop one in the mail for you. That way you, too, can start some paper-piecing-crazy-stitchin' fall project. And you don't have to declare summer gone either!!

a good book and a quilt

Back to the book "I couldn't put down".....

Three Moons Over Sedona
by
Sherry Hartzler

As you can see,
this is where I spent
an evening...
curled up with a quilt
('cause I didn't want to get up and close the patio door and it was REALLY chillin' off!)
and with a really good book that I hated to put down!
And before I start getting lectures about how I lay down my book and break the spine and all that librarian stuff, it is my book and I will lay it open and dog-ear the pages and heaven forbid, even write notes in the margin (!!!) if I want, because, 1 - it is my book, and 2 -that just means I love it!

And no, I did not read it for a book club, or for any other reason other than pleasure.  And it was a pleasure.

"Three Moons" starts out that the main character, Georgia, who lives in central Ohio, has an "event" in her life.  She's driving on Polaris Parkway to go get some milk and ends up on Route 71, heading south, searching for something, anything, maybe answers.  There was great character developement and the plot was intriguing and it made you think about life and regrets and hope and, wait, this is sounding like a review!  Not my intention, to do a review, there would be rules to follow and all that stuff!  I just wanted to share about this great book.   

This is Sherry's first published book and it is definately worth the read.  She will be in Delaware, Ohio at the Beehive Book Store this Saturday, Sept. 12th at one o'clock to meet and greet and sign.  Worth the drive if you can make it.  Just google Three Moons Over Sedona Sherry Hartzler and it will bring up complete info about the event.  This is a book worth reading again and having in your library.  I'm thinking it would make great Christmas gifts! 

Speaking of Polaris Parkway: 
I was on Polaris Parkway near Route 71
and saw THIS:

and THIS:

That is Buckeye Fever!

Doesn't it make you smile?

Go Bucks!

Now back to quilting, and cleaning and prepping for my family reunion!

If you have the time to leave a note saying hi, I'd appreciate it.

Hope your day is great!

Labor Day

I found this description on a government websight:
"Labor Day, the first Monday in September, is a creation of the labor union movement and is dedicated to the social and economic achievements of American workers." 
If I was asked, I would guess that this was started in the early 1880's. 1882 or 1881 maybe.  But don't qoute me on this, that number just came to mind as I was writing about Labor Day.  My dad was a union guy, and I remember talking about the date and celebration with him many years ago. 

Anyway, Labor Day is still held the first Monday of September, but I think it has evolved into more of a last hurrah of summer rather than union celebration.

And as for me, I am truly laboring!  I am getting the house ready for my paternal family reunion, held here at my house every year on the weekend after Labor Day.  I have painted, cobwebbed inside and out (see pic below), scrubbed the outdoor furniture,  prepped the bonfire area and cleaned the roasting sticks, weeded, trimmed, set up tables indoors, have the tent ready to put up, pulled out a couple of recipes I am thinking about trying, and even thought about a few activites.  Made a couple of lists (!) too.  One for things to get at the grocery, one for checking things off as they are accomplished.


Just seeing all that in writing makes me tired all over again!  Or maybe because its going on midnight - noooo, that couldn't be it!  Where does time go? Oh, yea, I quilted today, too!


"D.D." the HandiQuilter machine made it back home from her vacation late this week.  She had serious tension issues and needed "a facial and lyposuction" and whatever else the techs do for unruly machines.  I was so excitied for her return! I got her set back up in her old room, (I decided to wait to move her to her new room after the family reunion). 
So, this afternoon I quilted two throw size quilts, here are a few pictures:

This is Louise's (only her 4th quilt).  She is making them for her grandchildren.

She asked for meandering clouds, and I offered to stitch in some "documentation"(first photo below).  She also pieces the backs and adds photos of the recipient (second photo below).  It's a great job, isn't it, and only her 4th quilt!

The quilt below is by Dawn (she did great points!).  And just meandering, nothing fancy.

I have another quilt prepped, hopefully to work on a little tomorrow afternoon.

And now the cobweb issue:

This a shot of the front porch.

Notice the wasp nest between the window panes?

This and cobwebs!

Everywhere.

EVERYWHERE!

This is a close up

of some of the cobwebs.

More cobwebs.

Labor, labor, labor...

maybe I should unionize...

Hope your Labor Day is very little labor and alot of celebration!

meetings

Today was a busy day.  As I mentioned yesterday, I was working as a vendor at the Circleville Quilt show today for Always In Stitches Quilt Shop (Grove City, Ohio). 
It all started with being on the road by 7:15 a.m.  I arrived at the show by 8:30 and the show started at 9.  Not a rip roaring start customer wise, but was a good way to "break me in" since I hadn't worked a trade show for MANY years. That was the first hour, then it was hopping!   There were so many nice people working and shopping and helping out from the quilt guild. 
I had a surprise meeting with a fellow blogger  http://sheilaquilts.blogspot.com/.   Sheila was my first blog "comment" from someone that I didn't previously know or wasn't related to!  Anyway, she introduced herself, was very nice and it was very thoughtful of her to stop and introduce herself at the quilt show.
Later in the afternoon it had slowed down a bit and I was working on a stitchery (surprise, surprise) while tending the booth and I showed a customer the way I do my stitching for redwork.  She thanked me and went merrily shopping along.
 A while later a group of 3 or 4 women came and sat at the "lunch table" behind the booth.  I joked with them that they were a little late for lunch since it was after 4 o'clock.  They said they were there for a class.  I thought that was great, a little class was going to be close to where I was working...maybe I could listen in! 
Soon there were 6 ladies at the table, one of them being the original shopper-Cindy, that I had shown my stitching... and you guessed it, I was teaching the little class!!!.  What a hoot!  I showed them my stitching and we laughed and shared and visited until almost closing! 
As we talked, one of the gals, Karen, told me that she knows of me (Me? I say, looking around). While she was somewhere (and who knows why this came up, but my husband talks to everyone, and evidently she does too) she talked to someone, she is a quilter and told whomever to invite me, also a quilter, to the guild she is in north of where I live.
So, she put it together that
ONE-She knew that I live near her from the address on one of my patterns,
TWO-I work in the Grove City quilt shop,
and THREE-she had told someone that they should join the quilt guild that she is in. 
I vaguely remember my sweetie did remember to mention this, but this was two or three months ago!
After a quick call to sweetie he remembered the conversation - in the local dentist office!!!  Isn't the world such a small place? And aren't quilters just amazing people?

Oh, I almost forgot, I did purchase a little at the show, so here are a couple of pics of purchases:

Some wool cut-outs for some applique' on this great fabric. 

It has no manufacturers' name in the selvage, so don't know what it is before you ask.

And in the pic below: 

the top fabric is
"Through
the Woods" by Maywood

and the bottom fabric is "Ancient Calligraphy" I think, by Lakehouse.

But no, I didn't get my camera out at all during the show! Boo to me!

Don't know why I didn't snap any pics.

So anyway,  here's to meetings! I just love 'em. Seven degrees of seperation and all that!

Hope everyone has a great holiday weekend and keep stitchin'!

Isn't life great?