Retreatin'

I can’t say enough wonderful things about my Whistlestop Quilt Retreat in Sweetwater, Tennessee.  Jodi – the owner, visited several retreats before opening her own business.  I must say, she’s got it down!  Accommodations were great, food was wonderful and the other local retreaters were very warm and friendly.  Being from the northwest part of Missouri and driving to east Tennessee meant we were the farthest group (so far) to visit the Whistlestop.  My rear end can vouch for that - I enjoyed the drive, but I was feelin’ it. 

This is our room.  My pics do not do the retreat justice, you should

really click the link for a better look.

Jen, Jodi (Retreat Queen) and me

 

 

If you ever get to western Kentucky, a MUST stop is Paula’s Quilting Pantry in East Bernstadt – it’s an itty bitty town off of I-75.  Every yard of fabric is $6.  New fabric, not seconds or old stuff but the latest fabrics - 30’s repros, Civil War, Moda, RJR…..EVERYTHING!  Paula is located in a farmhouse (1 mile) right outside of town.  GPS took us all over town so we finally stopped at the post office – they pointed us in the right direction.

 

The south is big on Barn Quilt Blocks – I think I’ve found a new summer project for my shed out back.

 

Ok, so this might be a Purina manufacturing plant –

but I’m seeing a Nine-Patch.

This would be our drive home through the ice packed highways of Tennessee.  We from Kansas and Missouri, aren’t used to ice/snow packed highways.  Oh sure, we get tons of snow and ice, but within a few hours KDot and MoDot are strapped in the big trucks, scrapping and salting like nobody’s business.  We sat in the hotel for 2 1/2 days waiting to see such action in Clarksville.  Didn’t happen, so we took a chance and tried to make our way home. 

Don’t think for a minute 3 inches of sleet kept us from stopping in Paducah.  What were we to do?….we were in the neighborhood!  We had lunch at d.Starnes Restaurant downtown and then visited the Quilt Museum gift shop.