Merry Christmas
It's late Christmas day here and I thought I'd get on and wish all of you a very happy Christmas and New Year. We've driven 200 km to the other grandparents' (and back) to share the day with them, our middle son's little ready-made family, their aunt and cousins. Presents were a hit, thank goodness - not yet used to working out what a 6 year old girl would like, having brought up 3 sons. Little Charlotte is 8 months old and already crawling. We will have a very late celebration with our other 2 sons and their partners when we travel over to Melbourne in a fortnight's time.2 days ago it was over 44 deg C here (113 F) but it cooled down for Christmas Day - much better for travelling and enjoying the day.
Rosey - love seeing your designs. Thanks for putting up the photos. Kathi - I really like the colours in your quilt and a white version sounds great also.
It's already 6 weeks since we returned home after our time away in Nth America. We visited both Niagara Falls and the Grand Canyon, took public transport with the locals in New York, Washington DC and Los Angeles and spent many hours at a variety of museums in Rochester NY, DC, Birmingham AL, Oklahoma City and Oregon. We were fortunate enough to spend time with several quilting friends (and their hubbies) who knew the areas where we were staying, so we saw quite a bit of countryside not familiar to these Aussies at least. This included staying on the banks of Lake Martin in SE Alabama and visiting the site of the 1814 Battle of Horseshoe Bend; a week in Central Oregon where we did a quilt shop hop through Sisters, Bend and other nearby towns, had spectacular views of ancient lava flows and the John Day fossil beds and finally managed a clear day to see the 3 Sisters and other snowcapped mountains. We following a friend's recommendation to go to the Tar Pits in LA, where the skeletons of sabre-tooth cats, mastodons, mammoths and ancient horses (and one lone human bone!) amongst many others, have been recovered and are on display in a purpose-built museum. We visited 2 Spanish Missions in California and five covered bridges in Oregon and were shown houses built by Frank Lloyd Wright at opposite ends of the country. Several times it ALMOST snowed in my presence but I'm still to enjoy putting my hand out to feel snowflakes fall. (sigh) We were there for Halloween and the election and celebrated Canadian Thanksgiving with friends in Alabama. We were away from home almost 10 weeks in all but already it's fading into a happy conglomeration of memories.
In the background the memory of the school massacre still hangs over us all. So many families forever affected, from that of the shooter himself through to the young children who survived, who must live with memories of absent friends.
And on that note I'll go silent again. Every good wish to you all for 2013.
Fran in South Oz
posted by Fran (Sth Aust) @ 4:21 AM
5 Comments:
What a lovely post, Thanks Fran and
happy Holidays.
You too, Jill. Sorry we didn't get to meet up again this trip around.
You were just to early this time Fran. We had a blizzard here in central Iowa, the first in 2 over two years just last Thursday. It delayed the arrival of Christmas mail and our trip to visit our son and new grandson by one day. Once here in Minneapolis where he is now located we have had a wonderful Holiday - a newborn helps do that for you.
You were just to early this time Fran. We had a blizzard here in central Iowa, the first in 2 over two years just last Thursday. It delayed the arrival of Christmas mail and our trip to visit our son and new grandson by one day. Once here in Minneapolis where he is now located we have had a wonderful Holiday - a newborn helps do that for you.
Had I known you would be in Rochester I would have put you in touch with DD who lives there. It's always best if you have a native to show you around.
Next time stop in the southern Appalachian Mts; especially Smoky Mtn. Nat'l Park in my back yard.
By the way, when I left Rochester for home there was 14 inches of powdery snow on the ground.
Jane in NC
Post a Comment
Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]
<< Home