Last Week's Travels

 Well, I really mean to post more often than I do, but it just doesn't seem to happen. So here is what I have been doing this past week or so.

Jeffrey had a business meeting in McAlester, OK on Thursday morning, so I suggested we take a road trip and see the fall foliage between Talihina, OK and Mena, AR.   So we headed out Thursday morning for another road trip.  It started raining as soon as we hit the highway and rained the whole way to McAlester.  We ate at the Whistlestop Bistro in the old part of McAlester. Delicious sandwiches and soup are served there.  Across the street was an antique store and I just had to make a quick walk thru it.  I came out with a 2-ft paper mache St. Nick and a box full of old quilt blocks for $10.  We headed down the road to Talihina with the rain. I think the rain clouds  were following us, but I guess it was ok 'cause we surely need the rain.


As we drove into Talihina, I saw a sign for an old fashion soda fountain and suggested we stop and check it out.

 
After a plate of french fries, a hot fudge sundae and a raspberry flavored soda float, we headed back to the car.  It  was 4:30 and still raining so we decided to stay in Talihina for the night.  The drive thru the mountains would be better seen with the sun shining and the weather man said the rain would be gone on Friday. 

Hootie Creek House Bed & Breakfast

I had also noticed a sign for a bed and breakfast as we were driving, so we decided that we would find it and see if they had a room available.  It was just around the corner from the soda fountain. Hootie Creek House Bed & Breakfast   is an old hotel building that was purchased by Essex and Carolyn Webb. She did have a room available, so we checked in and decided we would let our ice cream settle before thinking about supper. About 7:30pm we decided to find somewhere to eat for supper.  This being a small town we were hoping something would be open late.  Carolyn recommended a place called "Pam's Hateful Hussy" that stayed open until 9pm.
 
A strange name for an eating establishment but not much else to choose from.  I had chicken fried steak, salad, and baked potato.  Jeffrey saw fried chicken livers on the menu and just had to have them. The food was delicious!  We left stuffed and ready to retire for the evening.

Carolyn had the place decorated for Halloween and I couldn't resist taking some pictures.

Got up the next morning to a wonderful breakfast prepared by Carolyn. Essex gave us a tour of the rest of the building that they were working on. It was a wonderful place to stay and I would recommend it highly.  We left around 10am to start our drive across the Ouachita Mountains.The sun was shining and it was going to be a beautiful drive. We drove thru clouds as we got higher up into the mountains.  The trees had started changing colors, but I think there will be more color in the next few weeks.  

It was a nice, relaxing drive, and we were glad we waited until Friday. There was not much traffic and so we took our time and stopped at several of the turnouts to look out across the valleys.   We arrived in Mena, AR about 2pm.  We checked out a couple of antique stores. I found an old fruit box, an old crock, and an old cabinet door panel.  We headed back to Oklahoma on a different highway which turned out to be just as scenic.  We arrived back in Talihina about 5:30pm and ate at Pam's again.  This time we had old-fashioned hamburgers and the best homemade coconut pie I have had in a long time. So this was another get-away road trip we took in October.

And now for some Emma pics....

Thinking about getting into the sprinkler again

Breakfast at Nanna & Poppy's

Sitting with the pumpkins

Emma carrying her jack-o-lantern

Riding in her carriage

She was Princess Belle from Disney

And here is a picture of my grandsons in Puerto Rico....

Andres is Boba Fett & Carlos is Thomas the Tank Engine

Well, I see that this is my 100th post. Wow, can't believe I have written that much.  So my next post will be a giveaway to celebrate.  I will post on Friday so be sure and come back and enter. I will let you know then what I am planning to give away.  


Hope you are having a good week. I am looking forward to the weekend.  


Blessings.....patijane
 

Play Day at Last!

After three weeks of day and night  tax work, we finally hit the road for a day of fun and relaxation.  Now you may not think that driving is relaxing but Jeffrey does. So after my dental appointment this morning, we headed south for some places to visit.  We had driven by them on previous trips but did not have time to stop and check them out.

First stop was in Noble at an antique shop called Ripleys.  We didn't stay too long there as there was not much that interested me.  I did buy a tall basket to hold some hooked rugs and a small doll trunk. 

Next  stop was Deanna's Architectural Salvage in Ada.  Just let me say I didn't even make a dent in this place.  Inside alone there is probably 10,000 square feet of  'stuff' to look out. We started looking outside first and still didn't even see all that was outside.

Treasures found at Deanna's Architectural Salvage

After all that shopping, we headed to Davis OK for some BBQ at Smokin Joes.  Some friends had told us about this place. Said it was really good BBQ.  We got there about 3:15 and they were out of ribs and chicken, but said they would have some ready by 4.  So we decided to wait.  Since we were starving we split a chopped beef sandwich with french fries.  It was very good and we should have stopped there, but we had already ordered ribs and chicken to eat when it was ready at 4.  Well out came the ribs and chicken and we did eat a small amount but most of it came home with us.  There is lunch and dinner for the next  couple of days ((-:

Before heading back to Oklahoma City, we stopped at a garden center that had white pumpkins.  Every year I buy white pumpkins and this year I could not find any in the city.  Found a neat striped looking pumpkin too.

Thought I would show you what I did at Happy Trails Rug Camp.  I have done oxford punch before with Frank so I  worked on stuff in the evening after camp was over.  I did some of the small ornaments he had given us patterns for.  I need to put antlers on the reindeer and a squiggly vine on the pumpkin. Then hangers on them to use them as ornaments. Super quick to punch and plan on doing more for Christmas tags on presents.

 And a first for me: My sister-in-law, Danna, is a very talented quilter and decided last year to enter a couple of her quilts in the Oklahoma State Fair for the first time.  She won ribbons on them and was so excited that this year she entered again. Well, she talked me into entering a hooked rug.  You don't know if you won anything until you go to the fair and look for them in the displays. So on the opening day of the fair we went that evening and started looking for our entries.  Well, Jeff was the first to spot mine and guess what...I got a blue ribbon..I was so excited!! So I guess I could say that is one thing off my bucket list...enter something in the State Fair.

Old Thyme House designed by Maria Barton of Star Rug Company

And now for the finale....Emma.  She is growing up so fast.  She turned 15 months on October 13.  Since I have been working more, I don't get to see her quite as often, usually a couple of times during the week and sometimes on Saturday.  So enjoy the pictures!  She is truly one special litte girl to her Nanna and Poppy.

Coloring while Nanna works in her sewing room

Crazy hair in the morning

Miss Hollywood..she likes to wear sunglasses

Trying on Poppy's boots

Well that is how my last 3 weeks have been. Busy at work,  but still able to enjoy other things as well. This weekend is supposed to be really nice so hoping to get some yard work done.  Wishing everyone a great weekend and do something fun.


Blessings.....patijane

What a great time at Happy Trails Rug Camp!!!

Happy Trails Rug Camp was a huge success!!!!

As you can see from the picture above, the ladies were busy punching and just having a great time.  

We spent three days with Frank Bielec instructing and entertaining us.  He kept us in stitches with his stories and jokes. He is such fun to be around and I think everyone enjoyed their time spent with him.

This is Kay and Laura from our group of rughookers here in Oklahoma. They both do beautiful hooked rugs and decided to expand to oxford punch. Well, needless to say, they caught on quick.

Kay was the first one to finish punching her project.

Becky is also one of our Oklahoma rughookers.

Ginger's mother-in-law, Pat, decided to join us.

She had never punched before, but as you can tell, she did a beautiful job on her Snow Lady.

As a bonus to rug camp, Frank drew each person a pattern on monks cloth or linen. Carol, another Oklahoma rughooker, is watching  Frank draw her pattern.

To the right of Kala and Ashley are some of the things Frank has created.  He is a very talented artist and his whimisical paintings are very unique.  I bought two(will show them another time).

Camp ended on Saturday about 4pm.  We had spent three days of laughter and fun and now had to head back home. Everyone got their stuff together, packed their cars and said their good-byes.  

So another great time spent with friends and new friends!!! 

Happy October and have a great week!!

Blessings....patijane