Clear Lake, a popular resort town just 12 miles away, hosts the very popular Thursdays On Main and Becky and I ventured over last night. I would have loved to take pictures but I forgot my phone on the charger! I wonder how many times throughout the evening I went to look at my phone or take a picture.
Food vendors of all varieties – such great food was available. Becky and I opted for taco salads from the VFW which we took to the park and enjoyed along with an adult beverage, as Rick’s friend Phil says. Haha! The band started at 7 and they were really good – our kind of music, a mix of country and light pop.
Many dogs attend – remember last year I took pictures? I’d like to try Hazel but I know she’d hate the loud music. There were so many puppies last night. Sadly, no pictures.
On the way home we stopped at our favorite drive-in, the Viking in Ventura, where our two small cones were nearly the same price as two taco salads! Yikes!
Reader Quilts and Pets
And look at Telly!!! She must have been having a bad morning that day – she’s back to her normal self! Thanks for all your messages!
Catchin’ some rays
Saw this picture online – said it was Lake Superior. Look at those beautiful rocks!!! I’d visit Lake Superior just to see those rocks, wouldn’t you? Do you think it’s really like this?
Time to mow!
So happy Telly is back to his old self.
Sounds like such a nice night out on the town with your friends.
Being from Northern Wisconsin, I can vouch for the fact that Lake Superior is breathtaking any time of the year. We’re about 2 hours from the Lake and visit often. And yes, the rocks are beautiful!. You’d love it.
We were in Duluth n 2018 during the fall. The leaves were absolutely stunning but the lake shore on the Duluth side was all burnt red; iron ore. Maybe on the Wisconsin side……..?
Love the story and all the pictures as usual but the guitar picture really caught my attention. I would have loved to make my older brother one as he was an exceptionally talented singer and musician. He was self taught and could play any instrument by ear. I did make him a Quilt of Valor quilt for his 66th birthday-he was a Vietnam veteran. He served two tours of duty on two different air craft carriers. He was diagnosed three years ago with large B cell Non Hodgkins lymphoma stage 4 as a result of his toxic exposure to Agent Orange Blue Water. He went through treatment from May to Dec. and was declared cancer free. Sadly four months later the cancer returned and he passed away in September 2021. His birthday is Sunday and he would have been 74. I miss him dearly!
Debbie – that is so sad! Agent Orange was deadly to many. Hope you celebrate your brother on his birthday! Thanks for your story even though it had to be hard to write.
I’m so sorry for your loss, Debbie. Two tours in Vietnam was a great sacrifice for your family and his country. ✝️
Native troll (I live beneath the bridge – Mackinaw) reporting from the middle of the mitten, ( lower peninsula of Michigan native). Lake Superior shore is stone lined. Most stones have smooth surfaces from the waves tumbling them for decades. Stones also line the upper quarter of Lake Michigan and Lake Huron too.
Where to find the pretty ones in this picture? Had to say exactly. There are places were one or two types of stones are more common.
You have no idea how much I love your posts. I can vicariously live on a farm even tho I’m not tough enough…hugs from me to you
Diane Lange – you’re probably tougher than you think and sometimes there’s no alternative
Oh, you should definitely try to see Lake Superior (in July when it might actually be warm enough to dip your toes into the water). The rocks are *almost* that wonderful, but I’m thinking that beautiful photo may have been slightly altered with a filter of some type. I grew up in Michigan and have lived here for all but 10 of my 72 years. Even at my “advanced” age, I still cannot resist the allure of the beautiful rocks on the northern Lake Michigan or Lake Superior beaches. I love my Michigan rocks…. moved boxes of them with me to Arizona and then moved them all back 10 years later. My hubby thinks my head is full of rocks…. and yet he loves me still, LOL. I hope you get there someday soon!
Me too! Petosky stones are very difficult to fine these days. My son went to Petosky and I told him, whatever you do BRING ME A STONE!!! LOL
So glad to hear the news about Telly! You go, girl!
Loved the quilt/pet/rock show.
Yes Lake Superior is like that along Michigan’s upper peninsula. I don’t know about Minnesota or Wisconsin based on wave activity and direction. The beaches near Whitefish Bay are where we usually go. Across the top of the upper peninsula is a road that reaches from Sault Saint Marie to Marquette that are has around 12 waterfalls that you can walk to, the pictured rocks lakeshore and beaches for rock hounds like me. I saw and saved the same photo. I miss our yearly trips there.
White Fish Point, lighthouse and beach in Michigan is a great place to visit. It is the area where the Edmond Fitzgerald sank…..…so another piece of history for the area. We walked along the beach and enjoyed the BEAUTIFUL rocks, similar to your picture.
Mary, if you ever have the chance to visit Duluth and the north shore of Lake Superior, please don’t hesitate. It is one of the reasons we moved up here from Spencer. It is my heart place, and Lake Superior does not disappoint. We are only 90 miles away, and one thing on my bucket list is to stay at one of the hotels during one of November’s storms. My hubby and I have talked about the doing “TheCircle Tour”.
MN/Jo – I have been there several times but I guess I wasn’t observant enough of those gorgeous rocks! One weekend on a whim Becky and I did a 48 hour Duluth trip – so fun!!
The circle tour is fun. Granted it was over 60 years ago in a pickup camper. My parents took us, my sister and I. The rocky hiking trails are one memory, so different than my rooted sandy woods here. The towns of WaWa and Thunder Bay didn’t disappoint a pre teen.
The arrowhead of Minnesota was also explored that trip.
Yes, Mary, Lake Superior rocks do look like that. On rocky beaches, the water and waves keep on tumblings those rocks until they are smooth, and when they are wet, the colors are clear and beautiful. Much jewelry is made from them, and agate picking is a fun activity.
Karen, is there any particular location that is good for finding these rocks? They are SO beautiful!
Whitefish Bay has been the best area we’ve found for finding nice rocks.
Glad Telly has perked up. The quilts were awesome as they are every post. Love the inspiration. Thanks for doing this Mary.
So glad to see Telly back to normal!
The rocks are beautiful. All the quilts are beautiful.
I’m so glad Telly is doing fine.
It’s raining again today. We’re getting rain almost every day. Most unusual for Wyoming. Everything is so green and the grasses, so tall. The sky is a gorgeous blue, not smoky. We were getting smoke from the western Canadian wildfires, but the rain washed the air. I hope they get relief.
I’m taking line dancing at the YMCA and tonight is our monthly social outing. We have a beer, they serve us dinner, and we have the entire dance floor to ourselves. Sometimes I laugh so hard, my sides hurt ! All this for a $3/beer. The oldest dancer is 92 and she knows a lot more dances than me. It’s so fun to go out and visit with others.
Have a great weekend everyone.
Now THAT sounds like fun!!!
Send some rain down AZ way please! It’s getting dry and crunchy after the glorious wet winter and beautiful Spring we had!!
Jo..I love your beautiful soft colors quilt! Would you share the name , please?
Thank you so much!
The quilt is Yellow Brick Road with some fussy cut blocks from a panel. I started with the panel and pulled fabric from its colors for the blocks.
That lovely young lady is my daughter in law…she just graduated from UW with her master’s degree.
Thank You! and Congratulations to your daughter in law! Love UW!
I think we all have mornings like Telly’s on Wednesday. So glad she’s feeling better!
So glad your pup is better. We all have those days I guess. Those rocks are gorgeous! Such pretty colors. Love all the reader quilts today. Everyone has been so busy.
Hello! We came home from a trip to Michigan to see our son and his family! On the way we went to Peoria to see our grandson who is doing an internship at Caterpillar for the summer. We had dinner with him and then went on to go ur stop for the night. The next day we drove up to Grand Rapids. Celebrated a couple birthdays on Friday, and this Wednesday our 12 year old grandson graduated from 6th grade. Happy times with a very busy family! We chose to drive over the Mackinaw bridge and on down highway 2 along the lake. It was beautiful! Our daughter-in-law is a real sweetheart !! She is also a great cook! The time went way too fast!
So glad Telly snapped back to his usual self. Loved all the pictures! Your evening in Clear Lake sounds awesome!
Did Rick pass his pre-op ? Hope so.
Sitting in the sunroom listening to the birds singing!
Hi Joy!
My niece is an Engineer and I believe that Caterpillar is one of her accounts! She lives in WI, but works all around the MidWest!
Driving over Big Mack is quite the experience, isn’t it?!!
Joy – your trip sure sounded fun! Yes, Rick passed his pre-op. I’m just keeping my fingers crossed he doesn’t fall or something between now and the 22nd!
Hello!!
First – Having grown up in Wild, Wonderful Michigan [that was an ad campaign years ago!!], I can assure that Lake Superior does indeed have those beautiful rocks! Not much of a sandy shoreline though!! All of the Great Lakes are unique and amazing in their own ways! I did not appreciate all that Michigan had to offer growing up there. I actually thought it was boring. Kids!!
Second – The black & tan German Shephard is an absolute doppleganger for my youngest dog Oskar!! You posted his picture along with his brother, Berlin, earlier this year. I am absolutely amazed how much they look alike!! Not similar – identical!!
Loved the quilt show as usual and so glad that Telly is doing better!!!
Wait— that was Wild, Wonderful, West Virginia!! HAHA!! OOPS!!
Also, I DO know how to spell Shepherd…..
Patricia – haha! I believe you!
Hopefully this doesn’t post twice. I had trouble posting on my old XP and had to change to my laptop.
The German Shepherd in the picture is Maggie. She is 2 years old and still very much a pup. When my grandson got her as a little puppy, he asked me to make a dog quilt. Funny story…I was visiting my son and he was picking up after Maggie and told her she was the reason they can’t have nice things. The next day when I was working on the quilt, I saw the quote on one of the fabrics “I am the reason we can’t have nice things.” I had to laugh. I put that fabric next to the German Shepherd fabric.
Sheryl – I have told this to my three dogs, too! Such a great quilt!
I have been without a dog or cat for 1 1/2 years. My mother is 96 years old and has Suzi, a 15 year old tuxedo cat. I follow 2 shelters on Facebook and had cat offers from friends. I have been so tempted to get another dog or cat but had to put Suzi first because she might need a home. The only place she knew was mom’s apartment and didn’t have other animals around and she can be kinda snippy.
Mom went into the nursing home in March and so now Suzi lives with me. She is no trouble and doesn’t make messes but now I’m covering furniture and cleaning the litter box. Having a pet does make it harder to keep the house in top shape but I really missed not having a dog or cat (or both).
Sheryl – I think they’re worth the trouble and my house will never be spotless – not important to me!
Yes. True that dogs/cats are worth the trouble. The past 1 1/2 years was the 1st time I was ever without a pet. We’ve had as many as 3 dogs and 1 cat at one time.
I live one block from Lake Superior in Marquette Michigan and I’m telling you the answer to your question: YES! The rocks really look like that! They are smooth and beautiful. Come and see! Our Creator has such an imagination! Bless you today.
The colors of the rocks…….what a quilt that would make. Michigan is a state I have not visited but would surely like to do so. Glad the pup is doing better, really is hard when they can’t tell you how they feel.
What a great quilt show today! So much variety and talent. Good to see Telly back to himself.
Tellie looks as though she feels much better. Good days and bad, just like the rest of us. She looks like she is the sweetest dog with an easy-going personality. Hazel looks pensive in her photo.
Great quilts today.
Those rocks are beautiful. I had no idea, so glad you posted that picture.
Some of the Lake Superior stones change to pretty colors when they are wet. The North Shore is one of our favorite places. We’re going up there in August.
I am so happy to hear Telly has perked up again. She’s just like the rest of us with good and bad days.
The quilts once again just amaze me with the colors and designs. The flowers and machine quilting in line dancer Jo (😄😄) is spectacular! Wow. I also wanted to ask Susan K in Texas if she is reading this ….the quilt In Wednesday’s post, looks embroidery and I wondered if it is one of Lynette Anderson designs? I Australia designers with their whimsical cute patterns.
Glad you enjoyed a fun night out Mary with your sister. My kind of fun times.
Tomorrow we are going to a village on the canal for dinner in the Main Street.
The bridge is shut down for repairs thru the town so no traffic can pass Thur. The local restaurants for walk ins or booths and tables will be set up in the street to enjoy a beverage from one of the bars and food from the local restaurants. 70’s and no smoke filled air so a pleasure now to be outside.
Going on 20 days of no rain for us now and it’s brown crunchy grass.
Kathy -oh, you need rain! Yes, Telly jumped around today like a puppy! We did have a good time last night and will go again next week – this time with my camera! Ha!
The embroidery is designed by “I Done My Best”. I did the embroidery back in the 1990’s when my boys were little. The center panel is a different designer but I’m not sure who. I would have to search my patterns to find out who designed it. The “I Done My Best” patterns are still available online and there is also a stitchery book.
Thanks Susan. I do have a couple of those pamphlets from years ago from a country primitive store I loved to frequent. I knew the embroidery looked familiar but not sure whose they were. Your quilt is a real treasure with your embroidery in it.
Thank you! It was a fun one to work on. I enjoyed the embroidery and it was fun to piece the quilt to showcase the embroidery.
So very glad that Telly is back to feeling her old self!
Would love to know the information on where I could find the pattern for the guitar quilt if the maker would please share. It’s a great quilt!
I would also like the name of the quilt pattern for the guitar quilt. They are all amazing but I have been looking for ideas for my brother in law and this is perfect.
Glad Telly is feeling better. Bet both you and Rick are glad his surgery is finally going to happen.
Love your pics today. The rocks and the posts about them were very interesting.
Brenda – the guitar quilt is called Strummin’ on Etsy, available as a PDF download.
I loved those Lake Superior rocks, too! I look forward to your emails. The animals and quilts are a mood lifter even when I am happy!
Loved the variety of quilts! Fun!
I started making some quilt blocks and wouldn’t you know it my sewing machine had to be taken in for service. I just got it back so I’m ready to get going!
Your evening out sounds like fun!
And those rocks are beautiful.
So glad Telly is better!
Thanks for sharing.
So glad to hear Telly is back to normal!!
I love seeing quilts with kids involved! I well remember when you were teaching a young neighbor to quilt. I miss him!! My niece is starting to quilt and I am so wishing I lived closer so we could sew together!!
I keep packing. Still feeling in limbo as I wait to hear there is actually a “go-ahead “. My house looks fabulous—all stages and ready for photos next Thursday! Gotta say, I miss my “stuff”!!!!
Diane – I miss that young man, too – it was so fun to do things with him! I have a big house and lots of buildings so nothing forces me to downsize – ha! I love my stuff, too!
Oh!!
I think the photo of rocks in the lake is actually Lake McDonald at Glacier National Park.
Hi Mary. I think animals have bad days just like humans. So glad Telly is feeling better.
Those rocks are beautiful and the water is so clear.
Really enjoyed all the beautiful quilts!! And of course, your lifestyle photos, Mary. I don’t know if the shore of Lake Superior is naturally that colorful rock or that rock was trucked in to stabilize the shoreline? Either way, it sure is pretty!
I stopped at the Viking a couple weeks ago and I was shocked at the prices this year!! A small chocolate shake $7.15, and it was a small cup. That’s just crazy. We’ve enjoyed the Viking for many years but I cannot do business there anymore with how much the prices have increased. And as a small business owner myself, it pains me to say that. I do as much business as I can with the small businesses in the north Iowa area but the Viking is going to drive people away with how expensive the menu is now. I’ll get ice cream at the store and enjoy it at home. 😊
Teresa – I agree – they’ve priced themselves out of line. For $6.99 I can buy a whole pail of ice cream!
Beautiful blog post. So glad you took some time for enjoyment. You work so hard.
There are shorelines on Lake Superior that do look like this. What you don’t realize is that the picture is actually taken underwater so all the colors on the rocks show up a lot more as the rocks are wet. When you see them on shore, dried in the sun, they all look pretty much grey with a little color and speckles.
Deb in Japan – thanks for your comment! I’ve been going to ask if you’d write a bit about the needles for the blog. You told me the family has been making needles for over 350 years – and the pictures of the shop were so beautiful! I k ow the readers would love to hear all the details – no hurry!
I’ll see what I can come up with that won’t bore everyone too much as I could go on and on about the shop and the gentleman and his family. I could include something about “Hari-Kuyo, the Festival of Broken Needles” just for fun.
Deb – I think they’d be very interested in the basic info – especially the difference in the needles vs the needles available to all of us. You decide what you think they’d enjoy. This can be posted at ANY TIME so there is no deadline.
Deb in Japan – I do remember the rocks on the shore of Lake Superior being smooth but just gray in color. Maybe I could get back there next summer when Rick isn’t having surgery.
Been to Lake Superior – didn’t see all those colors but it is gorgeous! So cold and clear – beautiful 😍
Wow, love the reader quilts! Jo in Wyoming! So fun to see the face behind the name. Cheryl has been busy too! Glad Telly is better. That shepherd is gorgeous! And I love the doggy quilt, lol. My daughter needs that block – her dog is two but still I have to baby proof the house when he comes to visit! We had near drought conditions last month and this month we’ve hardly seen the sun! My garden still is not planted. So frustrating. Ice cream places here were expensive last year, not sure how high they are this summer but I’m with you, I’d rather stay home and save my money! Jan in MA
The name of the guitar pattern is “strummin'” by Pink Parakeet Designs. The website is:
pinkparakeetdesigns.com. You can get 2 🎸🎸 from 1 fat quarter.
Mary, I’m glad Telly is feeling better, too. And, if you make it to White Fish Bay on Lake Superior you need to go a little ways wast to Tahquamenon Falls. It is absolutely beautiful and it’s my happy place, along with Mackinaw City and the beautiful bridge. Yes, crossing that bridge is an experience you’ll remember. The view is beautiful and you also need to visit Mackinac Island. It’s touristy but beautiful, too.
Sharon,
Thank you so much for the pattern info.
Brenda
The Lake Superior I know doesn’t have rocks that vibrant (even under water) but it sure is beautiful. Duluth is where I grew up. The circle tour takes at least 3 – 4 days or more. In many areas of Canada, you can’t get near the lake and their economy is quite depressed so it’s not as scenic nor inviting as America. White Fish Point Michigan is a really pretty area. The Mackinaw bridge is several miles long. My son drives semi’s and once he changed lanes without trying – way-way windy. In fact, there are times where semis and tall trailers aren’t supposed to cross. All in all, it is a great area to vacation because of the beauty – the scenery is free.
I’ve been to Lake Superior a few times, staying in Grand Marais, Minnesota. The lake is beautiful, and the rocks are nice and smooth, but i’ve never seen colorful ones like the picture shows. The smooth rocks are great for rock painting…. I’ve brought some home for that purpose. Glad to see that Telly has perked up!
Karen – picture taken underwater to see those beautiful colors!
So glad to see Telly is doing better. Always scary when the animals don’t act like usual. We went to a very nice restaurant on the pier here on Tablerock Lake in Missouri. The food was delicious and the band good. It’s fun to watch the beautiful boats pull in and one of the perks is you can bring your dog. Because a lot of the boaters have theirs with them. Great fun!!
Thank you for your blog. I read everyone, but don’t comment like I should. Always enjoy the quilts and the animals.