Travel Tales: Ronda, Spain

 A Jewel in Andalucia

Early on a beautiful, quiet Sunday morning,

we left Estepona to drive up into the

mountains to visit the town of Ronda.

We took a dramatic route through the

mountains.  There was one lane up and

one lane down with constant hairpin turns.

Add to that guys on motorcycles that would

weave between us and the oncoming cars

and bank so far on each side that their

elbows would almost scrape the ground.

By the time the goats started hopping

on to the road I was ready to cry.

But once you reach the top of the mountain,

you will realize that Ronda is worth the trip.

We wandered through the deserted streets.

The Spainiards, no doubt, were still

recovering from their Saturday night revelries.

The morning light was beautiful.

After a while the town started to wake up

as people were heading out to cafes.

We walked over the Puente Nuevo or "new"

bridge which is from the 18th century.

The views into the gorge and out to the

Serrania de Ronda mountains was spectacular.

We sat in a lovely park and waited for

Sunday Mass to let out and for the

Medieval Market to open.

Then it was time for some food.

Lovely Spanish olives...

Spices of every sort.

These ceramics were by a couple of cute

brothers from Cordoba, all the work is done

by their family.  I have a few of their pieces

in my home and I think of them

when I look at their art.

We had plans for later in the day so it was

time to head back down the mountain all

too soon.  I look forward to returning to this

beautiful city ~ though next time I think

I'll take the train...

On a weather note, we are being told

to expect a horrific ice storm.  The ice

has begun and it is likely to take down

the power lines, so if there is no blog

in the next few days, you'll know why.

Please send warm thoughts our way.

Civil War Remembered ~ Block 5

Kansas Troubles

We are following along with Barbara Brackman's blog.

Already have five blocks done.

http://civilwarquilts.blogspot.com/

"Mother provided shirts, collars, drawers,

three pair home knit wool socks, several

pocket handkerchiefs and two quilts,

...sisters had provided an arrangement

(a housewife), containing buttons, needles,

pins, threads, yarns and a steel thimble.

I had provided myself with a large

pocket knife, 2 combs, towels and toilet

 soap and a pocket diary for recording

incidents of note.

...and the Messers. Jones had presented

me with a pocket revolver of six chambers,

saying the I might get into close quarters

and need it.  This was my outfit."

Billy Davis

Johnson County, Indiana

Check out blocks from around the world

at Dustin's Flickr site:

http://www.flickr.com/groups/civilwarquilts2011/



In the Studio: Applique Design

Redbud Guild Mystery Quilt

The Redbud Guild is doing a Mystery Quilt.

For those of you who aren't quilters, a mystery quilt

is a quilt you will make over many months. 

Each month you are given new instructions.

You don't know what the quilt will look like

or where the the fabrics will go.

This is the point we are at and that center

area has an applique design.  The called for

design was not my cup of tea so I designed my own.

I start with a sketch.

Enlarge the design on a copier and

check to see if the size is right on the quilt.

I clean up the enlarged images.

I can hear people saying, but Ellen, you

could do this on the computer in minutes.

And yes, I could, but for me there is always

an unbridled joy of putting pencil to paper.

I make templates of each shape.

Trace designs to the paper side of an

iron-on bonding sheet.  Iron on to the

fabric and cut out the shapes, remove paper.

Place in position and heat set in place.

Finish edges as desired.  I'll post an update

on this quilt once we finish the "mystery".

A Year in Estepona, Spain

Dreams are like stars...you

 may never touch them,

but if you follow them they

will lead you to your destiny.

I'm a dreamer...

I used to dream about buying a little place

in some exotic locale and spending 6 months

there each year.

But the more I travel and find places that

speak to my soul, I realize I would have a

tough time deciding where to buy that little place.

So now the dream has changed.  When I find

a place that stirs me, I pick out a place to

live for one year. 

In Estepona, Spain it is here in the

Plaza de las Flores.

Estepona is located on Spain's

Costa del Sol but unlike many of the other

coastal towns, Estepona has retained the

feel of the quiet fishing village it used to be.

There is my flat, the top floor, the tower will be

my studio.  I'll sit at the window and watch

all that goes on in the square.

When I get hungry, I'll pop downstairs for

a lovely lunch.  Afterwards, I'll take my walk

along the Mediterranean which is only about

a minute away and then take my siesta.

I'll awaken to the clang of the church bells

and begin to plan...

for my night in the Plaza.

A Passion for Blue

Today I saw 7 Eastern Bluebirds in my yard.

The beautiful blue of the birds against the

white of the snow was dazzling.

I wish they would live right there forever.

They certainly would fit in at our house,

there is blue everywhere...

Blue has been my favorite color ever since

I gave up my lavender obsession at about age 7.

I love old transferware.

I bought this on the street in Morocco.

Yeah, that's my engagement ring,

 a deep blue sapphire.

I use blue in my work a lot.

I have to force myself to move away

from the blue fabrics.

This quilt is called Rhapsody in Blues,

it is one of my favorites.

When Uncle Jamie was here last he called

it mesmerizing, & I have to admit

I stare at it often too.

And then there's my Japanese bowl obsession collection.

Whenever I'm in New York, you can find me

at Pearl River Mart picking up a few more.

What's your favorite color? And why?

Where in the World?

Where in the World Are They Going Now?

Quite honestly, we don't even know yet.

But in the past few days phone calls and

emails have been flying back and forth

across the country and frankly,

around the globe. 

We could possibly see some of these...

and I'm pretty sure we'll see many of these.

For now, we are scanning the maps,

searching for the next location to

Explore, Dream, Discover...

The Girl Who Likes Old Stuff

Oh, yeah, that's me...

There was a woman in my hometown that

 ran all the local estate sales.  And, of course

I went to all of those estate sales...

Whenever she saw me she would ask if I was a

 dealer and I would tell her no, I just like old stuff.

Finally, I guess she believed me....

...and every time I'd walk into one of her sales,

she would announced, very loudly,

"oh look, it's the girl who likes old stuff!"

And I still do!