Here, in this Place

"Nestled among the days
that linger and languish,
there was a garden of roses,
red red roses... I called it home"

I am home today for the first time
in over two weeks. There is so much
to catch-up on that my to-do list
almost seems insurmountable.

I am sure, however, all will be back
to normal soon, then I can share
the wonderful moments from my
adventures with you.

Good Morning

It was an absolutely miserable day here...
cold and very gray, the most blustery
winds howling with sheets of rain coming
down. The perfect weather for someone,
like myself, that is in frantically trying to
sort, pack, and be ready to depart tomorrow,
once more into the wild blue yonder of
adventures.

I am attending two retreats back to back. The
first is the International Quilt Festival in
Houston. This show promises to be action
packed with over 70,000 attendees. And I am
completely thrilled to be part of their teaching
faculty for a third year. My ten days are filled to
the brim with teaching, taking classes, attending
lectures, luncheons, and even a gala.

I will also have the honor of participating in a book signing
at the Quilting Books Unlimited Booth #1040
on Thursday from 5 to 7 pm, as well as demonstrating
in the Quilting Arts/Cloth,Paper,Scissors booth
on Saturday at 5 pm.

Following this incredible week, I will be heading
out to Seattle to take part in the first ever Journalfest.
Here I will have the luxury of being a student again
which is something I have not had the opportunity
to experience in quite some time.

But before I head out the door, I thought it would be
fun to share some pictures taken from my recent trip
to the fairy tale Apifera Farm, home of the famous
artist Katherine Dunn and her wonderful little donkeys -
Luclia, Paco, and Pino.



I had the great pleasure of meeting Katherine last year,
and my first visit to her enchanting farm was something
I will never forget.

Katherine was a charming and delightful hostess. And
seeing her farm was awe-inspiring.

This year my visit was even better, with sunny weather
and Katherine, once again, being the perfect hostess.
It was incredible to reminisce, and catch-up with each
other lives, as well as visit her fabled little animals.

Surrounded by Friends

I am home now, but only for a few days.
Just long enough to wash clothes, re-pack,
and gather the necessary supplies for these
next adventures.

Yesterday while driving home across the beautiful
Plains, I was found myself daydreaming,
remembering those treasured moments
surrounded by like minds, like hearts over
the last week. I love being with friends, and
even when we are far away, how fortunate
we all are to still have chances to share our
lives, and stay connected via this on-line world.



This week, I am SO fortunate, and
SO lucky to have two INCREDIBLE
women that are helping me celebrate
my joy in publishing a first book.

Each of these ladies are awe-
inspiring with their words and art.
They are extremely giving and
continually lift-up those around
them. And I am all the better for
having known them, and am honored
to be able to call each of them friend.

Liz Lamoreux is the author of Be Present,
Be Here. I met Liz at Artfest and had
the chance to become close during our
experiences at ArtFiberFest. I am thrilled
to participate in her recent Nine Interview
Project, where the interviewee answers
nine questions by only using photos.

I invite you to see my photo answers... here.

And friend, Kelly Rae Roberts, is also
helping me celebrate the debut of
Nature Inspired with a giveaway of an
autographed copy and Limited Edition
Print on her blog. I was thrilled to meet
Kelly when she and her wonderful mom
attended my Of Nested Visions workshop
at Artfest. They were both such a delight
to have as students.

For a chance to win stop by Kelly's Blog
and leave a one-three word comment.
using just 1-3 words, tell us what's your
favorite thing (or what are you inspired by)
about being out in nature.

And while you are visiting these links,
be sure to spend some time browsing
both of their websites. They will
SERIOUSLY take your breath away,
and you will definitely find yourself
an instant fan, just like I did!