The Forgetful Trip

Well, I spent 2 days in Walnut Iowa, walking for what seemed like 300 miles of antique fair, took lovely photos, bought lovely things to sell. I packed up my bags in Clarinda, arrived home in Iowa City and spent the day luxuriating first in real espresso drinks from real espresso bar (ask for a cappuccino in small town America and see if you aren't sent to the local gas station for a dreadful drink from a packet machine!), then my husband suggested surprising his dad in Dubuque for Father's Day, with a promised treat for me of stopping at Gatherings in Anamosa. As always, I found wonderful prims, all beautiful and unusual. I just got home and sat down to download some photographs and realized I left my camera cord in Clarinda! Aagh! Now I have to go to Best Buy to get a new one tomorrow, thanking goodness I have a Best Buy to go to. Husband left phone charger there, so must get a new one for him. I also forgot to bring a pillow I sold, now must face disappointing a customer, don't like that at all. I'd better go check and make sure I paid the light bill....

My Sister's Garden

Kathey got the green thumb in the family, actually she just works harder than the rest of us to make her beautiful little oasis in the back yard. I love my flowers, but just don't make the effort she does. Isn't this beautiful?

My Building West Side of Square

Oh, missed getting my downtown building photo in, we are the little white one.

A Little Walk Around Clarinda

Clarinda is a town square town, I have early 1900s postcards that show it looking pretty much the same. Businesses have definitely taken a hit, and too many buildings are empty and worn, sadly I own one of those empty worn buildings, hopefully to see new life this summer. Mine is the little white building with the blue trim, plywood over the windows. It does have a new roof and is gutted down to the old brick inside, new windows and floors are on the agenda this year, once it is finished, its going to be gorgeous. Glenn Miller Festival just started, so sad our Japanese orchestra will not come because of all the disasters their country has faced, hope to see them again next year.

The Colonial White House is the local B and B, prettiest gardens in town!

A Few More Photos of Our Day Out

I really wanted to get my lunch plate photo in, plus more Quilt Coop, her displays are so beautiful.

The Southwest Iowa Adventure Takes Us to a Church and a Chicken Coop

The girls and I headed over to Shenandoah to be "ladies who lunch" today. Small town Iowa usually is limited to some good diners, but lucky us, we have the Sanctuary--a church turned elegant restaurant. I even had to take a picture of my lunch--asparagus quiche and the Sanctuary salad, the odd but delicious combination of greens, bananas, cranberries and raspberry yogurt.

After lunch, back to Clarinda, stopping out in the country just outside College Springs to visit the best little quilt shop in Iowa, The Quilt Coop. Chicken coop turned fabric store, this is why I love Iowa. It was shop hop day and we got there before the busload of quilters, whew!

Touring the Southwest Corner of Iowa

Life does move slower here in the middle of nowhere, but there are some wonderful hidden gems around the countryside, I'm going to have a little picture show every day of the good things to do here. Today we went to Henkeville Greenhouses, just outside Clarinda, bought a few flowers to brighten up the front porch. I love it there, it looks like Grandma's farm, with lots of gorgeous flowers to add to the ambience.