My Flying Geese Got Cooked, But I'm Back in the Saddle, Again

The orphaned flying geese headed for Sisters, Oregon and its world famous Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show. With temperatures in the high 90's, it's didn't take long for them to be totally cooked. And with an estimated 20,000 quilters flooding the small town, things heated up in a very big way.

I had agreed to meet with some online members of the Stashbusters group and met Cher (the Marathon Quilter) Nancy G. (Nine Patch Quilting) and Doni (who works at the University of Nebraska and knows the others from their Yahoo group) amongst others. We met at the Sister's Library sporting our identifying red bandanas, then spent some time together touring the town. As far as the eyes could see and the hands to hang them could reach, quilts adorned the buildings, posts, clotheslines,bushes and trees of Sisters.

It was extraordinarily hot and very crowded, but the appreciation of the crowd was an enthusiasm shared by all. In no time, I could tell that I was not truly there to admire this quilt or that quilt, nor the techniques nor the piecings or stitchings. It was simply about the joy and abundance of the love of quilting.

I made a few small purchases as memento's, a quilt poster mug from the Stitch'in Post, a heart and hands (and quilting cat!) t-shirt from a little stand, a yard of fabric for a dollar and tucking them into my quilter's bags, headed off to find my car amongst the blocks and blocks of cars, trucks, buses and vans. It was, as this delightful jar of strawberry, raspberry, rhubarb compote is titled a "Sister's Traffic Jam", but it was a melange worth the drive, the heat and the crowds.

I found that the greatest gift and the truest joy came from the generosity and graciousness of our generous hosts, who opened their home and their hearts to making us feel like we were staying in a five star hotel.

The gifts of friendship are the true gifts of the heart and of the hands, and like a quilt, something you wrap around you with love.

Coming Attractions:
some of the quilts!
My thanks:
the 'warm' welcome by the Sister's Community
the graciousness of our hosts--
the gift of lovely surroundings, great food, wonderful company and my jar of jam :)

All of my Sister's Quilt Show post links:
Flying Geese Head for Sisters, Oregon
Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show: The Atmosphere Says It All
Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show: The Buildings are Part of the Quilts
Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show: The People Create the Mood
Sisters: Last But Not Least .... The Quilts !
My Flying Geese Got Cooked, But I'm Back in the Saddle, Again