Geneseo Auction

This year -- I was traveling most of the month of May. So, on the Saturday of Memorial Day weekend -- Bert and I were delighted to be having our usual BORING, OLD NORMAL SATURDAY knock-a-bout. We always start with breakfast and a download of what's been happening in our respective lives...

Then -- on this day -- we headed to Geneseo, Illinois, for a good old-fashioned country auction...at the old Knights of Columbus building...

This auction attracted the usual crowd of good ole boys...I'm tellin' ya -- these sales are a great place to pick up men...

It's fun to look at the oddities. Is this a fish trap? What is a fish trap, anyway??

I've never seen one of these before!! AWESOME...a trike/wagon combo. It must be unusual -- because this one sold for $90.


I loved this framed picture. An old Bessie Peace Guttmann print. Called "Mighty Like A Rose"...
the poem says: "Sweetest lil' feller ev'ry-body knows. Dun-no what to cal him but he mighty lak a Rose."

You NEVER know what's going to turn up at an auction. This is a wicker clothes basket -- with a liner made out of an old quilt. REMEMBER LAUNDRY BASKET LINERS??

Really. I almost forgot about them. Mom was delighted when they started to sell plastic laundry baskets. They were so light weight, and you didn't have to worry about your clothes snagging on the wicker...

Memorial Day

Memorial Day is an odd "holiday' for me. Because I work at home, I never really 'get Monday off". And then, too, I grew up knowing this is 'the official day" after which it is okay to wear white. Which, frankly, has NEVER been a concern for me. (cellulite being more of a problem than the day on the calendar...)

I think it's about visiting graves of people you've lost...which is very sad....but, then, isn't it also about BBQ and picnics? Which is very happy...See what I mean. It's confusing.

So I looked it up on Wikipedia.

Memorial Day is a United States federal holiday observed on the last Monday of May (May 30 in 2011). Formerly known as Decoration Day, it commemorates men and women who died while in military service to the United States.[1] First enacted to honor Union and Confederate soldiers following the American Civil War,[2] it was extended after World War I to honor Americans who have died in all wars.

Memorial Day often marks the start of the summer vacation season, and Labor Day its end.

It began as a ritual of remembrance and reconciliation after the civil war, but by the early 20th century, Memorial Day was an occasion for more general expressions of memory, as ordinary people visited the graves of their deceased relatives, whether they had served in the military or not. It also became a long weekend increasingly devoted to shopping, family gatherings, fireworks, trips to the beach...

Okay...so apparently Memorial Day can be whatever you want it to be. I will visit some graves this weekend, to remember people I loved and miss every day...

Then, I'm going to make it about celebrating my own personal veteran...being grateful we're both alive and well. John will grill something. His new thing is "smoking" meat...

I'll tell him how much I appreciate everything he does around here...like, his beautiful garden. Here are some peppers from last year...

And, I appreciate how much he loves to figure things out....he spent years of experimental bread baking....trying to bake the "perfect" loaf of Italian bread...

John's bird feeder porch extravaganza attracts hundreds of hummingbirds...he cleans and changes four gigantic feeders. His hummies provide hours of endless fascination....

for our own boys, many nieces and nephews -- and now the children of those children...

John takes care of everything that lives on this place. The cats, (all strays), the chickens...he collects a dozen of the most BEAUTIFUL, DELICIOUS brown eggs every single day...
And, in his retirement, he golfs every chance he gets. At some point, on this Memorial Day, I hope he will end up relaxing in his Lazy Boy...because he has earned it!!

And, as a special favor to veterans everywhere, I have decided NOT to wear white today...

Happy Memorial Day!! If you have your own favorite veteran within shouting distance -- invite them over for a cookout.

The VOICE

HAPPY MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND!! I'm planning on a big weekend of DOING NOTHING...which, believe me, I am very much looking forward to. With any luck -- there'll be some television, eh??

If you are an American Idol fan who is missing your show -- GOOD NEWS!! Every Tuesday, you can tune into NBC's new talent-show contender, "The VOICE". I AM LOVING THIS SHOW. If you have "on demand" with your cable company -- you should watch the early episodes. But whatever you do -- START WATCHING. The talent is amazing...and my early favorite is Vicci Martinez -- a pint-size singer from Tacoma!!

Here's a video of the "battle round" -- where she went head to head with another FABULOUS SINGER, Nicki Dawson. THANK GOD for YouTube, so I can watch this match-up over and over again...!!



Here's my only issue with The VOICE. The coaches are: Pop star Christina Aguilera, Country Crooner Blake Shelton, Soulful Singer Cee Lo Green, and Maroon 5 Frontman Adam Levine. During the "mentoring" part of the show -- each coach brings in an assistant.

Blake Shelton brings in Reba McEntire.

WHA??

I just can't get over it. If Reba was available -- WHY DIDN'T THEY JUST HIRE HER??

Bringing Reba McEntire on to the show as the assistant to anybody feels like asking Emeril to bus tables....

SLC Food Tour, Part 3

I LOVED Salt Lake City. The Salt Palace Convention Center is a stunning facility. I took this picture with my little Canon camera and I think they should use it for their new postcards...

They have light rail service downtown. Although we never figured out how to use it -- the tickets are free within the downtown area (I think) -- and I always love a city with trains...

Rhonda and Soni heard about a little 24-hour-a-day hole-in-the-wall restaurant. The Bayleaf Cafe...

Your drinking water comes in mason jars. Every table is different -- this one was decoupaged with old comics...

You can see how narrow the front of the restaurant is...and during our visits, it was actually under construction...

But that didn't stop them from producing the MOST DELICIOUS FOOD. This is a picture of the Tocilog. Marinated pork...OMG....it will go down in history as one of my top ten breakfasts EVER...anyplace, any time...just exceptional...($8.99)

Soni and Rhonda enjoying the unique coffee mugs. Every one was different...

The breakfast was so exceptional -- we decided to eat dinner there that night. Now -- who would enjoy a place like the "Bayleaf"???

You'll have to stay tuned to find out who went with us...and whether or not they enjoyed this funky place as much as we did!!

Television Fanatic

This is my world. I live in the middle of a cornfield in the State of Iowa...

Most days, I sit in my living room, in my Lazy-Boy, with the foot rest cranked up. I usually have a rice bag positioned behind my neck...(otherwise, with all the hours I spend on the computer, I'd have a terrible neck ache.)

My laptop is sitting right where it belongs. On my lap. So, this is how I work.

AND -- as you know -- the television is ALWAYS ON.


(in this case, a rerun of Gunsmoke...which is our 6:00 PM habit nowadays...old westerns...)

You name the show and I probably watch it. I start with the TODAY show...then move on to the View, All My Children, Who Wants to Be A Millionaire, Rachael Ray, Oprah, Dr. Phil, all-things-HGTV, any season of the Real Housewives, Project Runway, DWTS, Americal Idol, SYTYCD, The Voice, Celebrity Apprentice, American Pickers, every Law & Order...well -- you get the idea.

And I just want to say that this week has been THE BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENT OF MY TELEVISION LIFE.

Really.

Starting with the Celebrity Apprentice "FINALE" on Sunday night. Of course I knew John Rich was going to win. For crying out loud -- he designed a ZEBRA SODA CAN...!!

But -- can any of you tell me who won that final challenge? Was it Marlee? John? Did the 7-Up executives pick the basketball game or the concert as the winning event???

YOU DON'T KNOW, DO YOU??? Because they forgot to announce that little detail...

Terrible editing...just awful...somebody ought to fire Donald Trump for turning his own big "Finale" into such a snoozefest...

Here's another problem this week...American Idol. It's the big 'FINALE"...I've been watching for months. They made me fall in love with Stephen Tyler. I was thrilled when they used the judge's save to bring Casey back...and I managed to get over my Pia disappointment...

Even though I was not excited about a match-up with Scotty/Lauren -- the two 16 year olds -- I'm still a fan of the show. I do exactly what they've programmed me to do. I tune in every single Wednesday...

HOWEVER...for the first time all season -- some genius executive decided to run the big AMERICAN IDOL FINALE on TUESDAY instead of WEDNESDAY?? WHA???

Like millions of other people -- I missed the first half hour. WHAT?

But MY BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENT of this disappointing week of over-hyped FINALES happened on Wednesday. The day of the final episode of the Oprah show.

After 25 years, Oprah is saying goodbye...

I cannot imagine my life without my daily fix of Oprah....

It seemed fitting that I should watch the final Oprah show with the only person in the world who watches as much television as me -- my friend Valerie.

We settled in with our Kleenex and braced ourselves for this momentous occasion...and a moving, memorable hour of historic television...

Turns out, we didn't need the Kleenex...we should have stocked up on No-Doze....

Really.

It was an "Oprah-lecture". She walked on to the stage and pontificated about how she always wanted to be a teacher, and ended up with the biggest classroom in the world, how this show is for US -- her audience -- and she wants us to know that we always had the power...and because she WAS OPRAH...we all learned to be our best selves...blah, blah, blah...

About ten minutes into the show, her boring pink dress starts to annoy me. She's really too short-waisted to wear a belt...if she ever sits down, it's going to flip right up into her boobs...I'm starting to nod off on Val's sofa....

Then, in that loud, I'm-about-to-say-something-profound-voice -- Oprah booms, "here it is....the meaning of life....what I've learned after 25 years....."

Val squealed: Rita -- wake up! Oprah is about to tell us the meaning of life...

I sat up so fast I almost fell off the sofa....the moment we've been waiting for...here it comes...

Oprah: (after a long pause)... "Energy".

I looked at Val and said, "are you writing this down?"

Val: I'm not sure exactly when it happened...

Me: what?

Val: Oprah thinks she's Jesus...

It must be tough to be Oprah. Because it took a lot of restraint for her to choose that pink dress. Clearly, she was tempted to walk out on that stage in a long white robe, with a 3-D halo over her head...and a million-watt light shining down from above....

SLC Restaurant Tour, Part 2

After a long hard day of setting up the booth and Schoolhouse Sessions --


We wanted a nice, relaxing dinner. Rhonda found a lovely little Italian place with an outdoor cafe...the weather was perfect....We are headed out to: THE CAFE MOLISE!!


We got a nice little out of the way table. Soni, Rhonda, me and Mary.

The building next door provides a nice wall for a mural...it is a very comfortable, quiet outdoor dining room space...



I ordered the "Arista"...marinated pork tenderloin in a black fig compote?? REALLY?? Of course, the "Rita measure' to any restaurant is all about two things. The bread and the coffee. AND THIS PLACE IS A WINNER...!

Random Quilt Market Pictures

Quilt Market is like taking a walk in a beautiful neighborhood where every house is decorated with fabric...The vendors are SOOO COMPETITIVE when it comes to displaying their new wares.


Michael Miller can always be counted on to bring a creative theme...the phone book is where the staff hung their "capes"....fun, eh?
I don't know who thought about painting a child's wagon orange -- but I LOVED IT!


And, I attended a schoolhouse session where they were teaching how to make these beautiful 3-D flowers...
Even something like a simple folding chair becomes an opportunity to display fabric!!! These vendors work so hard, and do an unbelievable job of using fabric in inspiring ways...


Of course, all these elaborate booths take the better part of two days to create...it is A LOT OF WORK. But breaking down the booths goes a lot quicker....but the convention center crew had shirts for the occasion....

Salt Lake City Restaurant Tour Day One

This year, the Spring Quilt Market was in Salt Lake City. I have lots of pictures to share with you -- of fabulous booths, new fabric, projects, sewing ideas. IT WAS A VERY INSPIRATIONAL week!! But, hey -- lots of people will be writing about the actual show. I like to take things one step beyond...like, maybe -- a little tour of the restaurants in Salt Lake City.

Rhonda Pierce is great about finding that one new place -- no matter what city we're working -- she does some online research, then asks the people working in the hotel. She has many methods I'm not privvy to...and finding the best food in a new place is her mission...

So on our first night -- we walked a short distance to "The Copper Onion"...



The minute we walked in the door -- I felt right at home with all the pig art...


And the table presentation was so fabulous -- a simple thing like the interesting water bottles...

They bake their own breads at the Copper Onion -- and then bring it in simple tin buckets..oh yeah...

My Wagou beef strogonoff, with the homemade noodles, was so fabulous, my mouth is watering as I write this post...the beef was fork tender...

Rhonda ordered their famous house hamburger. Again, the bun is baked right there -- and it came with the MOST DELICIOUS, CRISPY potato logs I ever ate. (yes, I test any and all potato dishes)...

Me, Rhonda and Soni -- the Euro-Notions team -- enjoying the Copper Onion. The food was so good -- we could have eaten there every single night. We were looking forward to their meatloaf, their pork belly salad or the ricotta dumplings. But, as it happened, we only got there one time...

So -- why didn't we go back? Hey -- those trade shows are exhausting...long days on your feet...12 hours of standing and walking....it's pretty easy to go back to your hotel and drop into bed and wait for the Pizza Hut delivery guy...

JUST KIDDING!! The truth is, we were smitten by the charm of a funky little restaurant on our way from the hotel to the convention center... we ate there three times. The weather was spectacular -- and we found a restaurant with an outdoor seating area....OH MY GOD....Rhonda should write a BOOK about finding restaurants in new cities...

Future posts, people...stay tuned...

My 12-Hour Coma

After being away from home for most of the last 3 weeks -- I FINALLY GOT BACK TO IOWA yesterday. However -- it required an 11 hour overnight flight -- and the minute my plane landed, I went into a coma...

BUT I AM SOO DELIGHTED to be back in my Iowa Lazy-boy, hooked up to my own laptop and my own comfortable wireless, with access to ALL MY GREAT PICTURES. I have sooo much to blog about, I almost can't stand it...

Going back 3 weeks -- were you in Beaver Dam for Sewing Weekend? WHAT A GREAT TIME WE HAD!! I wasn't teaching this year -- so I was able to go up for a few days, hang out, take some fun pictures, do a few videos, eat at Benvenuto's, shop the warehouse -- well, YOU GET THE IDEA. I picked Mary up at the Madison airport -- and we went to Nancy's office for a cup 'o tea...

NOW THAT I AM WAKING UP FROM MY 12-hour coma...I remember what I love about my job! Here I am with Deanna -- working in the Zieman productions conference room...

Then -- over to the warehouse for some shopping...

In Mary's motel room, Nancy's Notions left their famous "Teacher Appreciation Goody Bags"....FULL OF DELICIOUS treats...truffles, special bottles of water, etc. A very classy operation all the way around.

In a future post, I have pictures of the Thursday night special event -- the "Four Bitchin' Babes" -- which was AWESOME...

You know how much I enjoy a little road trip. On my way home, I was driving through Belmont, Wisconsin. My cousin Jackie and I once met there for an estate auction. Among other things --I bought a set of summer bedding that was photographed for my "Dress Your Dream Bed" book. I called it "the Belmont set".

On that beautiful summer afternoon, ten years ago -- we were both dealing with some big changes. My parents had both died, our boys were growing up. Our centers were shifting.

On that day -- I remember simply being in the moment. The auction was unexpected -- and we were delighted to dig for vintage linen treasures, then strategically bid against some hostile strangers...lol. We took a break to eat and play Perquacky in the city park. We just talked and laughed.

I thought it would be fun to swing by, after all these years, to revisit that house. I drove into town to take a picture of that old dilapidated farmhouse. Here's how it looks today, Jackie...

Amazing, eh? Ten years ago, the yard was full of dumpsters and hay-racks loaded with mountains of random stuff. The yard was overgrown, the roof was sagging and the paint was peeling...

You're right, babe. Nothing stays the same. It was true on that day ten years ago and it's still true today. The key to happiness is telling yourself, over and over again, that change is good...

Well, maybe it's not always "good". But IT IS ALWAYS ALWAYS inevitable.

Green with Oprah Envy

I have basically been away from my home for a month now....

Note to self..."what were you thinking?"...

I have completely lost touch with any kind of reality. I have no idea what's going on with my own family, much less the Real Housewives of Orange County...

And it is very difficult for me to post on this blog from a remote location...and I at least imagine that you are missing me as much as I am missing you...

However, it has been a WONDERFUL month full of creative work stuff -- and it is always a joy and a pleasure for me to work with Rhonda Pierce, the Marketing Director for Schmetz Needles. She had to leave Salt Lake City early so she could get back to Chicago to ATTEND THE FINAL TAPING for the Oprah Show!!

OH MY GOD....

ARE YOU KIDDING ME???

YOU LUCKY, LUCKY, LUCKY GIRL...

Hey -- it couldn't have happened to a more deserving person.

OF COURSE, SHE BLOGGED ABOUT IT !! So, if you want to hear the inside details about what two of Oprah's final shows are actually going to look like -- GO TO The Schmetz Needles Blog so that you, too, may live vicariously through my friend Rhonda...she did a wonderful job of describing the entire evening...and I almost felt like I was there, too..!!

Where in the world is Rita??

Yes, it is BEAUTIFUL in Salt Lake City, Utah. I was there last week for the Spring Quilt Market...and the weather could NOT have been more beautiful.
AND -- just for the record -- this was the best looking hamburger I ever saw anybody eat. Rhonda DID share...and the crispy potatoes were just as good as they look!

THIS is how they roll in Salt Lake City. The benches on the street are actually made out of metal..and I could not resist...

BEFORE I left the house, I had to get this treasure out of the car...just in case Emily and Lilly came for a visit while I was gone. Remember the little bee chair?? SOO CUTE...

Right now, I'm in the 2012 Sewing & Stitchery Expo planning meeting in Puyallup, Washington.

By the end of the week, I hope to post pictures of some RHODIES...the most beautiful flowers in the world. No doubt about it...

Quilt Market

Last year, I met the floorcloth girls at Spring Quilt Market. Of course, I stopped in to say hello. Their classes sold out in a nanosecond this year -- so, of course, we will move them to a MUCH BIGGER ROOM...they're looking forward to coming back next year....

AND the Hey Rita Tote enjoyed hanging out with the various fabric companies in Salt Lake City...there will be LOTS MORE pictures in the next few weeks...

AND -- like all good things -- no show lasts forever. Before you know it, it's time to close the show, pack everything up...

NOW I get to go on to Puyallup for the 2012 Planning Meeting!