Back from Michigan and the Row by Row Experience

We had a marvelous time in MI, visiting very old friends at their lake cottage then spending another 3 days visiting my MIL at her lake house. We drove 13.5 hours yesterday, and opened our car doors to 80+ temps and high humidity at 8:30pm! And today was just miserable--98 degrees and humidity in the mid 70%--a sauna! Have to admit that while I'd been thinking it would be a day of quilting, instead I did lots of laundry and watered plants and played it lazy.

I'll be working on table toppers for my Michigan hosts tomorrow and hopefully have time to also quilt a Vet's Appreciation quilt. Need to cram lots of quilting work into the next 3 days as our 6 yr old g-boy is coming for a week long visit for VBS and grandparents time. Last year when he visited, my knees where so sore I could hardly walk even with my cane. So this year I've arranged for a couple of playdates with other kids to wear him out some! He's a great young man--just a normal, active boy.

I managed to get 4 Row by Row patterns in Michigan--2 that my friend's mother, Carol, had got me at Midland shops and 2 at shops along Lake Michigan. The shop in Williamsburg MI had just an amazing selection of fabric--I could have gotten lost in it, but my hubbie and friend were waiting in the car so I only bought a little. I also stopped in Hannibal MO and got a pattern. We'd planned to stop in IN, but detours and other issues caused us to skip the quilt shops.

I've noticed that many of the patterns involve applique or embroidery--neither of which I particularly like. So I'm worried that I won't be meeting the deadline to "enter" my quilt. My idea is to arrange my rows(should end up with 8 and maybe 10) with all the Springs togther, all the Summers together, etc. I'm having some trouble visualizing my color scheme for the rows so not moving real fast to get this project started. Instead, enjoy pictures of Sleeping Bear Dunes, Michigan!