Wednesday, July 19, 2017

We are in Illinois but we aren't home ...yet!

It's been another beautiful day. We began with cloudy but not dreary weather 

and then later, we were in full sun. 
corn fields in Illinois
We still have excessive heat and evidently it's only going to get worse according to the weatherman on TV.

We left Indiana and ignored the interstate highways for a while. Our first stop was Arcola, IL, home to the largest Amish settlement in Illinois. It was also the home of the creator of Raggedy Ann and Andy.

We went on another 10 miles or so to Arthur. On the way we stopped at Beachy's Bulk Foods. I enjoy visiting Amish and Mennonite stores. 

We had lunch in Arthur at Country Cheese and More. The sandwiches were delicious and the hand pies were fantastic. They only had two left so Ray had peach and I had cherry.

We found a fabric shop - Stitch & Sew Fabrics! Most of the ladies working were Amish or Mennonite and so friendly. I found some flannel for the border of a quilt I'm making and also flannel for the backs of two quilts.

Next stop was Tuscola but we didn't spend much time; the temperature was in the 90s and we didn't like being in the bright sun.

We are staying is a small town just 2 1/2 hours from home tonight. We have a cool loft - cool as in neat AND cool as in great A/C! The space is very open and comfortable.

We love the ceiling.

Ray was unpacking coolers in the kitchen.

Notice the barn doors on the bedroom in the back of the photo.

Tomorrow, we'll probably drive the back roads and should arrive home sometime midday. By the time we get unpacked, buy groceries, get the mail,... we'll be tired! We have lots going on throughout the weekend. On Monday I leave for a few days on a quilting retreat - guess I'd better get ready for that too! 

We still have a number of hours to relax so it's time to put my feet up!

4 comments:

  1. You are busy people!! Enjoy your drive home, and have fun doing laundry. LOL! Gotta get everything clean before retreat!!

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  2. Glad you aren't getting home tonight, since I just checked the weather, and you'd be driving into a bad storm. Hope it misses you tonight, and your home, too.

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  3. The heat is excessive and the rest of the week here will be the worse with 100 degrees. All the windows were fogged over from the humidity this morning. I love, love love finding, going, shopping the bulk stores. I find the best soup mixes and such there. Their bakeries are always so good too. That is a very neat and cool loft you are in...especially the barn doors. I would be so fascinated by them. Getting home is always a relief :)

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  4. I'd love to visit this area. I still have my Raggedy Ann doll and all of my books from childhood. I would love to visit their 'birthplace'. I loved seeing where you were. Maybe one day we will head that way.
    ~Adrienne~

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