The tenth and FINAL part of our Virginia Trip 2023

Our first morning in Shipshewana, we got up for the sunrise - it was a very refreshing 50 degrees! I loved the sun's reflection on the ground fog.

We went to the Farmers' Market in Goshen. The market was very nice with booths inside a good-sized building and some outside. There was so much produce I wanted to buy (It's time I go home and really cook!) but we 'settled' for cinnamon rolls. The girl had them packaged like this - nice! They were really good!

We went to Bonneyville Mills in Bristol, IN. This may be the largest barn quilt I have ever seen!

The mill was just across the street.

This picture is using the same pond but looking across at the building with the barn quilt. I liked the reflection of the windmill.

We went into the mill - it's been a number of years since I've been in a working mill that was actually milling grain when I was there. They were grinding hard red wheat into flour. The two people working explained what was happening, offered information, and answered all of our questions

Hard red wheat berries and hard red wheat flour

We left with Scottish oatmeal, spelt, and white cornmeal. We decided on the white cornmeal after hearing that the Miami Indians used it for currency - they only traded the flour so no one would be able to plant any of the white corn. We aren't real crazy about steel cut oats so I'm hoping we like Scottish oats.

There are 8 main forms of oats: Whole Oat Groats, Steel Cut / Irish Oats, Scottish Oats, Rolled / Old-Fashioned Oats, Quick Oats, Instant Oats, Oat Bran, Oat Flour. The further into the list, the more processed the oats are.

Spelt, an ancient grain, "also known as dinkel wheat or hulled wheat, is a species of wheat that has been cultivated since approximately 5000 BCE." 

The man who was working told me I might be disappointed if I used spelt in my regular bread recipes - this grain has not been genetically modified over time like our other grains. He included a pamphlet with some of his recipes for oatmeal with Scottish Oats, Spelt Biscuits, and more. We have since tried the Spelt Biscuits - they are good!

Before leaving the park with the mill, we checked out the dahlias - the American Dahlia Society had a trial garden there. The garden was small but absolutely gorgeous!

These blossoms were also in the dahlia gardens - the bees were happy!

We once again found Laura's Amish Fabric Shop - our GPS is about 1/4 - 1/2 mile off and has it located on the wrong side of the road. She has a small selection of cotton fabrics along with other fabric and more things in her shop. Her prices are very good. I was after blenders and found these Moda marbles.

That white looking fabric is really yellow.

We did spend a little time in Shipshewana. I always love seeing the flowers.

Of course we went to Davis Mercantile - that's where Lolly's is!

Barn quilt on Davis Mercantile

We both enjoy seeing the quilts at Lolly's Fabrics. My purchases this time were very different for me. I bought 2 panels and a couple of fabrics to coordinate. I think I have now purchased maybe 5 or 6 panels total in my lifetime! These will be used for 2 children's quilts.

We enjoyed lunch and I had a grilled tomato BLT - a first for me. It was good and I might just make that at home one day soon. 

We spent part of our last afternoon in Shipshewana being lazy. We were both tired and our rental was so comfortable, we decided to just read, watch TV (the Chicago Cubs and Little League games), nap, do nothing. Isn't this scene relaxing? We thought so! It's the view beyond the yard of our rental from the porch rocking chairs.

And this was on a wall.

It took us two days to get home via back roads. The first day was long. After about an hour and half, we stopped for a walk in Plymouth, IN, at Centennial Park. We saw tennis courts, pickleball courts, shelters, play area, and enjoyed the walking paths at the temperatures began soaring higher.

Then the detours began... We finally made it to our motel much later that we thought it would be. It was strange to be in a motel; we definitely prefer the house/apartment rentals but sometimes it doesn't work out.

The second day of traveling was short. There was one detour but we knew the area so it wasn't a problem. As we got closer to home, the fields of corn and soybeans greeted us.

And then when we pulled in the driveway, we could see Ray's new wildflower garden...

and there were blossoms!

We actually arrive home a couple days ago. The trip was about a month long and we loved the journey. We returned to excessive heat so not much is happening outside. I'm trying to freeze/dehydrate tomatoes and do some quilting. It's nice to be home!

• Chase your dreams but always know 
• the road that will lead you home again.
• -Tim McGraw