Nov 2, 2008

Finding the Joy Along the Way

I have returned from my road trip and I am happy to report I had a fabulous time! What might have been a tedious drive down to Roanoke turned into a lovely adventure!

We left Friday afternoon and stopped at a quilt shop along the way. IT was That Little Quilt Shop in Madison, VA, and they had a wonderful assortment, especially of my beloved batiks. Then we attempted to go to a quilt shop in Charlottesville, VA, but we got to Charlottesville at rush hour and the place was total gridlock! We decided to get out of dodge and go find someplace for a relaxed dinner then check into our room in Staunton.

Saturday was an unbelievably full day. We went to have a look around Staunton. We went to a glass blowing studio called Sunspot Studios. They had beautiful glass art on display. We got to see an artist make a globe that holds plant cuttings. IT was really interesting. Then I started my Christmas shopping. (I am not telling what I got!) In April, they are having The VIrginia Hot Glass Festival there and I so want to go! There will be displays of the works of many artists filling 3 floors of this studio, which is a huge old building, plus multiple artists demonstrating their craft.

Before we left Staunton we found a quilt shop and a bead store for some retail therapy.

Then we went south towards Roanoke. We cut over and got on the Blue Ridge Parkway- what a wonderful display of Fall colors. ALthough the driving was a little crazy on the winding mountain roads, the views were totally worth it! We did not have time for any hikes, but there were plenty of things to be seen from the road.

Then we got to Roanoke to hear my son sing in a concert with a chorus he has joined called the Virginia Gentlemen. They sing barbershop and it was a really great show. The singing was spectacular and there were several quartets that did spoofs that were hysterical!

I think I might have been the most lost I have ever been trying to navigate Roanoke. We got lost nearly every time we got in the car! Even that was not too bad, we were laughing like a couple of lunatics as we wandered aimlessly looking for familiar road names. For some reason it struck us really funny that 3rd street was NOT between 2nd and 4th and that it seemed like all roads were somehow route 11.

I feel tired, but revived and hope that I van be inspired to create some great stuff this week.

4 comments:

Lynne said...

Sounds like a fabulous trip! I love finding quilt shops I've never been too, it's like a treasure hunt. :-D

sewingmom

Maggie said...

Yes, it was great!

We had a list of shops, and we only got to a few, so we have more treasures to check out in the future!

Anonymous said...

Roanoke, that's my old stomping ground! I grew up surrounded by the gorgeous blue ridge mountains. I'm glad you had a good time, and yes, every road IS rt. 11. Haha.

Maggie said...

haha! It wasn't just ROanoke, it was all day starting in Staunton that we saw so many route 11s!

Roanoke is in such a pretty area!