Field Trip!

Tomorrow I'm headed off early to Fort Smith (the western border of Arkansas, where one can cross into Oklahoma just like Mattie Ross in 'True Grit.'  Only the river is quite a bit wider and deeper than that.)  

Why am I going there?  Quilt Congress!  --an annual gathering of quilters and quilt guilds, not to mention vendors and speakers, a trunk show, and a competition.  A few years ago our guild hosted this meeting in Little Rock; (I helped ahead of time, but was traveling and missed the actual day.) QC moves to a different part of the state each year.  I have entered quilts in a couple of the shows--and won a couple of ribbons--but this year's theme, 'Americana,' did not send me even if I'd had time to make an entry.  (The 'Mean Old Lady' self-portrait won a Viewer's Choice for the theme 'Quilters on Fire; it was instant inspiration.) 

Update:
I had a smooth 2-hour drive west and a delightful day--excellent lecturer, inspiring quilts--but didn't take a single picture.  I wasn't in a good spot for pix.  Sorry!  You can type in a Search for Jan Patek and view her quilts at her 'store.'  Jan is a 'primitive' quilter, living on a Missouri farm--her life had quite a few parallels with mine, which added to the fun.  I even won a door-prize (a bluebird box!  How apropos for me!)  The drive home wasn't bad--thank heavens for NPR and 'Click and Clack, the Tappet Brothers!'