Kentucky - State #44

Crossing over the state line into Kentucky, fallen trees from the recently tragic ice storm came immediately into view. It looked like clear-cutting and it broke our hearts. We were told that out of 125 (?) parishes, more than 100 were affected by the ice.

We're getting set to cross this state
lengthwise from

West to East!

Paducah is like a quilters mecca. We visited the National Quilt Museum where all of our jaws dragged the floor until we exited. Each of us picked our favorite quilt, too, but remember that pictures never ever do a work of art justice:

CurlyTop - Breeze, by Rachel Wetzler
Grandma - The Beatles, by Pat Holly & Sue Nickels
Peanut - Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter...And, by Choi Eun Ryoung
Little Man - Air Show, by Jonathon Shannon
Doodle - Le Jardin Nos Reves, by Myrl Lehman Tapungot

This was a grown-up day, to be sure, but don't be fooled -- my kids have a blast in fabric stores. It would be a sin to skip a shopping spree at Hancocks of Paducah; this fabric store feels bigger than my entire neighborhood. Everyone got something, along with promises from me to do such-and-such with it after the trip.

Peanut chose a rainforest animal fabric with 2 complementing fabrics, to be turned into a pillow. Little Man chose an actual U.S. flag fabric and a measuring tool, to be turned into...a flag...which will supposedly replace his pirates flag. Doodle chose a light fabric with big bumble bees on it, to become her "small blanket to bring into restaurants to keep her warm" -- we're scowled at if we refer to this as a shawl.

If you're into quilting, you'll completely understand this stop.