17th Annual Blue Ribbon Bacon Festival

Greetings friends! I though I would stop by this early morning and share a few FUN photos from the 17th Annual Blue Ribbon Bacon Festival. This past weekend, we took a road trip up to Iowa to see the BEST of friends and attend the 2025 Bacon Festival. Over the the last 17 years, we have made it to almost every Bacon Fest...and even though we made the move to Kansas City, we still make the annual trip back "home" for this event each year. This year the bacon festivities were held indoors at the Iowa State Fairgrounds Agriculture Building. Our group had a VIP table/tickets for the event...and we were able to attend an hour earlier than the general public. We made so many memories over the weekend...we arrived in Des Moines on Friday evening and our Iowa friends (I call them family) had a big party and we were able to see almost everyone (including two new additions - babies that were born the last year!). Then, we spent all day Saturday at Bacon Fest. The theme this year was The Bacon Boat - and the costume contest was filled with characters from the original Love Boat television show - the winners were a group that included Captain Stubing, Julie McCoy, and Isaac Washington (there's a throwback cast list for you). There was axe throwing, all sorts of photo ops, my yearly photo with the bacon belt, a silent disco, lots of live music (Yachty by Nature!), all sorts of bacon food dishes, tasty beverages, a bacon eating contest, and the best people watching around...and did I mention, all the bacon you can eat! We finished the day by visiting two local bars and laughing into the wee hours. It was the BEST two days with my Iowa family...including ending day two by cramming nine adults into one Traverse (last time is was 10 adults into one Suburban). I couldn't have asked for a better road trip and I am already looking forward to next year! Sadly, Sunday we made the drive back to Kansas City...but the whirlwind trip was so good for my soul. We made it back home just in time to head out to Children's Mercy Park for a Sporting KC MLS soccer game (it was Star Wars night!)...it was a jam packed weekend. Here are a few favorite photos from the Blue Ribbon Bacon Festival...

May Madness

It's been WAY too long without a post...and believe me, I have a month full of fun/creative things to share. Let's start with a general update today with some basic highlights (scroll down for more Garin  photos and a video)...then get into some creative posts over the next week...

Our trip to Nashville was a great getaway...this trip proved to be a wonderful sightseeing adventure, even though what I probably needed most was a simple beach or lake vacation with a good book to clear my head. My favorite outings included The Grand Ole Opry Show and Backstage Tour (we got to see Luke Combs perform), Cheekwood Estate and Gardens (https://www.cheekwood.org) and the Belle Meade Plantation tour and wine tasting (https://bellemeadeplantation.com/)….but that is just a small sampling of our journey - we also went to the Nashville Zoo (which was lovely), the Jack Daniel's Distillery in Lynchburg, TN, the Parthenon, and visited an array of other attractions/museums - plus we listened to some incredible live music. Talk about cramming a lot into just five days - we made great use of our time. We drove ten hours each way – so it was a lot of car time too...which was actually nice, because it was some "one on one time" with my husband, who has had an insane travel schedule for over a year. Oh...and how could I forget...we stopped at Hancock's of Paducah in Paducah, KY on the way home...my quilting friends will understand how exciting this was for me...and I only bought four yards! (Click on any image to enlarge...)

Grand Ole Opry - Luke Combs on stage...

Instruments backstage at the Grand Ole Opry

A favorite image from one of the Cheekwood gardens...

Cheekwood - Carell Woodland Scupture Trail - "Crawling Lady Hare"

Cheekwood - "Intrude" Exhibit by Australian Artist Amanda Parer

Cheekwood - "Intrude" Exhibit by Australian Artist Amanda Parer

Belle Meade Plantation

Sampling the good stuff at the Jack Daniel's Distillery in Lynchburg, TN

A glimpse inside Hancock's of Paducah...

After being home about a week (working round-the-clock on Quilt Market deadlines), I headed to Lake Summerset, IL for an extended weekend with my mom and Dan. It was another long drive, but there is nothing like time with family. Unfortunately, it stormed quite a bit of the time...but we did manage to get the boat out on the water the first evening and have a campfire (and a s'more!) before the rain started pouring. We also made a special trip to Wisconsin to the Fireside Dinner Theatre (https://www.firesidetheatre.com/) for a Saturday matinee dinner and Broadway performance of 42^nd Street – it was WONDERFUL – my mom and Dan have season tickets and were able to add me to their reservation. The trip seemed too short, but work deadlines were calling my name back in Iowa.

Fireside Dinner Theatre in historic Fort Atkinson, WI

Another FULL week of work and then we were off to Minnesota to pick up Garin from his three months of puppy boot camp. What a joy it was to see him again - he is doing GREAT – etremely well-behaved (for a puppy) – and I am quite impressed with his training - I sure am happy to have him home!! He definitely obeys commands and walks perfectly on heel, but is obviously still a puppy...we work with him daily to keep up with the training and keep him sharp. He knew who we were right away and that made me smile - he is going to be the best companion...and he is very protective of me!  It was an all day trip - we left at the crack of dawn to get there by 10:00 AM and got home late into the evening. Here is his graduation video and photo...and if you can't see the video below, you can see it on YouTube here: https://youtu.be/lxp2-zSQKWg.

Once Garin was home safely, we headed to Boone, Iowa the next morning to run the Gladiator Assault Challenge (a mud run with with a bunch of challenging muddy obstacles) with a small team from our local gym (http://www.gladiatorassault.com/). I was a bit concerned when we pulled up and could see some of the course from the Jeep...but yet, I persevered. It was definitely out of my comfort zone - I got SUPER muddy, soaking wet, and winded...and I finished!! It was actually a great experience and I would definitely do it again (with more cardio training!). Several weeks before the event, I had started running each day after lifting to train for mountainous inclines, and now I am motivated to keep running. I feel healthy - I feel good.

So May was gone in a flash - seriously, where did it go?! I think I crammed something into just about every minute of every day. The good news is, I met all my big work deadlines (I can't wait to share some of the projects with you!) and I am now back to making TONS of project bags and completing piles and piles of needlework finishing...my studio counter is covered in organized piles for some very patient customers! I will be back soon to start sharing some of my recent creative finishes...there are A LOT of them...so many in fact, that I made a list of things to share so I wouldn't forget anything. Make sure to stop back in the next few days to see some gorgeous needlework pieces, several quilting projects, and a plethora of custom sewing projects...

Take A Walk With Me...

The weather (until today) has just been beautiful in Iowa and I have been getting in a Komen 3-Day training walk with Miss Schatzi every single morning. Schatzi, our all-black German Shepherd, is already doing 6+ miles with me every day. We are blessed to be very close to some fabulous Central Iowa Trails...we are exactly one mile from a Jordan Creek Trail entrance, and from there, an abundance of walking choices await us each daybreak. Today, I thought I would take you along on a 6.3 mile journey with us and show you the scenery on one of our favorite walks...

At the entrance to the Jordan Creek Trail...

Along the trail, we come to my very favorite tree...full of life and character...

Then, off to the left, we often see deer in the tall grass...

The trail then leads out to the sidewalk on Mills Civic Parkway, where
we pass Valley Stadium (this is a great incline for training)...then we turn
on Fuller Road and pass the Bennett School. Built in
1926/1927, the Bennett School was one of the last one room schools
 to be built in West Des Moines and was in use until at least 1941.

From there, we come back down the hill and take the path around
the West Des Moines City/School Campus pond and fountain...the
building in the background next to the weeping willow tree is the
West Des Moines Public Library...

Cattails on the edge of the campus pond...

Next, we continue on the path across the street to Southwoods Park,
and you will be amazed at what is coming up on the path...

...a HUGE field of incredible native wild flowers...it is breathtaking...and so
very peaceful...it is one of my favorite places on earth...

...more native wild flowers...

...wild flowers as far as the eye can see...

Here is Schatzi, VERY intrigued by a dragonfly in the flowers...

After viewing all the gorgeous scenery, I am completely inspired and ready to start my day. We continue back on the trail, past the field where we saw the deer and my favorite tree...back to the trail entrance...and then make the mile walk back to our house...it truly is the perfect way to begin any day!

So I am feeling good - training is going great - and I am feeling prepared for Dallas in November...yes, I am ready for my Komen 3-Day 60-mile journey...and I can't wait to see my AMAZING Twinkle Toes teammates!

If you would like to see my daily 3-Day training photos, simply follow me on Instagram...or check out my Instagram profile page...I have been posting the beautiful images I see on my walks. And, if you have a fitbit, please send me a friend request (e-mail is in my profile)...an angel surprised me with one about a week ago and I have been having fun keeping track of my daily steps...and being cheered on and taunted by my fitbit friends!

Finally, I am so close to posting my special Komen 3-Day needlework design...it is in the final finishing stages and I will be sharing it within the next few days...I can't wait...look for details very soon!!