It has been a whirlwind this past 10 days, as we traveled up to Ohio to be a part of my brother-in-law’s wedding. His bride is such a lovely woman, and we already adore her. She was absolutely radiant, in a gorgeous blue lace floor length gown. Honestly, I have never seen my husband’s brother look happier in all the years I’ve known him. He has found a rare and wonderful love that was so special to witness. Their wedding was a joyous occasion, and we were honored to be a part of it. On the way to our next destination, we had lunch with friends in Dublin. They met us in the downtown area where there are lots of shops and restaurants, along with a lovely walking path over a bridge. Large planters were full of flowers along the walkway.
We met for brunch, and I was very pleased with my Eggs Benedict. The side of tomatoes was an option, and all the plates came with these huge strawberries.
We spent the next several days traveling to three other cities. First, we took care of a bucket list item for me. Those of you who have read my blog for a while know that I am a rabid football fan. I’ll watch anything, any team, anytime I can. I sometime watch classic games when I need a football fix during the long dry season between the Super Bowl and the next pre-season games. It was a bit better this year with the USFL games making essentially a spring league, but they just aren’t the NFL. So, while we were in Ohio, we drove to Canton to see the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Oh, my!! If you all can stand it, I’ll show you some of the highlights of the five hours we spent there on a future post.
After that, we went to Niagara Falls. I’ve never been there before, and it was amazing. I’ll have more to show on a future post. We even went over to the Canadian side to get a better view. This is Horseshoe Falls from the American side, with a view of the Maid of the Mist tour boat. The tour boat is big, and gives you an idea of the scale of these falls. They are huge.
Ah, but it didn’t stop there, we made one more overnight stop in West Virginia. This will definitely be a post this coming week, but here is a sneak peek at the subject – quilts!!
Most of our route took us along back roads through the Appalachian mountain range. The varied greens of the tree covered mountains was just beautiful, and I can imagine what it must look like in autumn.
Back home, my neighbor had kindly watered my plants while we were gone. A few things came into bloom and were so pretty to see when we got home. The hostas have bloomed in the front and all around the property. The deer must not have visited this week.
My hydrangea is overgrowing the sidewalk again, so it will get pruned back. I’ll have a lovely bouquet of flowers for my July 4th table. I need to put more lime on it so the flowers push to the lavendar side again.
On the veranda, two pink fairy lilies bloomed, one dark pink and the other a pastel.
Looks like I’ll have tomatoes and squash soon.
The petunias are happy, blooming prolifically.
The other pot is covered in blooming color as well.
Impatiens fill the little pots under the tile tables between the rockers.
One of the dahlias is blooming too, with several more buds on the plants.
On my orchid, the second bloom bud has turned brown and shriveled up, and the one bloom fell off. So I guess it is done for this year. It never fully opened from the last photo I took of it.
While we were gone, my good camera had a malfunction of the image stabilizer, right at the end of the reception following the wedding. My Sweet Babboo looked up the error code and discovered what it meant. I was the wedding photographer, so having the camera crap out wasn’t good. The pictures taken after this code appeared are not as sharp as the ones before, and I was glad I had taken one of my little point and shoot cameras with me. We took a few of the final photos with my little camera and our phones. This may be a fatal error for the camera, as it may be more expensive to fix than just buying another one. We’ll see. But for now, I can only use the little ones.
This patriotic weekend calls for some fun red, white and blue decorations, so here is my Patriotic Mini Quilt, with the link to the tutorial for it. I quilted this one three times in three colors. See the link for more on that.
And if you want to see some tablescapes, see my roundup post Patriotic Tables. I’ll be cutting those hydrangeas for my centerpiece this year, just like I did for this table.
We’ll be grilling brats and enjoying the fireworks shows tomorrow. What are your plans for the holiday weekend?
From My Carolina Home 
What a busy and successful trip you just enjoyed…..welcome home. Happy 4th of July!!
What a lovely post this Sunday morning. I feel like I have been on vacation.
I really enjoy all your posts. Love and blessings from Queensland. Australia.
Looking forward to seeing more of your travel photo’s. Have a great 4th of July tomorrow 🙂 x
So glad that you stopped at Niagara Falls. That is our hometown and still there. We are 5 miles from the actual falls and visit it every couple years. It is always a beautiful site to see. We have been on the Maid of the Mist boat years ago and we were awestruck by the up close beauty of the waterfalls.
Sounds like a fun trip! We’ve been to Niagara Falls twice and I love it! So pretty, and I’ve always loved how clean Canada is compared to some places in the States. Have a great 4th. Our kiddos are spending the day at American Village in Montevallo, AL, a few miles from here, as my SIL is a supervisor with the county IT department and he will be opening up all the exhibits and lights, etc. OUr daughter and the kids get in free. They will have food trucks and fun for the kids and fireworks that night. Tomorrow will be a long but fun day for them!! It’s a neat place to visit and next to the National Cemetary. We’re staying home, but may catch some BBQ somewhere!
Sounds like a lovely trip. Which vehicle do y’all travel in? I do love our Mini but I still prefer the big Volvo SUV for road trips. I wish I could trade hydrangeas with you. I prefer blue or pink but mine is lavender. Sigh. C’est la vie!
I saw the Niagara Falls some years ago and loved seeing it. A really beautiful site. Sorry you had trouble with your camera – I have found that the phone can take some really good photos and rarely use any other now it is so handy as it is in my pocket almost all the time. Do you cut your hydrangea back in the summer? I know in the fall you are not to cut them or you might cut off areas that are forming the buds for the next year is what I was told – when do you do it? Sounds like you had a wonderful vacation
Thank you for sharing your getaway! Experiencing the Maid of the Mist is on my bucket list.
So sorry to hear about your good camera having a Murphy’s law moment! Smart thinking to have another camera ready to go. Sounds like a wonderful wedding! Savor the memories.
I’m intrigued by the three color quilting you did on the patriotic mini quilt!
Enjoy the 4th!
Can’t wait to see all the lovely photos from your road trip Carole. You always do such a wonderful
job of taking us all along with, allowing us to see places we might never otherwise see. The falls are a sight to behold. We were in Canada with friends many years ago and visited quite a few beautiful places, but the highlight of the trip for us was the Butchart Gardens. Flowers, as far as the eye could see, filled the grounds with all manner of gorgeous plants, bushes and trees.
I made your patriotic mini quilt and love mine. So easy and I have received many compliments. I made mine with some cute paisley fabric. I also have the same block stand . Love it.
Thanks for all your great ideas! Wish I could post a picture to show you!
Happy 4th of July!
Love all the pictures from your trip and what is blooming at your place. The hydrangeas are gorgeous. We have a limelight hydrangea which doesn’t bloom until later in the summer.
We went to my husband’s uncle’s hobby farm yesterday. The kids got to pet the horses, barn cats, chickens and dogs. There was also the annual badminton tournament and fireworks. The kids had a blast.
What a pleasant travelog. Every wedding needs something unanticipated to add to the story. Fortunately it sounds like most of your photos are good so not a disaster. Looking forward to hearing more about the hall of fame & the quilt stop. We live a little over an hour away from Niagara Falls so that’s quick trip for us and one that never gets tired. The falls are spectacular. First July finish was a quilt that was nothing but trouble. So glad it’s done! Now I’m looking for a little ‘quick finish’ project & I spied one above, perfect for the holiday.
Carole, thank you for letting us share your wonderful trip. Felt like I was right there with you. Beautiful Niagara Falls, football museum and quilts what more could one ask for. Look forward to more photos in the future. Thank goodness you took a back-up camera with you. So sorry about the good camera’s malfunction. Does sound like an expensive fix for sure. And how I would love to sit on your porch to admire all your beautiful flowers and views. Happy Fourth of July to you and your Sweet Babboo.
Your hydrangeas look fluffy and perfect. The fairy blossoms are very cute. Sounds like you enjoyed your trip to upstate NY. Currently we are now in Washington DC for the 4th. Drove to Ashville to get the grandkids then off for Washington with stops along the way. A lot of driving as you too have done. Drive safe!
What a great trip you had! Lovely to see all your garden blooms. Happy 4th to you and yours.
It sounds like you had an absolutely wonderful trip. And I am happy for your new addition to the family, your sister-in-law! Have a happy and safe Fourth of July.
You managed so much fun in your trip! Happy to hear about that joyful occasion that was the start of it all. We enjoyed Niagara Falls many years ago. We actually did the Maid of the Mist ride. Your veranda looks so pretty with all the flowers blooming nicely. That was awfully sweet of your neighbor to keep everything watered for such a beautiful welcome home!
Sounds like a great trip. Looking forward to football and quilt pics. Too bad about your camera.
We are taking a road trip around mid July to Minnesota and Michigan. Hope to find some quilt shops along the way.
Enjoy the holiday
Oh yes, I’ll take a football fix with your trip to Canton! Niagara is awesome. We went kind of on a whim when our UK friends were visiting in 2016 (I think). I’m so glad we did. Did you do the boat ride? It’s really a lot of fun. We stayed on the Canadian side when we were there and did a little touring around to a historic battlefield and historic mansion. It was a fun trip.
Can’t wait to hear about your West Virginia visit since that is “my state”. Looks like you had a busy but lovely week.
That’s quite a trip that you took! So glad for your BIL’s happiness, and what a great reason for the trip. We visited Niagara Falls a few years – it’s so spectacular! Did you ride on the Maid of the Mist? We really enjoyed that! Happy 4th of July! We’re going to take my mom out for a hotdogs lunch, but then will walk down to the big park in the center of our city to watch the fireworks. Looking forward to that!
Hi from Columbus, Ohio. I hope you were treated well when you were in my area. I love the area you mentioned in Dublin. I know Dublinites are proud the way it turned out too.
One other thing about Niagara Falls: as a born and raised New Yorker, I lived in Buffalo for 10 years of my many adult years. I love “the Falls” and have been there many times. I think the best time to see them is mid winter, after a really cold spell. There’s ice at the bottom of the falls and the mist has frozen to trees. With snow all around, it is just enchanting. Not suggesting you go there then, just saying.
my plans are to cut more 1 -1/2 inch squares for a future quilt.
Such gorgeous photos, Carole! I would LOVE to make a mini Patriotic quilt just like yours for my daughter. My maternal grandparents took me with them on a trip from our hometown of Chicago to Ontario, Canada to visit Granddad’s family and, of course, we spent a day at Niagara Falls. It was my first and only time there and I loved it.
Sounds like the perfect trip. Your hydrangeas look fabulous! Happy 4th!!
Whoo Hoo! The NFL Hall of Fame and Niagra Falls in one trip is spectacular use of your travel time and expenses! In our first year of retirement and RV travels, my husband and I did these two items on our bucket list. We spent over 5 hours at the Hall of Fame and had a three day pass for return trips to the falls. I still use the water shoes from the Cave of the WInds site when I go to the Y for swim exercise. The memories always bring a smile to my face.
Connie
Carole, I will be on a float at the 4th of July parade In Hendersonville as well as hopefully finishing the stairs next to my garage. I’ll send pics when done.
Sounds like you had a wonderful get-a-way (except for the camera failure). I’ve been to Canton many times, but never to the HoF. There’s also a First Ladies Museum in Canton. Since I live about 1.5 hrs from Niagara Falls, I’ve visited there a few times, too. I’ve sailed on the Maid of the Mist and it’s a grand adventure except for the waiting in line. An awesome sight for sure. Nice that a neighbor could water for you. Happy Fourth.
That was a great trip for you two after a rather ugly time this spring. It sounds as though you really had a good time.😊 Our 4th will be very quiet, grilling brats and trying to stay cool I think. The fireworks around here don’t start until nearly 10 which is too late for me, especially with DH up in the middle of the night to clear his lungs.
Loving your mini-quilt and SO sorry about your good camera. It makes me smile when I know someone who has lost their spouse has found a wonderful new love. Isn’t Dublin a cute town? I have a couple favorite places there — Morgan House and Biddy’s Tea Room. I’d love to know the restaurant you ate at. I visit friends there and that might be a nice spot to take them to. I love hearing about your journey and the places you’re going and look forward to your upcoming posts!
Darn, Carole! Wish you would’ve just emailed me, and I could’ve popped right across the river to take in the quilt exhibit with you! I literally live across the river from where you were, behind the University of Charleston campus. My son-in-law’s mother has a quilt on exhibit there! And, she and her husband just won first place and best in show at the Mountain State Art & Craft Fair in Ripley, WV this holiday weekend for another quilt project they did together (he designs and pieces, she sews). It was about 45 min north on I-77, which I suspect you traveled to or from Canton?.
Your trip sounds both busy and really fun, varied. It’s always good to see people happy, good for your brother-in-law and now sister-in-law. And Niagara is a trip I wouldn’t mind doing again. The Canadian side is definitely worth traveling to. We did ride the Maid of the Mist (and got pretty wet!). Love your dahlia and hydrangeas – beautiful!