Family IS Priceless!

My trip to Oregon was primarily a "scouting" mission ... seeking a route and quilt shops for the Dillydally Trail!

John Day River - West end of John Day Valley

My mother grew up in the John Day Valley ... and I am blessed to have family that continues to live there!  I had contacted my cousin to let her know that I would be driving through and hoped we could see one another.  She put her life aside ... and graciously invited me to join her and extended family members for brunch in her home.

It was a lovely couple of hours ... in every way.  The last time I had seen them was at the reunion in 2012.  It was so nice to have a chance to catch up with one another ... time around a dining table with family is priceless!

The view from Ruthie's home.

Ruthie joined me!  We had such a wonderful time stopping along the way ... sharing our lives with one another.  We are only nine months apart in age ... and as the day unfolded ... we found so many parallels in our lives.  Sometimes it was almost spooky!  Them "nuts" never fall far from the tree!  Priceless!

Another Cousin, Shana, joined us in Baker City that evening!  Ruthie surprised us with gifts ... such thoughtfulness ... such fun!

We took multiple group pictures ... but agreed not to post them online!  Yep ... with all the laughing, tears, and shenanigans ... it was impossible to get a decent photo!  At 3:00 am the next morning, I finally fell asleep in the middle of the conversation ... I have no idea how much longer they kept up the party! ;-)  Girl time ... with cousins ... completely priceless!

Wednesday night I made it to my next destination ... first visit with Sister DillyDally in LA!

We spent yesterday doing some of our favorite things ... shopping and a movie!  Complete with an IKEA lunch of swedish meatballs, lingonberry juice ... of course!

Taken through the car window!

Time with your children ... whenever and where ever ... IS priceless!

Do what you love.  Do dillydally!

Mrs. DillyDally

Completed Trail - Day 6

Today I worked my way from eastern Oregon ...

... back to Portland.  This is a picture of the Columbia River late this morning.  What a beautiful drive!

It was a long driving day ... but I still managed to visit three shops.

This shop helped me find the post office ... mailed too many a couple boxes of quilt treasure home! ;-)

After arriving in Portland ... I stopped here and stayed until well after dark!  Uff da!

As I got closer to Portland ... misty rain and fog greeted me ... felt just like it does back home ... a nice way to finish this "scouting" mission!  I am so glad I took the time to do this ... my initial itinerary looked realistic on paper ... I will need to do a lot of tweaking.

I covered a lot of miles while building this DillyDally Trail ... visited amazing shops ... and met wonderful people!  Wow!  Our trip in July is going to be incredible ... filled with quilting wonderfulness ... I cannot wait to share it with friends!  Good-bye Oregon ... I'll be back soon ... with QBees!

Do what you love.  Do dillydally!

Mrs. DillyDally

Cannot wait to hug this girl tomorrow!

DillyDally Trail -Day 5

Blue skies again today ...

... and Lilly and I started climbing!

Today, I found the following quilting jewels tucked in amongst the mountains!

The drive, again today, was beautiful ...

... and I am "sew" looking forward to revisiting again in July ... with QBees!

Do what you love.  Do dillydally!

Mrs. DillyDally

Blazing Trail - Day 4

Traveling through Cowboy Country yesterday ...

... was amazingly beautiful!

Because it was Sunday, the stores were closed ...

... but I could peek in the windows.  I was inspired!

I love small towns ... their quilt shops are so proficient at reflecting the culture of their community.  They give me a glimpse of what living in their community is like.

God Bless America!

Yesterday was another 60 degree day ... blue sky ... open spaces ...sprinkled with quilt shops along the way ... what a fantastic day on the DillyDally Trail!

Do what you love.  Do dillydally!

Mrs. DillyDally

Trail Blazing - Day 3

It was another wild and wonderful day on the DillyDally Trail!

First stop was an absolutely charming quilt shop ... the owner was equally as charming!  Lots of ideas and samples I haven't seen anywhere else.

This shop was in a sort of industrial park ... when I entered, I felt like Dorothy who had just landed in the land of Oz!  Amazing store, I wanted to bring home everything!

This incredible shop hosts a different quilt exhibit every month on the second floor ... stunning!  Great place to find unusual fabrics!

Outstanding diversity of fabrics in this treasure of a shop!  Simply wonderful!

Another wonderful day here in Cowboy Country!  I am so blessed.

Do what you love.  Do dillydally!

Mrs. DillyDally

You know you're in Cowboy Country when the bar stools are shaped like saddles!  What fun!

Trail Building - Day 2

Miss Lily and I accomplished a lot today!

We began the morning here ...

... in Oregon's Capital city!  The shop windows are sew inspiring ... wait until you see the quilty goodness inside!

Then Lily and I traveled over mountain passes to reach ...

... the place where this dream began!

I cannot wait to return in July!  Seriously ... I want to squeal out loud when I think about it!

Next we traveled on into the high desert ...

... where I saw more horses and cattle than people!

Super cute quilt painted on the store siding!  Love a quilt shop that reflects the culture of their community!

Welcome to Cowboy Country!

Miss Lily politely asks me multiple times everyday ... "Where to?"  Who knows what tomorrow will bring ... stay tuned!

Do what you love!  Mama, DO let your babies grow up to be cowboys!  Do dillydally!

Mrs. DillyDally

Building the Trail - Day 1!

OH MY GOSH GOOD GOLLY!  What a wonderful dillydally day!

Just to remind everyone ... I live in the middle of nowhere.  There are no traffic lights ... or "traffic" for that matter in my remote corner of the planer!  I am familiar with the city of Minneapolis/St. Paul, so when I travel there, driving is relatively uncomplicated and the adjustment comes quickly.  I am completely unfamiliar with Portland ... so the idea of driving alone through Portland scared me silly!  But ... fears are to be faced ... fears do not drive a dillydallier!  Pun intended! ;-)  Truth is ... someone did travel with me ... and helped me handle the stress.

Meet my copilot ... my new travel partner ... best friend ... and lifesaver ... Lily!  Yep, I named her Lily DillyDally.  She is not a silly ... and thankfully ... she was able to direct me to everywhere I wanted to go!  Lovely Lily!

We visited some wonderful women here!

We listened to the surf!

We fondled fabric here!

We were awestruck by the vista!

And this pink building was filled with quilting perfectness!

I have been trying to cover two itinerary days in one on the road.  I am so grateful that I took this trip, because I have already found out that I need to make some major adjustments.  I could fill the entire week with just the coast ... have been busy taking notes ... refiguring ... making alterations ... building a dillydally trail!

Do what you love.  Build a trail.  Do dillyally!

Mrs. DillyDally & Lily