June Catching Up

I went on a dream trip to Ireland! I joined a Tom Kimmel music tour from June 1-11. Tom is a talented singer/poet/songwriter who has performed at our Back Door Coffeehouse at University Baptist Church in Hattiesburg. The tour started in Shannon, Ireland, and I met the other 23 people there. They were music lovers from all over the U.S. and one from France. We had shared a picture and brief bio by email, so we felt like we were meeting old friends when we arrived.
There were expected stone walls, castle ruins, sheep, cattle, green fields, views of the wild Atlantic Ocean, musical voices and brogues spoken by the friendly people, and music every evening, either in a concert just for our group or in a local pub among the happy townspeople. We spent three nights in Rosscarbery, West Cork, three in Ballyferriter, and three in Doolin, and traveled by bus in Counties Cork, Kerry, and Clare along the Wild Atlantic Way. We had sunny days, rainy days, and some combinations of weather, but nothing to interfere with our learning some of Ireland's culture and history and beauty.

Stone fences

The Cliffs of Moher

This church was built in the 10th century on level ground. Through the years sand from the Atlantic Ocean has blown up around it until it appears to have sunk into the earth.

 The floor of The Freezer's Pub was like a giant quilt!

 Stairs in Bunratty Castle looked rather forbidding.

Sheep

The path to Mizen Head and Fastnet Lighthouse.

June--what a busy month! After I returned home, I finished piecing the Red Stars String quilt and added borders. With the red background behind each block, it was tempting to leave it unquilted as a "summer spread," but went ahead with a backing and attempt at quilting on my Pfaff while my Sweet 16 is waiting for a new bobbin case. But Elizabeth and Rahrah insisted on keeping me close company, so I had to put it aside.

I also joined all 25 blocks of my Karen K Stone-inspired orange peel design and decided this is the size it will be, with the addition of "arcs" on all four sides. I will name it Mississippi Orange Peel.