My day started of course with my morning seminar ritual of my iced tea in Starbucks and blogging. It is free WiFi here, but in the rooms it is not! I am thinking that with the amount of time that I am not in my room, why? I can use that hard earned money on threads, canvases and stuff.

The boutique in the hotel opens at 8am and I was there shortly there after to check it all out. It is hosted by Rittenhouse Needlepoint. Barbara Russell was at work bright and early showcasing her canvases. You know when it comes to dogs, no one does it better. There are a few cats in her line too, but she really is a dog lady! Barbara lives here in Philadelphia and I think that it is a wonderful idea that Rittenhouse is showcasing the local canvas designers.

It is like being in thread heaven walking into the shop. Just about every thread that you could think of and it’s here. I apologize that the picture is not that good, but I know that I will be shopping in there a little bit every day, so there will be plenty of opportunity for more Kodak moments.

Soon it was time for my tour through the Pennsylvania Dutch Country and into Amish Land. A beautiful 90 minute ride with a wonderful tour director that brought us to the heart of this way of life. Just before we arrived at this home, another tour director joined our group as she lives in that area and knew the best places to take us.

Magnificeient gardens and the quilts…OMG! The bed was piled high with quilts as we got a personal showing of all of them. 1500 hours per quilt and 12 stitches to the inch is the norm for one of these quilts. The white on white garnered the most oohs and aahs.

Just a few quilts lined up. I couldn’t help but notice the beautifully crafted quilt racks… My sister is a quilt artist too and her work is just as beautiful if not more so, but I think it is the hand work that fascinates me so.

Our second stop was even more quilts just as beautiful as the last!

Lunch was in the Amish country and the menu consisted of fried chicken, chicken pot pie, mashed potatoes and gravy, buttered noodles, sausage, chocolate cake with home made ice cream and shoo-fly pie, all served family style. Wonderful! and so delicious…could I take some back to the hotel with me?

The tour was over too fast and way too soon we were back at the hotel. It was way too early just to go to my room, so not to waste any time I walked across the street to Reading Terminal…

A combination of farmers market and places to eat! WOW this is amazing and ooh so busy. Kinds of reminds me of North Market in Columbus, but this is much bigger and busier. I scouted out the places with the longest lines (signs of the best stuff!) where we could have lunch during the week.

This place won hands down! and Missy told me that this was a not to miss place to eat.

Finished up my day at Rittenhouse Needlepoint located on Chestnut Street. A darling shop that was full of needlepointers. Of course I added one to my stash, an ornament of the “Love” artwork from here in Philly.

Today is the baseball game! Phillies vs Nationals and should be a great one. I will start out my morning walking around downtown looking for the Liberty Bell and whew…class has not even started yet!

until next time…keep on stitching