Traveling Quilter

Whenever Jo goes to the Paducah AQS Quilt Show, we like to arrive a few days earlier to have some extra time to enjoy the area and get a better choice of an RV campsite. Touring the Dogwood Trail and golfing are among these pre-show pursuits.

Last year (2009) there wasn’t an official Dogwood Trail Celebration because a winter ice storm had damaged so many trees. We followed the route outlined for the 2008 trail and although storm damage was evident, we still found a number of attractive displays of dogwoods and azaleas. In 2010 we followed the trail markers and did our own tour in our RV motor home. The photo shows the trees in the lawn of one of Paducah’s oldest historical landmarks: Grace Episcopal Church (1874) on Broadway Avenue. Most trees were in full bloom, but here and there some trees still show evidence of having lost their tops or major branches. On Saturday evening we attended the official festival celebration Saturday night which included a narrated evening tour of the trail.

When Jo goes to the Quilt Show, golf usually occupies my time and is a favorite of other spouses of quilters who accompany their wives to the annual event. The Paxton Park course in Paducah is a popular course and the green fees are reasonable. Another popular area golf  course is the Kentucky Dam Resort course near Grand Rivers, KY. On the way to our campsite to attend the 2010 show I discovered a new course: the Murray State University Golf Course (Miller Memorial) near Murray, Kentucky. About 40 miles from Paducah, I think the extra travel is well worth the effort. The course is 18 holes with excellent maintenance, nicely detailed signage at each hole, and easy-to-read greens and fair hole locations. These factors help golfers new to the course enjoy the play. On Tuesday I hope to play the Drake Creek Golf Club in Ledbetter, KY (about 10 miles from downtown Paducah). They have a senior special on Tuesdays – $20 for green fees and cart. I’ll report on that later.

Despite a warm spring, the fairway grass on several of the courses I’ve played this spring (in Mississippi, Arkansas, and Kentucky) has been somewhat marginal. Apparently the variety of turf grass they use tolerates heat well but doesn’t green up nicely until May. One of my favorite Lake Superior golf courses – Nemadji Golf Course in Superior Wisconsin – opened this spring on March 30th, 10 days earlier than they had ever opened in the last 50 years. I wonder if their fairways are in as good a shape as what I am finding in the mid-south?

–Ross

I’ve stopped in Cathy’s Quilt Shop several times before on visits to Hot Springs. The store has excellent light, natural and artificial, a real plus when you are picking out or trying to match fabric. It is also very spacious. One of Cathy’s specialties is long arm quilting. There are several examples of her work hanging from the ceiling and on the walls. In past visits I’ve seen and admired her work so when I had a quilt top finished for my niece Vicki I decided to drop it off for Cathy to finish it when I was in Hot Springs in April. The first picture shows Cathy measuring the quilt to determine its size for pricing. When its done she will ship it back to me (insured of course) by UPS or Fed-Ex. She mentioned she has done quilts for customers all across the country and even some for people living in other countries.

A stroll down Bathouse Row and the Grand Promenade is always on our agenda whenever we visit Hot Springs. This trip the Red Buds were in full blume and the Dogwoods were just starting to come out (see picture – click on the picture for a larger view). I particularly love the lime green tones that the spring foliage takes on. Go Here if you want to see more pictures and information about Hot Springs National Park. The walking and hiking trails were constructed years ago as a supplement to the hot mineral springs therapy provided in the bath houses. During the “golden age” of hot springs bathing over a million people annually visited Bathhouse Row. At present two of the bath houses are operational for bathing and related spa services.

—Jo

I am starting to get excited about going to the big Paducah Quilt Show April 21 – 24th.  I was worried about the closure (due to financial problems) of the Executive Inn because it has been one of the primary sites for the show and is actually attached to the Carroll Convention Center. But it looks like they have set up a special AQS Pavilion in the convention center parking lot to host activities that used to be in the Executive Inn.

I think this year I’ll attend at least two days of the show and maybe take some classes too.

Last year we arrived early to catch part of the Dogwood Trail celebration, but the trail wasn’t officially open because there was so much damage from a winter ice storm that cut across the middle west in January. We hope it will be open this year and that our favorite campground will be open too as it was also closed due to storm damage.

Maybe see you at Paducah!

Jo