I've lost track - What day is this?

I had so much fun yesterday.  Spent quality time with dead relatives.  Went to a historical museum where the curator knew my name.  Well, she knew my gggg grandfather's name.  Took some photos. The curator will email some more information to me after she has scanned it. And then looked for a place to stay.

That's where things started to go downhill.

Natural gas drilling is happening in Bradford County PA and all the rooms were taken by workmen driving really big trucks filled with all sorts of equipment.  Not one man offered to share his room with me so I had to drive to Scranton to find a bed.

By the time I arrived I was so tired I would have been happy to stay at the Schrute Beet Farm (The Office watchers will know what that means).

Instead I stayed at a EconoLodge.  Will never stay in one again.  The sign said it had Internet service -- it lied.  The fitted sheet would not stay on the bed.  The trash can had not been emptied of the whiskey and wine bottles from the previous tenant (or two). But the worse part was the smell that reminded me of a pile of soiled adult diapers.

I opened the window wide and fell on the bed for some rest.  Was glad to wake up at dawn and leave.

I took my time getting down the road yesterday stopping whenever I saw something interesting, like this cool rock building . . .

It had pipes coming out of it and the chimney looked like it had massive power lines attached to it.  Anyone know what it is?

This is another house that caught my eye.  I'm not use to seeing houses built with rock.

These people tried to make this naked tree in their yard a little more attractive (double click for a closer look)

Rolling over in your grave would be easy when you're planted on such a steep hill

Then there were these people who are spending their time waiting for the coming of our Lord in a daylight basement

Here is the story

Here is the land they are talking about.  It took three shots to capture the whole valley

This story and land is of interest to me because my ggggg grandfather owned some of this land and sold it to a representative who negotiated the deal prior to the French crossing the Atlantic.

Here is where Joshua Gaylord made a name for the family when he settled here after the Revolutionary War.

I don't know if what this sign means that it is the oldest house still standing in the area or if it belonged to Mr. Oldest -- there was no date to let me know when it was built. It will be open to visitors in May.

Can you stand to see some more barn quilts?



Tonight I'm snug in a great Ramada room ten miles from the location where my English ancestors made their home after coming to the New World in 1630.

Tomorrow should be another fun day of exploration.

r

Day 6 -- Tuesday

I've discovered that Sadie, the nice GPS lady, does not know her left from her right.

She told me to turn left and when I did she went into a tailspin recalculating.  I had a few nasty things to say when I realized that I was traveling west instead of east like I wanted to.  I had to drive 26 miles before I could get turned around on I-80!

Two hours later she told me with great confidence to prepare to enter highway on the RIGHT when I could see that I-80 was definitely on my LEFT. 

I drove across Indiana and Ohio today.  This was my view pretty much the entire 300 miles.

I spent the time thinking how good Dixie Cups and Cremecicles taste.  (they're orange and white too)

After entering Pennsylvania I turned north and drove a lovely scenic two lane road along the Alleghney National Forest behind two logging trucks.

I called it a day when I arrived in Kane, PA.  I'm staying in a motel that was built in the 1950's, with walls paneled in the 1970's and redecorated again probably 10 years ago or so.  It's very clean and very reasonably priced.  Based on the motif my guess is that they do most of their business during hunting season.

Deer, highly influenced by Marie Barone.  The chairs have been covered with fabric and then encased in a heavy clear plastic.  There is a pan at the door for one to leave their muddy boots. Apparently this place could get pretty dirty with the right kind of guest.

And yes, that's pink and green tile in the bathroom behind that chair.  I know I sound like I'm making fun but I don't mean to.  This place is immaculate and in much better condition than the Days Inn I stayed at last night.
r

Day 5 Monday

I went exploring in the Historical Society drawers and the county courthouse this morning.  I had it confirmed that my g grandfather was indeed there.  He and his brother came together.  Each bought land from people and then traded it back and forth to each other during 1856 and 1858.  I wished that I could afford the time to track each transaction to see if there was a pattern or logic to their horse trading. 

By noon I had finished my searching so I traveled east on two lanes highways most of the way for 300 miles.  I stopped each time I saw another interesting barn quilt in Iowa to take a picture.  I didn't see any more after I crossed the Mississippi River.

The Bed and Breakfast that I stayed at is called "The Dairy Barn".  Their website photos are good but staying there is better.

 This is Alphie. He is a sweet boy who is tormented by a cat who picks on him and then runs up the stairs.

Probably will be driving all day tomorrow with not much chance to take pictures.
r

Day 4 Sunday

Come, come, come, come. Come to the church in the wildwood . . .

Do you know that song?  The story is that in 1856. . .

"A young music teacher named William Pitts was traveling by stagecoach from Wisconsin to Iowa to visit his future wife. While waiting for the stagecoach horses to be changed, he walked down Cedar Street and saw the empty lot where the church now stands. Being a romantic young man, the thought came to him of what a charming setting the spot would make for a church. Returning home, he wrote the poem “Church in the Wildwood,” and later set it to music. He put it away in a drawer and forgot it."

People of the town grew tired of meeting in business locations for Sunday services and work to build a church began in 1860. All through donations of materials, little by little the church was built. When it came time to paint it the cheapest paint was this "unhappy brown".

"Mr. Pitts had married and was living in Wisconsin. In 1862 the couple moved to Fredericksburg to be near her elderly parents and Mr. Pitts was hired to teach singing class at the Bradford Academy. Imagine his surprise when he saw a little brown church nestled in the very trees where he had stood some years before. He went home and found the song and taught it to his class who sang it at the dedication service of the church. Pitts had written a song for a church that wasn’t there. The congregation had painted their little church brown without ever hearing of the song."

The B&B that I am staying at is about 8 miles from the Little Brown Church so I went to worship with Sunday morning. 

The ceiling has an a lovely pattern

Because I was a visitor, they asked me to ring the church bell.  I felt so blessed to do so.

The bell pull rope

Today was their "Weed and Feed" day.  They had a potluck lunch in the basement and then went out to weed the garden.  They twisted my arm so I stayed for the potluck. While there I met a woman who was in charge of the Historical Society (the one that is closed until May 1st)  She kindly offered to open the building for me tomorrow morning to see if they had any material that I might be interested in.

Wind, wind and more wind today.  Gusts up to 46 mph.

r

Day 3 - Saturday -- Now with photos

I moved south to a little town named Nashua.  That name reminds me how Holly got transferred to Nashua because she was having an affair with Michael. (The Office)  Of course, that was a different Nashua.

I wandered up and down the streets and photographed the wonderful scroll work on the gables of the homes.

Cute sculpture

A roofer's nightmare

I kept seeing quilt block artwork on barns.  I was told that there are a great many quilters in Iowa. They started a project of seeing how many blocks they could display on barns, sheds or even some homes have them.

There was only one motel in the town.  When I went to register I was met by a sign saying that the motel was closed until 4:00.

So I went to a museum next door instead.

But they don't open until May 1st.  However, I walked around the sign that said "STOP" and photographed all the old buildings behind the museum.

This has seen a lot of dirty clothes

Then I stopped by the banks of the Cedar River.  It was so calm, sunny and warm.

Does this bridge look safe?

Before I left a nice couple told me of a B&B eight miles down the road -- so I hunted it down and fortunately they had a vacant room.  I'll be staying here for two days while I do some research in Newhampton at the County Courthouse (on Court Street, of course).

I found two quilt supplies shops in Newhampton and bought fabric at each.  Thought it would be a fun project to buy fabric along the way and make a memory quilt later.
r