Oregon trip

I just came back from teaching in Oregon and had a wondeful time meeting with two great quilting guilds and making new friends. It was also very exciting for me to visit this part of the country since I had never been quite this far west. My European mind is still flabbergasted by the expense and landscapes and, flying from Phoenix to Eugene with clear skies, the view below was quite breathtaking!

I am always on the lookout for trees since they provide so much inspiration both in what they represent and their textures and shapes and I did see some lovely ones.

I also had a chance to walk around Eugene some and visited some beautiful galleries and stores in the "5th street market" district. I went into a embroidery and needlepoint store, Mindy's Needlepoint Factory, and thought I had just gone to heaven! I also was very impressed with Opus6ix Gallery on West Seventh Avenue (www.opus6ix.com). It is a beautiful space, the art is gorgeous (I saw the work by sculptor Ellen Tykeson and I fell in love with it) and the friendly greeting and conversation with the lady who was there that day made me feel very welcome.