At Cicero’s

This is just one of my vintage images that I love. I think I might start each post with one of these.

I had the pleasure of driving around the sweet little town of Napa

yesterday. And when I say around, I really mean around since the google instructions that the quilt guild I was speaking to sent me, sent me on a roundabout path that ended up at a U-Haul facility instead of the auditorium where I was supposed to speak :-)!! It was all good in the end…

Anyway, I finally did arrive, gave my presentation and trunk show, chatted a bit with the ladies and then took myself on a little date around town.
I have to tell you that as a mom of 3 small kids, I don’t often get the chance to have any kind of a meal by myself much less at a restaurant. When I was much younger, I used to look at the individuals who were eating in a restaurant alone with great pity and compassion. I would imagine how sad and lonely their lives must be to have to go out by themselves.
Well, my perspective has changed….. alot. Now, I cherish and savor the moments of quiet when I have the rare opportunity to go out byself with a good book or my sketchbook, have a nice glass of wine and enjoy a wonderful meal… all by myself. I know that people are probably looking at me and feeling sorry for me. But that’s okay. If they look closely, they will see me laughing at my book or smiling about whatever I happen to be sketching at the time. Its one of secret little pleasures. And this was just such an occasion in Napa. I went to a little cafe called Ciceros, sat outdoors, felt the breeze, ate salad and mushrooms stuffed with bacon in a wine sauce, while I read and sketched. The book I’m reading, A Year in Japan, is a feast for the eyes and fun to read. It is written by Kate Williamson and chronicles her time in Japan with small watercolor sketches and charming written vignettes about totally random experiences of food, friendship, and culture.

Its just the kind of book you would want to read with a glass of wine while sitting on a porch swing or at your favorite neighborhood bistro.
Walking around Napa, I stopped at the Vintage Sweet Shoppe for a little chocolate nibble, after I strolled through Silverado Antiques and bought some fun antique potato mashers [don’t even ask me why or what I plan on doing them.] When I got home I told the kids I bought them to use in case they were a problem this summer… they took one look at those huge wooden potato mashers and ran screaming from the room in laughter. I’m telling you, I get no respest around here!
While at the downtown quilt shop, Quiltmaker Quilt Shoppe, I found a wonderful Australian Magazine, called Australian Quilters Companion. Somehow I have never seen it.

Well, that’s it for my Napa travels.

I’ll leave you with a few swatches of our newest line to be in stores. It is called “Yuletide Blessing” and it is a small Christmas line with a wonderful vintage red, a classic green and a soft tan. Look for it at your local quilt store now. Our pattern that goes with it is “A Yuletide Snowflake”, using 1 Jelly Roll and some yardage.



I’ll show you the pattern in the next post.

toodles.