Mountain-top quilting retreat stitches together friendship

The slogan on the T-shirts we brought home from our quilting retreat in Scottsboro, Ala., at Grand Oaks said, "Creating a Patchwork of Friends and Memories." That's exactly what we did.  Eleven quilters from various locations in Mississippi and one from South Carolina gathered for five days of total relaxation this past week.  "A quilting retreat?," you might say. How boring.  Quilting was just the icing on the cake.

Just one of the great views from our retreat.

We were located in a beautiful three-story lodge retreat at the top of one of Alabama's mountains, looking down on mountain lakes where fishermen in boats were out in full force. Beautiful plants peeked out from beneath great boulders, and a colorful array of chickens strutted around the property.

Besides quilting, we slept, we read, we shared ideas, and we talked—endlessly.
I came home a little spoiled after being called to wonderful home-cooked meals by the tinkle of a bell every five hours. We had snacks in the craft area. And to top off a wonderful week, we had a massage therapist who came to us.   Wow!

One of Cindy's "ladies"

A trip to nearby Arab, Ala, to visit a local quilt shop, resulted in my group being trapped between two wrecks on the highway. That was also an adventure. While at a standstill, we saw on our left a pasture of beautiful Belted Galloway cows. Making the scene perfect was a Great Pyrenees dog, guarding his herd and walking quietly around them, making sure they stayed together.

Belted Galloway cattle, "oreo cows."

It's amazing how after five days, you have at least started, made progress on, or finished a quilt, and made a friend that you never knew this time last week. Remember, "Friends are like fabric, you can never have enough."

Eleven tired and happy quilters