Friendship Crossing - The Nashville Hoard

My Mom and I took a short road trip on Saturday traveling along rural 99W to Corvallis, Oregon. It is a bit more peaceful than I-5 and has views of the farmers' crops - mint and fescue and blueberries and hazelnuts. Plus there's a nice view of the Coast Range which runs along the west from the Columbia River for 200 miles to the south.  The hills in the coast range average about 1,500 feet tall and come close to qualifying as a rain forest. 

Mary's Peak, shown here, is the highest peak at 4,097 feet.  We are used to seeing snow on coast range during the winter - but not this year.

As we approached boundaries of the William J. Finley Wildlife Refuge, the sky was full of birds.  Look just above the darkest trees in the foreground - there are countless birds in flight.

And here we are at Corvallis where the Mary's River flows into the Willamette River.

Within a couple of minutes we'd arrived at Friendship Crossing. 

The walls of Friendship Crossing are covered with continually changing models. 

When I have the chance to see a stitched model, I often find myself thinking, "Gosh, I'd like to stitch that!" (I did stitch the violets!). I got to visit with one of the women who has several models featured.  She's also had some smalls finished by Vonna and Faye! Kim is practically a Cross Stitch Rock Star! 

Stitched models can be instructional too.

Look at how the quieter color pallet and frame on the bottom give this piece a very different look than the one above it.

Oh, oh, oh!  Where to begin?

Ann had all of her Nashville goodies clearly marked with yellow tags that shouted "New!"

Some day I've got to bring up a couple of my smaller stitches and see if I am up to framing them myself.

I brought a list of Nashville Show items that had caught my eye.  It was nice to have that as a reference.

And if I needed beads, or floss...

...or fabric. It was all available.

I realize I've not shown off any of my stash.  I will do that in a post later this week. But how about this charming little green cabinet?  I sorta' fell in love with it, though I did manage to walk away - such will power!

Thanks Ann for a most pleasant morning!