Day 14 Cornhusker's Day

International Quilt Study Center Muse

Lincoln, Nebraska was on our list of stops for two reasons. It was halfway between family visits in Chicago and Boulder. It is also the home of the International Quilt Study Center.  In both respects it did not disappoint.

Two and a half to three hours in our plane is long enough. There is no room to move and often the sun is baking hot. We have learned that this amount of time is all we want to sit without being able to move a muscle.

Indian Quilt

Lincoln became the state capitol after much dispute. It was the third state house built in Nebraska and the one that finally stuck. This small city is the home of the Cornhuskers and many of the charming little houses were waving red flags displaying a big white N.

Steve only decided at the last moment to join me at the quilt museum. There was a beautiful exhibit on the quilts of India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh. It was surprising, stunning, and enlightening. There was another exhibit of doll quilts, which happens to be right up my alley at the moment. With all the dolls I am making this was timely and relevant and fun.

Quilt Motorcycle Cover

Quilt Camel Cover

Doll Quilt

Farm in the Crop Circle

Our flight from Lincoln was smooth but slow for about half the distance. Below us the towns were few and far between. The land was flat and the square fields were brown. Then the wind and the land changed. We started picking up knots and the ground below got closer as the elevation rose. The land became sculpted, looking like fingers of ridges with some low trees and greenery. We flew over the beautiful Platte River for a while and the knots increased and became a tail wind that made the ride bumpy. No more sewing was possible. Now we were really making time. The square fields changed to circles. My favorite sight was the crop circle with a sliver pie piece of land used for the farm, including the homestead and the barn buildings right there in the circle with the crops. At this point we were moving so fast as to make a photo difficult. We had a startling close encounter with a large bird as it passed under the wing. By the time we realized what it was it was gone.

Colorado Land Formations

The air temperature got warmer as we moved from Nebraska to Colorado. We were met by brother-in-law Steve and unloaded almost the whole plane. Steve’s sister, Joan, was waiting for us when we arrived at their home in Lafayette.  We just had time for a quick shower before we left for niece Allison & her husband Brooks’ home in Boulder and dinner with their exceptional family.

It was a wonderful dinner and we were delightfully entertained first by 5 year old Wren on her cello, then joining her was 13 year old Trace and his violin, and dad, Brooks on the banjo. What a concert and great evening to catch up on everyone’s activities. Jens a sophomore in high school was busy with homework and wasn’t able to join the concert.