50 States, Day 210

  50 States, Day 201 Charleston to Barboursville   60 Miles
 
"Lazy people want much but get little, but those who work hard will prosper."
~Proverbs 13:4 NLT
 


We exited the motel and little flakes of snow drifted aimlessly to the ground. Not many, mind you, but enough to give one pause. One like Quilter Girl. We shivered over to Bob Evans for breakfast and considered our options; stay or go.
 
Stay, we hang at the same motel for another couple days. No risk, but few rewards either. Move along and we could visit (PP!) Blenko Glass, and another quilt shop. The weather report predicts a chance of snow until noon, then clearing and cold. We decided to go. It wouldn't be far, and it couldn't snow much. Right? It didn't snow at all, just cold, a steady thirty seven degrees. Kiss the (PP!) Gerbing gear once again, plug into the bike and it keeps us warm.


We rode to Milton and visited Blenko Glass, and wow, it looked run down, the rusty roofs looking like they could collapse. We continued past and downhill to the Visitor's Center, where a plethora of shiny glass objects vied for our attention. I like shiny. We 'shopped' if you call it that, since we have no room and certainly can't haul delicate glass objects. QG managed to get a few things anyway. I wandered around and found the factory section where the worker bees were blowing glass. Very cool! Usually glass blowing is demonstrated as an art (which it is, I know), but Blenko really does production glass. So they dip a goober of glass out, drop it in a bucket, spin it for minute or so, and out pops a vase. Again and again. Another section features more of a craftsman, blowing glass and massaging it into an art form.



Today seemed to be a big day as it's Thanksgiving weekend, and in one spot they 'autographed' glass pieces. During a lull I struck up a conversation with Andy Blenko, fourth generation owner. The place started and stopped since the late 1800s and then in 1927 got going and hasn't looked back. They are struggling a bit with the recession, as glass is discretionary spending. Gas prices have dropped and that helps, as they must keep the furnaces hot 24-7 while only working one shift. Andy explained why blown glass is more desirable than factory glass, because it does have flaws and character, the light diffusing and dancing through the surface. A human analogy there, I'd say.



We loaded up and headed to W Va Quilts in downtown Barboursville. Call me a wiener, but I went inside, assuming the heat was on. Further breaking the Man Code, I searched through fabric for the right pattern. I know, give me a skirt! I struck up a conversation with the lady at the table and talked about the journey, the sewing machine, QG's obsessions (kidding) and then asked her for a possible church idea for tomorrow. She recommended St. Peter Something, in Huntington. And she said, I'm not kidding, "It's safe to go there. I wouldn't go there on Saturday night, but Sunday should be fine." Uh, pass.



We rode to the Best Western and passed a Baptist Church. After checking in, I walked to the church in a vain attempt to regain my manliness and found the service times. Back to the motel and the heat! And now, warm and fuzzy... well, warm anyway, Quilter Girl!
 
It was all about me today.  A glass factory having their annual sale and a quilt store, how much better can the day get?  Blenko was great, I lusted after some huge blue glass.  No room and too fragile, luckily.  I did circle every table a couple of times, trying to justify buying.  Watching the worker bees was fun.   If I wasn't so totally absorbed by quilting, glass looks like a great time.  

WV Quilts was awesome, too.  They had tons of fat quarters, even a trunk full that were only $1.  I found West Virginia's fabric, being creative.  I picked a gold/orange batik that looked like the dome of the capitol and Kevin picked a brown leaf fabric.  I also got a nice grey for Connecticut because it was grey and rainy the whole time we were there.  I also grabbed three of the $1 fat quarters that I can use for the Irish Chain quilts.  There is never too much fabric, right?  Tomorrow is a quilting day and I have gotten started by cutting the 50 states blocks so I can catch up on that quilt.  I was glad to stop early as it was cold, it is supposed to warm up in the next week.
 
QG
 
Tomorrow a Baptist Church, The Week in Pictures, The Stupid Driver of the Week (really stupid this week!) and more.
See you then.
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

No comments: