The emptying of the iPhone photos

American Archaeology, AKA the American Pickers place, in LeClaire, Iowa

Danielle, who runs the place, and the inside of the American Pickers' place

The lighthouse in Clinton, Iowa

A view from an overlook in Eagle Point Park in Clinton, Iowa

Creepy soap dispenser at my grandma's house. Haha. Any guesses as to what that animal is supposed to be?

Sweet Netta-B in one of our flea-market find chairs

Rufus cuddling on the couch with me on a sick day

There are no words for how much I love game day at Pittsburg State University

Go Gorillas!

Library in the distance

Rufus and I watching the Pitt State game on TV

Too long away

Sorry for the long absence. Life has been in the way of crafting/cooking/blogging for too long now. Thanks to this man for reminding me to give my blog some love. 🙂

While work is much responsible for my absence, we have also been fortunate enough to spend a weekend in Pittsburg, Kansas for Pitt State’s Family Day, and escaped to Colorado during the hottest part of the summer. Bliss.

Now, for all posterity, evidence of Colorado’s amazingness.

I would like this view out of my kitchen windows, please.

Rocky Mountain high ...

Wouldn't it be nice if all states had such beautiful views from the side of the road?

From Trail Ridge Road

Near Grand Lake, I think?

Back at the bells

On the road to Aspen

Across from the famous bells

Wildflowers at Lake Dillon

The rain made for some amazing vistas.

Maroon Bells is seriously paradise and a must do.

A view from a pulloff on Trail Ridge Road

A moose! My life is complete.

Another view of the incredible Maroon Bells

A quick visit to the place we were married 2.5 years ago 🙂

A rare sunny moment

The amazing Alluvial Fan in Estes Park

Aspen trees in Aspen

A slightly healthier alternative

When in college at Pittsburg State University, we made at least weekly during the spring/summer/fall months to Tropical Sno to visit our friend Dave. And by our friend, I mean, Dave was the entire town’s friend. He was like the bartender who know’s everyone’s name, only instead of delicious alcoholic drinks Dave sold delectable frozen ice confections. It was a cheap treat and a cheap date night, walking over to Tropical Sno, and you were guaranteed to run into friends from school.

There were literally hundreds of flavor concoctions available, and everyone’s personal goal was to get a flavor named after them. My husband and I never made this dream come true, but we still enjoyed our cheap dates, chats with Dave, and the amazingly sweet, sour, cold, perfect summer treat. My favorite was called Coach T and was some mix of citrusy flavors. The key to the perfect snack there, though, was to pay the additional 50 cents to have your shaved ice swirled with real cream. It tasted just like homemade icecream and love. (For a few scant calories, ha)

It’s funny how foods and simple places can make you homesick for a town, or a period of life. Tropical Sno and Dave are one of those things. On a hot summer day, I miss the two minute walk from our apartments and the brief respite from studying with my eventual husband.

I was feeling nostalgic today and mixed up something that tasted delightfully reminiscent of our favorite summer treat. We happened to have some heavy, unwhipped whipping cream left over from making homemade whipped cream and strawberries for the 4th of July. This version is probably a bit healthier, so easy to make it doesn’t count as a recipe, and most importantly took me right back to college.

In blender, blend 1 cup of ice and 1 cup of Cranberry Raspberry juice cocktail. It will be slushier than tropical sno, but still plenty icy. Pour into large glass.

Pour two tablespoons of heavy whipping cream over top, mix. Devour.

The perfect gift, the perfect chicken and the perfect fit

Tonight I was cutting out fabric to make a sweet gift for a coworker’s coming baby, half-watching Man v. Food with my husband on the Travel Channel. It switched to a commercial, and we were not paying much attention when all of a sudden, we saw a quick peak of a long recognized Pittsburg hot spot – Chicken Mary’s.

We both stopped midsentence and stared. Surely, Pittsburg, Kan. was not just on national TV. And then we saw it – a woman wearing a Chicken Annie’s tshirt that looked exactly like the one hanging in my closet. NO. WAY.

The new Food Wars show on the Travel Channel, which begins airing in March, is claiming to finally put an end to the chicken wars in Pittsburg and declare a chicken champion. How amazing is that?

And, what brilliant marketing is this? At our house, we are huge lovers of anything they show on the Food Network and the Travel Channel. However, it always angers us that they never seem to leave California or New York for anything. It’s almost comical at times. Bobby Flay is going to throw down for the best Maine clam chowder in …. Manhattan, NY? For the best empandas in …. Manhattan, NY? The best southern fried chicken in … New England? Bravo, Travel Channel, for spreading your boundaries outside of the traditional filming areas. Those of us in the Midwest are thankful that you are recognizing that there is life beyond the coast. And, beyond metropolises! Not only can you drum up more interesting shows, but you can increase your viewers in the Midwest. The New York Times is unlikely to cover your TV show when you film yet another wonderful restaurant in New York City, but I know that Pittsburg’s regional media was all over it.

My family experienced the same excitement recently when watching American Pickers, a show based out of a small town near the small town in Iowa that my entire extended family either lived or currently lives in.

Now, if only we can get the Travel Channel to Maryville for a Hangar vs. Pagliai’s pizza showndown …

Anyway, back to the quilt. I love fortuitous finds. (Hence the extreme excitement over the Pittsburg TV show.) My coworker, who hopefully isn’t reading this (Darren, if you’ve read this far: LOOK AWAY), is nicknamed The Rocket Scientist. He is always solving problems, constructing solutions and fixing computers. When wandering Sarah’s Fabrics in Lawrence, the most amazing fabric store within a 2 hour drive, I stumbled upon the Rocket Scientist collection of fabric by Keri Beyer for In The Beginning. I couldn’t resist picking out a few and am so excited to make a sweet little receiving blanket for the babe to be.

In a world of mass media, mass design and mass consumption, here’s to finding the perfect fit.