An Ominous Arrival... The headline in the paper says it all. On Friday, storms came and went through my city. Dark clouds along with 70mph winds and sheets of rain were part of a storm system that wreaked havoc all across NE Iowa and NW Illinois before making its way father east.
~Courtesy of the local paper
Trees as large as 18" in diameter were uprooted and over 400 households had their power knocked out. I was one of the lucky ones. I didn't lose power or have major damage. The weather was very scary, though.
Within a few minutes, the wind went from blowing lightly through the window to blowing so hard it toppled my yard swing over.
My poor garden didn't fare so well....
BALLOON RALLY
This year marked the 25th Anniversary of the Monroe Balloon Rally. I attended this event about 12 years ago when it was part of the World Honda Grand Prix (an international ballooning competition). It was awesome then and still awesome today.
STITCHY STUFFThe online stitching community is absolutely the greatest!! Last week, I posted I was looking for the Mar/Apr 1991 issue of Cross Stitch & Country Crafts. Stitchers to the rescue! I had SEVEN ladies offer me the magazine. Thank you so much for helpin' a stitching sister out!!
RETREAT!!!
At the end of this week, I am going to a stitching retreat hosted by the ILCS Yahoo group. Each year it's held in a different state that the members vote on. This year it's in St. Charles, Missouri. I went to my first retreat a few (THREE already??) years ago and had a great time despite the Hit & Run. Can't wait to see everyone again :) I think I'd better start packing!
I am leaving home a day early to do some site seeing on my way down to St. Charles. I'll be driving through Springfield, which is the capitol of Illinois and burial place of Abraham Lincoln. So, I am going to spend some time there seeing some historical sites as well as the Lincoln Memorial Library and Museum.
22 comments:
Wow Meari; that is horrendous weather! We have some of that also and it can be year-round in the Tidwater region of VA.
I am so happy you found the issue of the XS mag you were looking for; I had them all at one time.
The balloons are gorgeous! I would love to see one of these events.
Happy you are retreating! Wish you could come to Cecilias in Branson MO, in November! My first real retreat away from home.....I will get to meet Anita, Kim, Becky, Anita's Daughter, Karen P. and of course Laura, my friend Bev and I will be attending. I am really excited. Would love to meet you one day! Hugs,
Sue
Ominous indeed. That's one scary picture. Hope your garden survives. Have a great time at the retreat!
Glad you didn't get any damage or lose your power in that horrible storm system.
Have fun on your retreat and take lots of pictures. Looking forward to hearing all about it when you get back.
I heard about those storms. My nephew and his wife were going to head for Northern MI Friday and couldn't even think about getting out of Chicago so they held off until Sat. Have a great time at the retreat. Another nephew and his wife live in that city I've been there a couple of times. Nice pictures of the balloons.
Ack...scary weather! Wow, look at those storm clouds!
Love the hot air balloon pictures...I've always wanted to go up in one.
Hope you have fun at the retreat! Sounds like fun!
Wow, what an amazing storm picture. Looks like it was a whopper. Love the balloon pictures too. The retreat sounds awesome! Too bad I can't make it.
Your plants will bounce back, but oh my how scary that looked. Cool on getting to go to a retreat and the balloon fest looked like fun as well.
I hope your garden recovers! The retreat sounds like a lot of fun, but it is slightly too far away for my attendance. I hope everyone has a great time!
- Lisa N.
Glad to hear you fared through the weather ok. Did you take that picture of the clouds? It's really all-inspiring (and scarey!) Good thing that weather wasn't the same time as the balloon festival. That looks amazing. I love the lights in the balloons.
PennyB
Aside from the weather it sounds like you hade a wonderful week and a nice trip coming up. How many women come to the retreat?
Tina
Wow that's some exciting weather! I heard about it on the news. Your stitching retreat sounds like so much fun, there is hardly EVER anything like that going on in my part of the world. Have fun!
The weather sure has been freaky lately and that is one scary picture you posted! Glad you didn't suffer any lasting damage.
I hope you have a fabulous time at your retreat, make sure you take a ton of pictures to share.
Glad you were able to find the magazine you wanted.
Have a great week!
Great photos Meari!!
I enjoyed reading all about your first retreat and I hope you'll enjoy this next one - I'm sure you will! I would so much love to go on a stitchers retreat - hopefully one day I'll make it!
Hugs,
Lynette
OMG! That is a frightening sight......such a turbulent looking sky. I would have been in the bathroom hiding in the tub!
The balloon festival looks great. I went to one in NJ a few summers ago and it was so totally cool to watch the mass ascention at dawn. Thanks for reminding me of a fond memory.
Your storm came our way. LOL! The balloon pictures are wonderful. They have a big show during the Blueberry Festival here in Sept. Oh my your poor garden. Yes! Start packing!
Ohh, I'm so glad that you are okay, even if your garden didn't fare well. I have been hearing about all those storms just crazy.
Your balloon pictures are so colourful. They are great. :)
I cannot wait for all your stories from retreat.
I so don't miss that type of weather! Those clouds are amazing!
Have fun at the retreat!
Heidi-ILCS
WoW! If I saw that coming towards me I think I'd run and hide, lol!
I hope your garden recovers from those harsh winds.
ILCS has a retreat? How did I miss that one? Have fun. If I had known about it I might have tried to come.
Beautiful balloon photo's
Have fun at the retreat
Wow! That´s what I call A STORM!
Bon Voyage Meari!
I really like to visit your blog and see your finishings.
Congratulations for your just discovered button collection.
Marissa
:)
Love your LK finishes Meari, I have started mine but have put it away somewhere and can't remember where.
The storm photo is amazing but also very scary, so pleased you didn't sustain damage anywhere.
Love Karen
We got the same storm on Friday too and the town I work in looked like a tornado went through. They are still cleaning up huge old trees that came down and several on houses. No damage here but trees down around us. Battle Creek has a balloon race every year and they are so cool to look at, you got some great photos!
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