I Didn't Know You Could Do This in a State Park

I had no idea that some state parks have inns and restaurants, and it seems as though I've been missing out on some terrific bargains. One of the last things I did before leaving Indiana last week was to go to McCormick's Creek State Park. We took a very short hike, more of a walk really, and saw a lovely little waterfall and some really beautiful trees (I am a tree lover!), then went over to the Canyon Inn.

Rooms are a bargain, much less than the price of most hotels in the area. The inn seemed very well maintained and clean and offers free wifi internet access.



The thing that really had my attention was the restaurant area. The food was delicious, and the all-you-can-eat buffet included an amazing dessert table. But each of the huge windows overlooking a wooded area of the park have large bird feeders hanging in front of them so you can enjoy a bit of bird-watching with your meal. I saw my first rose-breasted grosbeak there--what a stunning bird!

I wish the state parks in North Carolina offered lodging and meals. And next time I travel I will definitely check out the state parks on my route!

The Most Awesome Pincushion Ever

When I'm working on a Temari I use a lot of straight pins and long tapestry needles. A normal everyday sort of pincushion just didn't work for me: they were too small and too shallow. I asked Born Again Purses to make this extra-large one for me and at 7" x 6" x 2.5" it's perfect! She uses old wool sweaters, recycles them into purses and other accessories, then uses the leftover pieces for pincushions. I love recycling, especially when it creates something that's both beautiful and useful!

Cheesecake Brownies!

While I was visiting my family I spent a couple of hours helping out in my sister's bakery. She's loved baking for as long as I can remember, and when she developed celiac disease and was unable to eat wheat products she created her own wheat-free recipes. I feel completely unqualified to prepare any food in the bakery--as a teen learning to cook I was the one who got her hand caught between the blades of the electric mixer--but I'm a darn fine dishwasher and box builder. As compensation for my highly-skilled labor she made me two full pans of marbled cheesecake brownies. YUM!

Home Sweet Home

I heard on CNN today that Americans are driving less these days. I couldn't have known that by the amount of traffic I saw on the road this week. I was on the road for 8 hours one day and 11 hours another day, and traffic was heavy the entire time.

I am not a big fan of driving. And I don't like driving in the mountains, in the rain, or after dark. I'll tough it out through one of those, but toss any two at me and I'm likely to pull over and park. Some things can't be helped--I know it has to get dark each evening, and rain will fall when it wants to. But why people built roads--interstate highways--through the mountains where they had to post signs like these I just don't understand. If you're building a road and you know that trucks have a good chance of falling over, wouldn't it make sense to change the plans for the road?