Sentimental Stitches

Yes, I know I’m late in giving you the final Shipshewana installment but it’s been a wild couple of days. I started losing my voice Saturday morning and by evening I couldn’t talk at all. It was terrible. My final night and I’m without a voice. I did go shopping during the day. Saturday is always ‘food’ day.

My first stop was to E&S Sales. It’s the Amish version of a bulk food warehouse like Sam’s Club only better. You can buy homemade noodles, bulk spices, pie mixes and just about anything else you can think of. For me it was some great toothpicks that are perfect for applique, AA batteries for $.15 each, orange spice tea and a few other things.

Then I was off to Lolly’s to fish the fat quarter boat. I think I did pretty good for myself.

We had our block swap and most of us are now ready to put those beautiful little blocks together into a good size quilt.

If you want to see a ghost town stop in Shipshewana on a Sunday. This is a picture of the main highway going through town. Not a car in sight in either direction as far as you can see.

I took advantage of the situation to take a few pictures. The Yoder Dutch Store is across from the Farmstead Inn. It’s a huge barn filled with shops on two levels. I always find something cute for the house there.
Behind them is part of the seemingly endless flat land that makes up the Flea Market. It starts Tuesday and will continue every Tuesday and Wednesday through October. I used to be able to walk the entire thing but no longer. My little feet just can’t take it.

Here’s one last look at Yoder’s Department Store and the front porch at Lolly’s Fabrics.

It’s always so hard packing up and saying goodbye to friends on Sunday morning. It will be 7 months before we are back together again. Thank goodness for email. I’ve concluded there aren’t words to fully describe Shipshewana and what it means to some of us. It’s so much more than the great food, beautiful fabric and scenery. I think it’s a way of life we all long for and are delighted to be part of even if only for a few days. It reminds us to take pause and give thanks for our blessings which are many and have patience in our trials. We are reminded of the value of friendships that cross the miles and the joy of making new friends.

There’s no rest for me. I still don’t feel the best and need to drive up to Traverse City tomorrow. The Midget Block for this week has been posted but it will might be the end of the week before I get all the monthly blocks posted. Not too worry, I’ll send out the usual reminder email.

Related Pages

• Shipshewana Amish
• Shipshewana Day 1
• Shipshewana Amish Quilt & Retreat Report
• Packing, Packing and More Packing
• Retreating in Shipshewana