Highland Line No. 44

Don, Gianfranco, David, and the lovely Flora after Donald's Birthday Luncheon in Ischia, Italy

It's summertime! What have you planned? Sightseeing in a national park? Trips to the lake? Visits from or to friends and relatives? Given what air fares are and the ratio of the dollar to the pound, we feel fortunate indeed to have so many of you coming to see us this summer and really look forward to showing you our part of the world.

The month of May for us was dominated by our 9-day trip to Italy starting on 8th May, where we spent most of our time on Ischia, a lovely island off the coast of Naples. We did get the briefest of introductions to Naples and Rome but our objective was to relax with friends in the village of Buonopane on Ischia. If you scroll down to blogs for the 28th through 31st, you will see photos and be able to read descriptions of things we saw and did, what we ate, and with whom.

It just so happened that we were there for Don's birthday on the 13th. We celebrated with our hosts, Gianfranco Balestriere and David Hendrickson, by taking the bus in to the resort of Ischia Ponte for lunch. We ate on the terrace at Coco's Restaurant right on the Mediterranean. The views were spectacular—boats out on the blue sea, Castle Aragonese at the end of the causeway (our restaurant was at the other end), and the island of Ischia rising green behind us. Our waiter, Benedicto, happened to be an acquaintance of Gianfranco's (who never meets a stranger). We were joined by Gianfranco's cousin Antonio, his cousin's wife Nicolina, and their aptly named daughter Flora (10½).

Gianfranco seems to know or be related to everyone on the island! It was a most festive occasion with lots of fresh seafood, veg, and even seaweed fritters—all beautifully prepared and presented. Of course there was plenty of wine and mineral water. We toasted Don's birthday and our hosts' generosity. Benedicto was a superb waiter and was most entertaining. He made jokes and played tricks on us throughout the meal. It hadn't been planned that there would be a "clown" entertaining the guests at Don's birthday party, but it turned out that way much to the amusement of the birthday boy and the rest of us as well. Benedicto (standing), Gianfranco, and Cousin Antonio

If you check the blog in the next few days, I'll be posting photos and writing about the highly scenic resort village of Sant Angelo on Ischia, our introduction to Naples, and the overnight we spent in Rome before flying home on Wednesday, 16th May. Don says he doesn't know when he had a holiday where he relaxed more. It was one of the best ever—and we can't wait to go back.

Almost from the moment we arrived back in Comrie, we began preparing to go away again, this time for just one day for Don and two days for me. Friday the 18th was the day we and other quilters from Comrie would see the Loch Lomond Quilt Show and Saturday was the day I was taking a day-long workshop in Glasgow. So on Thursday I washed our clothes from the Italy trip, packed an overnight bag for my Friday night in Glasgow, and gathered my quilting things for the workshop I was signed up for on Saturday. Thursday evening, we met Helen and Gordon Rae for supper at the Royal Hotel to give them a send-off on their holiday to Spain the next day. It was good not to have to fuss with grocery shopping and food preparation with all else that had to be done that day.

The Loch Lomond Quilt Show was the best one yet. This is a new effort of three quilters in Dumbarton, outside of Glasgow, to establish the first—and only--major yearly quilt show in Scotland. They have done a marvelous job and this year, exceeded their previous successes.

Rather than have the show in one huge venue, they stage it in 10 smaller venues all over Dumbarton which is near Loch Lomond (hence the name). Some venues are near enough to one another that it is an easy walk between them. For the more far-flung venues, there are shuttles. We have always driven ourselves and have had little or no trouble finding venues or parking. Don rode home Friday afternoon with the Comrie quilters and left me with the car so that I could get myself to the workshop on Saturday and then home again. I spent the night with Syd and Lorna Peedle, the owners of Comrie Cottage, where we used to do self-catering when we first started going to Comrie as tourists back in the mid-90s and with whom we socialize every so often.

The Sandra Meech workshop on design and techniques for art quilts was most informative and helpful as well as enjoyable. We got lots of hands-on work as well as theory and much encouragement to push forward with our work. Sandra Meech is someone I've wanted to work with for years as I've admired her quilts and her particular style. It was a worthwhile workshop to take but, believe me, I was really happy to pull into our driveway at 7 that night and even happier to have absolutely nothing to do on Sunday!


We both got back into the swing of things on Monday, Don literally swinging a golf club nearly every day since and I getting my studio put back in order for a lesson with the woman I tutor several times a month. I also had to clear the decks for a commission quilt I'm working on for a friend (a small nap quilt for her grandson).

While we're on the subject of quilts, I have had a couple of my Scottish pictorial quilts in an art show at the Town Hall in Crieff all this week. I went to the opening last Saturday afternoon and was impressed with the artwork on display, mostly paintings by people who take classes in Crieff as part of their 50+ club for retirees. (It is under the auspices of this umbrella organization that the writers' group I belong to operates and it will sponsor a new quilting group that will begin meeting on June 12th. They have asked if I would be willing to teach workshops for this group in the future once they are established and have some funds in their kitty. Of course I said yes.)

Tonight we go to an end-of-season buffet supper hosted by the president of the Strathearn Music Society as a thank-you to the committee members for their hard work during the last season. You may recall that Don went on the committee last year. He is in charge of promotion and publicity.

Whatever you have planned for the summer, we hope you enjoy it. Thank you for keeping in touch. You know we love hearing from you, even if we don't write back immediately.

Be well. See some of you soon.

Love,

Lynn and Don