ROAD TRIPPIN'

This post recounts a planned trip and an unexpected one–both delightful.

Unexpectedly, on Sunday Kelly suggested that we drive to the Tall Grass Prairie Preserve which, taking the route we did, is about 85 miles from here. We traveled by way of Bartlesville where we stopped for lunch at the greasy spoon landmark of Murphy’s Steak House. The Prairie Preserve is reached by way of 7-10 miles of gravel road through ranch land and fields of nodding oil well pump jacks. We drove all through the Preserve and enjoyed the day but did not see a single buffalo. On the way out, however, we found the entire heard lumbering along the road and stopping our progress as one or the other of the animals determined that the grass on the other side of the road looked more tasty–this time of year not much at all is green, least of all the native tall grasses. Since the animals were so close, I could not safely get out of the car to take photos. So, the photos I did take are pretty boring and of poor quality since they are blurred from the car vibration and were mostly taken facing the sun. I’ll share these, though.

On the way back through Bartlesville, we stopped to look at the art exhibit at the Price Tower,

a Frank Lloyd Wright building. Lucky us–it was a free admission Sunday. Along the way, we took a detour to the Osage State Park, an area we had not previously visited. It has a great campground we plan to visit later this year.

On Monday was the planned trip. Why little ol’ Lawrence, Kansas should hold such delights is a mystery. As such, I do not have to understand it know it is true and revel in it. The trip started out as a trek of knitters to the Yarn Barn, that mecca of weaving, spinning and knitting wonders. Since I dabble in all three of those vices the Yarn Barn is, for me, a place of grave temptation. I succumbed, but avoided purchasing with reckless abandon by preparing sample cards with various yarns I have on hand. So, I was able (I hope) only to buy what I can (will?) really use.

I got several colors of dye to use on some bamboo I already have. And since the yarn I thought would be great for placemats for my mother was not, I got this cotton that will surely work.

My new inkle loom is pitifully bare, but soon to be dressed with some combination of these threads which happen to be the colors of my alma mater, The University of Tulsa.

I’m thinking these bamboos will work with some I have already spun and will spin with the yet-to-be-dyed bit.

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Were the Yarn Barn the only attraction, the trip would have been a howling success, but wait . . . there’s more . . .

Just across the street is a fabric shop–Sarah’s Fabrics. I had noticed it on previous trips but had not gone in because although I do sew, I do not quilt and I thought the shop a typical quilt shop. Such shops are nice, but not very interesting to me. My companions, Kathy and Sue, are quilters so we ventured in. Well, my vocabulary of superlatives and similes fails me. Sarah’s must have bolts of absolutely every gorgeous cotton fabric ever made. In addition, she has nice wools and linens to interest the garment sewer in me.

Were Sarah’s Fabrics the only attraction, the day would have been a howling success, but wait . . . there’s more . . .

Next on the agenda was Footprints, a shoe store of some note that carries closeouts of Birkenstocks, Chacos, and Dansko clogs, the three brands that comprise the entirety of my shoe wardrobe. We three limited ourselves to a total of six pair between us.

Were Footprints the only attraction–you know the rest . . .

In fact, we had lunch at the Mad Greek, dinner at Jason’s Deli, stopped at a liquor store to buy beer not available in Tulsa, and shopped at the World Market too. After being held up by a train parked on the tracks in Coffeyville, Kansas for half an hour, we arrived home just before midnight.

The sole disappointment of the trip was that Old World Pottery, a shop that sells Polish Pottery and which was having a 30% off sale, was not open on Monday, thus proving that you can’t have it all–I think I’ve come close lately.