It was a busy week.

Our church had their annual parish picnic on Sunday.

On Thursday we helped roast 1100 pounds of beef . . . for 11 hours, we worked off and on at church.

Friday we weren't able to help, due to previous commitments. However before we left Thursday evening, we had the roasting pans ready to do another 500 pounds of beef the next day.

Groceries were delivered.

The shiny new stoves were ready to roast the beef.

There were groceries every where. When you serve 3000 plus people it takes lots of food.

We left town early Friday morning for Hamilton, Missouri. 

We were there for a BAM meeting and would be staying with our good friends Phil and Margie.

After a quick lunch with them, the guys headed to the blacksmith shop, and Marge and I went to town. 

There she would show me all the new shops that Missouri Star Quilt Company had opened. We first drove by their new huge warehouse. 

After stopping in  their original store, we stopped in their new retreat building. 

The bedrooms all feature beautiful quilts (with the pattern attached) adorning the walls. Like me, you may wonder why not on the beds. Well, health rules call for the quilts to be laundered after each guest. So instead of washing the quilts to pieces, they use duvet covers in all white and feature the quilts on the walls. The rooms have many combinations of beds, from multiple twins, doubles, or a combination. Rooms sleep anywhere from 2-5. 

Each room has it's own sink with many individual bathrooms at the end of the hall.

This was fun to figure out how the black block was pieced. Once you see it up close, it's pretty easy. Piece a 7 or 8 inch block and add a triangle in black to the corner!

I loved this scrappy quilt. I'm sure it was made from a jelly roll or charm pack.

This is a view of the working area on the first floor. I must say it was well lighted. Guests are welcome to use the kitchen there too. 

This is their "solids" store. It is the refurbished J. C. Penney store. Did you know that 
J. C. Penney lived in Hamilton?

It's hard to imagine that many solid colors! I did not get pictures of the other shops which included a civil war fabric store, seasonal fabric store, and soon to open the Batik store. They are also remodeling a building for their new restaurant, Blue Sage. 

After visiting all 5 shops, we stopped for an ice cream. My choice was coffee, Margie had cherry.

Saturday was the BAM (Blacksmith Association of Missouri) meeting, 87 were present!  It's always great to visit with everyone. To read more about the day check it out here. 

Life is Good!