Wonderful Winter Weekend

The view from Margo's living room

Friends are the family you choose. I'm not sure if I chose them or they chose me but I have a wonderful friend family! 

I just came back from the most wonderful weekend with 2 of my friends. They are supportive, kind, generous and truly amazing people. The 3 of us stayed at a B & B in Mayville, NY, owned by my newest friend family member, Margo Stuart. I was fortunate to meet Margo earlier this year when I was asked to teach at a quilt retreat in February. I am so lucky to own a little cottage not far from Margo's place but we close it up for the winter and it isn't big enough for more than one or two quilters to sew in at a time, so it has never been  an option for a quilt retreat. And I am so glad it isn't because I may have missed out on meeting Margo!

Ariel's Bed and Breakfast is a magical place to stay at any time of the year. Margo is an amazing cook with a wicked sense of humor and I love being around her. She is also a quilter, so we always have a lot to talk about. She is very well-traveled and has a million wonderful stories to tell so if you can get her to sit for more than a minute you are in for a treat!

I'm already looking forward to my next visit!

Here is a link to her website if you're planning a trip to Western New York and looking for a great place to stay:

http://arielsbb.com/

Not many things can drag me away from home at this time of the year but the reason I was in the area is that I was invited by Joy Reich, who owns Calico Patch Quilt Shop in North East, PA, to do a pattern signing on Sunday, December 8th, as part of North East's Sugar Plum Weekend. It was very well attended and I got to see some old friends and meet some people I've only known through Facebook. What a great time!

Officially Spoiled!

I am back home after one of the most wonderful weekends I have ever had. I got to spend this past weekend at Ariel's Bed and Breakfast in Mayville, NY, making new friends and teaching my special paper piecing techniques. There were 5 of us staying at the B & B and our wonderful hostess is a quilter, too, so the weekend was even more special than I thought it would be. Margo Stuart is an amazing cook, baker, and quilter, among other things, and has lived such an interesting life I really looked forward to the times she was able to take a break from taking care of us and just sit and talk.

This is the first time I have had any reason to go up to the Chautauqua Lake area in the winter time and I loved it! Unfortunately, I forgot my camera so I am waiting for one of my friends to send me some pictures to share here. I had to check on my own little cottage that is on Lake Erie while I was in the area and got to see the lake partially frozen. What a surrealistic view we had from the cliff overlooking the lake. It was so quiet and the landscape was completely motionless so that it felt like I was looking at a photo. It was eerily beautiful and I feel so lucky to have had the opportunity to see it.

If you are ever looking for a comfortable and cozy place to stay in the Chautauqua Lake area I highly recommend Ariel's Bed and Breakfast!