YooHoo! Anybody still out there? Sorry for that little blog break and Thanks for all your awesome wedding picture comments (btw, in case I confused you, I didn’t take those photos — which is a darn good thing as I had a hard drive crash last week and don’t know yet whether my pictures can be recovered — but that’s a story for another day ;-) ) Also, I’ve had a few “where are you?” worried e-mails (you guys are so sweet!) so I thought I better pop in for a quick visit.
It’s been all play here in Thimbleannaland this last week with my aunt’s visit. We’ve been having a great time doing all the things that we love to do … quilting, shopping, knitting, baking and EATing! I’ve probably gained at least 5 pounds, but they’ve been worth it.
Our local quilt guild had a quilt show last weekend and my aunt and I went to a class there with Kim Diehl (which I’ll blog about later.) One of the vendors was a new shop called Caroline’s Cottage Cottons. Since we’d already planned to go to Shipshewana on Friday, we (MeMum, Auntie and I) decided to check out Caroline’s shop in Rome City, Indiana. It’s a darling little shop and I’m looking forward to seeing them grow.
A very big bonus (and surprise) for me was that Caroline’s was only about 3 miles from Gene Stratton Porter‘s home on Sylvan Lake. I LOVED reading Girl of the Limberlost and Freckles when I was a girl and I’ve always wanted to visit her home. The picture above is the grave site where Gene Stratton Porter and her daughter are buried. Have any of you read her books?
Here is a picture of her cabin. It looks out on Sylvan Lake and the setting is just stunning.
In addition to being an author, she was a naturalist and wildlife photographer. There were a few examples of her wildlife photography and I was amazed at the close-ups of butterflies and flowers that she was able to capture in the early 1900’s. They told us she spent hours and hours patiently waiting in the woods for the perfect photo.
She also had a sun room with many windows and a tiled floor. She used to open all the windows, throw birdseed all over the floor and sit among the visiting birds. Many of her books were made into movies and in the early 1920’s she moved to southern California for health reasons and to expand her film business. Sadly she died there in a car accident in 1924.
She had a beautiful garden and my pictures don’t even come close to doing it justice. Just to the left of the picture above was a long brick walkway covered by a wisteria arbor. Unfortunately my pictures were very dark, so you’ll have to use your imagination.
If you’re ever in Northern Indiana, or if you’re a Gene Stratton Porter fan, her “little” cabin in the woods/on the lake was well worth the visit. (Oh, and there was a picnic pavillion, so bring a picnic!)
More next time!
XOXO,
Anna
What a beautiful place to visit! Those flowers are beautiful, so simple yet stunning! I think we will see some of these on my next quilt! Thanks!
Wow, love the photos. Porter was one of my mother’s fav authors. Her favorite was the Girl of the Limberlost. I loved Her Father’s Daughter. I read it again a few years ago and was so surprised at the racism of the times.. I didn’t even remember that aspect at all. I’m glad things have changed so much since then. I don’t imagine that anyone would really ‘get it’ now. It was rather shocking. Love the photos, its so pretty there.
It does look beautiful there. And I understand about absenses. My husband was in the hospital in JAPAN for almost a week. My mind was elsewhere. He’s suppose to get home today. So I am stressing a bit less. It’s good to just sit a read a few blogs this morning. Thanks
Hi Anna – I’ve missed your blog posts! Glad you are back. Isn’t the Gene Stratton Porter place lovely! It’s really a hidden treasure. Did you see my aunt there, working in the gardens? She volunteers as a master gardener. I also loved meeting Carolyn at the quilt show (I wish her place was closer!) xoxo Junie
Hi Anna. Thanks for telling us about Cassie’s pincushion giveaway. Thanks to you I was the lucky winner. Glad to see you got a nice little gift too.
Christine
Hi Anna! Good to have you back! :) I hope you didn’t lose all of your pictures – that would be a shame. How was visit with Son #2? Good I’ll bet. Have a great 4th!
Hullo Anna, missed you and your adventures but looks like you were just away on assignment. Sounds like you had a good visit with your aunt. I finally finished the blocks on my son’s wedding quilt; thanks for sweet comments.
Hugs,
Susie
What a delightful setting that she lived in. Love it. Looks like you had a great time with your Aunt and Mom.
Looks like a great outing – so scenic!
Hello–I’ve been thinking about visiting the Porter site too, so I appreciate the beautiful pictures–they are encouraging me to visit soon! (Later this summer or maybe when the leaves change in the fall–I am on my one-month summer vacation in Minnesota right now.) And I will look for the new quilt shop in that area as well!
Hi Anna! I’m glad you had a lovely time with your Mum and Aunt. I love the house – such a stunning location and that little bird house is gorgeous!
I’m off to follow up your links now to find out more about it :)
xxx
What a great place! Looks very tranquil.
I can’t wait to hear about your class with Kim Diehl. I love her books!
I read Girl Of The Limberlost a long time ago and loved it. What a beautiful place!
Yes, I read most of the Gene Stratton Porter books when I was young. In fact, I think I still have a copy of Freckles around here somewhere. I’ll have to go dig it up now. What a lovely home! I loved the naturalist aspect to her books – that she (and her characters) found such amazing beauty in their surroundings, which could so easily have been considered ordinary and mundane to those who didn’t pause and look closely.
Hi Anna,
It is nice to see you back blogging- life does get busy sometimes- it looks like you have been having lots of fun- What a beautiful spot that you visited when you went to see Gene Stratton Porter’s house.
Yes I have read Girl of the Limberlost and Freckles. My grandmother had those books on her book shelf and I remember reading them when I was a young girl( that is awhile ago now). It is interesting that Porter place was on Sylvan Lake. My great grandmother lived in a little cabin ( one room cottage) in a placed called Sylvan Lake, Alberta. My mother adored her and would go to visit her there when she could. She died shortly before my parents were married so I have no personal memories of her.
Your son’s wedding pictures were fabulous- it sounds like you all had a wonderful time and have lots of great memories of the special day.
I am trying to get my niece’s wedding quilt made- I am about to begin row 7 of 11 so I am making progress.
What is your next project? I will look forward to seeing your cupcake project.
Thanks for sharing your photos of your visit to the land of the Limberlost.
Regards,
Anna
I’m glad you had a fun week. You deserve it. I can’t wait to see your table runners. Kim
Looks like hubby and I will have to take a field trip. I love going places like that. But I’ve not read those books.
Glad your back to bloggin. Missed you!!! Guess I’ll have to move next door so I can check up on you.
anna,
welcome back. again, we were forced to surf other blogs of far less-talented people. it was horrifying. we’re still in recovery. beautiful photos. thanks for sharing your escapade with us. i’ve not read those books yet, but perhaps i’ll grab one and add it to my library with the books i’m saving for unborn grandchildren!! along with their blankets that i’m making. yeah, i’m that crazy. embarrassing but true. it’s good to hear you had such a wonderful time with auntie and mum.
thanks for telling us about the giveaway. i sooo never win those things. apparently, blogger up above did though, so that’s cool.
have a happy 4th of july. i’ll be at donneyworld. my friend donney bought two waterslides when the manteca waterslides closed down and planted them on the hill on his property and they go into his pool! it’s true. we have all of our holiday parties there.
hope your weekend is wonderful.
c.
Oh what a fun trip! My kid’s all have to read A Girl of the Limberlost and Keeper of the Bees. I’m going to show them these pictures tomorrow! Glad you’re having fun and “playtime” with your aunt!
I love visiting the homes of authors, there is something about seeing what they saw and being inspired in your own way. As always beautiful pictures. Good to know all is well.
Hello Anna, thanks for the lovely photos. I’ve never heard of Gene Stratton Porter but I must find out more. What a wonderful place to sit and write, it’s idyllic. Happy 4th July to you
Kimx
Anna, I’m glad you’re back posting although I know that “real life” gets busy and full and knew you’d be back when there was time.
I am a HUGE fan of Gene Stratton-Porter. I’ve read almost all of those books listed in your photo and I would just love, love, love to one day go to her Cabin. Thank you for sharing all the little details about this place. Can you imagine lying in the grass with your long dress on (and how many layers underneath?) with mosquitoes and flies buzzing around you and hot sun beating down upon you as you wait patiently without moving for that perfect butterfly or bird
photo? And no Photo Shop to fix the light or fuzziness!
Thank you, thank you for this GSP post.
Jody
I do know who Kim Diehl is! You lucky girl, you. Can’t wait to hear all about the class. I love the beautiful home and garden of Gene Stratton- Porter and reading a bit about her life. I have read The Magic Garden, but knew nothing of the author. Thank you so much for this beautiful post!