I had an awesome, busy birthday week: lunch with my sister-in-law, lunch with the Great Hunter and a three-day bus trip with ladies from my quilt guild to Missouri Star Quilt Company in Hamilton, Missouri, with side trips to Jamesport, Macon and Hannibal.

For my actual birthday, the Great Hunter and I went to Pierre Marquette Lodge in Grafton for lunch. It was where we’d spent our wedding night almost twenty-nine years ago. It’s been a couple of years since we’ve been there, but we’ve always enjoyed it. It sits right on the bank of the Illinois River, which dumps into, or changes into (I don’t know which is correct), the Mississippi River a couple of miles east of Pierre Marquette in Grafton.

We took the Grafton Ferry, which is a shortcut from our previous trips to Grafton, which had to be taken via the Golden Eagle Ferry and then the Brussels Ferry. The City of Grafton bought the Grafton Ferry earlier this year and operates it year-round on a set schedule. This ferry (which in the past was a “hit or miss” proposition) cuts about 30 minutes off the drive from St. Charles to Grafton via the other ferries, but it does cut out all the beautiful, scenic farmland.

Forty-six ladies from my quilt guild left O’Fallon Thursday morning enroute to Hamilton, Misouri, the home of Missouri Star Quilt Company in a luxury 60-seater bus. I got lucky since I was travelling alone and ended up with a double seat all to myself. (There are perks to being solo.)

Missouri Star’s website describes their endeavor:

We’ve also created the ultimate quilter’s experience that many call the “Disneyland of Quilting” right here in Hamilton. Our darling little town now attracts visitors from across the globe. Heck, we just had a bus full of quilters from Australia pull into town who were absolutely delightful! With 12 quilt shops right on main street—each featuring a different fabric theme—you’re guaranteed to find quilt fabric you’ll fall in love with! We even have a spacious Sewing Center for quilting retreats, great restaurants, the world’s biggest spool of thread, and a place called “Man’s Land” full of comfy reclining chairs and TVs, where weary folks can stop in and take a break from shopping (and even play a round of pool!). Hamilton, Missouri, (aka Quilt Town, USA) is a must-see destination for any quilter and I can’t believe I live in such an incredible place!

We travelled north up Highway 64 to Hannibal and then west on Highway 36. When you live in a suburban area, you forget there are vast amounts of farmland still left that haven’t been taken up by sprawling subdivisions and enormous apartment complexes. Northern Missouri is just hundreds of miles of farmland dotted with smaller towns, nothing like St. Louis or Columbia or Kansas City.

We made it to Hamilton around noon and shopped all afternoon. I was one of five lucky passengers who won a $50 gift card to spend at any (or all) of the stores owned by Missouri Star and then it was on to our hotel in Chillicothe.

Friday, a young lady who had been raised Amish but was now a part of the Mennonite community, acted as our tour guide. We visited an Amish home and toured some Amish sites in the area of Jamesport, all the while she told us about life within the Amish community.

Saturday morning we stopped at a large Ben Franklin store in Macon, Missouri for some more shopping and then it was onto Hannibal, our last stop.

We left Hannibal a little earlier than was scheduled. I think everyone was shopped out and done with the heat. (The heat index in Hannibal was 101 ° ). We were back home in O’Fallon around 4:00 p.m. and I think the Great Hunter was glad to see me.

And I’m so blessed that the Lord has granted me another healthy year around the sun and I pray that He continues to bless me and the Great Hunter (and all my loved ones,)