Oh, we had a great time!  Baby Soldier chose TWO rings.  One is sort of a signet style, I suppose you would call it, with a Lion Rampant.  The other is a very nice celtic knot sort of a thing.  (Do I sound like I know what I'm talking about?

I was BODILY DRAGGED from Treadle & Co. by the boyz, but not before I got a couple of patterns by The Pattern Basket, and one by All Through the Night. I slipped their grip just before the exit door, and managed to snatch up some fabric scraps as well. Both of these patterns are designed by Canadian Margot Languedoc: "Country Charm Table Runner"  uses charm squares. "Sweet Little Blossoms" is a brand new pattern, and uses either a "Layer Cake" or a "Jelly Roll".  Go ahead and visit both of the websites for The Pattern Basket and All Through the Night to check out the patterns, and download free patterns.  The third image is "One's Done, Another's Begun" designed by Bonnie Sullivan- I guess the idea is, that you'll piece the second quilt from the leftovers of the first quilt.  It sounded like an interesting concept, so I picked it up for further consideration. 

Then we went to the Stone Crock for Lunch. Groaning as we left the restaurant, we somehow got our bloated bodies to the Riverworks Building. In addition to the Scottish Store was a shop called The Riverworks Book Market.  I love books.  I never get to read them, but I couldn't resist choosing a bag full to add to my collection of "Someday I'd Like to Read This" shelf.  I picked a biography, and a book about literature.  One "quilty" book that caught my eye was "Welcome to Happy Valley: Quilts, Recipes, and Small-Town Tales" by Nan Slaughter.  The drawings are so sweet, and inside we get to "meet" the Happy Valley Quilt Guild, discover their individual personalities, learn how to make their favourite quilts, and taste their favourite recipes!  I'll quote from Page 1:

" Welcome to Happy Valley -- where the skies are always blue, with maybe just a cloud or two -- and apple-cheeked children play outside every day with chickens, puppies, and re wagons with wooden sides.  Driving down main Street, you're apt to see a quilt or two hung out over a fence to dry or a clothesline dangling "Flying Geese" next to a pair of Granddaddy's long johns!"

Okay....so if she's talking about underwear on page one?  I'm so totally SOLD!!!

I did a little internet search for Ms. Slaughter, and found her blog Pots & Pins.  It looks like a fun blog to me.

After leaving St. Jacobs, Baby Soldier saw a sign pointing the direction to Castle Kilbride in Baden, and asked if we could go see it.  Of course....that's what Adventure Days are all about!  We requested a guided tour and a nice girl named Naomi soon joined us.  There are several very fine examples of "trompe l'oeil" inside, and the march up steep, narrow stairs to the belvedere was a little dizzying, but not to be missed.  OH!!! and we each were charged "student" rate admission   In the basement was a collection of artifacts that had been dug up during excavation.  I must say, however,  Tillsonburg's Annandale House is a much better example of Victorian architecture, and is also a National Historic Site. (Click on the link for the neatest tour!)

Next, we went to Stratford and had a poke around.  Wouldn't you know we'd walk right past a store called "Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory"?  We drooled over the glass cases of fudges and truffles, and settled on an ice cream cone each.

It was a lonely drive home though....the boys both soon nodded off.  When asked what part they enjoyed best, they agreed it was dragging me out of the quilt shop kicking a screaming!