Wink and a Trip to Zoar ~ ~ ~

Oh, I am so lucky!  My friend Wink (aka Mary) and I go way back!  We met in 1972 in Madrid, Spain.  She was a graduate student, I was an undergrad.  We spent the summer studying and at the end of the quarter, we travelled through Spain and into France.  We visited the Eiffel Tower, but being poor college students, we could not afford the cost of going to the top.  Back in '72, "Europe on $5.00 a Day" was a very popular book.  We actually did it for much less, subsisting on tuna fish and bread.  To this day, I still don't like tuna fish from a can...lol! 

This little design (slightly modified) was a freebie from Blackbird Designs.  The ironic part is that Wink has redone a spare room and designated it the "Paris room".  I had no recollection of that, but the floss in this little cross stitch piece is the color of her bedspreads.  Kind of scary, no?  This was a fun little design to stitch.  I had forgotten how much I enjoyed counted cross stitch.  I simply turned back the raw edges and blind-stitched it.  It measures approximately 5 1/4" x 8" on 26 count linen, two over two.

About 25 years ago as a joke, I started her a salt and pepper collection.  Each time I see her and for her birthday and Christmas, she gets a new pair.  The criteria is that they be cheap and tacky.  These were cheap, but not as tacky as some that I have gotten her.  Generally the limit is $2 to $3, but one time I paid $6 or $7 for a pair of S & P's that were boobs.  She has gotten pairs of feet, outhouses, animals and many, many more.

As a special gift, she treated me to a night in Zoar, Ohio, at the most wonderful bed and breakfast, which I will share with you in my next post.

Zoar, Ohio, was founded by German religious dissenters in 1817.  The Separatists, or Zoarites, emigrated from Germany due to religious oppression from the Luthern Church.  They did not practice baptism or confirmation and did not celebrate religious holidays except the Sabbath.  It was a communal society.  It is now part of the Zoar Village State Memorial.

Most of the buildings in Zoar were not yet open for the season.  It was a dreary rainy day, but I managed to take a few pictures.

This is the Zoar Hotel.  I believe it is not currently being used.

This is the Number One House, built in 1835.

There are several log cabin dwellings in the historic area.  I believe this is the chandlery.

One of the many bed and breakfasts.

If you are ever in north eastern Ohio, a stop in Zoar is a must.  There are several antique shops in town, and in August, there is a very high end antique show.  The Zoar Store will open April 1 and will be selling quality made in America items.  It is very near Ohio's Amish country where many more antique shops, malls, and stores carrying Amish goods can be found.

Wink also gave me this wonderful With thy Needle and Thread punch needle pattern. 

I am so lucky and truly blessed to have had such a wonderful friendship for so many decades!

My next post will highlight the Cobbler Shop Bed and Breakfast.

OH!  I sold my Rigby wool cutter so I am hoping to buy the dry sink.  The antique shop won't be open until Thursday so I will call them then.  I hope it's still there ;-)

Thank you for stopping by.

Pug hugs :)

Lauren