Alma Sue's Quilt Shop

Yesterday we went to breakfast at Yoder's in Sarasota, an Amish restaurant.  We have been three times now for the generous helpings of delicious homemade food.  We sat at a table under this wall quilt...one of the first quilty things I have seen in Florida.

As we went around the block after breakfast, look what I found!

This area of Sarasota, called Pinecraft, has had an Amish community since the 1920's when a group came down to work in the celery farms.  I was expecting some cute little ready-made Amish things inside...but was surprised to find a regular quilt shop.

I just had to purchase a little souvenir fat quarter pack to remind me of Florida.

Not that I have seen any sea turtles or starfish here.  Sand dollars are another story.  You can scoop up dozens of them on the sandbars of Sanibel Island.

I also picked up a cute baby panel.

The quilt shop is not all that Amish...there were not one, but two, long arm quilting machines inside...and a sales clerk with both arms heavily tattooed!

When we left the shop, we saw an elderly Amish woman riding a recumbent tricycle!  Very cute.

We went back to Lido Key for a couple hours.  We were surprised to see a manatee swimming by in shallow water!  No picture, unfortunately.  These guys were more cooperative.

I spotted an iguana sunning himself next to the lake at my brother's house when we got home.  That is something we do not see in Raleigh or at our mountain pond!

When I approached him to get a better picture, he did a belly buster into the lake, and swam across to sun himself on a rock on the other side.

Enjoy your weekend!