America is big and wide and I’ve seen a fair amount of it.
Before I gigged around as a quilter, I gigged around as a theater performer, and before that, I gigged around as a poet, if you can believe it. I’ve couch surfed in Massachusetts, I’ve lugged a duffel bag through California, I’ve been on stages in Maine and in all the major Texan cities (I think.) When you add in drive-throughs and personal, non-work travel experiences, it appears I’ve gotten on and off airplanes or in and out of cars in all the continental United States except Montana, Delaware, and West Virginnny. Oh, and Rhode Island. Always piping up to be counted, little Rhode Island.
SIDENOTE 1: May I remind readers residing in these last four (attractive, well-governed) states that I am available for booking and can be contacted via the booking form on this website? Wouldn’t it be fun to check these states off the list together? As for the Alaskans and the Hawaiians… Surely there is an over-achiever among you who would like to inaugurate me into the All Fifty States Traveler’s Club. You get me to where you are and you will be richly rewarded, bonus prizes for everyone if we can find a way to book Juno and Honolulu back to back. Think of the PaperGirl posts!
I write to you now from deep in the Florida Panhandle.
For the next couple days I’ll be working here, meeting and greeting and communing with quilters. The location itself is remote to be sure: the Pensacola airport is an hour away from the town where all this is taking place, and I was informed the dirt roads in the area were only recently paved with gravel. The simplicity of the area belies the commerce taking place within it, though; there’s a whole lot of sewin’ going on down here, and I’m looking forward to the action.
SIDENOTE 2: I am compelled to admit that until (very) recently, I never knew that the Florida Panhandle was named for the shape of the region. I knew it was geographical, the term, but I didn’t realize people were being so adorable about it. The stick part of the shape of the state of Florida looks like the handle on a pan! Could you die? No, you’re saying, I don’t want to die in or because of the Florida Panhandle. And you’re also saying, “You didn’t know that? But everyone knows that.” But that’s not true. There’s a lot everyone doesn’t know about the Florida Panhandle and a lot of other things.
II also hope to see an alligator from far away. I also hope to eat fried chicken. I am 80% confident at least one of these things will happen on this, my current American adventure.
Mary Lou Hutson
I attended the most fun wedding ever in a little town in the panhandle. Two law school classmates got married, the bride was from Quincy, FL. Totally charming town, wedding was amazing, and the band at the reception was The Drifters.
Michelle W
I lived in Pensacola for three years and loved it. The Gulf Coast has the clearest water and the white beaches are fantastic. The funny thing is that I also experienced snow one winter and have the pictures to prove it. All in all, the Panhandle is much more laid back.
Bethany Wise
As a former Over-The-Road truck driver, I’ve visited and loaded or unloaded something all 48 states. Around 2001, I adopted a 4 month old Rhodesian Ridgeback who became my truckin’ dog. She took to it immediately. Her claim to fame, although she rolls her eyes at me every time I tell it, is she has pooped in every state EXCEPT Rhode Island, no truck stops there :(. She’s also been in 3 Canadian Provinces, and had to carry special paperwork for her so they wouldn’t quarantine her at the border.
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