I arrived in Ohio on Friday Evening....travel was uneventful...just how I like it! Saturday morning I drove around my new environment...key word here...I DROVE! Ah....the freedom of the road! I can not believe how excited I get over seeing simple familiar things. Like...right across the street from my hotel is a Sam's Club, Joann's Fabrics, Olive Garden, Best Buy, Target, and even...dare I say...Wal-Mart. I had breakfast Saturday morning at the Cracker Barrel (a blast from our Virginia days) and lunch on Sunday at Steak n Shake (a blast from my junior high days in Indiana). On Sunday I drove to the Easton Mall. You name it...they had it. Easton Mall is the largest mall in the state of Ohio. It is beautifully designed very much like BridgePort in Portland only they actually had easy parking and it was about 3 times larger. And...surrounding the main mall area are all the chain stores like TJ Max, another Joann's Fabric, Old Navy...etc. AND...Trader Joes!!! Of course I had to stop in and buy orange sticks, honey sesame cashews, and some fresh tulips to brighten up my hotel room. I told the cashier that my son also works at Trader Joes...not sure she really cared.... but it felt like I was somehow "close" to him just shopping there.

Sunday evening was "set up" time at the workshop. The workshop is in an 1849 wood frame barn in rural Ohio. Oh my gosh...the drive to the Barn was wonderful. I am a sucker for old barns and old Churches and I saw many many many on my way to the Crow Frame Barn.

Classes started on Monday morning so I took the opportunity to take these photos on my way to class.

Hah! What a change from Shanghai. Did you know they have air in Ohio!