Mom and I pulled out of Mount Vernon, Illinois pretty early on Sunday morning. She’s a real road warrior, this one…
I kept telling her I didn’t mind driving if she needed a break, but she assured me she was fine, so I just rode shotgun and snapped pics as we drove up through Missouri and Iowa that day.
We stopped at Apple Tree Antiques along the way…
What a pretty little place that was…
They had some gorgeous pumpkins on display outside, too…
And pots of mums so big you could barely pick ’em up!
My Mom was born in Iowa City, Iowa- so, of course, we had to pull over and snap this picture, too…
And speaking of posing with road signs, I took this one of her before we left the hotel that morning, too…
Told ya she was a road warrior.
PS- We made it to my Aunt and Uncle’s house in Minnesota safe and sound, and I can’t wait to share my Aunt Chriss’ favorite pumpkin latte cake recipe with you tomorrow…YUM!
Oh yeah this was fun, what better way to spend lunch at work than going through Iowa? There is no better way.. So glad you stopped off at that, oh so cute antique store.. They had a boat load of cute things.. Glad Mom didn’t hurt herself picking up the mums.. So happy you two arrived safe and sound, enjoy the visiting that must be taking place.. Woot!!
Hi Rhonda!
We are having a nice visit- thank you! The weather is so pleasant, and I look forward to putting on my favorite boots again later tonight! 😀
Thank you for leaving such a kind comment, and I hope you have a wonderful week!
P.S. If I had a barn I would hang art on it too, how cute is that?
SO cute!!! We passed several of them and I had to resist not asking Mom to pull over for every one! 😀
Ah, yes, the barn quilts! 🙂 It’s a project that several counties here in Iowa take part in …. and they even have a website: http://bqofgrundyco.wordpress.com/ . Hope you had fun driving through my home state! 😀 (We live in Cedar Falls, just 90 minutes northeast of Iowa City)
I grew up in southern Minnesota. My parents still live there and I enjoy going back to visit many times a year, but fall is certainly the prettiest, unless of course you enjoy snow, then winter is pretty as well.
I grew up in Southern Minnesota, too! I was born in Mankato…where are you from?
Hanska is the closest town to my parent’s farm. It is located about 40 miles southwest of Mankato. Mankato is where we always went to do our “big” shopping trips. I went to college at Gustavus Adolphus in St. Peter, MN where I met my sweet hubby. We now live in Dallas, TX, but we go back to MN often to see friends and family.
LOVE all the pictures you are taking on your road trip, and I am getting all sorts of inspirations since I started following your blog. Have a blast with your mom!
My daughter attends Winona State; however we live in Wisconsin (on the flatter side). I love the drive when we go visit, it is such a beautiful area, especially along the Mississippi. Maybe we can retire within the rolling hills.
I live in KY and almost every barn around here has the cute quilt block art on them…LOVE it! Looks like you guys are having a blast! Can’t wait for the recipe from your aunt Chris…always open to new CAKE recipes! (who isn’t right?! Can I get an amen?!)
Love ya Lay!
Have fun
missy
As a proud Iowan, I’m happy you and your mom had fun passing through our state! [And your mama gets double points for being a native Hawkeye – love that Black & Gold! 🙂 ]
Cheers!
Emily
you are in my stompin’ grounds! I live outside of St. Louis in Southern IL! Enjoy your trip. I *heart* road trips. 🙂
welcome home girlie! maybe we’ll bump into each other while you’re here! So glad your travels were smooth & had some fun along the way! Can’t wait to hear about your MN adventures!
What a fun trip that must be. I’m so jealous, lol.
We grew up in Illinois and we’ve junked up and down the state. We always ended up with a truck load of great stuff. I miss the antique malls up there and need to get back some day.
Have fun!
Melody
Fellow Iowan, here! Glad you had nice weather for your trip through to Minnesota. Speaking of great barn quilts, Grundy County in Iowa is FULL of them! So great seeing proud farm and achorage owners showing off their fabulous barns that way!
kim in iowa…what part? I live near The Mill in Grundy County…it’s also the welcome center for grundy county and the barn quilt project!
I’m in Cedar Falls, not far from you!
I love it when you come through Iowa! 🙂 Makes me want to jump in the car and find you so I can wave at you as you drive by. 🙂
Love the pic’s of you and your mom. I love that your Ma’ is rockin a Beatles shirt:) Love the barn shots. Stop by my blog sometime, I am having a month of fall photos that I have been snapping away at Barns, chippy paint, trees and nature. Got to love fall. Have safe and happy travels.
I so love your blog and have enjoyed stopping in several times to catch up to see your latest and greatest. This time it was especially a treat to see that you are venturing to our stomping grounds in Minnesota. I was even more suprised (SHOCKED) to see you visited Apple Tree Antiques just outside of Donnellson…my hometown! Thank you for sharing one of the little treasures form Donnellson with all of your readers. I love going home to Donnellson…it’s a small town that lives in a big way. 🙂 Enjoy your trip!
OMG, would you please please please go back to Apple Tree Antiques and get me that adorable flowered crock, and the beautiful blue and white bowl sitting in front of it?? (They’re in photo #7.) I promise I’ll never ask another favor of you. :))
It’s such fun reading about your Road Trip with Mom. One of the things I miss most since my mom died is our trips. We traveled frequently after my dad died and had the *best* times together. I love seeing other daughters and moms taking delight in each other’s company. Hooray for you and Mom!!
I’m drooling over that milk bottle collection pic!
I see that you were born in Mankato. Me too!!! I live in Le Sueur now. Are you near here visiting?
I enjoyed your photos of the barns & the painted barn quilts! There are barn quilt trails all over Iowa & can be found via GOOGLE. Barn quilts aer an unexpected treasure to find along your travels in the midwest & other states.
There’s even a blog I follow, http://americanquilttrail.blogspot.com/. Check it out, the photography is spectacular!
♥’s
Sherry
Gotta love Mom!
Layla,
What fun to travel with your mom. Looks like you all are having a great time.
Many barns in my area have *barn quilts*…each a different quilt pattern. Love riding and lookin at all of them.
I am going to school at University of Iowa in Iowa City right now. It is so cool that you were near here! Have fun on your road trip!
You had to have almost passed by our farm and WE have a barn quilt too! You can see it from highway 20. Had I known you were coming by I would have loved to serve you up a latte made with love from my newly remodeled kitchen! I would have also loved to get your input on our barn and what I’d like to do with it….monthly barn sales featuring homemade, vintage and found items.
Next time you’re heading by, stop in and say HI!
Natalie
You and your mom look like you are having a great time together and what lovely things to look at along the way! Thanks for sharing with those of us who never never made it to those areas.
I enjoyed the delightful pictures . What a lovely stop too at the Apple Tree Antiques.
How cool your mom has Iowa ties. I live in Ames but am originally from eastern Iowa. I’m very familiar with the Iowa City area. There’s some great antiquing in Iowa. Have a safe trip home!
Nancy
WOW! A mum that’s almost as big as your mom!! Nice. lol
I can see your mom enjoys being with you! I would love a trip with my two daughters! I’m in Rochester, MN — you are welcome to visit my cottage for a break, a snack, or photos of our chickens! 😉
What day were you at Apple Tree Antiques? I was just there on Wednesday, Oct. 5. Definitely a pretty place to look around. Love reading your blog and following your adventures.
Love your blog. I about flipped when i saw mt. vernon, il. i used to live there…are you from mv? i live in florida now, but sure do miss southern illinois in the fall. loved the pics too!
You were in my neck of the woods today! How exciting.
Go Hawks!
~Another Iowa reader loving today’s post!
I know that road sign cluster! I’m in Mt Vernon quite often as my family is from So IL. Happy Trails!
time with mama is sooo precious! these posts make me miss my mom and she’s only 45 minutes away! it looks like you two are having a blast! enjoy! 🙂
Layla you need to help my parent finish their addition/house remodel that they started 8 years ago when a tree crashed through the old porch. They live N of Wells near Matawan, so close to where you are now visiting family. Mom has been going to a lot of the local auctions picking up stuff but a lot of it just ends up being “stored” because she doesn’t know how to put it all together. I hope you are having a great fmaily visit, but if you could squeeze it in 🙂
Mt. Vernon, Illinois caught my eye.. I live 30 miles from there!!
Now that my mom is 82, she’s not really up to the trips anymore, but we sure had fun when she was in her 60s and 70s. Enjoy your time with her. It’s precious.
(oh, and my mom is from Mankato!)
Your pictures are all so beautiful and bright, such a delight to look at. I would love to take pictures like that. Have a wonderful time with your family, my mother is so far away I only get to see her very often.
Snatch up that quilt for me, I have been looking for some yellow, can’t seem to find much in the fabric stores. (I only pretend I can sew.)
Lovely!
Heading to Iowa for a couple of nights this week and skipping across the river to the lovely Galena area. Can’t wait to go cruising through all the shops.
A road trip with my mom…I cant imagine anything more fun!! Have a wonderful time Layla! I am blessed with an amazing mom as well, and I think we’re gonna have to do an antiquing road trip… enjoy every second!!! (ps. I went into Queen of Hearts in Buford last weekend…thought about you :0) )
Beautiful….enjoy this time with your mother. Treasure it. Most importantly….have a ball ya’ll!
Yeah for Iowa City! That’s where I was born and raised! Didn’t now you were from the Midwest! 🙂
did you capture that barn image while the car was moving or did you ask your mom to stop? LOVE that photo!
Hey, girl! Glad you are getting some fun time with your mom. I’m sure y’all are having a blast. Perfect time of year for a road trip. Enjoy. xoxo
I was wondering if you could post some more info about the way your aunt and uncle power their house. I would love to learn more. Thanks.
ABSOLUTELY LOVE YOUR BLOG, FACEBOOK PAGE, PHOTOS, PROJECTS, EVERYTHING!! CAN’T WAIT TO SEE YOU ON HGTV!
Hi Nancy!
Here’s a website you should check out: http://www.xzeres.com/
That’s where my uncle and aunt bought their turbine!
Thanks for your sweet comment, too! 😀
Love the quilt barn pictures. I’m write Chirstian romance novels with quilt related themes. “Grow Old With Me” is the first in my series. The next, I’m plotting now, will feature a quilt barn painter as the main character.
Check out my website for many quilt trail pics. Finding them and photographing them is a hobby my husband enjoys. Your road trip is right up my alley.
Hrmmm somehow I knew Iowa was going to be on your map. 😉 And another gorgeous day it was!!! So rare for us.
You should have kept going to Mt. Pleasant IA. Best little town in the world – and I don’t even live there!
We ate lunch in Mt. Pleasant! 😀
I’ve just started reading your blog and I LOVE it…..I have to tell you, I love the barn pictures! Thanks for sharing!
Fun! my husband and I went to college in Iowa City (Univ. of Iowa).
HEY, you were within 25min. of our home☺
Hi Layla.
I was looking at your pics with your mom on your road trip.
I can not believe how much you look like your beautiful mom.
You have the same expression in pictures, the same tilt the way you both stand and pose and the same twinkle in your eyes.
When your mom was standing with the road signs and driving in the car, you looked identical.
I love seeing that in mothers and daughters. It is so hard to se it ourselves, that I love when people say that about my Meg and me.
You are both stunning and extremely happy, fun loving woman.
Have a fabuloso trip.
So cool…you were in Mt. Vernon! I live in Mt. Vernon and I pass the road sigh cluster all of the time… never once have I thought of taking a pic of it! I will be heading out there soon to remedy that:) I hope you and your mother enjoyed your stay in our town!