WIP Wed., Organic Chemistry Quilt, and vacation

Over the last 2 weeks, our family drove from Eastern Oregon to Chicago and back, mainly to see family and friends, but we also took in many of our country's natural beauties along the way.  We tried to stay off the interstates, and camped all but 2 nights (or stayed in family or friends' homes).  We covered almost 5000 miles, and were in our truck almost 90 hours!  I'm afraid my pictures weren't that great, especially since we got a lot of rain on our trip, and since many of the pictures were taken from a truck moving 55-70 mph.  Here's our favorite camping spot that we found on our trip... It's just outside the Soldier Creek Wilderness Area, in NW Nebraska.  I joked that we had a million dollar view for only $8.  We had the small campground all to ourselves, if you don't count the multitude of birds.  Some of our favorite spots, other than the homes of our loved ones, were City of Rocks Rec Area in Southern Idaho, NW Wyoming, LaCrosse, WI and surrounding areas, Lake Superior and the NE corner of Minnesota, and the mountains of Western Montana and Northern Idaho.

Another view of our view...

Lake Superior.

 Mountains of Montana.

 We also had the unfortunate opportunity to drive through Minot, ND the day after the town had been evacuated due to flooding.  It was devastating to see so many houses already underwater, and to see the desperation of those trying to save what was left.  We tried to avoid the area, but all US roads to the north were closed.  We saw a tremendous amount of flooding, in North Dakota, but also in Eastern Montana and Southern Minnesota.  So so sad!

Today is also Wednesday, so I though I'd link up with Freshly Pieced Blog's WIL WED and share my progress on my "molecule", or "Organic Chemistry" Quilt.  I was hoping to get it done in time to enter into the Modern Quilt Guild contest, but am not holding my breath.  I've all but come to the conclusion, after trying to enter 3 of these contests, that 3 months just isn't enough time for me to create an original quilt and make it.  This quilt has taken more time than just about any quilt I've made, mostly because I have hand embroidered so much of it.  I did most of it in our truck on the road, and only have 1 or 2 blocks left, so there's still hope, but another problem with it is that it's not going to photograph very well.  But here's a picture of my "Estrogen" molecule, and a detail.  I hope to have a finished quilt, or at least quilt top to show soon!  With the weather getting hot, my time on my sewing machine is becoming limited...

I hope all of you are having a great summer so far!!