Field trip to Champaign-Urbana, Chicago, and Kearney

Allen and I went to visit Allen's son Arthur and his girlfriend Haley in Champaign-Urbana.  We had a lot of great food while visiting. Haley's dad made some awesome smoked ribs, and we also went to some great restaurants.

One day we went to Chicago.  The sun was shining but it was awfully cold. We swung by the "bean", then headed to The Art Institute of Chicago.

 

They have a great impressionist area.  I am working on a project with waterlilies, so I checked out Monet's.

We also went to the Museum of Science and Industry.

I liked their model of Chicago.

Then we went for pizza at Gino's East, which was super delicious.

A road trip isn't complete without some shopping.  We went to The IDEA Store in Champaign, which is kind of like a thrift store for teachers and artists.  A lot of things are sold by the pound.  I got all this stuff (some kind of orange fabric that has sewn seams, embroidery books, four old sewing patterns, an old zinc Hotel stamp, a small bag of metal bits, some slides)  for $3.70.  I really felt the need to buy more because it was so cheap, but I was good and did not.

I bought these fibers for felting projects. The blend on the left was not cheap, but it will look so great in a project.

 On our way into Kearney, NE, the sun was shining rays through the clouds.

Kearney is the Sandhill crane capital, and we were there during their migration period.  Tons of cranes in the skies and in the fields nearby.   They sleep by the river at night, but we did not go at dusk so see them flock there. There is always next year...