Summer Adventure 2013-Day 4

This morning we left Altoona after talking with a local real estate agent about the housing market in the area. Traveling up toward State College, we had some fantastic vistas. In State College,we decided we needed a driving break before meeting my friend in a nearby community so we found an excellent antique mall, Apple Hill Antiques. One of the best selections i think I've seen since we started going to these. I found some adorable vintage buttons and Dean added two more items to his elements collection: boric acid and phosphoric something. We chatted with the cashier about being originally from the Oklahoma area. His wife is attending State College and receiving her Master's in Ceramics. It was nice to talk to someone who really got how far we are from home.
Leaving State College, we headed out on some two lane roads in Penn Valley. It was the most picturesque scenery we have seen in a while. Lots of corn and potatoes were growing in the fields with no fences (so weird). We were in the middle of Amish country and were able to see several farmers with their work teams cutting hay and a couple of buggies on the road. Its Monday,wash day, so there was colorful laundry stretched from house to barn all over the country side.  
We ended up in tiny community called Rebersburg where my friend Kim owns a beautiful yarn store and book shop with her husband. I met Kim through a Ravelry Starbucks Yarn Swap. This was the first time we have spoken in person! It was so much fun to meet someone who I already felt is such a great friend. She knows tons about the area and was able to  talk to us about our observations of the local residency programs in Altoona and Williamsport. Kim and I continued our swapping started on Ravelry. I finished up a pair of arm warmers and knitted her a Calorimetry ear warmer while on the trip. She also got first dibs on new headbands from DeNatyArts and chose a grey and maroon braided band with a neat stripe. She was super generous with me and I now have a beautiful hand thrown yarn bowl, a gorgeous skein of hand dyed fingering weight, and some Ciao Goo size 3 40" cable needles! Main Street Yarn is absolutely adorable! If you are interested in learning more or ordering from  Kim follow the link to her shop site. Tell her I sent you! Dean explored Forefather Bookshop in the front of the building and found 4 Robin Cook books (one of his favorite authors)  and had to get them. We had a lovely visit but we had to get back on the road. We drove over some mountains and and through another valley or two til we reached Williamsport.
Williamsport,PA is home to one of the residency programs we are considering. The town had a great feel and the downtown area reminded us of Fayetteville. We drove by the hospital and Dean called to set up a meeting the program coordinator for tomorrow! We are so excited to learn more about the program and the area.
We had an early dinner at a downtown restaurant called Ozzie and Mae's Hacienda. Super yum! I got asked if I wanted my chimichanga fried or baked (this southern girl has never heard of a baked chimichaga before !)
We drove about 20miles to stay in New Columbia in the Susquehanna River Valley. Tomorrow will be an exciting day!