There are 7 midwest states left in my painting to do list so, with cold weather approaching, I decided to fly into Indianapolis and rent a car rather than taking the extra days to drive the RV. It is a part of the country I am f
airly familiar with, having once lived in Wisconsin. Charting my course according to the forecast expecting 3 days of rain out of the next 7, I head first for western Ohio. It is farm country and I go north towards Van Wert and find the late afternoon sun and the first of many barns I will paint on this trip. I haven't had time to buy turpentine yet so use one of the carry-on travel size shampoo bottles I filled with odorless turpenoid. It is just enough to get me through an 8 x 10 study. I continue to snap pictures as I head north suddenly realizing that I am close to nowhere and I have to look for a hotel for the night. The nearest town of any size is Fayette just north of I-80 so I go a little further east to get gas and ask a local if there are any motels nearby. He directs me to the only option which is a bed and breakfast also owned by the local pizza place. The pizzeria is pretty empty for a Friday night so I ask about the bed and breakfast only to find his wife Jane runs it and she is at the opera house. First of all, I think it is really cool that there is an opera house in such a small town and that i have stumbled upon one of its volunteers. I also think it is pretty amazing that a town can have an opera house and no motel, so I am intrigued. I order a pizza and wait for her to return. When she does, I follow her 2 blocks to the Red Brick Inn, which is very cute and clean and a great deal for $50 which includes her coming to fix breakfast in the morning. There is no TV so I am glad not to subject myself to the election news for the night. I feel the beginnings of a cold and nod off to sleep immediately. In the morning, Jane serves fruit, juice, coffee and delicious french toast. We have a nice chat and she is very excited to see my painting from the previous day and we take pictures of each other. If you are ever in Fayette, Ohio this is THE place to stay (and not just because it is the only place to stay)
