We have lots of bridges in the Ottawa Valley! With so many rivers and streams to cross, it’s hard to imagine early travel in the area. Even now, we still have to sometimes take round about routes to get where we’re going-but oh the interesting places we sometimes discover.

While there are many interesting and beautiful bridges in the area, I chose two that are very familiar to me. The Pakenham 5 Span happens to be a famous bridge. Built in 1903, it is the only one of its kind in North America and may be the only one outside of Russia! It was restored in 1984 (after considering demolition) and though it looks the same on the outside it is now a thoroughly modern bridge on the inside. The bridge sits in a picturesque spot on the Mississippi River in Pakenham and is considered one of the “7 Wonders of Lanark” 🙂

The second bridge is not as famous as its stately stone cousin (and only boasts three steel spans) but for many of us who used to drive old 17 on a regular basis it was a landmark that said you are almost in the ‘Prior.

I used the bridges on placemats so I can see them and smile on a regular basis, they also fit nicely on that size of project! The placemats can be found at The Pickle Dish, 113 Bridge Street in Carleton Place. “Dish”-placemat, Bridges-Bridge Street….okay maybe I was reaching a little for connections.

Jan’s shop has a wide range of gorgeous fabric including all 150 Jinny Beyer basics and Hoffman batiks. She also carries notions, and gifts and is a distributor for Handi Quilter. You can also rent time on a long arm to complete your quilting projects. Jan and her staff love their small-town friendly atmosphere and you will always be greeted with a smile.