Visiting Theo

Yesterday was a glorious day for a rideabout.  The skies were blue, the day was warmer than recent ones, and with a gloomy forecast for next week (predicted lows range from 19º to 27º), we were anxious to get out of the house!  We headed to Columbus, GA.

Columbus is not a city we’ve visited much…we drive through it on the way to visit friends west of here, we’ve made the journey there to visit friends in a hospital or to visit a retailer, but those were destinations on the outskirts of Columbus.  Yesterday’s intended destination was the old downtown area and the riverwalk.

You see, we were going to visit Theo. 

Well, not exactly.  Theo is a fictional character. Jim and I had both read Theo of Golden and were  enthralled by the writing, the characters, the story.  So the destination of our outing was no problem.

I’ll just tell you now that if you want a good story, if you want to feel good about the world and the people in it, if you want to be unable to get anything else done in the next couple of days, get yourself a copy of Theo of Golden and read!  Everyone I know who’s read it (and that’s quite a few) loved it.  

The author of Theo of Golden, Allen Levi, grew up in Columbus, GA and now lives in a community nearby.  The setting for Theo’s daily activities was based on the area of downtown Columbus. We started our morning with a cup of coffee in the shop where Allen Levi saw portraits on the wall and began thinking…

One wall of portraits…
And, another…
A closeup of one of the portraits on the wall.

I suppose you could say Theo was born here, in this coffee shop.

Yes, we brought some quilts along…just in case a photo op appeared. Boats seemed appropriate for the river.

We strolled around the area, visited some shops, marveled at the architecture, and snapped a few photos.  We walked down to the river and checked out the view.   

A sculpture of a girl painting was intriguing in the park.
But she looked a little cool. I’m glad I brought her a quilt.

As we ate lunch in one of the many eateries in town, we did some people watching from the window.  How interesting were the folks we saw wander by.  It’s easy to see how one with imagination can find stories in such a place.  Another reader of Theo and I said, “What’s not to like about this book? There’s art, music, small town life, a coffee shop, a used bookstore, wine, sunsets…”  The same can be said of downtown Columbus. 

Theo of Golden is available from Allen Levi at his website (here) where you can learn more about him. The book is also on amazon.

It was a fun outing…one I wanted to share.

On our way home, we stopped and let this house quilt pose on an old truck. Look at that sky! And the shadows on the old brick…what a glorious day!
I’m working on a stitch journal for 2025. Theo’s tree was last night’s addition.

Author: Sandy Gilreath

I've stitched my way through life. Early skills in utilitarian and decorative sewing have merged with art in the world of quiltmaking. My love of journaling has now crossed into the cloth world, too. I love old songs, old souls, old words; my collections attest to my fascination with memories.

3 thoughts on “Visiting Theo”

  1. Lovely story. I needed a book recommendation and this one sounds perfect. Thanks!
    I’m also intrigued with the idea of posting pics in blog format. I’d love to do that for my Christmas vacation to the Everglades.

  2. I so much enjoyed visiting Columbus with you, Jim, and “Theo”. I am so interested to see your hand-stitched embroidered quilt as it progresses. Thank you, Sandy! 🥰

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