It's a Patio...FINALLY!

It's been a busy week. We celebrated our 30th wedding anniversary and Rich's dad's 90th birthday with dinner out on Tuesday evening. While we were at the restaurant, Rich got a call from the new concrete guy. He was planning to pour the next afternoon, instead of waiting til next week!

So that's what happened. And this is our new patio. Rich is shown taking a picture of the new fire pit he'd just finished today. 

We're ready to party, people!

A Blast from the Past!

Thirty years ago today I married my best friend / true love. I can't believe how fast those 30 years flew by!

Tonight we celebrated my father-in-law's 90th birthday too. We were married on his 60th birthday. This evening we had a lovely family dinner at a swanky restaurant. Even the dear old priest who married us was there to share our family celebration. How cool is that?

In trying to find an old photo from our wedding, I ran across this 1974 picture of me at age 21...
7 years before I met my husband-to-be. I can't believe those aviator glasses! (What was I thinking, or was that the fashion back then?) Ah, the 70's... a great time to be young!

Hopefully, I'll find the wedding pix tomorrow. I want to reminisce.

It's the Thought That Counts...

Even if it IS three weeks late!

I know the Ol' Man felt bad that I didn't get to have a big blow-out for my birthday because the guy never came to pour the concrete for the patio. And I was taking Sixty pretty hard anyway, and so today he saw this birthday card and bought it for me. (Gotta love him!)

I took elements from the front, inside, and back of the Hallmark card to put together this special birthday graphic.

So Gross!

I knew I had an aphid problem on my morning glories a week ago. I wish I would have taken care of the problem then! Now I have a nasty infestation of the little suckers.

Aphids are also known as "ant cows." These tiny bugs suck the juice of tender growing tips of leaves and then excrete "honeydew." The ants care for their own little herds of honey-makers. If you look close, you can see an attending ant keeping an eye on things.

Going...Going...Gone! SOLD!

"Fruitful"  12"x12" acrylic

This painting was inspired by the folk art of lumberjack Fred Smith (1886-1976) whose Wisconsin Concrete Park (near the town of Phillips) full of whimsical and historical sculpture, is one of the 7 Man-Made Wonders of Wisconsin.

"Tree of Life" by Fred Smith

This Fred Smith creation is called "Tree of Life." I've made it into a painting that I call "Fruitful."