Hope you had a happy Memorial Day!

Hope you enjoyed your holiday weekend. I sure did! My aunt is visiting from Oklahoma, the weather was perfect and we survived our first Memorial Day open at Stifel & Capra. Our little town of Falls Church makes a BIG deal of the holiday with an all day festival. 3K fun run, live music, lots of food and art vendors and a parade that is an institution. My store front is right on the vendor row, that's the good news. The bad news? That a big stinky sausage truck was parked right in front of the front steps! Folks still managed to find us though. We introduced a slew of people to the shop so having to be perky for 9 hours was certainly worth it!

It felt like the whole world was ready for summer to begin. Kids are jumping in the pool (while parents are saying "Are you KIDDING me?"), lawn mowers and construction projects are in full tilt and the smoke from the bbq's in the neighborhood made it look like we were practicing our smoke signals!





Lots to do this morning! I'm picking up prints for Beth (I have one extra, if you would like a giclee' of "Salmon Dance" it is ready to go!), picking up my reset engagement ring from the jeweler (hear sigh of relief that son actually found it when it was lost!), and hustling back here to get my "Boarder" piano. Our multi-talented neighbor artist Phil is taking delivery of a grand piano this afternoon. His wife told him he could buy it on ONE condition, at least two of the other pianos (!) and keyboards had to go. So the Stifel family will be boarding the piano at our house until one of their kids has a place to put it. The icing of the cake is that with the piano comes "Phil Noodling Lessons". No way, not piano lessons with a book. Phil's theory is that one just has to get the music from your head to your fingers and he swears he can teach my son that way. Well, it worked with his family, maybe it will work with ours too! Can't wait to see what happens! The afternoon will HOPEFULLY taken up with working. I have 4 commissions to work on. The top photo is one I finished last week for a client and good friend. The riotous blooms are from the 4 hats I found treasure hunting on Thursday. Why aren't they in the store you ask? Well, they actually fit me so I think they will hang around MY house until at least next Easter when I know what I am wearing to church!

Let us always remember those who sacrificed their lives to enable us to live our charm filled lives. Let us pray for those in harm's way and those who continue to serve today to enable us to enjoy freedom every day.