Feels like spring

Snowdrops! It was poetry class at The Center this morning and afterward I walked over to the art log cabin. It is a warm day, in the 60s, and in front of the log cabin I saw these little green sprouts. Snowdrops are one of the first bulbs to bloom in the spring. A sweet sign.

Poetry class is every other week and I had forgotten that this was the week. Quickly doing my homework this morning, I needed to write a poem using the word "speculate". I knew I had to write a quickie and it went like this -

"Speculation"

The day ahead, I speculate

The hours, I hope to celebrate

If moments of chaos complicate

Home, I'll head to hibernate!

No need to do that now, seeing those little snowdrops! Celebrate!

Thursday's Class

Finally finished my drawing of the jack-be-littles! I had taken many photographs of them throughout the summer and this one was at the end of the season as they sitting in a little snow. Now it's almost time to plant them again!

Off to Anderson's!

We were so excited! Adriana was coming for a book signing at Anderson's Bookshop in Naperville. http://www.andersonsbookshop.com/

Anderson's has many wonderful authors come to their store, but this one was special. When my book club read "Big Stone Gap", Pauline had even arranged for us to speak to her on the phone. All of us! And what a delightful gal! And so, here we are waiting at the book store.

And then she arrived! What a wonderfully funny person! Quoting from her book jacket, "Adriana Trigiani is an award-wining playwright, television writer, and documentary filmaker. The author of the bestselling Big Stone Gap series and other bestselling novels. She has also written and will be directing the big-screen version of her first novel, Big Stone Gap. She wrote and produced some of television's top-rated shows, including the groundbreaking Cosby Show."

We laughed and laughed! And it was like sitting in the living room with a friend.

She told stories of growing up in a big Italian family and, although I am not Italian myself, it brought back so many memories of my growing up with my Italian girlfriends. Yes, like them taking me along to midnight mass. And I loved the ambiance of that in those days. What enjoyable stories!

Adriana talks to everyone like she has known you forever. And she is someone you won't forget.

And here we are, enjoying our turn for photographs and autographs! We truely love you, Adriana! http://www.adrianatrigiani.com/

"Laughter is an instant vacation." Milton Berle

Wednesday's Class

We will be finishing our winter garden journals, but I want to introduce the "junk drawer" collage as both will be going into the exhibit at the library for the month of April. My junk drawers have many little items that I just can not throw away. I think these will be meaningful little pieces of art.

Mine turned out so colorful and bright that I felt like it needed studs or something on the sides.

So I decided to glitz it up and put these on. I can hear it singing..."I'm a rhinestone cowboy!"

Can it be a series?

Could that be what's happening? Can't stop these cupcakes! Another coming out of the oven! I guess I need something happy while waiting for Spring. The birds do too. Their song filled the air when I let the dogs out this morning. Sounds so good.

"The Cupcakes"

The wicks are lit!

A breath of spring

Yesterday was a lovely event! A baby shower for expected twins. And a beautiful one! The tables were set with these darling little nests.

In the center of the table was a wooden birdhouse sitting on this beautiful paper. Old-fashioned looking, isn't it? Reminds me of an old tablecloth or oil cloth that my grandmother had.

And look at these cupcakes!

With those sweet little peepers! A beautifully planned party. Applause to "grandma"! The sun came out and it was such an enjoyable day.