And yet, as much fun as it was to travel again… it always feels great to get back home. Always exciting to see the Chicago skyline as you’re flying back towards the City. The buildings, the lake, the beaches… beautiful signs to welcome me home!

Two of my favorite words when in Omaha… Ted & Wally’s!

Artisanal small-batch ice cream flavors in a vintage shop with retro ice cream churns cranking out the yumminess!

While in Omaha, it was a great surprise to stop in to see the swimming pool for the Olympic Swim Team Trials. The smell of chlorine was a great hint… but seeing the actual pool was amazing! Especially because it is built inside the Convention Center!!! For just one week!!! Nine-feet deep & built on top of the concrete show floor… that’s one really large “above-ground” pool, right?! So cool.

It’s always a great surprise to find a little plate of food waiting for you in your hotel room. Special thanks to the folks at The Magnolia Hotel in Omaha for their wonderful service & beautiful hotel… and surprise snacks! Always a great place to stay when visiting Omaha!

With corona numbers going down & vaccinations going up, it finally felt like it might be time to do a little traveling. Staying safe & staying masked… I tackled the airport again and made it to Omaha last week for another quick business trip. It felt great to finally get back on an airplane again… cautious, hopeful & vaccinated.

Thanks to the folks at Village Cycle Center for fixing my front tire… and helping me choose some new biking shoes! My latest pair of “new shoes” were making my feet hurt after about 40 miles… we think they were too big?! So I got another new pair sized better for my feet. I’m hoping that these ones work better… so I can get out for another Century ride this coming weekend without foot issues!

After Summer Camp, I made it to the post office in time to send out my first pile of boxes from this weekend’s NORTHERN ILLINOIS POTTERY TOUR. There were some pretty nice purchase from my new ETSY store… and I’m trying to get them packed up & shipped out as soon as possible! Thank You to everyone who participated in this year’s tour… we’re already looking forward to next year!!!

So today was my first official day of Summer Camp this year! This week I’ve got wheelthrowing camps for morning & afternoons. They all get dirty & messy, but while they’re having fun in the mud… they also need to clean up their mess! So today I had two of them already on their hands & knees cleaning the floor. It’s all part of the process, right?!

Who even knew that the shelves “under” the wedging tables needed to be cleaned?… but they did!

So much fun… I LOVE Summer Camp!

Strikingly simple… and my favorite color too!

A few beautiful flowers arranged in a stamped & soda-fired ikebana vase can make a striking floral statement. No need for tons of flowers… this simple arrangement is BEAUTIFUL! Thanks for sharing your floral fun Karen!