So I couldn’t resist last night… that green bin was sitting in my dining room FULL of the collaboration tile pieces that Cory had given me on Wednesday night. I kept telling myself that I had to get all of my own stuff done BEFORE I could open it up to see her pieces. Well, that didn’t work. And once I peeked… then peeked some more… soon enough they were all pulled out and spread out on the table. So much fun… and another fun teaser for you!!!

Remember, to see the full collaboration project come together, you’ll need to come to Glenview next weekend.

“Art In The Garden : A Grassroots Art Fair.”
Saturday, August 30th & Sunday, August 31st – 10:ooam-5:00pm

At the home & gardens of my friend & wonderful metalsmith Amy Taylor.
1205 Hutchings Avenue,  Glenview,  IL 60025
One block west of Waukegan Road between Lake Street & Glenview Road.
More specifically between Grove Street (at a light) and McLean Court.

We hope to see you there… and bring your friends!!!

The lighting was just right when I got home from my morning ride. While watering the balcony plants, I saw the red caladium light up with the sun shining through. Every vein. Every texture. Every color.

It’s official. We even have REAL postcards!!!
“Art In The Garden” coming soon to Glenview, Illinois.
Mark your calendars for August 30th & 31st to play with five talented friends.
More details to come…

In the backyard garden of my metalsmith friend Amy Taylor.
“Art In The Garden” : A Grassroots Art Fair
1205 Hutchings Avenue, Glenview, Illinois 60025
Saturday, August 30th – 10:00am-5:00pm
Sunday, August 31st – 10:00am-5:00pm

So I’ve waited forever for Winter to end… and Spring to finally make it to Chicago.
We finally started to get some nice weather and it was looking like it might be time to do some gardening around my condo. The garden beds that go around the front of my building were filling in nicely. When I left for work this morning everything look normal. When I cam home tonight, the City of Chicago had come through and torn up everything. Ripping out the sidewalks. Tossing bricks every which way… even on top of the plants!!!

They just showed up. Did the damage and disappeared. With no advanced warning or anything?!!! Thank you Chicago City Workers!!!

So now we’re waiting to what else they’re going to do… rumor has it the street is going next?!!! I’m definitely waiting to see what’s next before we put much work into putting it all back together.

And to wake up to THIS is wrong on so many levels.
Don’t even know even where to begin…

It’s freezing cold outside this morning.
Like something Princess Elsa might have done to the town of Arendelle… but I digress.
As I was leaving this morning, I was amazed by this wonderfully frozen fern that was sadly “forgotten” in our back courtyard. Wonderful winter sculpture… yet not so good for the fern!

Just for the record… Disney’s “Frozen” was really good.            There. I said it.
Beautifully animated. Great songs. Intriguing characters. And a good plot twist or two!
And I’m not too proud to say “Yes, I do like Disney movies.”

On a recent bike ride, we stopped at the Chicago Botanic Garden for our “half-way” point to stretch, get some water, eat some lunch, maybe some PIE… and a nice walk through the Botanic Garden. My favorite was the water lilies. Such pretty colors. Great patterns. And so cool that they grow & float in the water!

And then they had some really cool, somewhat crazy, water lilies. They’re HUGE… the largest are about four feet in diameter. The colors are cool, and the spikes are crazy!

The coolest one was this “new” leaf. The colors were more vibrant… and look at those really incredible textures inside AND outside!!! Like something straight out of “Little Shop Of Horrors.” Feed me Seymour…

I’ve often said that my favorite flower is a Black-Eyed Susan. I love how they grow pretty much everywhere… except for my own garden?! Well this Fall, I have planted a few more with fingers crossed. I planted some “regular” ones, as well as some of these fuller & larger ones. Plus, I received a wonderful care package in the mail from my friend Maryann in Baltimore. Apparently she has a HUGE patch of hardy Black-Eyed Susans. So she dug out a few and sent me some bare roots in the mail for my birthday present. Everything’s in the ground… hoping for some good weather to get them started before Winter sets in. And then we’ll see next year what happens?! C’mon Susan… I’m rooting for you!

While my cousin Kim was sending out a frustrated frost-warning on Facebook, her garden-fresh green beans look extra happy in one of my squiggled-slip plates!

This wonderful flower has reappeared in my garden. From what I understand, it’s a Toad Lily. I don’t have any recollection of planting this beauty, but I’m glad that it pops up every Fall. Always a surprise to me! There’s only one stalk… but it’s covered with several blooms along its length. Now if I could just get it to spread & multiply?!