Few more clouds & a bit more drama. Sure, clear skies are fun… but I definitely prefer some cloud-cover for the added sunrise drama. Dark clouds, bright colors & streams of sunbeams breaking through. Perfection.

The purple hyacinth bean vine is finally starting to bloom on my back porch… as it slowly climbs up my “curtain” of rusty metal gears, cow bells & chains! Very excited, because once it starts it keeps blooming well into Fall. And then we get treated with some dark aubergine-purple seed pods to harvest so the vine can start again next year!

After my normal morning sunrise bike ride, it was time for a quick dip in the lake with the FRIDAY MORNING SWIM CLUB. It started during the Covid shut-down as a “safe” way for a few friends to get outside to see each other while staying safe. It has since grown to be a huge “swim party” thanks to word-of-mouth & social media. This is now the third “season”… sadly, I didn’t find out about it until season two! So much fun with about 2,000 people all jumping in the lake at Montrose Harbor for no real reason except for some FUN!!! A bit of splashing around… then home… and then back to Lillstreet for the end of another week of Summer Camp!!!

After a beautifully “pink & purple” pastel start to the morning, the sun came out briefly to give us some stunning reflections. But then the clouds took over as a morning rain was on its way towards us.

Time to toast some marshmallows! Today is NATIONAL S’MORES DAY!!! And you know how I love to “celebrate “ these holidays! But this time I mixed it up a bit… switching out the milk chocolate bar for a dark chocolate peanut butter cup. I “think” it was pretty good… I might need to “try it again” to really decide?!!

Yep… yummy, melty gooeyness!!!

It just keeps getting bigger & better!!! This is the same dahlia bloom I posted two days ago. I love how my dahlias keep evolving & changing colors as they continue to bloom & grow. Such a great flower… I so glad that I planted several varieties this summer. Can’t wait for the others to start blooming too!

Not a cloud in the sky… just a “thick” marine layer of hazy “fog” hanging low on the horizon. Took awhile for the sun to finally make it through… but I was more than willing to wait for it.

A bit of a hazy start to the day. Looks a little “foggy” over the skyline… shrouded before the sunrise. And a quick glimpse at the large blue sculpture at Diversey Harbor. You may not know the artist who made it… but my Summer Campers sure do… first AND last name!!!

And the answer?… the sculptor of this sculpture?… JOHN HENRY.

So fun to watch one of your students “find their voice” & develop their own style in your class. Kristen has truly blossomed in her surface decoration skills. I let her borrow a few of my newest DiamondCore Tools and look what she did with them! Great details with great tools! Looks like Kristen might need to start expanding her tool collection with some more DiamondCore Tools of her own!!!

I mean, who doesn’t like pottery with power tools?! Just drilling some holes through a couple new berry bowls… so much faster, so much louder!!!