My buddies Chris & Nancy were SO EXCITED
to come out to see me at ART IN THE BARN today!!!

Apparently too excited to look at a calendar first… as ART IN THE BARN is still almost a month away!!! We’re just going to call this a test run… and we’ll see them both out there again for “real” on September 28th & 29th in Barrington, Illinois! Too funny!!!

Since we are in-between class sessions at Lillstreet, we decided to “celebrate” last night with a little Tuesday night BINGO!!! While I came so, so close SO MANY times… it was even more exciting when my friend Tiffany actually won one of the rounds!!! B-I-N-G-O $$$ !!!

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After a couple days in Minneapolis surrounded by all that darn NCECA going on.. Ha!… it felt great to get away to continue my long weekend away from home. So I hopped in the car and followed some friends on the expressway as we crossed into the middle of nowhere Western Wisconsin. A beautiful drive as we had gorgeous blue skies once again. Shockingly great weather for the weekend as Minneapolis had just gotten snow & freezing weather just a few days prior!

Random side note… apparently a tornado had gone through this area awhile ago,
and that is why these trees are “shaved off” along the top!

We eventually got to the farm… after a pretty yummy lunch with an “award-winning” burger along the way! And yes, it was indeed yummy so I can totally understand where the AWARD would have come from!!!

It was great to tour the farm as she has been renovating much of it to become her new pottery studio. Her work space, kilns and retail showroom would be on the first floor. But it’s the second floor that takes your breath away!!! You walk up the stairs…. and the vaulted ceiling just opens up and shows off the amazing wooden ceiling craftsmanship! Her plan is to open this space up for other artists to stop by, stay for awhile and share their creative energies as a sort of “resort-creative-getaway kind of place”!     And I’m in!!!!

I also love all things “farm”… lots of old pieces with great history,
lots of rusty metal, lots of grounded reality!

But it’s not just the barn that’s so impressive… it’s also her cozy country farm house!
I always LOVE seeing where artists live, and how they decorate their spaces, what they collect, and how they show up as artists in every part of their place. Great fun seeing all of her collections & personal treasures… many of them with a touching family memories still attached.

Huge thanks to Delores for opening her home… and her farm... to me for the weekend! So much fun to spend time with good friends like Delores, Roberta & Yuki… discussing & solving all of the problems of the pottery world… just chatting… and maybe a little gossip. And a great way to cap-off my NCECA weekend!

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One of the best parts of NCECA for me is getting to see some of my pottery friends, former teachers, online contacts & more! Always great to run into someone you know when you’re out & about – away from your normal path. Including running into some of my Facebook & Instagram “fans” who it was fun to stop & chat with… odd to be recognized only by my online presence?!!!

So much fun having a chance to hang out and play with my pottery buddy Steven Hill. He’s an amazing potter… and apparently the superstar for SKUTT Kilns & Wheels. He was participating in their trade show booth – both as a demonstrating artist, as well as the judge for their wheelthrowing contest. Either way, we had a great time chatting and meeting some of his other pottery friends. And as always, it’s just great to watch other people throwing pots. I could watch that all day, every day. And when it’s someone as experienced as Steven… it never gets old. Thank You Steven!!!

What a wonderful way to kick-off my Easter than with an AMAZING bike ride
with my best pedaling partner Chrissy-Chick!!!

We had a beautiful morning ride through the woods on the North Branch & Green Bay Trails, around the Skokie lagoons, into the Chicago Botanic Garden and more!!! Incredible weather, great riding and over thirty deer sightings along the way!!! So much fun… maybe the best Easter ever?!!! And to think a week ago we had a huge snowstorm!!! Spring in Chicago!!!

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Always fun to see one of my mugs “pop-up” in someone else’s Instagram Story… with just a hint of green to help celebrate the day! Thanks Allison – you’re Irish Soda Bread looks YUMMY!!!

Looks like Gerry & Rosene are kicking back and relaxing on their deck in Peoria…
apparently enjoying their own little Mugshot Monday!

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Getting ready for any triathlon is a bit anxiety ridden. Packing all of the the gear you’ll need for all three events throughout the day. All of the clothing, all of the gear, as well as all of the fluids & nutrition needed. Knowing that your race starts at 6:00am with a big jump into the lake. So you count time backwards to determine what time you need to leave to give yourself plenty of time.

These signs have been posted near my place for about a week. Telling everyone that Lake Shore Drive will be closing on Sunday from 5:00am-12:00pm… as the bike course will be taking up the southbound lanes. So I planned accordingly… knowing that I would need to get on Lake Shore Drive prior to the 5:00am closing!

I counted my time backwards and decided that I needed to leave around 4:00am to get there in plenty of time to settle in, run through the days races in my head, and et acclimated to the Transition Area. But when I got to the entrance ramp of Lake Shore Drive… it was already closed, barricaded and pylon coned!!! Obviously closed a LOT EARLIER than the posted 5:00am!!! Needless to say, I got there quite a bit later than I would have liked. A bit rushed getting into the Transition Area and setting up my stuff. But I made it down to the Swim Start with my wetsuit to find my friends Chris & Beckie waiting to start the race with me. And I was so rushed… that I actually put my wetsuit on inside-out!!! Still flipped after yesterday’s SuperSprint swim!

As I was parking in the Monroe Street Garage, I ran into my friend Tracy who was also getting ready for her race… or at least two-thirds of her race. She’s suffering from a bruised heel bone and will only be swimming & biking, with a friend doing the run for her.

Both a bit tired & groggy… but excited and ready to get on with the races at hand!!!
Swim, bike, run… swim, bike, run. The final two-thirds of my TRIPLE CHALLENGE!!!

Saturday was the first of three…
as Chris, Beckie and I tackled the Chicago Triathlon TRIPLE CHALLENGE
with a quick SuperSprint at Foster Beach.

And just for the record, this guy is not built for sprints!!! Just sayin’.