A Day of Remembering

Today is officially Memorial Day. A day when we gather to enjoy friends and family. It is also a day that we should remember those who have served our country and especially those who lost their lives protecting ours. We must remember their families who have also sacrificed so much. I was an Air Force spouse for 27 years and although most of it was remarkably rewarding, there were those moments when sadness entered all of our lives. Those times when we lost a friend. Those times when a wife or husband lost their spouse, best friend, and lover. Those times when a child lost their parent, role model and hero.

For those of you who watched the Memorial Day Concert in Washington, DC last night, it was all too clear the sacrifices that are being made on our behalf.

Take a moment each morning when your feet touch the ground to say thank you and offer a special prayer for those very special people - most of whom we don't even know but that shouldn't matter. Say a prayer for the spouse, child and parent in their lives. Say a prayer for their safe return to this wonderful country of ours that without their volunteering for duty we wouldn't be enjoying today.

Hugs to our heros and their families. God Bless them all and God Bless America.

Happy Memorial Day Weekend

Hi everyone. Wow, it's been a long dry spell since I last blogged. So much has happened. I had a wonderful visit with my 2 sons and their beautiful families in April. Sure wish I lived closer to them so I could enjoy my 3 grand daughters growing up - it all happens so fast. Anyway, I came back to Arizona and we had a trip scheduled to San Carlos, Mexico with friends the week before Mother's Day. WELL, the swine flu hit the fan and you probably know the rest of the story. After much discussion and calls from children worrying about us being exposed, we changed our plans and went to Sedona, AZ. We all had a wonderful time with perfect weather. Gads I love that place - so much art everywhere you look. Galleries galore to enjoy and if so inclined you can stimulate the economy at the same time. Following that trip, we came up to Pinetop, AZ which is located in the White Mountains. We have a summer home here and it is so nice to get out of the desert heat!! I just finished unpacking my studio and I think it is all organized and ready to roll. I haven't done any metalsmithing in 2 months and I am about to scream - I mean it. It seems like all I have done is pack, unpack and repack. I'm ready to settle down and get to work. I hope you are all having a wonderful summer and by the way, wasn't that a great Indy today!!! What a race and what an emotional finish. I love him and am so happy he won.

As Rich Willis said, "Whenever ideas are shared, the result is always greater than the sum of the parts". - Thanks to Carolyn Miller of Autumn Leaves Jewelry for sharing her ideas on signing your work with all of us - it was a great vlog. I think it is so wonderful when other artists share their ideas with us and help us to improve ourselves and our work. None of us are re-creating the wheel but it is great when we can find an easier or more efficient way to do things. Thanks to all of you for sharing and helping me to become a better artist and I hope someday I can do the same for someone else. Have a great week.