Happy Anniversary and Fourth of July

It was seventy five years ago today when my parents got married on a sweltering hot Fourth of July in New England. Because my grandfather’s business was a grocery store the only day they could all be off was on a holiday. Word has it that there was a huge block of ice to try to keep everyone cool. So the Fourth of July has more meaning for me. Happy Anniversary to my parents - hope you are enjoying the big day. And all the country is celebrating with you! 

Sparkler Wedding

We had the chance to visit family in central Virginia two weeks ago. They live in a renovated warehouse on the James River. It took a few years to get it to the state it is today. At the end of the month their home will be showcased in the city’s loft tour. The proceeds go to a charitable organization.  They primarily live on the fifth floor and the added sunroom on the roof. On the main third floor and half of the fourth floor is a venue for weddings and celebrations. This space is rented by the company and they cater and plan all sorts of events in this space including proms, showers, and business holiday parties. Because the warehouse has to follow strict historical codes while it was upgraded, things like insulation and installation of new windows was forbidden. So if there is a wedding planned at the time we visit, we sometimes leave the house for a while or bear with the noise. And if there is a band on site, it can be very loud. Such is the joy of living in an historical building. But the one thing that is really cute is a tradition that was started for the weddings. When it’s about time to wrap things up, the hosts have all of the guests line up on the sidewalk in front of the building. But with road construction the guests had to line up across the street this time. Then, everyone is no given sparklers. When everyone is in place, the bride and the groom make their way through the tunnel of sparklers for a memorable walk. It’s a great time for photos. And when you are watching from the top floor it’s really heartwarming. It’s rather funny to live in a building that has five floors and a lot of square footage. For now it houses this event space. Who knows what the future holds? 

Fourth of July Wedding Memories

It was seventy three years ago today. My parents got married on the hottest day of the year in New England. The wedding day was on the Fourth of July because it was the only day that the family could be off work from my grandfather’s grocery store. So whenever this date comes around I think more about my parents wedding anniversary then Independence Day. But this year is different. My mom’s flower girl was my eldest cousin - my mom’s older sister’s first born. We have stayed in touch throughout the years even though she’s several years older. She was also instrumental in helping me plan for the fiftieth wedding anniversary in New England in 1999. None of us lived in New England anymore and she was welcoming in not only offering her house as the venue, but also having a wedding cake ordered that looked exactly like the original. It was probably the last time we saw most of our relatives together in one place. Both of my parents have passed away now. And I’m sad to say that this is the first year my cousin is not with us. She suddenly and unexpectedly passed away at home earlier this year. I had just spoken to her the week before and had an email from her the day before. It’s a bit melancholic to lose family members especially during the weird pandemic years. But I’d like to take the opportunity to remember them all today. What a wonderful holiday it was to celebrate seventy three years ago!

A Toast to My Parent’s Anniversary

It was a very hot July day in Massachusetts when my parents got married over seventy years ago. Since my mom’s family ran a grocery store the only day to have a wedding was on a holiday. So the Fourth of July was not only a national holiday, but a wedding anniversary as well. My parents never did anything special on their anniversary, but it’s was never hard to remember it. We did have a surprise fiftieth anniversary party for them back in New England and it was good to see everyone again. Coincidentally my dad died on Father’s Day - not easy to forget that either. When my mom passed away right before the pandemic in 2020, we didn’t keep much of their belongings. In fact, my mom gave our house to the neighbors who cared for both of my parents over the last ten years. But I did take two of her crystal wine glasses as a keepsake. So yesterday we took out those glasses, poured in our daily Malbec dose, and toasted to my parent’s special day. We are sure there was a great party with all the family and friends who left before us. It’s good to remember occasions like that this and everyone was celebrating with us. Didn’t you hear the fireworks? 

Happy Anniversary Mom and Dad

We heard the story many times. It was hot as hell on July 4, 1949. There was no air conditioning but there was a big block of ice. It was the only day the grocery store family business would be closed. And that was the day my mom married my dad seventy one years ago. Mom passed away in February so this is the first time the holiday passes without both of them. So I ordered anniversary flowers to be delivered to Florida National Cemetery where they are side by side - WWII veterans. I requested a photo because we have not seen mom’s grave stone. Because of construction in the area, the florist was not able to leave the flowers at the site nor take a photo; rather, she left the flowers with the workers to place after they were done for the day. I told her that we were looking forward to seeing the flowers and the head stones. So she said she would try to get out there again to take a photo - hoping the deer didn’t feast on the fresh greens overnight. Today I received a photo of the flowers with my mom’s memorial. Unfortunately we didn’t get to see both my parents together with the flowers in between. I also spoke to the cemetery front desk staff. He said he could also take a photo of the site and send it to me - but I didn’t get it - yet. Since we aren’t planning any trips to Florida in the near future a photo is the best we can do for now. I was really happy to see the flowers and my mom’s final resting place. Happy Anniversary Mom and Dad. 

Congratulations R and A! A Wedding Gift Idea

I love to paint using my iPad. It's easier to use than pastels and watercolor, and achieves the same result - in a different format. The nice thing about it is the digital image can be used over and over and in many different ways. So for a couple getting married it made sense to work on a portrait and send the "gift" to them via email as an attachment. It's a personal kind of gift and I'd like to think unique. So I sent an image of the process - which my husband thinks is more interesting than the final product - examples of how it can be used, and how it might look as a painting on a wall. I'm hoping they will like it. Even if they don't I really enjoyed creating it. 

A Saturday Afternoon in Washington DC

Every Saturday we drive along the George Washington Parkway to McLean for brunch. On our way home we take Memorial Bridge to the Lincoln Memorial, then head down Independence Avenue. This time of year there is always a good chance of a wedding taking place at the WWI Memorial - and there was - sort of. Not quite a whole wedding party and guests, but a bride and groom quickly getting photos by the monument and dashing in to their Florida License plated car. Sporting events are everywhere with the Washington Monument as a backdrop. Picnickers sit along the Potomac River under the cooler shade of the once blooming cherry blossoms. Tour buses are everywhere with advertisements about TV shows to city landmarks. The MLK Memorial is quite busy, and the Mall is filled to the brim with tourists and graduates and families, and large groups of high school students. The Air and Space Museum has really long lines in front of it - another sure sign that summer is almost here. The Capitol is being prepped for the annual Memorial Day Concert. Closing in on our neighborhood, St. Peter's usually has a wedding taking place too - and there was. The groomsmen in their light colored suits were trying to figure out which way to go as the neighbors meander by. It hardly matters what time of year, or time of day. Anytime we leave the house, we always see something interesting. Just keep your eyes open and you can't miss it. 

The Anniversary Wish

We have been married a lot longer than twenty years - almost forty! But the official twenty year mark was this past weekend. We usually don't make a lot out of most holidays or landmarks. That may seem odd to most everyone - but we try to treat every day like a holiday or celebration - mentally anyway. So it is always an extra treat to be reminded when someone else thinks about it. Our neighbors from Milwaukee always remember. And it's really touching to know that. So we just want them to know how grateful we are to have kept up the friendship even after we moved here several years ago. In this town it's especially nice to still have friends from elsewhere because it can be difficult to make them here for a lot of reasons. 

Etsy Thank You Notes for Digital Art Commissions

Getting thank you notes is always nice. Getting thank you notes for creating art for someone is even better. I've had my Etsy shop for two years called LITDigital Paintings. I love to create custom pet portraits and have had commissions from most of the United States, Australia, Canada, and Puerto Rico. Most of them are pretty straight forward. A favorite photo is sketched and hand painted. Some are a little more involved ... Taking two separate images to create one, or adding names and dates. Just about anything can be done with digital art. It's all created using my iPad, and a lot of imagination.  I gave up my watercolors and pastels to create a mobile studio. I can take it with me whenever we travel. One of the more interesting requests I received recently was to paint two dogs, move them closer together, add a green bow tie to one and a wedding veil to the other. The image would eventually be printed on a cover that would be used as a ring pillow for a wedding. It was a fun project and I am looking forward to seeing the a actual pillow in use at the ceremony. I love the interaction with my customers as updates of the progress are sent, and final background colors are selected. And it's a great feeling to know someone likes what was made especially for them. It's also a way to get my dog "fix." I really love those pooches, and cats, and parrots! Wonder what the next request will be?

The Bride and Groom on Independence Avenue

I usually keep a look out for weddings along Independence Avenue. Infrequently they are common at the WWI Memorial, and I have even caught a couple standing on the bridge railing along the Tidal Basin. Earlier this summer there was huge wedding party on the north side of the Capitol Building. Just before we turned on to Washington Avenue by the US Botanical Garden on our way home, we saw a couple hurrying down the street with their photographer. He had a red cummerbund and red socks; she had a strapless gown with a very fluffy skirt. Where they were heading I do no know, but folks dressed like this always provoke a lot of interest. When we got home we decided to take a short afternoon walk. As we made our way alongside the Capitol Building we saw the same couple having photos taken with the Capitol in the background. Let's hope the ceremony was over because she was sitting on the maybe not so clean short stone barrier surrounding the gardens. Regardless, the spectacle always makes the visitors and locals happy...and the ladies seem to enjoy it more than the guys. 

Summer is Beginning to Look Like Fall

It was a dreary Saturday afternoon. It's been awhile since the whole day felt like rain. I much prefer the sunshine to the dampness. At least DC has more warm days than Wisconsin ever did. A lot of the usual sights around the city were beginning to look more like the fall rather than the final days of summer. I'm sure the bride was hoping for a brighter day at the WWI Memorial. The crowds were much smaller everywhere. In fact, several of the most prominent settings were completely devoid of visitors. When we passed through George Washington University, the students were moving in to the dorms...one of my colleagues from Milwaukee now works at GW Hospital; another colleague just lost her only son to Marquette last week when she helped him move in to his dorm for his freshman year. I remember doing the same thing like it was yesterday way back in 1971 at Florida State. I was really homesick for about a month. The Smithsonian African American Museum is making progress...it's at least five stories above ground. My husband was complaining that we always go by the same places all the time and should explore the city more. Therein lies the difference between me and him. He loves the urban life, and I prefer a less intense place. He likes to explore; I prefer familiar. Living where we do combines the best of both worlds - even on a dreary day like today.