A quinceañera photo shoot
on a beautiful rose garden day
children gather to watch.
Overheard, “Do you see the princess?”
“May we say hello to the princess?”
Children kept at bay, eyes fixed on the beauty, until ….
“Aren’t we lucky we saw a princess today?”
The August lushness
on a perfect summer day
beauty surrounds me
I’m a lifelong Cubs Fan who no longer lives in Chicago. An afternoon at Wrigley Field is always a good time and an important stop during my week in town.
This weekend is Players Weekend complete with alternate uniforms and nicknames!
For the full experience, a Chicago hot dog (mustard, chopped onions, neon green relish, tomato, dill pickle, and NEVER ketchup!) is required.
And the icing on the cake: Cubs WIN!
A visit to the American Writers Museum at 180 N Michigan Avenue in Chicago with a fellow writer is the source of renewed inspiration and energy for writing and reading.
The museum, which opened in May 2017, has a variety of exhibits including an entire room devoted to picture books with large displays of cover art and a library for families to enjoy reading time together.
A special exhibit dedicated to Laura Ingalls Wilder is captivating for anyone who has read the books, watched the TV show, or sees themselves as an explorer or pioneer. We were especially captivated by the panel about how Laura became the “eyes” for her older sister when Mary became blind from illness. This is likely the reason Laura became such a wonderful storyteller.
My friend and I were reminded of so many favorite books and authors from high school and college days, and were also surprised at how many more we need to explore.
Walking in Andersonville this morning, I was lucky enough to see this beautiful tunnel of mosaics and murals.
Another reminder that “beauty is where you find it.” – Madonna’s Vogue Vogue by Madonna
I love coffee. It’s magical.
Coffee is one of the things that makes me happy. This particular cup (yesterday with a good friend) would have been appreciated for the obvious reasons.
But the bubbles formed when milk, yes milk – never cream, was added let me know coffee loves me too. 💕
I was lucky 🍀💚🍀 enough to spend a decade at a great school with fabulous colleagues, the most supportive families, and children that filled my heart every single day.
I’ve been gone for 17 months but whenever I return to Chicago, a priority for me is reconnecting with the children who made getting up at 5:30 worthwhile. I may no longer remember all of their names, but I remember stories about each one – how hard they worked, how genuinely sweet and caring they were, and sometimes how challenging and challenged they were.
Yesterday (in my first 24 hours back in town) I visited school and was made to feel like a celebrity as a chorus of voices called my name. 💕💓 💕
Children who I knew from kindergarten and first grade are now eighth graders and beyond. I met kindergarteners yesterday that are the baby of a family I’ve known since before they were born. The magic of children never fails to impress and inspire me.
And in a perfect twist of fate, yesterday was the Scholastic Book Fair which is also something I treasure. Buying Matt De La Peña’s book and sharing it with the sweetest children in the world is a new memory for me to treasure.
