The very definition of a perfect weekend

There was a car to be delivered... and birthday celebrating to be done.

The weekend was my sons to plan and, like everything else they do, they did a GREAT job!

There was something for everyone!

We headed out of Kansas City to Lawrence, KS to the Spencer Art Museum where we saw...

beaded indigenous art with a humorous twist,

art with personal resonance,

folk art,
a 'classic' (by Grant Wood),

exquisite textiles,

vibrant contemporary pieces,

evocative installations,
paintings with such intricate detail as to look photographic,

and the use of antique photos that gave me ideas!!

There was a piece close to my heart,

some breathing taking 'sculpted' glass that was ethereally beautiful, almost ghost- like,

and what may be my new favorite "Madonna and Child".

Any parent who has ever held a squirming baby can relate to this one!

I'm sure there's some deeper spiritual implication...Jesus reaching out to humanity... but I was touched by the humanness of this piece.

After nurturing our souls in work created by man (humankind sounds too artificial, sorry), we headed to Clinton Lake State Park to revel in a different form of creation.

I LOVE bittersweet - and all my efforts to grow it in my yard for 15 years, have been unsuccessful. So nice to see it in its native habitat!

Such a lovely palette, with trails to beckon us and only the wind and our voices as soundtrack.

'Boys' are drawn to water, no matter what their age!

There's always SO much catching up to do with my oldest ...

Time at the lake was one of the times I was moved by how similar my sons are...

even being 6 years apart in age and living with 200+ miles between them, their color preferences and clothing couldn't have been more 'coordinated' if they had planned it .

Trust me when I say they didn't!

Even 'discussing' what trail to take to get back to the car - when we'd wandered too far off the beaten path - they managed to have fun while working it out...

okay, so GI Joe had 'pinned' where we started on his mobile GPS, but we let him act like he was a real 'scout' and get us safely back.

Of course there was a visit to Art Boys studio, where I tried to understand his latest pieces...

which I love for the vibrancy and color but I honestly think it's like looking at someone elses dreams and trying to interpret them... and it may actually be TMI about an adult son!!

LOL!




I think I would have been a better mother for Norman Rockwell...poor Art Boy; he claims I've said the same things about his artwork since he was in kindergarten -

"I love the colors; tell me more about it!"

Oh, did I mention there was a short foray into gambling - it doesn't take long to lose $20.00 - certainly a shorter time than to earn it! We stayed far longer eating at the buffet!!

And, of course, there was time for antiquing - because I don't have quite enough closets full of Christmas tchotchkes already!!

What there was most of all was love and sweet time to just be together!

It was the perfect weekend for this mom!!

ps: don't tell anyone but I'm headed out of town again this weekend for another road trip.

Not West this time, but North... to see one of my nieces and her family in Michigan;

When you have a wonderful family like THIS, I could be on the go every weekend of the year!

What a blessing to have so many people to love!