Yarn Bowl

This is one of my purchases from Artfest Midwest.  Last year I purchased some smaller bowls from this potter   I love the deep and rich colors she uses for her glazes.   I already have two other yarn bowls, but this one is bigger, and I am sure that you can never have too many yarn bowls.

Yard Art

This past weekend was the Des Moines Arts Festival.  The show downtown gets the most attention, and sometimes I go.  Artfest Midwest is held at the same time at the fairgrounds, and I always go to it.  One great advantage of Artfest Midwest is that it is here on the east side.  Another is that it is inside the Varied Industries Building and therefore air conditioned.  That was a big factor this year.  Temperatures were in the mid nineties.  The other thing that draws me there is the fact that there are more local and Midwestern artists at this event.  There are also items within my price range.

I like to buy pottery and yard art, and occasionally jewelry.  This is my newest piece of yard art.  This is steel art and I have a whole collection from this artist.  Every year, or just about every year, I add a new piece. These flowers will not wilt or die, guaranteed!

Flower Garden 2016

A lot has changed since my last blog post.  First and foremost, I retired from full time teaching in June 2015.  As I often say to people, apparently I don't fully understand the concept of retirement, because I spent four to five days a week at school.  Beginning in November, I worked as a substitute teacher, and I substituted in grades kindergarten through fifth grade for a total of 59 days.  It was definitely a learning experience.  I also volunteered many of the other days.  I really enjoyed working with small groups of kids.  Now that school is out, I am doing the things I usually do this time of year, working in the garden.

I started seeds around March.  Next year, I will start earlier.  I am really loving my perennials this year.  They are gorgeous!  I love the fact that the Day Lilies, Purple Coneflower, Hostas, and Shasta Daisies return each year, bigger and even more beautiful than the year before.

To see more of this year's flowers, click on the photo above.  It will take you to my Flickr Album:  Garden 2016.