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This is 'Day at the fair'. My boys with the grandparents! Usually by the end of this day...everyone is very sticky! I did something a little different with this painting. After puting in the watercolor washes, I went over it with pen and ink to define edges. It is something different for me and I wanted to see what the end result would look like. I think it gives a bit of a caricature look to it.
Debbie

Memorial Day started out kind of slow. I snuck into the office to write. My daughter vegged out on cartoons. Until my husband suddenly appeared with the kite.

We hadn't been kite flying in ages. Suddenly, the house was a blur of action. Kite flying. It was contagious. We couldn't get out the door fast enough, despite clouds that threatened rain (and a Ben Franklin kind of kite flying experience should thunder show up too). We were off on an adventure to the park.

Only problem. Not a lot of wind. We were running all over the place trying to get that kite into the air. I was beginning to despair.

Then again, there is nothing quite like the determination of a seven year old. If there was even the hint of a breeze, we were going to find it.

And we did!

The only thing was, once my daughter had gotten a taste of kite flying, there was no holding her back. We stayed until the cows came home (all of them).

Which didn't bother any of us. It was a blast.

Even the ice cream man showed up. There really is something about the ice cream man that screams excitement. I couldn't get the dollar bills out fast enough before my daughter was grasping them in her fist, throwing the kite string to the wind (which I then ran after), while my husband ran after her, trying to keep her from zigging into traffic just to stop the ice cream truck.

I think every ice cream driver gets a kick out of seeing how fast he can get those kids running. Personally, I think if they wanted to really break records at track and field events, they should pull out an ice cream truck. American runners at least would be reaching new speeds, I'm telling you. My daughter did.

She got her ice cream.

Then we eased out under a huge, old tree and watched her slurp down a crushed ice, while we built imaginary cities out of twigs, old leaves, dandelions and acorns.

Best Memorial Day ever.

I stumbled upon this Edy's Ice cream promotion--the Slow Churned Neighborhood Salute. It's about helping neighbors meet each other and neighborhoods come together. I LOVE the way they have done this--with the emphasis on the people. The ice cream is simply the backdrop of what brings them together. Plus I am all into video these days and especially like the idea you can enter a video submission.

I wonder if there might be a few branch libraries that would want to host a Neighborhood salute similar to this with a local ice cream shop?

Here in New Hampshire, it might be with Annabelle's.
In Columbus, it might be with Jeni's.

"mm ice cream~" by theangryhedonist.

lickitlickitlickit XD

©Kathleen Rietz
Okay, so it's not a Willie Wonka piece, but it is about the sweet stuff we adore as children and on into adulthood! Isn't that what's it's all about?

According to Wired magazine...Public libraries! (Right between "heated seats" and "remote control.")

I would have put ice cream higher up on the list. But maybe placement on the list does not indicate its rank of nonsuckiness.

Also check out the list of things that do suck. (According to Wired.) What's cool is, they've gathered scientific reasons for the suckiness.

(Spotted by Andy!)