A Fond Farewell to 2007

I’m running a little late with my fall farewell, since winter is firmly in place for its reign over coming months. Blame it on holiday craziness. Every year I promise to cut back on the stress inducing preparation that is prelude to the holidays, but it never seems to fail that something unforeseen seems to rear its head. This year it was work pressures, but I seem to have survived not only the work events, but also the holiday frenzy – and here I find myself in a spanking new year with a fresh slate – and a winter getaway to Puerto Vallarta approaching within the week! Yippee! I did it!

My fall was chock full! Here is a sampling:

Favorite Event – Not really an event, per se, but an early fall weekend at the beach with my brother and sister-in-law is such a fuzzy warm memory. The Jersey shore is at its most beautiful then, with lengthening shadows, migrating dolphins and monarch butterflies, and huge impatiens making their final show of brilliance under the still warm sun. There was surf fishing, a tour of Cape May and plenty of good eating.


Favorite Movie- I honestly can’t say that any films come to mind, although my friend, Mary and I had fun seeing “Young Frankenstein” on Broadway. (I’ve already got a few movies under my belt this winter, though. I have to recommend “Atonement”, “Juno” and especially “The Kite Runner”!)


Favorite Book(s)-
(Fiction) “Love Walked In”. Marisa de los Santos spins a touching tale that is bright and fun and based in Philadelphia! I savored it!


(Non-Fiction) Author and speaker Marcus Buckingham’s “First, Break All the Rules” and “Now Discover Your Strengths” were inspiring and timely reads for me! Making the most of our strengths is such an empowering reminder for all of us.

I also had the pleasure of meeting with Marcus in L.A. after my husband, Peter, interviewed him for Soundview Executive Book Summaries’ webcast. A charming and insightful professional, he is being catapult into the limelight after the success of his books. He is scheduled to appear on Oprah for a series of shows.

Me with author Marcus Buckingham

Favorite TV Show- OK, I’m happy now that Project Runway is back!

Favorite Trip- Our CA excursion to L.A. (La La Land) and Santa Barbara was fantastic! From meeting Marcus to a Hollywood tour to the Getty Museum to visiting the studio of my artist friends (the Bjorkman Brothers) to Santa Barbara’s wineries and Art Museum… there was inspiration (and shopping) galore!

Carl and Steve Bjorkman, card designers with Recycled Paper Greetings

Only in L.A. would you find services like the following (among others) that were listed on our hotel’s Poolside Spa Menu:
- Martini and a Manicure. Get buffed and polished with a cranberry-orange sugar scrub manicure while sipping a Santa Monica Sunset Martini.
- Bel Air Buff. Experience euphoria with a Chocolate Ecstacy Martini, a smooth blend of Stoli Vanil, Godiva Dark and Bailey’s with a Belgian Chocolate Manicure.
No, I didn’t indulge. Didn’t need the manicure at the time, although the martinis sounded inviting!


Favorite Food- The homemade veggie chili was a tasty treat at Kim’s party for the KDS crew, and the breakfasts at Andersson’s Bakery in Santa Barbara were forbidden pleasures, complete with stuffed French Toast, homemade sausage and tons of tempting pastries.

Favorite Outing- An afternoon spent at the Getty Museum, perched high atop a cliff in Bel Air, was a wonderful treat for me! Beautiful weather, an inspiring setting, a view of the Pacific ocean in the distance, while surrounded by great art, magnificent architecture and creative gardens was sensory overload for me! I felt strong, free and inspired.The Getty Museum

Favorite Meal – I can’t even remember exactly what we ate (wine buzz), but the whole experience of the box lunch among the vineyards on our Santa Barbara wine tour was a unique and memorable experience. We started tasting wines at 10:30 a.m. and after two wineries were ready for some food! Two more wineries after lunch meant naps in the van on the drive back through the Santa Ynez valley!


Favorite Project- It was fun putting together a custom designed 2008 calendar with my In Full Bloom collection. Meghann and Kim deserve most of the credit, but the whole Studio pitched in (after they completed THEIR groovy desk calendar!) assembling these limited edition gifts we sent out for the holidays.

(Below you’ll see the cover design and January page)

Best Purchase- I have such a weakness for Museum Shops! Yikes – hold me back! I found many interesting items just begging to be bought… cards, calendars (yeah, yeah, I know, I make them, but just have to have more of them!) folding snowflake ornaments from MOMA, purses made from recycled rice bags, and I discovered some pottery made by New York potter Judy Jackson that really appealed to me. Her clean lines, cool colors and organic shapes are refreshing and somehow reminded me of the beach.




Best Gift- The KDS crew surprised me on Boss’ Day with a wonderful card and gift! Handcrafted by our very own Wendi, this creative card consisted of a Chinese take-out container holding a folded paper fortune cookie, which was then filled with “fortunes” written out by each member of our team. Such a clever idea!


I’ve been assembling quite a collection of handcrafted cards from the Studio. One day I must put them on display. (maybe on my website!)

Favorite Memory- Celebrating my mother’s 90th Birthday on December 4th was a fun and important day for my family.


Favorite Quote – I have a few gems I gleaned from listening to Michael Eisner speak at the World Innovation Forum held in New York in October:
“Mediocrity is what fearful people settle for.”
“Success requires plenty of failure.”
“Creativity flourishes in limited circumstances.”

Hoping that some of the genius rubs off on me!

Michael Eisner and moi at cocktail reception at World Innovation Forum

Inspirations-

• seeing the Pacific Ocean sparkling in the distance from the lookout at the Getty Museum

• the beauty of the vineyards around Santa Barbara


• the inspirational speakers at the World Innovation Forum, including Chris Anderson, Herb Kelleher, Michael Eisner and Frederick W. Smith

• the high voltage energy in Beverly Hills and West Hollywood, the Ivy on Robertson and window shopping along Rodeo Drive

• the intricately detailed Kimonos on display at the Getty

• the Photoshop lesson from Steve Bjorkman


• the magical Winter Solstice Celebration at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine


Post Script:
Bittersweet memory – The world lost a beautiful soul this past year in the form of one of the most unique people I have ever known… one Joyce Arrigoni. I learned of Joyce’s passing on Thanksgiving when I arrived at her nursing home hoping for a visit. I was deeply saddened to learn of Joyce’s passing, but she was ready. She told me so in the Spring when I last saw her. Joyce was a strong, kind, interesting and interested woman. A talented photographer, she traveled the globe with her late husband, Harold, capturing the wonders of the world and then sharing them in captivating slideshows for those who would never witness those beauties themselves. A former New Yorker, Joyce worked for the NY Stock Exchange for many years before moving to Blue Bell, PA with her husband. She then took a job as a cashier at a local grocery store where she worked until well into her 80’s!

I first met Joyce 26 years ago when she signed up for my Adult Evening School Calligraphy class. We’ve been friends ever since. (She never missed one of my book signings or special events through the early days of my “new” career as a published artist.) A model calligraphy student, Joyce was interested in “sprucing up” her handmade Christmas cards and letters with her own decorative lettering. A Christmas letter like Joyce’s you would cherish all year long. I always got excited when her cards and letters greeted me in the mailbox. Full of her viewpoints of the state of world affairs, book reviews, news of her travels, her friends and family, and even her cats, Joyce’s updates were quite a read! I will always think of Joyce at Christmas time, and the joy she scattered with her cards, letters … and example. Cheers to Joyce, who lived life to its very fullest... and inspired me and many others to try to do the same!

Joys of Summer

Today‘s the first day of fall… and yet, I prefer to call it “Indian Summer”! It’s such a pretty time of year, with huge orange moons, migrating monarch butterflies and while days are shorter, the sun is doing its best to put on a dazzling encore to its summer show!


By now you may have noticed that I’ve settled into a pattern within this “Blog-o-Sphere”. My entries have become seasonal, which suits my cyclical nature. While they are not frequent, they are consistent, and provide me with a manageable and enjoyable process for reflection and sharing.


I had a great summer, filled with family, fun, work – and plenty of inspiration! A look back at my joys of summer:


Favorite Event – We started the summer off with a bang! For my birthday in June, Ben, Katie, Peter and I went to dinner at the Borgata Casino in Atlantic City and, afterwards, to a Bob Dylan concert! What fun sharing the legendary music as a family!


Favorite Movie- This is another easy one for me! I was deeply touched by the film “Once” – a low budget indie film about two singer / songwriters.


Not only did I enjoy the story, but I was entranced by the music. Emotional and beautiful, the songs were written and performed by the actors, Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova. There is something so real and unpretentious about these two and their music. I quickly became a fan and scored tickets to hear them at a free noon concert at WXPN, our local U of PA radio station. (That was one of my favorite days of the summer. I started the day at the Art Museum, then hit the concert, followed by lunch with my son, Ben, near his office in Old City.)

Anyway, you must see “Once”.

Favorite Book- Tim Gunn’s Guide to Style. Particularly the part about the 10 wardrobe basics!

Favorite TV Show- “Top Chef”. (Go, Casey!)
… But where the heck is “Project Runway”!?

Favorite Trip- I had 2 business trips to Chicago this summer, but managed to jam in plenty of pleasure: a Cubs game (where the Phillies won!), dinner at the top of the Hancock Building, Fireworks at Navy Pier, a fun morning at Millennium Park, shopping and exploring along Southport Ave, and an Art Show at Glenview where we met our talented artist friend, Mike McKee, and his wife Cass.


Favorite Food- another Chicago trip highlight! I savored the Best Cupcake I Ever Tasted from the Southport Grocery and Café. I’m telling you, it was heavenly.


Southport Grocery and Café 3552 N. Southport Ave
Chicago, IL 60657
773-665-0100
www.southportgrocery.com

Favorite Outing- OMG, I’m not sure this was my FAVORITE outing, but it certainly was memorable… On the way back from visiting my in-laws in the Poconos mountains, Peter and I decided to go for a hike near the Delaware Water Gap. We found a trail at Mount Tammanay in NJ. Knowing nothing about it, we embarked on what was to be an Extremely Challenging Excursion! Yikes! It was all I could do to make it. More like rock climbing in parts, the 3 hour hike was absolutely exhausting! But the view from the overlook was dramatic, and I was pretty proud of my old bones for conquering the climb. When we got home and “Googled” the hike we found this excerpt in bold print:
“A word of advice
The hike up Mount Tammanay is pretty demanding, and you will be hard-pressed to make it, especially if you don't hike every week. You will sweat, but the top is open and windy.
The trail has one of the largest vertical differentials in New Jersey; it rises 1200 feet within less than 2 miles. Because of this, there are sections you will have to climb, or at least crawl up. However, the view is worth it. Sitting on an almost-overhang on the top of the Delaware Water Gap and enjoying the view is one in a lifetime experience.”

Here are some photos to prove my story!

Favorite Meal – The meal was as good as the entire experience at the Kutztown Folk Festival on the Fourth of July! Bratwurst, fresh cut fries, homemade root beer and strawberry shortcake may not be health food, but it was worth the splurge! (Almost forgot the warm kettle corn!)


Favorite Project- Been a busy girl this summer – working on some book projects, designs for tableware, and most importantly, a new collection of Kathy Davis greeting cards for Target! This “Scatter Joy” collection should be in stores by early Spring ’08. (Stay tuned for more on that later!)


Another ongoing project has been the total re-organization of my home studio. I still have many hours of filing ahead of me, but I am proud to say that I purged and organized almost 20 years of artistic accumulation. Hopefully by the time I write the next blog entry, I’ll be caught up!

Best Purchase- a new cell phone that allows me to text message so I can communicate with my kids and husband! (Only I can’t see the dang thing without my glasses!)

Favorite Memory- Labor Day at the shore! We had 9 people and one cat! Ben and Katie each brought friends for several days of beaching, feasting and boogey boarding.

Favorite Quote – “In wanting less, you’ll find you have more” – anon


Inspirations-

• the lush green colors of summer

• the discoveries and memories that my studio purge unearthed!

• the huge pink impatiens plants at the shore

• the tiny pink pigs at the Kutztown Folk Festival



• warm summer evenings with the peaceful sound of crickets


As I journey from the lush green summer into a colorful new season, I wish you All My Best - kd

Ode to Spring!

What a gorgeous spring we had! And, for me, it was chock full to overflowing with lots of goings on. Tons of travel, especially back and forth to the Big Apple! First Surtex and the National Stationery Show, then the Book Expo, followed by the World Innovation Forum, an exciting event for business leaders.

On the home front, we had the honor of having our house featured in the Intelligencer / Record newspaper. Written by Edie Weinstein Moser and photographed by Gian Luisi, it was fun to see our digs splashed across the paper! (to check it out, click this link)

And, we had baby birds hatching at every turn! Three baby robins fledged from the front door wreath, and six baby cygnets graced our pond!

I hate to see spring slip away, but I’m a huge fan of summer, too, so it is not so painful. May and June are my most delicious months, so I am a happy camper these days.


Here’s a look back at some of my “Best of Spring” joys:

Favorite Event – How could I not say the birth of our swan babies… our six fuzzy cygnets were born in late May!


Favorite Movie- “Freedom Writers”, starring Hilary Swank, is a true story of a young teacher who inspires her class of at-risk students. I also enjoyed the off-beat “Volver” with Penelope Cruz.

Favorite Book- I must recommend “Peace of Mind” – a book of daily readings by Amy Dean. I start every day with this little book.
Right now I am reading “Paint it Black” - fiction by Janet Fitch, author of “White Oleander. ..also tackling the business book “Blue Ocean Strategy” by Renee Mauborgne and W. Chan Kim.

Favorite TV Show- Well, American Idol seems like old news by now, but I did enjoy all of the talented top 5 singers. Blake’s beat-boxing really won me over. Gotta admit, I do get into the reality shows with creative challenges. Shear Genius, On the Lot and Top Chef are among them. I’m amazed at the talent – and fascinated by the personalities!

Favorite Trip- Our Blog Queen (and talented designer) Brittany got hitched to her Dylan in Sarasota, FL and a bunch of us from the Studio decided we couldn’t miss it! Not only was the wedding beautiful, Sarasota had a lot to offer – great weather, nice beaches, fun shopping, great museums and interesting history!


Favorite Food- a delicacy of spring, I indulged in soft-shell crabs more than once this season!

Favorite Outing- Had a fun time re-connecting with old friends Urs, Diana and Fran at Trax in Ambler! Also, adored visiting Chanticleer Gardens, first with Lorraine, and then with our whole Studio! (See photos on our Studio blog and visit Chanticleer’s website)

Favorite Meal – Yum! The Virginia Hotel in Cape May has a beautiful restaurant called The Ebbitt Room. Food was superb, wallpaper is memorable – and being greeted with Sue’s smile set the tone for a great evening. Take a photo tour @ www.virginiahotel.com

Unplanned Pleasure- I had the distinct pleasure of meeting Tim Gunn, dapper fashion authority from TV’s Project Runway! He was a surprise author at the Book Expo in NYC. He’s as nice in person as he is on TV. Got a signed copy of his new book “A Guide to Quality, Taste and Style”. So much to learn… so little time!

Favorite Project- Preparing materials for my brand new promotional folder prior to the National Stationery Show gave me a lot of satisfaction!

Best Purchase- I bought a wonderful (and heavy!) book at the Philadelphia Museum of Art on Japanese Art.

Favorite Memory- Mother’s Day was really nice - the whole family gathered at Fred and Helen’s beautiful home. Sitting outside in the peaceful surroundings of their water garden, I so enjoyed having some relaxing time with my mom – and my kids.

Favorite Quote – “It has only taken us 5000 years to put wheels on luggage” – Bill Mc Donough, innovative architect and sustainability pioneer, during his speech at the World Innovation Forum.


Inspirations-

• my buds, the Bjorkman brothers, Steve and Carl – designers and “friendly competition” at Recycled Paper Greetings always inspire me with their kindness, humor and creativity!


• my gardenia plant is blooming its head off! – and filling the air with fragrance! “Simple pleasure ARE the truest treasures!”

• the International Contemporary Furniture Fair at Javits in NYC blows me away year after year!

• our own Wendi Wing and Katie Atkinson, super-duper designers with our Studio inspired all of us with their Louie Award nominations!

L to R: Wendi , Kim Seslar (KDS Creative Director), John Mavrakis (KDS VP/COO), me, Katie

• Denyse Schmidt – contemporary quilt artist. Check out her site: http://www.dsquilts.com

• Elegant Japanese screens at the PMA Show - the calligraphy, the scale – and the subtle colors and textures left a big impression on me

• Ringling Museums in Sarasota – the Art Museum, Circus Museum and Ca d’Zan, John and Mabel Ringling’s gorgeous home were awe-inspiring.
Check it out at www.ringling.org

• mind stretching at the World Innovation Forum – speakers were amazing!!! In addition, the time with Mary was a real treat!
Does “Blue Ocean Strategy, Cirque de Soliel, and a “Hero of the Planet” pique your interest? Check out the details at www.hsm-us.com/wif/

• Blue Gardens in early May at Chanticleer

• GREEN everywhere – grass, trees and plants – so lush, not to mention the Greening Of America movement! Yea!

• Friends old and new at Surtex and the National Stationery Show. Here we are in front of the Studio’s booth.

L to R: This lovely group:

Mary George (chair"woman" of the board, RPG), kd, Joan Luks (Licensing Director - KDS), Kim Seslar (Creative Director KDS), John Lemoine (manager Art Dept RPG), Steve Bjorkman (artist extrordinaire with RPG), Gretchen Hoffman (Artist Coordinator - RPG), Carl Bjorkman (other half of Bjorkman team) , Katie Atkinson (KDS designer and Louie nominee)

A fond farewell to spring and a warm welcome, summer!

All My Best - kd

We're expecting!!!...

... baby cygnets!!! Our swans, Ruth and Frank, who grace the pond in our backyard, are celebrating spring by starting a family!


Our woodland backyard teems with wildlife and helps to inspire my creative musings. We have a number of ducks on the pond, plenty of fish, and, quite often, a visiting heron. Deer come to drink and groundhogs and squirrels abound. Two of our less favorite visitors are snapping turtles (when they come, we fish them out and call the soup man!) and Canada geese. So,
several years ago, my husband, Peter, surprised me with two young swans to help keep the ducks and other wildlife company... and to keep the geese at bay!

We named our swans "Ruth" and "Frank", after my parents, who lived next door to us for several years in an in-law apartment when they downsized from selling their home. Before my dad passed away, he became enamored of a pair of swans who made a "pit stop" here for a couple of months before taking off for their final destination. He even got them to eat out of his hands! We missed those swans and what they meant to my dad. Now "Ruth and Frank" (nicknamed "The Swanson's") - our very own swans- clearly feel at home here! They serve to remind us of the happy days when my parents lived with us in our woodland compound!

Ruthie is nesting on 3 eggs beneath our back deck. Meanwhile Frank is on guard duty and has secured the perimeter of the pond. Don't mess with Frank. As soon as he saw my husband coming with the camera, he was out of the water next to Ruth - ready to protect his family!


The anticipated due date is mid to late May, so stay tuned...


Not only this, but yesterday while sweeping the front walk, I noticed a new nest that a mother robin built on my front door wreath! This is the second year in a row for this. My spring wreath is now festooned with 2 nests, 3 bright blue eggs and one proud mama bird. I'll have to put up a detour sign for the UPS man.

Seems we are pretty fertile here on "Swan Lake"... (the animals, that is!!!)

Spring is busting out all over!!!

Thomas Mann on QVC Today

Friend and jewelry designer, Thomas Mann, whose life of Techno Romantic jewelry has been a wildly successful phenomenon since he started his business 37 years ago, has created a new line of jewelry especially for QVC. He makes his debut this Friday April 13 at 4 P.M. EST. A natural for the television medium, Tom will be on-air for a 10-minute segment. We hope this is just the first of many appearances on QVC! Catch him if you can.

I recently visited Tom while he was in town for the Germantown Friends Craft Show.


We are working together to create a Kathy Davis “Scatter Joy” Charm, which will be used on upcoming products and promotional materials. Here is a sneak peak at the creation in development.

Catch Tom on the tube this Friday… and stay tuned on the “Scatter Joy” charm.

Visit Thomas Mann’s website for more info.

Farewell to Winter

I’ll admit it – I have to work much harder in winter to be the “joy seeker” I purport to be. While winter certainly has its beauties, it can be harsh, too. I miss the light and warmth the other seasons share so effortlessly. I make peace with the shorter days and cold air by lighting more candles, baking and enjoying comfort foods (now I have to deal with the added pounds :- () . Indoor projects get more attention and I nest a little earlier in the evenings with a good book, my laptop or TIVO!

And, while I’m not much on outdoor activities in winter, anymore, I can’t argue that there’s nothing more magical than a walk on new fallen snow!

Another saving grace for me is a getaway to someplace warm. I usually try to plan something each winter for either February or March. This year, we attended our friends’ February wedding in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. Perfect timing!


Here’s a look back at some of my “Best of Winter” joys:

Favorite Movie- no clear favorite for me, although I enjoyed
Babel, The Departed and Dreamgirls

Born into Brothels – rented this 2005 DVD documentary (thanks for the tip, Wendi!). An inspiring film of hope and personal and creative empowerment. Kids. Cameras. Calcutta. Catch this one!


Favorite Book- Saving Fish from Drowning by Amy Tan

Also, during a long wait at Chicago’s O’Hare Airport due to weather delays a couple of months ago, I discovered some true escapism with Janet Evanovich books!
In the crowded gate waiting area, where most folks wore cranky traveler’s expressions, I noticed a woman laughing out loud while totally immersed in a book by the author. I decided then and there that I needed some of that stuff! (Reminds me of the deli scene in “When Harry Met Sally” when after watching Meg Ryan’s orgasmic fake-out display, a woman customer remarked to her waiter “I’ll have what she’s having!”)

Favorite TV Show- American Idol is a guilty pleasure.
(Top Design isn’t doing it for me nearly as much as Top Chef, and neither of them hold a candle to Project Runway!)

Favorite Trip- Los Cabos, Mexico!


Favorite Food- Had an awesome hoagie at our new Wegman’s, and the homemade Musli at the Twin Dolphin in Cabo was to die for.

Favorite Outing- Morning hikes on the “desert by the ocean” walking trail in Cabo San Lucas

Favorite Meal - Toss up between a meal at our family’s new favorite haunt – Osaka in Chestnut Hill and the delightful cuisine at the Custom House in Chicago (another Mike and Phil discovery!)

Unplanned Pleasure- A rare, but wonderful, afternoon nap in my red chair with the winter sun wrapping its arms around me … (still makes me smile!)

Favorite Project- Working on a group of new card looks for next Valentine’s Day that may hopefully land in Target stores

Best Purchase- a simple sterling silver necklace (designed by Micki Whelan / www.mickiwhelan.com) from the Germantown Friends Craft Show

Favorite Memory- Has to be Christmas morning. What a magical time when the world seems to stand still.

Inspirations-
• The subtle colors of the winter landscape
• Red cardinals playing against the white snow
• Spending precious time with my aunt in her final days
• The burst of blooming colors at the Philadelphia Flower Show (I couldn’t resist bringing home a wonderfully fragrant orchid!)
• Whale watching on the Sea of Cortez
Sunrise and sunset colors in Cabo


• Folk art patterns on Mexican handicrafts


• My vantage point at the Twin Dolphins – How’s this for a “winter scene”?


On this note, I say a warm welcome to Spring! Looking forward to longer, light filled days and new growth… for all of us!

Heroes in Our Midst

We all have them. Mentors, teachers, confidants… the quiet heroes in our lives that we tend to take for granted.

I recently lost one of these special people in my life. My Aunt Jo, who lived a long and productive life, has departed from this earth and will be dearly missed. Not just by me. Aunt Jo, who never married or had children of her own, pretty much “adopted” her nieces and nephews. For the past three years, she lived with my mother. She was a second mother to my brother and I, as she was to our three cousins.

Aunt Jo was one who REALLY listened. She offered her two cents, too! She was the one who spoiled us growing up, who championed our efforts, ideas, and causes, who supported our higher educations by driving us to school, sending us care packages, and checking in from time to time. Years later, she extended her motherliness to our own children, as well. She was “cool” without trying.

Aunt Jo was a constant, reassuring presence in our lives. But her influence did not stop with members of her family. Not silent by any means, Aunt Jo was all about other people… to the extent that we all DID take her for granted. She wanted it that way. We counted on her always being there and she never let us down.

Aunt Jo gave of herself all through life. Coming from modest means, she worked hard at academics, attended nursing school, and later taught future nurses. She served as an Army nurse during WWII in the Pacific. Returning from service, she was the first in our family (and the ONLY one in her generation) to get a college degree. Her career as Director of Nursing at a large metropolitan hospital had to be extremely challenging. Upon retiring, she couldn’t sit still, so she ran the medical library at a well-respected local hospital.

During the past several years, Aunt Jo became increasingly frail, and yet she remained mentally sharp as a tack! She never lost interest in world affairs, the weather, and friends and family. Every time there was a storm, Aunt Jo would call to see if any of our trees were down. If it snowed, she checked in to find out if any of us had to travel the icy roads. And if anyone was sick, well, the former nurse was true to form, dispensing advice and checking in regularly.

At the recent Memorial Service we had for our beloved aunt, I was amazed that some of her former nursing students attended …. more than 50 years after they had graduated! Aunt Jo touched many lives and left quite a legacy.

My phone is much quieter these days. I miss Aunt Jo’s calls, concern, and interest in my life, my family, and the world around her.

May we all be grateful for the heroes in our midst… the ones we take for granted… the ones who would have it no other way.

Here is a verse and a painting I created for my aunt’s Memorial Bulletin: