Remember my post on how Brenda and I painted flower t-shirts using freezer-paper stencils for party favors for Annalie’s 5th birthday? That post is being featured today in the InsideBayArea’s Kids Crafts Column, aPARENTly Speaking!

Finally! The dead tree in our backyard is gone! You know, the dead tree that had reportedly been dead for a couple of years before we moved here, the one that towered right over our deck and roof, the one that lost branches every time there was a rainstorm or a windy day, the one that we were promised six weeks ago would be cut down “on Thursday”? I guess Monday is the new Thursday because this morning a tree-removal crew showed up and a few hours later when they left that tree was nothing but a stump in the ground.

And a bunch of firewood for us to use this winter. Score!

Annalie sez: thumbs up for no more dead tree!
.

Why am I showing you a photo of all* the dottery in my house? Because at the end of this month, I’m teaching a dottery-painting class at the local pottery-painting studio where I’m a regular! If you’re a DC/SoMD local and are interested, leave me a comment and I can email you the info. I’ve been painting at this place for years—it’s the same place where I painted when we lived in Maryland—and I’m excited to teach a class. I think it’s gonna be fun!

*Except for a bread tray, a veggies-and-dip tray, and a large serving bowl. And maybe a Christmas ornament or two. Basically this is all the dottery that was within easy reach in the cupboards.