Maple Grove Days

We spent time last Saturday at the Maple Grove Arts Fair that's part of the summer celebration in Maple Grove. Two blocks of Main Street are blocked off and filled with white tents where merchants exhibit their artistic endeavors for sale. This year I saw a great picture to go in my studio, but couldn't afford the price - $395, so went away empty-handed.

My husband, on the other hand, found an ancient Chinese instrument that he can actually play, called a bawu. He's been fascinated with the various instruments that Ying Zhang makes by hand for several year. Zhang was apprenticed to a master in China at age 12 and learned to be a master musician himself. Several years ago we bought my son a Hulusi, an instrument that is basically a wood flut with 2 drones on either side of the main flute. Since then we've seen Zhang at the Renaissance Festival as well, and have bought several other instruments. Pictured below is my husband, Jeff, with his new instrument.

Memories and Fireworks

We had a great 4th of July, spending it with my husband's brother, who lives in Iowa, and sister and family who lives in Owatonna. I was driving and just exiting onto 35W South when the memory of a horrible car accident came flooding in. My kids were age 5 and 2 and we were heading to the Minnesota Zoo to celebrate our 5 yr. old's birthday. Just as we were rounding the corner and ready to exit onto 35W a driver in the far left lane was distracted by some fencing that fell off a truck in front of her, lost control of her car and came heading straight across 3 lanes to hit our car on the left front fender. The impact sent our car spinning 360 degrees to the right; at the same time the impact sent her car flying in the air over our car. It must have been a sight to see for the onlookers! All of us walked away from the accident without a scratch. The worst thing for us was that my husband and I bumped heads in the front seat and ended up with headaches for a day or so. The only thing my kids remember from the accident is state troopers giving them teddy bears to hug. Our car was totaled, and we had just paid the final payment several months previous, so the settlement enabled us to buy a brand new car with a good down payment. It took me a day or so for everything to "sink in." It was the one time in my life that I felt the hand of God so securely in my life, so protected and loved. One inch could have made the difference between life and death for all of us. I came out of the experience knowing God had a purpose for our lives and would guide us all along the right path. What a glorious moment that was!

After dinner we stayed for a fireworks display in Owatonna, put on by the Lions. It was just magnificent and i snapped some pictures with my cell phone camera. I thought this one was pretty cool.

Fireworks . . . and dogs!

My dog really doesn't handle any little pop from 4th of July fireworks very well. She'd rather sleep on the couch or my lap . . .


But sometimes she wakes up . . . and is gone like a flash if she hears fireworks go off in the street. I call her my "scarey cat."

Road Trip

Looked at this truck for far too long! My driver: daughter, Alison.

Drove through Darwin, famous for the "Big Ball of Twine"

Music teachers gathered in Willmar for a seminar on
business plan (Monica Allen), marketing and professional
image (Jon Iverson), and building your first studio website
(my topic).