5.04.2009

Hip hip hooray! It's Finally May!

Yat'eeh'hey!
(a Navajo greeting, not a term meaning "bad wind-hair")




You might have expected blossoms from my own backyard, but they have most graciously waited until I returned from vacation to bloom, so while they're getting ready I'll offer you desert blooms from Snow Canyon, UT instead.

The world is just so full of sunshiny spring goodness today, I had to give a nod to May's most welcome and much-anticipated appearance.

May is definitely my favorite month, and no wonder since it's what I like to refer to as birthday month! Most people celebrate their birth-days, but I tend to celebrate for the entire month.

If I don't do it, who will? And this birthday month is especially exciting because Small Works is having a birthday of sorts, as well.

I had intended to name today's post
"99 Bottles of Beer on the Wall."


Because from the time we were children, my father has always informed us that we were "full of beer" when he thought we were saying something silly, annoying or flat-out wrong.

So I figured since this is my 99th post, he would probably consider it to be my 99th bottle of beer. Please feel free to take it down and pass it around, should you feel inclined to do so (because it's birthday month, so I'm buying rounds of "Small Works Beer" for everyone!)

Yes, we have indeed returned from our wonderful western vacation, and I find this to be a Monday buried under a mountain of mail and loads of laundry, and piled high with pounds that will now need to be re-lost.


There's no
place like
home.







But what a wonderful journey it was.



And the drive home is always one of my favorite parts (despite the late-night blizzard coming over the pass into Denver). Why does the never-ending drive across I-70 feed my soul?

Here are a few reasons:















I was unable, unfortunately, to bring you any food from "The Red Iguana", any Tres Leches from "Cafe Rio", or even any cupcakes




from the fabulous new cupcake-place that's opened at "Twenty Five Main" in St. George. They're even served on darling little melamine plates, and if you've ever eaten at my house you know I have a weakness for melamine plates.

Rest assured that I ate enough for all of us.

Because it's my 99th post, I thought we should kick off birthday month with a little

Small Works
Blog Giveaway

to get the party started. I'll be doing a giveaway every week during the month of May, in hopes that if I put enough good karma out there, the universe will shower me with some extra birthday cheer in return.

(Do you think my motive will prove counter-productive? I hope not.)

Up first is my "Fertile Ground" illustration


matted and framed in one of my signature Susan M. Hinckley polka-dot-painted frames (12"), suitable for hanging on your own wall or gifting to someone else who may be enjoying their own birthday month.




All you need to do to enter is leave me a comment or send an email telling me whether you'd like the purple version or the pink (while I'm going to get to work painting the above advertised frame . . . )

and we'll be in birthday-business!



I'll leave it open until Friday and announce a winner on Monday, so please enter and tell all your friends (except the one you plan to give the picture to when you win).

Can't wait to hear from you!

19 comments:

Unknown said...

Me, me - pink please. So glad you had a good vacation (and ate so well LOL). Thanks for sharing the pictures! Jill

Amelia Poll said...

Aren't the Twenty-Five Main cupcakes to DIE for?? I hope you got an Orange Cream one...AMAZING! But they are all pretty darn tasty.

Count me in for the giveaway -it's my birthday month too! I would like the pink one :)

Amanda Cheniae said...

Ooo Ooo I want in!! (I like the blue one) Love the desert pics too!

Karen said...

My choice is pink also, thanks for the opportunity to play.

Jessie said...

oo oo! Pick me! PICK ME!!! Pink, please!

Your vacation pictures are lovely and I'm glad you got to eat some of your favorite treats! (I always think of your family when I eat at our LOCAL Cafe Rio - Chelsea was the one who alerted us all to it's heavenly presence)

Allie said...

Well, pink of course. You celebrate the whole month? Dang have I been doing things wrong.

Your pictures make me want to read Zane Grey again, hero of my childhood. I've never been out west, at least further than Dallas. Someday!!

I'm glad you're back, I've missed your zany posts!

Cami said...

Hey Susan -- Glad you had a good trip. We will definitely check out the St. George recommendation next time through -- like I really need a cupcake. Hope spring in MN is appearing and that your birthday month is full of good things. Did my mom get that concept from you? I was about to ask if we had too much good Susan stuff to be a part of the giveaway and then realized, what a silly question -- you can NEVER have enough good Susan stuff. It does make Mandi "ache". She really should do sales for you. :-) She is willing to sub for Russ once in a while. If we win, does it come with a sock monkey as well? We know she has been enjoying Spring vacation in MN but the bedroom wall is SO SAD! Hope you are all well and HAPPY HAPPY BIRTHDAY MONTH! We are so glad you were born!

C and M

VO said...

Huzzah for Birthday Months! (My son was born on the 10th of this month).

Back a few years ago (ahem, my son was maybe 7 and he is turning 20) we drove to Vail, CO. Your photos bring me exactly there, that vacation ease. ahhhhhhh.

I must pick purple. Because it's the color of my birthstone, because it's regal and because I don't want it to feel all alone in it's purpleness.

Purple reign, ya know.

Cory and Sara Jane said...

Yea!! Happy Birthday! Love both pictures, but I would choose the purple one. I am sad I missed you while you were here!! Abi said you got to see the babe, so that is good. Glad you made it home safely! :O)

Daryl said...

Oh me too! This is my birthday month as well, and I love the pink one! And the photos were a welcome relief from the dreary rainy northeast. So inspirational!

Moonsilk Stitches said...

Happy, happy birthday month, Susan! Thanks for the vacation pix--I love vicarious vacations!

I would love to win the purple fertile ground illustration. (I will tell all my friends because it's awesome and I won't be giving it to anyone, it will be mine, mine, mine!)

Thanks!

Jake and Chelsea said...

why mother you're so popular! i don't need to win because i already have one and helped invent the concept of those drawings. so give it to someone else.

but i love the pictures. i put some in my iPhoto and fixed them up a bit and they look amazing. isn't having a camera nice?? i am so jealous of your western wonderland!

Anonymous said...

welcome home & thanks for all the beautiful scenic vacation photos. what an amazing landscape! sounds like you had a wonderful time.

happy birthday month! a month long celebration sounds like an excellent plan to me, why didn't we think of this years ago?

as a loyal member of susan nation, i'll put my name in your cowgirl hat for fertile purple, please. how nice of you to do a giveaway! looking forward to your 100th post & many, many more. --luanne

Melanie said...

Either one please! I LOVE to win things!!! Even though it's not to often I get something I like to try!! When it's my B-day month I also party for at least a week or two and treats to go around. Happy Birthday, I hope you have one fantastic month! And i hope I win!!

Unknown said...

So hard to pick a favorite, I like them both SO MUCH, but I guess my wish is for the pink one. But truly, I'd be thrilled with either!
I just celebrated a milestone bday a few weeks ago, so I really hope I win to keep my spirits up now that the celebrating is over!
Happy Bday to you, too!

Anonymous said...

Have just discovered your blog and your artwork! I find your posts most entertaining and lively! Happy birthday month, and I think I will adopt your celebration style as my own...next month! Purple please

susan in seattle said...

Happy Birthday Month! Great concept - celebrate the whole month long!

I'd love to win the purple growie. Love your art!

Crazy for Art said...

Happy Birthday! My parents always said we were full of "prunes" instead of beer!

susan m hinckley said...

Thanks for playing, everyone! Entries are now closed and I'll be announcing the winner (and the next giveaway) on Monday. Bon Chance!

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