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!