a cow with a kite

I met Michael Wolski on Saturday at the Roseland Cottage Fair. My mom, sister and I go every year, but this is the first time we've seen this particular artist. He was clad in a bandanna and a fisherman's sweater. He smiled broadly, warmly and with sincerity. There was a brief moment wherein we were just a few more patrons under his little canopy but then we bonded. He and mom shared heartfelt comments on the incredible nature of parenting. He told us that he writes his children notes and stores them in the back of frames. His eldest is 17 years old now and Michael said he'll still catch his kids pulling out the notes written years ago to read what he wrote to them. He also told us that when they had their first child they were about to leave the hospital and couldn't believe the baby was really theirs. They asked the doctor, "do we really get to take him home?" to which the doctor replied, "you brought him in here with you!" How disorienting!

My mom bought me a large print of a whimsical cow flying a red kite. The style reminds me of Barbara Cooney's illustrations and I can't wait to see it hanging in our tiny gingerbread house.