“To live in hearts we leave behind is not to die.” – Thomas Campbell
“We’re all immortal, as long as our stories are told.” ~ Elizabeth Hunter
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Today was the second annual Dia de Los Muertos celebration on the Square in downtown McKinney. An awesome amount of volunteers, artists, artisans, vendors, and participants made this year’s event even more spectacular than the last.
I was honored to be asked again to be one of the three judges for the costume contest. How perfect. I was able to take pictures of all the contestants and other attendees of the festival. Plus, it was a pretty hot day, and we had a covered tent near some shady trees. Yay!
Mitchell Park on the Square was decorated with endless colorful flowers, decorations, butterflies, with vendors and food trucks everywhere.They also had many bookcases and shelves with candles throughout the park where you could bring a photo of your loved ones who have passed to be honored. I put Mom up there on the left.After viewing and judging many beautiful costumes, here are the winners. On the top are the Niña and Niño (14 and under) winners. The bottom the Catrina and Catrin winners.Miss Wendolin’s art students made dozens of small Ofrendas for display at the festival.Miss Toni and Mr. Sid enjoyed the festival too. It was a fun day.
“To live in hearts we leave behind is not to die.” – Thomas Campbell
“There are so many avenues to explore and stories to tell. It’s just about finding new ways of telling them.”
– Jack Lowden.
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Karen and I decided to go exploring in our own little town today. Parking in downtown McKinney is always tough, but we found a good spot over by one of the municipal building that is closed on weekends.
Our first stop was Native McKinney. They were having an Open House today. Melissa Cantu was kind enough to give us a tour and tell us about all the upcoming activities. Melissa, (in the middle) is also the gal who organizes and leads the writing group that I joined over at The MillHouse. She’s an all around talented lady.Interesting place. Stop by and check it out.
We strolled over to The Pantry for lunch. Yes, I got the chicken fried chicken, of course. It’s a must.
Then, right across the street is Fair and Square Imports. I think that’s my favorite shop on the Square.
So many awesome gift and decorative items . The store carries handmade items from fair trade organizations, which in turn helps to empower crafters and their families in poorer nations around the world.
We continued to walk around town, people watching and enjoying the not so extremely hot weather. They were having a Back to the 80’s Sip and stroll. Quite a few people were dressed in weird clothes, men with long hair and bandanas, red jogging suits, girls in leotards and leg warmers. They were mostly young people who had NO idea what the 80’s really looked like, but they were having fun.
They had a cool “Back to the Future” car. I would have taken it for a spin, but, I wasn’t really that fond of the 80’s… wouldn’t want to go back there again.
Our last stop by the Square was down the road to check out the progress of the Silo Painting.
The famous Australian artist, Guido van Helton, was busy at work in the Texas summer heat. I had only seen pictures on Facebook before seeing the work in person, I’ll admit that I wasn’t very impressed. Then, Karen and I saw the mural from a few feet away. Wow! The detail was amazing! Go Guido! These silos are huge. I can’t imagine how anyone can even conceive, much less execute, such an extraordinary endeavor. I was mesmerized.
It was a fun afternoon/evening on the Square. On our way home, after all that sight seeing in our own little town, we stopped at McDonald’s for an iced tea and more conversation. The cool part of exploring with good friends is, you never run out of things to talk about.
A special Saturday with a special friend in our special little town. I love McKinney. ❤️
This evening , Sid and I went to the The Cove Art Show over on the Square. Several of my friends were displaying their beautiful work this weekend. It’s always great to see their artwork and their beautiful smiles. Most of the Artists were from the Jump Onto Art Studios.
If you haven’t been over to the Cove on Tennessee, you should swing by when they have an art show, always fun. Sherri Murphy had quite the display of awesome artwork.Maylee, the Mayor’s wife stopped in to check out the show. Miss Magda did such a wonderful job as hostess., fine artist in her own right.I hadn’t see Miss Erma in ages. Such a fun surprise to catch up.
“I think of a hero as someone who understands the degree of responsibility that comes with his freedom.”
~Bob Dylan
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Well, it was going to be a quiet, steamy, stay at home 4th of July for me today, but my friend Sherri Murphy texted me, asking if I was going to be at the parade or if I wanted a ride over. I didn’t see the text at first because I was just getting on my gym shoes to go for a morning walk before it got too hot. Sherri, AKA Thelma, knows that I’m good to go on an adventure at the drop of a hat. So, off we went to the Square.
Not only did Sherri find an awesome parking spot, but we found two chairs in the shade in front of the flower shop, just waiting there for us. (I think she has magical powers.) The parade always starts with a police escort followed by a fire truck from station 1. Then of course, we have Mayor George Fuller and Maylee singing “Born in the USA.” Not many cities can boast of an excellent rock ‘n roll mayor. And our awesome Mounted Patrol bringing up the rear. It was a sweet parade, we were in the shade and didn’t even get too warm.
Glad to be BORN IN THE USA! 🇺🇸 Thank you Sherri “Thelma” Murphy for a fun morning.
“Science tells me God must exist. My mind tells me that I will ever understand God. And my heart tells me I am not meant to.”~ Dan Brown
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Well folks, it’s officially really hot here in North Texas. Thank God for air conditioning. Literally, it was nice and cool inside St. Gabriel this morning. I think we were all thankful. I remember growing up in the 50’s and 60’s when the churches and schools did not have air conditioning.
Today is Trinity Sunday. This made me smile because my sweet angel Mother was named Trinidad because she was born and baptized around Trinity Sunday back in the 20’s. (Look at that smile)
Today’s Gospel Jesus explains to His disciples that they will not fully understand everything now, but they will be guided.
Jesus said to his disciples: “I have much more to tell you, but you cannot bear it now. But when he comes, the Spirit of truth, he will guide you to all truth. He will not speak on his own, but he will speak what he hears, and will declare to you the things that are coming. He will glorify me, because he will take from what is mine and declare it to you. Everything that the Father has is mine; for this reason I told you that he will take from what is mine and declare it to you.”
My take on it… this is a perfect analogy for our faith and our life. We may not understand everything presented to us, but if we are patient, we will be guided.
After Mass, there was a meeting for the Welcome Ministry, which has been slow to get back to full speed since Covid. I miss greeting at the door before Mass. Hopefully we will get back into full swing again soon.
Then, we had a nice brunch at Jerry’s house. Patricia made a yummy breakfast, and we visited with friends and family.
Then, I scooted over to the Square to meet my old friend Liz who was in town just for a couple of days. We were I. A writing group together probably ten years ago. We had a nice visit and walked around the square. We had to pop into a shop every few minutes because it was so dang hot out there.
One of my favorite shops, Fair and Square Imports. They have the coolest stuff. Great gift ideas. Goodies Texas Candy shop. It was a nice afternoon, even though it was a bit warm. 113° in my car.
Yes, thank God for air conditioner.🙏 Happy Sunday, my friends.
“If you cannot feed a hundred people, then feed just one.”
~Mother Teresa
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The Annual Empty Bowls McKinney feeds a lot more than a hundred people. The donations provide funding for Community Lifeline Center and the Community Garden Kitchen. This year’s turnout was amazing. I can’t wait to hear how much money was raised.
From its humble beginnings in the community room at St. Peter’s Episcopal Church, the event has exploded into a county wide gala at the McKinney Performance Art enter on the Square.
Bowls, bowls, everywhere bowls. These were just a few of the Event bowls offered. Everyone who purchased a ticket got to pick out a bowl. But, extra bowls could be purchased for $20. A lot of folks were buying four or five extra for gifts. Every $5 provides a meal for someone in need.Helene, Sid, and I had a lot of fun. The soups and desserts were great and the band was cool!We ran into a lot of friends and awesome artists. Jerry and Patricia didn’t win the high bid on my bowl, but they had a good time supporting Empty Bowls.And the event wouldn’t be complete without a Murphy sighting. ❤️❤️
“Spending time with an old friend is as precious as gold.”
~Toni Armenta Andrukaitis
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I got a text from my old friend Mandy Griffith yesterday saying that she was in town just for a couple of days and wondered if I was free today. Well, of course! She and her husband drove all the way from California and they were traveling cross country visiting friends and family, and I was on the list. I was honored.
We met at The Pantry in downtown McKinney. We had a nice lunch and did a little catching up on what’s been happening since last we met. A lot to talk about. After lunch, we planned on walking around the square. It was a beautiful afternoon with sunshine and perfect weather. Our first stop was Fair and Square Imports right across the street. Miss Kate was more than helpful. The store is brimming with fabulous merchandise, perfect for the unusual gift or home decor. We did a lot of walking and a lot of talking and a lot of photo ops. Another fun stop was the Collin County History Museum. We popped into The LAST Art Gallery. So many awesome artists are a part of this artist coop gallery, and I am blessed to call many of them friend.
We stopped for a coffee before Mandy had to head back to Arlington to pick up her husband. Four hours later, a little rest, sipping coffee from the Bike Shop, we still didn’t have enough time. It went by too fast. Thanks for the fun visit Mandy!
I stopped at the store on my way home to pick up last minute goodies for my art class at Towne Creek Apartments tomorrow. I made a couple other stops, but when I got home, I still felt compelled to get out for my evening walk. It was just too nice of a day not to enjoy. More steps.
A lot of steps, but Mike’s to go before I rest. Now to make massive quantities of triple lemon cupcakes for our feast for folks at Towne Creek tomorrow. I’ll be up all night, that’s for sure. I still haven’t planned the art projects yet either. 🤦♀️ Procrastination is my middle name… it should be my first. ❤️
“Just when you’re all excited about going to The Pantry Restaurant on the Square, getting chicken fried chicken, mashed potatoes with gravy, and a side of fried okra, you realize it’s Lent, it’s Friday and you’re Catholic.” Bummer
~Toni Armenta Andrukaitis
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Today was a fun Friday. I met my old friend Linda for lunch at the Pantry. Then, I remembered it was Lent. Bummer. But, I did get a double order of fried okra, and I had the chance to visit and catch up with Linda.
I love fried okra. I never had it until I moved to Texas. Good stuff.
We enjoyed our three hour lunch, and walked around the Square a bit.
There was a cool mural over by the CASA building. It beckoned for a photo op. The ladder looks so real. More fun murals.
After our stroll, I was headed over to the St. Peter’s Church Office to see if I could drop of my bowl donations for Empty Bowls. I plugged in the address into my GPS because I wasn’t sure where Foote Street was. When I I parked in the empty lot, I remembered that Minda said the office closed at noon on Friday. Oops!
So, here’s the funny part. I thought, hmmm? Maybe I’ll take my chances and see if anyone is over at SPARC, the ceramic art studio that is somewhere near St. Peter’s. Maybe I could drop my bowls off there. I plugged the address into my GPS and it said 1 minute walk. Hmm? Must be close. I clicked on start for directions when I noticed the studio was just on the other side of the parking lot where I was, right behind a row of bushes. Boy, did I feel foolish. I am not directionally challenged. I’m just in a different time dimension for this planet Called earth. 🤦♀️
Both Minda and Alex Macias were there, and I was able to drop off my donations. I also got a chance to see a bunch of the other artist bowls created by other local artists. Wow! This year is going to be an amazing event. I didn’t take pictures so as not to spoil the surprise. There will be an artist preview event next Saturday. I’ll share some photos then. I’m excited!
Well, to finish my Friday with more alliteration, I dropped off some of my “bad ass brownies” for my firefighter friends at Station 9 the other day.
Well, it was a fine day to head over to the Square to visit Kim Guthrie at her art studio. I was the lucky winner of one of her Move it Out Monday Auctions, and I hadn’t been over that way in a while. I texted her to see if she’d be working at her studio today, and lucky for me, she was.
I always like to sneak a photo from outside her window before she realizes that I’m making funny faces at her as she works.Like the old song, “How Much Is That Doggie In The Window?” lol at that adorable doggie. Kim does a lot of commission work, especially of family pets, historic homes and buildings, families, and funky animals. (Like my giraffe tea towel that I won in the auction.)Aw, look at my cute tea towel, front and back. I love the quote.
Such a talented lady, and her studio is always bursting with bold colors and whimsical artwork.
You can check out her website at http://www.kimguthrieart.com or visit her studio at 115 W. Virginia on the lovely downtown McKinney Square.
“To be successful, you have to have your heart in your business, and your business in your heart.”
—Thomas Watson Sr.
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This morning, I had the pleasure of meeting a couple of awesome talented friends. Theresa Johnston invited Blynda Christian and me to her charming home just north of the Square for a brainstorming meeting about the upcoming Dia de Los Muertos Celebration in October. These two ladies have so much community events planning and volunteer background, so I was honored that they invited me to join them.
Theresa lives right across the street from this adorable gift shop called DIGGIN’ IT, and is also good friends with the owner, Tracey Collins. We stopped over to check out the really cool Dia de Los Muertos gifts and home decor, along with beautiful handcrafted jewelry, paintings, and gifts. The outside is teeming with cool yard art , plants and flowers.
Stop by if you’re in McKinney. 507 N Tennessee St. 469-953-3446
Look at this cool bad ass bandolera. Yah, the one made of metal, not me.Cute couple. Perhaps they overdid the Keto diet thing. So many cute gifts. I loved the real pressed flower notecards and jewelry created by local artists.If you haven’t stopped in, I hope you have a chance to visit DIGGIN’ IT on Tennessee just north of the Square.
Thank you, Tracey Collins, for the visit and great conversation. See you soon.
Toni Andrukaitis 