Coke Machine

Every year, for my birthday, our anniversary, or Christmas, John more or less makes it his job to find a me a present or presents that I cannot top. This past birthday he gave me an ice cream maker attachment for my stand mixer and this painting that arrived today.

Our friend, Greg Graham, is this incredibly talented and inspiring painter in St. Paul, Minnesota, where John and I lived for three years while John did his residency at the U of M. Coke Machine, at just 5x5 inches, reminds me of the late-night vending machines in St. Edward's Moody Hall. But more importantly, it's a great example of Greg's ability to find extraordinary light and color in ordinary things, to highlight the importance of relationships (at least in my mind, the subtle shadow in the painting's bottom right looks like two people standing close), and to emphasize the beauty of things like silent companionship or quiet conversation in places that usually go ignored.

Add that to homemade chocolate-peanut butter ice cream with homemade hot fudge and you basically have the best birthday present, ever.