Marvelous May

How can it by May 1st already? I think the strange weather has me a bit out of sync with the seasons this year, with everything blooming earlier than usual.

Normally our lilacs bloom around Mother's Day but mine are done already.

  

The season has been filled with gorgeous flowers like these daffodils

and sweet violets. 

The redbud trees put on a stunning display.

 

If you follow my Twitter feed you might already know that I'm excited to support the kids from Rio Rancho High School (Southwest Region) in the Van's Custom Culture shoe design contest. There are so many wonderful teen artists from regions all over the country entered in the contest, but only five school groups get to travel to LA to participate in the finals. 

I know some of the people involved in the Rio Rancho art program and the kids are wonderful, hard-working young artists with loads of talent, many from under-privileged homes. photo rrhs

 

The students are from mixed cultural backgrounds with some not having ever been on a plane, seen an ocean, or having much chance of going to college, so winning this trip is a very big deal for them. Rio Rancho is the only high school from New Mexico to make it into the semi-finals.

Voting for the contest ends May 3rd (two days from now!!), so please check out the contest and help support Rio Rancho.

Wishing everyone a lovely beginning to a marvelous month of May!