This summer is all about family! I’m willing to bet you’ve had a reunion this summer. Or at least a get-together with some seasonal family (you know- the cousins you only see in the summer because they won’t come north in the winter, or because they’re teachers, or because it’s too expensive to fly your whole family to them, or whatever.)

We are packing all our family stuff into this one week. It all kicked off last weekend in the most incredible way, meeting my cousin and his family for the first time (that is a long, surreal, incredible story for another time) at a huge party with all my cousins from around the country, whom I adore. Today my girls are building forts and eating popsicles with my niece and nephew, to whom I will give anything they want, no questions asked. Tomorrow, we are meeting my cousins who are in town from Thailand. All of this to say- it’s the best week of the year and my heart is full to the point of ALL CAPS!

I don’t know about your cousins, but mine are fun, smart, kind, and creative. The Cranach family of Germany also had some artistic DNA running through their veins (or wherever DNA runs. You know what I mean.)

Apollo and Diana by Lucas Cranach the Elder Christ and the Woman Taken in Adultery by Lucas Cranach the Younger

Having an Elder and Younger must have been very confusing when people phoned the house. And you know they opened each other’s mail. Not to mention BOTH wanted to be lcranach@gmail.com. Wikipedia is still confused and gives credit to L.C. the Younger for “Adam and Eve” which was actually painted by his dad.

Adam and Eve. These are separate paintings, but housed next to each other in Chicago.

Frustrating! But what are you going to do? It’s family.