I said Albuquerque for the Balloon Festival last week, but what I meant to say was Colorado Springs for the Labor Day Lift Off Balloon Event!! Now that we cleared that up, you may be asking yourself why I said that this paint and wine was so special, and why this painting is still one of my favorites!? Let me start with a little back story. I know that you know I am a travel nurse, and that this is the main reason we started traveling. All this traveling is the reason I actually started Wine with Wixy and this blog, because we’ve been able to visit so many beautiful and fun vineyards, wineries, wine bars, and so on.
What you may or may not know is that my totally awesome and incredibly handsome husband, Shawn is a commercial hot air balloon pilot!! The location of the assignments I have been picking for my nursing jobs have been purposefully coinciding with places where Shawn can fly balloons!! We are usually in Phoenix, AZ during the winter months [yes.. I know that kinda makes us some of those dreaded “snowbirds” hahaha] and basically, we head anywhere cooler for the summer!! Working with several balloon companies over the years [until we went out on our own, like five years ago!!] to help make our dream lifestyle a reality!!
So… not only is this painting done during one of my favorite balloon events, [that we use to take part in around Labor Day] the painting is of a hot air balloon launch field and I just knew I had to paint it when I saw it!! Add to this that one of my very good friends, Leslie Craig was able to join me!! [see our amazing self-portrait below!!! LOL] I met Leslie in 2015, during our first summer in Albuquerque, we were both staying in the same campground. Shawn actually met her husband, Derek [since they were both camp workers at this time] and through him we met Leslie. She was a nightshift ICU travel nurse, so it took some time to align our schedules for our first meet up.
We became fast friends and are still good friends to this day!! [Though we do not see them nearly as often as we would like] We met up with them again the next summer, and by now Shawn was working with one of the bigger local hot air balloon companies. It wasn’t too long before Derek came on board with the same balloon company!! This allowed us all to meet up at the Colorado Springs Labor Day Lift Off event!! We were already staying there for the summer, and Derek & Leslie were able to come up for the weekend. Leslie and I decided to do the painting to commemorate the event, and well… we like to do things and keep busy!!
Now Leslie is not a wino like I am, in fact she doesn't drink wine at all. However, we both love the hot air balloons and chasing after them!! They held the paint and wine in the early afternoon, so we didn’t miss out on any of the balloon activities. If I can remember correctly, this was Leslies first paint and wine!! We had so much fun, [as we always do when we’re together] and I think she did an amazing job on the painting. You may remember from my previous paint and wine posts how wonderful I think my own paintings always are.. Hahaha!!
Ok now, the reason I feel like this is one of my favorite paintings is because... it was painted with so much love. Shawn is my whole heart, and he is the pilot of the black balloon with spikes of color in the forefront of the painting, named "Jo Mama." [don't ask, I have no idea since it wasn't named by us!! Haha] It was our first balloon purchase, and the balloon Shawn flew to get most of his hours in order to be able to get his commercial pilot’s license!! It is also special because it was painted with my friend Leslie, who I think of every time I see it hanging on our wall!!
Next week, [which just so happens to also be next year, what!?] Wine with Wixy with be in full on snowbird mode!! [LOL] Join me if you will, back in Phoenix for the winter and we'll hit up some local wineries, some not so local wineries, and maybe a wine festival or a sailboat!! [What!? HA!!]
Cheers to you my wine loving friends, and TTFN!!
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