So Proud!

Our younger daughter Mary graduated from college one week ago. In her honor, Ed, Jack and I headed to Baltimore to partake in all the festivities.

Mary graduated (summa cum laude) from the Maryland Institute College of Arts, better known as MICA, with a degree in Graphic Design and a minor in Art History. While every school's graduation is different from every other, I must say that this art school's graduation was quite special. For one thing, all the graduates wore artist's bérets instead of your standard square mortarboards.

For another, every single graduate was given gallery space in which to show his or her senior thesis. Which means that every single graduate was hard at work their last semester producing display-worthy art and that art stretched almost two miles in total, across campus, in every building. Much to my delight, Mary chose to brand Farm Dover as her senior project. I knew she was hard at work on it, but the design was unveiled to us for the first time as we participated in the Art Walk.

I cried when I saw it. She captured everything I love about this farm and our life here. In a Farmer's Almanac that she produced as part of her project she calls Farm Dover a special place of retreat. A refuge where life is slower, more intentional, and healthier for all the creatures that come – be they friends, family, birds, bees or mice."

The graduation took place on Monday afternoon, but we celebrated all weekend. We made sure we hit all our favorite spots as we don't know when we will be back in Baltimore: Artifact Coffee, Lexington Market, the fabulous Thai Restaurant, the Sunday morning Farmers' Market, Sip and Bite cafe, and of course, Woodberry Kitchen, our all-time favorite restaurant. We also enjoyed just walking the streets of Baltimore, taking in all the sites, sounds and smells.

Meeting at the Farmers' Market

Dad and Grad

Mary and her boyfriend John, who also graduated from MICA

A kiss from brother

Mary and her fellow graphic designers

Waiting in line for graduation to start

Mary's roommate Hanna (on right)

Mary's boyfriend John and friend Tom addressed the class of 2103 in whimsical rhyme

The big moment

Once graduation and the reception were over, we loaded up the car and headed home. Mary and John came along the next day. (I think they had some more celebrating to do.)

To Mary, we say: well done. And to Ed I say: we're done!

Congratulations to all!