Happy Birthday, Mark!

Here’s to Mark, who’s celebrating a birthday this week! Husband to Becky, father to Anna, and friend to many, including Plugger the bunny and Bailey the pig (at the urban farm where he volunteers). Great gardener and giver of raspberry bushes. Deep thinker, avid reader & writer. Patient penpal (luckily for me). Skilled maker of fine scale models, which you can see on his website (and also commission).

Speaking of Mark’s models, one of the most thoughtful gifts I ever received was this miniature version of the Northwoods cabin where my grandmother had lived as a little girl. The model is tiny, less than 2 inches square. It came with small figures, and furniture, too—a potbelly stove, a bed, and 2 benches.

Here’s another model, this one from Mark’s website, that I remember him working on when I still lived in Denver—the house in the background of Grant Wood’s famous painting. (To not only visualize, but to construct something like this, seems incredible to me.)

One more, just so you can see the scale and detail…Littleton, Colorado’s one-room school house (now part of their historical museum).

So here’s to Mark, amazing model-maker, great fellow, dear friend: Thanks for being the wonderful person you are! Have a fabulous celebration, kicking off a grand year ahead, and may all your birthday wishes come true.