CALF: It wasn't about Schmidt but his artist wife Sophie Blackall at Winnie unveiling

Ed Schmidt didn't sign up for this when he married Sophie Blackall less than a year ago.

But he sure was having a good time Thursday.

As of Wednesday, Schmidt retired as a high school English teacher and basketball coach in Brooklyn, New York.

And here he was in Texas for the first time, more than 1,700 miles away, where the focus wasn't on him at all but the author-illustrator he married.

Together, they pulled away the covering to reveal yet another Steve Neves sculpture at Adamson-Spalding Storybook Garden, this one of Winnie to launch the 10th anniversary Children's Art & Literacy Festival.

More: Finding Sophie: Author-illustrator Blackall returns to Abilene, this time as CALF queen

Winnie is the 10th sculpture at the Garden. Dick and Kaye Spalding drove the couple to the Garden in the annual Storybook Parade, Blackall waving queen-like.

Minutes before the parade began its six-block trek, Blackall was honored by Mayor Anthony Williams, who proclaimed Friday to be her day in the city. And Winnie, too.

More: What's happening at the Children's Art & Literacy Festival?

Only in the past year did Blackall, who came to the United States from Australia to begin her career 20 years ago, become a U.S. citizen. And now, she said, she was a citizen of Abilene.

"I am completely overwhelmed," she said between the parade and kids' costume contest. She called the youngsters she met there true artists, as well, because they creatively interpreted her work.

"I bawled," she said.

Blackall was here the fall of 2018, when an exhibition of her work was featured at the National Center for Children's Illustrated Literature. She recalled learning about this town that loves books, barbecue and jalapeñosm and cookies.

"It was a welcome unlike any in the world," she recalled.

You ain't seen nothing yet, she was advised when she told she would be the first woman honored at a CALF.

She admitted all this attention might go to her head.

"I'm going to be insufferable," she said of being queen for a day, or 2½.

Schmidt, toting his wife's stuff so she was free to take photos on her cellphone, said that wouldn't happen.

"She would never be insufferable. She is very humble," he said. "She realizes how much her fortune, her luck, comes from these kids. The books are the star."

At the Garden, the hundreds packed in were asked to give a "warm and gracious welcome" to the Abilene visitors.

Warm we can do here.

Telling Schmidt and Blackall that they picked a good day to be outside - it was only 99 degrees - didn't seem encouraging.

"It's not New York weather," he said.

Blackall was ready to see Winnie for the first time, other than on a page of some sort.

"I am so excited to see you-all," she also told the crowd. "I do feel like a queen."

She pondered what was under the canvas.

"I think it's going to be a lighthouse," she said, referring to her award-winning book "Hello Lighthouse."

"It's the bear!" a youngster shouted.

Sure enough, it was.

And while Blackall was petting its bronze head, 4-year-old Charles Heaven burst from the crowd to get a close-up look with the artist, patting the bear, too.

"She's beautiful," Blackall said.

Soon, kids were everywhere and photos were taken, many with Blackall. Bubbles floated across the Garden, and Joe McDermott sang his silly songs while kids danced and eyed other kids who already had snow cones.

After their Abilene visit, the next big project for the couple is launching Milkwood Retreat, a haven for authors and illustrators of children's books in upstate New York.

Schmidt also will return to being a playwright.

Maybe he'll be inspired by their trip to West Texas.

Call his new play "Finding Abilene."

Or "Hello Steakhouse."

"Gravy + Beans?"

More: 'It is quite moving.' Children's picture book author-illustrator revels in Abilene exhibit

Greg Jaklewicz is editor of the Abilene Reporter-News and general columnist. If you appreciate locally driven news, you can support local journalists with a digital subscription to ReporterNews.com. 

This article originally appeared on Abilene Reporter-News: It wasn't about Schmidt but wife Blackall at CALF Winnie unveiling