Category: birthdays

  • I'm home. The past week has been a whirlwind of sand, sunshine, hugs, laughter, seashells, sunburns, storm clouds, card games, wet towels, buffet-style meals, birthday cake, aloe gel, clear water, ocean waves, camera clicks… But now, I'm home, hitting the ground running last night as soon as we unloaded the car… unpacking, starting laundry, uploading…

  • My baby turned 21 last week. After reminiscing about her birth, sighing over her baby photos and marveling at how fast the years have flown by, I continued spinning backwards through photo albums to my own 21.  Photos pried loose memories buried under the rubble of thirty-two more years. So much I had forgotten…  …

  • I was typing away at my keyboard yesterday, staring glaze-eyed at the monitor, when there came this loud ruckus outside my window. Jumping  up, I spotted a roadrunner peering at me through the window. I'm still not sure what made all the noise… it was just sitting there looking all innocent on my deck railing.…

  • They grow so fast, our little girls. One minute they're so small, dependent, glued to your side for protection and comfort… …the next they're letting go, passing you up, ready to face the world on their own. It makes you proud. It makes you wistful. It makes you feel so, so blessed. Happy 21st birthday…

  • I'll be celebrating our country's birthday today by earning a paycheck at the winery. How much more American is that?  But while I'm standing there listening to music, smiling and serving customers, sweating in the summer heat and hoping for at least a glimpse of fireworks, my mind will be drifting back to Fourths of…

  • Several months ago, on a slow Saturday at the winery bistro, I waited on a man and his wife. The man had a Nikon, so of course I started asking him a jillion questions and talking photography. Their son had gotten married that weekend, so I gave him my email address and he sent me…

  • I came upon this field of wildflowers dancing in the wind yesterday afternoon. Sunshine plus a breeze plus a bouquet like this from nature equals a spring cleaning for my soul. No room left for any shadows.  The photo doesn't do it justice, so close your eyes, take my hand and step into the field.…

  • Maybe I'm paranoid, but I think May doesn't like me. Tuesday was Tom's 55th birthday. I've barely been home the past week and looked forward to having some time off yesterday afternoon to write a post here about how grateful I am for each of those 55 years… especially the 30 I've shared with him……

  • He noticed it when he used the rowing machine at the gym where he worked. A consistent pain or pressure that would start up after a few minutes and go away when he stopped rowing. Perhaps a pulled muscle? He was in the middle of building our new home, after all, and stretching and working…

  • When my friend Darla mentioned having a birthday party for me, I agreed only because it was a good excuse for a get-together with dear friends from high school.  "No presents, though!" I told her. "Make sure you tell everyone 'no presents'"!  I knew she would still go crazy on food and decorating… she's a…