Happy Birthday to Me!

I reached the venerable age of 60 this weekend, and despite the allergies which I have not-so-fondly dubbed "catarrh" I really did enjoy the small party Mr. B planned for me. Exotic flowers arrived from friends. The weather cooperated so we were able to barbecue on the deck, and my mother arrived with dozens of home made cupcakes. Apparently my dad wanted her to make a cupcake for every year of my life. I am so grateful she stopped at 48. Despite sending extra cupcakes home with nearly everyone, we still have far too many.
If the sight of that much dessert wasn't astounding enough, I did have another surprise that left me momentarily speechless. Mr. B, after listening to me go on and on for several days about meeting Lucia Harrison and getting to see her wonderful books, took it upon himself to find her, and to purchase copies of three of her beautiful maps of the inlets in the South Puget Sound. The prints I now own are from the drawings called South Puget Sound Maps in her portfolio. Lucia was interested in the names the indigenous inhabitants had given places here in the Sound. Before painting the maps, Lucia kayaked the the five inlets of South Puget Sound, recording her observations of plants and animals, and combined painting with journal entries on each page. She has recently put up a website. Do take a look at it for yourself. My words really cannot do her work justice.