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Monday, April 12, 2010

The Day Umber Turned 30...

... the morning air smelled faintly of coffee and fresh strawberries.


...there was breakfast in bed (my every-birthday breakfast, which must consist of strawberries dipped in sour cream and dusted with brown sugar. try it. you'll like it.)



... there were tiny packages of seedlings to cradle, heirloom, straight from the farmer's market in all shapes of kale, sugar snaps, brussel sprouts, broccoli, leeks, bunching onions, zucchini, and a handful of herbs - including CURRY - who knew?


... there was a light sweat to be worked up while a mild rain drizzled down.


... and new raised planter boxes springing into life.


... there was ice cream and sorbet (he had the vanilla-penut butter in a cone, i opted for the grapefruit sorbet in a bowl) before lunch, packages wrapped in purple tissue and pink flowers. there was the [inevitable] rush to scrub the mud from fingertips and don gold wrap-tops and vintage furs.


... there was hot sake, broccoli flipped straight off the grill and [almost] into my mouth, a blaze of fire and seared scallops.


... there was a moonlit walk on the docks, under an eerily calm ocean sky.

... and then the glorious private finnish hot tubs, deep and steaming, under the blackened sky and the scent of redwoods, sitting chin-deep listening to the frogs sing.





all in all
my thoughts on turning 30
are quite grand indeed.

32 comments:

BC said...

Grand indeed. Love you lots girlie.

candacemorris said...

what is this new life? i know it not...these front yards and these Asian eateries. we've never NOT shared a life...this is new indeed.


side note.
put "the september issue" on your netflix que immediately.

UmberDove said...

BC: thank you, a thousand times thank you for one of my favorite birthdays ever.

Mme: New, but good. And you'll be here soon, because I'm putting my foot down.


AND, oh goodie! The September issue has been on the ol' que and I've been saving it... Maybe we can sip and watch it together (with just a couple hundred miles between)

BC said...

You can come down and pillage the garden later this summer Mme. It should be quite a harvest! Fingers crossed!!!

Allisunny S. said...

We have the same curtains!! Yay, Ikea :)
Happiest of birthdays and wow, what a garden you will grow!

xoxox,
Allison

Widge said...

I've been 30 almost a month. It certainly feels different. far more different than turning any age has for me...but it's definitely good different. Your day sounded bliss. Happy 30th.

UmberDove said...

Allison: do you know how much I'm not even surprised? Want to know more? So does Mme.

Widge: Happy 30 to you too! So one day in feels like smooth sailing but I'll update you in a month ;)

Abigail Jasmine said...

Aw, what a blessed day.
Happy Belated Birthday, lovely Umber Dove!

~God Bless

Unknown said...

Well, that looked wonderful!

I love the special-ness of a birthday {and especially a 30th}. The fact that it's just another day to everyone else - but you {and your beloveds} are the only ones, who know the day's true wonder and delight. What could be more wonderful than a day of photogenic breakfasts, gardening, sorbets, sake (and what sounds like Teppanyaki to moi!) and moonlit wanderings indeed!

Happy Birthday sweet friend. (You share the birthday of my best friend from high school, so I shall never forget it!) But really, how could one such as you, ever even be dreamed of having being forgotten.

xx

candacemorris said...

Those curtains!
They look so good.
Tell me, did u ever see them in my place before leavng?

kerin rose said...

ah, oh, happy day, happy day!....looks like yours was a magic laced picture perfect new home in California day! on your birthday, we celebrate YOU!.... as you fly into your 3rd decade magnificently!

oxox K

jordan said...

happy happy birthday lovely - sounds like it was perfect.
xo

Bisquit said...

What a grand B-day. You have a good man. Happy raised bedding. Those beds will be awesome. Instead of digging up all that grass inside the frame, I suggest putting layers of newspaper down . This neighbors did it and it worked beautifully. No digging and not too much grass. We dug, put down weed fabric and still have grass. You oughta try it?

she said...

i love you.
look for a little somethin' from the hummingbird and the raven soon. we're really excited about it, but haven't been able to implement it yet. maybe it's selfish, but somehow i never really feel all that apologetic about belated birthday gifts; it just extends the celebration :)

did i say i love you already? oh, i guess i did. well, it never hurts to say it twice. 'specially if it's as true as it is in this case.

Andrea said...

And...
The best is yet to come!

Congrats and Happiest Wishes for the year ahead...
xo
Andrea

MrsLittleJeans said...

kind of late but I am blaming ATT and our darn DSL...happy birthday lovely dove! I love the picture of kitty, he sits like you do, and the breakfast tray...OMG!

So impressed with that huge garden you are planning,,,this is going to be good!

Happy thirty...may it be more special that you could dream of!

xoxoxo

jennifer lorton said...

Sounds like a good day, happy birthday. Blueberries with (vegan) sour cream and brown sugar are my favorite, it reminds me of my grandma. I'll have to try strawberries.

Emily L. said...

Happy Birthday! It looks delightful!

Mum said...

I am so glad your B-Day was glorious. Thanks, BC, for taking such good care of our girlie. I do wish I could have been there to give you MumHugs.

AND< I can't wait to slip into the steaming Finnish tubs when I come up to visit at the end of the month!!

I Love You sooooo much!

UmberDove said...

My birthday WAS lovely, and my birthday-week is just carrying on more of the same (I like a whole birthday-week, anyone else?) thanks to YOU!


Shell: You called that one from a few thousand miles away! Yes please for the teppanyaki!

Bisquit: Yes, that's exactly what I was thinking too - plus the newspaper just biodegrades over time!

Jennifer: ah, blueberries! oh my secret weekness!

Devon said...

Oh, what a fun day and new adventures to be had! I'm glad your 30th was lovely and full of the things you love. Now come back so we can take you to lunch at Cafe Campagne and spend the day drinking and laughing together.

Unknown said...

It's truly beautiful, but quite frankly, all I can do is cry.

The Noisy Plume said...

Wowee!
Happy happy Umbie.
Love you to pieces.
xxxxxxx

The Noisy Plume said...

PS Penelope sends a birthday toot in your direction. Seriously.

jordan said...

BAHAHAAHAHAH birthday toot...dog toots are the best.

Snailentina said...

happy birthday Umber! Looks like a sweet one and it made me hungry. Please post a little youtube video like the last one, showing us your new digs in California it looks lovely! <3

Anonymous said...

Oh, happy birthday! Looks like you had a brilliant brilliant day :)

lulu said...

what-a-day!!

sending many birthday wishes to you!

Michele said...

Happy Birthday Doll and your 30th sounds like one to remember. Hugs! Michele

Good Girls Studio said...

Happiest of Birthday wishes to you! I must try the strawberry dipp'ns!

emilyclare said...

From across the seas wishing you a happy happy birthday my sweet and beautiful friend x

Anonymous said...

You make 30 sound very welcoming:)

I hope too, that in two years, for me it will be as enjoyable and relished, missed you:)

Happy lovely birthday,
M