An Amazing Weekend

The weekend was, indeed, amazing!  Two big, back-to-back events involving art, love, and support.  So grateful!  Let's see!  

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On Friday night, the Marin Arts Council hosted its Artists' Reception for the Photography Contest and Show that runs through September 9.  In which we have entries, of which we've already posted about here.

So we turn now to some of the other -- and truly awesome photographers -- who are showing their stuff.  For instance, this painterly photo "Hailstorm, Bon Tempe, Mt. Tamalpais" by Brad Rippe.  One of my favorite places on earth, made even more beautiful.

Also loved this black and white (please excuse the reflection) "Yosemite," by Jake Pollock.

And this triptych from Leela Pratt.  Especially loved the amazing "White Rose at Dawn," in the lowest position.

Another painterly rendering blew me away:  "Ft. Point" by Kirk Lindgren.

And these twin visions of the Golden Gate were awesome.  Nice work, Susan Homes Schwartzbach!!

Guests were also treated to this fellow, who brought in a messenger-bag-full of snakes.

And I was treated to visits by good friends!  Thank you so much to Diane and Ken, and Maria, and Lisa Sonora Beam and Gwenda, and to Heather.   I so appreciated your kindness, love and support, picture-taking, sharing, and tweeting :).  How lucky can a girl get?

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Well.  Pretty darned lucky.

Because the very next day, I got to have 20 fabulous women over to help celebrate my 50th birthday.  Here are some of them . . . .

Here are some more . . . .

They gifted me with the most amazing items.  Including an impromptu kindness roast during lunch . . . in which every single one of them told the group how we met, and WHAT THEY LOVED ABOUT ME.  

Holy cow.  

Folks, this is a tradition we need to start RIGHT NOW.  Every year, you should get to have twenty people tell a whole group of folks right in front of you what is good about you.  It's now been 48 hours since this occurred, and I do not think my nervous system has incorporated all of it yet.

Do you know what it's like to hear that?  To hear people say lovely things about you that you had no idea anyone thought about you?  Because let's get real:  don't we go through most days thinking lots of things just aren't working, and people aren't paying attention, and there is not ever enough time or energy to make connections or have positive effects on things and each other?  And if you're like me, you're also cranky a fair amount of the time.

So, to experience such a love fest?  INCREDIBLE.  Truly, this was a life-changer.  And I sincerely hope that everyone will get to have such an experience AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.

Then, I got other presents!!!! So many of them!!!! Unbelievable.  For instance, this bouquet of paper, made by wonderful Lisa Sonora Beam (who, after lunch, led us in art play . . . .)

Want to know what else I got?!?!?!  Flowers delivered.  And spa gift certificates, handpainted clothes pins and drawer pulls, champagne, wine, rubber stamps, greeting cards made by my friends themselves, coloring books, spa goodies, coffee gift certificates, a t-shirt with the Foursquare mayorship logo on it (quite a hit -- wonderful!!!!), pilates class gift certificates, handmade jewelry, pens and binders . . . . SO MUCH FUN!!  SO MUCH GENEROSITY!! THANK YOU!!!

And we ate this delicious food, catered by Laurel's Catering.

And munched down chocolate truffles.

And played with art supplies and made journals in the backyard.  And hugged each other a lot :)

Thank you to everyone who came.  From my friends since fifth grade, to my daughter and her step-mom, to my newest friends from Twitter . . . YOU ALL ROCK.  And to everyone who I could not invite because space was limited . . . here's to unlimited space and unlimited fun when I turn 60 :)  Because that's the goal . . . .