It is your birthday and you are not here but that’s okay because we have the internet. Thank God for the internet.
Because of the internet, I can send you this virtual card and even some virtual imagery to send you good vibes of celebration and peace.

 

I went to Tommy Thompson park – this great big conservation park in the middle of the lake behind Center Island where you once painted for the wonderful Bird Girl show that I was honored to share with you. I thought of you painting on that island while eating an egg and potato salad in a Jenns’ expensive compact camp chair (we got on sale). Thanks to the internet you can be here with us even when you are far (look closely at the following picture if you are on a computer).

 

I remembered not being able to bike or walk much back then. My knees have been bad lately (having trouble with the stairs now), but no matter what the x-ray is going say I can and will bike goddamit! And bike I did – 45 mins to get to a conservation park in the middle of lake Ontario.

We saw loads of geese rehearsing their winter run. A family of swans said hi. Goldenrod and sumac swayed in the wind and wild bird calls were everywhere. Besides some strange bits of metal piping, there was not a single sign of civilization. Like everyone else we are creating beautiful memories in the middle of strange times.  As we get older our memories have more importance, they collect to become an integral part of who we are now… so we should probably write em down or something. We must remember who we are.

 

So before I get too deep:

Let us give thanks to the internet where memories are a mere pixel away (assuming you have a good back-up system). And let me give thanks to you for the fond memories we have shared. I  look forward to more of them. I hope you enjoy your birthday in the ‘bestest’ pandemic kind of way.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY APRIL!