Winter Birthday

My birthday was nearly two weeks ago now. I waited to post anything because half of my husband's budget for birthday gifts was being saved for a trip to Ann Arbor (record stores, used book stores, thrifting, and Vault of Midnight). But for the past two weekends the snow has kept us in and we haven't been able to go. Now, it sort of feels like my birthday is over and I'm not sure we'll go before spring for a regular scheduled mini vacation.

Oh well, I did find something I may buy myself to make up for it, and if I do I'll have a whole post dedicated to it!

Here are some pictures from the Birthday-Wintery times!

Frost on the windows

I made some decorations! I didn't have a party or anyone over, so just me and the husband enjoyed the decorations. It really brightened the place up! And, made it festive. Here you can see some paper accordion-flowers and some...I don't know what to call it. I cut up papers and taped it to paper straws!

Here you can see some garlands I made, and also weird vertical garland type things. I was just having fun making festive looking stuff from what I had.

A paper hot air balloon and some colorful origami cranes in the window. I later added papermache light up lanterns, also very colorful.

I opened presents from my husband in the morning while we drank coffee. First up was Abbey Road, Beatles vinyl, which I put on and played for the rest of the morning. And then these set of plates! They match a huge cup and saucer I have. Now I have the whole set. They're so dramatic and bold and wonderful

Delicious, dense, wonderful french toast for my birthday breakfast courtesy of my parents!

After breakfast we went to Barnes and Noble and I got a book that had come out a few days before. It's the last to a series I like (and own). Plus, I had 15% off

Husband got a half day at work and came home with roses and that amazing card you see on the bottom right 'dat ass', and also champagne! 

We went to my parents house. What a lovely display of presents! My dad did the pink and white polka dot one all by himself, including the ribbon. So proud! And, see that framed Japanese doll?

My mom cross stitched her for me! What an adorable birthday keepsake! Her colors are perfect.

Butterflies from the husband

Flowers that were with my presents from my parents. They matched the wrapping and are so springy! 

An amazing coloring book that I can't stop paging through! I also got a huge pack of prismacolor colored pencils, and a special sharpener that sharpens at two different angels.

My big gift from my parents, an pink instax mini8! I love it! 

My brother got me a beautiful bracelet that we saw while shopping for Christmas presents in December. I haven't taken a picture of it. It's marcasite and onyx. After presents, we went to a chinese restaurant we all love but haven't been to in years. We got way too much food and everyone got to take home leftovers. It was amazing, I kind of want some now, actually! When we got back to my parents' house, we had cake, ice cream and played our favorite board game, Cosmic Encounter. I won! It was a goofy game, we were all acting ridiculous. And, I took my first picture with my new camera while playing, it's not a good picture, but it IS, because it's my whole family and it's badly taken. 

On the way home, the night of my birthday, we went to Target and I got this pink PS3 controller as part of my birthday, and the movie bridesmaids (my husband and I love that movie).

The day after my birthday. We were supposed to go to Ann Arbor but we got a huge snow storm. Maybe a foot of snow in a few hours? Husband and I drank the champagne he got me, midday, while watching Bridesmaids then playing a game he got for my birthady. When all of a sudden there were huge fluffy balls of snow falling from the sky outside, the size of a fist, and falling slow. It looked like  a cartoon. so we ran outside. It was too late, just regular snow, but we took a few pictures with my camera.

The Peculiar Girl and Dreams of Cranes

Origami was one of the few things Stay had that connected her to her mother. A woman she barely remembered. Her face a pale blur haloed in dark brown. Slim fingers and soft hands deftly folded colorful squares of paper into animals for Stay to play with. Stay would lay on her stomach, chin in hands, watching paper fold and fold and fold. Feet kicked in anticipation.

Purple giraffe, pink and brown paisley hippo, blue lion, polka dot fox and every color cat. Every pattern in every color imaginable took the form of cranes. Cranes adorned every crevice and nook of Stays room, slowly spilling out into the house and sometimes outside. A mobile of them circled above her as a baby, the mobile which now collected early morning dusk in her childhood room, rarely ventured into.

Cranes in corners, cranes in socks and cranes soaring down from an open refrigerator. Cranes lining a path to the frozen lake on a bright January day.

Footprints followed the cranes to the lake, Stay followed both. A child skipping, giddy for a surprise, grinning, hair flowing out behind her. Bare skin against the cold winter wind. A childhood whimsy at what she might find.

An empty frozen lake with a small jagged hole. A soft ripple spilled out, then receded.  Then again. Slower, slower. Stay never saw her mother. Stay returned home. Young, cold, old, alone, to a home filled with empty-hearted, color-filled cranes.

Stay dreamed of cranes. Cranes crying frozen tears. Cranes drowning in bright sunshine. Cranes flying with her upon the wings. Her dreams filled with cranes until she could not stand the loneliness of them. She spent years dreaming of cranes and  morning after morning folding them. She made hundreds of them, placing them together to create one larger than life.

Shades of purples, greens, and blues. Oranges and aqua, yellows and reds. And two large patches of black for beady eyes.The towering crane stood ten feet tall and fifteen feet long.

Spring time and a confused young teen, Stay lifted the large crane easily. The smooth paper warm and comforting on her skin, the smell of paper and ink hugged her as she took it to the lake.

Setting it on the edge, Stay peered out to where her mother disappeared. Face to the sun, she took a deep breath of wet greenery and new light. The wood and moss full of life and sounds of beasts roamed around her. Eyes filled with rainbows and cranes, she gently shoved the memorial into the water, a final goodbye.

© Ash Huntley