Mama in front of Amiot’s house with her Amiot treasure hunt booklet

Today was momentous because my amazing Mama turned 75! Not only is three-quarters of a century impressive, but she wasn’t expected to see this birthday. Having beaten the odds makes each birthday feel more significant.

For Mama’s 70th birthday, we took a very special trip to Venice, Italy. Being in that magical city brought Mama back to life. Memories of that trip fill the walls of our home.

This year, we enjoyed adventures closer to home. The day began with singing and gifts, including two books about Venice and a necklace and earrings I made. After her favorite breakfast, we embarked on an urban folk art treasure hunt! Mama has fallen in love with the work of local artist Patrick Amiot, who creates inventive sculptures from junk. His wife gives them the brilliant paint that brings them to life. Many of these extraordinary pieces are on display in front yards all along Florence Avenue in Sebastopol (about a 10-15 minute car ride from home). So off we went to see them up close. We parked, walked around a bit, and took tons of photos. Once we were wiped out, we drove around to see a few more!

Celebrating 75 at Sift!

Next up, we satisfied Mama’s dim sum hankering before stopping in at one of our favorite bakeries for birthday cupcakes. Even at 75, you can still be a kid in a candy store! Isn’t she adorable?

Today’s #OneGoodThing was celebrating Mama’s 75th birthday by doing EXACTLY what she wanted to do! Happy birthday gorgeous! I hope the day was everything you could wish! I’m so glad we got to spend it together!

Day 274 of 365. And Day 640 in a row!

1 year ago today: An unexpected birthday

What was your #OneGoodThing today? Please share in the comments!