In retrospect, age 50 was a turning point in my life. I started painting; I started exercising again; I fell more in love with my husband. Now that I look backwards, I see that I am also more relaxed and happy.

But I felt quite differently when the birthday was staring me in the face. My husband had to drive me all the way from New Jersey to Nova Scotia -- so I could turn 50 in private!!

I painted, and he read. We fought the mosquitoes, and shooed away the cold with log fires. And every day he gave me a new wrapped birthday present. It was more like a honeymoon than that dreaded birthday.

Before we started the trip back, we bought Lupine seeds to plant in our garden to remind us of my special birthday.

Happy music and art, Cinder LeDell