My first 39th birthday in Purple Paradise

I celebrated my 39th birthday. And here I'll stay. I plan to be 39 again and again. Rob made me pasta with a yummy yummy shrimp and crab cream sauce. He hates anything from the sea, so we rarely have seafood. In fact, the only time we have seafood is when he makes it for me on my birthday or Mother's Day. He is so sweet to cook something he hates just to make me happy.

He also made Death by Chocolate Brownies. We have tried many many many many brownie recipes. And this is our very favorite. They are time consuming and have to be made the day before to let the flavors meld. But the time spent is well worth the effort. Delicious.



Here's what happened when I thought Rob was bringing me the whisk from the brownie batter to lick.

We have never been to Maui at this time of year before, but it is so beautiful --definitely the best time of year in my opinion. Everywhere on the hillside are jacaranda (pronounced jack-a-ran - dah) trees. In case you don't know what a jacaranda tree is, they are purple flowering trees--and now you know why I am in heaven. In several places up/down the mountain, the trees line both sides of the road and it's like driving under a purple canopy. They've been flowering for a couple months, first down the mountain, gradually moving up to where we are (because it is a little colder up here). Now there is a jacaranda tree right across the street from our house, so I can soak in the beauty daily.

I never had a favorite tree before, but now I do 'cause I'm in purple paradise.