Fifty and Fabulous

My sister is my favorite girlfriend in the whole world.

 We’re only 17 months apart, and I don’t know a world without her.

I don't want to.

I'm the one with her mouth open...

We’re told that we look alike, but we don’t see it.
She’s tall; I’m short.
She’s thin and maintains a consistant weight.
I’m not, and I        't...           
                      d   n
                         o

She’s brunette; I’m rather blond.

She always looks “just so”; I always look just so…disheveled.
Yet we are constantly being confused.

One day, she walked into a local department store and was accosted by the annoying Clinique girl who gushed and raved about the sister’s wonderful transformation. She had lost weight! Her skin was amazing! And that hair color and style? Why… it did wonders for her. Yes, indeed, my sister had undergone The Great Makeover Miracle Adventure.

Only she hadn’t.
Annoying Clinique Girl just thought that she was talking… to me.
You know… the short, dumpy, washed out, wrinkly one.
(How she also thought that I had grown five inches and two good eyebrows is beyond me. I should worry what this woman thinks?)

I only know this story because my sister could hardly wait to tell me. That’s the kind of relationship that we have. She knew that it would make me laugh, and that I would retell it for years embellished with a little decoration.

I did. I do. And I just decorated.

Did I remember to mention that she’s turning fifty today …

…and I’m not?

Her daughters surprised her with a birthday party on Saturday with her closest friends. 

The theme was Fifty and Fabulous, and she celebrated with her three favorite things:

Family

Friends

And chocolate.

Guests were asked to bring that last item.

 She will be Sister on Speed for the next month and a half.

This could present a problem because she inherited the Duchess’s do more gene. She is the most ambitious person that I know, and I don’t think there is a thing she isn’t willing to attempt.

Except blogging.

Family, faith, and home are more important to her than anything. She walked away from a very successful career over twenty years ago to play house with me. I say with no decoration that she is one of the most gifted homemakers I have ever known.


So in celebration of her birthday, I thought I would share just a bit of her heart. Did I mention that she is a farmer’s wife?

So if you look out her front door today, you would see this.

 As high as an elephant's eye...

Or from the back

She also inherited the Duchess's green thumb...

Oh, how I wish the shiny red Kodak did it justice....

 

Her gardens border the entire lawn.

 
 

They separate it from the fields...

Which in other seasons are filled with cows.

Who are currently pasturing with the newlywed niece

Myrtles and jasmine from her laundry room window...

And that's the outside...

and only a peek.

It's even more lovely on the inside.

Just like her...

Happy 5OTH dear sister!

I want to grow up to be just like you...

only younger.