[All images courtesy of one of my very beautiful, very talented, and very best friends. If you decide pin any of these pictures to your boards on Pinterest, please give full credit to Melissa Wright Photography.]
I spent my birthday eve and birthday morning barefoot, in a long red dress, on the back of an indian pony, riding the dry escarpments along the Colorado River of Arizona under a magnificent sunset and sunrise. Anything less magical would have been uncivilized and unnatural. I watched the last hours of 31 fade away in the raw and refined glory of a sinking sun from the back of a horse and ushered in my first hours of 32 under a beautiful blue sky in the very same horsey manner. It was dry as a whistle out there in the low desert of Arizona but I felt like I had a million blessings raining down on me, soaking me through to the soul. It is good to be 32. I can’t wait to live the heck out of every moment of this year.
On my birthday, on the highway between Quartzsite, Arizona and Blythe, California, I saw desert bighorns — a burly ram chasing two ewes across red rock. You probably heard my shriek of delight, no matter where you are on this fair planet of ours. Those bighorns were surely a sign of all the rare and incredible things to come in this next year of my life.
Onward. Upward. Fearlessly. Truthfully. Courageously. 2014. My year of 32.
:::Post Scriptus:::
I haven’t told you this, M, but riding Alibi was one of my very best birthday gifts this year. Thank you. X
Now, that’s some kind of beautiful!
so very fitting, your spending your birthday turnover on the back of a horse.
and how blessedly wonderful a gift to receive from one of your bestest-ever friends….
xx
Oh. Jillian. What an eyeful.
Surely you know how much I’m smiling right now.
This is the essence of the ‘beauty way’.
There is pure harmony in these images of you atop Alibi, climbing the desert hills to the sky.
THAT SKY!
I’m feeling the whole thing. Tell me more…
xx
Oh my. What a fine thing indeed. I love moonlight rides, moreso through the snow.
Glad you had a wonderful time and were able to spend it with good friends, both two-and four-legged.
xx
Happy Birthday Jillian! Beautiful shots – I just love horses too, magnificent creatures aren’t they? Have a wonderful 2014!!!
Happy day of birth – what a wonderful way to spend it!
Happy Birthday and a Joyous Year to come! 32! A perfect age to be!
Personally,I cannot think of anything more magical. Happy 32 young lady! xx
magical.
Happy belated Birthday!
simply glorious–
you look to be at one with all things!
yes, 32 becomes you.
xoxo
Happy Belated. Looks like you had a wonderful day. That last pic just takes your breath away!
What a spectacular way to spend your birthday!! Happiest of Birthdays to you, Jillian!! Amazing photographs of a time you will cherish!! Just makes me happy down in my bones for you. xoxo
What a golden age! Many happy returns. Lady Godiva…
amazing beauty as always
the world is a better place with you in it!
love and light
Spectacular pictures of a fantastic looking birthday from dust till dawn. Happy year as 32! May it be magical!
Happy Birthday Jillian and a fabulous personal year to you with lots of love, work, then $$$$$ then a lot of traveling or whatever pleases you and even what you didn’t know!!!!
magic. sunset on a sweet horsey? gah! way to ring in this new fabulous year you. XXXOOO
a belated Happy Birthday – hope your 32nd year is just as magical as it’s beginning 🙂