05 March 2012

3 x 21 = 63

Today is my third 21st birthday. I like saying that better than admitting I'm 63 years old. But so I am.

It certainly didn't dawn on me until I hit 50 that I would ever live to such a ripe old age. I know plenty of people who are older than that, and healthy, so I'm optimistic that I might have a few more good years ahead of me. Still, it's funny to think I was born in the first half of the 20th century, and now I'm a dozen into the 21st.

La Route Touristique du Vignoble yesterday morning

On my first 21st birthday, I was a student in Aix-en-Provence, in the south of France, learning French for six months. It was 1970, and it was the first time I had ever spent more than a few days outside my native North Carolina.

The Renaudière vineyard in early March

On my second 21st birthday, at age 42, I was living in San Francisco. I'd been out there nearly five years, after stints of about that same length of time out on the Midwestern prairie in Illinois; on Capitol Hill in Washington DC; and around les Halles in Paris. I was still learning French in all those places.

Those are little oak trees with the rust-colored leaves.

Now on 21 x 3, here I am in my ninth year in Saint-Aignan, in the Loire Valley. I came here, taking refuge, after another dozen years in California. I left the crowds, traffic, noise, and earthquakes (I hope) behind. I've discovered seasons again. And I'm still learning French.

A brown dog and a brown patch of weeds out in the vineyard

Anyway, life goes on. Here in Saint-Aignan, we experienced a very relatively short but extremely cold winter this year. Now the landscape's colors are vivid, even on a gray day. The oak trees, which keep their leaves all winter, have taken on a rusty orange color. A lot of the local vegetation was burned red to brown by the recent frigid temperatures, and it shows.

42 comments:

  1. Happy 21st Birthday..... again!
    I like your idea.

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  2. Happy 3rd 21st Birthday, Ken! Love to you on your special day. You are forever young and always inspiring. Wish I could drink a toast with you, but I will drink a toast to you! To your health!

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  3. Alles Gute zum Geburtstag.

    Just in case you want to pick up some German.
    I like the math. Two times 24 sounds good.

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  4. Many, many, many happy returns of the day Ken! Even if you are 3 x 21, you still have the mind and strive (and dare I say the looks?)of a 1 x 21! Must be the good Touraine air, food and wine that are keeping you young. Enjoy your day. Sorry you didn't find the snails you wanted for your birthday lunch, but I'm sure the fondue will be excellent. Martine

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  5. Félicitations! Have a wonderful day. It's a lovely way to think about your age. I think your sixties are like the new forties these days!

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  6. Happy birthday Ken...and thanks for helping this Aussie, who is not great in the numbers department, have a great idea for explaining away my 50+ years...I hope you have a super day and a year ahead filled with love and laughter.

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  7. Very, very happy birthday!
    I'm a primary number this year!

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  8. (fill as appropriate)
    ....and Many More.
    And remember to act your shoe size... not your written age.

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  9. And a happy birthday to you from Gustav, Munson and myself. I'm sure you'll have plenty more years of French learning. I have friends and family in their 70s and 80s who are very active - one of them is coming to stay today ahead of some weeks of French classes.

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  10. Happy 21st x 3, I hope you have a fabulous day

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  11. Happy birthday Ken !!
    I hope you have a lovely day. It's a great time of year to have a birthday - so much to look forward to.

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  12. I wish I could divide 67 into three or even four. But no way. 67 I am till next September.
    Happy 23 Ken, enjoy!

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  13. Many best wishes.

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  14. Many many happy returns of the day. I hope its you great day and get lots of enjoyment and happiness. I agree with your idea.

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  15. I dunno... I think saying "third 21st" makes it sound more - the idea when you get to 21 that you can have that amount of life twice over again. Anyhow, happy birthday! Here's to another couple of 21sts ;)

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  16. Happy Birthday, young man.....I'm a few years older than you, so I can say that.May you have a wonderful day, and another 21 years at least of a good life.

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  17. Happy day to you, Ken!! Enjoy your birthday meal :))

    Judy

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  18. Happy 21st birthday to you, happy 21st birthday to you, and a third time, happy 21st birthday to yooooo.
    And many more!

    From both of us.

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  19. will there be cake? I know there'll be champagne....have a great day

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  20. Happy 3X21, Ken! From someone who is 3X22.
    Weren't we fortunate to have been in France in our youth?
    Enjoy your day.

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  21. Happy birthday Ken. And thank you for these years when I have enjoyed your blog.

    Dennis Martin

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  22. Happy repeat 21st birthday! Hope you have an excellent day

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  23. Joyeux Anniversaire Ken

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  24. We'll never forget meeting you when you a young man of only 62. How time has flown.
    Here's wishing you many more years of health, happiness, and blogging.
    Dean and Jean

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  25. Having joined the "3 X 21 Club" myself some four months ago, I can confirm that you are going to love the year ahead, at least I hope so. Norma joins me in sending our best wishes and in saying that we look forward to seeing you in the spring.

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  26. Your math is superb, Ken. It may start a new trend. Stay young and have a wonderful birthday. Cheers. Gabby

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  27. Happy Birthday, Reflective Ken! May you have many more, mostly in good health, good company, and under sunny skies.

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  28. Dearest Ken, many, many happy returns of the day. We'll drink a toast in your honor with a lovely little Vouvray that's made its way to California.

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  29. Happy, Happy Birthday, Ken!!

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  30. Happy Birthday!! Here's hoping for many more days of your wonderful blog!
    Linda from Alabama

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  31. Bill and I join the chorus... warmest good wishes for 3x21, and for many many more in health and happiness!

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  32. Bill and I join the chorus... warmest good wishes for 3x21, and for many many more in health and happiness!

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  33. My happy birthday wishes are SO sincere, I seem to have posted them twice! :-)

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  34. happy birthday to a very lucky man.

    Victoria, Gene, Casey, and Stella
    Bellingham, WA

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  35. Happy Birthday, Ken. And many happy returns.

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  36. A very happy birthday Ken, And lang may yer lum reek (ask Niall what that means if necessary!)

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  37. Happy Birthday Ken!

    Age is just a number.

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  38. Many happy returns and never stop learning!

    Hmm, to borrow your idea, I'm not sure - for myself - if I quite like the idea of coming up to my fourth 16th birthday (bearing in mind what being 16 was actually like first time around). But it's an interesting approach...

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  39. Happy Birthday, Ken. Hard to believe but I've known you since those first 21 years. Hope you had a wonderful day in a such beautiful country.

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  40. I just read this interesting fact.
    En 1896, l'espérance de vie en France était de 48,5 ans pour les femmes et de 43,4 ans pour les hommes. Aujourd'hui, elle est respectivement de 84,8 et 78 ans.
    If nothing else, they at least had easier math 100 years ago.

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  41. A bit late, but another greeting to wish you a belated happy birthday, Ken. I relish reading about you and Walt's life in the Loire Valley and all of your wonderful tidbits about the french language!

    Here's to another 21 years times whatever number feels right!

    Mary in Oregon

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  42. Everybody, thanks for your good wishes. Blogging is such a great way to stay connected, and to make new connections. I appreciate that.

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