By Scott Shephard

Today is Deb's birthday and I haven't even bought her a card. I was going to buy her a bicycle but she nixed that idea two days ago. So what are we doing to celebrate? We're going to Sioux Falls, where her family lives. We'll spend time with her mom and eat lunch with her brother and sister-in-law.  That's enough for her and it's enough for me, too.

This photo could have been taken anywhere but it was taken at a sidewalk restaurant in Athens in 2006. That was 9 years ago but it's one birthday I remember well because I splurged on her present. A musician with an accordion was working his way up the street and I got up to ask him to play a song for my wife and he did. The song? "Happy Birthday To You," of course. The cost? 1 Euro or about $1.30. I was a big spender that year.

Happy birthday to you, Deb. You get so much better with every year that passes.

Canon 5D 1/8s f/4.0 ISO400 88mm