Today is my mom's birthday. One of her favorite areas in the known universe is the coast of Maine. It just so happens that my Maine Series coincided with this momentous occasion, so to her I offer this panoramic view of the West Penobscot Bay from Owl's Head State Park in Rockland, Maine.

She's probably been here, given my grandfather's tendency to drive the family up and down the coast for days on end, a tradition my mom had no problem continuing throughout my childhood—either in the backseat of a Chevy Vega (pumpkin orange or later on, dark brown) or the front seat of a blue AMC Matador (classic '70s cars, people). From him, we both came to love the coast of Maine; from her I came to appreciate how important that time spent riding around could really be.

So, here's wishing my mom the best birthday in the world. She's earned it; she deserves it. Love to you always, Mom!

Larger version here: Event Horizon