My sweet daughter gave me this bee-yew-ti-ful phalaenopsis orchid. I've never had one before so I'm crossing my fingers I can keep it alive.
She also presented me with a couple of other small special things (she is SO good at picking out presents that are just perfect) including this bouquet of flowers she made from the bottom ends of pine cones.
Here's a better picture of the colorations. I think they look remarkably like zinnias, don't you? I love 'em.
She and her dad collaborated on another special gift for me. Papa Pea provided the cash (!) and dear daughter did the computer work of getting copies of my blog posts to the publisher.
You see, a few Christmases ago, she gave me a book like this containing my blog posts from when I first started blogging through the next nine months. That was Volume I and the start of what has become a wonderful traditional gift for me on birthdays and Christmases. This most recent is Book V and believe it or not, we're not close to being caught up to date.
I keep my growing collection on the top shelf of my desk and treasure them.
Well in advance of my birthday date, I asked my dear husband for this book and I'm sure he was tickled to get it for me since it's been his desire for me to learn how to make sourdough bread for a long time. The book is by MaryJane Butters and has gotten really good reviews. I love that the recipes and instructions seem very simple (for this very simple person), and there are LOTS of pictures. It may be unrealistic (given that our busiest of busy seasons is here), but I sure hope to be able to find the time to delve into this book and get a start on learning to bake sourdough bread yet this summer.
Yep, it was a lovely birthday celebration with lovely presents . . . and I didn't even mind turning 57. (Hee-hee-hoho-snort-snort.)
Happy Birthday! I especially love the blog books - what a treasure.
ReplyDeleteHappy Birthday! The blog books are a great idea. So is your method of counting the years, which will make me 27 next month. :)
ReplyDeleteHappy 57th Birthday!!!!
ReplyDeleteWith your calculations, I recently turned 18...!!!! ,-)
Lovely gifts all!!!!!
I remember Mary Jane Butters, used to get her magazine. Remember that she sold "mixes," which could be combined with meat/veggies, and done in an iron frying pan. So cool. She even had G/F.
To do bread, you should designate a day... With no chores for you.... And devote it to baking bread. Hey, if he wants bread, he may have to make some sacrifices!!!!!! -wink-
tpals - I think the blog books are a lot like photo albums. Sure, we have wonderful photos saved on our computers, but how much nicer to sit on the couch with the photo albums looking at the pictures. Same thing, I can always scroll back on old blog posts, but having the book to look through is a much nicer thing!
ReplyDeleteVicki - In case I miss it, I'm sending you a Happy 27th Birthday greeting right now! ;o)
wisps of words - Honey, if you just turned 18, you've got a long way to go!! ;o)
My husband's niece started a subscription to MaryJane's Farm (the magazine) for me a year or so ago and I'm enjoying it. In the magazine she advertises a "healthy" substitute for jello that I want to order and try. (I LOVE jello but don't make it 'cause realize it's just S-U-G-A-R. :o( )
I like your idea: If the guy wants sourdough bread, he can do all my chores on designated Bread Day! (Hey, I could get into this!)
Re: your comment in my blog.... About reading Louise Penny...
ReplyDeleteI have only read some Chief Inspector Gamache books, and love them.
So, if you do, please begin with the 1st in the series... "Still Life."
Rarely I come across a series, with many characters, which reels me in. This one has. At first, there are many characters, but after a while (because I don't have the best memory! lol) I remember who is who, and enjoy seeing how they progress. I really get into the whole 'saga'.
If you do read this, and if you enjoy it, please tell me. :-)
Happy birthday! I turned 66 this year, so there's not much I can do about turning those numbers around, Lol. I love your daughter's pine cone flowers ... yes, they do look like lovely zinnias! God bless you!
ReplyDeletewisps of words - Oh, yes, I would definitely start on the first of the series. So often at the library I'll pick up a book that looks interesting and then notice it's "third in the series" or some such which makes me put it down immediately! That said I do like authors who write a series and love to see the characters grow and develop. Can't promise I'll start this particular series this summer. It might have to wait for fall. 'Bout the only time I have to read is right before bed and in the summer time, I'm usually so pooped from outdoor exercise each day that I hardly make it into bed before falling asleep! All the same, I always appreciate an recommendation for good reading. Thank you!
ReplyDeleteCarol W. - Ha, that particular birthday does present a problem! When we hit 100, there won't be much we can do with that either, will there?! Just remember that we truly are as young as we feel. But I believe having all our experience and knowledge under our belts is much better than being a chronologically young age! Thanks for commenting. :o)
Happy Belated Birthday Mama Pea! Love the Blog book idea,
ReplyDeleteHappy belated birthday Mama Pea. What wonderful gifts you got. I'm going to have to try to make some of those pine cone flowers.
ReplyDeleteHappy Birthday! What a treat to help you celebrate. Sounds like a lovely day and you received some very nice gifts! I really like the pine cone flowers and look forward to learning about your adventures in sourdough.
ReplyDeleteAnd then there is the sum of the equation . Happy 12th birthday Mama Pea!
ReplyDeleteYou got some good gifts girlie. What a thoughtful talented family you have. I will be interested to your over all review of the book. So get with the baking and the book reading please.
No matter how we turn the number play . A most Happy Birth Date to a wonderful fascinating lady!
I'm late to the party, but glad it was happy! I have published three blogbooks and will never catch up to the present at my current rate of affording them....
ReplyDeleteHappy belated birthday! I love your blog and try to read it every day
ReplyDeleteA very happy belated birthday to you!! What wonderful gifts to receive!! I was gifted a sourdough book called Flour Water Salt Yeast by Ken Forkish. Its incredibly detailed and delves into sourdough realms I do not think I will ever get to/achieve, but his basic stuff is pretty darn good. I will try again in the fall to start a starter. I believe sourdough should be started from just water and flour and the wonderful bacteria in the air. Not from starting it with yeast. I can't get over in my mind that that is cheating.
ReplyDeleteHappy, happy, happy birthday Year! That Chicken Mama is so talented. Guess the apple fell right under the tree! :) What a great idea - gathering your history of sorts into volumes. I was a MaryJane's farmgirl way back in the beginning. I met two of my besties through that group.
ReplyDeleteHappy Birthday. I will stick with the normal birthday counting as that form actually makes me older.
ReplyDeleteDFW - Thank you! The amazing thing is when paging through the book(s), I have completely forgotten some of the posts I wrote. Is this a bad thing?? ;o)
ReplyDeleteSparkless - I'm sure you would be good at making some of the pine cone flowers of your own. Go for it!
Leigh - Thanks! I had to laugh this morning when my husband told me I should devote one day a week all summer long to baking sourdough bread. He said he's do everything on my list for that day! Am I a fool to not take him up on that??
Goatldi - The sum of the two numbers, eh? Leave it to you to think outside the box. You're a treasure! Thanks so much for your birthday wishes. Hugs.
Michelle - Neither daughter nor husband will tell me exactly how much they cost, but I know they're pricey. But oh-so-worth it, I think!
Katie C. - What a very nice thing for you to say. Thank you!
MrsDM - And the thing is bread made the sourdough way is supposed to be so much better for us than that using (commercial) yeast. And these days the more true nutrition for our bodies we can get in our diet is worth the trouble.
Susan - Thank you, m'dear! Sometimes I feel MaryJane's magazine is a bit too glitzy, but then again, I love some of the things I come across in it. Good stuff!
Athanasia - Whoops, don't wanna go that route! Thanks for the birthday wishes.
Well, Happy Birthday!! I love the idea of gifting your blog into a book. I've wanted to do that for years, and just didn't know where to start. What publisher did they use if you don't mind if I ask? Sorry I missed this post, I'm trying to catch up reading some today.
ReplyDeleteKristina - Thanks for the birthday wishes! The outfit they went through is blog2print Powered By XanEdu. Hope that helps
ReplyDeleteMama Pea!!! I didn't know it was your birthday recently, you must inform your fans ;) Happy Birthday!!! 57 is the new 75 lol...Jack Benny never aged a day past 39. :) Those gifts are lovely and yes, those pine cones do look like zinnias! I love the idea of your blog books! And that cookbook looks great. I love a good cookbook...baked goods cookbooks are lacking in my collection but Alex has the wish list :)
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