Saturday, May 4, 2013

Birthdays and Blessings

Our Organic Garden has surprises from time to time.
I saw this amazing Amaryllis out on the table.
I had never seen one with these colors.


I asked if I could bring it up to my nest
so I could do a couple of journal pages.
It was tough to get the colors correct.
God has better paint brush talents
than I do. But it was fun trying.


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My Birthday has been a month long affair.
Friends and family have taken me out for lunch.

My BFF, Sandra, took my sister, Nancy and me out 
to lunch at Graffiti in Petaluma.
We had a delightful visit over a good meal.
Sandra made me this beautiful beaded necklace.
I love Butterflies and Hearts and this 
is filled with them. 
People say the necklace is "Me".


Here it is.... the colors are lovely.
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On my actual Birthday, 2 good friends,
Elaine and Pamela, took me on a hike around
Phoenix Lake. It was so beautiful.
Pamela and Elaine could be my daughters. 
It's nice to have younger friends, 
they keep you going!
Later, Pamela and I enjoyed a delicious 
salad lunch at Good Earth in Fairfax.




Elaine, Elizabeth and Pamela

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Porter, Michael, Kate and I met at a new 
cafe in Marin, named Sana Marin, to enjoy a delicious lunch
and to celebrate 2 birthday's. 
Porter's is on 4/21 and I am 4/30. 
This was my salad.
It tasted as good as it looks.


Kate and I had a lot of vegan choices from
the extensive menu, all healthy and organic.


Here are some goodies I received that day.
Fancy soap, a great 2012  album with
Elsa's photos and a very special quilt book cover 
from Kate. She is creating a quilt for both
Bentley and Davis out of their Mother's jeans
and Hawaiian shirts. I am so happy to have 
some of this fabric that Kate made into a book cover.
It is just the right fit for AA's Big Book.


May Day is the day after my Birthday
and there were even more surprises.
The Mill Valley Middle School came over
with lots of kids and bringing vases of 
fresh flowers. This is a tradition that was 
started many years ago by the school's
guidance counselors' mother. 
Here is her daughter and her granddaughter.
So, now it is a 3 generation tradition 
to come to The Redwoods
on May Day each year.


I got a vase full of Gerber Daisies of 
various bright colors. 

___________________________________________

One of my best Birthday Blessings was an excellent
health report as a result of my annual physical. 
My primary care Dr. at Kaiser gave me Kudos for doing
a good job at staying well. I do take care of myself 
as well as I can with exercise and a healthy eating plan.
Since eating as a Nutritarian  (a word coined by 
Dr. Joel Fuhrman), my weight is good, I have
excellent lab results and I rarely get ill.
But, at age 77, I am also blessed with the gift of 
good health and I never take it for granted.

I do feel my age by having a little less energy
these days. I am loving my naps that recharge 
me for the rest of the day. I rise early and walk 
before sunrise. I find my self out of gas by about 2 PM.
Napping helps me feel good for the rest
of the day. 

God has blessed me in so many ways, this is the
time of year that I count my blessings.

Here are just a few.
My family and friends and faith
My wonderful church, Westminster Presbyterian, in Tiburon
My 12 step Community
My Redwoods Community
My GIM Community
My art community - our Watercolor Journal Group 
Living in such a beautiful place in the world


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