Birthday Month..

  

Our home was beautified with Spring bouquets last Week..And of course they are still lasting..

I take pics of them all the time:)

We had a double celebration for my youngest daughter's birthday..46..oh lala..and mine.

We were invited to our eldest daughter's ..she hosts our double bdays:)

Generous Italian dinner.. so so so so good..

Lasagnas.. meatballs..arancini.. caesar salad ..garlic bread..so many apps..We were twelve and all the men are tall tall tall..Noah is catching up!

The next day I had soup for lunch and soup for dinner and went for a very long walk:)

I was in charge of desserts..

 

I made little tea cakes ..Now those turn out adorbs.. Tips..add mint LAST minute.. my mint would last but store bought wilts soon after..

Make sure you have a container high enough to keep these little naked cakes moist.

I do like brushing on a simple syrup to keep cakes moist but because these are naked all around..and you cannot put a Saran or the piped roses will squish...a good airtight container is a very good idea.

I made the recipe where I found the cakes..but would stick to my own versions of coconut cakes tried along the yrs.

American friends even have a cake mix that one reader said is ideal for these..Dolly Parton's coconut cake mix.

Who knew she cooked..Debbie at Mountain Breaths first mentioned them:)

The choco cheesecake is Preppy Kitchen's recipe.

Such a nice night..

I prefer giving gifts..

But who can resist receiving a watercolor of a bouquet I made years ago?

It was tucked into my birthday package from Susan..who never brags about her artistic talents..I know because I have some here..some watercolors through the years.

Even Jacques thought it was a photo it's so perfect and I love the cream paper.

I love it.

One sweet girl has  added to my  colllection of these sweet La Fermière crocks.I brought blue ones back from Povence..we don't have them here.. in the last couple of yrs Sarah has added so many to my collection and in many colors.She's a jar lover like I am.

I use them for many things:)

Mostly as vases:) For my garden flowers.

She lives in Austin and has beautiful gardens.

We exchange Valentines..  I mailed her card over 1 month ago and it's still not there.:(

How much pleasure does a gardener get in seeds? Let me tell you..gardening is exponentially more rewarding when something actually works from seed you have planted.

Last yr I discovered I could grow Zinnias..because of 

Susan..in Canada.

This yr I'll get to the rabbits before them for sunflowers:)

Susan and I were friends with our beautiful Linda..

She shared February with me..

Have a good week..

PS Yes I took out the last birthday card my mom ever bought me in 1973..Unsigned..I have kept it.

Found it in one of her drawers when I was sorting them..I was 19..

You really think you can never be happy again..

it takes so long..but you can..