Happy Birthday, Jill

Wishing you a happy birthday and hoping your crocus blooms are soon showing, with or hopefully without the snow! Hope you enjoyed your bee keeping classes last month.

Happy birthday Jill. Hope you enjoy and have something fun planned despite this bitter cold day!

Happy Birthday Jill !

Jill, happy birthday. Hope your day is warm and fun filled.

Happy Birthday Critter! Hope Jim and Joyana really spoil you today. May the warmth of those who love you keep you toasty warm till this arctic blast passes into Spring!

Happy Birthday! Wishing many days of backyard gardening joys!

Thanks! That bee hive cake is adorable.

Martina (whose bday is Sat) and Karen (friend from the Y) and I are meeting at Dutch Plant Farm at 1 pm for a picnic lunch. Karen is picking up sandwiches from Subway, and I'm bringing fruit & chips. We'll make use of that little table on the gazebo in the "oasis" planting where the pond & parrots are. Should be lots warmer than outside, anyway! We'll pretend we're in Fiji or something.

Anybody want to join us? Actually, I'm sure most of you would *want* to have a picnic at DPF... but if anybody can actually be there, let me know, and tell me what you want from Subway!

Happy birthday, Jill! Spring is right around the corner! :)

LOL, that's not what the groundhog said...

We had a fun lunch & browsed plants of course also. Got home in time for more bday hugs from Joyanna when she came home. It's all good!

Happy, Happy Jill Hope you had a great day.

Happy Birthday, Jill! What, you didn't buy any plants?!
I hope the rest of your day was just as special.

Adding my Best Wishes to you as well!
Hope your day was special--in every way. Gita

Becky at the swap she held--
Sending you this picture for memory's sake....

Thank you!

Er, well, yes I did buy a couple of plants. I didn't say we'd ONLY browsed. Martina & I each picked out 2 of the 4 inch house plants (you know that tempting deal where they are $5 each instead of $7 if you buy 4)... I chose a strawberry begonia (so cute) and one of those "frosted" plants Sally wrote about recently (starts with an "s"). Martina chose a 'Brasil' philodendron (or is it a pothos?) and a fern that looks similar to maidenhair but seems sturdier (and hopefully will be a better survivor).

I also got an amethyst-purple mini AV, because that's my birthstone, after all. LOL Martina surprised me by dropping off a bright primrose after school, too. I resisted the bargain table (this time), but she acquired a lovely pink bouganvillia and a hanging basket of another pothos. We browsed but didn't purchase ceramic containers, windchimes, seeds, etc. See how restrained we were! :-)

Joyanna had ballet class tonight -- extra fun because the parents get to sit in on the last class in each quarter. They are starting to look like real dancers! Afterwards, we went out to "Dutch's Dungeon," a pub-like restaurant built under the fancier "Dutch's Daughter." Jim had a club sandwich, but Joyanna and I feasted on seafood -- calamari, fried haddock, and oysters. We brought the sweet potato and asparagus home with us but had no trouble eating up the luscious chocolate & whipped cream cake they treated me to. Joyanna declared it to be her new favorite restaurant, equal in her estimation to Chef Lin.

I'd say my next half-century is off to a great start!

:-)

Happy birthday from chilly central KY!

Now, the occasion of critter's birthday - and food - has me reminiscing about my first anniversary (and honeymoon redux) trip up through the mid-Atlantic and northeast way back in 1988. We spent a very pleasant night in an historic B&B north of town in Frederick, and had a most memorable meal at a restaurant (downstairs) in an historic building in the downtown area - that for the life of me (and dear wife) can't remember the name of. Help!

We had Caesar Salad prepared tableside, with little hairnets over the fresh squeezed lemons and sliced whole anchovies. It was a brick building, with the stone foundation exposed as the walls of the downstairs dining area.

Can anyone resuscitate that restaurant's name? We dined there at least two other times that took us through the vicinity - but there's nothing like your first time...

I'm pretty sure it isn't there anymore.

Amazing! All it took was a stiff slug of Mavrodaphne (Greek red dessert wine), and the fetching Mrs. VV busted out with:

"Was it The Brown Pelican?"

Indeed. Such is of what memories are made...

sweet!

The Brown Pelican is now closed, alas, but a little googling revealed that the executive chef there opened a restaurant in New Market in 2010 called "Morgan's American Grill"... Urban Spoon, Yelp, etc indicate that the new place is still thriving.

I think The Cellar Door might be at the location of the former Brown Pelican, but I'm not sure. I haven't been there... it's a little more spendy than we normally do, and it gets pretty mixed reviews.

Drats! I'm late again. Sounds like a wonderful day

Happy Birthweek, critter!!!!!

Thanks! Not late at all... this is a Big Number birthday, so I intend to celebrate it for a while! Besides, I had a sinus thing the past couple of days that finally stopped hurting, so I'm feeling even more celebratory today, LOL.

I got an invitation from AARP, and a neighbor who recently started selling a skin care line sent me an "invitation" that might have something to do with my facebook photo...

I finally got onto FB so I could keep up with the happenings on the block. My profile pic is one that was taken the day I helped with gingerbread houses at school, so it's no-makeup (I was in a hurry) and with that so-flattering cafeteria lighting.

I figure the smile says I'm looking forward to my next half century, especially since I'm sitting next to Sunshine Girl!

As always, I am late for the party! Hope you have had a wonderful birthday, Jill!

Jill--you look like a 20-year old in that picture-----very nice!!!

Start counting your years backwards. G.

Thanks... I'm happy to count my years forwards; they've been good ones! Not sure I'm ready for AARP though. :-)

AARP gives all kinds of discounts to members....Print out the list...

You get their very good and informative magazine full of good info.
for seniors. Lots of health related articles...

Smile! It's all good!!!

Hmm. My Dad's (older) sister sent him an AARP membership when he turned 50. Dad gave me a plaque that his mom painted for him that says, After 50, it's Patch, Patch, Patch.

I think my brother has decided not to rub it in. After all, he will probably not make it to his 50th birthday... he's 3 years younger and in good health, but he was born on Feb. 29th.

AARP is great! I got a card when my husband hit 50, and I used it more than he did in order to get discounts at hotels. I agree with Gita; their magazine is worth reading.

I know I'm late but the wishes are as great, hope your birthday week is fantastic!

ooh, Robin, what a pretty cake! thank you!

Today is Martina's birthday. She's my friend and neighbor who has come to several MAG events with me. She made a huge pot of mole' sauce this afternoon and then invited us (and a couple other neighbors) over for chicken & rice with mole'. Awesome! I had offered to make a cake, but she opted for a big cheesecake from Costco but said I could gussy it up, so I thawed some cherries for a sauce and shaved some dark chocolate... the kids loved sprinkling the chocolate bits around, and everybody liked the cherries. :-)

OK, sounds like I should give AARP some actual consideration. LOL

If I remember (my 50 was long ago)--once you get to 50, AARP will be
bombarding you with mail and literature to join.
You really don't have to do much yourself--just join.
G.

Oops, looks like I'm late too but like Robin said, I hope you are having a good birthday week :)

I'm still celebrating, according to Joyanna! (and she knows birthdays)

Of course you are!

Just wanted you to know, Jill, that My daughter, Aina, turnrd 50 as well--
8 days before you--Feb. 11th.
I guess that mean i am old enough to be your mother as well,,,

:o( G.

Jill give me ur facebook link as I seem to have forgotten ur last name, along with ur birthday. Arrgh. Saw the surgeon today, I don't have to see him for a year. Yee haw. Enjoy your birthday, gal! Hugs, Button.

LOL, guess you'll have to be "Gramma Gita" then. :-)

Button, that's great news! Hope you continue to heal up so you're ready for all manner of spring fun!