Thursday, June 4, 2009

Happy Birthday to Me, Happy Birthday to Me...

They say it's your birthday. Happy Birthday to You-oo. . .
(the Beatles)




Tuesday afternoon several friends converged upon me in my living room for a cup of tea and some good visiting (and cards and gifts!) That was a nice surprise. :-)

Yesterday after getting off work, my husband absconded with me to Iowa City where he purchased a pair of padded bike shorts as my birthday gift. (I need protective padding for bike riding a very long distance... although I might not have believed it until I tried it several times! ha!)

I've received some special cards via "snail mail" and a couple of wonderful e-mails and e-cards already this morning!!

However, in real life, this morning (this official day) my friend next door, whose garden you just recently visited, presented me with a most wonderful gift!

Can you tell what she's carrying???


The gift is now residing in my dining room.
I hope she likes it here!


It's so beautiful!

I had to try this photograph so you could see the detail.
I don't know what type of orchid she is...
do you??


Now, another gift that I've just planted in the front yard where the trees used to be until last August... Tennessee Cone Flower seedlings that I started in a milk jug outdoors in January. It worked! I hope they do well here. I am going to be out of town for the next 4 days... I may recruit help in making sure they're watered!


What do you think, Gail?
:-)
Nothing "shady" here today!

21 comments:

Gail said...

Happy Birthday is what I am thinking! I hope your day is filled with love and celebration!

Delicious orchid and wonderful to see the Tennessee coneflower seedlings!

Mr. McGregor's Daughter said...

Happy Birthday! I think you are truly blessed.

Weeping Sore said...

Happy Birthday to you. Your friends are a lovely as your orchid. I have a number of gifted plants that I always associate with the givers. I've got a philodendron my office-mates gave me when my Mom died back in '94. Hope your celebrations are filled with such friends.

Catherine@AGardenerinProgress said...

Happy Birthday!! Hope you have a wonderful day :)
What a beautiful orchid!

Phoenix C. said...

Happy Birthday Shady Gardener! Have a wonderful day celebrating. Your orchid is beautiful!

bobbie said...

A very Happy Birthday, Shady Lady! Sounds like you've had a good one.

Rose said...

Happy Birthday to you, Shady! I'll just say it, though, and let the Beatles sing it--much better that way:) Congratulations on the orchid; it's a beauty. And am I ever impressed with your Tennessee Coneflower seedlings. My seeds didn't germinate indoors, but I've planted some directly outside and have my fingers crossed.

Corner Gardener Sue said...

Happy Birthday, and what a wonderful gift from your neighbor, oh, and the gift from your husband was nice, too. I forgot where you live. I am in Lincoln, NE. Do you in Iowa?

Northern Shade said...

Happy Birthday! Have fun cycling. Now I'm picturing you inspecting your garden by bicycle,"Ring, ring, passing on the left little coneflower."
I like that first shot of your new orchid, framed by the window, with your pretty green woods behind. Good luck with the winter sown seedlings.

Kathleen said...

Happy Birthday Shady Gardener!! Sounds like you had a wonderful day. Your orchid looks like a Phaleonopsis, not sure the name, but my mystery clearance one looked pretty similar. I'm certainly no expert ~ I'm just thrilled I haven't killed mine yet! I hope you have good luck with it. Enjoy the beautiful blooms, they last a long time. I also wish you many more birthdays!

Anonymous said...

Happy Birthday!!!! Hope it was a great one.

Monica the Garden Faerie said...

Happy belated birthday, Shady! I got a padded, larger bike seat as I think the shorts feel funny, but same difference. Padding is good (even if one already has enough of one's own!). ;-)

Gail said...

ps. I think you should celebrate your birthday all week long! gail

Rosemary said...

Happy Birthday to you.
What a lovely gift.

Anonymous said...

A very happy birthday.
It is such a lovely time of the
year to have a birthday.
Enjoy every day as if it is your
birthday.....

Lisa at Greenbow said...

Definitely celebrate as long as you can. Happy Birthday. That orchid is gorgeous but I can't help with the ID.

joey said...

Happy belated birthday wishes, Shady! My heart is with you for a beautiful prolific June 'shady' garden :)

Pat said...

Happy Birthday !
The orchid is TLC gift...how lucky.
Hope you're having a great time.
PS ...needed to know how to collect seeds from my columbine..remembered your
"sow and grow" page...thanks.

Sue Catmint said...

happy birthday, they sell that orchid here too, it's very beautiful. Lucky life consists of sun as well as shade, we'll never get bored!

troutbirder said...

Happy birthday Shady!

Shady Gardener said...

To each of my Garden Blogging Friends: Thank you so much for the Birthday sentiments!! It was so nice, I believe I forgot to age... and I'm thinking that may be a good thing! ha! ;-)

In the meantime, We received 2 1/8" of rain during the 4 days I was gone, PLUS last night it rained another 2 1/4"! It looks as though we'll receive a bit more tonight. We'll see...

Rainy Bonus: The Weeds pull pretty easily! :-)
Have a great day!!