Something A Little Different To Celebrate A Birthday

It was my friend Nicole's birthday last month.

She and I have been friends for over twenty years, which makes both of us feel old, but is in actual fact a real blessing. We've known each other's kids since they were toddlers and the younger ones from the day they were born. We've camped together as families and one memorable summer (not necessarily in a good way, although we laugh about it now), even camped together with another friend, just as moms and kids.

We don't see each other all that often, but we always pick up right where we left off. . . the way you do with family. . . nothing can take the place of  years of shared history.
 Our kids are the same ages except for our youngest boys (hers and mine) so we've gone through all the stages together and are happily looking forward to the new stage ahead of us. . .

Empty nesters! (one of these days. . . we hope. . .) (no pressure boys. . .)

Over the years Nicole and I have gone to some lovely restaurants for our birthdays.

This year however, I wanted to do something a little different. I wanted to make something special for her myself. Something that required a little thought and effort.

I broke out my Martha Stewart cook book and found a great recipe for broccoli soup. Made homemade bread and homemade dessert. I went to my 'china' shelves and set the table with my prettiest flowered dishes and took my favorite embroidered table cloth from the linen closet.

I put together my own 'gift basket', wrapping a gardening book that had been signed by the author (Jim Hole),  a packet of sweet pea seeds and a potted pink primula with cellophane and tying it up with a gauzy ribbon.

I had such fun planning, cooking and baking for this celebration and the best part was that we could visit to our hearts content without all kinds of loud music and conversation to bother us.
We visited while I finished off the soup, during lunch and right on through to the baking of the biscuits and whipping of the cream for our strawberry shortcake.

It was one of the nicest birthdays I have been to. . . (if I do say so myself!)

Tomorrow is Ev's birthday and we are doing something else entirely. ( She will, of course, have a blog post of her own. . .)
We are spending the day in search of inspiration , creativity, beauty and the unusual, with high hopes of sampling  some fabulous food as well.

So. . .
To my dear friends. both old and not as old. . .(ahem, cough, cough. . . not that you are old Nicole, our friendship is old. . .)

Happy, Happy, Birthday!
I pray God will grant you many more!