A Very Special Birthday!

It's getting late.  Tom and I are tired.  There is still a little bit of putting away and cleaning up to do, but not much.  I finally had time to sit down and see what photos were taken.  Grandson Isaac was appointed photographer and he started out pretty diligently, but when his cousins arrived other things were were compelling. 

It doesn't matter what got captured in photographs.  I captured all of it in my heart.  It was a wonderful birthday!

Tom and I were up early.  Tom set up tables while I arranged flowers.  I used flowers from our garden and old, antique table linens from my grandmother for the umbrella tables.

Jill and the kids arrived about 10:30.  Jill helped in the kitchen and Isaac and Irene set up their flower shop.

 Jill made a trip to the store for ice and beverages.

 We made steady progress through the long list of setting up.

 And then just before 1:00, after the fog cleared and the sun came out, we were ready for our guests.

 Aunt Jan was the first to arrive.

 There were teacher friends from several schools staffs

and garden club friends

 And breakfast group friends

 And friends that I used to work with that now work with Jill.

 Friends from way back

 And cousins from even farther way back!

 And more school friends. One of the reasons I decided to have my party on a week day, on my real birthday, is because most of my friends and family are either retired or teachers, of both, and the weekends are too busy anyway.

 Irene made a new friend of Erin, daughter of one of my young teacher friends, and my youngest guest.

I will have to go back to the guest list to be sure, but I would say there were about 25 friends here for the garden party.  Then about 3:30 family started arriving, and that meant kids and that is when Isaac went AWOL as a photographer.  I did capture a few photos that my sister posted on Facebook.

 With just family left there was lots of visiting and eating and kids running and happy times.

 Double trouble!

Jill and Tom were wonderful in running the kitchen throughout the whole event, and other family members pitched in to help, too, so I was truly free to just enjoy the company.

And then it was time for cake and "Happy Birthday to ME".

Yes, I baked my own favorite chocolate zucchini cake.  

As the family began to drift away, all of them living quite some distance away, a few lingered to help with the take down.  Jill and the kids were the last to leave, and there was one last official act.

 Irene had to release "Bob".

 The kids found this caterpillar much earlier in the day.  He was an attraction at Irene's Flower Shop.  I understand she charged a penny to see Bob.  

 I think Bob is much happier now.  I know I am happy.  It was a wonderful birthday!   A day full of warm and fuzzy memories.