bEARTHday Celebration

I was so impressed, grateful, and honored by all the lovely comments I got yesterday. Since so many of you asked how I spent my day, here are a few of the over 130 pictures I took.

I actually began my day talking to Halle on the phone while drinking my first mug (or is it jug?) of coffee.

It rained off and on all day. The times it didn't rain, it was sunny and beautiful. The times it rained, it was also beautiful, because Mother Nature washed everything clean. The slow drizzle was perfect for the garden and the environment. Luckily, we in Kansas are (as of right now) unaffected by the volcanic aftermath that affect so many of my European friends.


My neighbor Sally (left) and Dana threw me a birthday lunch complete with gifts. Look at that birthday cake that Dana made me. It's made with watercolor pencils.


Many of my photos were out of focus, so you get what you get. Here are my gifts a bit closer. I got some of those Lock and Lock bowls and a can opener that doesn't leave sharp edges on the metal from Sally. I love the can opener and it will come in handy for all kinds of metal art projects. The bowls are perfect for storage.


Dessert and coffee. Yum.


Next it was off to Dana's where we packed up everything in this cabinet. I was going to show the packing, then decided I would wait till tomorrow, when I can do a post on organization, something I haven't done in awhile.


After taking a load to Dana's new home, we came back to my place, where I share these disparate bits I set on my work desk. On the left is a can of Nevr-Dull, a gift from Dana, which I can use to move the color around on National Geographic magazine images. On the right is an old catalog my next door neighbor brought me. He said he had an entire box of things like that and asked if I wanted them. Bless my neighbors. After all, it would have gone in his trailer that is going back to the dump, if I hadn't taken the stuff.

Next, Scott came by and we discussed cutting the limbs on my only tree, then he changed the oil in the car he has loaned me. What a birthday deal. About this time, Dana left, saying she was "handing me off to Scott" to finish out my birthday.


As Scott was finishing changing the oil and filter, my neighbor brought this box of books, greeting cards, and wallpaper,


along with this small box of books and other material. The corn popper box alone is out of this world.


To finish out the day, Scott and I went to a different Chinese restaurant. In the low light conditions of the place, Scott looked like he'd been painted (or run through a PS filter) as he drank his hot tea.


I ended up taking a flash of him in order to get a good photo. None of the shots of our meals turned out. They were all too dark or washed out from the flash.


I didn't have any trouble getting a shot of the buffet steam table, though. In fact, we closed the place, we stayed so late.

It was a great day for the Earth and a great day to have a bEARTHday. Thanks to all who made it possible, with your lovely comments, kind thoughts, and recycling efforts.

And because I am being lazy and don't want to take time to pick a favorite blog, today's web site was suggested by my friend Jackie. It's one of those web sites you could spend a week on, but in addition to other categories, it features ways to recycle objects destined for the trash. So, I give you Green Crafting at FaveCrafts.com. You might actually find a thing or two ways to recycle trash you hadn't thought of.