Putting on the Nines {happy birthday!

My heart is like a singing bird…
Because the birthday of my life
Is come, my love is come to me.

                                 ~Christine Rosseti

more rare than a blue moon

Some say it is special because it is a trinumeral day —  09 09 09 — and it doesn’t come around very often. Not even as often as a blue moon. I think a special guy who is celebrating his 09 09 09 birthday with me is even more rare.

9 days of birthdays

So, what does one do to make  a 09 09 09  birthday special for my dear one . . . especially, when it is mine, too? Friends and colleauges share a plethera of fabulous ideas for a festive and memorable celebration. Hmmm…what ideas are doable and on a frugalist budget? The “Nine Days of Birthdays” — similiar to the “12 Days of Christmas”  — is the result of one highly-productive evening gathering of astute minds.

On the first day of nine birthdays  . . . one love poem

Day 2 — Two  Godiva turtle chocolates

Day 3 – Three Coins in a Fountain: three gold coins to toss in one of the fountains at Rose Cottage, and coins tossed in Rome’s Trevi Fountain by a friend

Day 4 – A dazzling four-leaf clover from a lass who is a wee bit of Irish

Day 5 –  Framed favorite photo from a dreamy trip to Cinque Terre, Italy with the purple and pink sunset over the Mediterranean Sea in the background

Day 6 – Six voluptuous peach roses each saying “I love you” in a different languages

Day 7 – Seven “Lucky Nines” lotto cards

Day 8 – Eight different birthday songs

Day 9 – Nine little gifts throughout the day at nine minutes past the hour

 I want to be an artist
To paint pictures just for you,
So when each birthday comes around,
I can send you quite a few.

                                   ~Anonymous

Happy birthday to my true love, soul mate and best friend! I am so glad to share MY birthday with you, too!

Gifts of Spring

Sweet April showers
Do spring May flowers.
~Thomas Tusser, A Hundred Good Points of Husbandry (1557)

colorful packages

One of the most amazaing floral designers that I know, Cindie from Camrose Hill, asks “what is inspiring about spring for you?” As I think about her question, I start considering all the “gifts of spring” that I receive. So many gifts…each is brightly wrapped in the most amazing and creative ways! Thinking on these things create beauty in my life.

Daffodils and a Tulip in Dawn's Early Light

 

a few word pictures

Here are a few of perfectly wrapped gifts of spring that I receive and am sharing little word pictures with you:

1. Timmy and Jenny Wren’s good morning songs jubilantly sung from the “old-soul” maple tree limb outside the bedroom window
 
2. small forsythia blossoms, like delicate flutterbys, cheerfully welcome the morning sun
 
3. Mr. and Mrs. Bluebird’s soft, deep-throated love calls as they laborously build their cozy nest in the ole’ English dovecote (and wondering if, once again, Mr. Bluedbird will gently perch on my shoulder to whisper another sweet little secret in my ear?)
 
4. fresh, green sprigs of grass–each blade a banquet feast for the araconas, who start their amazing production of turquoise jewels
 
5. lush velvet carpets of woodland moss with random blooms of miniscule soft, white flowers roll-out before travelers’ afternoon walks

Carpets of Flowering Moss

 
6. envigorating fragrances from the earth’s awakening following her long winter’s slumber
 
7. long. slender necks of gaily-colored tulips singing out their songs of joy, while sunshine-colored daffs triumphantly proclaiming that spring is here

Triumphant Daffodils

 
8. a pair of old loves lingering a bit longer into the evening on the weathered tree swing… the kindred hearts still holding hands after all these years
 
These are but a few of the love gifts of hope, inspiration and joy that each spring brings to our little Rose Cottage– “the house that love built” –as our cottage was sweetly called by my true love’s beloved Swedish grandmother. 

What are your gifts of spring?
 

Daffodils and Rembrant Tulips

Visit Melissa at The Inspired Room for more ideas about the beautiful life.

Best wishes for a lovely and inspiring spring filled with many gifts!

valentine wishes

          “LOVE GREETING. . . 

A Valentine’s Welcome from Rose Cottage Gardens and Farm

 . . . Joy and hope are sweetly springing.  Fair as light at dawning grey:  Love within my heart is singing songs of you all day.”

Vintage Valentine’s are such keepsakes and convey sentiments to friends and families in ways we no longer do. The words above were from a long-forgotten Valentine tucked away in a young woman’s small trunk since the 1880’s. Imagine! What would your Valentine say if it were hidden in a trunk with your keepsakes for over 100 years?

If you were able to sing your Valentine a song, what would you sing? An old Sinatra standard? Something classical? An original little ditty? Take Rose Cottage’s poll about your favorite song!

what is your song?

Unlike our number one son who has perfect pitch, a passion for music and who loves to sing, I can’t carry much of tune. My consellation is that I can carry a song in my heart for my friends and family throughout the day (and listen to XM radio!). Another way I can sing for my Valentine is to send them a musical Valentine from the local public radio station! Until February 14th, listeners select from 14 songs and send classical love notes to a Valentine. Wouldn’t it be fun to send some of these love notes? View classical love notes selections.

In addition to great music or just a little tune, I think “songs” in your heart can be the unexpected kindness one person does for another. Songs can be a kind word or a hand-written note of encouragement (or a classical love note!). Maybe, a song is doing a job that no one else wants to do. Sometimes these this little “songs” can create music in someone else’s life. I need to think about what “song” I will sing today for a Valentine. How about you?

 please be my Valentine, send me a “song” …

leave your thoughts below!