Before I forget to post this, I am having some eye surgery Wednesday morning, to get rid of the floaters in my left eye. They are quite abundant! I have mono vision lenses in my eyes since my cataract surgery with one eye being for distance and the other eye for close up. They are doing my distance eye and I’m supposed to have a patch on it for a day, so I’m not sure I’ll be able to get a post written, but if I can, I will, if not, I get the patch off Thursday and should be back to seeing okay… just wanted to let you know in case you chime in Thursday morning and there isn’t a post…
I do have some pictures from Linda and Jan, that I might save for Thursday, just in case…
Oh my goodness, thank you all for the wonderful birthday wishes. I was so thrilled reading them all and sharing my day with Barbara’s girls. I’m sure they were as happy as I was to receive all the wonderful attention and compliments! I had a super day with Rebecca and Karn and my hubby. We are going out to dinner with Kristoffer night. He wasn’t able to do Monday… so the birthday celebrating will keep on going.
I loved getting a birthday wish from Georgina in France! I used Google Translate to see what she said. It was so sweet! Happy 77th Birthday to you TODAY, Georgina!! Then I loved that Ingrid answered Georgina back in French! I LOVE my ladies!
I loved getting a “Dolltastic” birthday wish from Karen’s daughter, Marion, and a “Dogtastic” birthday wish from Rose! Thanks girls!
And Happy Birthday to Theresa in Indiana, as she shared a birthday yesterday too! She’s a bit younger than me… by one year! Theresa calls me her one-year-older-than-me-twin! :o)
Sally…a Peanut Buster Parfait…for breakfast? Absolutely, for me… normally, but not this week! But sure sounds yummy!
Alina, We are very happy to have met you! Nice to hear from you… all the way from Poland!
If you missed Dorothy’s Birthday poem from the sofa… It’s so sweet…
The sisters have gathered around you to say, we are wishing you joy on this your birthday
and to thank you so much for this sofa space, where we share who we are in this marvelous place!
Thank you EVERYONE! You all made my day so much fun and I felt so special!
Rebecca and I spent a lot of time in my sewing room and I already have the next doll outfit lined out! It’s going to be cute and sweet and a little bit French… I hope! She was thinking of something in her head but couldn’t draw it, so I listened to her and put it on paper! I’m hoping this one goes better than Samantha’s did. Just wait!
We did a little gift giving, some shopping at Goodwill and at Hobby Lobby…she’s going to show me some tips on making doll necklaces! Hallelujah! I bought some stuff to practice with! Tuesday we are going to hit a few thrift stores and see what we find… The guys worked on the lawn mowers and my hubby got called out on a “faucet” call from someone, so Karn tagged along with us…
Rebecca gave me some ideas on how to get some of my stuff I want to get rid of sold… hang around for that too! :o)
Now for the picture part of my post… Linda sent some pictures for your “viewing pleasure today!” This is what she had to say…
Hi Jeanne!
I thought it would be a good idea to show you some pictures of our latest visit to the St. Louis Botanical Gardens, a week or two ago. It was on a whim, the weather was nice, for once, and we decided to get tickets the day before. Just this weekend, they have now opened the new multi-million dollar Jack Taylor Center, where you come in . It was a two year project and at the time we were there, it was still a mess as far as the front part, but the gardens are beautiful, as ever!
This is the water lily season, and they were spectacular! It looks we begin and end with water lilies! There were several types, and I believe the second picture shows the ones that resemble plates. They are quite large!
There were so many other flowers and shrubs, too numerous to mention, and for sure it looked much better than my yard! Enjoy!
Happy birthday, and have fun with your family!
Love you, Linda
I did have a wonderful day! Thank you for the beautiful pictures Linda! They are so pretty!
Thank you again everyone for the love you showered on me! (and the cards some of you sent!) :o)
Blessings, Jeanne
Jeanne, I’m so happy that things went well for your birthday, and am praying that your eye surgery is successful. You certainly were showered with love and good wishes on your special day!
It seems the pictures are a bit jumbled up, and the second picture is NOT the plate waterlilies! It is the second to last, just making sure everyone knows that the second picture is not one of waterlilies! I think most will figure that out!!
The picture of the rose garden and the arbor, third from last, has glass spirals all around it, and they are the famous Chiluly pieces, which are beautiful when they catch the sun. You can’t really see that from the picture, but i though I would point that out.
I’m glad I could help you out, and hope the rest of the week shapes up to be one that you enjoy, despite the surgery. Hang in there!!
It sounds like the celebrations continue, Jeanne! I’m so glad you’re having a wonderful time with your daughter and son-in-law there. I know this week will pass all too quickly for you.
Linda, thanks for sharing pictures! I do love water lilies, and have fond memories of them on a lake I remember from my childhood (Upper Peninsula of Mich.–probably at Fortune Lake Bible Camp, but memory is a bit fuzzy). I hope some day I get back to St. Louis again (we “drove by” a number of years ago on one of our trips), so I can visit the Botanical Gardens myself. Until that happens, your pictures will have to satisfy me, as we really aren’t traveling at this time in our lives. Ron’s just not strong enough.
I understand that a certain package is on its way to me!! Yup, Gigi Siblie is on her way! I am so excited, and so is Ruby/Ten Ping Siblie. Yes, I was able to fulfill my dream of owning one when another collector graciously allowed me to buy one from her! I am beyond thrilled!
Tomorrow I am meeting a doll friend for lunch, and Ruby/Ten Ping Siblie will be going along for show and tell!!
Thank you Charlotte! Yes, this is the time for water lilies, sincewe don’t have them in the winter or colder months. And for sure, you do have to come back and see the Garden sometime in the future. You will love it!
Dear Charlotte, I look forward to hearing about your dolly lunch.
bonjour, je m’appelle Sabine et j’habite en France . cela fait une année que je me suis inscrite a votre lettre de nouvelle car j’ai découvert le monde des poupées RRFF pendant le confinement . maintenant j’en ai trois et j’envisage d’en transformer une a mon gout .
j’aime beaucoup votre blog car vous êtes chrétienne probablement évangélique comme moi et aussi parce que j’admire ce que vous faites en couture . c’est vraiment très beau et raffiné. je voulais vous dire que je prierai pour votre intervention chirurgicale. en espérant que mon message vous parviendra. Bon courage a vous . sabine
This is the translation of Sabine’s comment…
Hello, my name is Sabine and I live in France. It’s been a year since I signed up for your newsletter because I discovered the world of RRFF dolls during lockdown. now I have three and I plan to transform one to my taste.
I really like your blog because you are probably an evangelical Christian like me and also because I admire what you do in sewing. it is really very beautiful and refined. I wanted to tell you that I will be praying for your surgery. hoping that my message will reach you. Good luck to you . sabine
Chère Sabine, bonjour. Nous sommes heureux que vous soyez ici. Nous faisons croire que nous sommes tous assis sur un canapé dans la maison de Jeanne en train de parler entre nous. Nous vous réserverons une place.
Dear Sabine, hello. We are glad you are here. We make believe that we are all sitting on a sofa in Jeanne’s house talking with each other. We will save a space for you. [Dorothy from ning]
Happy to meet you and enjoy your company. I renewed my doll collection four years ago during a very stressful time. It has strengthened friendships and led to new ones. Welcome!
Good luck with your eye surgery tomorrow, Jeanne. I believe cataract surgery is in the not-too-distant future for me… and I always thought cataract surgery was for old people!! LOL!!
Thank you, and all the sofa sisters, who wished me a happy birthday yesterday. I wasn’t as busy as you were, but still had a nice day. Texas Roadhouse for dinner tonight – looking forward to a yummy baked sweet potato. 🙂
Beautiful photos of the botanical gardens, Linda! I would love to visit there some day – it’s only about 5 1/2 hours away from here – it could be a little mini vacation.
Happy birthday, Theresa, a day late! My daughter’s in-laws live in Indianapolis, so they drive back and forth quite frequently. Yes, you need a mini-vacation to see the gardens! Thank you for the compliments!
Texas Roadhouse! Definitely one of our favorites. And a fully loaded sweet potato is like Heaven on Earth. Have a great time and think of me while you’re there. We won’t be going for a while. David is having three tooth implants and can’t eat anything like that for several weeks, more like months. He says I can but I just can’t eat his favorite meal in front of him.
So, Jeanne, do they just zap those floaters with a laser? Curious how it works as I’ve had floaters for years. I’m sure not as severe as yours, but never thought about having them disappear. Hope it goes well and you can get right back to your fun with R&K. Would love to see those goodies you might find while out thrifting. 🙂
Very happy to see Linda’s wonderful botanic garden photos. So nice that they even label the floating lilies with their name. The water features are so tranquil. And the garden beds so nicely maintained. No comparison to our blackberry brambles here. Ugh.
Glad Jeanne’s birthday celebration was a good one. And on to next year and many more. 🙂
Thank you, Joy! Yes, every single plant, tree or flower is labeled so we can see what it is. They do a wonderful job with everything. I always welcome a morning of walking through the gardens to enjoy the beauty and serenity and to get away from everyday pressures.
I can tell that you are having a great birthday week doing the things you like with the people you love.
Prayers for for your eye procedure this week. It is a blessing that we can receive these sight saving treatments. Let the sewing eyes be healed! 🙂
I am sorry that you are having difficulty with Samantha’s dress but am looking forward to what you are working on next. Two Little Darlings have come to live in my house this month. Hint, hint. 😉
Congrats on your new family members. Please send pictures of your new Little Darlings. I know all the sisters would love to see them.
Thanks Barbara! I will when I can unpack them. The kitchen cabinet installation is today so all the girls were packed away yesterday. Hopefully we are on the homestretch on our fixer upper.
Those are beautiful photos Linda. Those gardens are legendary and I can see why through your lens. Recently the Biltmore house in our state did an outdoor exhibit of Chilhuly sculptures. The sculptures are beautiful in any setting but especially in water. The reflections just add to their beauty. Those are magnificent Water Lily’s! Thanks for sharing. 🙂
Debbie, we have been to the beautiful Biltmore estate years ago, and it was when the azaleas were in bloom! Just gorgeous! Several years ago, the Garden also had a Chihuly exhibit, and several pieces were bought by the Garden and are on permanent display here. Did you notice the colored globes in the water in front of the Climatron? They are also from the Chihuly exhibit. Thank you for the kind words!
Oh yes, I noticed those globes. His sculptures are so unique. I am glad you were able to see the azaleas in bloom. That is my absolute favorite time because there are so many planted in the gardens.
Lovely poem, Dorothy! So very true as well.
Oh, la la something French. Oui, oui mademoiselle. I am sure Samantha would love some haute couture.
Prayers that your surgery goes well, Jeanne, and you can get back to enjoying the week.
Beautiful pictures, Linda. The dusty miller and Russian sage are lovely. I love blues and then plants that are white or gray for a moonlight garden.
The water lilies are gorgeous. The one in our pond died and I definitely want to replace it. The water sprite fairies are cute. Thank you for sharing them.
Dear Laura, thank you for you nice words. I can’t sew or cook or craft and I don’t have a green thumb. Luckily I can write (smile)!
Thank you, Laura! I love the way they go about putting various flowers together to create such lovely scenes! Lots of the groupings that you see in the Garden are quite tricky when trying them at home. Of course, they have professionals taking care of things, which we can’t exactly say for our own yards!
I always love Linda’s pictures of the botanical gardens. Everything is so beautiful. When I lived in Wilmington, DE, one of the former DuPont estates just over the line in PA called Longwood Gardens was the venue for our spring concert when i sang with the DuPont Chorus. They had a lot of lily ponds and one of the varieties was so large and strong that they had a picture of a little girl standing on one in the middle of the pond.
Best of luck with your surgery. You’ll be in my prayers. Can’t wait to see what you and Rebecca came up with for the next outfit. Sounds very interesting.
Just before lunch yesterday we had a huge rainstorm (while the guys were outside working) so the roof decking was not put on the addition yesterday. Hoping it will be done today.
Thank you, Barbara! I have never been to the northeast, and would love to go there someday. I think fall would be beautiful with all the colored leaves! I certainly can imagine that the Longwood Gardens has lovely grounds! So we have a singer here! Good for you!
Living in Texas for about 50 years does make me long for our beautiful falls when I lived in PA and DE. Since our daughter is moving from CO to Maine and my sisters are in West Virginia and the other in DE in the summer (FL in the winter), hubby and I are thinking of moving east rather than to CO as we planned. We’ve chosen eastern TN so I may be able to enjoy the beautiful falls I remember once again. As for singing, all my life. My parents never had the money for instruments and I love music so I had to use what I had for free. I always sang in church choirs and for three years I sang with the DuPont Chorus when I worked for DuPont. The Chorus was an amazing experience since we also had an orchestra performing with us and we had hundreds of singers since it was open to all employees and family members. Our Christmas concert was in the DuPont Playhouse in Wilmington and our spring concert at Longwood where we had a lovely outdoor stage with a water curtain. These days I sing with the Austin County Civic Chorale. We are now back in rehearsals for our upcoming Christmas concert.
Dear Barbara, I love Longwood Gardens, although I have not been there for years. Last year I found a link that allowed one to take a virtual tour of the gardens. A drone was used as the “guide.” It was a lovely tour.
I am placing a link to the website below.
When you come back to PA for a visit, we will have to add visiting Longwood Gardens to our long list of fun activities. Taking tea is, of course, at the top of the list (smile).
https://longwoodgardens.org/
Dorothy, thank you so much. I forgot to mention this to Linda. It’s as close to being there as I can get these days.
Forgot to mention that our “to do” list is getting longer all the time. It’s still on my “Bucket List”.
The Birthday sounded perfect…now on to the eye treatment! Hope that goes splendidly. Tuesday to visit some thrift stores sounds wonderful…how fun! Rebecca’s class on necklaces will be just what you need…another talent to add to your list….just another accessory to make your dresses more interesting☺️
Linda your visit to the gardens was on such a good day. The ponds of water lilies are awesome too I wondered if the glass in the pond was Chilhuly. His work is amazing…of all places our Buffet Cancer Center has a wonderful collection of his. Some indoor…some outdoor. The Bill ore is a perfect place for them too.
Thank you Kathie!I’m happy that so many of you liked seeing the pictures I took! I just wish we could all go together! I’m finding that more and more places have
Chilhuly glass pieces. They are so popular, but then again, they are all so beautiful!
Dear Linda, you photographs are beautiful. Thank you for sharing those lovely flowers.
Thank you, dear Dorothy, for the compliments on the pictures! So happy you enjoyed them!
Dear Jeanne, we will all be sending up “eye” prayers for you.
Thanks for liking my poem.
I am happy that you had such a lovely birthday!
I am looking forward to seeing the French inspired new outfit.