I know…wishing yourself a happy birthday on your own blog borders on pretty bad taste, tacky even. But I’ve always believed that birthdays are for celebrating BIG and if you don’t enjoy treating yourself well on your birthday then that’s just too bad. 
My birthday was last week and things got off to a great start when my husband presented me with this beautiful black Calla Lily (Zantedeschia 'Edge of Night'). 
Plus a cute Garden Fever t-shirt (because he doesn’t like me looking like a bum in my old t-shirts when I garden) and…a very nice Cistus Nursery Gift Certificate! 
Things got really crazy later that morning when I went to the airport to pick up a special visitor…Pam Penick!Yes this well-loved veteran of the garden blogging world (she’s been blogging for years and years at Digging) was here to spend my birthday with me! We journeyed to Joy Creek Nursery, Cistus Nursery, and the Chinese Garden, returning home late in the afternoon to relax on the patio with a glass of wine...(eek! Pam Penick is sitting in my garden!)
Not a bad way to spend your birthday right? But then things got even more interesting when Pam handed me a beautiful green gift bag that contained this… 
Here’s a close-up in case you couldn’t read it… 
Perfect don’t you think! So how much more fun can a girl take right?Well get this...the next morning Pam and I loaded up my car and we were off to Seattle and the Garden Bloggers Fling! Four days of gardens, nurseries, wonderful weather, new friends and LOTS AND LOTS of plant talk. Wow…I am on a birthday/travel/garden/meeting wonderful new people high…it has been an incredible week. I have so many photos and stories to share….but first I need to come down from the clouds! In the meantime here are a few “prickly” characters I spotted in the garden while I was showing Pam around Cistus. (oh and in case you’re curious I have not yet spent my birthday Cisus gift certificate…I have to think a little about what exactly I must have!)…
Happy Birthday Loree!
ReplyDeleteYou're forgiven for wishing yourself Happy Birthday on your blog :)
ReplyDeleteAnyway, Happy Birthday from both of us :) Love the shirt btw, so appropriate!
Happy Birthday--what a great day! Wish I could have joined in on the Fling but will enjoy reading the blog posts about it!
ReplyDeleteHappy B-day!!
ReplyDeleteThanks for breaking the suspense on what the heck's been going on up there! And happy, happy birthday, Loree. Great birthday loot.
ReplyDeleteHappy birthday! It sounded just about perfect.
ReplyDeleteHappy Birthday Loree. Yesterday the green door was closed, so I figured you weren't around. With your busy schedule, it's really hard to stalk you...
ReplyDeletehappy birthday! i don't usually comment but i wanted to say how much i love the photo of pam because i can see all your container plants behind her and i love it just based on the little i can see. i know you must have pics featuring this part of your yard but i haven't had time to look at all the older posts yet (i will though!). i love cacti and succulents too (that is a cool shirt that pam got you!). my succulents/cacti are only in containers on my patio but if i had house and yard i'd want to have container plants set out like yours!
ReplyDeleteHappy Birthday...I'm going to show this post to my husband. Give him some inspiration for my B'day next month !
ReplyDeleteHappy Birthday! Sounds like you had quite the line-up prepared for the festivities ;-)
ReplyDeleteHappy Birthday, Loree! You have a way of celebrating perfectly, and this year was apparently no exception. I'll look forward to your post(s?) about the Fling: what a great way to spread out the birthday fun!
ReplyDeleteHi Loree,
ReplyDeleteHappy Birthday you lucky dog!
Having Pam visit is tops. But then you get to go up the road to Seattle and meet all the other cool, colorful bloggers. What a birthday treat that can't be beat. Try not to overdose on garden touring. By the way, I wonder if that's even possible?
If you see an agave in Seattle, say hello for me. LOL
David/ Tropical Texana/ Houston :-)
Plant-centric birthdays are best ! Sure wish I could have hi-tailed it up there-Unfortunately I think this event will invariably clash with another annual gardening trek I make. Really looking forward to your reports !
ReplyDeleteEryngium mayhem. Happy Birthday! Sounds like a good time!
ReplyDeleteIt was nice to meet you Loree. I'll be doing something a little more dangerous from now on!
ReplyDeleteHappy Birthday and may it be all succulent dreams rather than petunia nightmares from here on in!
ReplyDeleteZM
Happy Birthday. Sounds like you had a blast.
ReplyDeleteHappy belated birthday Loree! It was a pleasure meeting you yesterday at the Dragonfly Farms nursery!!! I hope your new prickly plant likes its new home!
ReplyDeleteHappy birthday. looks like to celebrated in style.
ReplyDeleteHappy Birthday Loree! I wish I'd known, I could have told you happy birthday in person.
ReplyDeleteHope you had a good time at Fling! I know I did. I would have been quite excited to have Pam Penick in my garden too.
Happy Birthday! You certainly celebrated big!
ReplyDeleteHAPPY BIRTHDAY, LOREE! I'm so jealous. My birthday is in boring old November. :) We're in high summer and it's your birthday. What could be better than that? Well, the Garden Blogger's Fling, that's what! I look forward to reading all about it. You gotta love that "Problem" T shirt. Kudos to Pam. Great photos!
ReplyDeleteAn apology to everyone who read this post before I corrected my setting/sitting error! I know I am super bad at mixing these up and I should have caught that one ... pathetic!
ReplyDeleteThank you to you all for the birthday wishes! I've got so many pictures to share (yes David even some agaves!) and tales to tell! It was wonderful meeting you Jenny, Alison and Tatyana, I hope our paths cross again soon.
Can't think of a better good will ambassador to show Pam around Portland. Happy Belated Birthday!
ReplyDeleteHappy belated from me too!
ReplyDeleteThat shirt of yours is simply too much and I am so glad Pam gave it to you. It's perfect! I think I now need to find the: "I'm Seedy" t-shirt. It has to be out there somewhere waiting for me.
Loree, I can't express how much it meant to me to be invited into your home and garden -- which was even more exquisite than I'd expected from your blog -- and to spend time with you and Mr. Danger Garden. And Lila! You were a wonderful ambassador for Portland. What a beautiful city! Thanks for your hospitality. I'd love to return the favor when you come to Austin one day.
ReplyDeleteAhh, happy to hear your birthday and the Fling were wonderful. Marvelous t-shirt!
ReplyDeleteSweet! What fun!
ReplyDeleteI know I am late to the party, but happy birthday. Is there any cake left?
ReplyDelete