the dragonflies totally fascinate me! most of the time when i see them in the garden, they are perched delicately on the top of a stick, sometimes on the edge of a flower petal, and wherever they land it's like they suddenly just magically appeared. i've been told that the native americans believed that a dragonfly carries your hopes and wishes to the great spirit. i like that......

while i was making coffee this morning, dear Jim tied birthday wishes around the necks of the dogs. they went along with it, but going out for a walk is what's really on their minds!

i really had a lovely day! and it sort of morphed into a party. i'd wanted my niece Jen and her wife Maggie and sis Judy to come out for lunch and thursday was the only day they could come. and i know my dad likes to come out here, so bro Bud and he came for lunch, too, since thursday is their day for going out for lunch. Pop, who is 94 and not always completely with the program, does seem to love being here at dome central which is close to his old home up on the hill in the vineyard, and he always seems more lively and connected with what's going on.

even tho it was my birthday, it was not billed as a birthday celebration... just a lunch with people i dearly love... but Jim did go to Baskin Robbins and did come home with a chocolate ice cream cake, to which i had no objections at all and was very very happy to have!! especially since i've never ever had an ice cream cake for my birthday!

and Jen and Maggie brought me an unbirthday-we-love-you gift... which Maisy (their 8 year old daughter) had drawn and Maggie had painted and i LOVE it! sweet, huh?

for my birthday, Jim gave me 2 spectacular planters! and i went directly to my favorite plant nursery and found the perfect flowers for them! the mother goddess figure had been in a different location, but looks perfect here with this new planter!

i have been having lots of "deep thoughts" surrounding this birthday which i may get into at another time, but not tonight. for now... it was a happy day and i felt lots of love in my life and what more could i ask?!