It’s my birthday.
Many years ago, on a tropical evening, towards the end of the hurricane season, I was welcomed in to the world. A lot has happened since, but not a lot happened today. Not a lot if you ignore yet another visit from tradesmen measuring and muttering over the ongoing saga of the repairs to my house. But a little, or a lot, I am posting now to honour my birthday which, when I had time to consider it, seemed to take care of itself with tea and cake.
Here is a sampler of my birthday
From family in Australia, the tea. 
From a friend close by; the cake.
From the garden; more tea!
From my daughter; the soundtrack http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RMeT5Qcsh0s
Extras:
The card, from my family in Australia, is not actually a birthday card. It was a ‘fun’ card which happened to arrive in time for my birthday. The real birthday card is still negotiating postal services and has failed to arrive on time.
The delicious cake, under the nasturtiums, is made using a recipe from the Royal Family. I think it is called The Queen’s Favourite. One of my favourites too.
The sasanqua camellia is one of several that bloomed TODAY (just for me?). I was so busy looking at blue flowers in the garden yesterday that I failed to notice the buds on the camellias. I was very surprised to see them flowering this afternoon. I have had the camellias for a few years, espaliered along the back fence, but this is the best flowering since they were planted. 
The leaves of the sasanqua camellia can be used to make tea.
To all you dear people who sent cards, text messages, Facebook greetings, emails, or who phoned or skyped or brought gifts, 
THANK YOU.
Take a bow. 
I cherish your love, support and friendship.
© silkannthreades
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What beautiful pics! And cake too! I guess even gallivanters have great birthdays! 🙂
I hope you had a wonderful birthday and hope to see you blogging away to another birthday! 🙂
Thank you. I will be mightily pleased with myself if I can sustain my blogging till my next birthday!
Happy belated birthday!
Thank you. I still feel as though I am celebrating 🙂
Happy Birthday!!! Enjoy your days and may you have many many more. Hugs!!! 🙂
Thank you so much. I will be checking out your Happy Blog Birthday soon! Lots of fun for you.
Thx!! 🙂
Hoping you had the happiest of birthdays! Beautiful flowers! 🙂
Best wishes to you and may the coming year be full of good times and pretty blooms for you xx
Thank you. I have just been outside to look at the camellias and they are more beautiful today than they were on my birthday. I am in awe.
I love camellias! I am so glad they continue to bring you joy and feelings of wonderment! Have you ever heard of flower meditation? I believe I read it in a book by Eckart Tolle (spelling? lol) and it involves simply staring at a flower, being still and appreciating it’s beauty and perfection.
That is a great idea. I must google flower meditation. Thanks.
No worries! I hope I got it right 😉 I believe it was mentioned in one of the first chapters of the book “A New Earth” 🙂
Oh, and you are probably doing it already every time you appreciate your flowers 😉
Perhaps so. Another blogger suggested I read Vanessa Diffenbaugh’s The Language of Flowers. I googled that and was amazed to read that Vanessa is founder of The Camellia Network which supports young people transitioning from Foster Care. So there is that lovely Camellia at work again
And here we have White Camellia Day
In Christchurch, the enfranchisement of women is still celebrated on the 19th of September each year. Known as Suffrage Day, or White Camellia Day, people from all walks of life gather at lunchtime at the Kate Sheppard National Memorial where they share their thoughts and place white camellias.
During the campaign for women’s suffrage, those who supported the 1893 Electoral Bill were presented with a white camellia to wear in their buttonhole. The white camellia has since become an endearing symbol of women’s suffrage in New Zealand.
So now I am all flowered out and need some relaxing lavender 🙂
Happy (belated) birthday…I love how you find wonder in very simple things…this is what will keep you young!
Thank you for your birthday greetings. Oh, yes, I think you are on to something there. Finding all the colour and life on your blog has certainly rejuvenated me 🙂
What a lovely birthday… may you have twice as many more. Your flowers are always beautiful. just like your spirit. Happy special day.
Thank you so much. That is very sweet of you.
happy birthday!!
how glorious a day.
with such delicious gifts – virtual and aural and tea-like and floralness in nature.
wishing you many happy dreams that come to pass.
and all that Jazz.
*wavingfromlosangeles*
Thank you. Your wave just came by on the breeze.
you know we do actually do it, don’t you?
*wavingnow*
hello christchurch!
Definitely!
Wishing you a very happy birthday, and a wonderful year filled with love and happiness to follow. I shall send you a virtual hug and some virtual flowers, imagine a beautiful bunch!
With love from Ute xx
I am imagining those beautiful flowers right now. They are gorgeous, all wrapped up in a lovely hug. Thank you.
Many, many happy returns of the day (possibly yesterday, although the sentiment still stands!). And your daughter’s choice of music is perfect!
Thank you. Isn’t it perfect? Am I right in remembering that you mentioned this music in one of your posts? Or was it a violin concerto?
Many, many happy returns of the day (possibly yesterday now, but the sentiment still stands!). And your daughter’s choice of music is perfect! 🙂
Bowie says “Meow!”, I guess it means “Happy Birthday!”
Mr Bowie, thank you. I am sorry there was no chocolate for my birthday.
Happy birthday and many good cakes, good books, cups of tea and nice friends !
Thank you. I was thinking that if you were here you would find me some beautiful art work with sasanqua camellias and that would make my day perfect.
I hope you will like this one!
http://www.botanicartist.com/Three_Camellia_Print.html
I do, I do. It’s lovely. Thank you so much for finding that for me.
You are welcome!
Lovely – and the Beethoven. Happy birthday
Thank you. Wasn’t the Beethoven so perfect for the day?
It surely was
Happy, Happy Birthday, my dear friend. I am having a cuppa as I write these comments – reading your post is the next best thing to being there with you in person. My favourite quote for birthdays – one that I recall every year on my birthday is:
“With mirth and laughter let old wrinkles come.”
― William Shakespeare
Splendid. You and Shakespeare made me mirthful and merry and I felt those wrinkles crinkling all over my face with delight.
Happy Birthday 🙂
Thank You.
Happy Birthday, Love!
I don’t celebrate birthdays per say. Our saying at home is that every day is a birthday. So I just make sure that whatever I’m doing, I’m having a good time…because there is nothing worse that a rotten birthday, which can happen. I do know that there is a cake planned for today which I am not supposed to know about.
After looking through your posts and pictures. I think a perfect day might just be spent looking at your garden…so many beauties to see and admire.
In my house, if it’s your birthday, you are queen for a day…whatever you want …happens. Today’s your day! Don’t be shy, let the world know what you really want…like those contractors, they need to know what you’re expecting of them today! 😉
Have a great day, my birthday buddy!
Yes, every day should be treated with love and attention. Happy Birthday, birthday buddy, Queen of the Day.
Cannot wait for the point in this gardening season when I can pluck a few nasturtiums to toss onto a salad. Happy, happy birthday.
Thank you. Nasturtiums are so pretty in a salad. I have recently realised that a lot of the spring fruit tree blossom is edible. I can’t wait to try them when our spring comes again.
Happy birthday to you! Sounds like you enjoyed a calm, lovely day! Your flowers are beautiful!
Thank you. The flowers helped to make my day special.
Happy Birthday !! and actually tea is a great choice 🙂 Being a tea addict , I think I should do a post over my tea addiction …LOL …
That would be fun to read. And you could tell us the best way to dress for a tea party.
Happy Birthday! I love your camelia – I can’t grow those in my own garden, so am always excited to see one – they are so pretty. Have an extra piece of cake for me, will you? 🙂
I was excited to see my camellia today too. I think I have had more than an extra piece of cake for you. It was so good.