Birthday Girl Love

My birthday is coming and on Saturday, Sean and JoAnne surprised me with a visit to a local winery for our own little wine-tasting party. JoAnne had a couple of Groupons that entitled us to two--yes, two--bottles of free wine! We made the leisurely drive to the winery, through the back country, over the border to North Carolina. It was serene and relaxing, with an absence of cars and people, and an abundance of birds and golden wintery tidal lands, the essence of the beautiful tidewater region.

This is me with my hubby at the Moonrise Bay Winery. Here's to you!

We liked the Chambourcin 2004 the best. (Oh, don't I sound all wine connoisseur and all. We bought 6 bottles and have big plans for them.)

It was so cozy in the winery, with the wooded walls and beams and the stone fireplace, and the fire crackling and leather couches to sit on. It was cold outside, and the vines were empty, but so comfortably warm and lodge-ish inside.

JoAnne packed us a picnic, which the proprietors minded not a bit. There IS a picnic buried under all that packaging. Brie, and goat cheese, and maytag blue cheese, and a rich cheddar, and crusty bread, and olives and nuts and, most importantly when drinking wine, 3 kinds of chocolate! I could seriously eat only this every day of my life without complaint.

The really lovely thing about this, is that it's JoAnne's birthday this week, too. We are two days apart, and she did this for me. I'm telling you, this girl is all HEART. We spent a wonderful two hours, just relaxing together, truly IN THE MOMENT. I LOVE this girl! And I love, love, love being with Sean and JoAnne together. They are very interesting and thoughtful, and good listeners, and Sean is hilariously funny. I didn't want it to end and savored every moment of our time together. That's something I try to do now, more and more.

This moment is all we have in this world.

These people are precious.

Love is the true meaning of life.

The Two Birthday Girls

On Sunday night, we gathered for Family Dinner (hence my apron) and a sweet family birthday party. It cheered and comforted my heart to no end. My faithful husband, and both my beautiful daughters and my handsome sons-in-law and my adorable grandchildren said such beautiful words to me,

I've been floating... on a pink cloud... of love... ever since.

The best birthday ever.

PS: The pictures turned out so badly, this is all I have to show. I'm not happy with my camera these days as it's making white spots in the middle of my pictures, so you all know what I want for my birthday and you can send it here! If that's not in your budget, I am also taking camera recommendations. If you love your camera, please tell me why and what kind it is so I can get one, too.