Delightful Thoughts!

Notice anything about this photo?

If you've been paying attention to my previous posts about my "One Word" for 2022 you will probably catch on right away. For the rest of you, you may need to click on the links above and go back and read those earlier posts.

Anyway, what a "delight" to find a teabag (Lipton) that reminds me to "Delight in deliciousness". And another one next to it says "Inspiration is just a sip away."  So I am sitting here at my computer on a Sunday afternoon having my afternoon cup of tea, and with each "sip" I am being inspired as I "delight in the deliciousness" of this delicious and delightful cup of tea!

Okay, moving right along...I am sure you've heard enough "Delightful" thoughts for this afternoon! I do hope that you are having a wonderful day, wherever you are and whatever you are doing.  We went to church this morning and then out to lunch with friends and family...then home to a delightful nap and now I am sitting here writing to you.  The weather is warm and sunny and very breezy. I believe a cold front is going to move through during the night, bringing rain and then cooler weather for tomorrow and the next few days. Nothing major here, but the rain and cooler temps will be welcome. It's felt more like spring or early summer here than winter lately.  My apologies to those of you who may be freezing in frigid winter weather...however, this is why so many people from up north come here for the winter...because it is "delightful!"  

Last evening we enjoyed having our son and daughter in love here for supper, to celebrate Rose's birthday, which was last week, but this was the first opportunity to get together and celebrate.  Rose requested grilled chicken, baked potatoes and tossed salad...and I added some black eyed peas on the side since it was New Year's Day and that is traditional here in the south. Our son Scott did the grilling honors...he's a pro, so it was all perfect.

We enjoyed a "delightful" dinner and conversation with our immediate family gathered together. (My camera was acting up and the only family shot didn't turn out well. So these are just some candid photos while Rose and Benton were dining and conversing)

Because it was Rose's birthday, I didn't want to continue using Christmas decorations on the table, so I added something new...

This snow-globe lantern was a Christmas gift to me from my sweet sister in law Peggy, but it is not just for Christmas. It is a Teapot pouring a cup of tea, while sitting upon a beautiful three layered cake!

Perfect for a birthday party, don't you agree?

Here is a close up of the teapot and cakes without the "snow" swirling about...isn't it really and truly "delightful"?

Speaking of birthday cakes, I know you will be "delighted" to see my amazing creation below:

Please try not to laugh too loudly. I never took a lesson in cake decorating. I did make my own butter cream cheese frosting, just like Rose taught me to do.  But it turned out a little soft and I ran out of confectioner's sugar, and by then the grocery store was closed since it was a holiday, so it is what it is. And necessity being the 'mother of invention', I had the wonderful Hershey's "hugs" candy kisses and some mini-M&M's available to give the cake some delightful and delicious decorations.  It was a vanilla two layer cake, and Rose said it was perfect, so that is all that matters. It did taste good if I do say so myself.

Here's the birthday girl as we sang Happy Birthday to her.

And here she is daintily blowing out the candles:  (This picture is traditional...everyone must have a picture of themselves blowing out candles, don't you agree?)

Yay! She did it! Now may all her wishes come true!

Also, in  honor of Rose's birthday, I set the table with a vintage tablecloth bordered by roses, and surrounded the Snow Globe lantern with a ring of silk roses...

And I have two of these vintage dinner plates (above and below) that I found at our church Thrift store.  I served Rose her dinner on one, (since it has roses in the center and around the border of the plate) and I used the other one. The guys had to eat on plain old ordinary dishes, but they didn't care as long as they got to eat!

This is a better picture of the tablecloth.  I have rarely used it because it is actually a bit too small for the table, but I put it over the top of another solid cloth that had more length to it.

Hey, I am not the world's greatest decorator of cakes or tables, but I think this turned out pretty sweet. And it was fun to "dress up" things a bit for our sweet daughter in love.

Well my friends, I hope you enjoyed this delightful little birthday party this afternoon. We are blessed to have this wonderful young woman as a member of our family. We thank God for sending her to our son and to us as well!

23 

"The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord,

And He delights in his way."

Psalm 37:23