I am driving back home today along the shores of Lake Superior, thinking now of you and you and you. The car tires strum pavement, waves lap and seagulls wing overhead.
Have just spent almost a week with my mom downstate. It was a rather unexpected trip, not planned until the last minute. I wish I could spend more time with her. It was also a delight to see my brothers and their wives.
It has been a little more than six months since my dad passed.
And today, yes today, is my birthday, 59 years since Joanne and Dale gave birth to their first child, a baby girl.
I wasn’t planning to celebrate on social media and turned off the birthday setting on Facebook a couple weeks ago. I love birthday celebrations but am off line so much during the year at times that I miss wishing Happy birthday to so many others. So I thought–let’s just keep quiet this year, Kathy.
The Universe, however, had different plans and somehow the birthday wishes are singing on my cell phone and Facebook because the announcement is unexpectedly on anyway. It feels so warm and lovely. I feel so blessed. (And the Universe is grinning ear-to-ear at its little joke.)
I will never forget that a Native American friend once shared that traditionally her people utilized birthdays as a time to give thanks for friends and family. Gifts were showered on others.
Therefore, I give thanks to you and you and you. Thank you for being in my world. You have enriched it with your presence.
P.S. The fawn pictures come from the farm where my dad grew up in the Thumb of Michigan. Mom and I were walking along Nostalgia Lane and glimpsed these two spotted babies.
P.S.S. Mom, don’t worry–I am not reading birthday messages while driving!
P.S.S.S. Even stranger than anything–WordPress tells me I published this on July 17th. Three days before my birthday! Now the Universe is belly-laughing.
Lake Superior Spirit 
Happy birthday! And thanks for sharing your world even with strangers.
Hi Esther, thank you. I don’t think I consider people as strangers. Just folks that you don’t know well yet.
Hey!
Wonderful to be in your life!
Fountainpen
Wonderful to have you in mine, Fountainpen. Thank you!
Kathy:
Happy belated birthday. I will be the same age as you in September.
I also love the photos of the fawns; I felt as if I was right there with them.
I have two new posts on my blog at http://www.msmcword.wordpress.com. Someone gave me a camera couple of months ago so I am learning how to use it. I have one of my photos on my blog post titled, “I Have A New Toy.”
Keep those photos coming-that is, when you are in your blogging mood.
Nancy
Nancy, thank you for the birthday wishes. How interesting to know we’re the same age! You are right that I am not in the blogging/photography mood as much as in the past, but have been trying to keep in touch periodically. Will also check out your blog. Have not had any time to be reading blogs lately either!
So glad for your “unexpected”special trip. Love you! Happy Birthday to you dear Kathy!
Thank you dear Ruth! I hope to see you in person one of these days soon…
May your day prove to be everything you could ever wish for. Happy Birthday, Kathy.
It was indeed, Deb. Thank you for the birthday wishes!
happy, Happy, HAPPY birthday to YOU! 🙂
I think you wishes me Happy Birthday from at least three different directions! All of them warmed this 59 year old heart. 🙂
Happy Birthday Dear Kathy!! ❤
I would so love to shower you with gifts and blessings because you are so precious to me! It has been such a blessing to have you as a friend ❤
Right now I am missing your neck of the woods something fierce—this heat and humidity is so gross and I am longing for the refreshing feel of my favorite lake and the northwoods. ❤
I hope you have fun celebrating and I hope you continue to delight in the Universe's smiles. ❤
Brenda, keep your eyes peeled on your mailbox! Love headed your way… Thank you for appreciating the Universe’s little smiles and jokes, too.
Kathy! Your special gift just arrived!!!! ❤ I am so moved by your generosity and thoughtfulness!!! You have no idea how much this means to me. And I'm really excited to read the story you shared with me! And I love the homemade card from your friend—it's so sweet and lovely!
May God bless you for your kindness and generous, loving spirit! ❤
Thank you so very much my dear friend! ❤
Glad you received it, Brenda. I love “living the gift forward” which could be a blog right now if the Universe gets inspired. Heart blessings back your way…
Happiest of birthdays, Kathy! May you share smiles and belly laughs with loved ones and with the universe, too. xoxo
What a lovely birthday greeting, Dana. Smiles and belly laughs are the best! Thank you so much…
Birthday Blessings to you Kathy, I am happy to be connected with you through your blog and have always been enriched by your posts and pictures of the U.P. I hope the year ahead is a good one for you and look forward to sharing in your adventure of life! Gay
Good morning, Gay. What a lovely comment! You would be interested to know it’s been 90 sweltering hot & humid degrees here in the U.P. for the last couple of days. We also lost electricity for 13 hours after a fairly violent storm two days ago. It’s been quite an active summer weather-wise around here.
Yes Kathy the heat is reaching us all this summer! I keep in touch with Munising through some FB friends and saw it was 99 there this past week! Unreal!! Of course they have the option of jumping in that ice cold lake water to cool down, I remember doing that a few summers just to get some relief and get away from the bugs, ha!
Happy Birthday Kathy! Love the fawn picture!
Oh, I am so glad that you like the fawn picture, Debi. The two little ones were so very cute. Thank you!
Your positive, caring posts are your marvellous gift to the world.
Me ? I just sit around a fret about Donald Trump and morons who can “open carry”.
I need you in my life to try to counter-balance the gloom.
Consider yourself HUGGED.
Sybil, those words are very uplifting and wonderful for the birthday girl to hear. Am considering myself hugged and you know what? I love that you express exactly who you are in the world. I don’t ever want to push the pain of the world away, to not see clearly. We are all counter-balancing each other!
Happy birthday for what ever day it was. 🙂 I turned my birthday off too- hope that it works but mine is not for several months. The photos of the deer are precious. I really enjoyed seeing these. I’m glad that you had a good trip and a good visit with your mother and all the rest.
Yvonne, good luck with your turning-off-birthday-wishes. I have a new modern smart phone (Even though it’s just a TracFone) and maybe you’re supposed to turn off settings on each of your devices? That’s what I’m pondering now. Glad you liked the deer. Mom and I were so thrilled to see them at Dad’s old farm.
Happy belated! I say we should celebrate every day like a birthday because it is such a gift to wake up in the morning and know we have been gifted another day. I love your posts, always kind & positive. Thank you for the gift of sharing your life in my favorite place, the north woods!!
Sharon, I was just going to say how kind and positive your comment was! The north woods is a special place indeed, and I am glad to have been able to share of its beauties for many years of blogging. Not keeping up as much these days in the blogging world, though. P.S. I love your thought of waking up and celebrating each day! Because it IS such a precious gift. Thank you.
The fawns are lovely. I like the Native American idea of giving to others on your birthday. I am glad you had a little time with your Mother, and it is hard to believe your dear Dad has been gone 6 months. Take care young one. Hugs. (I just turned 73 so I can say that :))
Bonnie, Happy 73rd! One of my good friends just turned 71 this year–she came over last night and gifted me a beautiful ceramic or cement or clay leaf that you put outside. It’s gorgeous. I am glad you liked the fawns and the Native American giving tradition. And thanks for your kind thoughts about my parents.
Seeing the fawns on Nostalgia Lane and probably thinking of your Dad while walking with Mom is perfect! Facebook has a mind of its own, Kathy. Happy Birthday!
Barb, my goodness, Facebook certainly does! I am still in amazement at what it does at times. You just never know. One of the other animals we saw while downstate was a woodchuck. Such a cute little fellow who did not want to be photographed. Mom said he’s moved in her back yard. She said she’s named him. I said, “What?” She said, “Chuck.”
Happy belated birthday, Kathy! Wonderful captures of the fawns. I love the Native American birthday custom your friend shared. May the year to come be filled with friends, family and all good things for you.
Carol, I appreciate that you stopped by with birthday greetings. Thank you! Hope your summer is going well, filled with wildflowers and not too many mosquitoes. 🙂
That sounds about right, Kathy. It has been a great summer. Enjoy yours, too, while it lasts. I’m seeing back-to-school ads already. Yikes!
I’m delighted you had a birthday full of love! That’s how birthdays should be 🙂
As for FB and birthdays, I gave FB an incorrect date for mine, and I gave up long ago on wishing HBD’s on there. I don’t know why. But this way I never feel insincere in my greetings 😉
Heather, as I wished two dear people happy birthday yesterday on Facebook, I thought of your comment and wondered why I can’t decide one way or another. It is always so hard when indecision strikes! (And I mean that sincerely.) By the way, does everyone wish you a Happy Birthday on your fake birthday??
No – I have it set to be hidden 😉 But if FB ever mistakenly shares my birthday, it’ll share the wrong one! That’ll be a funny day.
I tend to face indecision with non-action. It’s not helpful, but it’s at least less work, teehee.
This is very good to know. Some of the wise spiritual teachers say that unless we’re absolutely sure we often shouldn’t act. Just sayin’–maybe it is helpful in the long run. 🙂
A belated happy birthday and thank you back for your presence!
You are welcome and thank YOU!
hi kathy! happy new year! spring cleaning! 😉
OMG daughter was helping me to go thru bins and I found some things you sent me! I am on a new thing to try sending snail mail. Please email me so I can send!
Offers the Giant Bday Sunglasses for the rest of the month…
Elisa, I am not sure that Giant Bday Sunglasses will fit over my glasses, lol! Spring cleaning can feel so good…I have been on that binge lately, too. Have actually been contemplating “living as the gift” and gift economies. Will email you now!
Belated birthday wishes to you. I think you spent your day perfectly…driving along Superior, musing about friends and family who were thinking about you. The fawn is beautiful.
I’m glad you were able to spend a whole week with your Mom! It never seems to be enough time…but it’s always good no matter the length. Happy July to you and your husband.
Dawn, it was an unexpected trip downstate and turned out very nicely. My mom and I traveled up to Forrestville in the Thumb to a cottage my grandparents built and owned for many years. We even got to talk to the son of one of her childhood friends. It was special. Thank you for the belated birthday wishes–the good thing about blogging is that the wishes can stretch out for weeks! Happy July to you and your husband, too.
Happy Birthday and Bright Blessings, even if I am late the feeling the same. 😀
You are not really late Iom, just stretching the birthday wishes out for more than a week. (Which can be a good thing.) I like the saying “Bright Blessings”. Thank you.
😀
Sorry I missed the auspicious day of celebrating your birth date but congratulations nonetheless. Love the photos of the fawns, they are such beautiful creatures.
Karen, it always feels like a precious moment when we see a fawn, doesn’t it? Something about their innocence, perhaps. No problem about missing the birthday. It was odd how WordPress said it was published three days before I actually published it. Thank you so much for your kind comment.
I am so not surprised you got so many birthday greetings–you are the real deal and it comes through your words….and remember the Universe laughs wtith us not at us….
LouAnn, thank you! I am not sure what the “real deal” might be, but I try to be honest. It’s just so hard to express it all–and I am sure the Universe IS laughing with us at our attempt. 🙂
Umm, could we pretend that today is July 17th, and I’m the very first one to shout out HAPPY BIRTHDAY to you…! ….? Just pretend? Pleeeaaze. I’m so sorry I missed this post and your birthday. And your gift. But your gift just keeps on giving, which is super. My gift to you is one of always-friendship, always-support, and a universal belief in your goodness and light.
Happy Birthday, my friend. ❤
OK, today is July 17th…except (are you ready for this?) I wrote this post on July 20th, which was my birthday! But when it published, it said it published three days earlier. And it didn’t even appear in the “Reader” on that current day. How’s that for a strange happening? Anywho, I love your gift. It’s a gift that keep giving. Friendship is one of the best gifts of all. Thank you, thank you, thank you.
I’m smiling and nodding my head. The universal energy of ‘ha ha, don’t think you can schedule ME on your little human/computer scale’ shows up in so many ways. We can’t rely on computers or calendars, mechanical, electrical, or even engineered things. But we CAN count on friendship and hugs and the belief in each other.
I’m counting on it. xo