{SUNSHINE as a Perfect Birthday Gift}

My Birthday was a very happy day and it was full of SUNSHINE. That made it already a Perfect Birthday Gift, considering the dreary, cold and rainy day that followed... Our foster-daughter Anita in Indonesia did Skype us via video call before breakfast time; that was a nice gift to see her beautiful face and smile in front of us. When we were reading our mail and had a cup of coffee with chocolate, our Liz called from Rotterdam in The Netherlands. With the iPhone in front of us, we could again chat via Skype video call. How times have changed for the better in communication! Lots of phone calls from family and friends. We also did go outside and I did snip off our only two Ehrlicheer daffodils that were blooming. We have almost no daffodil blooms this year; very sad... only leaves but no buds. But at least one Baccarat  perfume bottle could be filled with them, together with the two from a previous day. 

Happy at the dinner table with friends...

Happy with daughter Anita calling via Skype video before breakfast...

Happy with daughter Liz making a Skype video call and her singing happy birthday together with her Dad...

We started off with some Fog in the early morning but the forecast was excellent.

By 2:29 PM it was 78°F or 25°C Real Feel ~ what a Birthday gift with lots of SUNSHINE...

See the BLUE SKY? Smelling my two stems of Ehrlicheer daffodils; they are so fragrant!

Wearing my Escada jeans and Escada cotton cropped black sweater.

Also Escada shoes...

Frontal view of 62 year old me...

Happy day!

In-between telephone calls and such, I did manage to make some Tom Yam Koeng Thai soup with fresh Georgia shrimps and served with brown rice as a full meal.

Tiramisu for dessert with coffee...

Using my French Le Jacquard Français placemats and napkins and Baccarat crystal.

French Gien Rose soup bowls with Alvin Bridal Rose gumbo spoons...

Happily eating some of my tiramisu... sugar for a Birthday is allowed!

It felt great to be with dear friends at table...

Grateful for another year being added!

Related articles:

{Ehrlicheer & Sweetness Daffodils on my Birthday} previous post by me

{Our Daughter Liz} previous post by me

{Anita Anggraeni our Foster Daughter} previous post by me

{60 Years Ago} previous post by me

{My Hand Knitted Vest}

Since it is winter and we are wearing our woolen sweaters and such, I like to show you My Hand Knitted Vest. On January 20, I did wear it for the photo so you can see it on my blog...

Wearing my hand knitted vest with my English woolen tweed suit from Planet.co.uk

Husband Pieter did buy this suit for me in London, many years ago when he was by himself and it still fits perfect!

The entire Planet suit.

Worn with a  Laurèl silk blouse and Escada shoes and +Wolford pantyhose, both from the Outlet at Woodbury Common Premium Outlets in New York State. 

 There also is a Wolford Outlet at Orlando Premium Outlets at Vineland Ave. 

Also at Sawgrass Mills Outlets - 1700 Sawgrass Mills Circle -  33323 Sunrise, FL 

This classic tweed suit does have a dark brown velvet collar.

Jacket off and showing you my A-line skirt with the hand knitted vest...

Tiggy-Tiger girl sitting on the Wood Trail.

The vest has cables knit into the front and back. Also a mice tooth edging and knitted-in button holes.

Detail from the cables, two fine ones with a broad one in the center. You also can see the button holes and buttons with mice tooth edging all around vest. 

This is the back, with three of those cable rows knitted in.

Very practical it reads on the side, it was in the Anna Burda, February 1983.

Another classic pattern.

Click here on pink hyperlink: → Cable Vest for the Pdf.

Pattern is in Dutch but with some explaining and clear knitting example that will be easy to follow, also some translation of key words.

Do you love to knit cable patterns?

I know, there are two blog-ladies whom I admire for their knitting of sweaters and such: Anett from Fadenstille  and Marlies from Bergzauber stricken. Can't compete with them!

Related articles:
{My Hand Knitted Leg Warmers Then and Now} | previous post by me
{My Hand Knitted & Hand Embroidered Sweater}| previous post by me with brooch

{Guilloché Enamel Brooches, Thimble and Rose Box} | previous post by me

{Mohair blend Peacock-stitch Sweater Knitted by Me} | previous post by me

{AJOUR KNIT JACKET FOR MY NIECE MAARTJE} | previous post by me

{Cotton Ajour Sweater with Lace Effect, knitted by Me} | previous post by me

{30 Years  Ago In My Rose Sweater} | previous post by me
Wolford Fashion | FB Page

{Our Camellia Japonica Nuccio's Gem}

One more of our white Camellias I like to introduce to you; this is Our Camellia Japonica Nuccio's Gem. This variety has larger petals than the other white; Camellia Japonica White by the Gate. However, this too produces the kind of Siamese twins, where buds grow back to back.

Those Camellia blossoms are quite striking against other bare trees in winter.

Another Siamese twin...

One bloom can be quite large when fully open.

Camellia Japonica Nuccio's Gem is a prolific bloomer.

Another Siamese twin budding...

Here there are even four together!

See how striking they look against all those bare trees?

Stepping a bit further back to give a better view of the shrub.

It is a very welcome blooming shrub in winter time.

Do you love the pink ones more than the white varieties?

Related links:
{Our Camellia Japonica Debutante} | mariettesbacktobasics.blogspot.com
{Camellia Japonica White by the Gate} | mariettesbacktobasics.blogspot.com

{Camellia Debutante & Chocolate} | mariettesbacktobasics.blogspot.com

{Let It Be A Happy New Year} previous post by me, showing Camellia Japonica Debutante

{Our Camellia Sinensis Tea Plant and Japanese Magnolia} | mariettesbacktobasics.blogspot.com

{Our Camellia Nuccio's Gem & Christmas Angel Gift} | mariettesbacktobasics.blogspot.com

{Our Camellia Sinensis | Tea Plant} | mariettesbacktobasics.blogspot.com