Today is My Birthday! C'est mon Anniversaire Aujourd'hui!

Hello everyone!  A very warm welcome to you all! Today is my 59th birthday!  :)  So I am making a special post for this special day that I hope you will all enjoy! Thank you for being here!  I was born a few weeks early and was just 5.8 lbs.  :)

Those of you who are regular visitors to my blog most likely know me quite well, but please stay tuned because there may be some things that you don't know.  Rather than repeat myself and to make things easier for everyone, I will share links from a couple of past blog posts. My Family and Delight in Little Things and Photos of Myself

When you look at the two above links you will see some more about myself as well as photos of my parents, my brother who died in 1951 at the tender age of 7 months (bronchial pneumonia) and of myself.  I am not at all photogenic and don't really like to be in front of a camera, so please keep this in mind as you view my photos.  Thanks so much!  :)

I began my blog in February 2012 and, thanks to all of you who take the time to come here to visit, read and comment on my posts, it has evolved and grown very well since its inception and I appreciate you all so much!  

I absolutely love retro/vintage, especially from the early 1900's to 1940's...music, clothing, buildings, just so many things!  I grew up having very little. My parents didn't have much money but I don't regret for one minute growing up like this, because I learned the value of people and things, and the importance of being kind to others at a very young age.  I knew that people are more important than things, and even now, as an adult, I don't have much, but to me I am rich.  No, not in a monetary sense, but rather in a mental and spiritual sense.  I have good friends, a cat, good people in my life, and yes, this includes you, my blog reader and friend. I have learned that you can get to know someone quite well by reading their writings such as blogs and e-mails, and I know that life is very short, so I do my best to 'live in the moment' and appreciate everyone and all that I have.  Don't wait until someone leaves or dies to show how much you care for the person, do it while the person is alive.  Tell them!  It costs nothing to speak a kind word, give a hug, pick up the phone and call someone, send an e-mail....this is my view on life.

Thank you so much for listening and now I will share some of my personal photos with you!  I took these photos a couple of years ago.  In case you are all wondering why I don't share my photos on my blog...well, when I first started this blog I did. However, I lost my camera a year and a half ago and cannot afford a new one at this time so rather than stop my blog I decided to share the quotations and art!  :)  You just need to click on each photo to see a larger view.

And now for some quotations.  :)

No matter how much you have to offer, you won't be enough for someone who's not open-hearted or ready.

Karen Salmansohn

Sprinkle a little kindness wherever you go.

Princess Sassy Pants & Co

I stopped waiting for the world to give me what I wanted; I started giving it to myself. - Byron Katie

The Caregiver Space

Here's a swheat idea:  be good to your neighbors.

Swheat Scoop

Stop for a moment what you are doing and simply observe what you are thinking about...is it pleasant? Is it stressful?  Simply observe, without judgment. :)

Sketches in Stillness

Meanwhile in Canada

Thank you all so much for visiting me here on this special day, my birthday!  I always appreciate and enjoy reading your kind thoughts, which you are always welcome to share!