Buddha's Birthday

Colored Lanterns at the Lotus Lantern Festival

The lanterns above are to celebrate Buddha's birthday. The place: South Korea. According to a friend this is Buddha's birthday, but information in Wikipedia says the date changes with the Gregorian calendar which made this year's birthday on May 2. No matter, it is nice to know someone is thinking of this celebration.

Double click on the photo to enlarge it. I suppose the papers hanging from each lantern are wishes or prayers to Buddha. Just a speculation as I have no way of knowing for sure.

Wikipedia: click on Buddha's Birthday to read more about this birthday and the dates it is celebrated on the Gregorian calendar.

Picking Flowers for Renee - Happy Birthday!

Happy birthday, dear Renee.
I put together flowers from around-and-about for you to enjoy.
Some are local, some from our travels, some new, some from years past.
I hope you will enjoy the selection of flowers & music chosen especially for you on your birthday.

Love,
Lizzy

Especially picked for Renee Khan on her birthday.

Seaside town in Maine

Lilies on my table

Garden in Budapest, Hungary

Butchart Gardens, Victoria, Canada

Wildflowers in Texas

Field of wildflowers, Bastrop, TX

My neighbor's redbud tree

detail of redbud blossoms

Close-up of redbud tree blossoms

Flower Shop, Bucharest, Romania

Paris flower shop

Tulips in Paris

Flowers inside "painted church" in central Texas

Painted Church flowers

Nursery in Fayetteville, Texas

Black Swallowtail on Carolina Jasmine in my garden

Kolanchoe on my patio

Amaryllis & Kalanchoe in my garden

Australian bottle-brush in bloom in my garden

Priest's garden at Mission San Jose, San Antonio, TX

Garden at Mission San Jose

Garden, Mission San Jose

Priest with guests at Mission San Jose

Taos, New Mexico patio

Magnolia and Cypress tree, Kinder, Louisiana

Las Cruces, New Mexico garden

Las Cruces garden

Las Cruces, NM garden
PS -Please visit Renee at Circling My Head & wish her a most happy birthday!

Happy Birthday, Dear Heart

Gerald at the Eiffel Tower, December 2009

Happy birthday, dear heart,
You mean so much to me.
Wherever in the world
Would I be without you?

They say a poem
Need not rhyme,
But should only reflect
The feelings in the heart.

It's quite astounding
That we found each other
Although we lived only
A few miles apart.

Without close inspection
One would think we had little in common
But upon reflection
We are meant for each other.

I'm a little ditsy, not clear, not calm
You are a rock, deliberate, charming.
Perhaps it's the opposite that attracts
Nevertheless we are very happy.

We enjoy traveling
Learning new things.
We have an appreciation
For each others needs.

So for five years now
We've laughed and we've loved
We've traveled and we've played.
My birthday wish is for this to continue.

Play a game of golf,
Visit with your friends.
Enjoy the day, the week, the month
Have a beautiful birthday, dear heart.

• ~~Love, Cheryl