We had such fun birthday party yesterday! Here’s a little song to set the stage!
It was Joe’s 60th and we invited all our oldest and dearest island friends and family — the kind where everybody knows your name, and they’re always glad you came . . .
And while Joe was out back getting the garden ready, I was inside baking cakes! If you look close in this picture, you will see that I had help. I can’t take all the credit. (Hint: my help is fuzzy and there isn’t much of it showing here. He kept skirting away from the camera!)
I started by making Joe’s favorite Cheesecake, a recipe from my first book, Heart of the Home. He loves it because it’s plain and simple and melts creamily in his mouth. (I know because I watched him eat the last bit of it this morning for breakfast!)
I pressed a mixture of graham cracker crumbs and melted butter into this 9″ pie plate.
. . . Then I beat a package of softened cream cheese until it was light and fluffy.
To that I added a half cup of sugar . . . this recipe is SO easy . . . it’s the perfect cooking project, it makes you feel like you can really COOK!
. . . then a tablespoon of fresh lemon juice . . .
. . . and a half-teaspoonful of vanilla . . .
. . . then I added two large eggs, one at a time, beating after each . . .
And that’s IT! Voila! Poured it into the unbaked crust . . .
And into the oven it went for about a half hour. While that was baking, I went outside to see what Joe was up to . . .
. . . and how things are progressing; he’s planned a big surprise for his friends. Since the 1970’s, Joe has been taking photos at every party, event, or hang out; in the car, on boats, at weddings, at halloween parties, graduations, clam bakes, tag sales, dinner parties, christenings, you name it, he took a photo of it. He promised (some see it more as a threat) to do a slide show for YEARS, but it’s just never come together. He and his BFF Bob, who also has box loads of slides in his possession (some that one suspects could be quite incriminating) decided that the occasion of Joe’s 60th Birthday seemed like the perfect time to finally do it . . . so they worked on their slides; Joe MADE this “screen” out of boards and canvas which he then hoisted into the big maple tree out back. (That’s what’s going on in the picture above.)
These three, Joe, Bob, and John have been cooking Christmas Dinner at our house for the last twenty years! While Bob was gathering together his slideshow, John came early to help Joe get set up . . . these three are the true representation of what BFF looks like inside the man cave. ♥
They made a little theater, with an aisle and everything.
They hung the lights on the arbor that Joe had JUST finished rebuilding on Friday; paint dry? Yup! Up go the lights . . .
I could see they didn’t need me . . . I went back in to make the topping for the cheesecake.
When it came out of the oven I spread this mixture of sour cream, sugar, and vanilla over the top.
Then, I put it back in the oven for another ten minutes . . . and here it is, out of the oven to cool a bit, then into the refrigerator to chill.
While that was happening, I made a three layer Carrot Cake (also from Heart of the Home in case you’re looking for it!).
Here it is cooling . . . three layers of cinnamon and nutmeg spiced crushed pineapple, coconut, walnuts, shredded carrots, and golden raisins. AND, btw, this recipe makes fabulous carrot cupcakes!
And here’s the cake, all frosted and decorated . . .
New Music . . . for this part . . . (today’s generation has the electronics, but we had the music!) This was last night. I forgot to take photos of the food! I’m so sorry, because it was potluck and everyone brought just gorgeous things, fresh garden vegetables and salads, lobster sliders, potato salad, and Lowely made a huge moussaka; Joe and John barbecued swordfish and steak . . . then, after dinner, the theater filled up and the show began . . . a trip back to the 1970’s and 80’s! There were cat calls and teasing, oohing and aaahing, saying, “OMG, Remember that???” Or, “there’s so and so, whatever happened to him . . . ” And, “Who’s THAT?” Laughing, joking, crying, sighing, reliving; this group of people have known each other through thick and thin, they’ve traveled together, in more ways than one . . . they know each other’s moms and dads, sisters, brothers, and children . . .
So it wasn’t just friends, it was families too, which are also friends! All gathered for the memories, and the good times we’ve had, coming together on this little island, most of us from somewhere else, pulled here by the same sort of heart magnet that brought me . . . a long road that lead right here, to our house, last night.
What we lack in wisdom, we make up for in good will. ♥
Even when we get busy and see less of each other, that just makes times like these more wonderful, to sit in the candlelight and cricket noises and catch up on each others lives.
And here is the happy much-loved Birthday Boy . . . can you see the little string of hearts hanging in mid air just in front of Joe? I swear, they follow him wherever he goes! ♥♥♥♥♥ (Most of the time you can’t see them, but every once in a while, the camera catches them in just the right light . . . which is why I love this camera . . . night time shots may not be clear, but they are real.)
Blow honey!
May all his dreams come true!
And here we are, Martha, me, and Kappy cutting the cakes . . . I’m thinking, as I’m writing, this is what it’s all about . . . friends, family, food and fun — and all the good things we’ve shared.
I have to show you a card from last night — for Joe from Iris, the dog we love, that lives across the street with Martha and Gerry and comes over to visit almost every time she gets loose (might be because of the dog bones we keep in the pantry)! Here’s the front of the card:
Hope you had fun at the party! We won’t mention that picture of you skinny dipping in Tashmoo Pond!
OK, and here’s another promise I made a while back — remember when we went to the Emma Bridgewater Factory in England?
Where they had that design room where they gave you everything so you can paint your own Emma cups? Here are the ones we did, the way we turned them in, before they were fired . . . those pencil marks, we were told, would burn off.
And they did . . . here they are, after firing; they sent them home to us; they were here when we got back; we drink our tea in them every single morning now, he drinks out of his, I drink out of mine! I put the word “England” on mine so I would just look at it and remember.
With the date . . .
And here’s the cup Joe did; he wanted the ship. We love them even more now, and as time passes I’m sure they will become more and more valuable to us.
Maybe someday you will go to Emma Bridgewater and paint your own cup, but until then . . .
Maybe you would like to have an Emma Bridgewater Royal Jubilee cup just like this one, directly from England, for your very own? If you already have one, wouldn’t it make a nice gift for someone you love? If you agree, just leave me a comment and we’ll have Vanna (our random number generator) stay home from the tanning salon one day next week so she can draw a name and tell us who this cup belongs to! OK girls, believe it or not, the parties aren’t over yet. More cooking this week! Happy Monday everyone! XOXO P.S. Just in case, here’s the recipe for the Cheesecake!
CHEESECAKE
- 2 1/2 c. graham cracker crumbs
- 3/4 c. melted butter
Combine and press into a buttered 9 in. pie plate, building up the sides. Set aside and make filling.
FILLING
- 1 – 8oz. pkg. cream cheese, softened
- 1/2 c. granulated sugar
- 1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
- 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs
Beat softened cream cheese until fluffy. Gradually blend in sugar, lemon juice, and vanilla. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each. Pour filling into crust. Bake at 325° for 25-30 min; til set. Make the topping.
TOPPING
- 1 1/2 c. sour cream
- 3 Tbsp. sugar
- 3/4 tsp. vanilla
Combine all ingredients; when cheesecake comes out of the oven, spoon topping over top of hot cheesecake, spreading evenly; return to oven and bake 10 min. longer. Cool; then chill several hours. Serves 8.
Happy birthday, Joe! I just turned 60 this year, too! 1952 – the year of the Queens coronation and our birthday. Perfect. The cups turned out great and the party must have been wonderful. So many friends,,,how fortunate.
Best wishes and many happy returns,
Chris
Happy Birthday, Joe! How loved you are! Hope your next 60 are even more exciting and joy-filled!
Me too! I’m going with HIM!
The Royal Jubilee cup would be wonderful to always remember the Queeen’s day that I saw on tv. You put so much into your gatherings and parties! Very nice summer party. Thanks for sharing it with us.
Happy 60th Birthday Joe! What a wonderful party. Yea I would so love a Royal Jubilee cup. Susan you really know how to throw a party for us all.
It is going to get cooler sometime soon here in Oklahoma, I just know. Then out comes the hot chocolate and hot tea for me. Happy Birthday Joe! We know your favorite present of all time was Susan.
How sweet of you to say that!
Happy Birthday, Joe! Your party looks like it was fabulous!! Your mugs came out great. I hope one day I can go to the Emma Bridgewater factory!
Hi Susan
What a lovely party for Joe surrounded by love on his special birthday. A wonderful celebration of all that is good. I loved your wee stove – is it wood or metal? And Jack’s dear little ear! And your Union Jack tea towel! The best was the card from Iris – so cute and endearing. Your mugs from Emma Bridgewater are charming, too. Good luck to everyone in your giveaway and lots of blessings and thanks to you and Joe and the kitties.
Happy Birthday Joe! What a great idea, for the photos! and the arbor looks really nice! Vita
What a Great Party!! Thanks for sharing in all the fun and recipes to gain a pound or two with. How great to have that slide show of years past. It brought back memories of my dad, he loved setting up the slide show at family gatherings. Before I tear up missing my dad, just wanted to say those photo Hearts show all the love around Joe from friends and family! Celebrate the good times, the best part of Life!! Susan, love that little stove and you’re the doll Joe was lucky enough to win in his life!
Blowing kisses Denni!
Happy Birthday Joe!!
Thank you for offering to share one of your beautiful mugs. I have a good, strong, English tea every morning and this cup would go perfectly.
Happy Birthday Joe! Loved the party pics…felt like i was there! Loved the outdoor slide show…so fun!
Someday I hope to go across the pond and maybe I will get to make a mug too! I loved your mugs…they came out beautimus!!!
What a fun party and to have it with such wonderful friends! Oh to have more of those nights in our lives.
I always appreciate that you think of us when you travel. A mug would be a good thing for anyone to have.
Happy Birthday Joe, just had one myself and you have me beat by 2 years. I could not wait to get my Home of the Heart cookbook out and make the cheesecake. New chemo for me and it seems to be working, hoooray! Hope I win the mug for my morning coffee this winter!
Happy to hear it’s working Cynthia!!
oh dear, I’m late like always, Happy 60th Joe, it looked like a fun party. wish i could have seen the slide show. whew its finally cooled off here, we were hitting 106 for most of last week, and it was hot and uncomfortable here. since most of the homes don’t have A.C. you really suffer with the heat, we have ceiling fans and they were working overtime last week. well off to go hang up the laundry on the lines and keep the turkeys away from my laundry. fall is coming soon, we’re seeing alot of signs around here that fall is just around the corner. the squirrels are darker now, not light gray anymore but darker gray, their winter coats are growing in, lots of acorns in the oak trees this year, and the katydids are singing around here. have a wonderful day today everyone. hugs…… 🙂
Happy Birthday Joe!
I love your pie plate. It’s so cheerful and my favorite colors!
I’d love a chance at the mug. So generous of you to share.
Happy Birthday to a fellow Leo! What a fun idea. My friends help me celebrate 1952 on August 3rd. They were all dressed up in aprons and each gave me a kitchen tool with a new use as a gag gift…..cheese grater for my pedicures, potato peeler for age spots–it was so much fun. And I woke up to my kitchen porch decorated with pink flamingo chefs holding decorated wooden spoons, and dozens of tennis balls cut in half laying on the driveway spelling out my age….about as discrete as this crowd could be.
My big surprise–my son Chris came home from England for my birthday. I had a whole week with him to catch up. How great it is to have your adult child home again. The next best part was that my friend made ME a cake! No one else in the group would do it! Silly girls…..Texas Chocolate Cake–yum. Just like my mother used to make.
That sounds like a wonderful birthday Debbie!
What fun and what a great bunch of creative friends! Happy 60th to you too.
Oh what a wonderful party. You have a gift of entertaining! We are planning a 90th b-day party for Dad over Labor Day weekend. People coming from all over. I sure do hope it’s as nice as the parties you and Joe always seem to have! I’m thinking I just have to stay up on the lists and organization duties!!! Thanks so much for the recipes and “MUG”! xoxo
What a terrific party! The arbor with the lights and the movie screen were perfect! You are blessed to be surrounded by such wonderful family and friends. The two of you are truly surrounded by a magical glow of happiness, and we are blessed to be able to share in your joy. Thank you.
Happy Birthday, Joe!
Gail G.
What a lovely party! Thanks for inviting us.
The mug is lovely too.
Thanks for including us in the festivities! The cakes look awesome.
Happy Birthday, Joe! (And thanks for the fun drawing – love that mug!)
Joe’s party looked so fun. I bet you all had a great time looking back at all those pictures and sharing stories. Thanks for sharing them with us and tell Joe, “Happy 60th! And many more to come.”
Thanks for sharing Joes happy…..happy….happy…birthday party with us girlfriends.
The wonderful blessings of friendship make life’s journey so much kinder. Sharing the challenging times; the tears and fears, the happy times; the joys and laughter, that’s what meaningful memories are made of and those relationships surely make a difference….in our heart and soul.
Susan, you really summed it up so well…”this group of people have known each other through thick and thin, they’ve traveled together, in more ways than one . . .”
So special.
I have to say the photo of Joe and the BFF trio is so much fun…..bet those three have some stories to tell. No mischief there eh? But, most of all, the magic of the dancing green hearts around Joe! Wow….that is amazing.
So glad to see your mugs from England…..so nice we got to see them at Emma’s place and now see the end result. You and Joe made a very cool memento……able to use the mugs everyday……filling up a cup of tea and memories……cheers to that!
Have a Happy Week! ♥ ♥ ♥
P.S. I feel a cheesecake and a carrot cake craving coming on at the same time….oh no! ! LOL.
Happy Birthday, Joe! I hope you enjoyed your day completely!
What a great party…what great friends to celebrate a special birthday…Happy Birthday Joe!!! Thank you, Susan, for sharing your special guy with all the ‘girl-friends’. AND, thank you for sharing your travel memories with us. -r-
As children growing up birthday’s wern’t a big deal in our house so when we got married I knew for my family we would make a BIG deal out of all birthday’s but Susan I think you out did us in every way!!!! What a lovely day and so full of memories!
Happy birthday, Joe! I LOVE it when a landmark birthday receives such a sentimental celebration…….
This is my first time to comment here; I just discovered the blog a few months ago, and was THRILLED to accompany you across the pond to jolly England. I am now a permanent follower. I would love to have this mug to insert in the “Lady’s Basket” raffle item when our local club hosts the national Vintage Triumph Register convention in Galveston this October. Love those little British cars!! Thank you so much; ta!
Hi Julie, nice to meet you!
Happy Birthday Joe! from one islander (block island!) to another!
Ohhh, I’ve been there . . . SO beautiful! Thank you Stevi!
What a fun evening! Love the slides show and lovely birthday celebration! I should do this for my Hubby in 2 weeks….. You always make it look effortless, and beautiful… Happy Birthday Joe and Happy rest of Summer Sue…. Love seeing all your memory making days!
Reading your blog is pure pleasure. Thank you for the wonderful way you share what you are thinking and feeling. I can’t wait until you finish your new book. Happy Birthday to Joe. The details of the party were all great…my favorites though were the outdoor slide show and the card from the dog you love, Iris! My daughter’s dog is named Iris and everyone loves her too.
Wishing you a happy rest of the Summer.
My kind of party filled with love, memories, family, friends, delicious food, and seconds if you want of everything:>) Thanks for bringing Joe’s party to life for the rest of us. Just love it!!!
Our party this weekend celebrated for a sister, a son and two nephews and they sang Happy Birthday “TO US” while the rest of us sang Happy Birthday “TO YOU” :>) Quite a quartet.
Cheesecake leftovers for breakfast [yum], all your best buddies at your party, a huge potluck feast – and a birthday card from Iris! How could it EVER get better than that? Here’s the next 60 being even better than the first!
Loved that card from Iris – laughed out loud!! What a character! The neighborhood’s “Welcome Wagon” – or maybe more correctly, society columnist. The social gadabout who just adores visiting all over and seeing what everyone’s up to. I just know she knows ALL the news! Now if Jack can show her how to blog…. :>)
Really, they would be the hit team of the internet! What do you think would be their words of wisdom for us?
Oh, they absolutely would! They’d be a sensation! Wouldn’t that be the cutest thing? “On the Town – With Jack and Iris…” Hill-arious! Photos, videos [via the “Jack cam” or “Iris cam”], stories of life at each home from their perspectives, recipes, Things to Do with Your Humans, stories of neighborhood and island goings-on, interviews with other pets and neighbors, the mail carrier, delivery people [I would imagine Iris greets everyone who comes to her house with that tail going a mile a minute like in your snowy day video with her]. Iris will have the complete scoop on all the news up and down your street, I’m sure. First interview – Girl Kitty! But would she actually deign to speak with Jack? Or does she still dream about him being dropped off a cliff at some point? She’d certainly talk with Iris… they must be very old friends and being girls – well there’s not much two or more girls like better than a chat!
Happy Birthday Joe!
Susan,this can be your “ode” to Joe:
If you live to be a hundred, then I want to live to be a hundred too
minus a day, cause I don’t want to live a day without you!
Perfect!
Happy B-day Joe! What fun! Great cheesecake recipe….have not made it in some time, but think I should soon. I have yet to make the carrot cake – my fav!
I love the little stove on your table! I have been collecting minature little cast iron kitchen things with a similar tole painting on them. Now I will have to keep my eye out for a stove like that when I visit my favorite antique haunts. Happy Birthday to Joe! I turned 62 on the 16th.
We just put a couple of stoves, sort of like mine, in the Vintage part of our web store . . . so cute!
Super cool Birthday party! Cakes look delish! Lovely night for celebrating! But~~~wasn’t Petey invited? Seems like he should have been giving a toast to his ole buddy Joe :0). Loved this post so~o~o much! Thanks for sharing your Emma mugs too~~~they are very special reminders of a very special trip. I would love one of the Jubilee~~~thanks for the chance to win!
Have fun, XOXO
Linda Petersen
He was afraid he would slip off the table and in the dark no one would see him and mostly he was afraid he might get stepped on! He opted to stay indoors, but he was visited and fawned over!
Thank you, Joe and Susan, for inviting me to the Pah-ty! It was loverly, darlings!
And I don’t think I gained any weight at all from all the (virtual!) food! Thank you for that as well!
I’d love the marvelous mug, so yes, do please include my name in the drawing.
Vanna, pick me, dahling.
Hello Sweetest Sue…Oh My Goodness! Joe’s Birthday Party was Beyond Magical! & I Must say…”Thank~You” for Sharing This With All of Us! 🙂 I Can See The String of Hearts On Your Joe! (Magic!) I Know That You Have That String of Hearts on You too My Dear! 😉 ok Tell Joe That He was Pure Genius to Create an Outdoor Theater! A Brilliant Idea! I Love it! & All Those Wonderful Guests! & Sue a “Pot~Luck” Extravaganza! Scrumptious! ( & another Brilliant Idea) 🙂 & all those Yummy Cakes! I also Love Your Sunflowers that are in The First Photo! I Love Sunflowers! Happy 60th Birthday Joe…This Birthday Party was Filled With So Much Pure Magic! ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh! & Now an Emma Mug….Tell Vanna My Wings are Crossed Once again….Love & “Winding Down The Summer” Pixie~Dust Sweet Sue…Today I’ve got Pumpkins on My Mind! 😉 it’s also Back~to~School Today for Us! Amaizing! xoxo Poof!✶*¨`*.✫*¨*.¸¸.✶*¨`*.✫*¨*.¸¸.✶*¨`*.✫*¨*.¸¸.✶*¨`*.✫*¨*.¸¸.✶*¨`*.✫
I loved the photo of Joe and his BFF’s. The usual BFF photos seem only to be of women but my husband and 5 of his BFF’s and their wives have been getting together and renting a house for the last 8 years and its soo nice to watch the men gather, talk, exchange photos, laugh and generally reach out to each other. Thats what friendships all about…Happy Birthday, dear Joe.
I like it too. These guys would do anything for each other, it’s sort of like an unsaid pact they have. Different than women’s friendships that are very much SAID!
What a lovely birthday party and it looked like the weather was perfect. Your mugs are great and I am so hoping I will win the Jubilee mug. I have made your cheesecake recipe over and over and it is still the best. Thank you for all your recipes and inspiration. My SB 2013 calendar arrived Saturday so I am ready for the new year to come with your calendar on my desk. thank you
Thank you back Linda!
Happy Birthday to Joe! The custom cups you made at the factory came out beautifully. What a nice momento to have. I loved the birthday card from the dog across the street – How cool!
Joe – A .V E R Y. Happy Birthday to You! That cheesecake looked so good, I gained 3 pounds just looking at it! And Susan, I just loooove your new arbor…so charming! Thanks for sharing the recipes and all of your good times, I so look forward to them. Marie from AZ
Oh, how I love that Emma Bridgwater Jubilee mug! Such a wonderful souvenir of I’ve been a fan of hers since I discovered and started a collection of Matthew Rice’s paper boxes. Have you seen them? I enjoyed reading your blog post about your visit to her shop. Weren’t they affiliated with David Linley, Princess Margaret’s son, and his furniture crafting/designing pursuits?
I have, but not for a long time, they were wonderful! I’m not sure about the Princess Margaret connection, but I wouldn’t be surprised!
Happy Birthday to Joe!! Looked to be a great birthday party for the honoree as well as the guests. Thank You Susan for the Cheesecake recipe and I will be making it this week for my co-workers (keep this quiet, but I use them as guinea pigs for recipes all the time-and they really don’t seem to mind). I love the card from Iris. Wishing Joe God’s blessings and many more birthdays! Donna H., Arkansas
No, my victims don’t mind either! 🙂
I judge how good the recipe is by how fast the item “goes”. I made your carrot cake recipe recently and brought it to work, it was gone by 9 AM — all of my “victims”, I mean, coworkers were very pleased with that cake. I will make it again and again.
Thank you, so glad to hear it!
What a wonderful party. Thank you so much for sharing. Aren’t friends like that just the best. I’m so excited to finally see your mugs! What a treasure for you to enjoy forever. I would be happy to give the one you are giving away a lovely home!
On another note. My sister is about to have to put her beloved golden lab down. She is the one this lab bonded to and has been by her side through so many hard times my sister has endured. I saw the EB mug with the golden on it and thought of her. It is too expensive for me to buy at this time, but oh am I tempted!
Bubble on today sweet lady! I can’t wait for your England diary to come out.
That’s the only thing “wrong” about the Emma cups … they are so expensive, and then it also costs a lot to get them over here! PLease give my love to your sister, I am SO sorry!
Found out that it isn’t so easy being Vanna—I helped a friend do photos for a church event last week. I’m awful at photos, but, I was supposed to be her assistant Vanna….she moved so fast, I couldn’t keep up with her! Despite my “help” she did some great photos….so I’ll never badmouth Vanna.
The mug is great and the Birthday party looked like fun!
Love that there’s another August birthday…mine is in August as well – hooray for summer birthdays! 🙂
Happy Birthday Melissa!
I will “stay calm and carry on ” while hoping to win the mug!
Happy Birthday Joe – it looks like oyu had a great 60th!
Janice
Hi Dearest Susan!!
Happy Birthday to Joe!! What a wonderful party!!! Yay!! What a fun idea to have a slide show too!! Woo Hoo!! 🙂 Hope you both enjoyed every minute of the festivities!! 🙂 I am sure you did as it looked like a great party!!! Thanks for sharing it with us. Ok, just have to tell you Susan that I love the little set-up you have on your kitchen table!! Love the MV lamp, it is sooo cute!! 🙂 The limes, the flowers, the scrumptious looking cake and the little precious stove…all of it is to die for!!! 🙂 BTW are Joe, Bob and John all brothers? The all look so much alike…what a handsome picture!! The mug from England would be a wonderful treat but just having you share your life on the blog with me is present enough…Thank you again!! 🙂 Have a wonderful day!! GOD Bless you both!! Love and Hugs, Tricia B. XOXOXOXOXO
Not brothers, just old friends! They are very good guys! I found a couple of those little stoves for my vintage store . . . in case you want to go look at them!
Wonderful!! You know I could tell my husband about the precious little stove plus my usual list of your delightful items…. as Christmas is just around the corner!! 🙂 Tee Hee!! 🙂 Thank you again!! You are the best!! 🙂 Have a wonderful afternoon!!
Happy Birthday to Joe!
I’m going to make that cheesecake. 🙂
Thank you.
Rebecca (Riverside, Ca)
Susan, it is very easy to see that you have been blessed with great friends and wonderful memories. Happy Birthday Joe!!!
Happy Birthday, Joe! 60 is a BIG one worth a big celebration. Also, thanks for the cheesecake recipe. I have a son-in-law who thinks he makes the best cheesecake. I’ll make it for him and see what he says.
Good! Love taste tests!
What a wonderful party! I felt like I was there! Food, friends, laughter-it doesn’t get any better than that! Happy birthday Joe! Thank you for sharing your life, art, and recipes with us Susan. I can’t wait to make the cheesecake! I love that it requires only 1 block of cream cheese-a better size for our household. My wonderful son-in-law shared some of his Queen’s Jubilee tea with me that he received as a gift. Wouldn’t a lovely Emma cup of Queen’s tea go wonderfully with the cheesecake?
It looks like a great time was had by all!!!!! We have family and friends coming to visit over Labor Day weekend and I think we need this cheesecake!!! I will have to make it 🙂 YUMMY!
Happy Birthday Joe!
I love the mug 🙂 🙂 🙂
Good Morning Susan – Thanks again for a wonderful Willard and Joe’s 60th Blog! You are a very bright spot in a lot of women’s days! Thanks for that! I love the saying “Stay Calm & Carry On” – I just went into my favorite gem-of-a-gift-shop in Brea = Alicia’s Cookery (I’ve told you about her (and her daughters and her granddaughters before)) and picked up a little book with a title of “Now Panic & Freak Out” – too cute! TTFN
I saw that sign in England and had a good laugh too!
Oh, yes, yes I would love to have the Jubilee cup. I followed you all the way to England and back on my lunch hour…loving every minute of it. I also have been admiring the cup in your store. So please add my name to the generator and ask Vanna to pick mine!
Thanks,
Paula
Happy Birthday Joe! What a wonderful life!
Happy birthday, Joseph! Thanks, Susan, for letting us know about the potluck foods even though there were no photos. I enjoy hearing about what others take to potlucks!
Love a party! You make it look so easy! Happy Birthday Joe! Can’t wait to make the cheesecake myself.
The cheesecake and carrot cake recipes look great. I think I will bake them both for my boys this coming weekend. They are getting ready for back to school and they would love these. Thanks for a great blog. I look forward to reading it.
The cup wants to live with me 🙂
What a lovely party…such fun!! I turned 60 also this year…and would love a celebration such as this. The Emma cup would be delightful since I was England when the Jubilee was occurring! Cute mug!
Happy Birthday, Joe!! The cheesecake looks amazing! Can’t wait to make it!
Thanks for a lovely start to the week!
Loved the Birthday party preparations and the lovely expressions on everyone’s faces, such joy!!! My daughter would cherish the Jubilee Mug!!! She carries England in her heart after studying there 2 summers ago. Thanks for yet another contest!!!! Such suspense!!! <3 Kim. D. from Dublin, OH
Happy Birthday, Joe! Looks like it was a lovely party. I’m sure everyone enjoyed it!
Happy Birthday Joe! I love your Emma cups – wish I had one too!!
OMgoodness! The hearts above Joe’s cake were truly magical <3 Happy Birthday Joe 🙂
Oh, and I would love to win the Emma Bridgewater Royal Jubilee cup!
Happy Birthday Joe! Looks like it was a perfect birthday celebration! Susan, thank you for sharing the party with us! You’ve given me some party ideas. Have a great week!
So much fun to party with you. Happy Birthday Joe, I can see that you know what the real gifts in life are, and you appreciate them! Saying that, I would love to be gifted with that Emma 🙂
Oh, my!! What a wonderful birthday party!!! thank you for sharing it with us!
I LOVE the little stove w/accessories you have on your kitchen table!! How adorable is that?!?!!
How tall is Joe? He’s half a head taller than his BFFs! And this just cracked me up so much, ” the little string of hearts hanging in mid air just in front of Joe? I swear, they follow him wherever he goes!” I believe it!!!
The video of Iris is just tooooooo cute!!! I want to pet her and hug her!!!
Your mugs turned out so fantastically!! 😀
Thanks for the cheesecake recipe!
Love from Mary S. in Fresno, CA
Happy Birthday to Joe- Loved your blog- of course i am addicted to all things Susan Branch!@!@! but thanks for having another contest for us to all have a chance to win a prize!@!@! thank you for all your hard work -we all enjoy it so very much……
have a great week!@!@!
The wonderful birthday party looked like so much fun! It is so surprising how fast time goes. Thanks for the reminder Susan, memories are not just priceless, they are the kind of gift that falls under “forever gift”.
Of course I would love a “memory” mug too!
Happy 60th birthday month, Joe! Your party looked like such a good time! Looking at the photos I kept thinking it it almost looked like a movie set, Sue, as everything was so natural and perfect! You and Joe do everything so well and with joy!
I’m drooling over both your cup and Joe’s and would be over the moon happy to win the jubilee cup! My fingers (and toes) are crossed 🙂
Hugs,
Pat
Happy Birthday, Joe! What a fun blog posting! Family, friends, good fun, lots of pictures, it doesn’t get much better than that!
What a delight! Love the pix, the music, the words, your paintings. My favorite blog. Happy birthday to Joe!
Thanks for sharing a mug—would so enjoy it!!
Happy Birthday Joe! What a grand time you must have had at your party! Love the mugs you painted….so special! I love all things Emma!
Happy Birthday to Joe…What a great party…Hope you took pictures for the next slide show…
Yes, you just saw some of them! 🙂
I enjoy your pics and stories so much–a fun different thing for me. I am sure all the busy Moms can relate. Looks like a wonderful party. Hope he and you have many, many more happy birthdays–and just happy days in general! 🙂 Would love one of those mugs–I am totally into all British stuff.
Happy Bday, Joe!
Welcome to my decade…you’ll love it!
The EB mug would be a perfect gift/reminder for my husband. He has been promising a trip to England for a while. Now I won’t have to nag so much (well, maybe a little).
Love ya,
Jerri Ellen
San Juan Capistrano, CA
Joe’s birthday party looked like a lot of fun and the cake and cheesecake looked yummy! It’s nice to have friends that you’ve know for what seems like forever. The lights on the arbor I epically love. But the hearts on Joe’s picture were amazing! I’ve never seen that so it must really be a Joe thing! Or maybe it’s the connection between the two of you that make them. In any case I’d have loved the slide show. I’m always the one that wants to drag out the old pictures and look at them over and over. When I’d visit my grandmother’s they knew I’d want to look at the family pictures. Now I have lots of them given to me some before they passed and some after. The same with my husband’s family. I get such comfort looking at those that have gone before us as well as those that are still with us. Anyway I hope this year is a great one for Joe and us all. *S* Oh and the cups are a wonderful remembrance of your trip. Fingers crossed that Vanna picks me. But whoever she picks will love the cup!! Great day all.
Susan, once again I have vicariously lived thru your writing and art ( which tells a story by itself). The love you and Joe have is something to be treasured. A birthday is a time to gather with those who love us in spite of and who encourage us in their special ways. You have shared some great birthday party ideas.
The mug would be a shared part of your world and summer 2012 adventures.
What an absolutely perfect party! I turned 50 this year and my sweet hubby threw me a surprise party-he enlarged a photo of my when I was four and another friend brought photos from high school-nothing better than photo memories. Last year it was my parent’s fiftieth anniversary, and my hubby made a beautiful movie of their life together, complete with music (of course) and now they will always have it to look back on. Oh how I loved this post! And we may have to copy Joe’s screen invention for our next movie…
Happy Birthday to Joe! I turned 60 last October. Remind him that it’s the new 30! Your party was lovely and I loved the slide show idea! What a treasure of memories……wish I could be your next door neighbor! You are so fortunate to have so many close friends! I would love to win a mug or anything of yours at any time! Love that little stove….precious! Hoping to visit Martha’s Vineyard someday. Elaine
Happy Belated Birthday Joe!!!
What a wonderful post Susan! (actually they are ALL wonderful!)
I adored seeing and reading all about Joe’s big birthday! Loved all the photos! It looks like a super fun birthday, and I’m sure big-time fun was had by all!!
I have been waiting to see those mugs! I thought it was the coolest thing ever that you got to do that at the Emma Bridgewater shop! I’m so glad you got your mugs in tact! Talk about the ultimate souvenir! 🙂
I think I’m going to be making that super easy cheesecake! Looks so yummy! And the best part of that is, no else in the house here likes cheesecake except me and my daughter, so we get to eat it all by ourselves!! 🙂 🙂
Thanks for the chance to win that awesome mug.!!!!!
What a wonderful birthday party – thank you for sharing the pictures! And also for reminding me of your Carrot Cake recipe. We are celebrating my mother-in-law’s birthday this weekend and Carrot Cake is her very favorite!
My house is full of French mementos, so a little mug from England would be delightful! I haven’t been to England since 1984! Far too long… perhaps this little mug might inspire another trip!
Happy Birthday, Joe!
Oh I do want that cup. It was my birthday too! Happy Birthday Joe. That looks like you had a great party.
Happy Birthday to Joe!
What a great, fun idea for a party!)
Hubs turns 60 next year… We’re too far away now from family and friends to hope they could make it to such an event… but you’ve given me an idea on something to do for his special B-day.
Not exactly the same thing but… somewhat similar.
i’m going to make him a picture book (maybe a computer slide show) with all his friends and family … the churches he pastored, our life together, driving truck, and all his adventures.
We get lonely for friends we’ve made in the different places we’ve been.
It’s So nice to see such commaraderie …
Thanks for sharing this with us Susan…Thanks for this idea Joe!
You two are Adorable! (bet you hear this All the time!)
*~* kare
Now that was a lovely party!
Happy, Happy Birthday Joe!
Happy Birthday, Joe and thanks for sharing the party, Susan. There is nothing like a lovely Leo man. I would be so honored and happy to win the Jubilee mug. So,thanks for the chance. Love your crocheted potholders – I’m mad for them. Stay cool from sunny Fresno where today is the 18th day of 100 degree weather.
Happy birthday Joe !! Thank you both for sharing your lives with all of us 🙂 <3
Sue,
Good food, good times and good friends to share them with make GREAT memories! I feel like I was one of the guests on your island of good will. HAPPY BIRTHDAY to Joe!
Your mugs turned out lovely and what a perfect souvenir of your trip; a reminder of England with every sip.
Please include me in your generous giveaway. I would love to drink my morning java out of this mug while reading your witty and heart warming words.
Enjoy the rest of the festivities!
Deborah
HaPpY hApPy BiRtHdAy, JoE!!! It looks like you had a wonderful party! Yes, I would like to have an Emma Bridgewater Royal Jubilee cup directly from England for my very own, so pick me please, Vanna!!
belated happy birthday, joe and warm wishes, as always, to susan:)
we just returned from a week of birthday celebration with my husband’s family & dear friends in ventura…and tomorrow i scoot out the door for a road trip with my dad…to visit my brother in oregon and his family…yes, family, friends, celebrations…wonderful!
thought i’d throw my name out there once again, for a chance to be included in one of your fun drawings. you are so generous to do them! i belong to a quilt group that will be meeting at my house in october. because of the queen’s jubilee and your trip and the olympics, i have been inspired to host a tea that is completely over-the-top english. can’t wait! pulling out all the stops to decorate with a jubilee banner i found at the thrift store (what were they thinking when they tossed it out?), all my precious tea cups and tableware, my collection of english tea tins (including one commemorating the queen’s coronation), we’ll be wearing our finest hats (or fascinators???), well, it goes on and on – anyway, perchance i am lucky enough to win your mug, it would be included in the festivities with a place of honor:)
oh, and one other thing…while we were south, i attended a bridal shower for my best friend’s oldest daughter…she gifted her with your recipe book “for my daughter” with all the most beloved recipes from family & friends…it was a treasure. i know sara will cherish it always. it just made everyone smile!
thanks for EVERYTHING!
Happy birthday Joe!! The party looked amazing…such great friends you have. I love love love the Emma cups you painted yourself! What a sweet reminder of your wonderful trip.
I loved hearing about Joe’s birthday party–the preparations, as well as the event. What a great idea to put on a slide show for your friends! I just received “The Heart of the Home” that I ordered from Amazon, and am savoring it. Glad to see that your cheesecake is included.
Happy Birthday Joe. Thanks for sharing it with us. Love your arbor, and of course the slide show idea. I say, celebrate the whole year turning 60. Cheers!!!!
Debbie, from Valencia, CA