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.
Oh what a lovely birthday party & such fun. Happy belated b-day to Joe. I would love to have a special cup from England to sip my tea from & remember two terrific people too!
Congratulations to Joe on his big birthday! I would love to win the mug. We stopped for a few hours in Heathrow on our way home from Greece in July, and then watched the Olympics for two weeks. I’m in an English frame of mind!
Happy Birthday to your Joe:) I would love love love to win the Emma Bridgewater mug!
HI Sue
would surely ove that mug!!!
loved your party
Sincerely
Joanne
What a fun birthday party Joe had. It gave me some ideas as I am having my 70th birthday September 1. We moved away from where we lived for 40 years and left all my real friends in 2005. Not the same trying to make new friends as it is a little harder without the history of children growing up, your church and neighbors “long time friends” There is always another day and more time to get to know new people who may turn into friends.
Again, Happy Birthday Joe
Thank you for giving us the cheese cake recipe–I was drooling on my keyboard! Happy Birthday Joe–it looks like a wonderful night was had by all.
I have made that same cheesecake every Christmas for years. I make a raspberry sauce for mine. It is a real hit!
Thank you so much for letting me come to the birthday party! I thoroughly enjoyed myself 🙂 It was just lovely…Oh by the way, I think that beautiful
Emma Bridgewater Royal Jubilee cup would take my morning coffee to a new level !! Thank you for sharing your party with us and ‘Happy Birthday to Joe!’
Hi Brenda, just had to write you because I have a cousin named Brenda Caldwell (her maiden name and also my Mothers) they lived in Birmingham, AL. along with all of my Mothers family. Just a blast from my past!!
Ooh- what a great party! I, too, would love to win this special mug:) Your cheesecake is almost exactly the same as my mother’s recipe! I’ve been making it for nigh on 40 years and it’s still the best!! Carrot cake is also my hubby’s favorite. I say…party on!
What a gorgeous night you had for Joe’s party! I would love to see some of the hair and clothing styles from those wonderful years..the 70’s! We are working on our own slideshow for my daughter’s wedding THIS SATURDAY! In fact I went to your website to re-read the article on cleaning silver.They are cutting the cake with the knife that we used to cut the cake at our wedding in 1972. After 12 months of preparations, the wedding will soon be over. I would love to relax with a cup of tea in my Emma Bridgewater Royal Jubilee cup!
Thank you so much for inviting me to your birthday party! I thoroughly enjoyed myself 🙂 It was lovely…Oh by the way, I think that beautiful Emma Bridgewater Royal Jubilee cup would take my morning coffee to a new level !!! Thanks again for sharing your party and ‘Happy Birthday to Joe!’
Happy 60th Birthday to Joe! Love, love the picture of him with his cake! What fun! I’m intrigued though…..long sleeves in August…is it cool on island already?
Cool enough at night, and we cover up a bit for the mosquitoes.
I’m a faithful reader of your blog and own all of your books! I love, love your cups – what a great daily reminder of your fabulous trip. I bring home magnets from our travels – the front of my refrigerator is covered with them! My best find – I found one of a castle we toured in Germany in 1976 (when we were stationed there) in a thrift store in ND! Please pick my name!
Wow, what a great party! The best picture is the one with Joe and his birthday cake, He looks so happy, like he is living out his dream. Happy Birthday Joe!
I will have to try your cheese cake recipe, it looks so easy, especially for amateur baker like myself. Thank you for sharing. What are you baking this coming week? Anything with chocolate? 🙂 I can almost smell it from here in NC. Hugs
Thanks for the recipe-looks delicious. Love an easy and good recipe. The party description touches my heart. In the day when so much is mercenary, I love to hear of such fun times! Keep enjoying each other and your wonderful neighborhood. Would love to just have a small vacation there sometime!
Ruby
Happy Birthday Wishes To Joe! I would love to win the Royal Jubilee mug
Susan,
Amazing….each time I read one of the Blog entries, i feel like I’ve been there. So, I loved the party! There is nothing quite like being together with old friends and family. I’d add one word to yours, food, fun, faith, friends, family. Absolutely perfect. Actually brought sweet tears to my heart, seeing folks loving each other like that.
Happy Birthday Joe! You are a grand man, and I’m glad you’re my friend too!
Jane Alexander…who has had 71 birthdays!!
What a lovely way to celebrate Joe’s Birthday, it can’t get any better than that. Lovely Wifey, Wonderful Friends, Scrumptious Food and Dessert ♥ and a night at the Movies. Thanks for sharing.
Many Happy Returns,
Rebecca Clark
Happy Birthday, Joe! We wish you a year full of love, laughter and joy! What fun you all must have had…a wonderful way to share all those memories with dear friends! Both the cheesecake and carrot cake looked delicious…thank you for the cheesecake recipe. YUM! I would love to be Vanna’s lucky pick when she decides the winner of the Emma Bridgewater “Royal Jubilee” cup…it is very special indeed! Thank you both for letting us be part of your lives thru your blog…we look forward to each chapter! : )
Have a wonderful week full of blessings…
looks like Joe had a wonderful birthday! I am definitely making the cheesecake as my hubby loves cheesecake, a rather plain one, and I have never made him one…I know, shame on me.
This is a bit beside the point but in one picture it looks like you have a purplish and white hydrangea-what kind is it?… if you can figure out what I mean.
of course I would like to win the mug.
Sorry Pam, I’m not sure of the name of that one.
Such lovely pictures. Happy Birthday, Joe! And I am going to try that cheesecake this weekend. Looks wonderful!
Susan…….You are so creative and I see that your honey is, too!!! What a fabulous idea for an outdoor ‘theatre’!! I have all of your books, have followed you via Willard almost from the beginning. I have become a bit of an Anglophile myself now, and the cup is a lovely gift that I would cherish (and have to fight to use it myself!), having an 18-year-old daughter in whom I try to instill a gracious spirit. Happy Birthday to your main man, and I always look forward to your blog!! Thanks for including us!!
Many happy returns of the day, Joe! Love you, Sue, and would love to win the mug! Thanks for sharing all you do!
Dear Susan, please drop my name in the hat for the Jubilee Cup drawing. Crossing fingers and toes as always. Looks like Joe had a lovely birthday and that carrot cake looked heavenly. Do you get many misquitoes up there? We’ve got such bad West Nile infected ones that no one here sits out at night anymore….too risky.
It’s been, as you might guess, a strange year. Mosquitoes are usually bad here, but it really hasn’t happened this year …and, crossed fingers, no west nile here. Can you imagine, now not going out at night in the summer? It’s going too far.
I know what you mean–love to sit out at night. We sort of wait until the first frost to sit out on the deck at night. But wonderful to sit out by candlelight and enjoy the evening without mosquitoes! 🙂 Even sometimes when it is quite cool in the Fall–a “chili party” out on the deck with warning to all to dress in jeans and sweatshirts–is fun! 🙂
Hi Sue and best regards of the day to Joe!!! It occurred to me while reading your blog that you (friends and family) were all meant to be together for this very special celebration which ultimately turned out to be a celebration of all of you! There is a phrase, probably in one of your books, that goes something like Joy is multiplied when shared–thank you for inspiring me to take the time to create meaningful moments that will be treasured forever!!!
Yes, A joy shared is a joy doubled . . . and in this case, quadroopadoubled . . .so true!
oh how i want one of the emma bridgewater mugs (beakers)! my jealousy is overwhelming!
Great party Joe — eat lots a cheesecake , get strong — grow big — and fix the porch!
There’s my dad, his own inimitable self! xoxo
Ha !
Now, THERE’S the BEST reason to eat cheesecake-
it’ll help you get stronger,
so you can fix the porch
and then, sit on that porch
to eat even MORE cheesecake !
Amazingly bright & creative…..”Blogdaddy” is-
The Cheesecake Industry owes him a BIG check !
Tell us-
what do we have to “fix” to score a weekly deal
on your daughter’s Carrot Cake ? 🙂
Such a heart-warming, happy birthday party, & I love how your Emma cups turned out. So cute. I’m sure the factory people were really impressed!
I bet my morning cup of tea would taste even better in that cup!
How blessed your Joe is!!! What a wonderful birthday celebration you and your friends put on for him. Y’all really know how to do it up right! :). Thanks for sharing with us all.
Wow , what an incredible gathering shared with wonderful friends. You put on such a nice evening for everyone, how nice that was to do ! Happy Birthday Joe….you sure had a good one 🙂 Thanks for sharing with me your special day….loved it!
xo Raenell
I’m going to get out my HEART OF THE HOME cookbook and make that carrot cake!! I hope Joe enjoys 60 as much as I have!!
What a great time you had I notice the long sleeves could there be a chill in the air? May you have many more Joe. thanks so much for sharing your life and times you make me feel like family. I m dreaming of mugs tonight ones from England, for someone the dream will come true.what fun!
I appreciate your generosity, Susan. I can almost taste honey sweetened, raspberry tea in that historical mug.
Happy Birthday to Joe! He sure is the perfect “Prince Charming” – what a guy 😉 The slide show movie theater is just precious. What fun! I wish I could be your neighbor. I think the next best thing would be to have tea with you (in spirit, anyway) especially served in that lovely mug!
Looks like the perfect birthday party!!! I will need one just like it in two more years. Maybe I will plan a trip to Martha’s Vineyard then. 🙂 All the baking made me hungry…YUM! I can almost taste it. Loved your custom made EMMA mugs. But the flotilla one is darling as well. Come On Vanna!!! Thanks for sharing…and Happy Birthday to Joe!
What a wonderful party! And what a beautiful weekend it was for a party. Everything you do has a special touch to it. I wish you could come to all of my parties – I use a lot of your recipes and ideas, but having the real you there would be cool 🙂 thank you for sharing the great party with us!
What a great party. You are so lucky to live on an island and have so many good friends. Happy Birthday to Joe.
Happy birthday to Joe! Your party looks and sounds like it was a wonderful time for all. I only hope my 60th will be as rich in friendship and memories and good times as Joe’s. I have a few decades to plan for it (only 29 at the moment)… Also, like everyone else, I could really go for an Emma Bridgewater mug!
Greetings Susan,
Happy Birthday, Joe! Looks like everyone had a wonderful time. So funny about your Carrot Cake recipe, I just made it on last Friday evening ! It was so easy and delicious !! The Flotilla Mug from the Diamond Jubilee is lovely. I would love to give it to a friend of mine who loves all things British like I do so very much. Love your blog, Willard letter, Martha’s Vineyard, your recipes and so much more! Thanks for sharing the birthday party!
I envy you Susan. I’m trying hard not to envy anybody because it’s such a waste of time, but I would like your life. I love the jubilee mug!
Such a spectacular, yet cozy 🙂 60th birthday party for Joe! Happiest of birthdays to the mister! I LOVED the slideshow idea, just perfect for a summer night under the stars * *(both on the “big screen” 😉 & in the sky* *)
As I retire for the evening, I will have sweet dreams of drinking from the fabulous Jubliee cup!!! Good night all!
Susan,
First of all – Happy Birthday to Joe!! What a wonderful party. Thanks for the cheesecake recipe. Have been away helping my daughter get ready for their second baby. Back one day and my son and daughter-in-law’s fifth baby was born. Spent time at their house cooking, cleaning, and caring for the other four children. Grandchildren are such a blessing! We have a new grandson!! He only weighed 4lbs. 4oz. due to knots in the umbilical cord. We are so thankful everything is O.K. He really is a miracle! Have missed visiting your blog – good to be back. The Jubilee mug – what a great gift!
Congratulations on your new little one!
HAPPY 60TH BIRTHDAY JOE. Loved the idea of showing slides for all your guests. We have such a lot of slides and it has been absolutely years since we have watched them so maybe I will just put them together and either show them on our 60th (no not birthday) Wedding Anniversary next month and if not then maybe they can be ready for my 80th birthday in October. Love the idea of seeing them again.
I plan to try your ‘easy cheesecake’ receipe for my ‘dear ones’ birthday next month. I hope it looks as tasty as yours does in the picture.
As one of the girlfriends from your trip to England please enter my name in your draw…I have no blog…but then again I might be the winner. A Jubilee cup would go with our Diamond jubilee wedding anniversary, n’est-ce pas but honestly I dearly love the one you designed. It speaks to me. You are truly so thoughtful.
Joyfully,
~Sylvia Faye
I “lick” you two, too !
What a memorable birthday event, complete with great food and
entertainment. Nothing better than a slide show. My father has slides
over 60 years old and doesn’t want to get rid of his slide projector, ever !
Happy belated birthday, Joe and many more years of celebrating.
The boys had to go on line to find used slide projectors, they don’t seem to be making them anymore!
Happy Birthday Joe! Loved seeing the pictures of the party. What a fun celebration!
What a magical night…and life! The party looked like it was quite a success! I loved the big canvas screen, I’ll have to try that sometime. I love the mug too! What a treat to drink out of!
Thanks for sharing your life with others! 🙂
I am a big fan of yours and everything English! I would love to win the mug commemorating the Queen’s 60 years on the throne!
Happy belated birthday to your husband to 🙂
Well, I’m waaayyyyyy down the list of comments, but I WOULD LOVE THAT CUP!!!:) Really, I would love that cup! :)))
That’s OK, waaay down is just as important as Number one! 🙂
Hi Susan
Looks like you had a spectacular birthday party for Joe. My 60th was a surprise party which I will always remember(I hope!)
I’ve had my eye on your Emma cups but have not been able to treat myself yet. I have a Coronation Street 50th Anniversary cup that I love to use everyday-my morning tea is not the same without it.
Thanks for all you do.
Susan M
What a fun post! Thanks for sharing the delightful birthday party (I love that the “theater” had an aisle. :-)) And I’ll be trying that cheesecake recipe soon . . . As always, I love how you recognize, appreciate and enjoy the small details of life!
What a great Birthday Party for Joe…….Happy, Happy Birthday! The cakes look delicious and I do intend to make both. Have your wonderful Heart of the Home Book and really love it! The mug is beautiful and would look great with my collection of teapots and cups. Have been to England but not to Emma’s. Maybe next year!
Oh my, I love cheesecake, which just might be why I’m on a diet. Love the photos of the party, thanks for sharing your joy.
Oh, I love the step by step pictures of you making the cheescake. How cute was that???!!! Yes, the Cheesecake IS indeed wonderful but nothing beats in taste to me, the Potato Salad recipe in, The Summer Book, pg. 68. Now, THAT, my dears, is FABULOUSE (along with Susan’s beeeeeautiful artwork!)!!! Blessings to all you lovely ladies out there and good luck to us all on the mug from England! 😀
So, that above just made me want to add: I love it, Susan, when you paint girls/women because I love how you dress them. The cute tops, pants, scarves, hats, etc. sooooo cute! But, my favorite pics are the botanical ones. Anthing to do with plants, flowers. LOVE! <3
Oh you are SO right, that is bowl licking good!!! I like your art comments Cheryl!
Great party, I always love a good slide show!
You are so fortunate to have such great friends! It looked like a great party! I love the way your mugs turned out and I’d love to have a mug, too!
Happy, happy birthday, Joe!
I just celebrated my 60th in June, with the same kind of party… All my friends, new and old, young and aged. It was a magical night with candles and little lights, yummy food, and lively conversation! Please consider my name in the hat for the mug give-away!
Thank you….
Oh happy birthday on my favorite island!!! We have not been there for many years, but i just love it there. I would love to win the cup and drink my coffee or tea every day…. Im a lucky lady and get coffee in bed every day!!!!
Hence “Pennythequeen?” Good work! 🙂
Happy Birthday to Joe!!! I LUrve the jubilee cup! Vanna pick MEEEEEE!!!!!
I love, love, love that cheesecake recipe (as I do all the recipes frm Heart of the Home). It was the first one I ever tried making. I am so impressed that you could go into the factory and design your own mugs. I would probably just stare at it for an hour and then draw a flower with a sun above it. You are so creative!
Birthday wishes to Joe! Thank you for sharing the wonderful party photos – and the recipes!
Just now, I sounded like an old Welcome Back, Kotter episode: Oh, oh, oh! (RIP, Ron Palillo.) I sooo wanted the flotilla mug, but they were sold out when I checked. Fingers crossed.
More important than my mug lust, best wishes to Joe for his 60th birthday. May he enjoy many more in good health. And thanks for letting us come to the party.
Happy Birthday to Joe! Great party!
Happy Birthday, Joe. You are blessed to have such wonderful friends and expecially such a dear wife. May you have many more memorable birthdays. You deserve all the good things that come to you.
Pat Holland
What a terrific birthday party! Thank you for sharing and making us your friends too! I’m hoping I win the mug for my Mom. She is in the middle of moving back to Cali from Texas (I’m gonna miss her) and so she cannot get to a computer to comment and get her name entered! Please enter Gloria Groza instead of my name! She just loves you and your books. She is the one who introduced you to me so now I love you too!
Love Love,
Lisa xoxoxo
Tell your mom I said hello, and entered you both!
Susan your parties and gatherings always look like so much fun! Thanks for sharing the trip to England with us. I’ve been reading some of Rosemary Verey’s gardening books looking for inspiration for my own gardens. Sometimes I’m sure I couldn’t live without my gardens. They breathe life into my soul. Drinking tea from an Emma Bridgewater mug back at the garden would be a delight.
We have a cousins gathering September 8. That would be a good chance to try your cheesecake along with my apple-elderberry pie. Thanks for sharing!
Karin Hootman
Happy Birthday wishes to Joe! I just loved following along on your trip to
England. The Bridgewater mug is a beauty. Would love to own one. I enjoy
your blog so so much. Many thanks………………Marie
What a great party and Happy Birthday to Joe! The cakes looked yummy! Thanks for sharing this wonderful celebration with friends. It looked like the perfect evening. Genius how he rigged up the screen…brilliant idea!
I thought so too!
What a wonderful party – looked perfect with the slide show, great friends and food. Happy Birthday to Joe!
I bought an Emma cosmos mug from your store which I drink my coffee from
every day. I think it needs a companion mug. I watched the flotilla on the computer for hours, and wished I was there.
I so enjoy your blog- keep up wonderful work you do!
Thank you Cam!
I have 2 of Emma’s cups…Daisy and Poppy. I got them in the most wonderful Farm and Feed store in ‘downtown’ Cottage Grove, Oregon. Mary, who owns the store, says Emma can’t get over the fact that this little store in this little town in Oregon carries her wares. It may be a small town, but it’s big on taste! I use one every morning for my coffee and they are my new most-favorite cups. If I were to win the Royal Jubilee cup, I know exactly who I would give it to – a dear and elegant friend who would treasure it as much as I do mine.
What a wonderful party. I miss having parties like you have had. As you get older we start to lose friends but with pictures/slides we always have those memories. Again Happy Birthday to Joe. May he have many, many more birthdays with all his friends and family.
Happy Birthday, Joe! Sorry I couldn’t make it to your party (-: Thank you Susan for letting us peek into your charmed life. Yes, please I would LOVE a Bridgewater mug. Thanks!!
How jubilant I would be
T’wer the jubilee mug for me!
🙂 Yay for jubilance!
At our house every “Friday is Pie Day” . . . I think I will sneak in this cheesecake as an “honorary” pie for this week’s celebration. Thanks for the recipe!
Happy birthday wishes!
If Vanna chooses me I won’t be disappointed!
What a wonderful party! A super way to usher in your 60th, Joe. Tea in your special commemorative cups is a super way to start each day. If I had an Emma Bridgewater cup, I’d probably start the day with coffee in it, then switch to tea later on. 🙂 What a fun post to read.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY JOE!! And wishing you many many more. I enjoyed the party it gave me some wonderful ideas that I would like to use in the future.
I have had the most wonderful time on you website this summer, your visit to England and all the wonderful things you shared with us (I didn’t want it to end) now Joes B-day celebration I can’t wait to get home to see what’s new on you site. I plan to make your cheese cake recipe once it cools down here in So. Cal. I would love to have that lovely mug to enjoy my tea in. Emma’s mugs are so beautful. I’m going to keep my fingers crossed that Vanna picks me!!!
.
Oh, I haven’t made your cheesecake in a long time, but I have the recipe. I think mine is on a postcard. Wouldn’t this cheesecake be lovely topped with a few sliced Colorado peaches? Mmmm.
What a terrific party! Happy Birthday sweet Joe! You all know how to party over there.
Love your Emma cups. I like it that they are “originals.” Please sign me up.
~Jody
Hi Susan,
What a great way to celebrate a birthday! Fun, friends, food, memories, and a favorite cheesecake! I really like the pie plate you used to make the cheesecake, it looks like it has blueberries on it. Can you tell me its history? And I really enjoyed Joe’s idea of showing his photos. That’s better than a scrapbook!
It was a gift, too, like everything; this one was from a girlfriend. I love special pie plates, have maybe 4, not fancy, just sort of different.
Happy Birthday to Joe! What a fun party you had to celebrate his special day. What a treat to share it with all your friends:) The mugs turned out beautiful and it would be so fun to win one. I would enjoy drinking my tea out of it! Have a nice week and thank you for sharing so many wonderful things with us!
Happy Birthday, Joe! I’m going to go bake a cheesecake now……….
No words! Too wonderful………
Happy Birthday, Joe! What a delightful birthday party celebrated with friends and family. Ahhh, life is sure good! I simply adore both of your handpainted Emma Bridgewater mugs. I would love, love, love to win the Jubilee mug. It would become my all time favorite mug. I promise.
Lovely birthday party, happy birthday to Joe, he’s and august baby just like me! Love your mugs they truly are wonderful souvenirs, I can imagine myself enjoying a nice cup a tea with that Emma Bridgewater Royal Jubilee cup!
Happy birthday!! Thank you for sharing it with us :)!!! Having mug from your travelers would be so fun!
Oh Susan….Joe’s birthday party looked truly magical! How special…you could feel the love of your friends in every picture!
Happy Birthday Joe!!!
What a fabulous birthday party for Joe! I felt like I was there. Would cherish an Emma Bridgewater mug from England!!! Thanks for sharing your life with us all! Love you Susan! Donna (Idaho)
I. Love. Your. Blog.
And I want the Emma mug real bad-like! <3
Thank. You. x.o.x.o. 🙂
What a fun birthday party! Happy Birthday to Joe! I grew up on a small island (much smaller than yours) and I do understand what you mean about the community on an island. There is a communtiy potluck every year in August for previous and current residents and I have been able to be attend for the last two years and to me it is like going home. I love the cups that you and Joe made at the Emma Bridgewater Factory. How fun to drink your morning tea out of each day and remember your time in England.
Please enter me for the cup! Joe is artistic too! Love the ship!
Thanks for sharing Joe’s birthday with us all! Would love the royal Jubilee cup too!
What a fun birthday party. Great idea with the outdoor theatre. Happy Birthday to Joe. I do have a Flotilla mug that I use for my morning tea. I ordered it right after you visited EB. What a great company. Their customer service is top notch. If I am lucky enough to win I would gift it with pleasure. Best wishes to you and Joe. LMH
Happy 60 th to Joe!!! What a lovely party. I can even taste the carrot cake!!!
Thank You again for sharing such wonderful times! Family & friends are so important. Wonderful party, Happy Birthday!!!
The mug would be super fun to have! I just wanted to let you know that we enjoyed the “Skip and Go Naked” drinks last night with our oldest and dearest friends! What a hoot! Even the guys were willing to try the pretty pink drink (even though I had purchased limeade for them). It is now our new favorite! Thank you for that delightful treat! Happy birthday Joe, my birthday is tomorrow!
Sorry for the double post. Just got a new iPad and I pushed the wrong button too soon!
Boys usually will drink anything that has the words go naked in it. Think of something he doesn’t like, change the name to go naked, and there you go! 🙂
Thanks for sharing Joe’s birthday party with all of us. It looked like a great celebration!
Thank you for the lovely invite to Joe’s 60th birthday. I feel like I was there.
What a fun party. I love the idea of the slides and the homemade screen. Very clever. I would love to be the winner of the special cup from Emma. A reminder of this special occasion and two special people.
Happy Birthday to Joe! What a fun party! The Emma Bridgewater mugs you made when you were in England are so special. Would love the mug you are giving away. Oh, the anticipation! You do such fun things for us, Susan. Thank you!
May your mugs never break and may they always hold delicious tea and comforting memories!
Oh-Happy, Happy Birthday to Joe. What a wonderful party!! His cheesecake looks so yummy. Thanks for the chance to win the beautiful “Emma” cup.