A Chocolate Ganache Birthday

I've always loved having my birthday in the month of May,
on the fifteenth of this beautiful month to be exact.
Very often, we go through a colder period just before mid-May
which is known as Blackthorn Winter or the Ice Saints.
Very often, my birthday catches the tail-end of these colder days.
So be it
it's just a matter of adapting!
This is the first birthday that I spent completely on my own
because of the Covid-19 and the need for social distancing.
I made my own cake and froze some of the slices to share when I can finally have a social life again!

The second Sunday in May is Mother's Day here in Switzerland
So it's lovely to have two celebrations really close together!
These beautiful flowers and the lovely rose petal card were sent to be by my son.

Such a beautiful choice of my favourite pastel-coloured flowers
and very much appreciated.
Then it was my birthday with beautiful peonies and some cards.
Many lovely phone calls, facetime and e-cards and messages.

Peonies, with Lily of the Valley, are my favourite flowers in May

They are beautiful even when their petals start to drop.

For my birthday, I received a charming Swarovski crystal Blue Jay ornament
from my daughter.

My balcony has been a real joy during this period of confinement.
I purchased new plants and have filled my life with colour
and the buzz of bees collecting pollen.
This little corner is right opposite my kitchen
and this is where I sit to eat and to read.
I made the small blanket on the back of the chair way back in January
when I was inspired by the colours in a January sunrise.

My strawberry plants are doing so well.
This morning, I counted over fifty tiny strawberries developing!

I have twelve new geranium plants and this coral colour is my favourite.

Besides having eight window boxes along the railings of my balcony,
I have several pots of different shapes and sizes
and one of them contains three beautiful dahlia plants. 
This is one of them.
I do love the perfect symmetry of their petals and they come in such wonderful colours.

Another pot contains African Daisies
(Botanical name: Osteospermum)

Yellow and Pink live together in harmony.

There is a big pot of Campanula and these little flowers have been coming back
year after year.

Frequent and daily walks have kept my spirits up during these days of self-isolation.
After three weeks of total lockdown in March,
I started to go out for very early morning walks when virtually nobody else was out and about.
Now I walk twice a day, once in the mornings and then again in the early evenings
after shops close, around 7 pm.
The lighting is so pretty at that time of the day.
I passed by this colourful red house one evening this week
and I loved the play of sunlight and shadows and complementary green leaves.

An early morning walk took me past a beautiful Dogwood Tree in full bloom

Up some steps lined with a Beauty Bush
also called Kolkwitzia Amabilis

Here are the lovely flowers close up.

Closer to home, growing by the small allottments next to my building,
I saw these Starflowers (Borage) in the morning dew.

Reconnecting to Nature
This morning, Sunday, I walked down to the big park which is about 25 minutes away on foot.
I felt the need to be among trees and greenery
and to my joy, the Rhododendrons were still in bloom.

This colour took my breath away.

We can do so much to keep our spirits up when going through 
a difficult period.
It's helpful to live in the moment
to seek out beauty
to connect with Nature
and not project any fears concerning the future
which actually only exists in our imagination!

My Spring Garden crochet project is moving forward.
I'm planning on making a cover for the chest at the end of my bed,
but who knows, it may want to grow bigger!

How are you doing?
Are you discovering new and lovely things in your life?
The present situation helps us recognize the essential.


20 comments

  1. Beautiful blooms.

    Happy Birthday

    I wouldn't mind having a May birthday. Mine is mid November - way too close to Thanksgiving and Christmas so I always felt it got lost.

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    1. Many thanks for your birthday wishes! I have to admit that the month of May is a lovely time to be born, although it's only a few days away from Mother's Day and one of them tends to get slightly lost as well!

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  2. Happy belated birthday! I enjoy seeing all your lovely gifts and flowers! Once again your spring balcony is gorgeous!

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    1. Thank you for your kind wishes, Cathy. My balcony is my favourite place to be and to eat in the warmer months of the year! I walk in the mornings and then again in the evenings and have lunch, and soon breakfast, on the balcony and do my reading outside too£

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  3. Happy Birthday and even though you were physically on your own, it is plain to see that many people had you in their hearts on your birthday.

    Your flowers are all so very beautiful. This has been a very uplifting post for me. There's something about the beauty of flowers that is both simple and complex at the same time and it is nourishing for the soul. This page is worth bookmarking for when one needs some comfort and inspiration. Thank you for sharing.

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    1. So nice to have you visit again, Jodiebodie! Thank you for your birthday wishes. So glad that you have felt uplifted by all these flowers. Anything in Nature's beauty does the same for me!

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  4. Good Morning Sandra

    Another lovely and uplifting post (as usual). Thank you for sharing the beauty surrounding you. Love the look of your pretty balcony.

    We've experienced mainly beautiful weather this month. I have been able to enjoy my garden more than usual, which has been lovely.

    Hugs, Sarn xxx

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  5. Hello to you, Sarn! My balcony is the best place to be when I'm home! All the new plantations are starting to grow and look pretty and I love it when the bees come and visit my flowers! So glad to hear that your weather has been so good this month with you and that you've been enjoying your garden! It's a wonderful time of the year, isn't it?

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  6. That's a most lovely spot on your balcony! Guess you spend as much time there as possible! Belated "Happy Birthday!". Even though it most probably wasn't as much fun as usual, you had a lovely cake (chocolate - yummy) and lots of presents!

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    1. Thank you, Marie-Lucienne for your birthday wishes! I spend all my spare time on my balcony and eat outside too! It's my favourite place to be when I'm home!

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  7. I've always like seeing your flowers and flower shots. I would definitely like my own balcony someday so I can be outside but still at my house.

    I like seeing all the flowers and cards with flowers you get. Definitely flowers on cards are great because they never fade. Happy belated birthday!

    Have a lovely day.

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    1. Many thanks, lissa! I can encourage you to have your own balcony one day. It is marvellous to be outside in the warmer months of the year and great fun to create a balcony garden! I like receiving cards too, though it would seem that many people send them less and less and prefer e-cards!

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  8. Your posts are always filled with the most beautiful, uplifting photos, Sandra. Thank you so much! I need that this month as it has been a difficult one with the loss of an uncle and my mom coming this close to passing away in early May. Still struggling, but things are a bit better and I'm thankful for each day we still have her in our lives.

    Your birthday is the day after hers (she was 93) and I always think that is such a gorgeous time of year to celebrate. So Happy Belated Birthday--your cake and flowers and cards are all so lovely as is the Swarovski Blue Jay. I hope you enjoy this last bit of May--amazing how quickly the year is passing by! Take care now ♥

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    1. So lovely to see you, Carol! I'm sorry that this has been a difficult month for you. I am glad to hear that the situation with your mum has improved.
      May is a lovely month to have a birthday! Thank you for your kind wishes! It's a month full of flowers and also my favourite temperatures of the year, not too hot! Except for a few colder days, our temperatures have been between 20 and 24C (68-76F).

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  9. Your post cheered me considerably. I love all your flowers and will make myself a "Happy Place" on the deck. Instead of letting the dark time get to me, I should have been blogging!

    Happy Birthday, by the way, and sorry it is late getting to you.

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    1. Thanks so much for popping in, Sandy! Yes, making ourselves happy places is certainly a wonderful thing to do and to enjoy constantly!
      Thank you for your kind birthday wishes too!

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  10. Happy belated birthday, Sandra! May is indeed a lovely month for a birthday. What beautiful flowers you received, and your balcony garden is delightful. Those strawberries must be nearly ready to eat by now.

    Thank you for letting us share the beauty of your daily walks. So many gorgeous flower shots! That fuzzy Borage really captured my fancy. :)

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    1. Thank you for your kind wishes, Sue! I've eaten my first small bowl of strawberries already and new ones are getting ripe now! May is the month of many flowers and I did lots of planting on my balcony too!

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  11. Hi Sandra, great job!
    Thank you for you visit to my blog!
    Have nice day!

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