Woefully, shamefully behind am I in recounting my days-
and most other tasks to be honest, me duckies..
The recent ice storm set me back, though it seems
I would’ve used the time wisely, mostly I just huddled
around the heater shivering and as my interwebs
were down because of the storm I was forced to hibernate!
Silly how we southerners find inclement weather so shocking
to the system and to our duties! It’s true, though- we do.
Anyhow, tales of swirling snow soonly!

The Snow Queen was made for my birthday
two years back by Pandora Gastelum, my darling dear-
she is an incredible doll-maker, sculptress et al.

I believe that on one’s birthday,
one should wear a crown
if one wants to.
I had such an incredible birthdee- despite all recent traumas
and the absolutely dreadful weather (the croquet and peacock picnic
was rained out, of course) so instead, we had an impromptu soirée
at our house- a first! I was frantically slinging pastries on a banquet
table my sweetheart made from an old door moments before
when there came a knocking- and who should surprise me
but two of my very dear friends from New Orleans
who drove 8 hours in the rain to appear in my parlour!
I nearly peed myself- I couldn’t believe it..
The Raneys are so amazingly sweet!
Miss Angie is the Birthday-Fairy-Godmother Supreme:
as evidenced here, at the marvelous
bloody tea party she threw for P’s whelping.
In fact, the starry tiara above was gifted to me, by she!
She manages Trashy Diva,
a very dangerous place indeed for ladies
with a predilection for fine corsetry and frippery..

My gift from my love was this amazing gingko jewel.
He created it with his wonderful hands-
from silver and a meteor found in Canyon Diablo
and a piece of Bohemian Moldavite, my new favorite gem.
It’s meteoritic glass, found in the Moldau Valley of the Czech Republic. 
Moldavites were formed about 15 million years ago
when a meteor collided with the Earth with devastating force. 
The kinetic energy transformed into thermal energy within
a fraction of a second and brought about the formation
of hot liquid magma which was then
catapulted back into the atmosphere.
The dispersed mass descended again on the Earth
in the form of molten drops
showering over hundreds of kilometers.
Due to complex geological and tectonic processes,
the vast majority of the moldavite mass
was destroyed by gradual erosion.
Only minor deposits of the original sediments
have been preserved until now. 
As their sculptation can be easily damaged,
the stones have to be mined manually
and the gravel containing moldavite carefully sorted.  
For this reason, Moldavite is a very rare precious stone
to be found only in a few localities in southern Bohemia.
They are never found alone, but rather in a strewn field.
Moldavite is associated with the fabled Stone of the Holy Grail,
which was said to be an emerald that fell from the sky,
out of the crown of an angel. 
And the meteorite’s just what causes the light
And the meteor’s how it’s perceived
And the meteoroid’s a bone thrown
from the void that lies quiet in offering to thee..

I wonder what’s inside…

Gingerbread bloomers!
Lovingly handmade by Violetta-la-la-la!

She also made an adorable wee lady-friend
for Gingie Vitis (notice his little ovary dots- or what are they?)
There can be no doubt regarding the reproductive organs
of the Gingerbread Girl however-
her little gingerbread fetus wiggles joyfully!

This blushing bride boudoir doll was my wish granted from Mme. Angie..

Another shining example of Pandory’s dollmaking-
these beauties winged to me all the way from Thailand
in a fantabulous parcel stuffed with goodies and treasure!
Rama and Sita sit in their bird’s nest perch-
a Thai Hansel and Gretel twined in vines,
hungry children crowned with diamonds.

सीता
Beautiful Sita

Naughty kitty! No cakes for you!

So many lovely cakes..
If you love tasty things as much as I do..

Cake alight and singing!

I was taught a new way to wish:
your knife cuts the cake,
you make your wish-
leaving the knife embedded,
and the friend to your right pulls
the knife out (and licks it!)

Cake carnage!

This delectable feast was devoured almost immediately!
I made deviled eggies and tea-sammiches with
watercress and cucumber and lavender cream cheese..

My friend Dougie took many of these pictures,
including this one of a saucer being washed.
It’s strangely beautiful, though-
as is the fact that he did the dishes!
He is astonishing.

There was lots of dancing, to be sure..

That Damned Band played gypsy music in my bedroom,
including Ederlezi, my most favorite song.

I was showered with such incredible loot from so many splendid people!

¡Mi tesoros!

I’m not sure what this picture is of,
but it mirrors well how sparkly-hearted I felt
that night- many, many thanks to all who made it so,
and for all the sweet birthday wishes!
I am the luckiest girl to have such sweet friends.