What a wonderful day I’ve had. After a few days of trepidation leading up to my birthday, I decided it was time to change my thinking. Turning 50 happens only once in our lives and I figured I should embrace it as a time of adventure and opportunity.
Several of my friends, here and in my blogging world, have really helped make me along that path.
Throughout today, I’ve had visits, phone calls, cards and e-mails from friends and family. My sister sent me a gorgeous orchid and I received a bouquet of beautiful flowers from a not-so-secret admirer. (Pictures to follow tomorrow!) My parents gave me an easel. I have many things to be thankful for in life and best, I feel surrounded by love and support.
Benoît, my son and I went over to my parents for supper. My mum made Beef Wellington and a delicious carrot cake. This is a picture above of me and my carrot cake. My ‘nifty fifty’ candle would have burned for hours!
My son was having fun fooling around with my parent’s digital camera … I just wanted to eat my cake. If you want to hear my exchange with both my mum and Benoît, you can watch the video below. (I had no idea that my son was videotaping me.) Carrot cake is really my favourite cake!!
in the autumn light 
Hey Sis – I’m glad you had a great birthday!!! Enjoyed the video of you blabbing about the cake!!! Hilarious! I was happy to see you managed to get out of your nightgown in time for dinner!!! HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU!!!!!! Pip
heheh! gotcha! way to go, Benoit!And Happy Birthday, Kate!
happy birthday!
Oh Kate, not to worry, fifty is nifty. It hasn’t hurt me any. Mum did a good thing, I am so hungry now just reading about your yummy dinner and cake. Even the tulips looked good enough to eat. Happy Birthday.
Dear Kate, a very happy birthday to you! The vid made me laugh; smile you’re on candid camera!You have a handsome son, Kate, and did Lytton get a piece of your birthday cake too or isn’t he into carrot cake? Loved the nifty fifty candle!
Dahling, you look mahvelous!
Happy Birthday! Fifty IS Nifty!
Happy Birthday! Great candle and cake – looks yummy!Celiax
I’m nearing my fiftieth — two more years to go. It’s a big moment. Did you ever imagine you would reach that age? This is a day on which to celebrate all the beauty and gentleness that you bring into the world. Happy Birthday.
Happy Happy HAPPY birthday, lovely Kate! Isn’t this your 39th though? xoxo Love you!
you are one fab fifty! and very photogenic. wishing you blessings poured upon blessings, tapped down and running over.life is good; and it keeps getting better!
Kate you look 18 on that picture, and 50 is just a number. The video is very funny!Happy Birthday one more time, and it’s good to have love all around you. Looking good that cake!
That video … too cute! My husband and I got a chuckle out of that one.Looks like you had an all around good birthday. I’m 53 and the fifties really aren’t that bad at all. If I live as long as my Mom is living … I have a good 40 more years to go!! … so hey … only start worrying when you get to 85!Have a great year.
A very happy birthday and all the best wishes for the next 50 years 😉 !!!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOUUUUHAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOUUUUUUHAPPY BIRTHDAY KATE SMUDGESHAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU!You are fantastic fifty!!!!
Yay! A fabulous birthday to you, Kate! I have a rose entry but I think you’ve been too busy to see your birthday entry:http://nikkipolani.wordpress.com/2007/12/12/happy-birthday-kate/
Pam @ Digging says:A very happy birthday to you, Kate! Many happy returns.
Awwwww Kate! I wouldn’t have ever guessed you were 50 – you look much younger. You are beautiful and your cake was too! Very funny that you didn’t realize you were on video and so nice of you to share with us. I really enjoyed it. Have a wonderful future full of more beautiful days and cakes!!! 🙂
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, KATE! Fifty isn’t bad at all :o)Thank your son for a funny video – I enjoyed your impatience and laughter!
A very happy birthday to you, Kate! I turned fifty the 15. of June!I wish you a really nice weekend 🙂
Maybe I’m a little bit late, but happy birthday!(It was very nice to see you in the video!)
Turning 50. Been there. Done that. It’s a momentous occasion and the picture tells all–your day was joyous! Any of that carrot cake left?
I hope you had a very happy birthday, and carrot cake is my favourite too! x
Happy Happy belated Birthday! I wish you all the best!
happy birthdayirena
Thanks for dropping by Rosehaven Cottage so I could come over and wish you a very Happy Birthday! Ever since I was very young, I always considered 50 to be the age of “having arrived”. So… YOU’VE ARRIVED! I look forward with great anticipation to being 50 in about 9 years. You’re lucky, you’re already there! Cindy at Rosehaven Cottage
Thank you to all of my blogging friends for stopping by – you have made today feel as much like my birthday as yesterday!!
Happy Birthday! Hope you have a great year.Aiyana
I wondered why you looked frozen…he got ya! I hope I look that great at 50!
Happy Birthday Kate! Sounds like you had a great celebration. Carrot cake is one of my favorites, too.
Happy Birthday!
Warmest Birthday Wishes to you Kate!!!Congratulations ~ 50 years young!Gina xxx
Hope you had a wonderful Birthday! Kate. I also love carrot cake, I really love it if it is from scratch.
Happy Birth Day Kate.
Looking back at 50 from my now age of 58 I can honestly say that my 50s have been very fulfilling years, and some of the happiest of my life. I am still making new friends, the old ones just get better, I have time and strength for my existing hobbies and to take up new ones, and with care my health isn’t too much of a problem. Mostly positive news to report!Hope you feel the same when you look back in the years to come….!
Belated Happy Birthday Kate!I have awarded you the True Blue award today, for services to blogging!
Congratulations and have a wonderful year!There is no way I would have guessed your age from that photo. You look lovely!
Gardener’s Anonymous HAPPY BIRTHDAY!You look beautiful.You don’t look fifty.I’m turning fifty next October.I haven’t decided what I want to do yet.Go to Hawaii or get a face lift.I’m leaning toward the latter.
Happy belated birthday, Kate. I’m so glad that you are surrounded by love, That is the best gift of all.
hey Kate, what a great day you had! I did enjoy the video. Please tell your son to keep up the good work!
Happy Birthday!! I’m a little bit late in wishing you that…..The cake looks YUMMY!
A belated happy birthday from Tiger Mountain. Mmmm, carrot cake! Love your latest knitting projects. What beautiful yarn.
happy belated b-day, Kate! Funny seeing you in action. Great video. Andrea
A late birthday wish but Happy Birthday Kate! The cake looked absolutely delicious!
Congratulations on reaching the 50 milestone! I am several years past it, and I have never given up on the idea that it is my birthday and it should be celebrated! It is so fun! whenever I have a client complaining about how high the number is that she is celebrating that year, I remind her that she has two choices. She can get older or she can die. One or the other, which would she prefer? I prefer to get older and be proud of it.
Congratulation!!! :)))
Sorry i missed your birthday!!! Happy, happy late birthday. Both you and the cake look wonderful.Hugs.
Thanks for all your birthday wishes. I have so enjoyed reading them – every time I receive a new comment, I feel as if it is my birthday all over again!!
Sending you much belated Birthday cheer! Hooray! all the way from Melbourne…g xo
Kate, even with sooooo delay, I hope you have had a Great Birthday. Many, many, many years of happiness to you.Cris
A rather belated Happy Birthday Kate – was just looking at your site and realised that we actually share the same birthday!Us lunatic gardeners should stick together!!Miranda
Belated birthday wishes, my fellow Sagittarian – I found my fifties to be a very interesting decade indeed, and hope you can look back some day at your fifties and say “Wow – what a kick that was!” I’ve been gone for a few weeks and will never catch up – so will wish you Happy New Year right now, Kate!Annie at the Transplantable Rose
Hi Kate! Oh my gosh, how did I miss this post about your birthday — I thought I scrolled down before but I missed it. Your birthday was the day I flew home from my trip. HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!!!!! You look radiantly beautiful in the photo — you don’t look 50 at all. Did Lytton get a bite of cake? Moose and I send you all the best wishes and big hugs!!:)
happy belated birthday! i feel i know you a bit more now having seen your video. i’ll try not to feel to embarrassed that i still haven’t sent poor skipper her clothes, especially since when i promised them was right around your birthday no? DOH!!!