Spectacular Zinnias

Well, it's Monday again -- what a quick weekend!  Did you all have a good one?  Friday, September 18th, was my birthday, and I have to tell you it was one of the best birthdays I've had in years.  I officially joined the senior citizens club (the big 55) and though in some ways it's hard to get older, I'm just very happy to be here.  As George Burns famously said, "It's better than the alternative."  ;)

I went to my parents' house for a visit and lunch.  My mom made homemade chicken salad and the most delicious homemade chocolate pie with fresh whipped cream.  Yum!!!  My sweet neighbor, Nancy, sent me a Jacquie Lawson birthday e-card and so did my dear friend, Kitty, who blogs at Kitty's Kozy Kitchen.  I also had a long-distance birthday message from my in-laws, who are traveling right now.  My husband came home from work with 18 red roses for me, and our son played a dedication song for me on his Friday night jazz radio program (didn't expect that at all!)  Yes indeed, I have a lot to be thankful for.

Today, Hal and I drove to the mountains, with Duncan in tow, and Hal took some pictures of these roadside flower beds.  This is a very common site in North Carolina alongside highways and interstates, thanks to the N.C. Department of Transportation Wildflower Program.