Seventeen

My beautiful sister, Olivia, turned seventeen on the first of September.  She and Ben were able to spend the day with us, and it was such a lovely one.

She is so very much a hobbit that we thought we really should have a birthday celebration of the kind.  And so we did.  We had such fun preparing it together, and the rest of the family gathered in the evening to enjoy supper with us.

Olivia is my true kindred friend, full of love for her Savior, deeply thoughtful, writer of poetry that so often says the very things I feel and wish to say.  The best of company; she'll dance with me to Ella Fitzgerald while we fold laundry, or delight in Handel while we bake.  Talk of books or flowers or life or places that interest.  I am so thankful for this sister of mine.
~'*   *'~   ~'*  ~'*

 

Olivia, elf-friend, slicing mushrooms for the pie~

Lembas from the elves of Lorien (honey shortbread)

To drink, iced herb tea, sweetened with honey

Our feast~ Mushroom pie, green beans with garlic, meatloaf (wrapped in bacon), tomatoes in vinaigrette, brown rice pilaf (with carmelized onion, almond slivers and craisins, with a hint of orange), and juicy miniature grapes. 

*  *  *

Having a hobbit for a sister means that on her birthday you receive clever things spelled out in sweet things to eat!

My present was such a delightful surprise: an evenstar necklace!

I don't have a picture of it yet, since I've been wearing it.
But soon, perhaps.  Olivia took one.

And there were presents for her...

Birdbath for a window garden, bare feet, earrings with leaf jewels

Brothers

A print to hang for our lover of ships and sailing

(it's the Brandybuck side)

 

A surprise gift from a far-away friend~

The smallest hobbit among us had a great time playing patty-cake with Pa;

his favorite part is "rolll-it!"

(We lost her for a bit to this notebook. ;))

A read-aloud of our favorite Lewis quotes, a gift from Daddy

Dessert!  A wonderful thing made of meringue, lemon cake, lemon curd and whipped cream.

After the littles went to bed and Mama and Dad had gone home we watched "The Return of the King", as the candles dripped and we munched our lembas.  Oh the beauty!

A wonderful time with my favorite people. 

(Thank you, each of you, for being the best companions in this life!)

~'* . . . *'~

A bit of hobbitish reading...
Evening at Crickhollow
Of Herbs and Stewed Rabbit