8.03.2021

Happy Birthday, Martha!

 Martha celebrates her 80th birthday today! She has already posted several photos of her celebrations at Skylands,  her home on Mount Desert Island in Maine - including a luscious looking, meringue-covered cake, decorated with rudbeckia flowers, sunflowers and ferns. (If you're not following Martha on Instagram @marthastewart48, you really need to be!)

I often take the opportunity on Martha's birthday to reflect on how she's influenced my life. The effect she's had on my approach to living has been profound. She taught me how to cook, how to bake, how to care for a home - all things no one else would really deign to teach me. They were subjects sloughed off as 'unimportant' or a 'waste of time.' How silly those admonishments were. I feel I can accomplish any task now with aplomb. The confidence Martha unlocked in me has been, I think, her greatest gift. It was there all along, but her guidance and instruction made it shine a little brighter. 

So, happy birthday to this legend, this amazing public figure who has accomplished so much in her lifetime and has shared it all with us along the way. Thank you, Martha! And cheers to you!

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

AR do you suppose that tray of pastries MS is holding is from a cookbook she published or a grubhub delivery from a Bedford Bakery?

David H. said...

Your sentiments are profound as always. Thanks for sharing.

ANDREW RITCHIE said...

@ Anonymous: I'm sure she made them. Looks like Skylands to me with that grand doorway and all that polished wood. And I think they're likely popovers - a Maine staple.

Anonymous said...

Oh no. a mere popover!!! I imagined a brioche sweet roll of sorts as the items appear dusted with fine castor sugar perhaps? The twist top i spy to me does not suggest popover. Please-- would one serve popovers in this manner???? as a popover is at its best fresh from the oven !!! they are delicate I would not bury my popover under other popovers--- tray of goodies --- Where was this imaged pulled was there no plug in the copy revealing the sponsored source of the tray of treats??? LOL

Liz Pakkala said...

Hello Andrew, I just found your blog after "Googling" Martha Stewart Sewing Book Blog Post.

My birthday will be this coming Monday and I will be receiving the sewing book as my present, after completing an 18-month sewing certificate program at the local technical college.

What you wrote on the occasion of her birthday truly touched me and made me hungry for reading more. As part of my pre-birthday celebration weekend, I will be getting better acquainted with your blog.

Thank you for your voice; although this is the second blog post of yours that I have read, I really look forward to getting to know your work.

Hugs from Seattle.

ANDREW RITCHIE said...

Hi Liz! What a nice comment to receive! I hope you find the blog informative and entertaining. It's best viewed on a desktop or laptop, so I hope you'll indulge me. Happy reading and I hope you find it interesting!

Hugs from Ontario, Canada

Anonymous said...

Did you discontinue the blog? I hope not! I see some of your recent posts have been deleted. I hope all is OK!