Fruitful

Despite our years of neglect, the orchard seems to be having a good year so far.  The early blueberries are just beginning to turn purplish.  No one can wait until they are properly blue.  The girls go through every day and pick every one that even thinks about turning color, and offer up a handful each of sour, greenish berries.  Soon they will all be turning, and we won't be able to keep up with picking them - the children, no longer amused by the novelty, might even complain about being sick of them.  I don't understand it, just like I can't understand how they could be sick of watermelon, sausage, or steak.

Yesterday was my birthday - and this year I have no pictures of cake.  My mother-in-law made Ethan and I a joint birthday cake a week ago, and my mom made us some ice cream from home-grown cream and eggs.  It was a nice birthday - quiet in some ways, and ordinary.  A friend I hadn't seen in a while came over, and gave me a beautiful crocheted doily I had admired while she was making it.  I took her kids and my kids to the Reptile Rodeo at the library, which turned out to not be as exciting as it sounded.  When we went to do the chores, I didn't even work too hard in the garden, and the goats were even easy to get back in (they have been jumping out a lot lately - all the spring grass.  They still have stuff to eat inside their fence, but it must not be as tasty or something).

There is so much to do and look forward to this year.  And with no children in school or preschool, we have been very healthy.  The garden is going in, and we have five rows of cassava planted.  I think it's going to be a good year.