What my birthday brings....


My birthday is May 23. Growing up in the Upper Pennisula my birthday coincided with certain things. The blooming of wildflowers (lily of the valley and  trilliums). The first harvest of rhubarb. The near end of the school year. Warmer...maybe even summer like weather.All things wonderful except ...blackflies.  Black flies are the uninvited guest to my birthday party. 


I'm not sure what to make of 41 candles. It would be overwhelming to try to blow out such a great many. So I chose to go with the 4&1 and enlist help.

I'm not sure that I look old in the above picture but I do look like I need a shower and I do look tired. Rather than reevaluating my life and saying somethings got to give I choose to believe that needing a shower and looking tired are signs that you are getting life right.

Spring is in full swing. Annika is rocking the soccer field..and even picking a few daisies
Frog catching skills are at an all time high.
Scavenging skills are in full effect as well...soon we won't have to pack snacks . We'll have blueberries, raspberries, and thimbleberries.

Sugarloaf "No stair challenge" is underway.
Even Isaac is summiting sans assistance.

Snacks are important. So are plaid shorts.
Riding bikes is a fun date .


or family date/circus activity.
I love riding bikes but apparently I most beautiful when running. 
Annika's wish came true. She lost a tooth at school  with only a few days left in the school year. 
Eating rice krispy treats with no front teeth may be challenging but like a true competitor she finds a way to manage. 
Speaking of sweets and treats....
We have a reverse Goldie Locks situation...a little girl got out of bed because somebody has been getting into the honey...
No, we don't have a large black lab...We have a Mama Bear and her name is Miss Honey.
Miss Honey likes our honey and has a cub. Annika named the cub Honey Bear. Annika tapped on the window just as Miss Honey reached her paw to the hives. She ran off but was successful in toppling the hives on another visit until an electrical fence was placed. Since the electric fence has been place Miss Honey has left the hives standing and stayed out of neighbors trash.
Project Airstream renovation is underway. We are half way there...the shell has been restored. According to Annika the shell was dingy but now is shiny and new. It's quite a process but my sports psychology reading has schooled me to believe it's all about the process. If you commit to a process the end result will be a good one.