Forty.

Yesterday was my 40th birthday.  I don’t really want to be 40, but it has happened nonetheless.

The day began by taking the Dudes to the orthodontist.  Leading up to the appointment, I beg and plead with them to PLEASE make sure their teeth are clean.  They usually don’t do a swell job of brushing.  I suppose it is because they simply do not care.

But I care.  I care a lot.

After they were finished, the hygenist walked them out, as usual, and I prepared to hear how poorly their brushing skills had been.  But, alas.  I was told they were both taking, and I quote, “excellent” care of their teeth.  So that was a birthday miracle in and of itself.

A bit later, Hadley and I met up for pedicures and lunch.  (Kate was working)

With the orthodontist appointment, pedicures, lunch, and other errands, I had been in town for five hours, and I find being in town to be a loathesome activity and was quite ready to toodle on back to my cows.  I was planning on stopping for my free  birthday Dutch Bros drink, but then the idea of getting home even faster seemed much more appealing.  So I drove right by and hurried home.  Then I poured old pot coffee into a glass with ice, added a splash of almond milk, and, of course, a straw, and called it good.  So, I guess this is how I will be as a 40 year old.

David came home and he hung my new “Orchard” sign, of which I am absolutely in love with.

I now have three arrow signs on my property and I do not think that is too many at all.

Sign #2-

Sign #3

We turned our horrifically large garden into an orchard/berry patch.  I am no longer going to spend my whole life weeding around corn plants only for them to die because I am literally the world’s worst gardener.  I will buy my corn at the Winco.

It is so hot and dry here.  I don’t know how well the berries will do.  There are only a few starting, but they are getting nice and red.

We also have pears starting-

and apples, too.

And because I am 40 now, and apparently like to blog about plant life, let us look at the blossoming peony.

It is all very exciting.

Norman the puppy is hilarious and quite obsessed with attacking shadows.  We oft find him standing in the driveway, staring at a shadow, ready to pounce.

It consumes him.  For hours.

I am sad to say that Hazel is no longer in love with me.  I used to call her name, she would “moo” and coming running to me.  Now she moos maybe 25% of the time and no longer comes to me.  She prefers to eat hay.  She does let me pet her still.

Here she is, getting a sip of water with two other calf friends.  Matilda’s calf is on the left, Hazel is in the middle, and another calf is on the right.

I received many birthday greetings and well-wishes, and this one was on my favorites.

My niece remembered me dropping 4.2 million hints over the past year that I wanted my favorite dessert for my birthday, and she let me know she remembered.

It will be very yummy.

Happy Thursday!