We’ve had a bunch of birthdays this week! No, the baby isn’t here yet. I turned 30 yesterday and my blog turned 2. Today Tom is turning 35. Our birthdays have been somewhat overshadowed by lots of pre labor and a broken truck that cost almost $1000 to fix, not including the three days of missed pay. Its been a very expensive, but celebratory week.
Chaser and I took a very peaceful contraction inducing walk in the orchard and picked apples. These are destined to become applesauce. My second attempt this year. All our apples ripened a few weeks early this year and I’ve been too tired to pick since the last time when I ended up burning all my applesauce. There are only a few trees with apples left so I felt like it was now or next fall. Thank god there were no wasps this time. Last year Brae and I were picking apples on my birthday and were attacked by wasps. I did find Brae’s missing shoe. While we ran from the wasps Brae lost her shoe and even though we all searched and searched for it we never found it until yesterday, exactly one year later. Weird.
For my birthday I had my favorites. Top sirloin steaks fried up in my cast iron pan with carrots and baked potatoes. I am notorious for overcooking meat, but luck was on my side and my steaks came out perfectly. Ice cream cake has been my personal birthday tradition for almost 20 years. This year Brae and I made our own ice cream cake. The bottom layer was made of my favorite brownies, next was a thin layer of Nutella, followed by a layer of Chocolate Peanut Butter ice cream and topped with caramel sauce. It was messy, but so delicious! For some reason the camera burped and all our pictures vanished so I am bummed I don’t have any photos of the cake.
Tonight Tom has requested Venison Backstrap with mushroom sauce, mashed potatoes and broccoli with cheese sauce. A friend gave us a large amount of venison and wild boar meat. I’ve never cooked either meat, but I am learning a lot from Hank Shaw’s blog about cooking with wild plants and game. I know backstrap is the best part of the deer and I hope I do it justice.
Anyway, I need to go rest a bit. I feel like the baby will be making his debut soon. Maybe even this weekend, so please keep us in your thoughts and pray for a happy safe labor and delivery! Thank you!
Shoots and Roots 
Thinking of you! Happy birthdays and here’s wishing you a swift straightforward delivery. Excited to hear your news when your wee bundle arrives!
Happy blog anniversary, and happy birthday(s)! Wish you all the best for baby’s debut.
Happy Birthday(s) all the best for the upcoming weeks!!
Happy Birthday from me, too. 🙂
I *love* the missing shoe photo…..and story. There’s some poetry there — found a year later?!? How poignant to think about your life last year, and what you didn’t know yet about this year :-). I’d say that counts as a happy ending to the wasp attack. Looking forward to the next little birthday happening on your calendar…..