Me, my iris and baby kittens!

Hey friends. Today is my birthday. I remember in last year's birthday post, I posted that I was 41. It wasn't until later that evening that Eric read my blog post and had to remind me that I was only 40. So here I am a year later and now I'm 41. :) Eric and I like to say that we're so immature though that we'll never catch up to our real age.

So what's going on today for me? I always do a lot of reflection on days like today. I think about all the years that have gone by. All the good times. All of my family. It's good to have another year under my belt. It's good to have my reds home for Summer Vacation starting today. I hear their sweet voices upstairs as I type. Fixing breakfast, getting the day started late just because you can.

For me, there's no present that can top the gifts I have in my life. My wonderful family and friends, my nice home, all the silly things I am able to collect and create. Life is good.

I strolled through the yard the other day so I thought I would share my walk with you.
My beautiful iris, my favorite flower ever. Lilacs come in at a close second. The beautiful, lacy iris and their intoxicating sweet smell are so pretty this year.
The signature purple color...
The ones that surprise you when you forgot you planted a new variety.....
The beautiful insides that burst open. Signs of a more wrinkled hand, I see too.
The soft white ones. I almost photographed these too late.
And then there's Rose. She's doing well as she sits by the fence by the strawberry patch. My strawberry patch that nearly gets washed away every time it rains.
I just love to see her bright red color when I come down the drive. Her reflectors shine at night and we think it's a deer in the strawberry patch every time.
And remember Libby. We called her Pot Belly there for a while, she was so wobbly when she walked.
She's a first time mama now. Look how proud she is to show us her babies. She had four but two died. These other two chubbos are growing into little fatties fast! Libby picked an old wooden drawer that I had just bought at a garage sale to have the babies in. I was going to store yard tools in it. I like the kittens in it much better.
The girls can't resist the kittens. I heard them in the garage one day and there they sat on the steps with the new babies. Holding them so softly and oohing and aahing over them. It was very scary and rainy the night Libby had the babies. We named the the gray one Stormy. Eric has always wanted an all black cat so he got to name the black one. He picked Ben. For the big bear from Grizzly Adams because the kitten looks like a baby black bear. Remember that awesome tv show from way back when?
Well, that's it for my little stroll. I'm off to start the day. I'm hoping my mom made me her famous rhubarb strawberry pie. It's been my favorite all time dessert since I was a child. I'll keep you posted. I have vanilla ice cream waiting for it. :)