Today is my birthday and I’m thrilled that I got to have another one! And I’m grateful that I am living in my little house in the woods by the mountains and especially grateful that Karl and Bob are in good health and with me as I begin my 55th year on Earth.

Some years I have birthday week, some years birthday month. Neither my waistline, nor my budget could stand more than birthday weekend this year. Yesterday started with a ham and cheese croissant and cappuccino (they claim made the authentically Italian way!) at Colter Coffee in Kalispell. It is my favorite coffee house in an old Kalispell building with brick walls, tall wooden tables, massive front windows looking out to the street as well as excellent coffee and pastries. Yesterday morning it was pretty quiet at 7:45 a.m. – just a few other morning people and the two baristas – perfect!

Afterwards, the supply gathering was completed and one of my finds was a cherry pitter – YEA! The plan for birthday dinner is pan seared scallops with cherry sauce. I was getting tired of pitting cherries with a knife. The pitting tool is wonderful, so wonderful that I will run into Bigfork mid-morning and see if I can get more cherries.

I’ve had a bit of the birthday cookie with my morning coffee… It is a giant molasses cookie from Colter’s that I doctored with fresh whipped cream laced with hazlenut syrup, cinnamon and cloves… not sure that the birthday cookie is going to last the day..

My birthday present arrives tomorrow – a new pair of Wellies for tromping around wet woods. They are a bit untraditional – photos to follow.

Birthday weekend has been wonderful so far and I expect it to continue that way. Hope all who visit here are having a wonderful weekend as well.