Today is my birthday, but the preparation really began the night before, when my brother, the kids and I went on a canoe trip down the American River and came across bushes of wild blackberries.

It was the first time my brother took three kids in one boat, as a kayak is usually involved, or someone stays home. They were great and just so much fun. I can see the adventurists and discoverers that are developing in each of them and I felt glad for them that they have my brother to take them on these excursions, just as he did for me, and encouraged a bit of fearlessness.

We stopped for a swim and it was on our second stop that we found the blackberry bushes. My brother had everyone drink the water in the water jug he brought along, so that we could fill the jug with blackberries. I believed we collected close to 6 cups of wild blackberries. My 10 year old nephew was a champion and worked hard for the bounty, climbing into thorny bushes to collect more and more.

I picked peaches from the peach tree in my brothers backyard and baked a Peach and Blackberry Cobbler for the birthday party. What a treat! We almost finished a full dish of the cobbler with vanilla ice cream, in one birthday party sitting. So good.

July 14