Jasper turned four on Valentine’s Day.  We’d asked him many times what he wanted for his birthday, and the answer was always the same.

Blueberries…

Rapsberries…

And blackberries…

We decided to indulge him. It seemed like the least we could do. Given the berry-forward approach, we decided to go simple on the cake front. Just a single layer of yellow cake awaiting augmentation.

A base of molten chocolate and a fluffy cloud of whipped cream made the perfect bed for four (and no fewer than four and no more than four and exactly four) of each type of berry. Did I forget to mention the strawberries? There were also strawberries because of course there had to be four kinds of berries to mark the arrival of this particular milestone.

We lit the candle and sang.

Jasper seemed sufficiently pleased.

After our cake, we went out for a walk, or a tromp, to be more specific. Jasper’s boots got a workout. Patches of icy snow were enthusiastically crunched. Minor ditches were daringly traversed.

Chester River inlets were gazed at. Were deep thoughts had? I assume, but I cannot say for sure.

It was a pleasant day that followed on the heels of a less pleasant one, and evidence of winter was easy to come by.

We were tromping on our pod-mates’ farm, where gorgeous old barns are abundant and full of secrets.

Augie stopped to listen, but if the barn had anything to say, he kept it to himself.

When we got home, there was a box on the porch, a gift from Jasper’s friend Suzie.

Whose mom just happens to run Stam’s Luncheonette, home of Chestertown’s finest homemade ice cream and finest heart-shaped homemade donuts.

I’d like to tell you that I resisted the temptation to help myself to a bite of Jasper’s birthday treat.

But that would not be true.