He smiles at Pamela. "Guess you don't need a cup or a plate to enjoy the air. I should've started the party an hour earlier, maybe, so you could see the sunlight slant through the woods too."

The garden is on the south side of the house, of course, as is the chicken coop. Best to catch the early rays.

"The cake is vegetarian," he adds with a smile. "Only there's milk and butter in it. No eggs, but it ain't vegan. Anyway, I know Harley would come and I wanted her to have fun. The hummus is real good, I promise."

And there's enough cake for Harley to have seconds and thirds if she wants, as far as Cricket's concerned. "Y'all wanna look at the garden? Or the woods? The blackberry and thimbleberry bushes are in full bloom in the woods."