Summer trips... first trip was off to Fresno/Kings Canyon/Sequoia National parks. Pete planned an overnight in Fresno so we could hang at a water park in the 100 degree heat - a great idea! Remarkably there were times when Quincy was even a bit cold (purple lips) despite the heat. We stayed in Sunset Campground for 3 nights in Grants Grove area of Kings Canyon. Our friends the Goldschmidts met up with us for a day from San Diego (they let us know they'd be out at the Nat Pk and we thought that sounded like a nifty plan). Our kids had a blast playing with their twins (aged between our kids) and their youngest was just over 2 but a great tag along. We spent one day driving out along the Kings Canyon - literally a huge canyon (one formed like Grand Canyon - with a stream down at the bottom). Pretty awesome views. No where near as touristed as Yosemite - the Nat Pk just a few miles to the north along the Sierras. We had a great hike at Zumwalt Meadows down by the river but also around the meadow and through a section of huge granite blocks. Very cool. We also had picnic lunch and got our feet wet in the very cold river at Roads End. Literally where the road ended... Grants Grove area has quite a few of the giant Sequoia trees in various groves. They are truly impressive. We are rather used to the coastal redwood sequoia trees - which are the tallest trees in the world. The giant sequoias are known as the world's largest biomass (with possible exception of some fungus thing recently found somewhere) - basically tall, but hugely FAT trees. The coastal redwoods are primarily a single tree type of forest - all redwoods. So it is hard to get a good perspective on their size altho there are always a few that have fallen down that help serve as good sense of scale. The giants on the other hand are in a mixed tree forest - can't remember the exact trees now but things like firs and pines. But this serves to make the giants even more impressive. They are also pretty interesting looking - very red huge trunk with tufts of needles way up high. Very easy to spot! If you want to check out photos from the trip click here. I tend to spend my energies after a trip in getting the photos sorted out and uploaded and labeled - and am mentally done with the trip and don't need to blog about it. I also can't see to figure out how to locate photos throughout the story. Bit of a bummer. We did see bears in Sequoia as we were about to leave - it was 5ish and they were out foraging - one ripping up downed logs to the left of the road and to the right was a mom and her two cubs digging around. Pretty cool.

Memorial Weekend we headed to Bullfrog Pond Campground (23 first come first served sites) in Austin Creek State Park – accessed thru Armstrong Redwood State Park just outside of Guerneville (on Russian River far enough inland from the ocean that it actually gets hot enough to want to swim). All about 1 ½ hrs north of the city. We were very fortunate (and thanks to Pete’s persistence) to get one of only 2 or 3 campsites to open up Saturday morning. Interestingly enough Sunday quite a few sites opened up despite it being a 3 day weekend – and never filled up. The campsite is surprisingly remote considering how close it is to a lot of people. It is supposedly 2 ½ miles up a very twisty and sometimes steep one lane road – that dead ends at the campground. Takes at least 15 minutes of somewhat nerve racking driving up the hill to get there. But well worth it! The views go on forever with no human presence visible. Our last morning we saw (and heard) a flock (?) of wild turkey meandering around the hillside. The campsite itself is in a wooded area which is great. The pond is a bit icky – like a pond probably should be – dragonflies, little fish, murky stuff etc. No swimming for sure! But it was fun to walk around – and toss in logs if you are 5 or 7 yrs of age.

We had another weekend at Steep Ravine the week before last. We had use of a cabin this time. They come with nothing except a wood burning stove, a trash can, and a broom. Otherwise all wood and windows – and views. It is a very cool place – only an hour out of town and located on a bluff above essentially a private beach and just a mile or so away from Stinson Beach – long white sandy beach and several cafes and shops to choose from. There were a ton of feathers that we found on the beach – including a few huge ones are attributing to pelicans. My little capitalists decided after our return that they should be “for sale”. Of course there is no one to sell them to exactly… they have been kind enough to give a few away to ogling friends.

We have something new in the house. A mosquito net! How many people can say that? We have some camping coming up and I decided to trek on down to REI to stock up on a couple things (like a Freeplay lantern - we are always having issues in the tent with batteries dying etc). We also needed gas and mantles for our gas lantern – which I don’t recall ever using, but after I returned with gas Pete showed it to me – BRIGHT! Anyway – one of the items I had been mulling over in my mind was mosquito nets and sure enough they had them. For some reason we are having major mosquito infestation this year – I can only recall the occasional one or 2 mosquitos in previous years but this year it is 1 or more almost every night starting a few weeks ago. Poor Quincy had (I think) a spider bit one day – huge welt surrounded by outer red circle. Then a day or so later he woke up with over a dozen red bumps all over – especially a bunch on his face and hands although some on his back etc. He is the person in the family that is clearly most sensitive to bug bites – and also clearly most tasty. Aidan sleeps a few feet away and yet wakes unscathed every morning. So far the mosquito net seems to be working well, the kids like it, and the bugs have decided to pester me in the middle of the night instead. My sleep is very interrupted, but at least I have a fighting chance – I have a fly swatter bedside and snap on the lights at first buzz. Got one confirmed kill last nite and another probable.

Had a girl’s nite out last nite – 1^st time in a long time for that! My friend Heidi called up with free passes to new movie Hairspray. Of course sometimes there are more passes than there are seats so it pays to get there early. That was our plan… We managed to get there at 6.15 instead of the 6.00 we were aiming for – the line was along the whole of the 3^rd floor, up the stairs and down the 4^th floor hall. Hmm. Fortunately it was a big theater and we got seats – even decent ones as it turns out (thanks to Heidi’s perseverance in asking people – are those seats taken?). It was GREAT. We had a really fun time. Well acted (lots of big name stars too) and sung and catchy music and still a timely message. Then we headed across the street to Mel’s Diner for a shake and a chat. All together a satisfying eve.

kids boating on the bay

Just caught up with the Portland Thompson's blog - yikes what bad mouth luck they are having! I thought Aidan's recent 5 cavities was bad. But it wasn't a root canal! Dentist thought that he was so good that he didn't need laughing gas - and indeed he was fine without it. He also seems to have several new teeth with bright white spots on them. Not to worry says the dentist. Maybe his teeth just got banged around before they popped out (I don't think so!). She has plans for some topping on his new 6 yr old molars that are still growing in. Too bad his cavities were all BETWEEN teeth where a nice topping won't help... I also noticed when there that a couple of his teeth show down pretty darned far below the gum line. Does this mean he will end up with gum surgery like aunt Sarah one day? I hope not but wouldn't be surprised. He has a nice crowded mouth (no surprise coming from these 2 parents) and new teeth present like shark's teeth - come in behind so he has 2 rows of teeth until front falls out and back one (hopefully) moves forward. One new back one has no room to move up. Doh.

Today we headed off into the Bay at 9 a.m. for a little "fishing" on cousin Phil's *new* boat (old one was bashed up against dock when ropes broke so considered "totaled" so they have a new old boat to replace it). Forgot the life jackets for the kids. Oops. Fortunately Phil has not only invested in a couple of extra kid jackets but he had them in the car! Phew. We did have our 2 new kiddie fishing rods in tow. One came with a whole bunch of fake bait and hooks. One was a Homer Simpson rod that came with a little 3 eyed fish. Maybe I should have thought twice about that one! The release button just gets stuck inside the reel and I have to pry it out with a knife or screw. I'll try to return it tomorrow. Aidan's rod's reel seemed to come off awfully easy... so easy in fact that not just once, but TWICE when I cast the reel when flying off into the water. Bad news. The first time at least the line somehow was locked and with the help of Pete leaning far far out with a bucket we were able to get it back. The second time we weren't so lucky. Bye bye into the deep it went. We were anchored several hundred yards off Crissy field in about 53' of water. Where no fish live apparently (at least none that liked the look of any of our plastic lures!). With a lot of patience Pete actually DID manage - eventually - to haul the thing up. Mostly because it pretty much ran down to it's last 50' or so of line... and/or the reel got filled with enough gunk from the bottom that the line was catching. Phil had the grown up type of reel - which didn't work all that well for Ellie from what I could tell. We had a stiff breeze and white caps but lots of sun. No real successful casting but the kids had fun eating bagels and mucking around below deck. Always nice to spend a morning on the water.

I am finally making my foray into the world of YouTube. If you want to see some of my kiddie videos like Quincy's 49 Cross Swords for the tournament click here. We'll see if that works. I am currently uploading some from Quincy's "dance recital" a week or 2 ago. Some are pretty humorous. I think once you get to one of my videos you can then see the others to choose from.