Lonimania

Sept 2009 Williamsburg VA

2010-09-06T13:26:00.001-07:00

Yes these pix are a year old. I have a lot of catching up to do. So this will be the capsule version of the last year's trips etc. Yes the last pic has my cousin Rose in the foreground.

More Newton Mass Sept 09

2009-11-19T14:15:00.000-08:00

Wonderful Italian restaurants, lovely green places watching great niece Caroline running in a cross country meet, and real New England Chowder at the oldest continuously running Inn. Ahh back East.

Massachusetts Sept 2009

2009-11-19T13:08:00.000-08:00

Old North Bridge and its marker in Concord. My niece Michelle and I listened to a park ranger give a lecture about the history of the area. Very interesting. We had lobster DAILY at their house in Newton, MA, right outside Boston. Tom and Lee are enjoying an after biking repast on the porch with FRESH real Italian bread. Can't beat back East.

More Mexico 2009

2009-11-19T13:03:00.001-08:00

We got to enjoy it this time with our son Steve. Our little pet crab remains unnamed.

Playa Dorada Sept 2009

2009-11-19T12:56:00.000-08:00

This is OUR beach in Mexico, with our house being just one house row away from it. So crowded. It's not much different in July actually. Zoe, our Boston Terrier, just turned 8yo this month. She loves it too.

Backyard Birds

2009-11-19T12:52:00.001-08:00

Not sure how well you can see my four feathered friends on the brown feeder in the center. I can see them from my kitchen, from the back patio, etc. Plus it keeps lots of birds in the trees singing away.

July 4 Wedding

2009-11-19T12:47:00.000-08:00

This is Bob and Lori Tarter. Very happy to see them wed. Lee participated in the meeting as part of a team of yentas. Good job!!

Composting

2009-06-19T15:13:00.001-07:00

This is SOOOO easy to do and FAST. It takes about a week with my handy dandy machine. You start with "greens": kitchen scraps (including coffee grounds, egg shells, etc.), Add some "browns" like coir or sawdust or pelleted sawdust etc, put it in the machine which stirs it and heats it automatically. Voila' you have finished compost. It is in my kitchen, mostly doesn't smell at all, if anything, like vegetable soup. It made me a believer. So I have instant earthy smelling fertilizer for my garden, houseplants, etc. Plus, we don't send junk down my septic tank or into the garbage. Gosh, even a Republican can do this.

Erich's Birthday

2009-06-14T16:45:00.000-07:00

Whacky cake...totally vegan for Lent..oh yeah I gues this post should have come before the last one...oh well...Serena cut the letters out of a fruit leather...is that crunchy enough for you???

St. Andrew Church Pascha April 18, 2009

2009-06-14T15:14:00.000-07:00

Actually this was Holy Saturday when the new converts are baptized. The first picture shows Elena doing a prostration (It indicated deep reverence) amid the lovely blessed fresh flower petals and fragrant herb leaves. It is amazing to me that little children who are raised in the church don't need to be taught, they just do what they see. The new converts are Anna (Brianna), Patrick (Liam), and Brigid (Erin) Griffin. The last pic is actually Elena happily dressed up for church on an earlier day.

The Perfect Plant: Tillandsia (Air Plant)

2009-06-14T14:26:00.001-07:00

Robert, one of the contractors working on our remodel, mentioned these plants, and I immediately bought MORE books and plants online. They are a member of the bromeliad family, epiphytes since they grow without soil. I have some oddball ways of displaying them...soap dishes, real sponges from Florida...in between my perfume bottles. They bloom, only need dipping in water twice a week, and are just delightful. There is also a sneak preview of the new bathroom. Note new granite, stone mosaic backsplash, faux wall finish, new mirrors, etc. More later. The gray granite is from our family room that's been there since our last remodel in 1997.

Outdoor Plants

2009-06-14T14:21:00.000-07:00

I did get going on some outdoor stuff...mostly I planted succulents...a favorite since I came west back in '73. Erich's been handling the rest of the garden, preserving the lush Italian country villa look we've tried to create.

Second Phase of Plant Mania: Houseplants

2009-06-14T14:14:00.000-07:00

You can see how wildly pervasive the plants have become. I bought ones that were easy to care for, tolerated the light conditions I had available, and also cleaned the air of pollutants. It takes about 30 plants to clean the air in my 3500sqft home, so here ya go. I used to have lots of plants before I was married, then more before we had kids. When Steve was peeing in the potted plants they kind of died off. But now they're my bit of the world jungle inside. I haven't even repotted them all...tags and ugly plastic pots abound. Chaos reigns too because this all was happening in the midst of our remodel...more about that later.

Beginning of the Plant Saga: Bonsai

2009-06-14T13:57:00.000-07:00

I began reading about Bonsai (pronounced "bone-sigh") back in February 2009---I ordered a bunch of books online...golly about 10 at least. These pix don't even show the seven or so I have at work and the couple I almost killed and are recovering, the few I really did kill, and assorted more that weren't in a good spot to photograph right now. Plants have become my new buds, no pun intended.

March 2009 San Diego Zoo with the Enkes

2009-06-14T12:20:00.000-07:00

Lee was here with us, but somehow escaped the pictures. I'm not sure any are too flattering, except for Nancy...she is sooo photogenic. Of course, Elena is her usual sweet self feeding the animals in the petting zoo. The orangutan was doing a great show with his rag blankie. I should have taken more pix of the fabulous plants. Such a fabulous jungle!

March 2009 San Diego Vacation with the Enkes

2009-06-14T11:38:00.000-07:00

The four grandparents took off with Elena together, and Erich and Serena caught up with us later. We went on a long walk hitting a playground along the way. If that isn't a southern CA sight...a winter hat with bare feet!! Then there's foodie heaven...or "why I'll never give up sweets." Then...uhh...well...we really did order an ice cream for Elena figuring we'd help her with it, and we did, but...yeah...that's why Elena gets very limited amounts of ice cream...she might've finished it herself actually. Steve and Nancy were loving it all.

Elena's Third Birthday

2009-06-14T11:25:00.000-07:00

We made homemade playdo. I guess we're really into that, huh? Elena loves sculpting though. It keeps her occupied a long time. That and drawing or copying letters. We made a very homey cake...yummy but not particularly pretty...all natural stuff. Brianna, Erin, and Liam Griffin were our guests. Erich's mom, Nancy and his dad Steve came out from Iowa to enjoy with us. They stayed a whole week and we vacationed together, and had a blast.

Lake Tahoe Jan 2009

2009-06-14T10:48:00.000-07:00

Beautiful walk since Lee couldn't ski because of his upcoming shoulder surgery. We were with my cousins Pat and Frank. Very fun and peaceful time. I did get in my one ski day of the year...an all time low, but oh well...

New Year's Day 2009

2009-06-14T09:07:00.000-07:00

Yikes I'm six months behind! But there's not that much to put in actually. Here it goes! Other people watch football. Lee watches Mythbusters, Serena, Elena, and Steve and I create with Elena's new Christmas playdo tools. Steve made a mythical mushroom tree. Serena made a fantastical flower. I just made some tube worms, flat cities (no pix, my fans, no room) and took pictures, and thoroughly enjoyed myself. Not sure what Erich was doing then.

Elena's fun for Christmas 2008

2009-04-26T21:28:00.000-07:00

Elena is enjoying her new bicycle with Mom at the ready to adjust it, Grandpa Lee and Uncle Steve looking on. she like her cookies and her new Elmo slippers too.

Christmas 2008

2009-04-26T21:23:00.001-07:00

St. Andrew Church does an exuberant Christmas celebration, from around 11:30pm to 1:30 for the liturgy on Christmas eve, then the feast till 3:30am or so. We did manage to get up and enjoy Christmas day.

The Oasis

2009-04-26T21:08:00.001-07:00

This was our destination for our hike. the oasis. Amazing lush natural growth. Unexpectedly lovely.

Desert December 23, 2008

2009-04-26T20:49:00.000-07:00

Steve's friends in the UK don't really quite believe he comes from the desert. This is the trek we took around 30 or so miles from home. You can see we have sweaters on because it's cool weather, even in the desert while exercising a bit. We usually do wilderness hikes together, and the local mountains are snowy in the winter, but the valleys east of us, in the Palm Springs, CA area are perfect for winter hiking.

The Crown Prince in Residence Dec 2008

2009-04-26T20:16:00.001-07:00

Steve came home from London for the holidays safe and sound, thank God. We wanted to give his friends in the UK something to drool over, so here is a basket of fresh oranges just picked from our trees and he is eating fresh avocado also from our trees.

Last bit of Milano

2009-04-26T19:46:00.001-07:00

This is, of course, the Duomo, one of the largest Gothic cathedrals in existence. It is 14,444 square meters. My pictures are not very good, except for the last which has Marco's hand with a closeup of the marble. Ever the teacher, he was explaining the neverending rebuilding of the facade to refresh the marble. I would recommend looking up "Milan Cathedral" on www.Wikipedia.org for some great pix and interesting info.

Milano, Italy, Nov 15, 2008

2009-04-26T19:31:00.000-07:00

Thanks to Marco, our personal tour guide, we got to see more historical sights in Milano, which is known for being a fashion center and industrial city. The part that looks like a construction site is a Roman ruin, which later we're sitting in front of.

Rest of the Marro Family

2009-04-26T19:20:00.000-07:00

Starting in the middle, just to be confusing, is Paola (Marco's twin sister), her husband Simone, and their daughter Elisa. The top pic is Elisa, next is Antonio with Francesco, Elisa's brother. The last is Francesco again.

More of the Marro Family

2009-04-26T19:11:00.001-07:00

Top pic is Pasquale, Antonio and Lucia's oldest son. Next is Pasquale's son Gabriele. Finally his wife and daughter Giulia, held by his sister Paola.

Marro Family, Milano, Italy Nov 14-16, 2008

2009-04-26T18:30:00.000-07:00

The top pic is my first cousin Antonio with me. Antonio's mother, Dolcissima, was my father's sister. Next is Lucia, his wife, with their son Marco. Next is Marco with me. So far he hasn't "settled down" yet and gotten married, but he's working on it, so he says.

Greve (Chianti) Italy, Nov 14, 2008

2009-04-26T18:14:00.000-07:00

After driving around to some wine tastings with the group, Lee and I took off for a very lovely romantic walk in Greve.`

Interior Views of Fattoria di Mandri

2009-04-26T17:35:00.000-07:00

Ok, so now you know it's an olive oil factory. We got a personal guided tour from the owner. I did the translating, so we didn't have to have the underling...very cool. I posted the pix in the wrong order, so beginning from the bottom, there is the marvelous mixture of various olive types that will be combined to go into the smasher. I didn't include a pic of the machine that automatically washes it all and separates out the leaves. The cold press done with the big stone wheels is the ancient method. (Except for the fact that it's electric now...my cousin Antonio was quick to ask: "Dov'e' il asino?"..."Where's the donkey?") Then the mash is spread on the circular coir mats and they are loaded into another press that you see. The oil and water that are expressed are separated in the spouted machine. Finally we got to taste the oil right from the hands of the proprietor. Delizioso!

Reggello, Italy, November 13, 2008

2009-04-26T16:27:00.000-07:00

Our whole group had a delightful day here. These are all exterior views of the Fattoria di Mandri. The next post will have the interior shots.

Last of San Gimignano

2009-04-26T16:16:00.000-07:00

Part of our tromping around was climbing one of the big towers. What a view! Some nice folks took our picture. Another place to climb to and explore had a surreal view on the way out. Finally...twin towers...odd, huh? VERY old skyscrapers.

More San Gimignano

2009-04-26T15:57:00.000-07:00

Unfortunately, I didn't buy any of the lovely pottery. My rule is: save the money for another trip. The next shots are in a fantastic restaurant showing a peaceful table with a unparalleled view, and a "still life" of the table. Aaaaahhhhh! Pox on guided tours.

San Gimignano, Italy, Nov 12, 2008

2009-04-26T15:28:00.000-07:00

Lee and I took off on our own again to revisit San Gimignano, a very famous hill town which we'd been to a few years ago. This time we got to spend more time roaming around. The first pic is the tower at the entrance to the walled city and the others are different views inside the main square. From Wikipedia: San Gimignano was founded as a small village in the 3rd century BC by the Etruscans. Historical records begin in the 10th century, when it adopted the name of the bishop Saint Geminianus, who had defended it from Attila's Huns.

More Arezzo

2009-04-25T17:03:00.001-07:00

Just a shot of the train station in Arezzo. Then two contraband pix of Minerva, a statue that was restored from ancient times. Really interesting display, very modern technology used to restore it. We chanced upon a special exhibit. Then Francesco Petrarca (Petrarch) entombed. We really enjoyed the day tromping around. Typical European day for us, walking for eight hours enjoying what we happen upon with a few set destinations, everything else as catch can.

Arezzo, Italy, Nov 11, 2008

2009-04-25T16:50:00.001-07:00

Arezzo is the closest small city to our lodging. Lee and I took a drive there alone when our pals went off somewhere else, I think Venice, since we'd been there for a week before. The top picture is a Roman ruin we happened to find. The next two are from a park outside the walls of the city. The last is the interior of the restaurant where we ate one of the best meals of the trip. It's a typical Italian restaurant. NO junk on the walls, mind you!!!! No fake grapes hanging etc. (shudder)

More Assisi pix

2009-04-25T16:39:00.001-07:00

Ahhh, the top pic is a testimony to Italian food. You should really click on that one to enlarge it. The next two are just us enjoying...bundled up. Lee did finally get a fleece jacket that says Assisi.

Assisi, Italy, Nov 10, 2008

2009-04-25T16:27:00.000-07:00

Well, we got to Assisi later than we wanted. Our lodging is in the southern part of the province of Toscana (Tuscany). Assisi is in the northern part of the adjoining province of Umbria. We got there, parked and, of course, tried to find the cathedral. One method...follow the nuns!! We did see some souvenirs of St. Francis on the way, then finally, we got to the cathedral, which was beautiful, but the pictures look surreal and lovely, but you'll have to guess what the place actually looks like...I think we will too. The fog was chilly as well. We would have stayed longer, but didn't get to. Guess that means another trip sometime.

San Miniato, Italy Nov 9, 2008

2009-04-25T16:21:00.001-07:00

I was at the apartment in bed this day with a tummyache, but everyone else went to San Miniato looking for wild truffles, or at least the festival. It was a wild goose (truffle?) chase. See the dates on the sign...it was to happen later. I think they all had fun though.

Italy, Nov 2008 The Crew

2009-04-25T16:13:00.000-07:00

Here we are, the travelling group, at dinner. The top is Lee and me of course. The next handsome couple is Nancy and David Bowser. The next is Sharron and Steve Guggisburg. The last pic is a little street in Loro Ciuffenna, typical tiny "vicolo," narrow and winding. We could walk into town from the lodging, which was lovely.

November 2008 Italy Trip Loro Ciuffenna

2009-04-25T15:39:00.000-07:00

This is the beginning of our Italy trip. We stayed in a lovely hill town for a week and did day trips. The top pic shows some wonderful persimmons in front of someone's house in Loro Ciuffenna, the little hamlet we were in. The next pic is an overview of the town with some more persimmons in someone's back yard. Then there is a shot of the front of our little cottage at the Residence La Ferriera. We had a one bedroom apartment on the ground floor. The bottom view is of the main building where the restaurant and more apartments are.

More of Lina's visit 10/2008

2008-12-26T18:21:00.000-08:00

Of course, we had to have a cooking picture. Serena, Elena (the little helper), and Lina. I was taking the pic. The next three pics were up in Idyllwild at a restaurant. Idyllwild is in the mountains nearby, about 8000ft elevation.

Wedding Anniversary Trip Lake Arrowhead 11/1/2008

2008-12-26T18:19:00.000-08:00

These are all pictures from a lovely walk we took around Lake Arrowhead during a weekend trip there for our anniversary.

Visit with Zia Lina 10/2008

2008-12-26T18:12:00.000-08:00

This is my cousin Maria Giovanna Pasqualina Marro Erdmann, known to the family as Lina, to Elena as Zia Lina. Elena thoroughly enjoyed her visit. The top pic is in my house with Elena clowning around with jammie bottoms on her head. The next pic is at a mall. The next is at Oak Glen where there's a petting zoo I had taken Serena and Steve to many times when they were kids.

Nonna's Brag 10/2008

2008-12-04T20:29:00.000-08:00

Elena at 2y 7mo drew a fish, she informed me...then she said....I'm making a "fffff" for fish....and she did!!

Garin 9/2008

2008-12-04T20:25:00.000-08:00

Ok, now you know I AM around the bend. The fuzzy monkey on the left is Garin. Elena and I were sitting down enjoying play dough and she wanted me to make a Garin replica, so the little blue guy is another Garin. The red guys in the foreground are a duck and a dog. I'm certainly no sculptor, but we had fun. Oh, I am unsure of the spelling of the name. She named the monkey herself, so who knows?

Ensenada 8/2008

2008-12-04T20:19:00.000-08:00

This is our favorite seafood restaurant in downtown Ensenada, a beach sunset, and a shot of Erich, Elena, and Serena on the Ruta Vinicola, the Mexican Wine Country right outside Ensenada.

Mexico 8/2008

2008-12-04T20:12:00.000-08:00

This is typical chillin' at our beach place, this time with our granddaughter Elena and our dog Zoe.

Farmer Elena 7/2008

2008-12-04T20:07:00.001-08:00

Elena, Serena, and Erich moved in to our downstairs June 30. We recreated an apartment there replacing a stove and fridge. The counter and sink had been left from the original owner before we moved here back in 1986. Anyway, I put in a summer garden in the spring just after I found out they were coming to stay. Elena loved picking the veggies. A side note: her hair really has changed color. She has a shade darker roots now with lighter streaks instead of the solid super light hair.

Paul and Terri's Wedding Shower 7/2008

2008-12-04T19:49:00.000-08:00

The top pic is Kimberly, Lee's sister Jane's daughter. The next pic is Terri, Jane's now daughter-in-law, Paul David's wife. The last pic is Jane, Lee's sister, Serena, and Elena. It was an ultra elegant, very PINK affair. Marvelous food. I had just gotten back from the UK and Serena drove up to Fresno with me. Good thing she drove, since I was still pretty jet lagged.

Final Leg of Road Trip UK 7/2008

2008-12-03T22:22:00.001-08:00

Ok, now here we have fantastic authentic British balmy weather. (pouring rain) Steve is reveling in it, bare headed. Lee is attempting to stay dry. We were looking for the huge cement dishes that were the "listening ears" during the war. We never were able to get close because it was locked up. They have special tours to go out to them, apparently they're on an island. We got to eat some more bad English food though. In London we always ate all the Continental, Asian, and Middle Eastern food. Out in the country we had to eat the authentic British stuff. EEEK!

Bed and Breakfast in the UK 7/2008

2008-12-03T22:16:00.000-08:00

This place had fantastic places to roam around. The dining room had a lovely atmosphere. Typical English food (bad), but overall a great place.

South of Dover, UK 7/2008

2008-12-03T22:12:00.000-08:00

Sure looks like the White Cliffs of Dover. We stopped at the end of our first day of roaming at a lovely bed and breakfast. Fantastic location right at these magnificent cliffs.

The English Channel 7/2008

2008-12-03T21:47:00.000-08:00

We took a road trip with Steve. The first day we hit Brighton and saw the English Channel, sampled the local seafood. This does not look like a warm beach in July to me!!

Greenwich, UK 7/2008

2008-12-03T21:35:00.000-08:00

I had heard lots about GMT (Greenwich Mean Time), but I had forgotten about the prime meridian. This explains it all. The town of Greenwich was lovely. I didn't include lots of other very green lovely pix. We didn't allow enough time here. A full day wasn't even enough. We could have stayed here overnight and enjoyed spending more time in this very peaceful place on the outskirts of London.

British Museum Egyptian Christian Exhibit 7/2008

2008-10-19T22:17:00.000-07:00

The top pic is the oldest icon I have ever seen in person. I got to venerate it quite in peace...I didn't even know it was going to be there....I forgot where I was and that there were other people around. They were very kind to let me have a moment. I came back to earth and realized where I was...I think maybe my metanias and kiss made people realize "Oh it's not just another artifact on the wall." The explanation is below it. The next is an explanation and a picture of another part of the exhibit.

Pix from the London Eye (July 2008)

2008-10-19T21:54:00.000-07:00

Royal College of Art (RCA) for Steve's Master's Graduation

2008-10-19T21:33:00.000-07:00

The top pic is Steve with his classmates and their very posh Master's robes. Real (?) fur trimmed hoods no less. Next is our felled son at the feet of the monument across the street.
I can't do justice to the next pic...check out Steve's site..stevenlevon.com. The next pic is his graduation with one of the speakers and you all can guess who he is in the blur of faces. Maybe Steve can clue us all in.

Family Pix in NJ in June

2008-09-10T23:20:00.000-07:00

Sadly, the reason I went to NJ was my sister in law Olga's funeral. The bottom pic is me with my brother Louie. The middle one is one of the collections of pics of Olga that was at the funeral home. She was much loved and will be greatly missed. She was my mother's favorite, so I grew up with a positive image of her that just grew as I became an adult myself. The top pic is Tom sleeping. He's technically my nephew by marriage, Louie's son in law, married to Michelle. Anyway, I even have a movie of this scene with him snoring, but I thought it was too mean to put it on the web.

More NJ Pix from June

2008-09-10T23:05:00.000-07:00

The top pic is the back porch where all my summers were spent. Some good family times, but many times watching other people "having a life" while I was locked up not being allowed out because of my family's paranoia. Odd...mostly it has good memories though. The next several pix are from the arboretum that I never went to before this trip. I'm not sure it was there when I lived there in good old Summit, NJ.

Home Town Nostalgia in June

2008-09-10T22:42:00.000-07:00

This is Summit NJ, where I grew up. The bottom picture is the apartments my father built and I grew up in since I was two years old. My apartment windows were the ground floor in this shot right under the tree. The first door on the left under the tree is the main entrance to D building. My apt was D5. The kitchen window is obscured by a bush. The next window was to the dining room. The next to the right is to the living room. My room's window is obscured by the red maple tree. The pic above that is the church I grew up going to, mostly walking by myself, St. Teresa. It didn't used to have the pretty landscaping in front. The photo above that is the grammar school next to the church. Talk about a "back East" look!! The top pic is my favorite though. That one is totally amazing and just shows you that back there, some things don't change much. That flagstone bench is over 50 years old. I used to walk home from grammar school and sit there with some other kids and eat blackberries from a bush that grew right there. It's just a block or so down from the school. The school and church were just a mile from my house. The bush is gone, but the bench is still there. The school isn't even completely operational any more. I guess Catholic grammar schools aren't that popular any more. They are trying to revive it now I heard.

Cristos Anesti! Alithos Anesti! (Greek)

2008-05-01T21:29:00.000-07:00

Cristo e' Risuscitatio! Veramente e' Risuscitato! (Italian) Christ is Risen! Truly He is Risen!

We just celebrated Pascha, Eastern Orthodox Easter, on the original calendar, occurring April 27, 2008. I was illumined on April 26, received into the Church by Chrismation, since I had been baptized previously. Indescribably wonderful!

The picture shows an icon of the Resurrection, an icon of Christ either called the Pantocreator or Christ of Sinai, with a Sha'nina in between. That's a flower holder made of palm. I made it the day before Palm Sunday, put the flowers in it, then it was blessed on Palm Sunday. I took the picture after the flowers had started to wilt a bit, but it still looks pretty good. Next year it'll look better when I know how to do it from the start.

March in Colorado for Elena's BD

2008-05-01T21:01:00.001-07:00

Top is Elena with Grandma Nancy. Next is opening gifts. Then she is trying on her dresses. Wow, neither of my kids ever tried on any clothes they got!! Finally she is in the mirror with Dad who asked her, "Do you like it?" She answered with a big grin, "Like it!!!!"

Whistler in February

2008-05-01T20:47:00.001-07:00

These are all skiing pix from Whistler, Canada. The top pic is our dear friend Lia with Lee. the bottom one is Lia, Mark, and Lee. You aren't seeing a pic of me since I don't like how the one I have came out. Vanity, vanity.

More Elena in Redlands

2008-05-01T20:34:00.000-07:00

On top she's in my T shirt because all the clothes were in the washer. Looks way better on her! Then there's sleeping beauty on the couch. Finally there's special time chillin' with Grandpa.

Elena in January in Redlands

2008-05-01T20:24:00.000-07:00

Top picture she's enjoying some little yummy treat at her little table near her FAVORITE coloring supplies. Next are some pix of her at Bracken's Bird Farm, a place I always took her mom Serena with her Zio Steve. She was very quiet so she got to see the birds up close.

Idyllwild Hike with Steve and Lee

2008-01-07T10:16:00.000-08:00

We took the Palm Springs Tram up to Idyllwild to hike and did so without snowshoes with no mishaps, thank God. I messed up the middle pic so you have to turn your head to see Steve up on a rock scaring his parents. The bottom pic you can find him in a hole. He's a blue spot around the middle of the pic after he fell....nooooo he didn't...he carefully got himself into the hole on purpose....really he did.....uh huh....

Backyard views after the rains

2008-01-07T09:54:00.000-08:00

Ah yes, this is the answer to why live in Redlands, CA, USA!! You may have heard about the torrential rains. They have cleared for now. The top picture has our pool furniture and a few of our palms in the foreground with our neighbor's grapefruit orchard behind and the snowcapped mountains beyond that. The next has our obligatory Italian style fountain. I wanted to show the amazing contrast of the lush plant behind the fountain with the snowy mountains behind. I don't think you can see the mountains as well as I'd like. It's either me or the camera....likely me.

More Elena of course

2007-11-29T21:13:00.001-08:00

These were sent by proud mama Serena. There were 20 pix, these were my favorite. Note the pigtails in the top pic. I haven't asked if Serena did that or Erich. I bet it's Erich.

Last of the TG Pix

2007-11-29T21:06:00.001-08:00

The first is a better pic of cousin Richard. Lee is not looking as happy as he actually was--it was a great getaway with family.

More Thanksgiving Pix

2007-11-29T20:49:00.001-08:00

Top pic: Christine, Jessica's husband Tim, Sarah, and Jessica's 12yo son Ben. Middle pic: Bill & Audrienne (Old friends of the family) Ben, Loni, Richard (shiny pate), Rose, Jessica barely seen. Bottom pic: Ben, Christine's boys--Jake 4yo, Luke 8yo, Will 6yo (not a flattering shot--they were goofing around, they're really handsome sweethearts)

Missing in the pix unfortunately is their dad Michael, he was off "protecting and serving" at his law enforcement post.

Thanksgiving in Virginia

2007-11-29T20:42:00.001-08:00

This is my cousins Richard and Rose's daughters: Christine on the left together with Jessica on the right. Below is Emma, Jessica's 15yo daughter, and below that, her twin sister Sarah.

Elena Loves Her Cottage Cheese

2007-10-23T21:28:00.001-07:00

This was the best way to get her to stay still for a photo. I didn't get any smiles--cottage cheese is serious business, ya know!!!

Grandpa Lee with Elena in Colorado

2007-10-23T21:19:00.000-07:00

Lee thoroughly enjoyed baby Elena, now 19 months old--especially her kisses and saying "Grandpa." She loves the swings and was quick to sign "more." The slides were a favorite also.

Idyllwild Hike

2007-10-09T22:21:00.001-07:00

This is our 30th Wedding Anniversary month. So we had to start it with a quintessential Lee and Loni fun day. We took the Palm Springs tram up to do a five mile hike. It was wonderful. The pic of me holding the wilderness permit signifies my "ticket" to joy.

Steve's Jacket

2007-10-09T22:12:00.000-07:00

This was our summer project together. It took four full days to complete, believe it or not. We took a jacket he had, then Steve drew the design of what he wanted to make. I helped him translate that into a pattern, and worked with him on embellishing the jacket. I was finishing the last touches in the car on the way to the airport taking him back to the UK. Pretty crazy, but lots of fun. It's missing the foulard at the neck that will go with it.

Elena and the Froofy Cape

2007-10-09T21:45:00.000-07:00

This is the picture I described in the http://enke.dyndns.org:81/posts blog that Erich made. I read my post and yeah, it sounds like the picture should go with it. So here it is!! She was "helping" me while I unpacked my suitcase after my cruise. (That's my excuse for all the stuff on the floor of my room, and I'm sticking to it!!)

More pix from the Alaskan Cruise

2007-08-29T21:51:00.001-07:00

These are ice sculptures and a pic of our table with (from the left going around) Charles Chen, his wife Maria Plodkowski, me, Lee, Judy Rentschler, Bob Rentschler, John Marais, Ryan Marais, Dottie Marais, John Williams and his lovely wife. Missing are Steve and Sandi Yegge. We had tasty and plentiful food, including special Indian cuisine done special for us by our head waiter who was delighted we liked a random dish on the menu--he got us custom food for two nights following.

July Alaskan Cruise Hubbard Glacier

2007-08-29T21:11:00.001-07:00

We went on an Alaskan Cruise in late July-early August on the Royal Caribbean ship The Radiance of the Seas. This is the Hubbard Glacier--the first pic is of ice chunks in the water. The photos really don't do it justice.

More Ensenada pix

2007-06-21T22:50:00.000-07:00

The first is my cousin Richard and his lovely wife Rose in a shop at a winery on the Ruta Vinicola--wine country on the northern edge of Ensenada. The next is our group at Celia's at the Bufadora. The last is us listening to a local street minstrel right at the Bufadora "blowhole."

Elena in Ensenada

2007-06-21T22:43:00.000-07:00

Actually the first pic is from when we got back--the camera case isn't very photogenic, but I needed something to keep her occupied. We got to witness her learning to walk, which was great fun. The second one is my cousin Richard Adolino feeding her. The last one is her playing in a turned over chair--we were blocking the stairs. Typical for kids, she managed to make that into a fun play space.

Birthday Party

2007-03-25T12:24:00.000-07:00

These are only some of the kids at church that fight over who gets to hold/play with Elena next. The middle picture is Elena eating her healthy vegan cake. Since her birthday fell during Lent, Serena baked a marvelous cake that actually tasted great! Very moist too. I got to do the writing on it thanks to my Palmer method (NOBODY will remember what that is) penmanship. Gosh, is that word even in the English language anymore??? Serena did the cute flowers on it. I was happy there was no icing, since I remember Steve pushing the "eject" button with his "Cookie Monster" cupcakes on his birthday one year. Lots of blue icing everywhere. Not pretty. Not your fault Steve, that icing was way too much, cute but not to be eaten in toto. The cake on the left is a cake for Father Mark Haas, whose birthday is close to Elena's.

Brilliant Baby

2007-03-25T12:15:00.000-07:00

My cousins Richard and Rose Adolino sent Elena a lovely fork and spoon set from Williamsburg, VA. Elena took right to that spoon with some oatmeal, secure as always in her Papa's arms. (He did later say laughingly that her dumping oatmeal all over him was "disturbing his peace.") Excellent food gathering skills! Of course, her UCLA sweatshirt, a gift from Crystal Kazmierski, portends her academic future.

Elena in Serena's dress

2007-03-25T12:10:00.000-07:00

This is the little munchkin in a dress of Serena's that I had saved. I only wish I had saved more!

One year old!!!

2007-03-25T10:40:00.000-07:00

This is Elena with her daddy Erich's beautiful chameleon hazel eyes looking quite green in her little lizardesque sleeper. Serena and I couldn't believe it looked so big on the hanger, but it's just an 18 month size. The second picture shows her spontaneous joyful grin. She is a very happy little soul. Behind her are her new shelves for her books, playthings and Montessori tools. She putting the old phone to good use. I just came back from a marvelous almost week- long visit. Lee was very jealous, since he didn't get to come, so we are flying back for a weekend soon.

Dinner in Whistler, BC, Canada

2007-02-03T21:22:00.000-08:00

This is Lee and me with Mark and Lia Robinson at Trattoria di Umberto, a wonderful restaurant right in the Mountainside Lodge where we stayed. We were up at Whistler for a week on a timeshare trade. We had great skiing, sunshine, and a wonderful time at the restaurants and shops. I did another snowshoe trek too, this one a guided uphill 3k hike. We all managed to dine so sumptuously that we packed on a few pounds despite all the exercise, so we're home now doing "penance."

Snowshoe trip in Tahoe

2007-02-03T21:15:00.000-08:00

This is my cousin Pat Bossert from NY and me at Spooner Lake on a snowshoe trek in mid January. Now she has a timeshare up there too, so Lee and I flew up to visit her, her husband Frank, and their grown sons Tim and Dave. We all skiied together except Pat, then she and I enjoyed a peaceful snowshoe trip.

Elena in Tahoe at New Year's

2007-02-03T21:06:00.000-08:00

This is Elena with Steve's college roommate Romeo Papazyan and with me at the Ridge Tahoe where we all gathered for our family ski week for New Year's and the week after. She crawled around and had loads of fun playing with her new Christmas toys.

Finally more Elena pix with proud parents

2007-01-30T21:34:00.000-08:00

Serena has her being a little acrobat. Erich has her in a carrier. By the way, for all you curious folks, it's a great example of "pseudostrabismus"--her eyes are quite normal as you will see in other pictures. These pix are a bit old, I think, they are certainly from before Christmas.

Trip to YTB Home Office in Chilly Illinois

2006-12-10T21:26:00.000-08:00

The first pic is proof that I was in a small conference room talking with "Coach" Tomer, the founder of YTB, the parent company for our online travel website www.timetogetoutoftown.com. He is in casual duds, just a "down home" kind of guy. You'd never know he made millions in the insurance business, invested a good deal into the infrastructure to start YTB. The next pic has Mary and Connie pleased as punch to be in the room with me and about 12 others on Ryan Vanderpool's team in the business. We were all very impressed with the integrity of the principals in the company, the soundness of the business model, and seeing the infrastructure and support with our own eyes. I will have a pic of myself with "Coach" and some others, but this is a better memory, no grandstanding, just finding out the facts. We're glad we withstood the chilly weather.

Steve in London

2006-11-02T09:33:00.000-08:00

The top pic is the outside of Steve's flat in Acton, a suburb in the western part of London. Then there it is, the school building, then finally Steve's desk space. We did go to the Mouth and Foot Artist show as well. Pretty amazing.

More Elena pix

2006-11-02T08:32:00.001-08:00

These are from August and Sept I think. I just got them downloaded. Had to get them in there, too cute.

Trip to Colorado, new Elena pix

2006-10-09T08:45:00.000-07:00

Here she is. It may not be a studio setting, but the car seat was the perfect way to have her quiet and looking at the camera. She won't smile for the camera, because she remains so curious about it still. She just STARES at it, like "Hmmmm what is this thing?" Of course I always knew she was brilliant, but now I know there's proof. It's the "long gaze"--apparently infants have been studied in relation to the length of their focused gaze--length of gaze positively correlates with intelligence. That was intuitively seen in my office practice, certainly, infants who looked bright and inquisitive.

So here's the infant appearance genetics folks: Hair color--between Erich's baby towhead and Serena's very dark hair at this age. Eye color--Erich's. Eye shape and size--Serena's. Ears--Serena's. Mouth--Erich's. Overall, she really looks like Erich with less deepset eyes.

More to come from pix that Mom and Dad have taken.

Steve on the way to London

2006-09-27T06:49:00.000-07:00

We stopped at Maggione's (sp?) at the Grove in LA, meeting Tom and Sandra. It was a really nice little respite amidst the craziness of packing and restoring computer data. Despite what they all say, I did really TRIP over a nest of wires on the floor flipping the external hard drive with ALL Steve's work from college into oblivion. It was awful, but of course, Lee came to the rescue, stayed up till 3am and got most of the data back. Yikes!!!

Fun Times with Steve before he's GONE!!!! to the UK

2006-09-27T00:59:00.000-07:00

Lee and I enjoyed Oktoberfest with him in Lake Arrowhead for a few hours. We had a family dinner on the patio, teasing him about the balmy Southern California weather and greenery. We ate at Maggione's restaurant in LA with his friends Sandra and Tom. He did make it to London just fine, hogging a whole row on the plane to nap. We haven't heard any more yet. We'll keep the blog fans up to date. Keep tuned to this station for further updates on Steve's excellent UK adventure.

Party Time

2006-09-22T21:16:00.000-07:00

This is our pic at the beginning of a Beaver Med party we had at our house. It was a great success and we didn't have to pay for it, so that's a big plus. Leonard Corbett catered it, and with his great ideas, it was easy. Lee made a great music collection that just ran without his attention to it...it really made for a wonderful atmosphere. Leonard managed even with the breaker for our oven going out...toaster oven and BBQ to the rescue!!

More pix of BBW (Best Baby in the World)

2006-09-22T20:08:00.000-07:00

Finally I got my act together to get these pix onto the blog. This is Elena (sitting with support at less than 5 months, mind you) and then of course, the ever lovely Serena with Elena. Note the binary code T-shirt Serena is wearing. It was a gift from Erich. I forget what it says. I will have more pix soon as I am flying out there October 5. I will get to see Serena lecture!! I doubt I'll be able to take a live pic of that. I think it'd be way over the top into the "proud mom." She has a teaching fellowship this year. We'll see what I can do. Hm...maybe I'll hide a spy camera in a pen a' la James Bond....Q...where are you when I need you????

The Source of all that Ash and Smoke

2006-07-18T20:54:00.000-07:00

I found out from friends that this was the really local Redlands fire. It is I think technically "San Bernardino County," but it is about a mile from my house, right where I walk all the time. The top of my street runs into Sunset. This is on Edgemont, which is one street over parallel to Sunset. This view is of San Timoteo Canyon, I believe, which is a relatively common fire area. There is not a huge amount of fuel in comparison to the forested mountains, but still too much for my comfort, thank you very much. The top pic has the leftmost part blackened from the fire--that's not "shadow," that's scorched earth. The next pic has the foreground showing the fuel that burns, the middle with some gray burned area, and some jet black going right up to the green planted area right next to the large home. Pretty scary. The next pic is not burned at all, but just shows the natural scrubby vegetation that is very dry this time of year...and the homes built right next to the tinderbox of the canyon. The last pic looks like a moonscape...burned canyon. Thankfully down the street from us is a fire station!!!

Local Fires

2006-07-15T07:52:00.000-07:00

I got a phone call from my cousin Rose in Virginia: "Are you ok?" You too may have heard on the news about the merging of two large fires in southern California--Yucca Valley and San Bernardino National Forest. CNN.com has the story with lots of pix and scientific info on wildfires. Besides earthquakes, that's our local natural disaster. Our last big one was in 2003. At that time at night our binoculars gave us a bird's eye view of the licking flames covering the mountains going from left to right over our whole view. Another year before 1997 we could see the scooper planes on TV and then go outside and see them in the sky. The creepiest time we could actually walk to a part in the canyon behind us where you could see flames with the naked eye. Fire that close to us is very unusual. The fires we have now are unfortunately very common.

Anyway we were pretty unaffected this time so far until I went outside to walk this morning and smelled and saw the smoke. Yikes! The haze you see in the pictures is not fog or smog, that's smoke. The ash is very unusual. We've not seen that before with other fires. It's over EVERYTHING. We will have an annoying cleanup when we're done. I shouldn't complain, in comparison to the folks evacuating or losing their homes.

I've read that the Yucca Valley fires have Joshua Trees burning. Those are very special desert succulents that only grow in a few places including that area, Lancaster where we lived when we were first married, and the Middle East ( speaking of another "hot spot").

In the SB Forest, the well known bark beetle infestation killing trees which become giant matchsticks is the big problem. It costs individual landowners $1000 per tree to get one removed. It's not unusual to spend $20,000 as a single homeowner. Then there's all the public land that's not been cleared of infested trees.