Orchids at the Botanical Garden

It's impossible to know when to stop taking pictures of the orchids at the 10th National Exposition at the Botanical Garden. Makes me wish I had a green thumb.

Camilo's 10th Birthday

Camilo Celebrated his 10th birthday at his great aunt Mariela's house. Eight-month old Santiago was getting alot of attention. He looks more and more like his father, Guillermo Suarez.

Los Gatos

On Memorial Day, we went to Los Gatos, sharing the park with boaters, bikers, other hikers, a tiny locamotive and the water birds.

Then we went downtown for lunch and a look around.

Marin County

Dagmar Zakim (previously Stanke) contacted me through Facebook and picked me up in her convertible. We had a quiet evening with her husband and daughter in their lovely house above Mill Valley in Marin County. We talked non-stop. The next day we visited a large farmer's market in San Rafael, crossed the Golden Gate Bridge and she dropped me in the city to make my way back to San Jose.

Brunch in Albany

After putting together a wonderful and healthy pot luch brunch, the men checked out the new ipad. The women had other topics of conversation. Then David left for a gathering and Lizzette and Andres took Jaime over to the UC campus.

Last stop in Redwood City

The neighborhood where David lives has some wonderful old trees. His Peruvian landlady, Maria Teresa, is warm hearted but talkative.

Second stop in San Jose

Andres says the building is half sold. You can see why.

Craftspeople

In Corvallis there is a skillfull dollmaker who is making Karen a doll using Karen's fabrics.

In Albany there is a group of people working to reconstruct and house a museum and a functioning merry-go-round that will have over 100 kritters. The labor is volunteer.

Trip to Sisters

One a relatively nice day, Karen took us up into the Eastern Cascades and over to Sisters, where we had lunch and checked out the shops.

University Neighborhood

The neighborhood is changing as denser student housing units replace small old houses. The dogwoods on the OSU campus took my breath away.

Karen's class

After the nice weather in Marrowstone, a late winter front moved in, catching us in Corvallis. Karen taught a group of students to use their stencils to make scarves and other pieces in her basement while the rest of us read and helped in the kitchen or worked on laptops. Robin unpacked from Whitman.

Working hard

I wasn't as lazy as this looks, but nobody took pictures of me washing dishes or weeding.

Marrowstone scenes

Marrowstone Island and Nordland continue to offer a variety of rural and marine views with the added pleasures of spring flowers