Rainbow Bridge

Dance (or Attack) of the Happy Octopuses (or Octopi)

Olivia draws an underwater scene of cephalopodian celebration. But are their intentions benign or... rotten!

What's Big and Black and Has a Lot of Legs?

It was morning at our cabin at the Lodge at Big Sur. Olivia woke up and went to the bath room to go potty. A few moments later she called out, "Hey Daddy, what is big and black and has lots of legs?"

"I don't know, what is big and black and has lots of legs?" I responded.

"Well I don't know either but it is climbing in the shower." she calmly informed me through the closed door!




Big Sur spider under glass.

World's Shortest Croquet Field

The Blue Galoon

3 year old Olivia's preferred pronunciation of "The Blue Lagoon." Iceland 2008

Watermelon

The girls pose with a watermelon from our garden. It was delicious!

Caged in a Beaver Catcher!

In order to catch the Ground Hog that was helping itself to our vegetable garden Olivia and I set a "Beaver Catcher" as she called it, and it worked! This critter now lives very far away from us. The previous night I caught a skunk in the trap! Luckily for me he was very cooperative and didn't spray me as I put the cage in my truck, drove him to a park and let him out.

Olivia and a pony see eye to eye.

Olivia and a pony see eye to eye.

That Darn Duck!

Tjörnin, the city pond in Reykjavik is home to a lot of waterfowl and Olivia wanted to feed them all! She got a little too comfortable with one big gray goose though and he bit her finger while eating out of her hand. "That darn duck bit me!" she wailed.

Olivia with Mama and "Dada"

Olivia and Joana check out some Dada puppets from 1918 created by Dada artist Sophie Taeuber at the National Gallery of Art East Wing in DC. I liked these a lot.

I Have Confidence In Me!

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Olivia knew she wanted to be Maria von Trapp from The Sound of Music for a long time before Halloween and she had a blast in her costume. Joana made everything but the guitar case which was my handywork.

Like Father, Like Son

40 Years after my dad used to hike with me on his back I was doing the same thing with Olivia. Now she can hike on her own and it's Emily's turn to ride next! Photos by my mom, and Joana (notice how a mother frames a shot! :-)

Making Muffins

Olivia on the dunes

Me and the girls at Gulfoss

Joana snaps one of me and the girls during the last gasp of magic hour (which can last a really long time in Iceland.)

Here Comes Momma, Lock the Gate!

Communing with the Grove

Olivia gets in the groove with a grove of Lace Leaf Japanese Maple Trees. Harkness Memorial State Park, Waterford, CT 2008

Picking Tomatoes

Our resident tomato picker is always anxious to pick.

Katy Trail

Exploring an old railroad bridge along the Katy Trail bikeway we encountered the fastest lizard in the world who disappeared under the bridge. We looked and waited but never saw anything more than the initial streak of him running for cover.

Olivia's 1st Birthday