Ruby's phirst photo?

We were returning from our bike ride and Ruby seems to love her helmet.














I let Ruby have a little close time with my iphone while it was in camera mode and this is what she snapped! Cute pheet.














I'm not that delusional to think it was more than random, but hey, some of my random shots have been amongst my favs.

Yard Sales Can Have the Best Stuff

Yeah, that's where I tend to get many of my things, and yes, that means Ruby's things too...
She LOVES some of her toys more than others like this musical walker - $3 from my new acquaintances around the corner - she enjoys A LOT. When it is on, she dances, rockin' up and down...it's SO cute. I hope her spirit for music stays with her. Knowing her parents, that's probably likely...

From Sequoia With Love

So I'm back from the land of the Big Trees, the land of blooming dogwoods and haphazard weather. Was your weekend rained out too? I started hiking Friday, the South Fork of Sequoia National Park and it was beautiful. The plants were lush and green (as was the poison oak!); the dogwoods in full bloom contrasting against the deep reds of the trees; overcast so as to have no shadows (great for photos!) but, but, these same clouds
brought first rain, then snow, wet, gropplely snow. It comes
down like a flake, but its all wet and soon so was I. I was prepared, but then it got very cold. The next morning, my soggy boots and soon to be immersed socks were not welcome participants to my adventure.

The cold and swollen rivers (I'd had two crossings planned) help make up my mind for me to bail and go back to Tres Rios to visit with friends. A great plan B. Sunday evening was a potluck feast with many great friends. Though it was raining still, our Sunday night drumming still went on as it always has for the last 16 years.

I also got to chat it up with happy new parents Savy & Danny Boiano, whose new baby girl, Ella Ruby Boiano is doing well. I was very excited that they chose same middle name as my girl Ruby. I guess that she does make an impression.

On the way home, I discovered that I had a stow away: a beautiful and amazingly tame blue-belly lizard. This guy wasn't skittish, didn't drop the tail when grabbed and stayed calmly on my shirt while I was busy on my last errand leaving the Visalia area. Its been reintroduced to the Santa Cruz area (there are already blue-bellys here, so I'm not introducing a non-native y'all) and will eat up lots of garden bugs (I hope).

A Visit After Work

Yep, it looks like Rubester is already learning to walk! The two photos are documenting her longest distance yet - about four steps, or about 10 inches in distance. Funny, she does it better when she's distracted...

I'm trying to visit with her as much as I can before the long weekend. Last weekend took me to a Crystal Cave Trustee meeting at the cave. Little did I realize until just setting out that access wasn't going to happen. It seems that some dynamite from the 1930's was still in the cave (it was set, but didn't detonate! ) and it was discovered just a day before! That was unexpected. With me going back for my own explorations, and Ruby and her Mommy going away for the long weekend, I'll be missing her again. She's growing and developing more and more; each time I get to she's got something new to share. She's become great at sharing; she sometimes crawls right over when I signal that I'd like to see her; she's determined and at times this really shows on her face! And I already mentioned that she's walking! Look out world! here comes Ruby!!

Returning to the Mountains

The Sierra Nevada is my home. I've spent a lot of time since I was a kid in the 70's exploring them and I miss being there greatly. I'm looking forward to what free time I have so that I can return to continue my relationship with this grand place. This coming Memorial Day weekend is allowing me such an opportunity! Whoppie!! I'll be searching for the King Arthur tree, number 10 (I'm not counting the Washington tree anymore - Sorry! it burned up, get over it!) in the count of most massive trees on the planet. I'm just happy to soon be hiking in the mountains again.

Ruby Loves her kitty, Mancha

Ruby has two feline friends when she visits me. They've taken her presence with a good degree of patience. The key baby signing words are "gentle, gentle..." as she does have a strong grip. She hasn't realized yet how these cat expect to be catered to, pursued or lured in order to play with them, but she's learning...

The Many Faces of Ruby

As some of you may already know, I moved here to Santa Cruz to be near my daughter, Ruby. She's about 10 months old now and is doing extremely well. She sometimes seems like an old soul, especially when you see how she experiences things. Here she is with her Grandpa Richie to show what I mean.

Hello

Welcome to my blog page. I've been wanting to do this for quite some time and am finally getting it together. I hope to share my goings-on here in Santa Cruz, catch you up a bit about my life before coming here, and my views and hopes of and for the world. I hope to hear from you!