A backward glance at a summer gone by now

Eden was home for two weeks before getting organized for and heading off to Uganda for summer research. We went to the "Hidden Treasures" of Afghanistan exhibit--a really fascinating and beautiful exhibit.

On the mall

Visiting with Kevin and Amy at their house

Jessica returned from a year in Asia and Africa--amazing!--just in time to play the last game or two with her long-standing community soccer team and to play in the all-star tournament. They were the champions! She scored both goals of the winning game. (Jessica is front row, second from right)

Saying good-bye to BRYC (Braddock Road Youth Club) Soccer

As soon as school was out, Steve and I headed to California, first to San Diego where he was helping out Harbor Presbyterian Church, a multi-congregational, church there. Here I am at Point Loma at sunset.

Here are the Phelans, the young pastor's family we stayed with.

We stopped briefly at San Juan Capistrano of Song of the Swallows fame (a beloved children's book by Leo Politti who visited Steve's elementary school.)


I left out pictures of San Diego Zoo and many other beach shots. We headed north in a rented cruiser convertible to enjoy as much of California as possible between San Diego and San Francisco. After a few days in Bakersfield, we headed west across one of the most beautiful roads in America, Santa Rosa Creek Road, on the way to Cambria for a night at a B & B.

The B & B, looking out on a cool and misty coastline typical for central California any time of year. The hot tub felt wonderful though :).

There's a most amazing reserve area just north of Cambria for elephant seals which use this stretch of beach as their rookery (http://www.elephantseal.org/). There is a long boardwalk from which to observe the elephant seals on the beach and in the ocean. These animals are like huge, living blimps! Very fascinating to watch. Below is just one example. Interesting facts: They grow to be 14-16 feet long and weigh between 1.5 and 3 TONS! They dive very deep in the ocean for food, as deep as 5000 feet, but usually more like 1000 feet. This is VERY tiring (as you might imagine for mammals) so they require long periods of rest, which is what they are doing on the beach. What will God think of next!!??

Reflecting on elephant seals...

It was not to be for us to take Highway One from Cambria up to Santa Cruz because the forest fires had closed the scenic drive, so sadly we trekked back up I-5.

And now on to Santa Cruz where we stayed one night with a friend and colleague of Steve's within view of this beautiful beach.

And the pier of many amusements at Santa Cruz which I guess is famous, although not to this Midwestern girl until now

On to San Fran. . . where Steve was visiting another PCA church in Berkeley and giving a lecture on a weeknight "summer salon."

Yes, we did bike across the Golden Gate Bridge which include a number of miles biking before and after it with many ups and a few downs on a blustery day.

Here's proof that I did it. This picture was taken shortly before I almost caused a major bike accident with about 25 other cyclists who were all going about 40 miles an hour.
Maybe the best part of the trip--returning on the ferry from Sausalito with breathtaking views of the city and Alcatraz. However, there was tension because it had taken longer than we thought, and we didn't know if we would make it to Berkeley on time. This was in large part because I am not a confident bicyclist, one of Steve's greatest burdens to bear about his wife.

The best chocolate...or so he thought for many years

Seriously, we didn't eat all of it. We got take home bags.

With most of one day, we made the most of our convertible by driving through a little of wine country.


We did come home from that trip in time to welcome Elliott who was coming home from his year in India and Africa to do a six week clinical rotation at National Zoo. Here is only one of many many very interesting things he did--annual physicals for the large apes.

Thanks to Covenant Seminary who invited Steve to participate in a pastors' conference in Jackson, Wyoming and said I could come too. Steve headed out on a Monday, and after attending University of VA orientation with Jessica, I headed out on a Tuesday evening to a place we'd never been before. What a treat! God willing, we want to go back!

The majestic Tetons

Mary's Lake

After being home for several welcome weeks, we made our traditional trek out to Chincoteague Island for a week of sun, scrabble, beach, books, crabs, shrimp, and fresh cantaloupe and corn. Thank you, Ray and BJ :). Here is the view from their upper deck.

Morning bike ride (I'm better in the wilderness) to the beach

A late July trip to Pittsburgh to see Grammy and meet Aunt Kathy there was special. Here is Grammy reading from Caleb's (my nephew and sister Kathy's son) campaign brochure for Jefferson County District Attorney. Sorry for the false start. I tried to edit that out, but I didn't succeed.

That same weekend my niece, Kara, my sister Esther's daughter, had her 4th baby and first son in Beaver Falls. So it was special to get to visit her in the hospital on the very day of Peter's birth. Here is the happy (and surprised to have a boy) family. From left to right: Esther, Jenna, Peter, Kara, Cailynn, and Nate Hartman

There's a little more of summer left, so stay tuned for that in my next entry.