HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ALDEN!!

Hope you have a wonderful day full of fun and surprises!!  We're thinking of you on your special day.  Love from Elli, Ken, Rachael, Emily and Chai XO

HAPPY BIRTHDAY JULES!!!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU,
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU,

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DEAR JULIE.....

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU!!!!


Have a great day - with love from all the Blackwells  XOXO

Sea Lawn Summer 2011

On the second try and with a bit of patience I got the picture I wanted on the blog.  This illustrates how the shore house got its name.  I gather from Mom that it was named after the 1938 Hurricane.  This scene has been repated a number of times as evidence from sea weed in the side yard attests.  However, this is the first picture I have seen of the water actually on the lawn.  We've never been there with the water this high.  It was taken by Wendy Bourget from their upstairs window at the height of Irene.  I am glad we were with Jenny.

We're having a very quiet day as Mom had surgery on her leg yesterday and is to keep it elevated as much as possible for 48 + hours.  It is snowing and I may build a fire and read later this afternoon.  I seem caught up on most things but have a busy time ahead so want to do all I can to get this cold out of the chest.

We've had a quiet time since we got back from a wonderful time at the Coburns.  We did attend a Takacs Quartet concert Monday night that was very nice.  They played a Benjamin Britten piece we both liked and a piece by an Australian 50 year old composer that was a variation on a theme.  The First Violinist in introducing the piece said if you plan to follow the variations, good luck, and he was right but it had some interesing patterns of loud and soft and speed.  He said they would be playing it on their Australian tour this summer and were leaving for their European tour the next day.  The final piece was a very relaxing Debussy  Quartet.

We were pleased to hear from Elli how nice Chris's service was.  I am glad that memory will be a good one and that it all went well.  Tragedies come in so many ways and we all respond giving them meaning as we can.  They shock us from our routines and provide a greater intensity to the good times we can share. I am glad he was a part of our lives and will think of him often.  Love to all, Dad.

Sea Lawn and Irene 2011

Christmas Season, DF Viewpoint

Way back in December, we went to get a tree,...

we had to repair some leaky pipes on Christmas Eve,

but, the stockings were still hung by the chimney with care (so that the toes didn't get singed).

Sandee was spectacular at choosing gifts when it was her turn.

Duke devoured the roast beef drippings and headed down the path to severe pancreas inflammation (bad owner!).

The kids went out, the parents stayed home and bananagrammed. Happy New Year!

Joanie visited and fell into the rhythms of DF days.

Somewhere in all this Matt had his wisdom teeth out; Sarah ran in track meets, applied to colleges, and recorded music; Julie taught and fought sinus infections; Drew tirelessly networked, tweaked the budget, and managed new phones for the kids. It was a wonderful family time and I will miss it as I head into January. Who knows what lies ahead?! More adventures on the way,....May your path be well-lit, sprinkled with magical details, and fulfilling. Welcome, 2012!

And a Happy New Year...

Thanks for the great post on the New York Christmas! I almost feel like I was there! We had a  magical Christmas full of fairies, princesses and Lego- it's a pretty great time of time of year to be 8 or almost 4!

Right after the big day, we jetted off to another magical place- Hollister Ranch. Just north of Santa Barbara,  it's a working cattle ranch with a tightly controlled homeowners' association geared towards preservation and limiting development. 

Sue and Christopher's house in the middle

Pacific Sunset

Sue and Christopher's house is a mile up from the beach and it's in a wooded glen that looks like Hobbits might be their neighbors. It's a really comfortable and low-key place that was sold to them by a carpenter/ surfer who lived there for 40 years and just retired to Kauai.

Lots of beach play was the order of the week

Stand-up-paddle-boarding was a big activity

The Channel Islands

We also took a day for a whale- watching cruise around the Channel Islands and saw some magnificent displays of migrating Gray Whales, Dolphins and Sea Lions.

Beach Love

A wall of glass

 I didn't know until I got there and I emailed Spike, but another of the primary motivations of the people running the ranch is to preserve an exceptionally private and high-quality surfing experience. As he put it, it was truly "pearls before swine" in our case. While I lament being such a spaz on a surfboard, I did manage to get up and ride by myself and the whole family got a lot of time appreciating the waves and the beach life.  We had tons of great family time and celebrations of Jerry's 80th. It was full-on cousin mayhem, with all 9 of them on Kate's side gathered together. A great way to start the new year, and something to look forward to getting back to! 

Best wishes to all in 2012!