Abby
Sage
Sage
Emi
David
Yumi
Jiji
Baba (Murashige)
Mike
Baba (Bearup)
Teru
Mitsu
Saturday, July 28, 2007
Friday, July 27, 2007
Living on through the boards
Been working on the circuit boards this week. These boards go into a Power Source unit. Over the past 1 1/2 yrs, I've done over a thousand, and its neat to know that something I've put together is out there in the world as part of something bigger.
Sunday, July 22, 2007
Boulder Basin
Our first camping trip of the summer. Due to fire restrictions, we couldn't camp at a primitive campsite and have a campfire, so we went to a developed campground. Went to Boulder Basin campground on Black Mtn. and took Emi's friend Mallory along. Kids just love hanging around other kids. 
Abby trying to eat some smoke...
What's camping without roasting marshmallows and smores?
Our morning hike to the Black Mtn. lookout tower...
Many boulders along the way where the kids loved to climb...
Inside the tower, manned in the summer to lookout for forest fires...
A little bed reserved for Smokey...
The kids arm wrestling. Surprisingly, Abby's pretty strong and beat Emi left-handed, and beat Sage both hands...
A rattlesnake we saw on the side of the road...
Enjoying the great outdoors...
The kids enjoyed riding their bikes at somewhere other than up and down our street.
Abby trying to eat some smoke...
What's camping without roasting marshmallows and smores?
Many boulders along the way where the kids loved to climb...
The lookout tower at 7772 feet elevation. 
Another summit on the 100 summit list. #6 for me, and #2 for Emi and Abby.
Inside the tower, manned in the summer to lookout for forest fires...
A little bed reserved for Smokey...
The kids arm wrestling. Surprisingly, Abby's pretty strong and beat Emi left-handed, and beat Sage both hands...
A rattlesnake we saw on the side of the road...
Enjoying the great outdoors...
Los Angeles
We made our once a year trip to LA to see my friend Karen, Lee, and let the kids spend some time with their cousin, Sekai. We started off shopping at the 3rd St. Promenade in Santa Monica...
Later that night, Mitsu took us to a Kwik-E-Mart. One of several 7-11's turned into the convenience store in the Simpsons. As with many things in LA, there was a line... The kids were really stoked, since they watch The Simpsons everyday...
Bart and Millhouse hanging out on the roof...
Marge and the Comic Book Guy...
Homer!
The old man frozen in the freezer...
Mmmm...Homer donuts!
Next morning, went to the Farmers Market in Santa Monica... This is one of the few things I miss about the city...
The kids loved eating fruit samples...its amazing how quickly they can spot them.
An artichoke flower in bloom. What an amazing sight...
Then met my friend Karen at Zuma Beach in Malibu, with her two boys, Trevor and Christopher.
Karen and I have been friends for nearly 30 years. Although the visit was short, I really enjoy seeing her, and is the reason I drive out to LA once a year.
The kids really love the ocean. Usually after visits like this, Sage tells me he wants to live near a beach.
Such a better way to spend your childhood, instead of in front of a TV...
There were some porpois playing around, and got a lucky shot.
Next day had breakfast with Lee and her daughter Aria. I've known her for about 10 years. Aria was born one year and one day after Abby, so its easy to remember her birthday. She's a really cute girl.
Lee and Aria. Lee's one of those people who never changes. It had been a few years since we last saw her. We'll start seeing her too on our future LA visits.
Headed home after Lee's, and went to one of a series of free summer concerts in Idyllwild. Checked out the music of Lisa Haley and the Zydekats. Louisiana cajun music. We saw her last year too, and really enjoyed it.
A laid back family night. A relaxing end to a busy few days.
Later that night, Mitsu took us to a Kwik-E-Mart. One of several 7-11's turned into the convenience store in the Simpsons. As with many things in LA, there was a line... The kids were really stoked, since they watch The Simpsons everyday...
Bart and Millhouse hanging out on the roof...
Marge and the Comic Book Guy...
Homer!
The old man frozen in the freezer...
Mmmm...Homer donuts!
Next morning, went to the Farmers Market in Santa Monica... This is one of the few things I miss about the city...
The kids loved eating fruit samples...its amazing how quickly they can spot them.
An artichoke flower in bloom. What an amazing sight...
Then met my friend Karen at Zuma Beach in Malibu, with her two boys, Trevor and Christopher.
Karen and I have been friends for nearly 30 years. Although the visit was short, I really enjoy seeing her, and is the reason I drive out to LA once a year.
The kids really love the ocean. Usually after visits like this, Sage tells me he wants to live near a beach.
Such a better way to spend your childhood, instead of in front of a TV...
There were some porpois playing around, and got a lucky shot.
Next day had breakfast with Lee and her daughter Aria. I've known her for about 10 years. Aria was born one year and one day after Abby, so its easy to remember her birthday. She's a really cute girl.
Lee and Aria. Lee's one of those people who never changes. It had been a few years since we last saw her. We'll start seeing her too on our future LA visits.
Headed home after Lee's, and went to one of a series of free summer concerts in Idyllwild. Checked out the music of Lisa Haley and the Zydekats. Louisiana cajun music. We saw her last year too, and really enjoyed it.
A laid back family night. A relaxing end to a busy few days.
Sunday, July 15, 2007
Desiderata (latin for "desired things")
(An inspirational poem by Max Ehrmann about attaining happiness in life.)
Go placidly amid the noise and the haste, and remember what peace there may be in silence. As far as possible without surrender be on good terms with all persons.
Speak your truth quietly and clearly; and listen to others, even to the dull and the ignorant, they too have their story. Avoid loud and agressive persons, they are vexations to the spirit.
If you compare yourself to others, you may become vain and bitter; for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself.
Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans. Keep interested in your own career, however humble; it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time.
Exercise caution in your business affairs, for the the world is full of trickery. But let not this blind you to what virtue there is; many persons strive for high ideals, and everywhere life is full of heroism.
Be yourself. Especially do not feign affection. Neither be cynical about love; for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment it is as perennial as the grass. Take kindly the counsel of the years, gracefully surrendering the things of youth.
Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune. But do not distress yourself with dark imaginings. Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness.
Beyond a wholesome discipline, be gentle with yourself. You are a child of the universe, no less than the trees and the stars; you have a right to be here. And whether or not it is clear to you, no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should.
Therefore, be at peace with God, whatever you conceive him to be, and whatever your labours and aspirations in the noisy confusion of life, keep peace in your soul. With all it's sham drudgery and broken dreams; it is still a beautiful world.
Be cheerful. Strive to be happy.
Go placidly amid the noise and the haste, and remember what peace there may be in silence. As far as possible without surrender be on good terms with all persons.
Speak your truth quietly and clearly; and listen to others, even to the dull and the ignorant, they too have their story. Avoid loud and agressive persons, they are vexations to the spirit.
If you compare yourself to others, you may become vain and bitter; for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself.
Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans. Keep interested in your own career, however humble; it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time.
Exercise caution in your business affairs, for the the world is full of trickery. But let not this blind you to what virtue there is; many persons strive for high ideals, and everywhere life is full of heroism.
Be yourself. Especially do not feign affection. Neither be cynical about love; for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment it is as perennial as the grass. Take kindly the counsel of the years, gracefully surrendering the things of youth.
Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune. But do not distress yourself with dark imaginings. Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness.
Beyond a wholesome discipline, be gentle with yourself. You are a child of the universe, no less than the trees and the stars; you have a right to be here. And whether or not it is clear to you, no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should.
Therefore, be at peace with God, whatever you conceive him to be, and whatever your labours and aspirations in the noisy confusion of life, keep peace in your soul. With all it's sham drudgery and broken dreams; it is still a beautiful world.
Be cheerful. Strive to be happy.
Another Summer Day
It has been pretty warm this summer, whenever we get a chance to go to the pool, we jump on the opportunity. We took Emi's friend Mallory, and met up with Sage's friends Ben & Micah. Sage passed his first pool test so he can go into the deep end, he was pretty stoked. All the kids cheered on, "Go, Sage, go!" as he took his test. It was fun and the water felt really nice.
Later that day, we were invited to go along a class from the local art school to go look at pictographs in our area. Here's one located at the county park.
Due to vandalism, this site was fenced off. Some people just ruin it for everybody else.
Some mortar holes...
Emi's friend's dad, Kim Marcus gave an explanation of the pictographs in front of another site. This one, unfortunately had some vandalism on it. He starts off smoking tobacco... and talked about the power at these sites. It's a shame how we are losing a connection to the earth.
Another site located in a residential area, a small path located between the two boulders on the left takes you down...
At the bottom, another pictograph...this one was well preserved and pretty big.
Kim and another Cahuilla Indian sang some indian songs, while Emi and her friend Mallory danced. Its been really neat having Emi participate in some cultural activities since we get to go along and see things we normally couldn't.
Later that day, we were invited to go along a class from the local art school to go look at pictographs in our area. Here's one located at the county park.
Due to vandalism, this site was fenced off. Some people just ruin it for everybody else.
Some mortar holes...
Emi's friend's dad, Kim Marcus gave an explanation of the pictographs in front of another site. This one, unfortunately had some vandalism on it. He starts off smoking tobacco... and talked about the power at these sites. It's a shame how we are losing a connection to the earth.
Another site located in a residential area, a small path located between the two boulders on the left takes you down...
At the bottom, another pictograph...this one was well preserved and pretty big.
Kim and another Cahuilla Indian sang some indian songs, while Emi and her friend Mallory danced. Its been really neat having Emi participate in some cultural activities since we get to go along and see things we normally couldn't.
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