These digital images were taken during our family vacation, August 2006. We visit Northern California most years for Rosemary's family reunion, which brings together the four sisters, their parents, and their children-- three generations!
Last Update: 26 Aug 2006

We begin in Santa Cruz, one of our favorite places on earth. Sure, it has the hustle and bustle of the Beach Boardwalk attraction, but that's for later in the day. We took advantage of the time difference and arrived bright and early in the 8AM (Pacific Time) hour for a visit to the beach. Fog and low clouds are common at Santa Cruz during that time of the day... but crowds aren't! And the parking is plentiful, and free!

Kieran is certainly happy about the trip!

Getting his feet wet... and perhaps a bit more than that. The water was a bit cold, but such is the Pacific Ocean.

Whoa! Look at that wave!

Thalia running along the beach... hmm, just noticed that this really is an action shot! Both of her feet are off the ground!

Just watching the tide come in...

In between the Beach and the Bay, there was the Picnic. The entire family was there, including our two, who, er, well, "posed" for the camera...

The park that is usually the site of this annual gathering has some interesting playground equipment!

Honestly, I get dizzy just looking at this thing that Kieran is on...

A nice closeup of our little princess.

And how's this for an action shot? I can't take credit for it... Rosemary's mom hired a family friend to wander and photograph the picnic, and the results were... well, they were this good! (Photo by Christine Kinney, for which many thanks.)

On we go to the Bay... and more importantly, the City by it, San Francisco. It was our first trip there as a family in at least three years, maybe more. Kieran and Thalia ham it up along the shore at Pier 39 1/2. The Red and White Fleet is one of several that will take tourists out on the Bay.

A key destination this day was the Exploratorium, a very hands-on science museum that includes a huge number of small exhibits that lead to learning. Here's Kieran with one of them, ostensibly a way to show the creation of waves using a belt, sand, and a cone attached to a pendulum. But Kieran modified the experiment somewhat...

Also in the Exploratorium: If you double the length and width of the standard dining room chair on the right, you get one that is four times the surface area and weighs eight times as much-- also known as a Big Chair, right, Thalia?

And of course, a trip to the City by the Bay would not be complete without a ride on the cable car. This was the first for Thalia, and she squealed with delight! And of course, a first ride on the cable car would not be complete without a picture!

And in an historic echo of the photo on the left, taken when Kieran was not quite three and on his first cable car ride, here he is just a bit more than seven years later. And that wraps it up for this page, see you next time!