Near the tracks

Yesterday we checked the zoo geocache we maintain. Here we are
looking at a track signal on our way back to the car. -Gerrit

Blackberry picking

Getting some blackberries from the wild bushes down the street a few
days ago. The ripe berries were all too high, so the boys chose to
play in the creek instead of actually helping. Made the jam last
night. -Gerrit

max on the sailboat

Max likes the sailboat, but was pretty much done with the trip at this point. He wasn't interested in handling the tiller.

We spent a couple of days at the beach house. When we returned home on Monday, the boys were very happy to be home (we went right to the beach house from camping, and they were pretty worn out). We've had a few slow days at the house, but things get busy for the next two weeks: tomorrow over to Harry and Lucy's in the afternoon, then to the beach house for the boys, and Sarah and I will do some hiking on Mount Rainier. Tuesday next week we take the train down to the "farm", Sarah's parent's place east of Eugene. Then back home, couchsurfers after the weekend, Leslie arrives, then back to the "farm". Busy, busy, busy. -Gerrit

Henry at the helm

Henry has taken a greater interest in sailing. Here is is at the helm. We sailed from the beach house to the marina (for candy) and back. Easy sailing there (the wind behind us the whole way, as always). Coming back was a bit harder, as we tack the whole way. Henry had trouble keeping the sail from luffing, and he was glad to take a break while I rowed us under the bridge (that segment is too narrow to be much fun to sail, and the tide was high enough that I had to lower the mast to get under the bridge anyway). Here is Henry with the sail back up, taking us back to the beach house (winery museum seen behind him). -Gerrit

roasting a marshmallow

Some marshmallow roasting back at camp. -Gerrit

max swimming

Henry is wading in Hood Canal, and Max is swimming. The water is very, very warm, and nice an shallow. There is a kind of sea plant like grass that is very nice to walk on.

Cooling off

When it was near 100 degrees last week, we were off camping at Belfair State Park. We stayed a night with my friend Seth and his two kids Achem (5) and Gabriel (1). Here is Max playing in the creek.