Walking Across the Brooklyn Bridge

We recently returned from a visit ti NYC. After two days of visiting museums (MOMA and Museum of Natural History), we decided we wanted a day to be outside, so we subwayed down to the Brooklyn Bridge and walked across the bridge and back. I was so looking forward to this! I got my first glimpse of the Statue of Liberty from the bridge. And there were members of the child care worker's union marching to protest possible cutbacks.

A very satisfying morning!

Matilija Creek - Ojai, Easter Hike

Beautiful blue-green water with chartreuse moss in Matilija Creek behind Ojai.

We went hiking on Easter, and finished with dinner at Sea Fresh restaurant--we tried the Tuna On Fire appetizer--pretty good, and very picturesque.

Grandpa Price Memorial Beefsteak Tomato

My Grandfather was a terrific gardener. Whenever we went to visit, we would always leave his house loaded with produce: avocados, cucumbers, melons--and tomatoes, of course. Beefsteak was his favorite, so I plant one every year in his memory.

On one memorable visit, we stayed overnight on our way to camp at King's Canyon in our VW camper van. My Grandpa handed us a huge grocery bag of avocados on our way out the door. That night, my parents slept in the van and I slept outside on a tarp in my sleeping bag. My parents had removed all of the food from the van and put it into the bear-proof storage locker. But they forgot about the sack of avocados. We were all headed for bed and they discovered the bag in the front seat. My dad took it out and put it on the ground a little way away from the van. I somehow managed to throw my tarp and sleeping bag down on the ground (in the dark) about five feet away from the sack of avocados. Sometime during the night, I awoke to the sound of rustling. I could only see a very large blob next to me. After a moment, I suddenly realized it was a bear chowing down on avocados--five feet away from me! I was too scared to move a muscle. I laid there with my heart pounding, hoping the bear would not notice me. And it didn't. As soon as it had eaten its fill, the bear ambled off in search of more food.