Amy and I tramped up and down trails all over Garland Ranch today. Joanne had to stay home and spin straw into gold lame' or somethin'. We weren't going to hang around, though. It was too good a day outside. Our objective was to return to Mesa Pond way up in the hills. We've been there twice before, both times having taken a fairly direct route. I thought that this time we should approach it from a different direction. Let's say that we achieved mixed results. We did get to sit beside a lovely puddle of water called Fern Pond that was just about at the half way point to our goal. It was at the juncture of two trails that came together at an oblique angle. The pond was absolutely still and was reflecting the oak trees and undergrowth with the strong luminescence of late afternoon light. We were sitting in half shade and quiet. There is something a little odd about reflections, don't you think? I mean that Gumby guy jumping through mirrors is all the proof you need. And this spot at Fern Pond was giving us chills. The scene before us, or rather below us, was beautifully ethereal luring you to dive right in and explore that recognizable yet strangely unknown world. Then .... all of a sudden a golden retriever and a .. well ... some other kind of dog came joggin' along and dove right in. They didn't end up in a strange, intangible, canine wonderland, it seemed. But maybe to them it was. Anyway the water was only a foot and a half deep. The pups refreshed themselves while Amy and I chatted with their human. Then we got off of our duffs and proceeded onward and upward, trudging to our goal.

I didn't pay much attention to the topo lines on the tiny trail map we were using when I picked our route. It wasn't until we were well committed to this more circuitous path that we found ourselves on much steeper and much longer grades than we'd hiked up during previous trips. The moment that we fully realized how steep and how long our journey had been so far was when we came around a sharp bend in the trail that suddenly afforded us a view down into Mesa Pond. Way down. Fifteen minutes later we were finally sitting on a wooden bench together looking out across the pond water toward a small reed island.

This pond, about the length and breadth of half a football field, is bordered on a third of its circumference by oak trees and rushes. The water was calm and Amy was mildly disturbing its surface by lobbing small stones through it so that she could watch the concentric waves move out across the water. Suddenly there was a loud plop and splash about five feet out from the shore where Amy was standing. I asked her if she'd done that. No. Then at that moment a vocalization came from over the other side of the pond that in its suddenness sounded like the bitterly breathed huffing complaint of a Hereford steer on an Illinois winter morning. Of course me being a "seasoned" naturalist I knew that that wasn't what it was. Then it stopped abruptly and as soon as it did it was answered by a lower pitched bellow coming from the clump of reeds in the middle of the pond. Then another began close to that one with a ga-rump, ga-rump counterpoint. A new one began to our left and then another to our far right. We had arrived just in time for the Mesa Pond bullfrog chorus. Amy started giggling and just about couldn't stop. Ga-rump, giggle, ga-rump, giggle. It was quite a show. After a couple of minutes they silenced and all you could here was a faint snickering. We sat there for a while before one last foghorn croak blurted out as if to signal that it was time to leave. Don't bump your butts hoppin' down the trail, it croaked. So we left.

We recently gathered together with about a half-dozen folks that James is acquainted with through the Abbeyweb email list, though he had only met one of them before in person. So it was fun for him to put faces and voices together with email personas and to hear folks expand and expound about their interests and doings. We ate potluck, enjoyed some gourmet beer and locally bottled wine, and sat talking for hours out under the waning moon and bright stars. All of us enjoyed stories and antics galore before heading off to bed. The three of us were specially accommodated by the use of a brand new tent that our host had just purchased. It was very comfortable.

In the morning Amy and James got up together to watch the sun rise as it lit up the hills out west that terminate about fifteen miles away at the coast. The fog had filled in the valleys during the night leaving little "islands" poking out above. It was very beautiful, to say the least. Our host took us on a guided tour of a hillside trail before we gathered again with the rest of the group for breakfast. After a long leisurely chat with the lingerers we headed home in the heat (about 95º). We'll be going back there soon.

We had visitors from afar in June. A week's worth of leisure was enjoyed by us all when James' mom and sister flew out from Northern Illinois. But that wasn't all. Our son Ryan was here for the week too, with our nearly year old grandson, Nathan. We did a lot of eating and walking and talking. It was sad for us to see everyone go at the week's end, but we are still enjoying the memories that they left behind.

Amy, Joanne and James went on holiday for a day in San Francisco. It had been months since the three of us went sight seeing together. We spent time at the city zoo, walking in Golden Gate Park, gawking at North Beach and dining with a friend at a small neighborhood eatery. We had a great time.

Jena's due date came and went, but not without some indications that the baby is about to arrive. We're all at the ready, have our bags packed and are expecting to get the call any minute now.

After several years Joanne is once again creating costumes for the Monterey Bay Aquarium. She recently met with Aquarium folks to consult about a new sea otter costume for use in their youth education programs. About ten years ago Joanne made an otter costume, as well as other items, that turned up once in local TV commercial. We guess that old otter has become well worn and is ready to be retired. A new one is in the designing process and should be delivered by the beginning of June.

James' mom and sister are flying out from Illinois in June to stay a week. It's strongly rumored that other visitors from afar will be making an appearance.

In late February Jena was given a shower for babes at a friend's home in Carmel Valley. It was a beautiful, sunny day at a lavishly adorned home with stonework and fountains and works of art. Jena and another friend of hers, who is also expecting, shared together the honers of being celebrated. The father to be was also at Jena's side.

Our daughter, Jena, and her partner, Terry, announced to us in the fall of 2004 that they are expecting a baby. Jena's pregnancy has been proceeding well and she and Terry now know that a little girl will soon be a part of their new family. The name they have chosen is Violet Amber. Very colorful!

In late November of '04 James traveled by rail to Eugene, Oregon from Salinas, California to visit Aaron at his cabin in the woods. The object of the trip was to pool their meager talents together and finish a plumbing project deep in the cabin's bowels. After a few fun trips to the building supply store and some not-so-fun ones under the cabin they were able to complete their mission. James' train trip was fun too.

Around Thanksgiving of '04 Joanne was thankful to purchase a new serger sewing machine. It is a Pfaff five thread cover stitch serger that does wonderful and amazing things in the hands of a masterful sewer. This gizmo replaces an older four thread stitcher that was running out of steam. Now all Joanne needs in order to complete her textile workhouse is a heavy duty machine that can sew its way through the heaviest fabrics. Then she'll be ready to take on any task.

Aaron has a new partner. He met Nicole in a Laundromat in Eugene while getting ready for his drive to Seattle during The Grandbaby Trip. Weeks later the two of them got together again and haven't been too far apart since. Nicole is continuing her education. Aaron currently works as a truck driver, delivering metal stock to construction sites.

Joanne, James, Jena and Amelia packed themselves into James' taxi cab and headed for The Great Northwest, a journey we called The Grandbaby Trip. We arrived in Eugene at the beginning of our week long journey to spend a couple of days visiting our oldest son, Aaron. Midweek we packed up again and headed toward Seattle to visit Ashly, Ryan and newly born Nathan, who was only one month old. Ashly and Ryan were wonderful hosts and escorted us, and Aaron who came up later, around their beautiful city.

A healthy baby boy was born to Ashly and Ryan on July 16th of 2004. The three of them live in the Seattle area.

Ryan and Ashly were married at the home of Father Charlie Moore in Pacific Grove. Father Charlie officiated the wedding which was attended by friends of Ryan and Ashly and by Ryan's parents and sisters.

Jena and her partner, Terry Gray, have established a home together in Pacific Grove. Terry, who is originally from Oregon, works as assistant to sculptor Richard McDonald.

Actually James' journey began on December 30th of 2003. He arrived in Sycamore in time to accompany his father to Saint Anthony's hospital in Rockford. James's father, Joseph, had successful surgery to treat lung cancer performed on New Years Eve. What a way to party! James spent the next week tending to his father and visiting with family and friends.