Summer Moments

We had dinner with friends one evening, and Michael brought dragon fruit for dessert. (Could there be a more extravagant offering?)

The little Steiff monkey with the calm brown eyes was Monte's as a child. We'd placed a basket filled with old puppet friends in the living room for a little girl guest to play with, but Monkey is the only one that made it to the table.

And also above you see what may well be the world's loneliest lemonade stand. The two boys, Cannon and Austin, had set up business in a roadside field at the west end of the Ranch, near the turnoff to Bulito beach. Occasionally a car came by with a curious, friendly driver, but very few folks bring money to the beach. Sales were pretty slow, and the sun was getting low in the sky, but the boys remained optimistic.

Donna at sea...she's one of my dearest friends, and she came here with Mike for a weekend visit.

And then you see Mike and Donna together, in classic beach postures...the holding of a hat against the breeze, the pondering of some seashore treasure.

There has also been a birthday cake, a glimpse of deer, coyote, and garter snake, the trundling of a rock or two, a climb up to the sandstone pools, a walk to our neighbor Jeanne's house, and a rare, luxurious midday nap.

In the night, there were bright stars and strong winds...

…and in the wee hours of Monday morning, quite a stir on Mars.