Camping at Leo Carrillo

Leo Carrillo State Beach was our home for the weekend as we took our 150 sq. ft. tent out for another adventure. Leo Carrillo is located a few miles north of Malibu off the Pacific Coast Highway. Yes, Southern California living can be grand. Pete and Jesica who were married on March 17th came out for the weekend and joined us. We spent our time playing on the beach, playing cornhole (think adult bean bag toss) and eating.



Before we left the Pacific we grabbed and early lunch at Neptune's Net in Ventura County.  Here you can enjoy fresh seafood fried and/or steamed to order.  Yummy!

Pigtails

Yep, the hair is finally long enough for pigtails. We have her loving Cecelia and Tia at her daycare to thank for the hairdos, because that’s not really my thing.

My Cute Bunny

On the Thursday before Easter, Tatum came home from daycare looking like a bunny:

Easter weekend was celebrated at the LA Arboretum’s Beatrice Potter in the Park celebration. On Saturday we flashed our membership cards and went into the festivities to enjoy Easter egg hunts, story telling, and a farm petting area where newly born chicks and bunnies were there to touch and love.
Tatum LOVED the egg hunt. Kids were given a basket and then let out on the lawn where hundreds of eggs laid around. Toddlers are wired to put things in baskets and carry them around; and I realized this as I observed her ease and enthusiasm during the hunt.

another reason to love LA

Griffith Park is the largest urban park in the country. I have the great fortune to work in a part of the park as the Urban Forestry Manager for the LA Conservation Corps where I oversee operations at a shade tree nursery. The park is also home to tons of hiking trails, the LA Zoo, Travel Town exhibiting old trains that can be explored, parks, pony rides and yes this grand wonderful Carousel. Truth be told, Tatum was not a big fan of the ride because of its speed and intensity of going up and down. Nevertheless, in momma’s arm she held on and enjoyed what she could while saying “out, out” and “bye bye”.

Carson's Baptism

The below excerpt taken from Rachel Carson’s book The Sense of Wonder:

If I had influence with the good fairy who is supposed to be preside over the christening of all children I should ask that her gift to each child in the world be a sense of wonder so indestructible that it would last throughout life, as an unfailing antidote against the boredom and disenchantments of later years, the sterile preoccupation with things artificial, the alienation from the sources of our strength.

As the daughter of a Buddhist, Tatum has not had the blessing of a christening. Yet on this day, after reading Carson’s words the night before, Tatum and I came upon the displayed baptism artifact of the native peoples located today at the LA Arboretum. With the blessing of the recent rains, the baptism bowl was full, and Tatum chose to baptize herself by putting water from the bowl on her head. And in my life, Rachel Carson has great influence, and I am sure that at this moment the good fairy gave Tatum the gift of indestructible wonder.