Dear Family, Friends, and Diary,
I find us in a slow period. We did have our light station visit a couple of weeks ago, but since then the time has just passed with little to mark the passing. Marianne is staying busy with her mom and her art work and I putter with this "new" website. We don't travel as we would like and even the home chores slow down in our California winter - virtually no yard work, not even watering this year.
We manufactured an event two Sundays ago by picking up Marianne's mom for a sightseeing drive. We didn't have a destination, really, but she appreciates any excursion so much that it makes even a simple drive an occasion.
On the first part of our drive, we drove east, out through the orchards that were starting their annual flower show. Of course this happens every year, but is still surprises me how quickly the stone fruit orchards move from sticks to flowers.
Our other favorite stopping spot in this part of the eastern side of the San Joaquin Valley farmland is Pine Flat Dam. Despite the record amounts of rain lately, only one spillway was running. I guess the water folks are still storing up for summer.
On most days, Marianne is preparing for a new showing of her "Textured Mixed Media" panels. On the March 7 ArtHop her pieces will start a three-month residence hanging on the walls of a very nice local art gallery. My job has only been to take pictures of the four new pieces and update her website. Easy Enough.
My only other photography task has had nothing to do with my cameras. My aunt Helen passed away recently and her family will hold a memorial in April. They asked for any vintage pictures of her and I managed to find a few among the pictures I inherited from my sister.
My sister's 1949 First Communion picture on the right shows my mom and me, Uncle Guy and Aunt Helen, and "Gram" on the right. The kids in front include cousin Thomas, my sister Auda, and cousin Robert. (In this era, I was called "Danny", Thomas was "TV", Auda was "Bimbo" and Robert was "Butch". I think we all abandoned those nicknames as soon as possible!)
Marianne and I look forward to joining the family in Seattle to celebrate the last of that generation of the Seattle Trotters.
That's all I have for our normal Fresno life. Next up is a trip into the Sierra snow.
Stay tuned.
John and Marianne