Pumpkin Season

Arch is Back!

Nye and I had three weeks of wonderful time together while Arch was in New York, but we're very happy that he is back. On Saturday Arch returned from working in New York. Nye and some time to do special Mom and Nye things like writing "The Dragon Times" and have had a great time both exploring and entertaining visitors.

Over the Columbus day weekend we had Jill and Ella Fruchter come and spend a few days with us. Jill and her daughter traveled here from Brooklyn. Ella had a lot of fun catching up with here good friend Ivy (who is one of Nye's friends and classmates.) Jill and Ella split their time with Nye and I and the Benningtons (Michaela, Charles, Ivy, and Julian.) It is actually through Jill that we've gotten to know the Benningtons so we're very grateful for the introduction. Nye and Ella had a good time together. And it was wonderful for me to get a chance to catch up with Jill.

We took them down the coast to the Monterrey Bay Aquarium. I think Ella could have spent her whole day at the touch tanks! She had a blast with the hermit crabs. We tried our best to fit the whole of the aquarium in. (As always the jellies are one of my favorite but the seahorses are a treat too!) After a day of that we drove up the coast to visit with some sea lions. I think we even managed to squeeze in a swim and a trip to the hot tub that day. Wow!

This past weekend Nye participated in the school's annual walk-a-thon. He raised $80 in pledges by committing to walk 10 laps or 2 miles. (In the end he walked quite a bit longer than that.) Nye got to the school with me early to help with setting up the face painting booth I had volunteered to help staff. He did stretching with the YMCA leader and then he was off. After 14 lapse he checked in with me to let me know he was going to walk even more. (After 25 laps the kids earned a free popcorn!) Nye stopped by with his free popcorn for a snack break and some refreshments. Then he was off again. Meanwhile, back at the face painting booth, I was kept quite busy! The next thing I knew Nye's name is being announced. He was the first "grand prize winner" having walked 55 laps. (That is 11 miles!!) I'm so proud of him. He did a great job! What a sense of accomplishment for him too. He earned a whole backpack full of great school supplies.

On Saturday evening we were very excited with all the walk-a-thon news and the chance to see Arch again after three and a half week. Good thing his plane was early rather than late!

All the best,

Sara, Nye and Arch

Fall in the Bay Area

A Blog in Three Parts

As fall approaches we're not really sure quite what to expect out here in the Bay Area. This is our first time watching the seasons unfold in California. We've been delighted by all the wonderful natural places to explore. We love the great weather and the friendly people. But fall is a season of change. And with it we enter yet another unknown.

We've been enjoying our drives along Route 1 and the coast. One thing we're looking forward to is going to pick pumpkins. There are a number of farms nearby that sell strawberries and many that have large pumpkin patches. Since so many of those have disappeared back east we're really happy to see that this area still has many. We've stopped at farm stands like the one pictured above to snap pictures and to sample the local produce. So many of the farms overlook the Pacific Ocean which is of course an extra treat.



Paleontology Field Trip

At work I'm continuing to research and planning on the "Lupe" project. This "next big exhibition" at the Children's Discovery Museum has to do with the finding of a fossil mammoth near the San Jose airport.

I'm working with a great team from UC Santa Cruz Developmental Psychology Dept, UC Berkeley Paleontology Museum, and of course CDM. One of the wonderful side benefits of the project has been getting a chance to take field trips to look for fossils. After all how can you create an exhibition about the process of paleontology without experiencing it? We're very lucky to be working with a graduate student at the museum who is both a paleontologist and a geologist. Guess who's car I vote to ride shot gun in.

On this second paleontology trip we hiked and explored in the Diablo Range to the east of San Jose. Traveling along the route we chose was like going backwards in time. We found plant fossils, fossil tracks or traces, a fish bone, and searched unsuccessfully for ammonites. Research in the chaparrals is pretty hot and shade-less (as you can see from the background of the above photo) but it was very fun.


Going Solo

Archy has a bit of work that has taken him back to NY city. He is there for three weeks so I'm taking care of Nye. We're doing our best to have fun while Dad's away. Nye has been coming to work with me after school and working on his homework while I finish up my day. On weekends we've been doing a little exploring. This past Saturday we were luck enough to be able to visit with Matt and Suz in Sausalito. Suz was in San Francisco for work and Matt came out to join her for a weekend of explorations. They went biking in Sonoma during the day. Nye and I went to the Bay Area Discovery Museum and then we rendezvoused for dinner.

Thanks guys for arranging time to visit!

We miss everyone from home so getting this little chances to catch up in person is just wonderful for us.

That's all the news from California. Nye is preparing to be a Ninja Mummy for Halloween. We're getting together the decorations for the apartment. And of course starting to think about the November birthdays.

Wishing everyone the very best!

Sara, Nye and Archil