The (Live) Oakies Return

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I've been trying to focus my computer efforts on Best Family Adventures: Santa Barbara County. With any luck (and lot of work) this oft-requested companion to Best Family Adventures: San Luis Obispo County will be on bookstore shelves in time for Christmas 2009! Plus, I've been trying to keep up with the Charitable Deeds project. Then there's everyday life. That's just plain busy, and I love it that way.

So, here's a quick scoop on the latest. In addition to trying out new web software (see last post), the kids have been sewing, helping me around the house and garden, and keeping busy with horseback riding lessons, swimming, wrapping up their violin classes for the academic year, and now enjoying free summer movies at the local theater.

When I was a kid, we used to go to kid movies each Wednesday in the summer at the local theater, a classic built on the eve of the United States' entry into World War II. Eating popcorn while sitting in those plush seats, letting my eyes stray from the big screen to the velvet curtains, the muraled walls, the neon tubes inset in curves throughout the ceiling - these are some of my earliest theater memories. Our kids don't have such an artful setting, but their memories of morning popcorn and a big screen movie will certainly be as fond as mine.

The girls are also very helpful researchers, particularly when it comes to field trips. Recently, we visited Quail Springs Permaculture Farm & Learning Oasis just across the Ventura County line. We followed up our peaceful day of learning there with a run through Carrizo Plain National Monument to see family in California Valley, and ended up staying the night so we could better enjoy the company and peace and quiet offered.



This past weekend, we headed to Live Oak Music Festival again, this time with more family and friends than ever on site with us! Grandpa R and his wife came, as did his Baby Sister and HER husband! Another aunt and uncle were also there, as were a dozen or more friends and acquaintances from the old Music-at-the-Meads days. Plus, we managed to camp next to Live Oak friends whose kids are avid fiddlers, so between the company, the music and the birdseed box, the girls were in hog heaven.



I've wrapped up the super long research effort that was Goleta, and have now moved through Lompoc and Guadalupe. Tonight I tackle Los Olivos before venturing into the final work on bigger, more challenging communities and the dreaded "Outlying Areas" bit. EEEEK!

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