Sunday at the Long Beach Aquarium...

We are having the most wonderful autumn weather -not too hot, just pleasantly warm, and perfect for adventures, for more "day-trippin". On Sunday we combined a day-trip with a kid-visit. Heather, Jonathan, Sophia and Joshua joined us in Long Beach at the Aquarium. (Sadly, David was home sleeping; his work schedule can be a little brutal.) Larry is still having a ball with his new camera and he got some shots of the area around the aquarium before the kids arrived.

It's always a great time with grand-kids...

Time spent with our kids is a blessing. The aquarium was such a perfect place to get together and enjoy each other. Heather and David have taken them there often; Jonathan and Sophia know there way around the place and know exactly what they want to see and in what order! In another year, Joshua will start to appreciate the sights more - for now he's pretty much along for the "buggy-ride". He was a happy-camper most of our time there Sunday, and Grandma M discovered that he really likes the Bumble Bee game - great for putting a smile back on his face.
By the way - the lorkieet on Larry's back in this picture isn't the one that bit him, but bitten he was ;)

"Scarium at the Aquarium"...

The Aquarium had a weekend of Halloween activities and presentations planned. Sophia took part in a couple of craft projects, taking home a mask and a toilet paper roll octopus. Both kids brought their costumes with them so that Grandpa could get an advance viewing for photos! We think they are the cutest owl and bat we've ever seen. (And that their mom is really clever!) The lorikeets seemed to love the carved pumpkins, and it was fun watching the divers carve other jack-o-lanterns under water.

Aquarium sightings...

A few more shots of the shows and exhibits at the Long Beach Aquarium.

A beautiful Friday in October...

It seems that much of September and October was taken over by "things" - home repairs and preparations for winter, doctor visits, and time spent finalizing revised wills and a new family trust. We'd lost track of our promise to ourselves to get out and just "be" and enjoy the local sights and sounds and smells. On Friday, we made amends, starting with lunch at the Newport Beach Back Bay Bistro, sitting on the patio, sipping a glass of wine with a leisurely meal while watching the boats come and go out of the launch. It was heavenly!

Sightseeing in Fashion Island...

Then we spent a little time wandering through the beautiful, local, open-air mall, Fashion Island. Larry wanted to go back and photograph some pieces of sculpture that he'd seen there, a school of fishes "swimming" in a huge planter, and the marvelous Cirque de Soleil-like bronzes on pillars high in the sky. The koi always get our attention, as do the many dogs that get walked through this puppy-friendly shoppers' mecca. Pots of geraniums spilling up a staircase were so striking, and the bells strung down the side of a building have, no doubt, been there for years, but neither of us had ever noticed them before...

Birdie bath time...

Something about the rain on its way?
We often see one or two birds in our little make-shift bath out the kitchen window. Not often do we see five or six in there at once! Most days if I'm close enough to get a picture they just fly off. Today they seemed so intent on their splashing that they stayed where they were.

Sunday afternoon at the DeeMinter house...

Robin and the kids have had a couple of long weeks with Andrick in the hospital. She originally thought he'd be home on Saturday, but that got changed... So, we decided it was time for us to pick up some deli sandwiches and go share a meal and some time with she, Brandon, Ava and Riley. "Grandma Margaret" had a great time feeding and playing with Riley - the only thing she couldn't manage was to get him to burp! He is such a happy baby! And, Ava is always on the go and now talking a mile a minute. It was a great visit with all of them.

Brothers...

Not much needs to be said but "ahhhhhhhhhh"

More excursions from the Huertas family...

Pumpkin picking and animal petting at Tanaka Farms:

At the Huntington Libary Gardens:

Homecoming...

We are relieved to report that Andrick should be released from UCLA Monday, home with his family after almost two weeks of hospitalization. He has challenges ahead, for sure; dialysis three times a week will become part of his normal routine while waiting for a new donor kidney. But, we know how tough he is, as well as one of the most positive people we have ever known. With his loving family beside him, we know he will come through the days ahead just great!

Maybe we can all get along...

Squirrel came back for another visit to the feeder a couple of days ago. We loved that one of our "regular diners" took his presence in stride and bellied on up to the food bar!

Heather and her kids at the LA County Fair...

Just got these pics from Heather taken when she took Jonathan, Sophia and Joshua to the LA County Fair a couple of weeks ago. They look like they were having a ball!

Autumn's decorative bounty...