Green flash

Jack on skim board:  John's photo

Rob and Jess: Jake's photo

Josh with sand tool

     Four houses full of the family gathered in Manzanita this summer, as we did in 2013.  Paul and

Bridget, Lucy, Vonnie

Tina and the boys had their base camp in a house high in the trees. Rose and John and their family filled 3-story Hallie House. Cole and Bianca rented a sweet place close to town with Vonnie and Ernie, and Judy and I  settled into a beachfront house with a spectacular view. Judy and Mutt Leigh held court from the couch

Hikers

while our loved ones flowed in and out.

John introduces sea creature: Jake's photo

    I asked each of the boys to come by early in the morning to have hot chocolate while I drank my coffee.  They were  sweet
times for me, one-on-one with my grandsons.
     John brought Judy a cinnamon roll from the bakery every morning.  He led the group to the tide pools, which this year had few star fish but many sea anemones.  He organized a hike up Neahkhanie Mountain, and games of petanque.  He and Josh

Ernie and Judy with walkie-talkie

created the most complicated sand drawing yet.  The little girls and Sam built a fairy village on the beach, and Jack learned to ride a skim board.  Judy and Ernie surveyed the action and kept up with breaking events by walkie-talkie with Bridget down by the water.

Lucy and sea anemones: Jake's photo

     Rose and I took short forays into town, congratulating ourselves on getting the family to Manzanita one more time. Gathering in Manzanita one year and Rehoboth the next seems like a great pattern to us.  We also reassured

each other that we were  not trying  to micromanage anything.

Charlie and Mutt Leigh

     Mutt Leigh spent the week being petted and walked. Charlie cuddled her constantly, and Jake declared that she is "a teddy bear of a dog." Lucy and Jamie would appear at our door and ask to walk Mutt Leigh.  One evening while the sun set, the crab eaters
crowded our picnic table while all the kids were in the hot tub.  When the kids emerged from the tub they streamed down the dunes to the beach, taking Mutt Leigh and Rob's dog Gracie with them.  Then they climbed back up the dunes to gather around the fire pit and roast marshmallows for S'mores.  Jack took great care in toasting a perfect marshmallow for Judy.

Judy enjoying life

Happy with Paul

     That evening while the sun was going down, John alerted us that the absence of any clouds might make it possible to see the green flash.  I have heard about the green flash ever since the first time I stayed in Manzanita, but I never really thought I would catch it.  We all stood looking out the windows.  Sure enough, the moment the sun went down below the horizon, it turned into a bright green orb for about one second. I saw it!  Judy saw it!
        What a fine time of happiness and contentment.