Sierra Nevada World Music Festival June 17th-19th, 2011

We left cool Santa Cruz with Joe and Zen in our Suburu for the four hour drive to BOONVILLE, California, in Mendocino County~for MUSIC!!! We warmed up (with the weather) as we got closer to the festival site~June 19th-21st. Vineyards look so beautiful~ohhh California~

And seeing bales of hay always makes me feel....good~

our lovely, trusty ol' '94 Subaru, made it with our huge load

and when we were finally parked, everyone jumps out to set up their camps as quickly as possible tho

Zen and Joe set up a little ways away~

There were two stages again~ this smaller one's called the Village Stage (the larger is the Valley Stage). I loved their little bamboo fencing

and the little boy, and my big boy sitting on a cool tree stump of a seat!

The HAIR DOS! The woman with the feathers, when she danced those feathers fluttered in the wind.

SOOOO many children wore these "ear protecters", ear "muffs"?! I don't know what they're called, but a very nice idea!!

The food...expensive, and so-much-of it, was everywhere. It was hard NOT to indulge.

I never have seen people trying to light a smoke with a magnifying glass! True...to make a fire, I've seen it~ I was impressed actually... lighting this way to be natural?!

We found this woman Barbara who we met last year when we were with Sayoko-tachi!

Barbara is a faithful concert goer~ and supporter of many people and causes, including the people she bought this coffee from.

Toot's and the Maytal's were the highlight for us~ though Coli Budd's band was NICE!

I loved seeing all the young people loving the old bands we grew up loving.

I got turned onto Toot's for the first time right here in Santa Cruz when I was a new College student in 1980, so~ it brings back real good, nostalgic feelings!

The Kids

2011 balloons from Zen and Joe's graduation~ they are STILL floating in the air TODAY, the 24th! TWO weeks after graduating. Got our money's worth~(they were $50.00!!)

Sheon's birthday was June 18th, she turned 22! Naomi-chan made the ice cream cake Sheon likes...Taka, Zen and I missed being there to celebrate : (

Ischin plays guitar now too! It had been gathering dust in the corner of his room for a while~ I can't wait to HEAR him!

Santa Cruz High GRADUATES! June 10th, 2011

The kids and teachers all were "up above" waiting until the time to descend upon all of us below~

And below, Cabrillo College Stadium:

The ceremony went on for two hours. It really was wonderful. And tho it was so sunny, there was a slight breeze. It was pretty much perfect except for no sisters or brother of Zen's being there, or any of our other blood relatives! xoxox

Zen got to walk between two of two of his best friends, Cody Love and Joseph Marden, on their way to getting their diplomas!

With Mr. Free, who was the keynote speaker! Can't get better than him!!!

Well, Obama would be close! xoxox

Then back to our place to eat, drink, celebrate them and us, and be even more merry~

Akilah celebrating the boys~

Taylor back from U.C.Berkeley and in town, and Iggy graduated from Soquel too~

Iggy's Mom Patty, and brother Willy~Akilah along with Willy and Nahshon~

I want to close out this entry with these two pictures Zen drew in one of his last classes at Santa Cruz High~ so, in thanks to his school too!

Getting ready for ZEN & JOE'S GRADUATION PARTY!!! 6/10/2011

This is looking up the road from the entrance to our driveway~ 

Having a handy man is one of the best things in THE LIFE!

They were putting down more gravel at the entrance to our driveway.

Then we had this tub~

and once I got it cleaned out...

...a hot tub man came through, and after a few days of filtering and all~ now we have the heavenly luxury of taking hot tubs any time of day we desire.

At night...when I look up at the trees surrounding the house, they appear to be hugging our home. It's so beautiful!