Getty Villa in May

For Aunt Pat's birthday, we headed out to the Getty to see the sculpture exhibits that were just about to leave - The Charioteer, and The Lion Attacking a Horse. The museum and grounds, as always, were impressive and enchanting.

After a scrumptious lunch in the cafe, we paused as we decended the stairs, enjoying the grotto pond.

Onward! We haven't even seen any of the exhibits yet!

Friends of the English Regency.... Drum!

After watching Pride and Prejudice with me (yes, the AWESOME 9-hr BBC version with Colin Hunk Firth) Abi decided she would like to come with us to the local regency dance practice. Doesn't she look like she walked straight out of Longbourn?

Here's a shot I sneaked of the guys patiently waiting for us in their very warm jackets and vests and long breeches...

Zzzzz

...Any explanation needed?

Gorgeous Iris!

 My gardenias are still not happy, but look at the gorgeous iris blooms from the little plants we got at the Huntington sale last spring!

Sheep Shearing at LVT, 2013

We had a nice sized gathering for sheep shearing this year. There were not quite as many spectators as last year - which was fine, as the weather was very hot! Don got his hands on a couple of sheep, but let Charles do most of the actual shearing. Don still has the knack for throwing the fleece, however!

And now, the before and after pictures!

Abi's Spring Formal

Abi was determined to have a custom-made dress for the Aveson Spring Formal - her first formal dance! Aunt Pat got her the fabric she picked out, and after she layed it out and cut the pieces, I sewed it for her.

The afternoon right before the formal, I took her into Shear Magic in Monrovia, the shop where our friend Laura works. She wasn't in, unfortunately, but a lovely lady there made Abi's hair look gorgeous. The finishing touch was a corsage pinned into place made by Aunt Pat.

 

Abi got several more occasions out of this gown - she went to the Jr. ROTC ball with her friend Aidan, and also wore it to her 8th grade culmination in June!

Paella at Home

 Since we left King's Hunt before we got to do our big dinner, Aunt Pat, Uncle Bear and Carlean came over to our house and we made it there instead! We set our screen tent back up and had a BBQ in the back yard.

 The garden is doing well - soon we will have cauliflower, cabbage and peas!

 Abi's flower beds are also blooming and happy

At last, the Paella!

Blown Away at King's Hunt

 Abi is ready! She has big plans for hiking and climbing trees and generally becoming one with nature.

Once we got there we were greeted by 50 mph wind gusts - which made setting up camp very tricky. I borrowed a cloak from Aunt Pat for the evening. Can you see me doing my Emperor Palpatine impression lurking behind Shaun? :)

The morning broke cold, but calm.

Morvin and Amina and two friends joined us for lunch. But by that time, the wind was picking back up. We decided to bail out before dinner, as the gusts were expected to reach 60 mph before the end of the day, and 80 by the following morning!