Visiting Gong-gong's

The kids love to explore and have some fresh fruit!
-Ben

Exploring Gong-gong's Garden

We had a chance to see the wonderful garden Nicole's dad has been busy with lately. He had tree ripened tangerines and kumquats for us to enjoy, and he sent us home with lots of fresh Chinese vegatables!
-Ben

La Brea Tar Pits

We have been visiting LA for 10 years, and we finally made the 5 mile trip to the world famous tar pits today. I learned that camels used to live in North America today. They became extinct after the last ice age, which had some drastic climate change that is one possible explanation for the extinction of many large mammals like the short nose bear, the mammoth, mastadon, camel, saber tooth cat, and a different bison.
-Ben

Duck Hunting

I got a chance to go duck hunting this week, the 3rd time this season (the most I have been able to hunt in years!). My friend Chad had a spot open in the blind he shoots at in Los Banos and it worked out for me to go (thanks Chad, and thanks dearie!). We hunted it until about 10 AM and had shots at the most birds I've seen in years. We each shot 5 ducks (the limit is 7). I shot a green-wing teal, a spoonbill, two widgeon and a drake gadwall. We cooked up three of them tonight and they were delicious! It brought back a lot of fond memories of hunting with my Dad back in Minnesota.