Tree Hugging

The landscape in California, while dramatic in scale, never really wowed me when it came to the seasons.  I always thought of the year divided up into green vs. brown, with not a lot of showy transitions compared to the Spring and Fall in more temperate climates.  Well it turns out the signs of Spring do exist, I just didn't do a very good job of noticing them.

We we wanted to show the boys the beautiful burst of wildflowers that appears in the hills close to where we grew up, at Sunol Regional Wilderness. Lola came along for the hike, and it's a good thing, because Anders was high maintenance.

The Valley Oak is one of my favorite trees, with it's limbs twisting and turning from years of pressure from the elements. This tree doesn't just survive the harsh and dry conditions, it thrives. We wanted to know how many people it would take to encircle the tree's trunk.  The answer: 2 adults and 3 little boys.

Despite the wind and misty rain we managed to have a good time, and Magnus successfully found 15 unique kinds of wildflowers.

Last weekend we crammed the Subaru full of camping gear and headed North to Mendocino County. 6 months ago I had a bit of wanderlust and booked a small cabin at Hendy Woods State Park.  On the way we stopped at the Golden Gate Bridge as a family for the very first time.

We made a quick pit stop in Petaluma at Roy's Chicago Dogs, located at the Petaluma Livestock Auction Yard.  If you're passing through (and you eat meat) it's a must!

After 3 hours, and a little carsickness, we finally arrived in the Anderson Valley.  We first discovered the area last year during our anniversary getaway, and fell in love with the landscape and slow pace.

First order of business: buy wine.  Lots and lots of wine.  Our favorites are Navarro Vineyards and Husch Vineyards, both family owned in Philo, CA.  Magnus said, "Ugh, why does this trip have to be about wine?!?"

We eventually made it to our camp spot. Hendy Woods State Park offers modest cabins with wood burning stoves, and have campsites nestled amongst redwoods.

After settling in we took a short walk to see the Hermit Huts, which were built by the Hendy Woods Hermit who lived in this forest for 18 years.  

 The cabins have bunk beds, but you have to bring sleeping pads and bags.  The stove kept us warm at night with lows in the 40s.

Not far from the campsite are trails leading to old growth redwood groves.  On our walk we spotted wild irises and orchids.

The trail eventually led to the Navarro River, but we had to get the kids away from the piles of rocks and construction equipment to get there.

When we finally arrived, we were treated to our own private beach.  As usual, nobody swam and everyone got dirty.

Later that afternoon we drove down to Petit Teton farm, an organic family owned farm that sells meat, eggs, and veggies at farmers markets.  I had emailed the owners to arrange a tour ahead of time, and they were nice enough to let us walk around.

Perched up on a hill, there were beautiful rows of flowering arugula and lettuce, artichokes, and strawberries.

They have 100 egg layers and 4 yaks (a.k.a Hippy Cows).

While Mattias and I were busy chatting with the owners (one artist and one ex-attorney), the boys had a blast playing with their dog and grand daughter.  We eventually had to leave, but they really didn't want to.

Back at camp, we went back to our silly shenanigans.  Rowdiness runs in the family, what can I say? As much as the boys drive us crazy with their silliness, Mattias and I only have ourselves to blame.

The following morning was Easter, and despite cold temperatures and rain, the Easter Bunny made a miraculous appearance!  Hidden amongst the moss and redwoods were plastic eggs filled with jelly beans and chocolate.

This trip was an adventure, but no vacation.  There was a lot of yelling "Hands to yourself!" and "Follow directions!" And each night after the kids fell asleep, Mattias and I sat by the fire and asked "Why are we doing this again?"  These boys, so used to traveling and camping, are totally oblivious to the amount of effort it takes to plan and execute a trip.  But then again, it's not their job to understand or appreciate.  I didn't become a parent for recognition and gratitude (a dog would do a better job at that.)   Mattias and I travel with the kids because we love to travel, and we just happen to have kids. While it takes a lot more effort, and causes a hell of a lot more frustration, it's worth it to show them both the world and who we are as people.