Kyle sporting a haircut that I gave him on Friday night. I think he is much more handsome when you can actually see his face.

 
The view from their front lawn looking north. We brought the kayaks with us and I did a nice five mile paddle to Thatcher Island. It is the one with two lighthouses in the distance. The weather was perfect if a bit hot but the wind coupled with the 2 foot swells made for a nerve wracking experience when I was in open water. For this reason I hugged the coast line and made one quick sprint across the half mile channel. Nico headed south with some of his friends and landed on Salt Island where he did a little cliff climbing.

 
This morning I played soccer for the first time since injuring my hamstring. Although my game was less than 100% the rest has allowed me to heal. My conditioning needs some real work and the season starts nest weekend. This afternoon the whole famile traveled to Rockport to attend a party at the summer home of one of our neighbors. They have a delightful place that overlooks the ocean.

Explanation of the prior photo (remember this blog is posted in reverse chronological order): Nico and Rory seated in the window of the lodge (the photo is rotated 90 degrees) looking out on the black bear pictured here. The light was low and he was moving quickly after Stephen threw a rock at the bear proof refuse bin he was raiding.

 
I am adding this rather funny photo taken last weekend. See if you can figure out what was going on.

 
The kids indulged my desire for a family photo. While I am happy to have it, it does not rise to Christmas card quality and I will need to coerce them into another attempt later this year.

 
This morning we squeeze in one more easy climb to the Coliseum Falls.

 
Heather, the family historian, made a gift to me of the passenger manifest recording the voyage of my grandfather and grandmother (they came on separate ships) from Italy to America via Ellis Island. I intend to frame this along with a photo of the ship for display in my library. Click the photo for a larger view and see if you can find the entry for Ernesto Calabria.

 
We enjoyed a final gathering of the family after the sun set. Heather and my father showed old family photos and quizzed the youngsters on their knowledge of our ancestors.

 
Immediately after diner I gathered everyone for a family photo. The mosquitoes were out in droves and could not have been more annoying. The group suffered through the attack long enough for me to get two photos of everyone and I am pleased with the result.

 
Mario looks over the edge onto the Crawford Notch. Rising on his left is Mount Webster, which we climbed the day before.

 
After lunch my nephew Mario and I ascended Mount Willard in a record time of 36 minutes practically running the entire way. At the top we met up with other members of our party who had climbed up much earlier.

 
For lunch we dined at the Mount Washington Hotel which affords a spectacular view of its namesake pictured here in the background.

 
Under the careful supervision of her Uncle Stephen, Maya is not to be outdone by her brothers and cousins. She climbs the rock face and becomes the youngest member of our crew to survive the plunge.

 
Kyle braves the heaviest portion of the water fall which is oh so freezing cold.

 
This morning we did a short hike to Ripley Falls which at 100 feet is the second tallest in New Hampshire. It took little time for the kids (and some of the more robust adults) to strip down and enter the frigid water. Each child in turn climbed up the rock face to slide down and plunge into the pool below.

 
After dinner the birthday celebration begins. Jeanine (aka Vanna) and sister Susan have created a Jeopardy style game featuring trivia questions, charades, pictionary, dance & stunts, and scavenger hunts. The theme of each question or challenge relates to some aspect of the life of my mother or I.

 
Seating for 21 was not a problem at the lodge. We have now been joined by my other sister Alissa, her husband John and my nephew Johnie and niece Rachel.

 
On the way down, Stephen, Burton and Mario take a quick plunge in this ice cold waterfall pool. Click on the photo for a better look at the expression on his face after a few seconds in the water.

 
The view from the top was spectacular and the cloud formations added to the overall drama of the scene.

 
We reached the summit of this very difficult climb after 5 hours and would take another 3 to descend.

 
This is Mario’s first exposure to climbing and he is the strongest of our team. It was a great pleasure to climb with him and to introduce him to this way of enjoying the great outdoors. His parents would have been very proud of his courage and tenacity. My uncle Bob was the first to introduce me to climbing so this uncle/nephew tradition has been passed down for at least two generations now.

 
Mayela (age 43) shows off her guns. Her older brother decides to stand behind the camera rather than face the humiliation of comparing biceps.

 
My uncle Bob (age 72), my sister Mayela and husband Stephen, my cousin-in-law Burton, my nephew and I set out to climb 4,000 foot Mount Webster, part of the Presidential Range.

 
Her protruding tongue is very cute, but I must teach her to protect it by keeping it inside her mouth.

 
After a quick breakfast Maya scales the first mountain she finds.

 
I am the first to rise and cannot resist photographing my favorite daughter.

 
After dinner young and old retire to the basement of the lodge for a ping pong tournament.

 
My art shot for the evening.

 
Lounging before dinner, Jeanine is responsible for orchestrating the family reunion weekend which is a joint celebration of my mother’s 80th birthday and my 50th (not till late September actually).

 
Before the evening ends we are joined by my parents, my uncle Bob and aunt Maruja, sister Mayela and brother-in-law Stephen, and Jeanine’s sister Susan who drove up with us from Concord. Here we pose in front of the Crawford train depot illuminated by the setting sun.