October 14, 2018 – Yankee Hill, California

“What’s your favorite color?”

Alora asks me while we eat breakfast at the dining room table. “Red,” I respond as I watch her and Natoma play with some M&M’s, adding some to their oatmeal. “What’s your second favorite color?” They ask. “Hmmm…black.”

“Ewww!”

This game goes on for a while as I eat and repeat their questions back to them. The patience and playfulness it takes to be a good parent. I eventually finish and go work with Sequoia outside. Standard procedure. In the afternoon, all the girls (Rachel, Sequoia, Alora, and Natoma) and I walk to a neighbor’s house down the road. Natoma requests a ride on my shoulders; I couldn’t say no if I wanted to. Upon arrival, Rachel gives me a tour of the gardens she tends to on her neighbor’s property. We grab some stuff to take with us and eat some fresh tomatoes. Delicious.

On the way back, Natoma gets another shoulder ride. This makes Alora jealous, but she settles for Sequoia’s just-as-good shoulders after a conversation with her mother. Children. I respect Rachel not only for being a good mother and role model to her kids, but I feel like having two girls must be especially difficult. Would two boys be any easier?

After dinner, Rachel invites me in from outside to hang out in the living room. I accept. As I’m working on my computer, Natoma decides to put on a ballerina show for us. I watch, smile, laugh. She’s so sweet. I clap when she finishes and get ready to head to bed. As I’m leaving, the girls jump up on me playfully. “Ahhhhh!” I play-scream and call them monkeys. We all laugh as Rachel comes to my rescue. She suggests that the girls give me a hug goodnight, so they do, and she does as well. I wish them all a good night and head to my tent.

A rare and treasured moment in my travels.

“To me there is no picture so beautiful as smiling, bright-eyed, happy children; no music so sweet as their clear and ringing laughter.” – P. T. Barnum