2003 Pictures

Click on the small pictures to see larger ones.

In January I escaped the cold on a trip to Miami, on which I saw Vizcaya (the 1916 mansion and gardens) and the South Beach Art Deco district.

In February we went to California as usual.

Lake Tahoe, from the shore, and a panorama from the Alpine Meadows ski area:

The next morning, some fresh snow, and a view over the slopes at Northstar:

Finally, from the chairlift, looking down eagerly at the fresh powder runs in the trees.
	At Grandpa Edmund's and Grandma Terry's in Berkeley. To the left, Chantal reading by the fire. To the right, the kids stroking the baby leopard sharks at the Aquarium at Pier 39.

My father took us to the USS Hornet at the old Alameda Navy Air Station:


View over the flight deck, with San Francisco across the bay.	Grandpa Edmund in the flight operations bridge.	Isabel at the helm.	Chantal and Isabel saluting back on shore.

	On a trip to the zoo with Aunt Caroline and the step-cousins: Benjamin and Benny consult the map.	"I'm so wide!"
Isabel holding Joey:
	At Shoreline Park, Sammy and Benjamin flying kites.	Looks like the pedalboats need a little help!

A baby cousin Joey miscellany:


Cousin Joey calm and quiet in the bouncy chair.	A smile in the stroller!	Opening a present with a little help from mom Aunt Caroline.	Flying baby!
Isabel and Sammy playing a video game:		Benjamin and Benny busy at the workbench:

Isabel took part in a study, and got her brain scanned.
(This is a 1.7 MB Quicktime movie assembled from a series of MRI scan stills.)

Winter was long this year, with snow through March and even April:

Benjamin looking at the goats at Drumlins Farm. We even saw a lamb being born that day!

A family excursion to the Middlesex Fells.

In March I got a chance to see a couple of landmark houses in Chicago: H.H. Richardson's Glessner House and Frank Lloyd Wright's Robie House.

Spring at last!

Benjamin learns to knit! He actually took to it remarkably well.		Big sister helping out.
	Tulips and daffodils in a neighbor's yard. The hard winter seemed good for the flowers.		Dogwoods.
A house is moved:
	Benjamin in a school show.		More rabbits.
Chantal and one of her new trees.		Tree planting. (Not for the faint of heart!)
	Benjamin at soccer. (Apparently not intimidated by bigger kids.)		Coach Ian gives a pep talk.

A visit to Grandma José's house in Pawtucket:

Isabel and Benjamin with Aunt Caroline and cousin Joey.		Chantal and Joey.
	A big smile from Joey!		On our walk, irises.
Grandma José with grandkids: Isabel, Joey, Benjamin.		Isabel feeding Joey. Who's having more fun?

In June, a short trip to Tel Aviv:

This was my first time in Israel, but just a quick business trip, so almost no time for tourism and picture-taking, sadly.

Friends Alon and Hila in a bistro.	A view of Jaffa.	A mosque.	A memorial to the suicide bombing at the Dolphinarium disco, almost exactly two years previously: June 1, 2001.

	The pictures above were taken from the Charles Clore Park in front of my hotel.
A panorama on the beach (4.3 MB Quicktime movie):

Benjamin's Seventh Birthday:

Benjamin decorating his cake.		Isabel and friend Megan.
	Friends Joshua and Trevor with Benjamin.		Cutting the cake.
Opening presents. What could be better than a book about animals!		A magnifying glass for bugs.
	The morning after, making smoothies.		Isabel making pancakes. Pretty yummy!

Secret Garden Tour:

	Every year various people open up their gardens to the public to benefit the library. The gardens range from magnificent spreads in the most expensive parts of town to delightfully modest and "normal" yards.

In June I was in California, and took the opportunity to see Frank Lloyd Wright's Hanna House on the Stanford Campus.

Soccer:

These pictures are from the last game of the season, when Benjamin's Ash team finally won, with a convincing 5-2 victory!
	A little advice from coach Ian.	A muddy field.	The team consults.

Going for the ball!	Benjamin is on it...	A throw-in.	With parents in support.

The defense rests.	Nicholas in control.	Congratulations to the team!	A victory huddle.

Thanks for a good game.	The team lines up for trophies.	Benjamin gets his.	Isabel and Benjamin admire his trophy.

Some first pictures taken with a new Canon EOS 10D digital SLR, experimenting with RAW format files and the Capture One tool First some at Mt. Auburn Cemetery: Stewartia, Cherries, Pansies:
Then a rose bush in our front yard:
	Finally, Isabel absorbed in Harry Potter, Book 5. In the original one can clearly read the words...

Fourth of July fireworks

H.H. Richardson at Harvard (click here)

I enjoyed using a Canon EOS 10D SLR for these. While smaller, fixed-lens digital cameras are a lot of fun, and can be very capable, I enjoying having access once again to a range of lenses: wide-angle, long telephoto, and fast fixed-focal length. And I find the SLR viewing image more natural and productive.

	Barnstable harbor in the evening: a sailboat and dock in the warm sunset glow.		A couple of rowboats tied up in the calm.
The view of the lighthouse from the camp's upstair's bedroom.		Between the sheds, a boat at its mooring.
	Sunset over the docks.		The sun dips, behind a flagpole.
Isabel and Benjamin and a friend swim off the sandbar.		Isabel and Deanna build a sand castle.
	Junior naturalists: Benjamin and some friends examine what lies beneath the sand.		Benjamin finds a hermit crab in its shell.
A closer examination of the hermit crabs.		Kids setting off in a kayak.
	More kayaking.		The "front beach" at low tide.
Kids swimming in the afternoon.		Benjamin drying himself off afterwards.
	Chantal and the kids waving at the Whale Watcher.		Chantal and Benjamin looking for interesting shells and critters.
A closeup of the rocky, shell-y beach.		Two hermit crabs entangled.
	Isabel and Benjamin finding shells.		Isabel painting in the shed with Grandma Dorothy.
Chantal reading by candlelight. (This is taken handheld at 1/20th of a second, with the sensor cranked up to ISO 1600. The noise in under-exposed areas is very evident, but it's an interesting effect.)		A horseshoe crab.
	A view back to the lighthouse from the Point. (I had left the ISO at 1600 by mistake, which gives an interesting effect to the flat areas of the clouds. It was a genuinely cloudy, stormy-looking day, but this shot intensifies that.)		Finally, back home, the backyard looking well-watered!

In August, we took a family trip to Newfoundland.

Back home, school starts, and Isabel's 10th birthday.

	First day of new school year, Benjamin in second grade, Isabel in fifth.		Isabel's birthday party: Isabelle Fisher assembles a bouquet.
Rachel Bliss in the garden.		And the De Jonge girls, Simone and Maxine.
	Benjamin and Benjamin Fisher occupy themselves with trains.		Chantal lights the candles on the cake.
Isabel admires her cake, with Sophie singing.		Chantal cuts the cake while Isabel looks on.
	Isabel holds up a card.		More presents!

Thanksgiving! Aunt Caroline and her family comes to visit.

	Isabel feeding baby Joey.		Joey seems pretty happy with his bananas!
Kids making a cake. (Taken by Chip.)		The big meal: Chip helping Benny, who doesn't seem too thrilled... Benjamin tucking in, though.
	Isabel standing proudly by the cake that she and the boys made from scratch.		A walk outside; first our newly-planted River Birches.
The Cambridge Public Library glowing in the afternoon sun.		The kids enjoying the Charles River footbridge.
	The Charles River, Harvard, and the ducks as the sun goes down.		Kids (big and small!) playing with trains
Chantal beading, and Isabel looking on.		Kids banging away.
	A visit to Drumlin Farms; on the Hayride.		Playing on the old tractor.
At the library, Aunt Caroline reading a book to the boys.		Benny and Benjamin looking at a book together.
	Junior naturalists at the pond.		Isabel in her Grandma José sweater.

Over the weekend of Dec. 6-7, we got over 20 inches of snow!

A panorama of Ellsworth Street during the snowstorm:

Kids sweeping snow:

	Backyard buried under snow.		Holly berries on a hedge.
A Harvard quadrangle.		A family picture.

The next week, I had a business trip to England, when I also had a chance to see my grandmother Mamie Lucienne, who has been very sick, just before she died.

Our annual Christmas trip to Chantal's family in Falls Church, VA:

	Grandma Dorothy and Benjamin looking at a book.		Chantal with Benjamin admiring his new snowball-maker.
	Isabel and Aunt Lorranie sharing a laugh.		Benjamin and Isabel gazing into the flames.
A trip to the National Zoo:

Giant Panda	Cheetah	Grevy's Zebra	Kandula, the baby elephant (a mere 2010 lbs!)
Some kids' soccer action:
	A trip downtown to some National Monuments: the Jefferson.		And the Washington.
Kids at the Roosevelt.		The FDR monument is spread out along the banks of the Tidal Basin. It's an interesting interplay of rough rock walls, plantings, waterfalls, and sculpture.
	The Great Depression		The great man himself, with his faithful Scottie Fala.